Chapter 8
Like he could be kicked out at any moment.
Huo Youcheng was already a stretch for Ye Zhi, and someone like Huo Youqiao was even more someone he could only look up to. So Ye Zhi reduced his presence even more, even trying to avoid eating at the same table.
Actually, if Huo Youqiao didn’t come back, he would still have dinner with Huo Ran.
The water in the pot bubbled, and Ye Zhi put instant noodles in. He watched as they slowly softened and twisted in the boiling water, then added the seasoning packet and casually washed a bunch of vegetables, tossing the leaves in.
He had always been talented in cooking, so even with just instant noodles, a tempting aroma soon filled the air.
Ye Zhi turned off the heat, scooped out the noodles, and while he was washing the pot, he heard footsteps outside.
Startled, Ye Zhi turned around, staring blankly at the tall figure walking in.
It was Huo Youqiao.
He usually wore a steady black suit, with his tie meticulously tied. Whether seen in person or on TV news, his attire was always the most formal. But now his coat was off, revealing a white shirt. Surprisingly, he wasn’t wearing a tie, and two buttons were undone. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and he wasn’t wearing glasses.
Without glasses, Huo Youqiao didn’t seem as stern, but due to the exposure of his features, he looked even more handsome.
At this moment, Ye Zhi realized that the two brothers did have some similarities. It’s just that Huo Youcheng always had a careless or mocking smile, while Huo Youqiao was much more serious, with almost straight lips, rarely seen smiling.
Ye Zhi was as nervous as a mouse meeting a cat, trying to suppress himself but still unable to calm down. His lips opened weakly, but he couldn’t even say a greeting.
Instead, he watched as Huo Youqiao approached step by step, noticing the bowl of instant noodles emitting steam and fragrance.
Thinking about how he was secretly cooking instant noodles in the kitchen instead of joining for dinner, Ye Zhi felt embarrassed just thinking about it and felt that his behavior was very petty.
He couldn’t do anything right.
His mother always scolded him as “someone who can’t be put on the table,” as if she was entirely correct.
Ye Zhi couldn’t even come up with a proper response now. Just as he was feeling so embarrassed that he wanted to find a hole to hide in, Huo Youqiao spoke, “You didn’t come out for dinner, Ranran is a little upset.”
Ye Zhi was stunned, his eyes widening slightly.
Huo Youqiao continued, “Please make sure to have dinner with her in the future.”
His tone wasn’t harsh, but his voice itself wasn’t gentle either, so it sounded more like an order to Ye Zhi.
Ye Zhi immediately stood up straight. “I, I will in the future.” He blushed with embarrassment, unable to look at the other party again, and quickly took the noodles to the table. His movements were gentle, as if afraid of disturbing someone. The sound of him eating the noodles was almost non-existent, quiet like a quail.
But Huo Youqiao came out again and asked, “Where’s the coffee powder?”
Only now did Ye Zhi notice the cup in his hand, which he must have come down to make coffee with. But this was usually done by Secretary Lin Xiuming or the nanny; Huo Youqiao himself didn’t need to do these small tasks.
Ye Zhi hurriedly stood up. “Let me help you get it.” He couldn’t help but use respectful language, and even when he was close, he didn’t dare to look at the other’s face, his expression and movements revealing caution.
He was more familiar with the kitchen than the nanny. Opening the cupboard, he found that the coffee powder was empty. Ye Zhi panicked for a moment and said, “We still have coffee beans. Do you need them urgently? If not, I can grind them for you.”
Huo Youqiao put down the cup. “It’s not urgent. You can have dinner first.”
Every word he said was a burden to Ye Zhi, who was afraid of embarrassing himself to the point of trembling. How could he have an appetite? He shook his head quickly, “Let me make coffee for you first. Since it takes some time, you can go ahead and do your work, and I’ll bring it to you when it’s ready.”