The conversation between the two ended unhappily. Ji Zhuo didn't sit idle; he turned around, took the food that Lin Xihe had brought back, and began preparing dinner.

Lin Xihe sat on the bed, feeling bored. Her gaze drifted to the stove, where she saw Ji Zhuo's flustered state. He knocked over the oil bottle and almost spilled the vinegar jar.

The corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up slightly, forming a faint arc, as she murmured to herself, "What a handsome fool." Her voice was so soft it was almost inaudible, carrying a hint of reproach, yet also a strange intimacy.

After a full hour of work, Ji Zhuo finally brought the food to the table. It was steaming hot and looked quite appetizing.

However, Lin Xihe had barely managed to pick up a piece of food with her chopsticks and put it in her mouth when her brows furrowed. She belatedly realized that having Ji Zhuo cook was simply asking for trouble.

But upon further reflection, he realized his foot was still injured. If he were to be picky now and cause the man to quit, he would likely have to drag his injured foot to cook and serve him in the future. Weighing the two options, he could only grit his teeth and continue eating despite his discomfort.

She picked up a piece of chicken and put it in her mouth. The chicken was as hard as a shoe sole, and it took her a lot of effort to bite off a small piece. Her cheeks ached from chewing.

Looking up, I saw Ji Zhuo sitting opposite me, his face full of anticipation, with a few clumps of dirt on his cheeks.

Lin Xihe forced a smile and squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth: "Not...not bad."

"It seems I have quite a talent."

After saying that, Ji Zhuo even picked up a piece of chicken that looked "okay" and placed it steadily into Lin Xihe's bowl.

Lin Xihe, chewing on a piece of chicken that was almost impossible to chew, thought that she should let him taste her "cooking skills" as well, so she cleared her throat and said, "Um... you should eat some too."

Ji Zhuo, without suspicion, picked up the meat and put it in his mouth as instructed. But as soon as the meat entered his mouth, it was so salty that it tasted bitter and so tough that it got stuck in his teeth. He couldn't hold it in any longer and spat it all out with a "pfft".

"Stop eating! This tastes wrong!"

Lin Xihe stole a glance, but secretly thought to herself: I won't listen. If I stop eating now, this guy will definitely find an excuse to quit cooking. In that case, I'll be the one cooking and serving him.

But she still tried to comfort her gently, saying, "It tastes pretty good. It's normal for your skills to be a bit rusty since it's your first time cooking. Don't be discouraged, just keep cooking. I'm looking forward to the next meal."

"You like it?"

"You really like her?" Ji Zhuo was still persistent, frowning as he stared intently at Lin Xihe.

Lin Xihe mentally complained, but her face still had a bright smile that was so sweet it could kill someone. She also said obediently, "Of course I like it. I'll have to trouble you to show off your skills more often in the future."

He thought to himself: "Hmph, who would want to chew on this thing that looks like a dry wooden stake? It's just to fool you, you silly boy."

Upon hearing this, Ji Zhuo surprisingly showed a hint of shyness and embarrassment on his face, and replied, "Okay."

Lin Xihe was quite frightened by his innocent appearance, and she kept thinking to herself, "Good heavens, what kind of 'rare thing' have I picked up?"

So he's a pure-hearted guy?

He's the domineering type, not someone you want to mess with!

It seems we need to find a way to get rid of him as soon as possible, otherwise who knows what kind of trouble he might cause in the future.

Night fell as dark as ink, silently enveloping everything until all was still.

Lin Xihe nestled comfortably in her own bed, enjoying this rare moment of freedom. No one was crowding her, the bed was spacious, and she could stretch out completely. She couldn't be more comfortable.

Overwhelmed with excitement, she happily rolled over on the bed, which immediately creaked in protest as it couldn't withstand the "torture."

She glanced instinctively at Ji Zhuo in the next bed and saw that he was not moving at all. She guessed that he had already fallen asleep, so she quickly held her breath, lay down obediently, and dared not make any big movements for fear of disturbing him.

Just as he was drifting off to sleep, a faint, mechanical electronic voice suddenly rang out, seemingly from a distant place, ethereal and unreal: [Host…]

The volume was so soft, like the buzzing of a mosquito, that you could easily miss it if you weren't paying attention.

Lin Xihe instantly snapped out of her daze, straining her ears to focus intently on the eerie sound, barely daring to breathe.

[Host? Holy crap! Again...]

The voice stopped abruptly, as if it had been abruptly cut off, leaving half a sentence stuck in mid-air.

"Who's talking over there?" Lin Xihe felt a chill run down her spine, and her voice involuntarily rose.

Looking around, the room was dimly lit, and the only response she received was a deathly silence, so quiet that she could hear her own rapid heartbeat.

"Who is speaking?"

Undeterred, she raised her voice and asked again, but the only response she received was endless silence.