Xu Yan was startled by the person who suddenly burst in.

Her arms were pulled back against her chest, and her small face was pale as she looked at Chen Cheng nervously. "What are you doing?"

Chen Cheng looked at her with a beaming smile, admiring her fair and slender legs while teasing her.

"Peeping isn't a good habit."

Recalling the scene from earlier, Xu Yan's fair face quickly flushed red. Looking at Chen Cheng's bulging pectoral muscles, she subconsciously swallowed her saliva.

She stubbornly argued, "I was just going to the bathroom and happened to overhear by accident."

The corners of Chen Cheng's mouth curled up as he took another step forward, lifting her chin with his hand. "Doesn't your room have a bathroom?"

"I... I..." Xu Yan tilted her chin up, looking into Chen Cheng's sharp, hawk-like eyes, suddenly at a loss for an explanation.

After all, at this very moment, she was in the bathroom of her own room taking a shower.

Who would believe her if she said she hadn't noticed there was a bathroom in the room just now?

Chen Cheng looked at Xu Yan expressionlessly. "Didn't you tell me you broke up with Shen Zichang?"

"Why did you come along with him?"

In fact, when he saw Xu Yan and Shen Zichang walk into the private box together today, a flare of nameless anger had risen in his heart.

However, during the introductions, Xu Yan had immediately denied her relationship with Shen Zichang, which made the corners of his mouth hook into a smile.

Since Qiao Xichen and Ji Nanjia were both there, it wasn't appropriate for him to ask anything.

From beginning to end, he had acted as if he were meeting Xu Yan for the first time.

"Didn't you see?" Xu Yan looked at Chen Cheng somewhat nervously.

"He was the one who followed me here."

Chen Cheng raised an eyebrow. "Do you remember what I said?"

Xu Yan's eyes darted around. Realizing what he was referring to, she quickly shook her head. "Since that time, I've never let him touch me again."

"I swear!"

A smile played on Chen Cheng's lips. He didn't actually care about that; after all, she wasn't his girlfriend.

What he really wanted was Xu Yan's resolute attitude.

"Have you completely made up your mind?"

Xu Yan swallowed hard and didn't answer for a long while.

After hesitating for a good while, she finally spoke slowly.

"I had already made up my mind."

"But how can you be Qiao Qiao's boyfriend?"

A playful smile curled on Chen Cheng's lips. "Would you really care about that?"

If she really cared, the moment she saw Chen Cheng today, she should have exposed Chen Cheng's scumbag behavior to Qiao Xichen.

Was it inconvenient to say it because there were too many people? Then couldn't she have pulled Qiao Xichen to the restroom to talk?

Chen Cheng understood very clearly that even if Xu Yan knew, she definitely wouldn't say a word.

That was why he wasn't panicked at all when meeting Xu Yan with Qiao Xichen.

For her to expose Chen Cheng, it would mean stripping herself bare in front of Qiao Xichen.

Otherwise, how could she make Qiao Xichen believe her?

Not to mention, the subtle sense of competition between women wouldn't allow her to do that either.

If she really did that, she would never be able to hold her head up in front of Qiao Xichen for the rest of her life.

Xu Yan blinked guiltily. "We've been friends for many years, from high school through university."

"We were sisters before, and we'll be sisters in the future. Isn't that nice?"

"You!" Xu Yan was suddenly choked with anger.

"Have you brushed your teeth?"

Xu Yan was stunned for a moment and shook her head. "Not yet."

"Then go brush your teeth," Chen Cheng said, a faint smile always lingering on his lips.

"..."

Early the next morning.

Chen Cheng was boiling soy milk in the kitchen when Ji Nanjia walked out of her room, scratching her head.

Seeing Chen Cheng busy in the kitchen, her eyes widened. "You even cook?"

Hearing the voice, Chen Cheng turned and greeted her. "Morning~"

"Morning," Ji Nanjia replied with a smile on her face.

Chen Cheng glanced at what she was wearing—still the same short-sleeved shirt and jeans from last night—and casually remarked, "Why don't you take a shower? There are guest bathrobes and pajamas in your room's closet."

"You can put your clothes in the washing machine on the quick cycle. Including the drying, it'll be done in an hour."

Ji Nanjia shook her head. "It's fine, I'll just go home and wash up in a bit."

"I've already troubled you too much."

Chen Cheng looked at Ji Nanjia with a chuckle. "Why don't you smell yourself and see if you've gone sour?"

*Sniff~*

Ji Nanjia raised her arm and took a sniff.

*Gag~*

Ji Nanjia's brow furrowed instantly, and she rushed to the kitchen sink, nearly retching.

That smell went straight to her head.

Having done his mischief, Chen Cheng's mouth was nearly lopsided from grinning.

A hungover person might not actually smell the stench on themselves if they don't sniff carefully.

But once they do, it really can bring up all the alcohol they didn't vomit out the night before.

Ji Nanjia leaned over the sink and gagged for a long time, but nothing came up.

Chen Cheng took a bottle of ice water from the fridge and gave it to her.

"We're all friends, no need to be so polite."

"Just wash up. They'll probably be dry by the time we finish breakfast."

Ji Nanjia rinsed her mouth, nodded to Chen Cheng, and turned to go take a shower.

Chen Cheng checked the steaming pumpkin in the pot while looking at the messages on his phone.

Zou Yu: [The person is booked. They'll arrive in Beijing around 4:00 PM.]

[I've already coordinated with Eleven and arranged for someone to pick them up.]

Looking at the message, a smile curled on Chen Cheng's lips. He had actually managed to trick the future trio of Muxi into coming.

Now it just depended on whether the talk this afternoon went smoothly.

Not long after, Qiao Xichen emerged from the master bedroom wearing a deep blue sleeveless shirt and loose-fitting washed jeans.

She hugged Chen Cheng. "Why are you up so early again?"

"I have good sleep quality, I don't need much sleep," Chen Cheng replied with a smile.

In reality, after Scum Cheng had "brushed Xu Yan's teeth" with a large-sized toothbrush, he had pulled her through three or four rounds of yoga practice.

After Chen Cheng came out of her room, he took a shower and changed his clothes; he hadn't slept at all.

At this point, one had to mention the benefits of a second-hand car—especially a cheap one.

There was no need for a break-in period. You could take it on the highway however you liked, standing up to floor the gas pedal without feeling any pity for it.

Qiao Xichen hugged Chen Cheng and nuzzled him. "I feel so happy these past couple of days~"

"There's breakfast when I wake up, and when I'm tired after work, I can enjoy a massage."

"..."

The two were intimate for a while before Qiao Xichen stopped Chen Cheng's hand as it began to move downward. "Stop it, Nanjia and Xu Yan are still here."

She then asked, "Are they awake?"

"Ji Nanjia is awake; she's probably in the shower right now."

"Xu Yan, on the other hand, hasn't come out of her room yet."

"Then I'll go check on Xu Yan."

A short while later, Qiao Xichen came back. "I can't wake her up no matter how I call. Let's just let her sleep."

Chen Cheng nodded with a smile. "Mm~"

She was exhausted; having only slept for three hours, how could she possibly be woken up?

"Chen, your skills are really something else. Qiao Qiao really found a treasure."

During breakfast, Ji Nanjia was not stingy with her praise, complimenting Chen Cheng several times.

Qiao Xichen was so pleased by the praise that her smile stretched from ear to ear.

Chen Cheng smiled without saying a word.

For this breakfast, the pan-fried buns were bought by someone Chen Cheng sent, and the soy milk was boiled by a machine.

He had only steamed a pumpkin, boiled some porridge, and prepared a few side dishes.

It was hard to claim any real culinary skill; Ji Nanjia was just engaging in pure social flattery.

After breakfast, Qiao Xichen put on some light makeup and went to call Xu Yan one more time.

She managed to wake her up, but after taking a sip of water, Xu Yan fell back asleep immediately.

Chen Cheng suggested, "Let her sleep here. If she doesn't get her sleep out, she won't be able to do anything today anyway."

In the end, having no other choice, Qiao Xichen and Ji Nanjia took Xu Yan's hand to unlock her phone and helped her call in sick.

Chen Cheng went downstairs with the two of them.

If he stayed home, no matter how much Qiao Xichen trusted him, she would inevitably have some thoughts about it.

It just so happened he needed to go to Zhongguancun, where Zen had set up an office.

It would be responsible for the development of the security system in the future.

The three of them got into their respective cars in the underground garage and parted ways.

However, after arriving home, Ji Nanjia gave Qiao Xichen a call.

...