Chapter 247: On Who Is Better at Vying for Favor
Chapter 247: Chapter 247: On Who Is Better at Vying for Favor
"Tsk, looks like we’ve come at a bad time."
Xing Che was the first to break the silence. His amber-gold eyes burned as he stared at Yun Sheng, the jealousy in them practically overflowing.
Yun Sheng was a little flustered, but she didn’t push Si Jin away. She just lowered her gaze slightly, avoiding Xing Che’s overly intense stare.
Si Jin, however, looked perfectly composed. He even seemed a bit displeased at being interrupted, casting a cool glance at Xing Che.
"You knew, and you still came?"
Seeing that Yun Sheng wasn’t looking at him, Xing Che immediately switched tactics.
He retracted his sharp edge, sidled up next to Yun Sheng, and deliberately put on a tired expression. His voice became light and soft, with a hint of a wheedling tone.
"Shengsheng, I’m hungry. I came looking for a bite to eat... You’re not going to leave me hanging, are you?"
As he spoke, he sneakily inched closer to Yun Sheng, blatantly vying for her affection.
Si Jin didn’t even spare Xing Che a glance. He simply looked down at Yun Sheng in his arms, his fingertips gently brushing her reddened cheek.
"Don’t mind them. The food will be ready in a moment."
A single, understated sentence, yet it firmly seized control of the situation.
Bai Ye stood in the doorway watching this scene, his eyes darkening.
He didn’t speak, nor did he enter. He just leaned against the doorframe, his heavy gaze fixed on Yun Sheng.
He saw her surrounded by Si Jin and Xing Che, not even sparing him a single glance from the corner of her eye. A sudden resentment surged within him.
’I can’t just stand in the doorway! I can’t accept that I don’t even have the right to get close to her!’
’If I don’t do something soon, I’ll be completely ignored. Then she’ll need me even less!’
At this thought, Bai Ye straightened up, walked past Xing Che and Si Jin, and went to the refrigeration unit.
He took a small carton of milk from the crisper section and turned to hand it to Yun Sheng.
"Drink this. It’ll tide you over."
Yun Sheng froze for a moment, looking up to meet his gaze.
He wasn’t as direct and scorching as Xing Che, nor as gentle as Si Jin. His gaze was like a silent undercurrent flowing deep beneath the sea—not ostentatious, not forceful, but fixed steadily upon her.
Yun Sheng’s fingertips curled slightly. She reached out to take it and said in a low voice, "Thank you."
The words had barely left her lips when another figure darted over even more quickly.
Xing Che dashed to the refrigeration unit in a few strides, quickly picked out a container of the freshest two-toned berries, and tossed them into the smart washer.
They were washed in three seconds. He immediately plucked out the plumpest one, turned, and held it to Yun Sheng’s lips.
"Shengsheng, try this."
Before Yun Sheng could refuse, the cool, sweet-and-sour berry had already gently touched her lips.
She subconsciously opened her mouth slightly and bit down on the fruit.
The sweet-and-sour juice instantly exploded on the tip of her tongue.
"Is it sweet?"
Xing Che leaned in closer, his amber-gold eyes shining astonishingly bright. He stared at her without blinking, looking for all the world like a big cat with its tail about to wag, just waiting for praise.
Yun Sheng’s cheeks grew warm. She chewed twice and gave a muffled "mhm."
Xing Che immediately broke into a smile, a flash of blatant pride in his eyes. He quickly plucked another one and offered it to her.
"Then have another one."
Si Jin leaned against the console, taking in the entire scene.
He didn’t get angry, nor did he compete. He just let out a soft snort, his silent judgment clear: ’Childish. Scheming.’
But he didn’t stop them either. He just turned back to the smart stove, adjusting the heat and settings.
He didn’t need to compete for such obvious displays of affection. He was the only Sentinel Yun Sheng had acknowledged. As long as he stood steadily by her side, he was on home turf.
Nearby, Bai Ye watched Xing Che’s series of cloying attempts to curry favor, and his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
’Wheedling, fawning, feigning intimacy... I can’t do any of that.’
’But I have my own advantages.’
"Yun Sheng, after we return to the Capital Star, your group of trainees will undergo a unified spiritual power Level assessment. Your spiritual power is special, different from an ordinary person’s. If you participate directly in the public assessment and something goes wrong, you could easily be exposed."
Bai Ye’s voice was steady and earnest, and every word hit upon Yun Sheng’s greatest worries.
"This flightcraft is equipped with the Star Alliance’s latest military-grade portable testing chamber. The entire process is private and won’t leave any external records. If you’re willing, we can run a preliminary test right now, just so you have a better idea of where you stand."
Yun Sheng hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Okay, I’ll do the preliminary test first."
Just as Bai Ye was about to say something more, Si Jin had already dished out the last course and was walking over with the plate.
"Yun Sheng, let’s eat first. Aren’t you hungry?"
Yun Sheng hummed in agreement and followed him toward the nearby dining area.
Si Jin placed the dishes on the table one by one: a pan-seared steak that was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, a plate of stir-fried seasonal vegetables, a side of cold appetizers, and a bowl of steaming hot mushroom soup. Three dishes and a soup, all arranged neatly.
He then took two sets of bowls and chopsticks from the sterilizer, sat down across from Yun Sheng, and handed her the chopsticks.
Yun Sheng picked up a piece of steak and put it in her mouth. The meat was crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, cooked to perfection, with a faint, spiced flavor that melted on her tongue.
Her eyes instantly lit up. She looked up at Si Jin. "This is delicious."
The corner of Si Jin’s lips curved. He said nothing, simply placing another piece in her bowl.
Xing Che had followed them over at some point. He pulled out a chair, sat down next to Yun Sheng, and propped his chin in his hands, his amber-gold eyes gazing at her pitifully.
"Shengsheng, I want to eat too."
Yun Sheng froze, instinctively looking toward Si Jin.
Si Jin shot Xing Che a cold glance. ’This guy is unbelievably shameless.’
Seeing Yun Sheng remain silent, Xing Che leaned even closer, his voice growing softer still.
"Shengsheng, just one bite. Just one."
Yun Sheng pressed her lips together and didn’t respond.
’After all, Si Jin made all of this. How could I just agree to let Xing Che have some? That would be so ungrateful.’
Si Jin watched Xing Che’s stubborn, freeloading act for two seconds before finally speaking. "Get your own bowl and chopsticks."
Xing Che’s eyes lit up. He immediately got up, retrieved a set of bowl and chopsticks from the sterilizer, and sat down beside Yun Sheng without a shred of shame.
He picked up a piece of steak, popped it into his mouth, chewed a couple of times, and said, "Hm, not bad."
Si Jin ignored him and ladled another spoonful of soup into Yun Sheng’s bowl.
Bai Ye, who had been standing quietly nearby, took in the whole scene.
He didn’t join in the lively scene. Instead, he said in a low voice, "Take your time eating. I’ll go to the testing chamber and prepare the equipment. Yun Sheng, just come find me when you’re done."
With that, he turned to leave.
Yun Sheng looked up at Bai Ye’s retreating back. Recalling his earlier thoughtfulness on her behalf, she felt a slight stir in her heart. Her fingers curled slightly, and a hint of hesitation and reluctance appeared on her face.
Si Jin noticed every nuance of this subtle emotion.
His brow twitched almost imperceptibly.
’Well, we already have one freeloader who won’t leave. One more won’t make a difference.’
’Rather than have Yun Sheng worrying about it, it’s better to have him stay. It’ll save her the trouble.’
"Eat with us. The testing equipment can wait a few minutes."