Why do you look as if someone has violated you?

No wonder I heard car noises over the phone—he really was slacking off! But wait, why would he sneak home? What was he up to?

Yichen stood by the sofa, hands thrust in his pockets, not even glancing at her. “What? Am I not allowed to come home?”

She stared, unable to find words. He looked so angry, and his tone was so biting.

“Aren’t you supposed to be at work right now…”

“Or is it that my coming home bothers you?”

She was speechless. Was he jealous?

“Ye Xiyang!” Suddenly he called her full name, turning his gaze on her. “Be honest with me—are you hiding something from me?”

In fact, he wanted to ask: Do you like Yiyang? But how could he bring himself to say it? The Ye Xiyang who used to chase him so eagerly—if she’d lost her memory and fallen for his younger brother, he truly couldn’t accept it.

Meanwhile, Xiaoqi’s heart thumped wildly at his words. What did he mean? Had he discovered she’d taken the sapphire? But that was hers to begin with! She’d planned to confess tonight anyway, so she might as well do it now.

Taking a deep breath—then another—she summoned enough courage and said, both brave and tactful, “Mr. Lin, actually, that thing you think is yours… it actually belongs to someone else. And that someone is—”

“So you mean I should let go?” Yichen looked at her deeply. “Hand over what’s mine to someone else, is that it?”

Xiaoqi thought for a moment, then replied, “More or less, yes. But that thing isn’t yours, it’s—”

“Some people might be by my side, but their hearts don’t belong to me. Is that what you’re saying?”

She was getting confused by his words. But she was certain: the sapphire was not his, it was hers. She nodded, “Yes, that’s what I mean.”

“You care so much for Yiyang? So much that you’d risk everything for his art exhibit, that you want to see him every moment, that you’d rather make me angry than not tell me the truth?”

Xiaoqi blinked in bewilderment. How had the subject turned to Yiyang? Wasn’t the conversation supposed to be about the sapphire?

Suddenly, pain shot through her back as she was pressed against the refrigerator. Yichen’s gaze was dark, his words commanding and forceful: “Ye Xiyang, listen carefully. From today on, I forbid you from even looking at him. You’re not allowed to smile at him, and you absolutely cannot like him. You are my girlfriend, so the only person you can see, think about, and like is me. Understand?”

Xiaoqi widened her eyes, utterly confused. All her attention was focused on the aching in her back. She pouted, “Mr. Lin, could you ease up? If you keep pressing me like this, my smooth, fair back will get deformed.”

Yichen’s fury melted into amusement, and he let her go, saying calmly, “Xiyang, whether or not you took my words to heart, from now on you’re not allowed to chat or laugh with any man except me. Do you understand?”

His tone and expression were mild, but the words left no room for misunderstanding.

Xiaoqi took a moment to process his words. Then, in a burst of clarity, she responded without thinking, “I think there’s something wrong with what you said. I’m already your girlfriend, so how could I possibly smile at another man?”

Yichen’s lips curled, his dark eyes shining with gentle light, reflecting her silhouette. He smiled gracefully, “Yes, you’re my girlfriend. I’ll go cook for you.”

“Um…”

He turned back, lowered his gaze, and brushed her lips lightly before pulling away. “What is it?”

That brief touch, his handsome face so close—Xiaoqi’s mind stalled. Her long lashes dropped, veiling her shimmering eyes.

She smiled vaguely, “Nothing, nothing at all.”

Yichen ruffled her hair. “Wait here, I’ll go fry a steak for you.”

“Oh!” Xiaoqi was like a statue, drifting woodenly to the sofa. Her words had just made their pretend relationship real. Oh dear, she’d gotten herself into trouble again.

“Xiyang, come help me carry the dishes out.”

“Oh!” She got up, hesitated, and finally went to the kitchen. Carrying out the braised fish, she suddenly realized, “Mr. Lin, weren’t you going to fry steak?”

“Steak keeps for a few days, but fish can’t,” Yichen replied as he set the table and sat down. “Remember, fish and leafy greens must be eaten fresh. Frozen foods can stay in the fridge for a few days.”

“Oh!”

“Hurry and eat. When you’re done, I’ll teach you to cook.”

Could she refuse?

When she saw the bowl beside her, her jaw nearly dropped. Because the “tool” Mr. Lin used to serve her rice was…

“Mr. Lin,” she said, stunned, pointing at the oversized bowl, “isn’t this too much? Are you treating me like a rice bucket?!”

Yichen glanced at her, a teasing glint in his eyes. “Sorry, I usually see you eat… quite a lot, so I thought your appetite was big. I even considered using a bucket to serve you rice.”

“Mr. Lin, you’re doing this on purpose.”

He coughed, “Should I get a smaller basin instead?”

Definitely on purpose. It was clearly a bowl, yet he called it a basin. Did he really think she was a pig? No way—if she kept letting him bully her, she’d be doomed.

“Mr. Lin,” she said awkwardly, “look how rosy my complexion is! And you’re so thin, so…” She pushed the large bowl toward him. “This rice bucket suits you better.”

Yichen’s face cooled, his demeanor indifferent. “Your face is the color of pig liver, not rosy at all. So, this is still meant for you.”

Uh-oh, his face had gone cold. If she kept provoking him, she’d only suffer. Xiaoqi took the bowl, grabbed a smaller one, and as she scooped rice, asked, “What dish will you teach me to make?”

Yichen replied leisurely, “Of course, my favorite… dish.”

She was dumbfounded. “Shouldn’t it be my aunt’s favorite?”

“My favorite dish is also my specialty,” Yichen said calmly. “So my specialty is naturally the best-tasting dish, and your aunt will love the best-tasting dish.”

Xiaoqi was left teary-eyed by the logic that belonged to no one but Mr. Lin.

Yichen studied her. “Xiyang, do you feel guilty for eating, drinking, and living here for free, and also learning cooking from me for free?”

She wanted to cry even more. This man was truly shameless.

Then she had an idea.

“Yes, yes, Mr. Lin, you’re absolutely right,” Xiaoqi nodded vigorously. “I eat, drink, and live here for free, and you’re teaching me cooking for free. I’m terribly guilty, so, to ease my conscience, I’ll leave right now.”

“You mean go back?”

She nodded like a woodpecker. Please agree, capitalist.

Yichen pondered, Xiaoqi gazing at him expectantly. If he didn't agree, she would beg for mercy.

“Well then,” Yichen decided at last, his handsome brows unfurrowing, “do something for me, and your conscience will be clear.”

“…What?”

Yichen glanced at the dishes, handed her a bowl of beef stir-fried with shredded carrots and green peppers, and ordered, “I don’t like carrots or green peppers. Pick them out for me.”

Huh?

Seeing Xiaoqi’s baffled look, Yichen was quite amused. “Hurry up. If the beef gets cold, it’ll get tough and won’t taste good.”

Xiaoqi ground her teeth. “Mr. Lin, you cooked this dish.”

Why add carrots and green peppers if you don’t eat them?

“I did.”

“Then—”

“I care about balanced nutrition,” Yichen instantly became a nutrition expert. “Carrots and green peppers are rich in nutrients. Even if I don’t eat them, their nutrients have already seeped into the beef. So pick them out carefully—I really dislike those two veggies.”

“…”

“So, Mr. Lin, you rarely make this dish?”

“It’s all right,” Yichen replied easily. “Because I dislike those two vegetables, I’m seriously lacking their nutrients. So nearly every stir-fry includes them.”

Xiaoqi was now grinding her teeth. “Give me a straight answer, Mr. Lin. Is picking vegetables going to be my lifelong job?”

“Mm!” Yichen nodded with elegance. “Picking vegetables for the president—you’re a glorious vegetable picker.”

“…”

“Smack!” Xiaoqi set down her chopsticks with dignity. “As they say, wealth cannot corrupt, poverty cannot sway, and force cannot bend. So… find someone else for your glorious vegetable picker!”

Damn, even if she was a rather poor alien, she was still an alien. She came to Earth, not to pick vegetables for someone else. No way.

Yichen shook his head. All right! She was angry now; any more teasing, and she’d probably “run away from home” again.

But since the play had gone this far…

“Eat. If you won’t pick, I won’t force you. I, the president, will pick my own vegetables.”

Then Xiaoqi watched as Mr. Lin carefully picked out his own vegetables.

He really didn’t eat them?

She’d thought he was just teasing her.

Xiaoqi scoffed, “You’re too old to be picky. Stop picking, just eat the beef. I’ll eat those two veggies.”

“Okay!”

Five hours later, Xiaoqi collapsed on the bed.

Xiaobai jumped onto her. “Xiaoqi, why do you look as if you’ve been assaulted?”

“You should try being schooled in the kitchen for five hours. Even your cat brain would be turned into a pig brain.”

Xiaobai: “…”

“So your brain is a pig brain now?”

Xiaoqi: “…”

She sat up, grabbing her hair into a nest. “That guy wasn’t teaching me to cook; he was just looking for an excuse to scold me.”