Chu Ge started the car and heard Ye Li say something like that. He thought to himself, could this girl be overthinking things again? It's good to have her at my place, observe her, and try to make her stop thinking like that.

With these thoughts in mind, Chu Ge turned his head to look at her, deliberately asking with a strange expression, "To my house?"

Feeling Chu Ge's gaze, Ye Li became a little flustered and quickly explained, "Brother Chu, you... don't overthink it. I didn't mean anything else, it's just... I think your place is relatively quiet, suitable for talking things over. Plus, I have no classes this afternoon, so I... I wanted to help you with some chores or something."

Seeing Ye Li's red face but hopeful and awkward expression, Chu Ge thought for a moment. He figured with Ye Li's personality, letting her help with something might make her feel better, so he smiled and said, "Alright, then let's go to my place."

A dozen minutes later, Chu Ge brought Ye Li back to Yipin Spring City District and stepped into his home.

Originally, Ye Li wanted to help tidy up Chu Ge's place, but when he opened the door, she realized his home was so clean that the tiles could almost be used as mirrors. She was both surprised and a little disappointed.

"Brother Chu, your house is really clean," Ye Li said sincerely after putting on the slippers and following Chu Ge into the house.

"My neighbor helped me tidy up; I'm not that diligent." Chu Ge had Ye Li sit on the sofa in the living room, poured her a glass of water, and said with a smile.

Ye Li took the glass, bit her lip, and despite knowing she had no standing, couldn't help but ask, "Brother Chu, your neighbor is really kind, is... is she a woman?"

"Yes."

Receiving a confirmation from Chu Ge, Ye Li felt both a bit envious and disappointed. After hesitating, she held the glass and asked, "Is she Brother Chu's girlfriend?"

Chu Ge shook his head with a smile, "No, she's just a neighbor. We get along pretty well."

"Oh." Ye Li breathed a sigh of relief, lowered her head to look at the glass in her hands, paused for a few seconds, and anxiously asked, "Then what about Brother Chu's girlfriend, will she come over this afternoon? Wouldn't it be bad if she saw me here?"

Hearing Ye Li's question, Chu Ge naturally knew she was probing him and couldn't help but laugh, "I don't have a girlfriend. Don't you see I'm living in Building 11, Unit 1, Floor 11, Room 111? A standard bachelor pad."

With that answer, Ye Li couldn't help but feel relieved and even laughed at Chu Ge's joke.

However, just as a smile bloomed on her face, Chu Ge continued, "Someone like me, without money, a house, or a car, a three-no personnel, doesn't intend to find a girlfriend. Living alone suits me just fine."

With those words, he was indirectly telling Ye Li that although he's single, he currently prefers it that way.

Sure enough, after Chu Ge said this, Ye Li's smile became a bit forced.

"By the way, tell me about the campus recruitment fair at your school. A friend of mine works for a company developing online games and is urgently short of staff. I've been helping him recruit. Does your school have majors related to this field? Are there still many seniors staying in school?"

Pretending not to notice Ye Li's change in expression, Chu Ge smiled and changed the subject.

Seeing that Chu Ge was asking about business, Ye Li temporarily pushed other thoughts aside and began to tell him what she knew or had heard.

I must say, Chu Ge really found the right person in Ye Li. Even though she just started her junior year, Chu Ge gained a lot of useful information from her. Clearly, she has plans for her future and started getting involved and understanding these things early on.

Who knows how long they talked; Chu Ge had asked almost everything he wanted to ask. Just when he was about to head to the balcony for a smoke, he suddenly heard a "grumble."

Hearing the sound, Chu Ge realized that Ye Li only had a small lunch, and after all this time, it was no wonder she was hungry.

Looking at Ye Li's blushing face, Chu Ge smiled apologetically and checked the time, noticing it was already past four in the afternoon.

"Look at this, talking with you about these things, I forgot to make you something to eat. How about you stay for dinner at my place? I'll cook right now."

Chu Ge meant it purely as an offer for dinner, but saying "don't leave tonight" made Ye Li misunderstand it as Chu Ge wanting her to stay over.

Ye Li nodded with a red face, stood up from the sofa, and nervously twisted her fingers, "Um, then... how about I cook instead?"

"No need, you just rest. It's not right to have you cooking at my place."

Despite Chu Ge's words, Ye Li still followed him into the kitchen and, like a diligent little wife, insisted on helping him.

Seeing her insistence, Chu Ge didn't argue any further and assigned the main cooking task to Ye Li. Meanwhile, he assisted her as a kitchen helper.

The women around Chu Ge were numerous, but she was the first woman to cook for him in his kitchen.

Watching Ye Li skillfully wash vegetables, chop them, and handle the wok, a serene warmth arose in Chu Ge's heart. He suddenly felt that if things didn't work out with Situ Ying, finding someone like Ye Li to spend his life with—living simply in mutual support—would also be a very happy thing.

While Chu Ge was thinking this, Ye Li's heart was also filled with a deep sweetness. Even the oily smoke in the kitchen seemed not to choke her at all, and the sounds from the spatula and the wok were so melodiously pleasant.

As long as she was with Chu Ge, even personally cooking a meal for him, she would feel especially secure and happy inside.

Ye Li's cooking speed was nowhere near as fast as Chu Ge's. And since it was her first time cooking for Chu Ge, she put extra care into her cooking. She strived for perfection in every step, taking more than an hour just to prepare four dishes.

The dishes were placed on the table. Ye Li arranged the chopsticks and bowls, then pulled out the chair next to the dining table for Chu Ge to sit, before taking a seat across from him. Her delicate face bore a hint of nervousness.

"Brother Chu, I don't know if these dishes suit your taste. If there's anything I didn't do well, please let me know so I can improve."

Chu Ge chuckled and nodded, "Sure, let me have a taste."

With that, Chu Ge picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of braised eggplant, and put it in his mouth.

While he was eating, Ye Li stared unblinkingly from across the table, afraid that her cooking would not suit Chu Ge's taste. After Chu Ge finished eating, she quickly asked, "Brother Chu, how is it?"

Raising a thumb to Ye Li, Chu Ge made a savoring expression, praising, "Superb! As old as I am, I've never tasted such delicious braised eggplant."

Hearing Chu Ge say that, Ye Li was relieved, smiling with a hint of shyness, "Brother Chu, you're just teasing me, aren't you exaggerating a bit?"

After speaking, Ye Li took a piece of braised eggplant herself and tasted it, realizing that whether it was psychological or she truly exceeded herself, this dish did taste better than any she made before.

After taking a bite of the braised eggplant, seeing Ye Li looking eager for him to try the other dishes yet too shy to ask, Chu Ge took a bit of the other three dishes in turn, each met with unstinting praise.

Ye Li smiled even more brightly, her eyes curving with the happiness as if receiving his praise was a great honor.

In fact, although Chu Ge's expression and words of praise were somewhat exaggerated, Ye Li's cooking genuinely was impressive enough to merit the phrase "color, aroma, and taste."

After a few bites, Chu Ge sipped a cold beer he fetched from the fridge, a refreshment for the height of summer, making him feel inexplicably comfortable all over.

Moreover, opposite him sat a gentle and pleasing girl. Even if there was nothing between them, she was a sight for sore eyes.

Just as the glass was set back on the table, Ye Li picked up the bottle, refilled Chu Ge's empty glass, and shyly asked, "Brother Chu, may I have a drink too?"

Chu Ge grinned, "Of course! Why be so formal with me? I'll get you a drink and glass. How's your alcohol tolerance? Can you handle a bottle of beer?"

"No need, no need, Brother Chu, you sit; I'll get it myself. One bottle should be no problem for me."

Before Chu Ge could get up, Ye Li hastily spoke, fetching a bottle from the fridge along with a glass from the kitchen. She filled her cup, raised it opposite Chu Ge, and earnestly said, "Brother Chu, knowing you is the greatest fortune of my life. Cheers to you."

Chu Ge chuckled, "Knowing a sister like you is my fortune as well."

With a "ding," the two glasses clinked, and Ye Li drank it all in one go, refilling both their glasses, and raised hers again.

"Brother Chu, I toast you again. I may not be eloquent, I don't know what to say this for exactly, but I just want to toast you and say thank you."

Chu Ge initially wanted to suggest Ye Li eat something before drinking more, but seeing her expression with its seriousness tinged with excitement, he too just smiled and clinked glasses again with her.

After finishing the second glass, Ye Li didn't raise her glass again immediately but gave Chu Ge a grateful smile, sat down to eat for a bit, and then toasted him several more times.

Two bottles of beer quickly reached the bottom.

Although Ye Li only drank one bottle, she had no noticeable reaction at first, but as Chu Ge was nearly full, she started talking more, sharing the joys and sorrows of her life with him.

While talking, Ye Li propped her arm on the table, coincidentally pressing against the edge of a small dish loaded with food, flipping it over and spilling its contents all over her clothing in a splash, leaving a stain across her clothes.

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