"Hmph, a scumbag is a scumbag!"
Seeing Qi Sheng looking so pleased with himself, Zhuang Xiaomeng felt an instinctive urge to snipe at him. She just wouldn’t feel right otherwise.
"Wait a minute..."
Zhuang Xiaomeng’s expression faltered as a thought struck her.
If she remembered correctly, Qi Sheng’s physical exam report had included data regarding his... assets.
She drew in a sharp breath.
As an obstetrician-gynecologist, Zhuang Xiaomeng was, of course, very knowledgeable on the subject.
Given Qi Sheng’s... situation, very few women in the country would be able to handle him.
And to think Lai Manling was so petite, yet she was with a man as "gifted" as Qi Sheng.
’Yeah, I have a dirty mind, it’s true.’
’But when it came to this, I wasn’t particularly demanding.’
’Someone like Qi Sheng, though? I could never handle that.’
Soon, a rich aroma wafted from the clay pot in the kitchen.
Despite having eaten plenty of cherries, Zhuang Xiaomeng felt a new craving stir.
"Hey, what did you make?"
Zhuang Xiaomeng had no desire to speak to Qi Sheng, but she couldn’t resist the captivating aroma.
"Not telling you."
By casually showing off his culinary skills, Qi Sheng had already started to change Zhuang Xiaomeng’s impression of him.
He went from being a handsome, womanizing scumbag to a handsome, womanizing scumbag who could cook well.
[Zhuang Xiaomeng’s Favorability +9. Current Favorability: 10 (Ordinary)]
"Hmph, I couldn’t care less."
Zhuang Xiaomeng secretly gulped.
As she watched Qi Sheng intently taste the broth, she found herself inexplicably drawn to him.
’A man is always at his most handsome when he’s focused.’
Besides, the chicken soup Qi Sheng was making smelled absolutely divine.
[Zhuang Xiaomeng’s Favorability +10. Current Favorability: 20 (Familiar)]
’Oh my God, am I actually swooning over him?’
Zhuang Xiaomeng snapped out of it, shocked by her own reaction.
Especially when she knew for a fact that Qi Sheng was a die-hard scumbag.
’I absolutely, under no circumstances, can let myself fall into that trap.’
"Done!"
Satisfied, Qi Sheng turned off the heat and ladled out a large, full bowl of chicken soup.
He picked out all the fall-off-the-bone tender chicken, leaving the bones behind in the pot.
"If you’re tempted, go have a taste, but don’t drink it all."
Qi Sheng said with a smile as he passed through the living room carrying the bowl.
"Tch, as if I’d drink any."
Zhuang Xiaomeng huffed and continued watching TV.
But for some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to eat the cherries in her hand.
’Just one sip should be fine, right?’
Zhuang Xiaomeng hesitated, the irresistible aroma wafting over to her.
In the end, Zhuang Xiaomeng couldn’t hold back any longer.
She put down the fruit and tiptoed furtively into the kitchen.
’Oh my God, a scumbag made this chicken soup?’
Curious, Zhuang Xiaomeng took a taste.
The fall-off-the-bone chicken and the rich, savory broth instantly blew her mind.
If you told her Qi Sheng knew how to party and chase women,
Zhuang Xiaomeng would believe it without a second thought.
’But this level of culinary skill... could a rich playboy like him really possess it?’
’It just doesn’t make sense!’
[Zhuang Xiaomeng’s Favorability +15. Current Favorability: 35 (Familiar)]
"Is it good?"
"It’s delicious... Er, bah! I was just tasting it for you, so it wouldn’t get cold."
Zhuang Xiaomeng had praised it instinctively.
But when she saw Qi Sheng leaning against the living room wall, arms crossed, a smirk playing on his lips...
Forcing back her reluctance, Zhuang Xiaomeng put down the spoon in an attempt to prove her innocence.
"Just eat it if you want to."
Qi Sheng didn’t press the issue.
’After all, she’s an even bigger gold mine than Lai Manling. A stunning beauty who could prompt the system to send an alert and proactively display her stats. It’s only natural for me to show her a little favoritism. Besides, I’m desperately short on cash right now. If I could win over Zhuang Xiaomeng, I’d be over the moon.’
"Hey, hey, hey! I’m warning you, don’t get any funny ideas!"
Zhuang Xiaomeng watched the smile on Qi Sheng’s face.
She couldn’t shake the feeling that he was up to no good and instinctively put her guard up.
"Once Manling finishes her soup, could you look after her for me? I have to go."
"Scumbag."
Zhuang Xiaomeng muttered under her breath.
"Hm?"
Qi Sheng glanced at the chicken soup, silently prompting Zhuang Xiaomeng to rephrase.
"Well, Manling and I are best friends, aren’t we? I guess I can reluctantly help you out. It’s definitely not because of your soup."
Zhuang Xiaomeng protectively hid the bowl of soup behind her back, afraid Qi Sheng wouldn’t leave any for her.
"I’ll make you an even more lavish feast next time I get the chance. I’m heading out now."
Qi Sheng dangled the bait and left, not waiting to see if Zhuang Xiaomeng would bite.
"Hmph, don’t try to sweet-talk me. I’m not falling for it."
That’s what Zhuang Xiaomeng said, but she couldn’t stop her imagination from running wild.
’Just the chicken soup alone was this good.’
’If Qi Sheng cooked a whole feast, wouldn’t it be out-of-this-world good?’
Just the thought of it made Zhuang Xiaomeng gulp uncontrollably.
[Zhuang Xiaomeng’s Favorability +10. Current Favorability: 45 (Friendly)]
Hearing the commotion downstairs, Zhuang Xiaomeng went to the balcony out of curiosity to take a look.
She was just in time to see bodyguards in black suits pulling open the rear door of a car for Qi Sheng.
The kind of grand departure you’d see a rich heir make in a TV drama was playing out right before her very eyes.
"So what if you’re rich? Big deal."
Zhuang Xiaomeng muttered resentfully before knocking curiously on the guest room door.
"Mengmeng?"
"Can I come in?"
"Of course you can."
Only then did Zhuang Xiaomeng push the door open. The sight of a bath towel on the floor, along with torn pieces of black and nude stockings, made her blush furiously.
"You two are just too wild, aren’t you?"
Zhuang Xiaomeng was incredibly thankful she had made a point to wear her noise-canceling earplugs last night.
Otherwise, she never would have gotten any sleep with all their racket.
"Oh, well, it wasn’t my idea... but he’s into that sort of thing."
Lai Manling blushed a little, but her face was filled with bliss.
"Alright, alright, stop with the PDA. Don’t you know us single people get jealous easily?"
Zhuang Xiaomeng rolled her eyes at her, then suddenly noticed Lai Manling’s bowl was piled high with chicken meat.
Meanwhile, the soup she’d been eating was mostly just broth and bones.
She’d barely gotten any scraps of meat at all.
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