Ye Jun was momentarily stunned, unable to react to even such a basic thing. He couldn't even remember when the last time something like this had happened was...when someone prepared food for him so they could enjoy it together.
No memories came to remind him.
"What happened?" Meihui asked in confusion.
"Ah! Nothing, I was just surprised. You didn't have to do this, you know," Ye Jun smiled and sat down before her. "I was going to make dinner anyway."
"Well, we're in a partnership and living together. It didn't sit well with my conscience to freeload off you," Meihui said, playing with a strand of her blonde hair. "Besides, I like cooking too."
"I still appreciate it," Ye Jun said sincerely. "You didn't secretly poison me, right?"
"I have other ways to kill you," Meihui crossed her arms. "Besides, it's disrespectful to food."
Ye Jun chuckled softly and clapped his hands before devouring the food. The meat dissolved in his mouth, and even the rice was cooked just right. It was so soft.
"Eat slowly," Meihui scolded him. "It's still hot."
"Stop worrying," Ye Jun waved his hand. "Also, aren't you getting too nice to someone who planned to kill you just last night?"
Meihui's expression softened as she said, "It's as you said. I'm focusing on making my present better. Besides, you aren't too bad."
"Are you trying to compliment me?" Ye Jun asked, amused to see her reaction.
As he expected, Meihui's face turned flustered as she snorted and looked away. "So what?"
"No. It's just that you're too cute," Ye Jun's words made her blush deepen as she glared at him in defiance. "Alright, my bad. I just find it funny."
"What?" Meihui asked.
"You get flustered so easily, yet you actually tried to seduce me," Ye Jun laughed, remembering the previous night. "No wonder you sucked at it."
Meihui clenched her fists as her blush deepened. "Forget about it. Otherwise I'll make you."
Ye Jun just smiled and raised his hand, backing away for now.
Meihui did a hmph and looked away from him, muttering something inaudible. She certainly seemed too angry over it.
"You cook really well," Ye Jun said to change the subject. "Though I don't have a frame of reference other than myself. But I can still say you cook much better than anyone in this shitty clan."
Hearing that, Meihui's expression softened as she turned toward him and smiled faintly. "Then we can do this. You make the morning meal while I cook for noon and evening."
"Won't this hinder your meditation?" Ye Jun asked, blinking. "I wouldn't want to disturb that. After all, I'm already used to making my meals."
"No, this helps me too. A little break improves my mental health, which is important in healing as well," Meihui shook her head.
Ye Jun stared at her for a bit before shrugging. "Sure. It's better for me since I can eat better food."
"Yours is good too," Meihui said.
"I don't know. But this meat isn't normal, is it?"
Meihui stiffened at his words.
"I see you're trying to help me, but why the sudden change in attitude?" Ye Jun asked, narrowing his eyes.
Meihui was going to retort, but then she realized something. 'Everyone around him treated him in such a way that he's suspicious of kindness.'
She swallowed back her words and looked away. "It's meat from some low-tier Spiritual Beast, so it'll help you. If you're strong, then I won't have to protect you. I'm just making my work easier."
"Makes sense," Ye Jun nodded in understanding and devoured the rest of the meal.
Meihui continued to stare at him, a conflicted expression on her face. 'I will need to use indirect methods, otherwise he'll just push me away.'
She didn't even understand why she was so concerned about his well-being. Did his backstory really affect her so much?
She didn't know. But she wanted to heal all the wounds his family had afflicted on him. The urge to do it was so strong that she ignored everything else and threw caution to the wind.
For now, Meihui just wanted to focus on her recovery and making Ye Jun's life better.
Ye Jun didn't notice anything amiss with her and simply enjoyed the free food. As always, he was happy with even small gestures like this. In fact, they made him the happiest.
After that, they engaged in small conversation which eased the tension between them. The atmosphere between them also slowly warmed up as they found random topics to talk about.
Ye Jun had to say that Meihui was a good conversation partner, as she possessed vast knowledge on many things. Apparently, she used to read a lot from her father's library.
After the meal, Ye Jun went to run around his hut and returned. Meihui had begun her meditation by then, so he just smiled and wished her good night.
...
The next day, Ye Jun followed the same usual morning routine along with the training grounds activities, except now he had a beautiful lady waiting for him at home who also made food for him.
He didn't know what to make of it. On one hand, he was quite happy to have such company and free food. But then again, she was a powerful person, and one thing he had experienced well with such people was that they changed their minds too often.
'I am overthinking again.'
Shaking his head, he returned from the training grounds, gaining a few attributes again. It was once again not enough to advance to the Seventh-Stage of the Body Strengthening Realm, but he had expected it, so he wasn't disappointed with the results.
By the time he came back, Meihui was already done making lunch, so they ate happily. Then, thinking of something, he informed her of his usual way of earning money.
It had been a few days, so he had to do it again.
"Money is important," he said.
"So, you'll be leaving the manor," Meihui muttered thoughtfully. "My Soul Sense is still a little unstable, so I'll shorten its range and follow you in the shadows. If I spread it too wide, someone might detect it."
Her expression turned serious.
"I don't doubt they will send people after me again."