Ji Liao bit his lip and didn’t answer him.

  Scooping a ladle of rice, he washed it and put it into the rice cooker. He found the chopping board and cut the raw meat into small pieces.

  He Cheng Ming leaned on the edge, watching Ji Liao’s handling style with indescribable feelings. It was the same daily necessities, but when he himself handled them, he felt nothing. Why was it when the other boy handled them, it felt like it was full of the delights of life?

  “Why don’t you go outside to rest?” Ji Liao turned and saw the “wounded” still standing there and began to chase him away.

  He Cheng Ming said proudly, “Don’t want to.”


  His smiling eyes followed Ji Liao around. As Ji Liao washed the vegetables, he said anxiously, “I’m walking around. What if I bump into you?”


  Moreover, his true nature would be revealed once he had to use the hot pot later. Actually, he wasn’t that proficient in cooking.

  “That wouldn’t happen.” He Cheng Ming said confidently, helping to hand over the ingredients at the right time.

  When the washing up was done, Ji Liao wiped his hands and turned to look at him, saying shyly, “Lower your head a little.” He Cheng Ming stared at him with a smile on his lips and seemed to have guessed what he was up to. He bent over slightly with his chin slightly lifted.

  Ji Liao went closer to kiss him on the mouth, then said softly, “Go wait outside.”


  “Okay.” He Cheng Ming had been hooked until he lost his head. He licked his lips and went outside satisfied.

  Ji Liao immediately opened a cooking app on his phone and looked it over before starting. After all, it was the first time he was cooking for the other boy and hoped that he would be at least slightly successful.

  In the living room, He Cheng Ming turned on some light music and his mood lifted with the graceful tune. He saw a sweatshirt on the sofa and picked it up to throw it into the washing machine.

  Li Jiao prepared three dishes and a soup, secretly tasting it before carrying them out. The taste was alright and he felt his heart fill with happiness.

  He glanced towards the living room. He Cheng Ming was burrowed in the sofa reading a book, so he called out, “We can eat now.”


  He Cheng Ming threw aside his book, walked to the dining table and sniffed. Ji Liao brought two rice bowls out. Without any hesitation, he said flatteringly, “Baby, you’re so capable. It must be very delicious.”


  Ji Liao smiled while glaring at him. “You haven’t even eaten it.”


  He Cheng Ming sat down and regretted slightly that his injured arm was his left one. If it was his right arm, he could enjoy the other boy feeding him.

  Ji Liao attentively ladled a bowl of pork bone broth. It was said that there was an equivalence between what you ate and what you benefited from, so bone should mend a bone fracture.

  Once he had filled the bowl, he placed the ladle in front of He Cheng Ming and asked, “How is Gao Sheng now?” The two of them had fought. It couldn’t have just been He Cheng Ming that had gotten injured. Based on his temper, Gao Sheng was perhaps in a worse condition.

  “Ah.” He Cheng Ming opened his mouth, wanting Ji Liao to feed him.

  Ji Liao laughed and said softly, “Great young master.” He picked up the soup bowl and scooped a small spoonful, delivering it to his mouth.

  He Cheng Ming kept it in his mouth, curved his eyes, then said happily, “It’s really good, baby.” “Then drink more.”


  Ji Liao’s heart ached for him and he wanted to take care of him as much as he could, so he continued coaxing and feeding him.

  When He Cheng Ming was able to, he opened his mouth to talk about Gao Sheng. “He stole forty thousand yuan from somewhere so he should be sentenced to three or four years.”


  This was what Jiang Qi had told him. The police had only received the report after they had been dispatched. Unexpectedly, they arrived and caught the person. Forty thousand yuan was a huge amount and had to be dealt with according to the law, which meant three or four years of detention or supervision.

  Ji Liao was a little shocked. “He stole money?”


  Then he quietened down. After all, the boy was a student. Although he was arrogant and bossy, he was still young. He was only seventeen and had to go to prison. What would he do in the future?

  Ji Liao was slightly sympathetic but he deeply understood that whether it was a momentary slip or a step in the wrong direction, it was a path that Gao Sheng had chosen. Nobody had forced him and basically, he had only a superficial awareness of the law.

  “Yes.”


  He Cheng Ming lowered his head and took a mouthful of rice. He reckoned that with that last foot from him, he had probably dislocated his bone. If he didn’t have the money to recuperate, he would be crippled for life.

  He didn’t feel like he was being merciless, just that the other boy was guilty and deserved to be punished.

  “I want some more.” He Cheng Ming handed the empty bowl to Ji Liao.

  Ji Liao got up and went to the kitchen to refill his rice bowl. Coming out, he said worriedly, “If you can’t eat anymore, you don’t have to.” He was afraid that the other boy was forcing himself to eat just to flatter him. If he weren’t able to handle it, it wouldn’t be worth it.

  He Cheng Ming looked at him and laughed, saying, “Baby, I’m really hungry.”


  In all honesty, he had a fight in the morning and whatever that was in his stomach had long since been digested. He had spent the afternoon in the hospital and had been too lazy to move when he got back, waiting for Ji Liao to come over. This was the first hot meal he had eaten that day.

  “Then eat.” Ji Liao enthusiastically put some vegetables in his bowl.

  The doorbell rang suddenly.

  The two of them were startled. He Cheng Ming’s first thought: it can’t be Zhao Mei Lan, right?

  He frowned and his eyes indicated for Ji Liao not to worry. Pulling aside his chair, He Cheng Ming went to the front door and glanced through the peephole. Unexpectedly, it was Jiang Qi.

  He was slightly annoyed and really didn’t want to open the door. From where he was, Ji Liao asked carefully, “Is it your mother?”


  “No, it’s my sister-in-law.”


  After saying that, He Cheng Ming twisted the handle and the door opened.

  Jiang Qi looked very cool when she wasn’t smiling, but looked very gentle when she did. Seeing He Cheng Ming, she asked instantly with a smile, “Xiao Ming, have you eaten?”


  From He Mu Sheng, she knew that He Cheng Ming lived alone. Jiang Qi could not comprehend how he could cook with an injured arm. Takeout was too unhealthy so she had specially asked the auntie from her home to prepare some dishes for He Cheng Ming.

  When she came in, she saw two pairs of male shoes and their sizes were obviously different. Jiang Qi looked up and saw Ji Liao at the dining table.

  “Oh, it’s you.” She was surprised and never thought she would see this boy again.

  Ji Liao was stunned, then he recognised her.

  He Cheng Ming cast a puzzled look at him. Ji Liao said softly, “She’s the Jiejie that saved Meng Yao Yao at that time.” That was a coincidence. He Cheng Ming raised his eyebrows.

  Jiang Qi changed her footwear and came inside. She looked at the dishes on the table. “So you’re already eating. Then let’s just add some dishes.” She opened the thermos container and brought out the hot food.

  He Cheng Ming sat down and said nothing. Because of her status, it wasn’t good for him to chase her away.

  Jiang Qi had originally planned to put the food down and leave, but she couldn’t move once she saw Ji Liao. She liked this type of boy who looked cute and obedient, causing her to have a protective feeling.

  “What’s your name, Didi?” Jiang Qi sat down, propped her chin up and looked at him with eyes full of interest.

  Ji Liao reported his name and thought to himself, this was the wife of He Cheng Ming’s brother? It felt weird.

  “Ji Liao.” Jiang Qi repeated, then asked, “Is it the Liao from the word Liao Kuo?”


  “Yes.” Ji Liao replied.

  Jiang Qi laughed, unable to hold back the restlessness in her heart and was about to ask more questions when He Cheng Ming suddenly said, “I forgot to introduce him. This is my boyfriend.”


  He looked at Ji Liao, then turned his gaze to Jiang Qi with a hint that he was declaring sovereignty.

  Jiang Qi was confused for a moment and hadn’t expected the two of them to be in this kind of relationship. She thought they were just classmates!

  She was a little sad as she had finally found, with difficulty, someone who met her requirements.

  However, Jiang Qi smiled and cheerfully reached out to Ji Liao. “Hello, I’m your sister-in-law.”


  Without waiting for Ji Liao to move, He Cheng Ming said in a hard voice, “It’s not necessary to shake hands. I don’t like my boyfriend to have excessive contact with other people.”


  He looked at Jiang Qi coldly as he spoke. Her intentions were too obvious. Was she trying to seduce the other boy in front of him?! Even if she was He Mu Sheng’s wife, he couldn’t endure it!

  Jiang Qi was scared by his look and instantly withdrew her hand. It was no wonder that this was He Mu Sheng’s brother. They were both as scary.

  “Was a handshake considered too much contact?” She muttered in a low voice.

  Ji Liao sensed that He Cheng Ming was angry so he didn’t say anything.

  He Cheng Ming was extremely annoyed. With just a meal, a love rival had appeared. He started to regret helping Jiang Qi to block that blow. He got up and went to the balcony to call He Mu Sheng, his tone harsh, “Your wife has taken a fancy to my wife. Come and take her away quickly!”


  Taking advantage of He Cheng Ming’s absence, Jiang Qi immediately took out her phone and put it in front of Ji Liao, saying resourcefully, “Didi, save your contact information.”


  She was very likely to be kicked out soon.

  Ji Liao felt like he was in a difficult position but under her expectant eyes, he was unable to refuse. After all, she was the one who had saved Meng Yao Yao and was also He Cheng Ming’s sister-in-law.

  He keyed in his phone number.

  Jiang Qi saved it excitedly, then kept the phone.

  He Cheng Ming came in and told her bluntly, “My brother is preparing to come over.”


  Jiang Qi was a brave girl and ignored his hint, saying, “Okay, then I’ll wait for him.”


  She could stay for a while longer!

  With her wishful thoughts, she brought up another topic of conversation and asked about Meng Yao Yao, “Ji Liao, is your sister okay?” When a girl encountered something like that, it would always create some shadows.

  Ji Liao replied, “Yes, she’s fine.”


  But it was obvious that Meng Yao Yao wasn’t as lively as before.

  He wanted to ask if Jiang Qi had any way to relieve this type of psychological trauma but didn’t.

  Jiang Qi was very smart and immediately said knowingly, “You can do some psychological counselling for your sister to help her out of her closed-off state.” When she was studying abroad, she had volunteered in similar situations, helping girls who had suffered psychological trauma.

  Ji Liao was interested in the topic and asked, “So how do I do psychological counselling?”


  “If you need help, you can contact me.” Jiang Qi winked at him.

  He Cheng Ming couldn’t continue watching and slammed his chopsticks onto the table, scaring the two of them.

  Ji Liao immediately looked at his injured arm and said unhappily, “Don’t make such big movements. What if you pull at your injury?!” He Cheng Ming thought to himself, he was already about to explode. What did he care about his injury?!

  “I don’t want to eat anymore.” He started to throw a small tantrum.

  Ji Liao found it funny and said in a coaxing voice, “Okay, then don’t eat.” He stood up to clear the dishes.

  Jiang Qi’s eyes bounced between the two of them and felt that He Mu Sheng’s brother was quite cute in an opposing quality way. He looked fierce but was actually cute, especially when he was unable to vent the anger that he had.