174: The effect of Bai Suzhen's umbrella-sending technique

Ten minutes later, a knock sounded at the door.

Yue Qingzhu smoothed her hair in the mirror, then opened the door with a faint smile, only to see her water cup placed on a tray.

Yue Qingzhu looked up and met a pair of simple, honest eyes.

Bai Wenbin said with a slight smile, "Teacher Yue, your cup was left downstairs. I was worried you'd mind me touching it, so I used a paper towel on the plate to bring it to you. It's not that I'm disgusted with you; please don't misunderstand. Also, leaving a cup outside isn't very safe, so I suggest you wash it thoroughly before using it. Of course, all seven of us are good people; I'm just speaking generally."

"Thank you," Yue Qingzhu replied with a polite smile before closing the door.

Her smile instantly vanished, and she clutched the water cup tightly.

That hateful little Bai!

His advice was good, but he shouldn't have stolen her opportunity!

Again!

She looked around for a moment, then touched the hair clip on top of her head. She strolled downstairs again and dropped the hair clip by the door of the east-side bedroom.

Five minutes later, a knock sounded.

As soon as Yue Qingzhu opened the door, she saw Liang Yan smiling brightly, extending the hair clip to her. "Teacher Yue, your hair clip."

"Thank you," Yue Qingzhu gritted her teeth, forcing a smile as she took the hair clip. "It's only 8:30; what are you boys doing?"

Liang Yan thought for a moment. "Xie Yunxuan is cleaning, Bai Wenbin is doing push-ups, Chen Fang seems to be writing a book, and I'm studying music theory."

"Teacher Chen is writing a book?"

"Yes, I just went to ask him if he wanted to play a game, and he said he was writing a book."

Yue Qingzhu suddenly understood.

He never leaves his room, so how could he have picked up her things?

"Oh, well, you should go back to studying then. Keep it up." Yue Qingzhu closed the door, slowly walked back to her bed, kicked off her slippers, and sat on the bed with her knees bent. She cupped her face and thought for a while, then her eyes lit up.

The first two times, with the water cup and hair clip, everyone knew they were hers, so they returned them.

But what if others didn't know, and only Chen Fang did?

Then no one else would return it; only Chen Fang could, right?

Hehe!

Yue Qingzhu quickly got out of bed, put on her fuzzy slippers, hurried downstairs to the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, took out a cake, tore open the packaging, and placed it on a plate.

After heating it in the microwave for a bit, she covered it with a transparent lid.

This cake came from the survival supply package of the first-place team on the day they performed. Only she and Chen Fang had it.

No one else would know whose it was, but Chen Fang would definitely know it was hers.

Yue Qingzhu poked her head out of the kitchen and, seeing no one in the living room, quickly tiptoed to the east-side bedroom door, set down the plate, and hurried upstairs on her toes.

With every step she took, her heart beat faster, feeling like she was one step closer to a surprise.

Yay! She was so clever!

When he brought it back, she would pretend to be super grateful, say she was studying composition, her mind full of music theory, and had left the cake downstairs, almost starving to death. Luckily, he brought the cake; it was truly a godsend! She would definitely repay him next time!

Then she'd find another opportunity to turn that gratitude into a date! Hehe.

Yue Qingzhu returned to her bedroom door, took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself down.

Oh, her heart felt like a shaking can of soda, bubbling and fizzing. Stop, stop, stop! Calm down!

Half an hour later.

Chen Fang exhaled deeply, slumped into his chair, and blinked heavily twice to pull himself out of the world of "The Mist."

So tired. He'd been busy all day, finishing jump special and then writing this. Both novels were very immersive and intense, making his brain feel suffocated as if covered by hands.

He couldn't go on; he needed some nutrition.

Chen Fang stood up, shook his head, blinked heavily, and vaguely walked towards the door.

As soon as he stepped out, he saw a cake on the cabinet by the door.

Hmm? Did I prepare this pastry an hour ago? Did I forget to bring it in to eat?

Ah, he was truly immersed in the novel, a bit dazed.

Great, it's just like me an hour ago.

Chen Fang, still a bit hazy, naturally took the cake from the doorway into his room and quickly devoured it.

After finishing it, he carefully examined the plate. He didn't seem to remember heating a cake himself.

Never mind. It was probably because the horror novel was too immersive, and he'd written himself into a daze. He'd save "The Mist" for a holiday.

After replenishing his energy, his mind cleared up considerably. Chen Fang went to the kitchen, washed the plate, and returned to his room.

It was 9:30. After playing for a while.

With a clear mind, Chen Fang scrolled past a cake video, frowned slightly, put down his phone, and slowly looked out the window.

Wait, he didn't actually heat a cake. So where did that cake come from?

Chen Fang rubbed his temples. He should go out for a walk and get some fresh air.

As he reached the door, he ran into Bai Wenbin and Liang Yan, who were coming out of the kitchen.

Liang Yan frowned at Bai Wenbin: "Huh? You also picked up Teacher Yue's stuff?"

"What do you mean 'also'? It was just a water cup, wasn't it?"

"I picked up her hair clip."

"Maybe she was just on the phone downstairs."

A jolt of electricity went through Chen Fang's mind. He quickly walked to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator.

In his compartment, a perfectly intact cake lay there.

What the hell?!

So Yue Qingzhu was on the phone downstairs and left the cake there.

He ate Yue Qingzhu's cake?

Chen Fang pursed his lips, feeling awkward.

He walked to the living room, took out his phone, and sent a message to Yue Qingzhu.

Upstairs.

Yue Qingzhu leaned blankly against the headboard, a stray curl of bangs gently swaying.

She was practically numb from waiting.

Suddenly, her phone vibrated. She listlessly picked it up and saw, "[Chen Fang sent a message]" and instantly sat up straight.

She tapped to open it.

[Chen Fang]: Teacher Yue, I'm sorry. I was so engrossed in writing just now that I mistook your cake for mine and accidentally ate it.

At the same time, the top of the chat box showed "[The other party is typing...]"

Yue Qingzhu's eyes widened.

???

No, why isn't he following the script? He ate it?

Never mind, he must have been too tired today.

jump special is very immersive, and the novel he's writing now must be too. It's normal to get confused while writing.

She sighed, cheered herself up, forced a smile, and replied: "It's fine, you work hard writing. That was specially prepared for you (*╹▽╹*)."

"Thanks. Then we're even. You don't have to return the grain package to me."

Yue Qingzhu's smile froze on her face. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the screen.

Even?!

She worked all night, not only failing to increase their bond but also erasing their existing connection?

Chen Fang, you! Do you have a firewall?! Are you a pig?!

Why are you so stupid, so stupid, so stupid!

Yue Qingzhu's brows furrowed tightly. She clutched the quilt with one hand and kicked her feet inside the covers.

What's inside your head?!

"Sister Qingzhu, are you okay?" Zhao Jin's voice came from nearby.

"I'm fine," Yue Qingzhu instantly tensed, pulled her legs back, tucked her hair behind her ears, and evasively said, "I'm chatting with my agent."

"Oh, I see." Zhao Jin continued watching her zombie movie.

Yue Qingzhu sighed in relief, sniffled, and deflated.

Oh, but from Chen Fang's perspective, he just mistook the cake and ate it. There really aren't any other factors for him to infer anything else, right?

Sigh, it was truly a day of defeat.

...

Chen Fang returned to his room and suddenly remembered he hadn't turned on his system notification sound, so he turned it on.

The next moment, he heard—

[Yue Qingzhu Negative Emotion Value +55 +55 +55...]

Chen Fang leaned against the desk, looking towards the upstairs, feeling a little guilty.

It seemed he really did eat the wrong thing. Was she just saying it was for him to spare him embarrassment?

He should give her one back then.

Chen Fang walked to the kitchen, took a cake from his compartment in the refrigerator, tore open the packaging, placed it on a plate, clicked the microwave, and simultaneously sent a message to Yue Qingzhu.

"Teacher Yue, would you be able to come to the kitchen for a moment?"

He wouldn't dare deliver it himself.

He didn't understand Shen Wantang, but Zhao Jin would definitely turn into a monkey from Mount Emei, flailing her arms and screeching, "Wah-woo, wah-woo, wah-woo."