Chapter 1
At noon just as it was time to get off work, Shen Feiyu hurriedly brought his lunchbox over, his eyes shining as if he were a starving ghost reincarnated. As soon as he reached Ye Zhi’s seat, he hurriedly urged, “Hurry up, Brother Xiao Ye, I didn’t eat much for breakfast, and I’ve been starving all morning. What delicious food did you bring today? Give me some, let’s swap.”
Ye Zhi rubbed his slightly sore forehead and slowly raised his head. He wasn’t wearing glasses, with a face that seemed to be very resigned to fate. Though not particularly handsome, he wasn’t ugly either. Due to his fair complexion, he was easily noticeable in a crowd. He seemed a bit puzzled, “Is it time already?”
“Of course, didn’t you see that almost everyone in the office has left? Except you, working so diligently, I haven’t seen you idle all morning. Aren’t you hungry?” Shen Feiyu complained, while rummaging through his bag, unzipping it, and taking out the lunchbox inside.
Ye Zhi was already accustomed to his casual demeanor and didn’t express any dissatisfaction. Instead, he replied gently, “I am a little hungry, I’ll go to the restroom first.”
When he returned from the restroom, Shen Feiyu had already opened his lunchbox and was scooping egg fried rice into his bowl with a spoon, while nibbling on a banana red bean spring roll with the other hand, leaving crumbs around his mouth. Upon seeing him back, he just glanced up and sighed, “You even made your egg fried rice into a sunflower shape today. We both started working at the same time, how come you’re so thoughtful?”
The egg fried rice in the lunchbox, originally shaped like a sunflower, had been messed up by Shen Feiyu, and most of the peas on top had been picked out. Shen Feiyu grabbed another spring roll and then exchanged some of his own food from his lunchbox.
Compared to the colorful and appetizing food in Ye Zhi’s lunchbox, the contents of Shen Feiyu’s lunchbox were obviously not as tasty, and the colors weren’t appealing either. It looked like leftovers from the previous day’s meal mixed together.
Ye Zhi stopped him from pouring more food into his bowl and said, “I have enough with these.”
Shen Feiyu wasn’t polite either, chuckled and said, “You always eat so little, is it to maintain your figure?” Then he asked suspiciously, “Do you have a child at home recently? Otherwise, why are the lunchboxes you bring so cute? The food looks like it’s suitable for children.”
Ye Zhi didn’t expect him to be so observant, nodded slightly, “Yes, there is a child.”
Shen Feiyu laughed and deliberately asked, “Is it yours?” Then quickly denied, “I’m kidding, you’re not even married, where would a child come from.”
Ye Zhi picked up his spoon, paused for a moment, and then said, “I’m married.”
Upon hearing this, Shen Feiyu was so surprised that he choked, his face turning red.
Ye Zhi quickly handed him the water cup on his desk.
Shen Feiyu took a big gulp of water before calming down, his eyes widened, adding a hint of childishness to his already cute features, despite being twenty-two years old. “You’re really married? How come I didn’t hear anything about it.”
Although he had only been at this company for three months, he had heard all the gossip, but never about Ye Zhi being married.
In fact, despite being a senior employee at the company, Ye Zhi’s presence was extremely weak. He was quiet and unassuming, doing most of the work without seeking credit. Moreover, he was just an ordinary person with nothing particularly remarkable about him. Even his desk was tucked away in the farthest corner, so unless necessary, colleagues wouldn’t actively seek him out for a chat.
The reason Shen Feiyu initially approached him was because of his lunchbox.
Shen Feiyu had come to this city, the largest in the entire planet, alone, without the financial support of his family. He was living on a tight budget, and if it weren’t for finding this job, he feared he might have ended up starving on the streets. Clearly, the salary of an intern wasn’t enough, so he saved wherever he could, even considering skipping lunch.
While his colleagues went to the cafeteria or rest area for meals, when Shen Feiyu’s hunger pangs became unbearable, he caught a whiff of tantalizing food aroma. Following the scent, he saw Ye Zhi’s face for the first time.
And that aroma emanated from Ye Zhi’s lunchbox.
Perhaps his gaze was too intense, but Ye Zhi, who always kept his head down, noticed.
Their eyes met, and before Shen Feiyu could even feel embarrassed, Ye Zhi spoke up: “I made a bit too much today. If you don’t mind, would you like to try some?”
Shen Feiyu still remembered the taste of that fried meat cake. It wasn’t all meat; it was mixed with mashed potatoes, crispy and savory, making him want to swallow his tongue.
For the next half month, Ye Zhi always used the excuse of making too much lunch to share most of it with him, helping Shen Feiyu through the toughest times. And after he could afford ingredients himself, Shen Feiyu also started bringing his own lunch. They would dine together every noon, exchanging their food, even though what he made himself was usually not very delicious.
