Chapter 50: I Like Them—A Virtuous Man
On the television, a recently popular palace-intrigue drama was playing. Nan Xun curled up on the sofa, hugging a little teddy-bear pillow. Listening to the sounds of cooking drifting from the kitchen, a faint, contented smile unconsciously crossed her lips.
“Little Eight, you know what? I’ve always felt that men as a species are unreliable. Back then my mom and that man were so deeply in love—swearing eternal vows and all that—and in the end…
Heh, that man was a scumbag, you know? He already had a wife and a child, and my mom was still stupidly kept in the dark. When she found out later, she cried so hard her eyes nearly went blind, then decisively cut ties with him. Who would’ve thought that by then, she already had me. So I thought—fine, I don’t need love in the future. If I have to get married, my partner has to be someone like this: able to entertain guests and cook in the kitchen. As for me, I can go out and earn money to support the family.”
Nan Xun’s lips curved upward, but her pitch-black eyes were utterly indifferent.
Void Beast: “…Aren’t you mixing up the roles? The one who earns money is the man, and the one who cooks is you.”
Nan Xun pouted. “I can cook too, but then the man has to wash the dishes. And household chores should be split fifty-fifty.”
The Void Beast coughed lightly. “…Um, there’s something I don’t know whether I should say.”
“Aiyo, Little Eight, we’re on the same side. Just say whatever.”
The Void Beast said, “The man cooking in the kitchen right now—cough—is your… current target. And there’s also good news for you: after last night and today, his malevolence value has dropped to 90.”
“What?! Fu Mo is the villain big boss with 100 malevolence?!” Nan Xun found it unbelievable. “But he really doesn’t seem like someone with a malevolence value of 100. Is his heart really that dark?”
The Void Beast said, “His blackening value is already at 100—how could he not be dark? As for why his malevolence value is so high… heh heh, you’ll find out later.”
“Little Eight, could you stop laughing like that? You’re giving me the creeps.” Nan Xun was certain Little Eight knew something, but it stubbornly kept her in suspense.
“But Little Eight, I still have to thank you. This time you found me someone who really suits my taste.”
The Void Beast gave an “oh.” “No need to thank me. If you really want to, thank me after you finish eliminating his malevolence.”
“Little Eight, does Fu Mo like me?” Nan Xun asked shyly, covering her face. A home-type, virtuous man like Fu Mo was truly her type.
The Void Beast replied immediately, “He likes you—likes you a lot. In the future, you’ll deeply experience just how much he likes you.”
The aroma of food had already begun wafting out of the kitchen. Nan Xun hadn’t really been hungry, but the smell suddenly made her feel ravenous.
“Fu Mo, it smells so good! Is it almost done?” Nan Xun walked to the kitchen doorway, poked her head in, and asked with a beaming smile at the man stir-frying.
Fu Mo glanced back at her, a gentle smile in his eyes. “Almost. Have I made you wait too long?”
Nan Xun quickly shook her head and laughed. “It’s just that your cooking smells too good, so I came up with an excuse to come over and sniff.” As she spoke, she took a deep breath. “It really smells amazing.”
The smile in Fu Mo’s eyes deepened. “You can tidy up the table in the living room first. We can eat soon.”
Nan Xun saluted him playfully and laughed. “Aye aye, virtuous Mr. Fu Mo.”
Fu Mo shook his head. His eyes brimmed with smiles, filled with unmistakable indulgence and fondness.
Nan Xun cleared away the clutter on the table, wiped it down with a cloth, and neatly arranged the chairs.
She sat down, focused on waiting for the meal.
“Little Eight, I’m so happy. Fu Mo is really wonderful. In the future, let me conquer more virtuous big bosses like this—I’ll love you to death!”
The Void Beast’s voice rose a notch. “Are you sure?”
Nan Xun sensed something was off and immediately changed her tune. “Let’s talk about that later—later, haha.”
But she didn’t understand—how could such a good man like Fu Mo be a big boss with 100 malevolence? And Little Eight’s reaction was clearly strange. Could Fu Mo have some unknown side to him?
Nan Xun didn’t think about it further, because Fu Mo’s dishes were already done.
She hurried over to help carry the food.
Looking at the table—three dishes and a soup, all her favorites—Nan Xun felt incredibly happy. The villain big boss not only liked her but also cooked so well. Little Eight was truly too good to her.
Nan Xun unceremoniously took the rice bowl Fu Mo handed her, picked up her chopsticks, and dug in enthusiastically.
With her appetite wide open, Nan Xun ate two full bowls of rice in one go, and nearly swept clean the three dishes. Her appetite was in no way inferior to a man’s.
When she looked up, she met Fu Mo’s smiling gaze and couldn’t help but blush.
“Well, um… I don’t usually eat this much. It’s just that your cooking is too delicious,” Nan Xun coughed lightly in explanation.
Fu Mo’s eyes curved slightly, clearly in a good mood. “I’m glad you like it.”
“Whoever becomes your girlfriend in the future will definitely be very happy,” Nan Xun said casually—then thought about it again. That girlfriend would obviously be her. Hehe.
Fu Mo looked at her, his gaze burning. “Then are you willing to be my girlfriend?”
Nan Xun almost spat out her mouthful of soup.
She hadn’t expected the big boss to be so proactive and direct—it left her both flattered and shocked.
But then again, although she and Bai Xiye hadn’t officially confirmed their relationship, everyone knew her boyfriend had just passed away. If she agreed so readily, wouldn’t people think she was fickle?
After weighing it, Nan Xun’s eyes dimmed. She lowered her head slightly and gave a bitter smile. “I’m sorry, Fu Mo. I can’t bring myself to like someone else right now. My boyfriend just passed away.”
“…You seem to like him a lot?”
Nan Xun shook her head. “I wouldn’t say ‘a lot.’ We didn’t spend much time together, but he was really a good person, and he treated me very well. I probably won’t be able to forget him anytime soon.”
Fu Mo lowered his gaze slightly. “…Oh. Is that so.”
Neither of them spoke again, and the atmosphere became a little awkward.
Little Eight’s voice suddenly sounded in Nan Xun’s mind. “Why did you say that? Did you forget he’s your target?”
Nan Xun immediately replied, “If I agreed right away, wouldn’t I look too unreserved?”
The Void Beast let out a dry chuckle. “Then I wish you good luck~”
Nan Xun didn’t quite understand what Little Eight meant.
After dinner, before Nan Xun could say anything, Fu Mo went to wash the dishes.
Nan Xun sat in the living room watching TV, eating the apple Fu Mo had peeled for her from the coffee table, feeling more and more that Fu Mo was a once-in-a-lifetime good man.
Fu Mo dried his hands and returned to the living room. He was dressed the same as ever—white shirt, black trousers, black leather shoes. His fair skin wasn’t even damp with sweat, which Nan Xun found strange.
The last time she’d seen him, he’d been dressed exactly the same. That snow-white shirt always seemed spotless, as if it could never get dirty.
And ever since he moved in, he’d been wearing those shiny leather shoes the whole time—even indoors, he never took them off.
