Chapter 81 Favoritism

"Sisi, I'm here!"

Lin Chen's fingertips quickly finished typing this sentence,

his thumb hovered over the send button for half a second, the corners of his mouth curling up uncontrollably,

his eyes fixed on the phone screen, even his breathing lightening a bit.

The anticipation in his heart was like a budding sprout, a dense, tingling itch.

This was the third time he had come to her place since being with Li Sisi,

and every time he felt just as jubilant as the first, yet with a hint of subtle nervousness.

The screen lit up almost instantly, the message popping up so fast it warmed his heart.

"I'm stir-frying right now. You should arrive just in time for dinner."

No redundant pleasantries, only straightforward care.

Half an hour later, Lin Chen stood at Li Sisi's doorstep and pressed the doorbell.

The moment the door opened, his gaze became glued to Li Sisi, unable to look away.

She wasn't wearing pajamas but a loose, off-white knit sweater,

the length just covering her hips, making her figure appear even softer,

the neckline slightly loose, revealing her delicate collarbones.

The material was very thin, a form-fitting yet breathable style,

Lin Chen only took one look,

and his Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.

He swallowed hard.

"Is Li Sisi's outfit intentional?"

"I feel like my brain is going offline."

Under the thin fabric,

her silhouette was clearly visible, carrying a fatal temptation.

Lin Chen cursed inwardly, a hint of heat instantly coloring his eyes,

his voice turning a bit raspy:

"Damn! Is she braless?"

Li Sisi's cheeks reddened under his gaze,

but she didn't shy away. Instead, she deliberately puffed out her chest, a sly smile curling her lips,

as she reached out to pull him in:

"What are you looking at? Come sit down,"

"see if the dishes I made today suit your taste. I specifically made them according to what you like."

Lin Chen was pulled into a seat, the aroma of the food and the faint scent of her body wash swirling around his nose,

his mind wavered as he picked up his chopsticks and grabbed a piece of Stir-fried Pork with Peppers.

That was a dish he had mentioned liking in passing last time; he hadn't expected her to remember.

The meat slices were tender and juicy, and the peppers were fragrant and spicy,

coated in a rich sauce. With one bite, a sense of satisfaction instantly flooded his taste buds.

Lin Chen's eyes lit up, and he nodded repeatedly,

his tone full of sincere praise:

"Mhm, it's delicious,"

"the flavor is very authentic, even more fragrant than the noodle shops outside."

Li Sisi's eyes crinkled with joy as she picked up the ladle and served him a bowl of soup,

her gaze filled with a bit of anticipation:

"Try this soup. I specifically learned how to make Cantonese Slow-cooked Soup online,"

"it's been simmering for over two hours. They say it's very nourishing."

Lin Chen picked up the soup bowl and took a large gulp,

the warm broth sliding down his throat, fresh but not greasy,

warmth instantly spreading to his limbs and bones.

He set down the bowl and said with a smile:

"The soup is great. So Cantonese people really know how to enjoy themselves."

"I'd only heard before that Cantonese people love tea in the afternoon and soup with every meal; today I finally truly experienced it."

"It seems you really have a talent for cooking. It would be a waste if you didn't become a chef."

"Your praise makes me want to open a shop."

Li Sisi's expression relaxed from the praise, and she added another ladle of soup for him,

her tone teasing yet laced with tenderness,

"If it's good, eat more. It's really nourishing. Men should drink more; it's good for you."

In the last sentence, she deliberately lowered her voice,

the ambiguity in her tone almost overflowing.

Lin Chen felt a surge of heat in his heart, the fire in his eyes intensifying,

romantic and suggestive images instantly flashed through his mind,

a wicked grin curling his lips as he thought to himself:

"I definitely need to nourish myself. Otherwise, after dinner tonight, how will I have the strength to accompany you in 'strenuous exercise' to work out?"

He unceremoniously finished the soup and handed the bowl back,

his tone brisk:

"Alright, another bowl. I'll nourish myself well; I can't let Sisi's kind intentions go to waste."

Li Sisi took the bowl with a smile and filled it again,

the tenderness in her eyes impossible to hide.

Lin Chen looked at her profile,

suddenly remembering she had mentioned in passing that work wasn't going well. He set down his chopsticks,

and asked seriously:

"Sisi, has work been going smoothly lately?"

"Last time I heard you say it seemed a bit frustrating."

At the mention of work, the smile on Li Sisi's face instantly faded,

her brows furrowing slightly, her tone full of grievance and anger:

"It was fine until you mentioned it. Now I'm just getting angry."

"Yesterday at work, I was even bullied by that old geezer of a boss,"

"he actually took advantage of me while I was delivering documents,"

"touching my hand and saying inappropriate things,"

"he doesn't even look at his own age; he's almost bald. It's truly disgusting."

As she spoke, her eyes reddened slightly,

clearly having suffered quite a bit of grievance.

Seeing her like this, Lin Chen's brows instantly knitted together,

the tenderness in his eyes fading, replaced by a touch of coldness,

and the anger in his heart flared up.

His woman, whom he feared dropping even when holding her in his hands—how could he let others bully her like this?

"If work isn't going well, then just change it!"

Lin Chen's tone carried an unquestionable firmness,

as he reached out to hold her hand, a warm sensation coming from his fingertips,

"There's no need to take that kind of crap. Find a job that's easy, with good colleagues and no old creeps,"

"it doesn't matter even if the salary is a bit lower. I'm here."

With him holding her hand, most of the grievance in Li Sisi's heart instantly dissipated.

Looking at his tense profile, she couldn't help but chuckle through her tears,

her tone a bit teasing:

"So, old creeps are a no-go, but you're not afraid of young creeps?"

"What if I find a job with many young colleagues,"

"who are more handsome and smoother than you? What if they steal me away?"

Hearing this, a confident smile curled the corners of Lin Chen's mouth,

as he gently squeezed her hand, his tone slightly arrogant,

yet laced with doting affection:

"How could any young guy be as handsome and capable as me!"

"Right?"

Hearing this made Li Sisi blush.

"Besides, you have me in your heart. No matter how many young and handsome guys there are, you wouldn't be interested."

He deliberately emphasized the word 'capable,'

carrying an unspoken ambiguity.

Li Sisi's cheeks flushed red,

embarrassing images instantly flashed through her mind, her heart rate uncontrollably quickening,

her gaze becoming a bit blurry, and even her breathing losing its rhythm.

This little brother was really getting better and better at flirting; just one sentence made her heart race.

Seeing her bashful appearance, the smile in Lin Chen's eyes deepened,

and his tone became even more serious:

"Seriously, if you really don't want to do this clerical job anymore, then quit."

"I happen to be planning to register a company and need someone to manage it,"

"with your background as a Business Administration graduate, you'll definitely be able to help me, and you won't have to take crap from others anymore."

"What?"

Li Sisi suddenly looked up, her eyes wide and round,

, her face full of disbelief and her voice brimming with surprise,

"You're starting a company? What kind of company?"

"You're so young, why did you suddenly think of starting a company?"