Next Time, I'll Treat You to a Meal

Li Yu saw the money that had just come in and beamed. "Thanks, boss! May your business prosper!"

Yukino Yukinoshita and Kato Megumi watched Li Yu with amused exasperation. Yukinoshita glanced at the sky outside the window and immediately prepared to take her leave.

"I'm going to head back first, Li Yu. If you're free tomorrow, come help me set it up." As she spoke, she remembered something, pulled out her phone, and transferred ten thousand yuan to him.

Seeing the money, Li Yu looked at her in surprise. Yukino Yukinoshita explained, "I'm paying you in advance, before you raise your prices!"

She was only joking. In truth, she suspected Li Yu might need the money. Otherwise, he wouldn't have contacted Asuna at this hour and then gone out of his way to come over and make the Magic Array for her.

A moment later, Kato Megumi saw what Yukino Yukinoshita had done and took out her phone to transfer the money to Li Yu as well.

Li Yu was a little surprised to see Kato Megumi pay him too, but he happily accepted the money.

"Thanks for the generous tips, bosses. You can give me the materials first. Once I've prepared them, I'll bring them over tomorrow and draw the Magic Arrays for you." Li Yu was in an absolutely wonderful mood.

With thirty thousand yuan in his account, Li Yu wouldn't have to worry about money for a while. When he ran low again, he could just take a few more commissions.

Surely some of his other classmates would need his help too. Those were all great opportunities to make money.

But when it came to his other classmates, he'd have to charge them differently. Raise the prices—he had to. It was the only way to make ends meet.

"Then I'll give you all the materials now. How about you come by after school tomorrow?" Yukino Yukinoshita had no objections. She even handed over all the materials she was holding, and Kato Megumi did the same.

Seeing that, Li Yu took the two bags and nodded. "Sure. I'll come to your place tomorrow afternoon and set up the Magic Arrays for you."

He'd taken their money, so of course he'd do the work. Li Yu accepted all the materials, and the three of them settled the arrangement.

"Then let's help Asuna put her room back in order before we head home. It's getting late." Yukino Yukinoshita nodded and glanced toward Asuna's room as she made the suggestion.

No one objected, so they all set about helping Asuna, carrying everything outside her room back in and restoring it to its original state.

Once they were done, everyone said their goodbyes and left. Asuna saw the three of them to the elevator, and only after watching Li Yu and the others depart did she return to her room to prepare dinner.

Li Yu, Yukino Yukinoshita, and Kato Megumi went downstairs together. At the entrance, Li Yu said goodbye to the two of them. "You two go on ahead. I'm going to sign the lease."

They nodded. Kato Megumi raised her right hand and waved to Li Yu. "Then see you at school tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow!" Yukino Yukinoshita nodded too. After waving goodbye to Li Yu, she and Kato Megumi headed off together toward their home.

After seeing them off, Li Yu went straight to the property management office and quickly signed the lease, then paid six months' rent upfront.

Since he had money now, he figured he might as well pay more in advance and keep some in reserve. By the time he had finished everything, the property management office had closed for the day.

With the keys in hand, Li Yu quickly returned home, packed up his belongings, and started moving them to his new place.

After two or three trips, Li Yu had finally moved everything over. Fortunately, he didn't have much. Most of it was clothes and kitchenware.

The larger pieces of furniture belonged to the landlord, not Li Yu. He couldn't just take someone else's things.

After moving everything into his new home, Li Yu breathed a sigh of relief. He was hungry, too, but he hadn't bought any groceries today, so ordering takeout was his only option.

There was a refrigerator in the new place. In the future, he could stock it with ingredients and save himself a trip to the market every day.

Just as Li Yu was about to take out his phone and order takeout, someone knocked on his door. He froze when he heard it.

"Coming! Who is it?" Puzzled, Li Yu hurried over and opened the door. Asuna was standing outside.

"Li Yu, are you done moving?" She'd seen him going back and forth with his belongings while she was cooking. Now that he'd stopped, she'd come downstairs to check on him.

"Oh, Yuki, I'm all done. I was just about to order takeout." Li Yu hadn't known who it was at first. It turned out to be Asuna.

"Don't order takeout. I knew you wouldn't have time to cook, so come eat at my place. I've already made dinner." Asuna smiled warmly as she invited him in.

Asuna really was beautiful and kindhearted, so thoughtful that Li Yu felt a little awkward about taking her money.

But that feeling vanished in an instant. He'd earned the money fair and square—why should he feel awkward? Li Yu was just about to turn her down when Asuna continued, "If you don't come, the food will go to waste. I can't eat that much by myself."

Let food go to waste? That wouldn't do. Since that was the case, Li Yu couldn't refuse. "All right. I'll treat you tomorrow. I'm pretty confident in my cooking."

She was treating him today, and he'd treat her tomorrow. That was fair. Asuna trusted Li Yu's confidence completely and was even a little excited to try his cooking.

"Then I'll look forward to it. With your talent for learning, you must be amazing at cooking too, right?" Asuna's hobby was cooking.

Perhaps she could ask Li Yu for some cooking tips. He must have learned far more than she had; otherwise, he wouldn't have sounded so confident.

After agreeing, Li Yu grabbed his keys and followed Asuna upstairs, returning to her apartment.

Two bowls of rice were already on the dining table, along with several dishes Asuna had prepared especially for him. They were all homestyle dishes, but each one looked, smelled, and tasted wonderful.

"This looks amazing, Asuna. I had no idea you were such a good cook." Li Yu hadn't even started eating, but just the aroma alone told him it would be delicious.

Asuna smiled brightly at his praise. "Come on, try some and see how it tastes!"

She urged Li Yu to sit down, then took the seat across from him. At Asuna's invitation, Li Yu didn't hold back. He picked up his chopsticks, took a bite, and started eating.

After just one bite, Li Yu gave her a thumbs-up. "It tastes great! Asuna, you'll definitely make a wonderful wife and mother someday. There are so few women who can cook these days!"