Chapter 78: The Taste of Soul

In the morning, the world outside the window was a vast expanse of white. It had snowed, but unfortunately, it wasn't the snow of the Ming Dynasty.

Chen Xie, who had returned to the present, wasn't in a hurry to cash in this time. He rented a truck, found a deserted place, and loaded the furniture he had brought from the Ming Dynasty onto the truck. Then he called a moving company to help, set off a string of firecrackers, and considered it the official move-in to his new home.

This was the first night he spent in his new home. The central air conditioning and the warm bed attendants of the Ming Dynasty couldn't compare; the cost-effectiveness was on a completely different level. The new home was large and luxurious, but it felt cold and empty, making him feel uncomfortable.

He picked up the phone, hesitated for a moment, and then dialed Yang Lili's number.

"Hey, my boss, you still remember you have a subordinate like me? You've been gone for months without a single call or text. Aren't you afraid I might run off with the money?" A thick wave of resentment came through the phone line. Before Chen Xie could even speak, Yang Lili rambled on, like the string of ten thousand firecrackers he had set off the day before.

Dr. Chen, with a good attitude, put the phone on speaker and placed it on the washbasin. He washed up while listening to Yang Lili's complaints, occasionally responding with a few "hmm"s.

At first, Yang Lili was indignant, but she soon felt something was off. There was no response, just a series of "hmm"s. Could it be...

"Boss, have you been kidnapped?" Yang Lili lowered her voice, deeply troubled by the delay in rescue time.

Chen Xie spat out a mouthful of water and replied, "Can't you wish me well? Kidnapped? You really have a wild imagination. I was planning to give you a bonus, but now I have to reconsider."

"Cough, cough, cough! Boss, I was wrong, okay? Can you tell me how much of a bonus you're planning to give?" Yang Lili's change of heart was swift. Who wouldn't want more bonuses? Besides, Yang Lili, who had fully recognized her boss as a "paper tiger," had no fear of Chen Xie.

Chen Xie actually felt quite comfortable with Yang Lili's reaction. In the Ming Dynasty, people would kneel at the slightest provocation, which was satisfying but felt like being tied up. Power and status could bring a sense of fulfillment, but being alone and isolated made life meaningless. Overall, Chen Xie still had a grassroots mentality.

"Considering your good attitude, I'll treat you to lunch as a bonus," Chen Xie said, his mood clearly good. Yang Lili, who had been diligently working for her bonus, quickly shifted from complaining to flattery: "Boss, you're too stingy. These past few months, Qiu Lihua and I have been exhausted. The things you asked for were so varied. We initially estimated that we would need to visit two companies per day for a month. We were so busy that we had to hire seven or eight people to help. How about a decent bonus, say, ten thousand or so?"

To Chen Xie, this request wasn't high, but to Yang Lili, it was a huge demand. Which boss would give such a large bonus? That would lead to bankruptcy!

"I'm in my new home. Come over, report on your work, and we'll have lunch together. Then we'll go car shopping," Chen Xie said and hung up. Yang Lili's heart skipped a beat. Chen Xie had moved into his new home, which she had been responsible for decorating. She had earned a ten-thousand-yuan commission for this job. Was he dissatisfied?

The snow outside had stopped. Yang Lili tidied up, intending to call Qiu Lihua but decided against it. It was better to go alone. If anything unexpected happened, it wouldn't be a big deal. Uh, how shameless!

The road was slippery, and she drove very carefully, taking an hour to reach the destination. Fortunately, there were few cars on the way. She parked the car at the familiar entrance, and as soon as she got out, the door opened automatically. A speaker by the door announced, "I'm in the kitchen, so I won't come to greet you."

Hearing Chen Xie's normal tone, Yang Lili felt relieved. She drove in, and the iron gate closed automatically behind her, making her heart skip a beat again. She instinctively looked back at the gate, feeling like a pretty maid in a TV drama about to be harmed by the master.

The central air conditioning in the house was warm. The kitchen was quiet, and when she went to check, she saw Chen Xie wearing an apron, cooking noodles with meat strips. "By the way, why didn't you move in?"

Chen Xie's question surprised Yang Lili. It was just a joke at the time, and he took it seriously? "This house is aired out every day and cleaned once a week. Is that not enough for you?" Yang Lili replied coolly, her heart pounding as she waited for his response.

"Living alone in such a big house is really lonely. I'm a bit regretful," Chen Xie said, stirring the pot. The noodles were cooked, and he poured the stir-fried meat strips over them, bringing the fragrant dish to the table.

"Let's eat!" Chen Xie was not at all polite, pushing a bowl to Yang Lili and starting to eat himself. He handed her a bottle of Laoganma: "Do you want some?" Yang Lili frowned and shook her head: "I can't, I've been having heat issues lately."

Chen Xie's way of eating noodles was a bit rough, but it was oddly comforting to watch. Yang Lili tried to focus on her meal but suddenly remembered a funny meme: "If I say I'll cook you noodles, I'll cook you noodles." She couldn't help but laugh.

"What are you laughing about?" Chen Xie was surprised. This woman had always been so ladylike, how did she suddenly catch his mood?

Yang Lili didn't think much of it, took out her phone, found the meme she had forwarded, and handed it to Chen Xie: "Look for yourself."

The moment Chen Xie took the phone, Yang Lili came to her senses, her face flushing. Was this too frivolous? This wasn't the internet, where you could share anything without people caring who you were. Now, sitting across from him, doing this...

Chen Xie took the phone and saw a picture of a man seriously rolling out noodles, with a bound and scantily clad woman lying next to him. The text read: "If I say I'll cook you noodles, I'll cook you noodles."

The image made Chen Xie spit out his noodles, and Yang Lili, who didn't dodge in time, got some on her collar. Chen Xie quickly apologized, laughing as he took a napkin to wipe it off, but as he wiped, he noticed Yang Lili's intense gaze.

Uh, Chen Xie's hand stopped, and as he slowly turned back to his chair, he was tightly embraced from behind.

The spark fell on the dry grass, and it burst into flames. The two bowls of noodles on the table, barely touched, gradually congealed with white fat, even with the central air conditioning.

Lying on the pillow, Yang Lili felt utterly drained, her fingers too lazy to move. The feeling of complete relaxation hadn't dissipated, and she closed her eyes, enjoying the afterglow and the warmth of his hand sliding on her back.

A clock on the bedside table, with an antique style, caught her attention. She realized the decor in the room was also antique.

She wanted to turn over to look more closely but found herself unable to move, heavily pinned down. The soul-penetrating sensation came again, stronger than before. How could he recover so quickly? Without time to think, she let out a long moan and used her remaining strength to respond.

When the bedroom finally calmed down, the clock showed that it had been at least two hours since she was thrown onto the bed by that wild man. Feeling deeply exhausted, Yang Lili closed her eyes and decided to sleep. She had worked overtime the night before and was called in early, and it was the weekend, yet she was working overtime again!

When she woke up, it was nearly dusk, and the sky outside was overcast, with no hint of sunset.

Regaining her strength, Yang Lili sat up in bed, looking out the window. She suddenly thought of something, propping her chin on her knees, staring at the western sky. On a sunny day, she could see the sunset and the red clouds from here. Hugging the blanket, Yang Lili suddenly felt a bit anxious, her worries spreading like a plague, taking over her thoughts.

The door opened, and Chen Xie appeared with a smile, looking a bit embarrassed. "You're up. Hurry and get ready; I've made dinner." The door closed quickly, and Yang Lili realized her worries were unnecessary. Why think so much? Just for that brief, soul-shattering moment, there was no need to overthink.

She stood in front of the mirror, surprised by her radiant appearance. The effect was immediate, but the guy had been a bit rough, like a barbarian, constantly thrusting.

Dressed and ready, she went downstairs to find three stir-fried dishes and a hot pot on the table. Uh, this table was a bit rustic! In this day and age, who eats on an eight-person table? The dark red color was even more rustic. What kind of taste was this? As she approached the table, she noticed the chairs were also old-fashioned, seemingly part of the set.

Chen Xie came out with a soup pot, calling out, "Move, move! Cordyceps-stewed chicken is here!"

Yang Lili felt a jolt. Cordyceps? So expensive, and he really went all out? A sweet, timid feeling followed.

"Wow, tycoon, you really went all out! Cordyceps, very nourishing!" Yang Lili wasn't being sarcastic; she just wanted to tease him. Chen Xie, not feeling teased at all, said seriously, "You looked so tired, so I specially made this to nourish you." Mentioning this, Yang Lili blushed, raising her hand to hit him but suddenly remembered something. Oh no! It was her dangerous period!

The doorbell rang sharply, interrupting her thoughts. She muttered, "Who is it, coming at this time?" She went to the door and saw a woman on the screen, who seemed very familiar with Chen Xie. The woman called out boldly, "Chen Xie, open the door. I know you're home." Yang Lili's heart sank.

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End of Chapter 78

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The next chapter will continue.