Ruan Sixian leaned against the kitchen doorframe. Since Fu Mingyu had his back to her, she observed him freely.

When he turned around to get bowls and chopsticks, she shifted her gaze away.

“How did you know today is my birthday?”

“I’ve seen your resume,” Fu Mingyu said casually. “My memory is decent.”

Decent memory, who knows what he’s showing off about?

Ruan Sixian made a humming sound through her nose. “Oh, I see. Are you this attentive to all your employees?”

Actually, at noon Ruan Sixian had already received a congratulatory message from World Airlines’ HR department, also informing her to collect her birthday gift from their office when she had time.

This was World Airlines’ tradition, a benefit that every employee enjoyed on their birthday.

“Are you asking something you already know?” Fu Mingyu didn’t look up as he turned on the faucet to wash vegetables. The faint sound of running water accompanied his response. “Making longevity noodles for every employee—am I a director or a head chef?”

Oh, so she was getting special treatment.

Ruan Sixian lifted her chin, the corners of her mouth curling upward. “Then I want an egg too.”

Without looking up, Fu Mingyu made an affirmative sound and picked up two eggs that were already prepared beside him. He cracked one, and the glistening egg white and yolk slid into the frying pan with a sizzling sound.

On the cooking counter, a small pot of water was boiling, eggs were frying in the pan, and some vegetables were piled in the sink. He handled these tasks skillfully—appearing unhurried yet efficient and neat.

Who would have thought his claim about cooking wasn’t an exaggeration?

Only when Fu Mingyu turned to glance at her did Ruan Sixian realize she had been standing in the doorway watching for quite some time?

But since their eyes had already met, it seemed awkward not to say something.

She tentatively walked over. “Do you need any help?”

“No, go sit in the living room. Don’t stand here watching me.”

Ruan Sixian’s footsteps halted, then she rolled her eyes and turned to leave.

Hmph, who wants to watch you anyway.

But the living room was boring.

Fu Mingyu was also quite boring.

Such a large living room with only necessary furniture, not a single thing extra—not even plants. The only living thing might be Ruan Sixian herself.

At least the floor-to-ceiling windows were nice. If it weren’t raining heavily, standing here to watch the sunset would probably be quite pleasant.

There was also a lounge chair and glass table nearby. If there were some fruit in the evening, it would be nice to stargaze in summer.

She looked around at other places. All the bedroom doors were closed, nothing to see there.

After wandering around the boring living room for a while, Ruan Sixian unconsciously found herself back in the kitchen.

She poked her head in. “Is it ready yet? Why are you so slow?”

“It’s ready. Go sit in the dining room.”

When Fu Mingyu came out carrying the bowl, Ruan Sixian was wiping off her lipstick with a tissue.

“What are you wiping?”

Ruan Sixian glanced at him, not wanting to explain to such a clueless man.

“Should I eat my lipstick with my food?”

Fu Mingyu: “It looks nice.”

Ruan Sixian: “…”

What was wrong with Fu Mingyu today?

Was he in heat?

Why did he keep complimenting her so bluntly?

She continued wiping her lipstick carelessly.

“Even if it looks nice, you don’t get to see it.”

Fu Mingyu smiled and handed her the chopsticks. “Eat quickly.”

The noodles before she gave off a fragrant aroma. The golden eggs with a few vegetables are steamed with heat. Ruan Sixian’s stomach began to rumble, but her mouth couldn’t help saying: “This is too much, I might not be able to finish it.”

Fu Mingyu: “If you don’t finish, I’ll deduct from your year-end bonus.”

His look told Ruan Sixian: Stop pretending.

Ruan Sixian pouted, raising her eyebrows and nodding.

One second he was saying she looked nice, the next he was treating her like a pig.

“Fine, whatever the boss says.”

Ten minutes later, the bowl was empty.

Facing the empty bowl and Fu Mingyu’s gaze, Ruan Sixian didn’t know what to say.

Perhaps she was too hungry, or perhaps the noodles were delicious—she had slapped herself in the face so hard the sound echoed to the sky.

Fortunately, just as she was feeling awkward, her phone rang.

But when she answered the call, Ruan Sixian’s expression visibly changed.

Her tone was quite stiff.

“How did you know I live here?”

“No need, I’ve already eaten.”

“It’s dark and still raining, you should go back.”

The person on the other end said something more, and Ruan Sixian sighed, turning to look at the heavy rain outside. She frowned and said, “Fine, wait a moment.”

After hanging up, her brows remained furrowed.

She didn’t want to go down to get it, but Dong Xian implied that if she didn’t, she wouldn’t leave.

This was so annoying.

Ruan Sixian’s gaze finally fell on Fu Mingyu, looking him up and down, and she asked quietly, “Boss, do you have an umbrella?”

“What do you need?”

“To go downstairs and get something.”

Fu Mingyu looked out the window.

The sky was pitch black, with large raindrops mercilessly splattering against the windows, accompanied by wild, swirling winds.

“You want to go out in this downpour?”

“Yes, so I was hoping you could help me get it.”

“…”

After two seconds of silence, Fu Mingyu stood up with some resignation. “Go wash the dishes.”

“Sure thing!” Ruan Sixian agreed almost without hesitation, but looking at the rain outside, she felt a bit guilty. “Boss, walk carefully.”

With that, they went their separate ways.

In the kitchen, besides the two sets of bowls and chopsticks, Fu Mingyu had already washed everything else, so it took Ruan Sixian less than three minutes.

She walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows and looked down. The floor was too high, and with the heavy rain, she could barely see the ground.

After what seemed like a long time, Fu Mingyu finally returned.

His white shirt was almost soaked through, clinging tightly to his body, the lines of his muscles faintly visible.

He closed the umbrella, placed the cake on a nearby table, and looked at Ruan Sixian with his dark eyes. There was moisture on his eyelashes as he stared at her intently.

“You know how to torture people.”

Ruan Sixian stood before him with her hands behind her back, feeling slightly flustered under his gaze. She immediately threw the towel she had been hiding behind her back at him.

“Hurry up and dry yourself.”

Fu Mingyu caught the towel and wiped his arms, saying casually, “I saw her when I was coming back today. You know each other?”

“Oh, my mom.” Ruan Sixian paused. “You know each other too, right?”

Fu Mingyu: “Yes.”

Ruan Sixian wasn’t surprised. If Fu Mingyu knew Zheng You’an, then he certainly knew Dong Xian as well.

She didn’t say anything more.

Fu Mingyu added, “She just asked me what our relationship is.”

Ruan Sixian tensed, suddenly feeling nervous. “What did you say?”

Even if it wasn’t Dong Xian, anyone seeing Fu Mingyu helping her get a cake would be curious about their relationship.

“I said we are…” he tilted his head slightly, seemingly deliberately hesitating, “friends?”

“Right.” Ruan Sixian nodded along with his words as if speaking to herself. “We are friends.”

Fu Mingyu tossed the towel aside, walked to one of the room doors, and with his hand on the doorknob, he motioned to Ruan Sixian with his head. “Come here.”

With his wet appearance and low, deep voice.

It somehow felt like being invited into a refrigerator.

Ruan Sixian stood still.

“What?”

Fu Mingyu: “Well, since we’re friends, I’ll give you a birthday gift. You’ll accept it, right?”

Ruan Sixian thought Fu Mingyu was acting strange today.

First, he silently celebrated her birthday, then he bluntly complimented her beauty, and now he wanted to give her a birthday gift.

If he wanted to give a gift, fine, but why make her enter the room?

With his temperament, he couldn’t possibly be planning to give himself as a gift.

Ruan Sixian walked toward him slowly. “What are you giving me? An airplane?”

Fu Mingyu didn’t respond. He pushed the door open, and Ruan Sixian’s eyes lit up, her breath stopping for a second or two.

In the fifty-plus square meter study were four two-meter-high display shelves, neatly arranged with at least two hundred model aircraft.

Complete Boeing series, complete Airbus series, Bombardier Challenger series, Dassault Falcon series, Hawker Siddeley Trident…

They had everything!

And as Ruan Sixian got closer, she could tell these weren’t the kind sold on the market. They were exclusive high-end custom, ultra-high-precision replicas—through the glass, she could even see the instrument panels in the cockpits.

Ruan Sixian reached out tremblingly to touch the material. The quality, the feel, the level of detail… these models would probably rival tortoises in longevity.

“Do you like them?”

Fu Mingyu’s voice sounded beside her ear.

Ruan Sixian’s body shuddered.

He was doing this deliberately, absolutely deliberately!

But she did like them! She liked them! She liked them very much!

The little person inside Ruan Sixian was already spinning and jumping frantically, but she had to restrain herself, not wanting to appear inexperienced in front of Fu Mingyu.

“I thought you were giving me a real airplane.”

“That’s not impossible,” Fu Mingyu lowered his head, with a half-smile. “But there are conditions.”

This man’s eyes seemed to speak, and when Ruan Sixian met his gaze, her heart suddenly skipped a beat, feeling there was more to his words than met the eye.

No, there was.

Ruan Sixian turned her back to him, looking at another display shelf.

“Are these all your collection?”

“Yes.”

“You’re giving them to me?”

“Choose.”

Well, I won’t be polite then.

Ruan Sixian touched this one and that one, hesitating for a long time, unable to decide.

Fu Mingyu had been watching her from the doorway, waiting for quite a while. Seeing her indecision, he added, “I didn’t say you could only choose one.”

Ruan Sixian turned to look at him. “Really?”

Fu Mingyu: “In this room, whatever you like, I can give to you.”

I like everything! I like everything in this room!

This dog of a man was being too nice today!

He asked, “You like them all?”

Ruan Sixian looked at him with starry eyes, wanting to be reserved but also honest, so she nodded slightly.

Fu Mingyu: “But not me.”

It took two seconds for Ruan Sixian to understand what he meant.

—In this room, whatever you like, I can give to you. —But not including me. —I can’t give myself to you.

Seeing Ruan Sixian instantly return to coldness, Fu Mingyu was quiet for two seconds, then began to laugh.

Still laughing?

Asking for a beating.

Ruan Sixian couldn’t help it and swung at his shoulder.

But although she was angry, she didn’t use much force. When she made contact, he caught her hand, holding it against his chest.

“Want to hit me again?”

Ruan Sixian decided not to speak. She struggled a few times, unable to free her hand, so she moved her leg.

She had intended to kick him, but he sensed her intention and preemptively extended his leg to block her.

“Want to use your leg too?”

Ruan Sixian was someone who responded better to gentleness than force. The more Fu Mingyu resisted, the more she wanted to get physical.

But wearing a dress and high heels, she was easily subdued by him.

Both her hands were gripped, her thighs were blocked by his leg, and with him leaning forward, Ruan Sixian was completely pinned down.

At that moment, they suddenly fell into an eerie silence, staring at each other in this strange position, motionless.

Outside the window, the rain poured down heavily, crackling clear and strong.

Inside the room, the light was soft, the air was quiet, and the sounds of breathing and heartbeats intertwined, drowning out the rain.

She saw Fu Mingyu’s pupils deepen, appearing even more black in the light.

And his breath was gradually drawing closer.

Ruan Sixian frowned slightly, her breathing tightening, her palms slowly warming.

Not wanting to appear affected, she met his gaze without avoiding it, until Fu Mingyu slightly turned his face and leaned in by her ear to say something.

His voice was very soft, almost a whisper. At this moment, if there were onlookers, they would not hear what he was saying.

“You’re really beautiful today.”

The rain was intense, and the room was quiet. Such direct language paired with his deep voice made the atmosphere even stranger.

Suddenly, a bolt of thunder accompanied by lightning split the night sky, momentarily brightening the room.

The two of them seemed to come to their senses simultaneously, both releasing their hands. At the same time, Fu Mingyu stepped back and looked up toward the window.

Ruan Sixian grabbed a de Havilland Comet model from nearby, pressing it against her chest to suppress her heartbeat.

“I’m going back.”