Chapter 258: Bai Ye Became Increasingly Tempted
Chapter 258: Chapter 258: Bai Ye Became Increasingly Tempted
The next morning, soft morning light filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows and spilled into the room.
Yun Sheng slowly opened her eyes. Staring at the plain ceiling above, her mind was entirely blank. She lay there in a daze, unable to gather her wits for quite a while. A few seconds later, she abruptly sat up and instinctively looked around.
The minimalist, cool-toned decor and unfamiliar furnishings indicated that this was nowhere she recognized. Bewilderment filled her eyes. She furrowed her brows, thoroughly confused. Massaging her temples, the memories of last night slowly trickled back. She had been sitting with Bai Ye in the hallway of the research institute. She had gradually felt exhausted and sleepy, and then... she couldn’t remember anything after that.
Looking down at herself, Yun Sheng realized she was still wearing the same clothes from yesterday, though her coat had been removed. She was tucked neatly under a clean, thin quilt. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a set of fresh clothes folded on the nightstand. They were elegant, soft, and appeared to be exactly her size—clearly prepared just for her.
A faint warmth spread through her chest, accompanied by an inexplicable sense of awkwardness. Wasting no more time, she picked up the clothes and headed into the en-suite bathroom. After quickly washing up and changing, she gently patted her cheeks to ensure her expression looked calm and composed before stepping out of the room.
As soon as she reached the first-floor living room, the faint smell of something burning hit her. She paused, a flash of surprise in her eyes, and instinctively walked toward the source of the smell.
In the kitchen, Bai Ye was standing in front of a built-in smart stove. He wore a slightly oversized black apron, which looked entirely out of place with his usual cold and imposing demeanor. On the stove in front of him sat a smart frying pan. The eggs inside were burnt black, their edges curled and shriveled. This was the source of the burning smell. He was staring solemnly at a cooking tutorial playing on his Light Brain screen, swiping his fingertips across it as if trying to figure out where he had gone wrong.
Hearing footsteps behind him, Bai Ye whipped his head around. Upon seeing Yun Sheng, a visible layer of embarrassment washed over his normally stern face.
Yun Sheng approached, glanced down at the pan of burnt eggs, and then looked back up at him. He appeared somewhat calm on the surface, but the tips of his ears were beet red, looking as though they might bleed. This was the first time she had ever seen him like this—stripped of all his coldness and aloofness, clumsily attempting something he wasn’t good at. It actually made him look a bit endearing.
Feeling slightly uncomfortable under her gaze, Bai Ye cleared his throat and spoke first, his tone a bit stiff as he tried to hide his embarrassment.
"I... originally wanted to make you breakfast. I saw Si Jin cooking the other day, and it looked quite simple, so I looked up a tutorial on the Light Net. Who knew...
"It would turn out like this," he added, his gaze instinctively sweeping over the burnt eggs in the pan, his voice tinged with helplessness.
The amusement in Yun Sheng’s eyes deepened at his words, and her eyes curved into a bright smile. "I can tell you definitely tried your best." She paused, noticing the frustration in his eyes, and gently suggested, "Let me do it. Just tell me how to use these appliances."
Bai Ye froze for a moment before nodding. He stepped closer and pointed to the smart stove on the counter, explaining how it worked piece by piece. Yun Sheng listened intently, nodding occasionally. Once he finished, she picked up a fresh egg, cracked it with practiced ease, and dropped it into the smart frying pan.
Her movements were fluid and skilled, clearly showing she did this often. A gentle aura of domestic warmth surrounded her, creating a strikingly harmonious picture against the backdrop of the cool, minimalist kitchen.
Bai Ye stood by her side, his gaze fixed unblinkingly on her profile. Watching her work so earnestly, his eyes softened. Suddenly, he took a step forward, pulled an apron off the wall, and gently reached around her waist to tie it for her.
Yun Sheng’s movements paused, her body stiffening slightly. She could clearly feel the warm breath coming from behind her, as well as the searing touch of his fingertips as they accidentally brushed against her waist.
A subtle, intimate tension gradually spread through the air. They were so close that Yun Sheng could distinctly smell his scent and feel his body heat. The tips of her ears flushed hot, but she didn’t pull away. She maintained her posture over the frying pan, though a faint blush had already crept onto her cheeks, and her hands had slowed their pace.
After tying the apron, Bai Ye gently smoothed out the wrinkles in the straps with his fingertips before slowly taking a half-step back, not lingering any longer. "All done."
Yun Sheng took a deep breath, quietly suppressing the flurry of panic and fluttering in her chest, and gave a low murmur of acknowledgment. The morning light poured gently through the panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows, falling on the top of her head and her shoulders, coating her in a thin, golden halo.
Bai Ye stood to the side, his eyes locked onto her, brimming with deep emotion. Ever since he moved into this apartment, no outsider had ever set foot inside. It had always been filled with cold furnishings, entirely devoid of domestic warmth. In the past, only his solitary figure roamed these halls, and it was always so quiet that he could hear his own breathing.
But at this moment, the kitchen was filled with the savory aroma of eggs, and the woman he liked was standing at his stove, cooking a simple breakfast for him. Just watching this scene filled Bai Ye’s heart with a soft, tender warmth, making even the air around him feel cozy.
It didn’t take long for two golden, fluffy fried eggs to be ready. The edges were slightly crispy but not burnt, the egg whites were glossy, and the yolks were slightly runny. The rich aroma grew stronger, completely masking the earlier burning smell.
Yun Sheng turned off the heat and plated the eggs onto a bone china dish nearby. Glancing up at the kitchen’s smart ingredient cabinet, she walked over and opened it. Inside, various fresh ingredients were neatly arranged: fresh interstellar-cultivated vegetables, prepped meats, and perfectly sealed packets of nutritious noodles.
"I’ll boil some noodles. Shredded pork and vegetable noodles with a fried egg. Will that be enough for you?" Yun Sheng asked casually as she took the ingredients out of the cabinet.
"It’s enough," Bai Ye replied. His eyes were glued to her; he couldn’t care less about portion sizes or what he was eating. As long as Yun Sheng made it, he would happily eat it, even if it turned out as burnt and blackened as his own attempt.
Yun Sheng heated up the pan, poured in some oil, and quickly stir-fried the shredded pork, releasing a mouthwatering meaty aroma into the air.
Bai Ye stood nearby, quietly watching her. Right at that moment, his Light Brain suddenly rang. At first, he ignored it, his gaze still resting on Yun Sheng. But the ringing was relentless, echoing again and again, signaling an urgent matter.
He glanced down at the screen before raising his hand to answer it. The person on the other end only said one sentence, but Bai Ye’s expression instantly shifted. The faint smile on his lips froze, and his eyes grew dark.
He slowly looked up at Yun Sheng. His lips parted as if he wanted to say something, yet no sound came out, leaving him with a conflicted expression, as if he were struggling to find the right words.