A contract?
So their relationship was nothing but a contract?
Xiao Luo laughed sardonically. It seems like he had been too invested in his role as a husband that he had forgotten this woman saw him as nothing more than a back-up plan. He was quickly reminded that their marriage would immediately come to an end when she met a suitable man.
âI know,â he replied and then headed straight in the direction of the kitchen.
Su Li was understandably glum. She had really expected the man to show a little more emotional responseâeven rage would have put her more at ease. But his lack of emotion only made her think that he did not care about their marriage at all.
She heaved a sigh, then asked, âWhat are you doing here?â
âSheâs hungry, so I came over to make her something.â Xiao Luo had already started busying himself in the kitchen.
Su Li put aside the unease in her heart. Her face devoid of expression, she said, âIâm hungry, too, so please make me something as well. Thanks!â
She immediately turned her attention back to the book after she spoke, as if she did not need Xiao Luoâs response.
Xiao Luo shook his head, helpless. It was no trouble making an extra set, actually. Plus, he was using her kitchen and her ingredients, so making it for her was the right thing to do.
Her larder was packed with foodstuff; there was every sort of meat and vegetable one could think of, all thanks to the hard work that Aunt Lee had put in.
He made Gu Qianxue steak and a sunny-side up. For Su Li, he prepared some bananas, oatmeal, blueberries, kiwi. He had explicitly composed the meals according to their tastes. After all, the former loved meat, while the latter paid more attention to maintaining her figure. On top of that, the mix of fruits he had prepared for Su Li was also a combination he had frequently seen Aunt Lee prepare, so he had naturally memorized it as time passed.
âWhy is mine a kiwi banana smoothie?â Su Li put down her book and looked at the supper in front of her eyes.
âIsnât this what you like?â
Xiao Luo raised a brow. âWould you like this steak instead? I donât remember you liking meat.â
He actually knows what I like to eat!?
Su Li felt her heart jump, but she could not let her emotions show so blatantly. âWho said I liked this? I like taro paste,â she said.
âThen Iâm very sorry, but I guess youâre going to have to make do with this.â
Xiao Luo left after saying that. He did not want to keep Gu Qianxue waiting for too long.
She had been quite moved at first, but Xiao Luoâs actions left her speechless, and she was so infuriated that she was no longer hungry.
âHuh, a kiwi banana smoothie? Who made this, was it Xiao Luo?â Shen Qingyan said. She had just come down after taking a shower and had already changed into Su Liâs pajamas. The moment she saw the supper on the table, her eyes started gleaming.
âWhat makes you think I wasnât the one who made it?â Su Li asked sharply.
Shen Qingyan laughed. âLi, youâre pretty much an idiot when it comes to cooking. You sure youâre not joking with me?â she said.
Su Li wasnât in the mood for conversation. She bit her ruby red lips and went back to reading her book again.
âAre you drinking it? Iâll drink it if you donât.â Shen Qingyan was a little peckish.
âYou have it. I donât want it.â Su Li glared at her.
Shen Qingyan did not stand on ceremony. She scooped up a spoonful. âWow, this is pretty good. Xiao Luoâs not too bad a cook; this is better than the stuff your nanny makes. It seems like I have him in the wrong place. He shouldnât be in sales; he should be in the kitchen in the company cafeteria,â she gushed.
âYouâre using my man as a mess cook? Are you looking to get whooped?â
Su Li picked up the cushion on the sofa and hurled it towards Shen Qingyan.
â¦
â¦
Xiao Luo remembered that Gu Qingxue loved eating meat, but he had forgotten that her appetite was much bigger than the average girl.
So after a serving of steak, he returned to Su Liâs apartment. There was mutton, pork, and chickenâhe braised a serving of each. Xiao Luo felt somewhat awkward when he saw how Su Li and Shen Qingyan were looking at him, so he explained to them that he was hungry.
âIs that enough?â Xiao Luo asked Gu Qianxue, eyeing the empty plates beside her that had stacked up quite a bit.
âMm-hmm.â
Gu Qianxue took a piece of tissue paper, dabbing away the grease around her lips.
Xiao Luo heaved a sigh of relief. He cleared his throat lightly and asked, âYou said that you were doing alright in Jiangcheng, so why did you suddenly come over to Xiahai? Itâs a dangerous world out there. At least you have your sister to look out for you back in Jiangcheng. I donât think itâs a smart move for you to head out here to Xiahai.â
âI can look out for myself,â Gu Qianxue said, âbesides, you can look out for me too.â
âItâs not like you donât know Iâm nothing more than a maniacal murderer whose hands are stained with blood.â
Gu Qingxue shook her head. âNo, youâre not.ân/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
âIs that so?â
Xiao Luo was relieved. He knew that, if word about what he had done in Jiangcheng were to get out, there would only be one response from society, and that would be a crusade against him. They would eliminate such an evil murderer like him.
In all honesty, he did not really care about what other people thought about him. Everything was alright as long as his conscience was clear.
After a moment of silence, he asked, âSo why did you come looking for me?â
âIâ¦â
At this moment, Gu Qianxue could not give him a straight answer. There was no particular reason why she was looking for Xiao Luo, only that she had missed him.
Xiao Luo saw through Gu Qianxue, and it was easy to know what she was thinking. She hid nothingâany and every emotion she felt was clearly written on her face. She was not like Su Li, who he could not understand at all.
âIf the skies clear up tomorrow, Iâll bring you around the famous landmarks of Xiahai.â
âOkay, Iâd like that.â That made Gu Qianxue happy, and she smiled a little.
âOh right, how many days off did you request from the central police station?â Xiao Luo asked.
Gu Qianxue shook her head. âI didnât.â
âYou didnât? So, you snuck out, then?â Xiao Luo sucked in a breath.
âYeah,â Gu Qianxue replied, nodding like a little girl who had just made a mistake.
Xiao Luo hurriedly handed his phone over to her. âCall your sister right now and tell her youâre in Xiahai. Otherwise, sheâll tear through the whole of Jiangcheng.â
He obviously did not care whether Gu Qianlin was worried or not. He was more afraid that Gu Qianxue might be investigated as a missing person case. Should that happen, wouldnât there be a likelihood heâd be suspected of being a criminal who had abducted a naïve girl who did not know better?
âOkay.â
Gu Qianxue thought about it for a while, and then took the phone and dialed Gu Qianlinâs number.
After a few beats, Xiao Luo could hear Gu Qianlinâs hysterical voice screaming through his phone. She was most likely reprimanding Gu Qianxue for leaving without a word and making them worry.
âXiao Luo, my sister wants to talk to you.â After the ferocious dressing-down from Gu Qianlin, Gu Qianxue silently handed the phone to Xiao Luo.
Xiao Luo knew better than to avoid Gu Qianlin, so he plucked his courage and took the phone.
âOfficer Gu, what can I help you with?â
âXiao Luo, I donât care what kind of potion youâve drugged my sister with to make her so head-over-heels for you, but youâre absolutely forbidden from taking advantage of her or bullying her. Otherwise, Iâll make you payâto hell with my status as a police officer!â Gu Qianlin screamed. She was very protective over her younger sister, and she wouldnât be able to accept it if a murderous demon like Xiao Luo ruined her younger sisterâs virtues. She would surely go insane.