Beautiful house-elf
Shen Yu quickly figured out Lin Qingyue's daily routine and some subtle preferences that she had never expressed. She was often irritable when she woke up, but a cup of honey water with the right temperature and the right amount of sweetness could slightly relax her frown; she worked like a precision instrument, consuming an astonishing amount of coffee, but her stomach seemed unable to withstand such torture, and overly spicy food would make her uncomfortable; she had some obsessive-compulsive disorder, requiring the house to be kept absolutely clean at all times, but she hated the buzzing noise made by the vacuum cleaner when it was working.
Therefore, the existence of Shenyu gradually became concrete and indispensable from a static "object of appreciation".
He always woke up half an hour earlier than her, quietly bustling around in the kitchen, preparing a perfectly warm honey water and a light, nourishing breakfast—usually soft, sticky porridge or warm milk with a fried egg. At first, he only cooked simple, home-cooked Chinese meals, which tasted average. To his surprise, Lin Qingyue didn't seem picky and would even finish the portions he prepared.
Gradually, he was no longer content with simply cooking ordinary dishes. He began to study recipes carefully, using Lin Qingyue's absence to try out new inventions by following instructional videos on his phone. He would carefully note how many times she moved her chopsticks a little too much, and would cook them more carefully next time.
"Today's mushroom soup... seems a little different from the previous ones?" Lin Qingyue suddenly spoke during dinner.
Shen Yu's heart suddenly lifted up, and his fingers quietly clenched the corner of his clothes: "Well... I looked at the new recipe and tried to add some matsutake mushrooms to enhance the flavor... If you don't like it, I will... next time..."
"Not bad." Lin Qingyue interrupted him and scooped another spoonful of soup. "You can make more in the future."
The hanging heart fell heavily, and then there was a huge sense of satisfaction. Shen Yu felt that his whole body became lighter, his eyes sparkling, as if he had received the best reward in the world. "Good!" He responded quickly and easily.
Besides honing his culinary skills, he also took on all the cleaning duties at home. After dinner, he would meticulously clean the floors and furniture, avoiding any noise that might disturb her. He would gauge her level of fatigue based on her daily schedule and prepare the bath water in advance, adjusting it to the perfect temperature. He even observed how quickly she used up the different bottles in her wine cabinet, silently memorizing her preferred flavors. When she needed to return late from social events, a soft light would always be on in the hallway, with a thermos of warm hangover soup and a pair of neatly arranged, comfortable slippers nearby.
He did all this silently, like a quiet and pleasing shadow in the room. He never said much, never took the initiative to disturb her, but when she might need something, he happened to be next to her, and he already had what she needed in his hands.
Lin Qingyue started out simply being pleased with the service, but gradually became accustomed to it and even began to rely on this attentive service that was omnipresent and just right.
She discovered she no longer had to worry about keeping track of when her coffee beans ran out, as they were always replenished before they ran dry. She discovered that no matter how late she came home, someone would always leave a light on and prepare a bowl of hot soup for her. She discovered that her clothes in the closet were neatly arranged by color and season, making them incredibly easy to access. This meticulous care, like air, seeped into her life silently and unnoticed, bringing her an unprecedented sense of peace of mind and comfort.
This feeling was very subtle. She rationally defined him as a beautiful ornament she had brought back on a whim. But this ornament was a little too practical, so practical that she almost forgot the original definition.
…
One evening, Lin Qingyue returned home reeking of alcohol and barely concealed exhaustion. A major international merger and acquisition deal had hit a snag, with negotiations at a stalemate, leaving her in a sullen mood. She irritably kicked off her high heels, not even bothering to straighten them, before slumping onto the sofa, rubbing her aching temples.
Shen Yu appeared quietly, as usual. He first silently picked up the two high heels that had been kicked all over the place, wiped them clean with a soft cloth, and put them neatly in the designated place in the shoe cabinet. Then, he knelt on the carpet in front of the sofa and handed over a cup of warm hangover soup with a faint aroma of honey and tea.
His movements were gentle and practiced, making no unnecessary noise. Lin Qingyue took it subconsciously, the warm cup caressing her slightly cool fingertips. She lowered her head and took in his soft, dark hair, his slender, white neck, and his submissive profile. The irritation that had been lingering in her heart seemed to be quietly dispelled by this silent comfort.
She took a sip of the hangover soup; it was the perfect temperature and sweetness, perfectly relieving her stomach discomfort and dry throat.
"Are you still awake?" she asked casually, her voice hoarse and tired from talking for a long time and drinking.
"Wait for you to come back." He answered softly, still keeping his head slightly lowered, without any extra expressions or words, as if this was just the most natural duty.
Lin Qingyue suddenly felt that having such a beautiful, worry-free and extremely handy little thing by her side seemed to be much better than she had expected.
Almost subconsciously, she extended her index finger, slightly bent it, and gently hooked his chin with her knuckles, forcing him to look up. His black glass-like eyes were exceptionally clear and bright under the warm light, reflecting her figure, with a hint of submissive inquiry in them.
"Well done." She gave a rare compliment. Although her tone was still flat and without any ups and downs, it seemed to be less cold and indifferent than usual.
Shen Yu's eyes seemed to light up suddenly, and although they quickly lowered humbly, Lin Qingyue still keenly caught the change in brilliance at that moment. Like a puppy that had been smoothed and rewarded, it was easy to satisfy.
"Go run the bath water," she instructed, withdrawing her hand and leaning back into the sofa cushions in a relaxed manner.
"Yes." Shen Yu responded, and the movement of getting up seemed a little lighter than usual.
Watching him quietly leave, Lin Qingyue slowly finished the remaining hangover soup in her cup. Her stomach warmed, and her headache seemed to ease considerably. She closed her eyes, and suddenly felt that perhaps he could stay a little longer. After all, it wasn't easy to find a house-elf so pleasing to the eye, especially one so beautiful.
He even made her feel a little bit like "home" in this cold apartment that she had just bought.
Unbeknownst to her, the handsome young man, whom she saw as merely "pleasing to her heart," was meticulously building his own precarious shelter on the edge of a cliff, using every possible means. He meticulously studied recipes, not just to please her, but because the momentary satisfaction of seeing her finish her meal made him feel not entirely useless. He memorized all of her preferences, because every "just right" satisfaction earned him a simple "not bad" or a fleeting, gentle glance, enough to brighten his gloomy past and sustain him through countless uncertain tomorrows.
Every little thing he did was his silent, clumsy plea, pleading that this illusory warmth could last a little longer, pleading that the light that illuminated his life would not go out so quickly.
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