Shen Du was utterly speechless. This woman seemed to be still lost in thought about the case.
Seeing her so deeply engrossed, completely ignoring him, Shen Du simply rolled up his sleeve and extended his arm.
Zhu Yan, without paying much attention, took his arm and was about to bite when she heard a muffled groan that snapped her back to reality.
“Tasty?” Shen Du asked coldly, his eyes so dark they sent chills down one’s spine.
Zhu Yan looked embarrassed, glancing at the red teeth marks on Shen Du’s arm. She grinned awkwardly and quickly apologized, “I’m… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
“What were you thinking about? You were so absorbed,” Shen Du asked, knowing full well the answer. Zhu Yan replied candidly, “The case.”
“Don’t think too much while eating. Eat when you should eat, sleep when you should sleep. If everyone were like you, they’d go mad before solving the case.”
“Who… who’s going mad!”
Zhu Yan was a bit annoyed, but then she lowered her gaze to the wound on Shen Du’s arm and softened her tone, “I was just careless. Wait here, I’ll get the medicine box to dress your wound.”
Just as she was about to stand up, a large hand suddenly grasped her wrist.
“No need,” Shen Du’s cold voice fell on her ears. Zhu Yan paused, “But it’s bitten so badly. Doesn’t it need medicine?”
A meaningful smile curved Shen Du’s lips, “If you want to make amends, why don’t you feed me?”
Zhu Yan’s lips twitched, thinking she had misheard.
The proud and arrogant Shen Du wanted her to feed him. Had he lost his mind?
“Are you joking?” Zhu Yan asked uncertainly, but Shen Du’s gaze directly answered her question.
“Have I ever joked with you?” Shen Du’s words left Zhu Yan speechless.
He was serious.
Looking again at the wound on his arm, what could she do?
She had bitten him, so she should feed him. This request didn’t seem too unreasonable.
Realizing this, Zhu Yan sat down in front of Shen Du and carefully began to feed him, picking up the bowl and chopsticks.
The curve of Shen Du’s lips deepened. Zhu Yan fed him one bite, and he ate one bite. This feeling was somewhat sweet and warm.
However, this situation didn’t last long. After just a few bites, Yun Que suddenly flipped through the window, startling them both.
They turned their gazes towards Yun Que simultaneously. “Is there no door? Why jump through the window?” Zhu Yan coldly questioned, putting down the bowl and chopsticks.
This woman was too familiar. Living in someone else’s house, yet not using the door but climbing through windows – it was truly irritating.
“I was in a hurry,” Yun Que explained as she approached the two. Seeing the bowl of chicken noodle soup on the table, she unceremoniously pulled it towards herself and began to devour it.
Shen Du’s face darkened to the color of a pot bottom, while Zhu Yan’s lips trembled uncontrollably.
The meal she had worked so hard to prepare, of which she had barely eaten, was now being consumed entirely by this woman. Was there no justice in the world?
After sweeping all the food on the table clean, Yun Que nodded with satisfaction, wiped her mouth, and even let out a contented burp.
“Full?” Shen Du’s tone carried no hint of kindness, even containing a trace of coldness.
“Mm-hmm.” Yun Que paid no attention and simply nodded, “I’m full. Today’s meal doesn’t taste like it was made by the kitchen maid. It has a unique flavor.”
“I made it,” Zhu Yan almost spat these words through gritted teeth.
Upon hearing this, Yun Que looked at her with surprise, “So the Madam knows how to cook? Your skills are quite good. In the future, when I enter the household, you can cook for me every day, how about that?”
Zhu Yan’s face darkened further, and she was now certain that the woman before her had mental issues.
“Did you come here just to eat?” Zhu Yan asked with obvious disgust.
If it was just for food, then she was ready to ask her to leave right now.
“Of course not,” Yun Que said, quickly fumbling in her bosom and placing a moth-shaped jade on the table. “I explored the Jinxiu Workshop at night and found this moth-shaped jade in the ruins. Also, you won’t believe this, but I saw a ghost shadow too.”
“A ghost?” Zhu Yan frowned, looking towards Shen Du.
Shen Du snorted coldly, averting his gaze. Like Zhu Yan, he didn’t believe in ghosts and spirits.
“Yes,” Yun Que nodded firmly. “I’m not lying to you. That ghost shadow was terrifying.”
Yun Que spoke vividly, but the two still didn’t believe her. Shen Du’s face had already darkened to the extreme.
The good mood that had just begun to improve was instantly doused by a bucket of cold water, all thanks to this woman ruining the atmosphere.
Yun Que was still describing the scene in detail to Zhu Yan, who was growing impatient, but Yun Que paid no attention.
Shen Du couldn’t sit still any longer. Why was this woman so long-winded?
He grabbed Yun Que’s arm and threw her out the door, closing it behind her.
Both Yun Que outside the door and Zhu Yan inside were shocked. What had just happened?
Was he angry?
Surely not to this extent?
“Are you… alright?” Zhu Yan cautiously looked at Shen Du.
Shen Du lowered his eyes in thought for a moment before raising his head to look at her, “Isn’t this woman annoying?”
“…” Zhu Yan was speechless. If he could see it, why did he still keep the woman in the household?
“Your silence is agreement,” Shen Du said to himself. Then he clenched his fist, a cold light flashing in his eyes, “She is indeed annoying, but she carries important clues. We must protect her.”
He was explaining to her, Zhu Yan realized.
She let out a light chuckle and sat down beside him, “Are you explaining yourself to me?”
Shen Du raised an eyebrow, looking at the woman before him, “I’ve noticed you’ve been different lately.”
“Really?” Zhu Yan was puzzled, examining herself, “How am I different? Don’t I seem normal?”
Shen Du lowered his gaze slightly, then suddenly leaned forward and grasped Zhu Yan’s chin, bringing them close enough to feel each other’s breath. His gaze pierced directly into her widened almond eyes.
“You’ve been getting inexplicably angry lately. Are you jealous?”
Shen Du’s words carried a hidden meaning, but Zhu Yan found them perplexing, a hint of displeasure rising in her heart.
She swatted away Shen Du’s hand and stood up, feigning composure, “Jealous of what? I would never be jealous.”
The corners of Shen Du’s lips curled into a smile. This woman couldn’t even lie properly. Her eyes kept blinking rapidly, yet she claimed she wasn’t jealous.
Interesting.
“Alright, if you say you’re not, then you’re not,” Shen Du didn’t press further, instead standing up and walking towards the door.
“Where are you going?” Zhu Yan quickly asked. Shen Du paused at the doorway.
Turning back, he said, “I’m not full. Go make me another portion.”
Zhu Yan felt like slapping herself. Why did she have to ask where he was going?
At this hour, he still wanted her to cook. What a “nice person” indeed.