Chapter 119: Disgust

“Don’t look at me like that, ladies,” Qiu Fengyu said, waving his hand. “I’m not gay.”

“Ah ha—you’re so funny, Qiu,” Rui Xi laughed heartily. “You two talk among yourselves. I’m going to start preparing dinner.” With that, she turned and headed toward the kitchen.

Tim looked at April in surprise. “She’s a big star, right? Why would she cook for herself? Honestly, from what I’ve seen, big stars usually have personal chefs, hairstylists, dedicated housekeepers, and bodyguards… Seems like this place is quite different from what I imagined. Do you have servants here?”

“We do, but they all have the night off,” April smiled, shaking her head at the two of them. “Come on in; let’s sit in the parlor for a bit. Would you like coffee or tea?” She led them into the parlor and sat down.

“Tea, please.”

“I’ll have a drink—peach juice if you have it, otherwise, cola is fine,” Tim requested.

April crossed her arms and smiled at Tim. “You won’t find any high-calorie drinks here, so you’ll just have to have water.” Saying this, she turned and left.

“All right, water it is!” Tim called out loudly, then leaned toward Qiu Fengyu and whispered, “This place is really beautiful, like a palace. Don’t you want to consider my suggestion?”

“What suggestion? Oh… you little rascal, watch out or I’ll kick your butt!” Qiu Fengyu shot him a sharp glance and snorted. “I’m not joking, mate.”

“Neither am I, boss. I’m just looking out for you. You’re really not thinking of pursuing her?” Tim defended himself. “Just the chance to live in a place this beautiful and comfortable is tempting enough. If I went after her, you wouldn’t mind, would you?”

“Don’t forget what you said—you’re here for revenge.” Qiu Fengyu rapped him lightly on the back of his head.

“Oh, come on!” Tim shouted. “Don’t you worry at all that you might knock some sense into me?”

“No, I don’t worry. Once you’re dumb enough, you won’t be asking endless questions like this.”

“You’re wrong, boss. It’s only when you’re dumb that you keep asking endless questions.” Tim protested unhappily. “So now I’m dumb, and I want to ask this question… ⑧⑩dǐng⑧⑩diǎn⑧⑩xiǎo⑧⑩say, .∧.o￡s_();…”

“What question do you want to ask?” April returned with coffee and a glass of water, handing one to Qiu Fengyu and the other to Tim. “Drink more water, less coffee. It’s good for you, handsome.”

Tim smiled at her. “Want to know what I was about to ask?”

“Want to tell me? Then tell me—I’m great at solving problems,” April said with genuine interest as she sat down, looking at Tim.

“Do you have a boyfriend right now?”

“Why do you ask? Wow—young guys aren’t my type. If you were ten years older, maybe I’d be interested. You’re not bad looking, though.” April shrugged at Tim.

“Actually, that question’s easy to answer. The guy right here fits your criteria perfectly—right age, single, and not bad looking. Interested?” Tim grinned at April.

“Qiu? Well, Qiu, you heard that. Are you considering us as a pair?” April asked playfully.

Qiu Fengyu shot Tim a glance, then turned to April and shrugged. “What kind of person do you think I am? Honestly, I handle pressure pretty well. Go ahead, be blunt.”

“Uh, okay, here’s what you asked for,” April said with a smug smile. “Selfish, violent, arrogant… and not fond of women.”

“Except for the last one…” Qiu Fengyu laughed heartily. “Looks like we both know how this will end. We can’t be together, right? You’ve already told me the answer. Haha…”

“No, Qiu, I haven’t told you yet—I’m a woman who loves a challenge,” April said with a mischievous smile, leaning in. “How about you kiss me now? Prove you’re right—that you like women.”

“Oh, please, there are minors here… You can’t do this to me!” Tim protested from the side.

“Who do you want to kiss? Qiu or Tim?” A voice called out from the dining room at that moment, and Rui Xi appeared. “Who’s going to tell me? I’m late.”

“Do you need me to prove it to you too?” Qiu Fengyu smiled at her. “April wants to prove I’m not into men by kissing me. But… I think you’d be better for me to prove I like women…”

“Oh, come on, boss, you can’t cheat,” Tim said, covering his face and speaking loudly. “Your suggestion is… shameless. I’m against it.”

“Go to hell, Qiu!” April flipped Qiu Fengyu the bird, then turned to Rui Xi. “I’m going to the kitchen. You handle this shameless guy.” She stood up and left.

“She just transformed into an angry bird,” Tim said, glancing at April as she walked away, then looked at Qiu Fengyu. “Actually… you don’t want to kiss her, do you?”

“She’s now an angry hen. Watch out, guys, she might get revenge any moment,” Rui Xi laughed, looking at Qiu Fengyu. “You really should kiss her. She’s a good girl.”

“I know, but… I quite enjoy being single,” Qiu Fengyu smiled at Rui Xi. “Uh… should I emphasize again that I like women? Is that clear enough?”

“Ha, no need. Qiu… you’re a very funny man. Living with you must be quite entertaining.” Rui Xi laughed and sat down comfortably on the sofa. As she leaned back, one strap slipped down, making the slight cleavage even more noticeable.

“Uh, well, Tim, why don’t you take a stroll on the lawn?” Qiu Fengyu cleared his throat and said to Tim, “Don’t you like it here? Go explore.”

Tim chuckled. “You can’t always do this. I know you don’t want me to see Rui Xi’s nice cleavage, but you can’t keep sending me out like a dog on a leash.” Despite this, he got up and headed outside.

Rui Xi smiled, watching Tim obediently go out. “Why are you still sitting here? Are you hoping to watch?”

“I’m an adult, and he’s only sixteen. So… he really should walk around.” Qiu Fengyu smiled. “Uh, I didn’t expect you to cook dinner yourself.”

“Definitely not as well as you.”

“We’ll see soon enough.” Qiu Fengyu smiled. “That was just a joke, don’t mind me.”

Rui Xi tilted her head, smiling at Qiu Fengyu. After a while, she leaned in and said, “Do you… really care if I’m showing too much? Do you like me?”

Qiu Fengyu was taken aback, then smiled. “No, whether you’re showing or not doesn’t matter. But… I worry that kids like Tim can’t resist temptation. You know… boys his age usually have girlfriends, but he doesn’t. So… you see, my concern is only about Tim. That’s all.”

Rui Xi laughed heartily, almost out of breath. Finally, she said, “Aren’t you afraid I’ll get hurt? Few people talk to me like that. Most just praise my looks. I know their intentions—they want to sleep with me. It sounds hypocritical, but you still have to smile and play along… That’s Hollywood. Yet no one leaves decisively… That’s also its charm.”

“Where there’s gain, there’s loss. Fair enough,” Qiu Fengyu said, sipping his coffee.

Rui Xi laughed. “Everyone knows that. So every time, that’s how I comfort myself—to keep my unique character in this environment. Luckily, I’ve got some fame now, so life’s a bit quieter.”

After chatting for a while, April came out to call them. She summoned Tim, who was still wandering outside. The four of them sat at the dining table, which was laden with dishes—Rui Xi had prepared well.

“The steak tastes really good,” Qiu Fengyu gave Rui Xi a thumbs-up.

“Why not try this? April made the sausages. Give it a shot!” Rui Xi smiled at April, who was sneaking a grin back.

Qiu Fengyu cut a slice of sausage, speared it with his fork, and put it in his mouth. His face instantly displayed a complex expression, but he chewed it down and swallowed, nodding to April with a smile. “The flavor’s quite unique.”

“Unique?” Tim wasn’t fooled. He pulled back his fork and grinned. “I’ll pass. Or, boss, how about you eat my portion too?”

“Get lost, don’t waste April’s effort.” Qiu Fengyu laughed and looked at April. “It’s really not that bad. In Ukraine, I’ve eaten worse—compared to that, this is delicious. I’ve had nastier food.”

“Don’t say it out loud,” April quickly waved her hand at Qiu Fengyu.

“Okay, I won’t tell you. I once ate rat meat dug out from burrows—just peel off the skin…” Qiu Fengyu said with a mischievous smile, looking at April. “And in Guangzhou, China, there’s a famous dish called ‘Three Squeaks.’ Do you know why it’s called that?”

The three shook their heads and looked at Qiu Fengyu.

“Newborn live rats, and a plate of sauce. When you pick up the rat with chopsticks, it squeaks once; dipping it in sauce, it squeaks again; putting it in your mouth, it squeaks a third time. Hence the name ‘Three Squeaks’…” Qiu Fengyu said, a faint smile always on his face.

“Uh—” The two girls turned and rushed toward the bathroom, where soon the sounds of vomiting could be heard.

(To be continued.)