Chapter 3 Reciprocity
Lu Yu glanced at her without any emotion.
Meng Xi knew he had made a fool of himself by speaking carelessly, so he lowered his head and ate his food in small bites.
She had initially thought that Lu Yu wouldn't have dinner with her.
To everyone's surprise, Lu Yu pulled out a chair and sat down.
Upon seeing this, the maid, who was standing far away, immediately brought over a bowl of rice and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.
Seeing Lu Yu sit down, Meng Xi felt lost and uneasy again.
She lowered her head and silently ate the white rice in her bowl, intending to go straight back to her room after finishing her meal.
Lu Yu clearly had no intention of speaking to Meng Xi and ate in silence.
The atmosphere was tense, and she secretly glanced at him.
Beneath the dazzling and luxurious crystal chandelier, the restaurant's decor is exquisite and grand.
The entire space was brightly lit, yet quiet, with only the sound of myself chewing food in my ears.
Lu Yu always ate very little, taking only a few bites, seemingly uninterested in anything. His eating manner was also nonchalant, aloof and dignified.
To the untrained eye, the difference between them and ordinary people like Meng Xi is like heaven and earth.
"hiss."
Whether it was the chewing motion that aggravated his wound from the fight earlier that day, Lu Yu let out a very low hiss of pain, which Meng Xi heard keenly.
She unconsciously stirred the rice in her bowl, hesitating for a long while before finally trying to offer a suggestion in a soft voice: "Lu Yu..."
"If your face is swollen, it will hurt a lot. Rolling a hot egg on it will help it heal much faster."
Lu Yu casually and indifferently raised his emotionless dark eyes and coldly uttered, "No need."
Having been turned away twice today, Meng Xi became even more fearful of Lu Yu's temperament and coldness.
But……
They had lived together for four years, and there was also Aunt Xu's affection for them.
Moreover, she was almost entirely a bystander in today's events...
Although he was cold and aloof, ...
Meng Xi thought for a moment, then mustered her courage and said, "Then you eat first, I'll get it ready for you."
After saying that, she got up and walked towards the kitchen, took a fresh egg from the refrigerator, and put it in a small pot to boil.
Judging by the time estimate, it should be cooked in about seven or eight minutes.
While waiting for the eggs to cook, Meng Xi secretly peeked outside.
Lu Yu was still eating at a leisurely pace.
But it's actually quite strange.
Luo Ying and he went out together during the day, but on a fine Sunday, they didn't have a date or dinner together.
Also, she likes Lu Yu so much, why doesn't she help him treat his wounds?
However, these are other people's private matters, so she just thought about them casually.
In short, it has nothing to do with her.
Time was up quickly.
Meng Xi took out a small strainer, scooped the eggs out of the pot, placed them on the table, and then washed her hands with cold water.
Carefully peel the hot egg.
"It's so hot."
She burned her fingertip and instinctively cried out in pain.
She didn't know when it started, but Lu Yu was already standing at the door with his body tilted to the side, his head slightly lowered, looking at her casually.
His gaze remained fixed, as if he were lost in thought.
Meng Xi noticed that someone was beside her.
Looking over, upon seeing Lu Yu, her previously calm state of mind suddenly turned into unease.
He probably wasn't rejecting my kindness...
The two were about five or six meters apart, one in front of the stove and the other at the doorway.
Despite the spaciousness of the room, Meng Xi felt somewhat suffocated.
To be fair, her feelings for Lu Yu were very complicated.
He was both Aunt Xu's son and her roommate who had lived under the same roof for four years.
It's not that they had absolutely no feelings for each other.
But the feeling was complex and hard to describe, and she herself couldn't explain it in detail.
After all... Lu Yu is excessively handsome.
His black hair was neat and tidy, his features were arrogant and aloof, yet he had a pure boyish charm, and his black eyes were always cold.
Although he always had a distant and unapproachable demeanor, just by looking at his face, countless people would turn their heads to look at him.
His family is so well-off, and he's so dazzling.
She was born to be the center of attention.
Meng Xi also... is occasionally attracted to him.
But only for a moment, and she would look away when she remembered reality.
The enormous gap that she could never close in her lifetime made her already introverted and timid nature even more submissive when she saw Lu Yu.
If I really had to describe her feelings...
It's probably a complex mix of feelings: inferiority complex, caution, fear, sensitivity, yet occasional attraction.
In particular, since she is now living in his house and doing whatever she pleases, she doesn't want to cause any trouble or problems.
Fortunately, Lu Yu was aloof and unapproachable, and she didn't like always seeing him so cold. The two of them, whether intentionally or unintentionally, continued to interact like strangers.
He was carefree and irresponsible, while Meng Xi studied diligently.
That way, Aunt Xu will feel more at ease knowing.
After all, she only has one son, and they see each other all the time, so she has no unrealistic desires.
I wouldn't dare have it.
Meng Xi pulled herself together and lowered her head to continue peeling the hot egg.
His dark eyes were like ice, and he suddenly spoke: "Meng Xi, are you very free?"
She continued peeling the egg with her eyelashes lowered, thinking he was saying she was just bored and had nothing better to do than peel a hot egg. She explained in a soft, gentle voice, "A hot egg on your face helps reduce swelling; it won't have the same effect if it cools down."
As soon as she finished speaking, a whole egg was peeled, lying smooth and bouncy in her delicate white palm.
Walking up to Lu Yu, Meng Xi placed the egg in his hand, keeping a safe distance. With her slender and petite frame, she gestured as vividly as possible to teach him: "Just roll it on your face like this."
Lu Yu didn't intend to move, his expression remaining cold and aloof.
Meng Xi was taken aback.
After taking the eggs back from him, I stood there, unsure whether to leave or stay.
Does he think she's making a fuss over nothing? Or is he saying, "You do it"?
I was caught in a dilemma.
She hesitated, then looked up at Lu Yu timidly for a long time.
When she saw his wound, and remembered what Uncle Gu had said last night, she finally made up her mind and tremblingly reached out to touch his face.
She softened her tone and said cautiously, "Lu Yu... you don't always have to be so cold to people. I... I didn't mean any harm."
Her voice was gentle and timid, like a kitten that dared not approach people.
Lu Yu's expression relaxed almost imperceptibly, and for some inexplicable reason, he didn't dodge.
Seeing that he remained motionless, Meng Xi breathed a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, he didn't dodge.
She stretched out her slender, white arm, trying to reach his icy face, but the difficulty lay in…
Lu Yu is really too tall.
Meng Xi is only 162 cm tall, more than 20 cm shorter than him. Even when he stands on tiptoe, he is still a bit short.
She kept a few dozen centimeters of space between herself and Lu Yu, trying her best to stretch her arm high and bring the egg to his face. But no matter how hard she tried, she simply couldn't reach it.
Meng Xi was anxious and caught in a dilemma, not daring to look at him.
Her wet eyes were filled with panic and helplessness, as embarrassed as a frantic little deer.
This was the first time the two of them had been so close.
Lu Yu looked at her coldly.
But somehow, as he got closer to her, his mood miraculously calmed down.
His heart stirred, and though he remained aloof, he naturally bent down slightly, presenting his face to her soft, delicate hand.
The girl moved very gently.
The faint fragrance emanating from her body lingered around his nose, and a warm touch came from his left cheek, leaving him momentarily dazed.
It seems that the restless and uncontrollable emotions that were so intense during the quiet of the night have been somewhat reduced.
Caught off guard, Meng Xi found herself face to face with him. Looking at his indifferent eyes, her heart skipped a beat.
Realizing she had lost her focus, she quickly shifted her gaze to the bruise, pressed the egg onto it, and gently rolled it.
As the eggs cooled down while she was handling them, Meng Xi quickly took small steps back and said with her head down, "It's done."
She had just taken a step back when, as she stepped back, her right foot accidentally tripped over the edge of her left slipper. Losing her balance, Meng Xi fell backward.
Meng Xi's body was exceptionally petite and slender compared to Lu Yu's. Her long hair fell down her back, spreading out slightly when she leaned back, like a flower about to fall to the ground.
Fragile and delicate.
Lu Yu was close to her, and with a stretch of his long arm, he caught her waist and pulled her back. Due to the momentum, she accidentally bumped into his chest.
Meng Xi thanked him repeatedly, blushed, and stepped back, lowering her head and not daring to look at him.
Lu Yu didn't react much, but a crack appeared for a moment in his icy expression.
The hand that touched her slender waist felt like it had been electrocuted, both tingly and numb.
It was a feeling I had never experienced before.
Her waist was so slender and soft, and the moment she was wrapped in his arms, he felt inexplicably dazed.
The fragrance emanating from her seemed even more distinct; it was faint, like the fresh scent of soap mixed with a sweet, milky aroma.
It's very special.
After thanking him, Meng Xi felt even more awkward and turned to leave.
Lu Yu snapped out of his daze and resumed his usual cold expression. As Meng Xi turned around, he said coldly, "Stop."
Meng Xi turned around timidly and saw Lu Yu stride towards a certain place in the living room, pick up something, turn back, and casually toss the thing into her arms.
He walked away without looking back.
She looked down at the ointment in her hand.
She suddenly remembered that she had a scrape on her shoulder, and since she was wearing a nightgown, the wound must be showing.
She pursed her lips and looked in the direction Lu Yu had left.
Is this considered a reciprocal gesture...?
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