“Hey, Lina, Mom was really scared by the door guardian today!” Dave chuckled. “She used that feather duster for
over ten years, and it suddenly met its demise!”
Lina was taken aback. “What? Did Zeke dare to lay hands on Mom?”
“No!” Dave described the situation to her. “Mom was furious because the kitchen was too messy. She grabbed the
feather duster to make a point, but she got carried away and accidentally hit him for real…
“And the feather duster snapped in half.”
Lina widened her eyes.
Dave looked toward the porch and lowered his voice. “Sis, he’s not a door guardian but Ironman, is he?”
Lina could not help but laugh and told her brother to go back to sleep.
She looked at the plate of risotto on the table for a while, then went to the porch for no reason.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtZuko was in a vigilant sleeping position, his body tilted to one side, hands crossed in front of his chest, and the
blanket only covering his stomach.
His exposed arms and calves had well-defined and perfect muscle lines, exuding a masculine aura.
Lina quickly lowered her head, retracting her gaze and all those fleeting thoughts.
They peacefully spent their first day like that.
Early the next morning, Lina quietly went downstairs.
Weekends were usually the busiest time at the store. Jesse and Melissa would wake up early to restock and tidy the
shelves before opening.
Dave had a habit of reading in the morning and was likely studying in the park two blocks away.
Lina went to the porch and realized that Zuko was not there either. She was wondering when she heard footsteps
behind her.
She turned her head and saw Zuko, wearing a T-shirt and shorts, walk toward her. It seemed like he had just
finished exercising, his chiseled face exuding a hint of firmness and his well-built figure embraced by the morning
light.
The T-shirt that was damp with sweat clung to his body, outlining a perfect inverted triangle physique.
Lina’s gaze inadvertently fell on his chest.
“What are you looking at?” Zuko’s voice was deep.
Lina hurriedly turned her face away.
“It’s nothing,” she said softly. “I just… wanted to ask how you slept.”
“Fine.”
Zuko wiped his face with a towel.
Lina looked at him. He always seemed so reserved, with no expression on his face, keeping people at a distance.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmShe had grown up in a lively atmosphere and assumed the world was lively.
The two of them stood silently on the porch, the atmosphere becoming somewhat awkward.
Lina took a deep breath and tried to find something to say. “Did you cook the risotto last night?”
Zuko was briefly taken aback before he replied in a low voice, “Yeah.”
“Well…” Lina had originally planned to complain but changed it to a simple “thank you” in the end.
Firstly, they were practically strangers to each other, even though they had that one inexplicable incident.
Secondly, the fact that he had cooked dinner for her was already quite remarkable. Her parents had always taught
her to be grateful and appreciate the good in others.
It was just that… this man did not seem to appreciate it.
His expression remained cold, and he said in a deep voice, “You don’t have to worry about it. It’s my first day living
here, and coming empty-handed wouldn’t be right.”
“So, buying a few lobsters counts as paying rent?”