Next door male
If the system had a physical entity, it would have already covered its eyes with data flow by now, wishing it could dig a hole and bury itself on the spot, and then erect a monument: "No more three hundred taels of silver here."
What kind of mess is this?! The host went crazy and got caught red-handed by the new neighbor! And in such a... shocking way at that!
Just when the system thought the host would bang his head against the wall in shame and anger, the expression on Qu Shiyao's face instantly switched from "social death" to "nothing happened" at the speed of light.
She even naturally lowered her hands from her hips, a "friendly" smile spreading across her face, and leaned forward slightly to greet him through the balcony railing:
Hey! Handsome! Are you the new neighbor who moved in today? I've never seen you before!
His tone was so natural that it was as if the statement "capitalists don't deserve to live" was just something the system had said.
In the original owner's memory, the house next door had indeed always been empty.
The boy in the sunlight paused for a moment, then revealed a very infectious smile, his eyebrows curving and revealing a pair of cute little tiger teeth, exuding youthful vitality!
"Yes, sister! I just moved here this morning. My name is Yi Yu, Yi as in easy, Yu as in carp. I'm a junior at Yunhai University nearby. What's your name, sister?" His voice was clear and bright, full of youthful vigor.
Holy crap!
Alive! Sunny! Energetic!
A pure-hearted male college student!
This is an overwhelming surge of youthful hormones!
Qu Shiyao felt like she didn't have enough eyes to take it all in, and her gaze involuntarily lingered on the beautifully shaped arms and wheat-colored skin for an extra 0.5 seconds.
"My name is Qu Shiyao, Shi as in poetry and Yao as in Yaochi (Jade Pool)."
Qu Shiyao tried her best to maintain the image of a proper neighbor, smiling politely, "Just call me Shiyao. We're neighbors now, so feel free to ask if you need any help. I'm usually home... uh, home on weekends!"
I almost let it slip; starting tomorrow, I'll be working for capitalists.
[Host! Watch your eyes! Watch your drool!]
The system was sounding alarms in her mind.
[And another thing! Something's off about this person! They struck up a conversation and were all smiles on the very first day we met? Unsolicited kindness is always suspicious! Especially since you just acted like… cough… anyway, be careful! Be careful, host!]
However, Qu Shiyao's attention was clearly completely drawn to the beauty in front of her... no, to her new neighbor.
She seemed not to hear the system's screams, her gaze casually sweeping over the firm outline of Yi Yu's body beneath his sports vest.
Inner monologue: That physique... really well-built! I wonder if he has abs...
[...] The system was in despair.
Is this what humans call "lust blinding one's senses"?!
If it were Yi Yu, he should call 110 right now to report that there's a perverted older sister next door with extremely lewd eyes!
Yi Yu seemed completely oblivious to Qu Shiyao's little scheme of "appreciating art," her smile remaining bright and sunny, without a trace of gloom.
He turned and went back inside, then quickly came out again, carrying a transparent bag with the supermarket logo on it, containing several round, bright yellow oranges.
"Sister Shiyao, we just moved in and haven't prepared anything yet."
Yi Yu handed the bag over the balcony railing with a sincere smile, "I bought it from the fruit shop downstairs, it's quite sweet, consider it a small gift? Don't mind!"
"Oh! How can I feel so embarrassed!" Qu Shiyao said standard polite words, but her body was extremely honest.
Before she finished speaking, her hand had already reached out with lightning speed and caught the bag of oranges steadily, her movements so fluid as if she had practiced them a thousand times.
"You've gone to so much trouble! Thank you, little fish brother!" The way he addressed her instantly became more friendly, closing the distance between them.
System: [...] That hand speed! That's a classic case of saying one thing but doing another! Host, you've been exposed!
Yi Yu looked at Qu Shiyao who took the orange with a double-faced expression, and his smile deepened, his little canine teeth dazzling: "You're welcome! By the way, Sister Shiyao..."
He changed the subject abruptly, his tone becoming more familiar, "I'm about to make lunch. Eating alone is kind of boring. How about... you come over and eat with me? Consider it a celebration of my housewarming, and also a thank you for your continued support. We're neighbors, so let's visit each other more often!"
Someone invited me to dinner?! And it was cooked by that sunny guy I just met?!
Qu Shiyao's eyes lit up instantly! Like searchlights!
After she transmigrated, her kitchen skills were still zero, and she relied entirely on takeout to survive.
The temptation of a free lunch delivered to your door, which looks like it's actually quite well-cooked, is simply heavenly!
"Yes, yes! Of course you can!"
Qu Shiyao agreed quickly, afraid that the other party would change their mind, but her remaining rationality made her politely decline for a moment, "Then... do you need me to bring any ingredients? Or help me out?"
"No need, no need!" Yi Yu waved her hands repeatedly, her smile bright and cheerful. "I've already bought everything! Just wait to eat! Well..."
He took out his phone, unlocked the screen, and said, "Shall we add each other on WeChat? I'll message you when I'm done."
"No problem!" Qu Shiyao immediately took out her phone, her movements incredibly swift.
Beep! Scan successful.
A new contact has appeared in my friend list. Their profile picture is a vast blue sea, and their nickname is "Yi Yu".
"Then, Sister Shiyao, you go ahead and get busy. I'll go prepare!" Yi Yu waved his hand, turned around and went back into the house, his back straight and full of energy.
【Host! ! ! 】
As soon as Yi Yu disappeared, the system immediately issued the highest level red alert in Qu Shiyao's mind.
[Search! No! Such! Person! I've searched the entire original outline! Aside from character biographies and plot unlocks which I don't have permission to access, there's absolutely no such person! Appearing out of nowhere! And so enthusiastic! Definitely something's wrong! Very suspicious! Extremely dangerous! I suggest immediately blocking and deleting them, keeping your distance! Don't accept this! It's a trap, host!]
Qu Shiyao was happily admiring her new friend's Moments when she heard this. She waved her hand dismissively, her eyes still lingering with a hint of reminiscence: "Relax, relax! Tongzi, you're just too nervous! What bad intentions could a handsome young man have? Maybe he just fell in love with me at first sight because I'm beautiful and kind-hearted?"
[...]
The system was so overwhelmed by this overwhelming confidence that its data processing faltered.
[Host, although... isn't that 'admiring' look a bit too intense? It could easily cause misunderstandings! And didn't you say you weren't interested in domineering CEOs?]
"Tsk! You just don't understand, Master!"
Qu Shiyao glanced at the system with a "you're still too young" look, and said confidently, "Beauty is diverse! Beautiful things deserve to be appreciated by everyone! I call this having eyes to discover beauty! Appreciating it with an artistic eye! Do you understand?"
She paused, then added, "Besides, admiring him is one thing, but he's not my type! My journey is to the stars and the sea!"
[...]
The system remained silent for two seconds, its core processor struggling to operate, before finally emitting a stiff, applauding electronic clapping sound: 【…Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! A truly insightful perspective! I was so shallow! As expected of the host!】
"Ahem!" Qu Shiyao cleared her throat in a mocking manner, trying hard to suppress the upturned corners of her mouth. "Keep a low profile, keep a low profile~ We need to maintain a humble and cautious attitude~"
System: [……] Do you have any misunderstanding about the word "modest"?
---
At noon, Qu Shiyao knocked on the door next door right on time.
The door was flung open almost instantly, and Yi Yu, wearing a dark blue apron, greeted him with a dazzlingly bright smile: "Sister Shiyao, please come in! The last dish is just coming out of the pot!"
Upon entering, a powerful aroma, a blend of stir-fried chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns, and the delicate fragrance of rice wafts over you.
The apartment is a typical minimalist style for a single man, clean and tidy with not too much clutter.
Three dishes and a soup were already laid out on the small dining table: a small mountain of bright red and glistening spicy chicken cubes, garnished with emerald green stir-fried vegetables, and golden and glistening sweet and sour spare ribs that exuded an enticing sweet and sour aroma. In the middle was a bowl of milky white crucian carp and tofu soup, sprinkled with bright green scallions.
It looks and smells delicious! Just looking at it makes my mouth water!
"Sister Shiyao, please sit here."
Yi Yu considerately pulled out a chair, "I'll go bring out the soup and we can eat right away!"
Qu Shiyao readily sat down, her gaze fixed on the plate of spicy chicken.
Yi Yu quickly brought out a clay pot filled with piping hot and fragrant soup.
He had barely put the pot down when Qu Shiyao's chopsticks were already flashing towards the target!
A piece of chicken, coated in chili oil and sprinkled with sesame seeds and Sichuan peppercorns, enters the mouth.
"Ugh—!"
Qu Shiyao's eyes widened instantly! The chicken was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and the spicy and savory flavor exploded in her mouth. The numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns, the spiciness of chili peppers, and the aroma of sesame seeds blended perfectly, sending a sensation straight to the top of her head!
This taste! Absolutely amazing!
She didn't even have time to speak, she gave Yi Yu a thumbs up, and her other hand was already eagerly reaching for the sweet and sour pork ribs!
Sweet and sour, perfectly seasoned, the meat is tender and falls off the bone! Delicious!
Seeing Qu Shiyao's expression, as if she wanted to bury her face in the plate, Yi Yu couldn't help but laugh out loud, and then sat down to eat as well.
He ate very politely, a stark contrast to Qu Shiyao's ravenous eating, but the smile on his face never faded.
[Host! Host, can you hear me?!]
The system was flooding Qu Shiyao's mind.
[Scan complete! No listening or surveillance equipment found inside! Preliminary analysis of the food indicates it's non-toxic and harmless... but that doesn't mean he has no other intentions! Stay alert, host!]
Qu Shiyao picked up a piece of tender fish and put it in her mouth. The delicious taste made her squint her eyes happily.
She impatiently interrupted the system's incessant chatter in her mind: "Shut up! Even if the sky falls, we'll talk about it after I finish this meal! Whatever it is... we'll discuss it after we finish eating the sweet and sour pork ribs!"
system:【……】
Watching its host engrossed in eating, looking completely absorbed in the moment, and then glancing at the seemingly nonexistent male college student with a bright smile and amazing cooking skills, a deep sense of powerlessness and even greater anxiety overwhelmed its core.
It's over.
The host seems to have been precisely hit by a sugar-coated bullet!
It could only frantically mobilize background resources, trying to bypass permissions to find out the details of this "Yiyu".
The unknown is the most terrifying variable!
The system was terrified during the meal; the entire system was trembling.
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