Chapter 141: Look at Me!
He watched Chu Yang’s busy back.
The bathrobe was a bit too large on him, the collar hanging loosely open and offering an unguarded view of a smooth expanse of pale collarbone and the sleek line of his shoulder.
His hair wasn’t entirely dry yet. A few damp, dark strands clung to the nape of his neck, swaying slightly as he bent over to rummage through the bottom drawer, the tips still catching the faint glimmer of water droplets.
Jiang Jue’s gaze lingered there for a long moment, his Adam’s apple bobbing in absolute silence before he forcibly tore his eyes away, turning his attention to the darkened cityscape beyond the window.
Chu Yang neatly tucked their underwear into the bottom drawer, grabbed a soft T-shirt and a pair of casual shorts, and pulled them on. Shuffling his feet into his slippers, his voice rang out lightly, “Brother Jiang, are you done getting dressed? Let’s go eat!”
Jiang Jue gave a low “En.” His gaze swept over the fresh, comfortable silhouette Chu Yang presented in his casual clothes before he bent down to pull on his own shoes.
Together, they walked out of the suite and headed down the hallway toward the stairs.
Passing by the second floor, Chu Yang deliberately slowed his pace. Raising a hand to clear his throat, a playful smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth as he hollered toward the closed doors: “Old Lin! Su Mubai! Time to eat! If you don’t come out right now, the food’s going to get cold!”
“Coming, coming!” Lin Xiao’s voice called back from inside his room almost immediately. The door swung open, and he stepped out into the hall, instinctively glancing back to wait for Su Mubai to emerge from next door.
As Su Mubai stepped out to join him, Lin Xiao naturally leaned closer to his side. The physical space between them wasn’t overly intimate, but the moment their eyes inadvertently met, a thick, unspoken tension saturated the air.
The four of them walked together toward the grand villa next door. Crossing the paved courtyard and pushing open the heavy, carved wooden doors, a rich, mouthwatering aroma of home-cooked food instantly washed over them.
The long dining table was already laden with an incredible spread. In the center sat a platter of braised pork belly, glistening and decadent—the perfectly layered cuts of fat and lean meat coated in a thick, savory glaze, radiating curls of fragrant steam. Beside it was a deep bowl of hearty chicken and potato stew; the chicken had been simmered until fall-off-the-bone tender, while the creamy potatoes were saturated with rich, savory gravy.
Bright red, spicy stir-fried shrimp gleamed with chili oil, sprinkled generously with toasted white sesame seeds and emerald scallions. There was also an enormous serving basin of pickled mustard greens with fish, the snow-white fillets contrasting beautifully against the vibrant greens, the sharp, appetizing sourness cutting through the rich aromas of the meat. Paired with a steaming pot of plump, pearly white rice, the spread was enough to make everyone’s mouth water instantly.
Li Yu, Jiang Lin, and Wang Qiang were already seated around the table. Seeing them walk in, Li Yu immediately jumped up, her eyes curving into bright crescents as she waved. “Boss, you made it!”
Just as she spoke, Wang Li emerged from the kitchen carrying a large, steaming tureen of meatball soup. Poking her head out to survey the table, she smiled warmly. “Is everyone here? Perfect! The soup is ready, so let’s dig in!”
Everyone took their seats.
Chu Yang naturally slid into the chair right beside Jiang Jue, while Lin Xiao scrambled to claim the seat next to Su Mubai with an eagerness that bordered on impatience.
Looking at the table piled high with an incredible feast, and glancing around the spacious, brightly lit dining room where the warm yellow glow spilled across the faces of his chosen family, a profound surge of warmth flooded Chu Yang’s heart. “This is going to be our home from now on. This is amazing… It feels like a dream.”
Li Yu gently poked the rice in her bowl with her chopsticks, her voice thick with emotion. “Isn’t that the truth? After all the terror and panic we survived on the road, we finally have a safe place to settle down…”
“Wait a second! How can we have a feast like this without anything to drink?” Chu Yang’s eyes suddenly lit up. Reaching out with his spatial ability, he materialized a few bottles of strong white liquor and a stack of clear glass tumblers directly onto the table. Grinning, he announced, “Come on, everyone, glasses up! Tonight we properly celebrate our housewarming!”
Standing up, he uncorked the bottle and moved around the table, pouring generous measures for everyone. The clear liquid flowed smoothly into the glasses, tiny bubbles fizzing against the rims.
When he reached Lin Xiao, Chu Yang deliberately tilted the bottle a little further, filling the glass nearly to the brim. Winking mischievously, he teased in a low voice, “Old Lin, you’ve got to drink to your heart’s content tonight!”
Lin Xiao stared at the glass, which looked dangerously close to overflowing, his expression freezing instantly.
He genuinely had trauma associated with alcohol now. Remembering what had happened the last time he got drunk, his mouth gave an involuntary twitch. Subconsciously turning his head, he shot Su Mubai a subtle look pleading for rescue, his fingertips lightly brushing against Su Mubai’s elbow under the table.
Su Mubai sat quietly, his long fingers gently tracing the rim of his own glass.
Sensing Lin Xiao’s desperate gaze, he lifted his eyes, meeting the look calmly. His dark eyes remained completely unreadable, though a single, elegant eyebrow arched upward in silent inquiry.
Lin Xiao gritted his teeth, visibly making some kind of internal resolution. Picking up the heavy glass, his fingers tightened around the base. Well, Su Mubai is right here tonight. Even if… even if I really do get drunk again, it shouldn’t… it shouldn’t cause another disaster, right?
Everyone raised their glasses high. The clear, pleasant clink of glass striking glass rang out, echoing brightly across the grand dining room.
“To settling down!” Chu Yang cheered, his voice loud and brimming with joy.
“May our days ahead be safe and peaceful!” Wang Li added gently, her soft gaze resting on little Niu Niu.
“Cheers!”
After the first fiery shot of liquor slid down their throats, the atmosphere in the dining room visibly warmed up, buzzing with lively chatter.
Lin Xiao set down his empty glass and immediately picked up his chopsticks. Snagging a large, glistening piece of braised pork belly, he placed it directly into Su Mubai’s bowl. His voice softened unconsciously. “Su Mubai, try this. Sister Wang stewed it until it’s incredibly tender. It must be packed with flavor.”
Su Mubai glanced at the fatty meat sitting atop his rice. He didn’t pick up his chopsticks, merely lifting his gaze to look back at Lin Xiao.
Receiving the silent signal, Lin Xiao quickly retracted his chopsticks. Snatching two large spicy shrimp from the communal plate into his own bowl, he lowered his head and began meticulously peeling them.
His movements were slightly clumsy but intensely focused. He removed the shells entirely, carefully pulled out the dark intestinal vein without leaving a trace, and gently placed the pristine, snowy-white shrimp meat right next to the braised pork in Su Mubai’s bowl.
“Try the shrimp too. I peeled it for you, so the spice won’t get on your hands.” Finishing his task, he looked up at Su Mubai, his eyes wide and eager.
Su Mubai stared at the small, growing mountain of food in his bowl. Finally, he let out a faint, nearly inaudible sigh. His voice remained very low, carrying a trace of helpless exasperation. “That’s enough.”
Lin Xiao stopped instantly, though his gaze remained glued to Su Mubai—looking exactly like a large, eager dog that had just performed a trick and was practically vibrating with the silent demand: Praise me quickly.
Across the table, Li Yu and Jiang Lin had long since ducked their heads, leaning close together and whispering furiously under their breath.
Li Yu’s eyes were practically sparkling with glee. Using her chopsticks to cover her mouth, she hissed, “I told you! I said the way Lin Xiao looked at Su Mubai was off! That was definitely not how you look at a sworn brother! Look at him today—it’s confirmed! Totally confirmed!”
Jiang Lin let out a heavy sigh, her face crumpling into a dramatic pout as she poked at her rice. “I mean, I could accept secretly shipping the Boss and Brother Chu. After all, the way the Boss hovers over Brother Chu is so obvious even a blind man could see it. But I never imagined… that Lin Xiao and Su Mubai would end up pairing off too!”
She peeked over the rim of her bowl, quickly scanning the few men sitting around the table before sighing in exaggerated despair. “Look at this! There’s already a severe shortage of high-quality men in this team, and now they’re all pairing up internally! Look at me! I might not be a supermodel, but I’m still young, cute, and full of life, right? Ugh, what a waste!” To emphasize her point, she poked her own cheek in helpless frustration.
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