Chapter 14: I Didn't See Anything

Lu Beiqin, however, didn’t think much of it. “The bleeding’s stopped.”

Shen Chutang replied, “Oh.”

Lu Beiqin took the kitchen knife from her. “Go out.”

Shen Chutang was a bit skeptical. “Can you cook?”

Lu Beiqin said nothing and started chopping vegetables on his own. His knife skills looked impressive.

Shen Chutang clapped her hands in realization. Of course—children from poor families have to fend for themselves early on. Lu Beiqin probably learned to cook when he was very young!

Thinking for a moment, she pulled a slab of ribs from the fridge. “It’s fine, now we can eat as much meat as we want. Help yourself.”

Lu Beiqin gripped the knife a little tighter. He didn’t need to guess to know exactly what she must be thinking right now.

Should he call this girl clever, or just naive?

“Ah!!! Lu Beiqin!”

A shrill scream came from outside. He immediately put down the knife and headed for the living room.

Shen Chutang, pale with panic, leapt onto him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. Her voice trembled, and when she called his name, it sounded almost coquettish.

“Lu Beiqin, there’s a mouse in the house!”

Lu Beiqin steadied her by the waist so she wouldn’t fall.

There was a faint, sweet fragrance about the girl. Lu Beiqin’s Adam’s apple bobbed subtly as he replied in an even voice, “Where is it?”

Shen Chutang didn’t notice anything amiss about their current posture. Shivering, she pointed under the sofa. “It was just there a moment ago…”

Lu Beiqin, holding her with one arm, set her down on a nearby chair. “Wait here.”

Shen Chutang nodded. Lu Beiqin moved the sofa aside, only to find a bag of snacks under it, already chewed open by the mouse.

That was likely what attracted the rodent.

“Don’t leave things lying around next time.”

Shen Chutang pouted, a little aggrieved. “Okay.”

Lu Beiqin paused, then said, “If you want to eat, just finish it and throw the trash away.”

With that, he turned back to the kitchen.

Soon, he finished preparing three dishes and a soup. During dinner, Shen Chutang couldn’t help but bring up the mouse again. “Do you think it’ll come looking for revenge while I’m sleeping?”

Lu Beiqin didn’t even look up. “No.”

“How do you know?”

“Mm.”

The man was taciturn; the more she asked, the fewer words he used. Shen Chutang had to slowly digest her own fright.

After dinner, Shen Chutang dutifully went to wash the dishes. After all, he’d already cooked; she couldn’t let him do all the work.

She loaded the dishes into the dishwasher and, when she came out, Lu Beiqin had already returned to his room.

As a dinner companion, Shen Chutang was quite satisfied with him—quiet, obedient, good-looking, and with clear boundaries.

She went to her own room to shower. Just as she undressed and turned on the showerhead, she spotted the mouse hiding on the window ledge, its beady eyes staring right at her.

The mouse: “…”

Shen Chutang: “…Ah!!!”

In the next room, Lu Beiqin burst in, only to see Shen Chutang standing there stark naked, stunned into silence.

Shen Chutang hadn’t expected him to come in so quickly and froze on the spot.

Lu Beiqin’s face darkened. He grabbed a nearby towel and flung it over her head, scooping her up and carrying her out.

Shen Chutang sat motionless on the bed, as if someone had hit the pause button.

Under the towel, her face was as red as a freshly boiled shrimp—blushing inside and out!

What on earth just happened!

Did Lu Beiqin see everything?

No, in that split second, maybe he didn’t see—

Who was she kidding! She was full-grown, and Lu Beiqin was nowhere near senile. Of course he noticed!

Shen Chutang wanted to cry. Maybe she should just knock him out and give him amnesia. How could she ever show her face again!

Finally, Lu Beiqin’s voice came from beside her. “It’s all right now.”

Shen Chutang sat as still as a statue.

Lu Beiqin cleared his throat lightly. “I didn’t see anything.”

Shen Chutang knew he was lying, but she couldn’t help believing him anyway. “Oh.”

Only when the door closed did she stick her head out from under the towel and flop onto the bed, playing dead.