Chapter 37: The Kitchen Menace

Chen Si poked half of her head into the room. "Mu Chen, are you up?"

"You've come at the right time." Mu Chen flipped his wrist and handed her the fruit. "Here, take this."

Chen Si took it instinctively, but when she realized it was the same type of fruit as before, her face turned pale. She shoved the fruit back at him abruptly, her voice trembling slightly. "What... what do you mean by this? Are you testing me?"

Mu Chen raised an eyebrow. "Testing you for what?"

"Are you trying to see if I'll become pushy and insatiable after you give me a favor?" Chen Si’s tone was agitated, her hands clenched tight. "I can't take this!"

Mu Chen was stunned for a moment, then chuckled. "Where did your thoughts wander off to?"

"This is a reward for your help yesterday. You deserve it."

Chen Si’s body went slightly stiff. "A reward?"

"Have I ever gone back on my word?" Mu Chen insisted, pressing the fruit back into her warm palm. "Eat it quickly; it will give you an extra means of self-preservation in the future."

[Ding! Chen Si's affinity +3. Current affinity: 86]

Chen Si held the fruit tightly, her fingertips pressing in slightly, her emotions complex and indescribable. "Mu Chen... thank you."

Before she could finish, a plume of acrid black smoke billowed from the kitchen, followed by a sharp, short scream from Chen Jiahe.

"I’ll go check on that." Mu Chen’s brows twitched, and he strode toward the kitchen.

The kitchen was already filled with smoke. Chen Jiahe stood helplessly in front of the stove, holding a spatula, her fair, delicate face smudged with soot. In the pan, a charred, unrecognizable lump continued to emit a thick, burnt stench.

Mu Chen’s mouth twitched. "Are you... creating a new dish?"

Chen Jiahe’s cheeks flushed a deep crimson, almost as if they were bleeding. "I... I wanted to make breakfast for everyone... who knew..."

"Alright, let me take over." Mu Chen reached out and took the spatula from her. "In the future, don't force yourself to do things like this."

"I studied the recipes all night long!" Chen Jiahe stomped her foot, clearly frustrated. "The steps were all correct! It must have been the heat! It definitely had to be the heat!"

Mu Chen glanced at the phone lying on the counter, where a video tutorial from a cooking app was still playing. He said nonchalantly, "Take your time. You can't rush these things."

Chen Jiahe was slightly taken aback; she had expected to hear some ridicule or mockery.

***

After hastily finishing a breakfast that was just barely edible, Mu Chen stood up, planning to head out.

Chen Si asked hurriedly, "Mu Chen, are you going out?"

"Yes, to check on that girl from yesterday," Mu Chen replied. "She was badly injured; it would be best to find someone with medical knowledge to treat her."

He was indeed concerned about the stranger; her injuries had looked quite severe, and with the chaos yesterday, he hadn't had a chance to examine her properly.

A short while later, Mu Chen arrived outside the room where the girl was staying. He knocked on the door. "Knock, knock."

A slightly hoarse and weak female voice came from inside: "Please, come in."

Mu Chen pushed the door open. The living room was quiet and empty. Only from the direction of the bedroom came faint, rustling sounds. Just as he reached the bedroom door, before he could knock, a suppressed, peculiar sound drifted through the crack in the door.

"Ah... don't... please..."

This sound... why did it seem so familiar, yet so strange?

Mu Chen’s heart skipped a beat. Ignoring etiquette, he placed his fingers on the door panel and pushed it open just enough to see what was happening inside.

At a single glance, Mu Chen froze, as if struck by a paralysis spell. The girl on the bed was propped up, her clothes in disarray, while the phone beside her was lit up, displaying explicit imagery and sounds that were clearly audible.

"Damn!"

Mu Chen’s head buzzed. With a reflexive motion, he turned around abruptly, his face burning instantly.

"Brother Mu Chen?" The girl’s voice was full of panic. "When did you get here?"

"Cough, just arrived. Didn't see a thing," Mu Chen said, back turned to the door, his voice dry and sounding suspiciously like a guilty