196: I treated him with the respect due to a brother.

At dusk the next day, the sun gradually sank in the west. The golden afterglow spilled through the clouds, dyeing the entire sky in the colors of twilight.

You Wu dragged his slightly exhausted body, shuffling step by step back to his apartment in C City.

After a day of running around and interrogations, his already pale cheeks looked even more haggard, and even his agile ghost body seemed a bit sluggish.

As he reached out and gently pushed open the door, a rich aroma of Yin Cuisine suddenly wafted over him. The scent was like an invisible hand, tightly grabbing You Wu's heart and urging him to quicken his pace.

He saw his good brother, Star, wearing an apron printed with 'Yukina Kou,' holding a long spatula in his hand as he greeted You Wu at the door.

"Brother Wu, you're finally back! Come over and get the bowls and chopsticks; let's get ready to eat."

Hearing the call, You Wu's pace quickened. He quickly walked into the room—the table was covered with dishes of Yin Cuisine that excelled in color, aroma, and taste. The exquisite presentation and the wafting scent were enough to stir anyone's appetite.

Seeing You Wu's stunned expression, Star hurriedly introduced the food with enthusiasm: "Brother Wu, come and try this!"

"These are all my signature dishes. To learn how to make them, I specifically went to that famous Yin Cuisine shop in the night market and studied hard under the boss for a long time!"

A sudden surge of warmth rose in You Wu's heart. This warmth was like the bright winter sun, instantly dispelling the hidden bitterness in the depths of his heart and replacing it with endless tenderness.

He walked slowly to the dining table, his gaze lingering affectionately on the carefully prepared Yin Cuisine.

For some reason, his eyes actually grew a bit moist... His long-closed heart suddenly became aching and soft, touched by an indescribable 'bromantic' feeling.

You Wu lunged forward and tightly hugged Star's waist. "Gang Zi, Brother Wu thanks you."

Star was startled by You Wu's sudden move, but he quickly reacted, patting You Wu's back and asking with concern, "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

You Wu shook his head and buried his face in Star's neck, rubbing against him as he murmured, "It's nothing. I just smelled the food and remembered when I was still alive."

Star breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "So that's it. You're quite the sentimental guy, aren't you?"

"Alright, stop dawdling. Hurry up and taste the Yin Cuisine I made." As he spoke, he pulled You Wu into a chair.

You Wu looked at the lavish dinner before him. The Tiger Skin Peppers Stuffed with Meat were golden-brown and emitted an enticing aroma; the Stir-fried Tofu with Oyster Sauce was fresh, tender, and smooth, melting in the mouth; the Honey Glazed Chicken Wings were glossy and reddish, making a ghost's mouth water... However, the person sitting at the table was far more charming than these delicacies!!!

"Wow, your cooking skills are amazing!" You Wu couldn't help but praise.

"Of course! Brother Wu, hurry up and eat!" Star urged enthusiastically.

You Wu picked up his chopsticks and took a piece of Tiger Skin Pepper Stuffed with Meat. The delicious meat filling and the spicy pepper instantly created a wonderful spark in his mouth, stimulating his taste buds and making him unable to stop.

Next, he took a bite of the tender tofu in oyster sauce; its delicate texture was like a jazz dance on the tip of his tongue... Then he took a bite of a honey glazed chicken wing, the sweet juice flowing over his taste buds. The flavor was truly unforgettable.

"By the way, I was so worried when I saw you hadn't come back for so long yesterday," Star said a bit nervously.

The corners of You Wu's lips curled up. "Don't worry, His Majesty stepped in to help. How could I possibly get hurt?"

"That's good. As long as you are safe and sound, Brother Wu, I'm relieved."

Star nodded as if a heavy burden had been lifted, then continued to serve You Wu more food. "Eat more. If it's not enough, I'll go make some more."

You Wu felt inexplicably cheerful. "Gang Zi, that's enough, that's enough."

"Alright! As long as you have enough, Brother Wu." Star put down his chopsticks, looking as if he had something difficult to say.

Shua shua shua...

You Wu devoured the entire table of lavish Yin Cuisine like a whirlwind.

As the saying goes, once one is full and satisfied, all sorts of stray thoughts tend to arise.

For so many years, You Wu had never had such thoughts, but after this full meal today, his mind was involuntarily occupied by "colorful" things.

When his gaze fell upon his good brother, Wang Gang, scenes that would make one blush—and might even be censored—instantly surfaced in his mind.

Moreover, these scenes didn't just stay as static images; they were like vivid little videos, looping continuously in the depths of You Wu's mind.

[Gang Zi not only cooked this table of delicious food for me himself, but he's also wearing an apron with 'Yukina Kou' on it.]

[Could it be... is he hinting at something? Should I be more proactive?]

[I remember You Lin once told me that the people of the Xia Kingdom are mostly subtle and reserved. If I don't take that first step, perhaps nothing special will ever happen between us.]

You Wu's thoughts became increasingly chaotic, with all sorts of strange ideas flooding his mind like a tide.

Finally, he summoned his courage, reached out to hold Star's slender and soft hand, and asked softly with a hint of nervousness in his eyes, "Hey... why don't we take a bath together tonight?"

He then quickly added, "I'm telling you, the sheets and duvet covers are all brand new, and the bedroom has been cleaned spotlessly. I guarantee you'll be very comfortable!"

Before he could finish, a scream echoed through the room—"Aaaahhh!!!"

Star jerked away and took several steps back. He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Brother Wu with a face full of rage, saying, "I've always treated you with brotherly courtesy, but I didn't expect you to... have such impure intentions... and even dare to think of sleeping in the same bed as me..."

"You old pervert!" Star scolded sorrowfully.

You Wu secretly gritted his teeth and encouraged himself: "Gang Zi, are you perhaps playing hard to get with me?"

Star's handsome face instantly turned bright red, and a flash of undeniable anger crossed his eyes.

"I am not playing hard to get!"

"Go to hell!"

"I'm a red-blooded man, okay? I'm male and I like women, got it?"

Faced with his good brother's intense reaction, You Wu was momentarily stunned, not knowing how to respond for a while.

After a moment, Star looked You Wu up and down with disdain and mocked, "Brother Wu, I think you're in heat and want a woman, don't you? Look at you, looking all out of it."

Hearing this, You Wu subconsciously twitched his nose and sniffed, suddenly smelling a strange fragrance.