All Charisma Trial completed!
Cheng Che was overjoyed.
One trial has finally been eliminated, leaving only intelligence and physical strength.
The third stage of intellectual development is still stuck on those three papers, and the fourth stage of physical development is still missing a marathon Champion.
But at least the charm storyline was followed from beginning to end.
He didn't rush to accept the trial rewards, but instead pushed open the door and went inside.
Su Miaoyin fell asleep on the sofa.
Her posture was exactly the same as Cheng Che's before he left, only her body was more relaxed.
One hand was placed under his face, while the other hung limply over the edge of the sofa.
Another button on her knitted cardigan was undone, and the cuffs of her lounge pants were rolled up to mid-calf, revealing a section of her fair calves.
Her ankles were slender, and the skin on the back of her feet shimmered softly in the twilight filtering through the window.
Cheng Che glanced at it, then glanced at it again, and then glanced at it once more.
He turned his gaze away with satisfaction, picked up the groceries, and went into the kitchen.
I promised to cook a meal for Su Miaoyin, so I'll do it today.
He placed the vegetables on the cutting board, arranging them one by one: ribs, greens, tofu, and tomatoes.
Then he opened the system to check the rewards.
[Congratulations, host, you have acquired the passive talent " Gu of the Heart ".]
[Congratulations, host, you have obtained the item " True Heart Glasses ".]
Cheng Che's spirits lifted, and he quickly looked over.
[ Gu of the Heart: Those who have come into contact with you will develop an extraordinary attachment to you; the higher the intimacy, the deeper the Gu. It's not forced or brainwashing, but it's very difficult for them to completely ignore you again.]
Holy crap.
Cheng Che almost cried out.
Isn't this talent a bit too overpowered?
She's a real Incubus, all that's missing is hypnosis.
But he quickly breathed a sigh of relief.
If all you have is the Gu of the Heart, that's not a good talent.
After all, "people who have met you will develop an unusual fondness for you," but what if a man falls in love with him?
He's straight, by the way.
Fortunately, Su Miaoyin provided the [ Same-Sex Strangulation ] skill after binding with me.
That buff allows him to lock all his same-sex interactions into the "non-romantic" zone; brothers are brothers, rivals are rivals, and idols are idols.
It completely eliminates the trouble caused by same-sex suitors.
There are no worries about the future.
Then he looked at the True Heart Glasses".
[ True Heart Glasses: When worn, looking at anyone displays their True Heart Value (0-100). 0-20 Indifferent/Stranger; 21-40 Friendly; 41-60 Caring; 61-80 Yearning; 81-100 Obsessive.]
Cheng Che's eyes lit up.
This is amazing!
He reached into the system space and took out his glasses.
It was a very light metal frame with silver-gray edges and no lenses.
After he put it on, his vision remained unchanged, as if he weren't wearing it at all.
But when he turned his head and looked at Su Miaoyin, who was fast asleep on the sofa, a number appeared above her head.
85.
The numerical value of obsession.
Cheng Che's expression softened slightly as he looked at the number.
He knew Su Miaoyin liked him, and he also knew how much she had done to get closer to him.
I lent him his textbooks, gave him music lessons every week, and took a flight of several hours to Magic City to watch the games.
But "knowing" and "seeing" are two different things.
The number 85 hung clearly above her head, telling him that she was truly obsessed with him.
He put away his glasses, went back to the bedroom, took a thin blanket, tiptoed to the sofa, and covered Su Miaoyin with it.
He tucked the blanket in, covering her exposed shoulders and ankles.
Then he went into the kitchen and started cooking.
Su Miaoyin is from Shandong.
Cheng Che had looked up online what people from Shandong liked to eat.
He made braised pork belly, a mixture of lean and fatty pork belly stewed until tender with soy sauce and spices, and poured it over rice.
I also made Four Happiness Meatballs, four big meatballs bubbling away in the soup.
Finally, I stir-fried a plate of cabbage with vinegar; it was tangy and crunchy, and helped cut through the richness.
The clatter of pots and pans filled the quiet room, and waves of delicious aromas wafted out.
Su Miaoyin vaguely smelled the fragrance.
She opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was the thin blanket covering her.
She paused for a moment, realizing she didn't remember covering herself with a blanket.
Then she sat up, rubbed her eyes, and saw the dishes on the table.
Braised pork belly, four-happiness meatballs, stir-fried cabbage with vinegar, and two bowls of rice.
Cheng Che sat at the table, setting the plate with chopsticks.
He heard the noise and turned his head to look at her.
"Woke up?"
Su Miaoyin stood up, wrapped in the blanket, and walked barefoot to the dining table.
She looked at the dishes on the table, her eyes slowly widening.
She ate braised pork belly, four-happiness meatballs, and stir-fried cabbage with vinegar—all dishes she had eaten since childhood.
"You've finished everything?" she said, her voice filled with obvious surprise.
Her eyes widened, and she wrapped herself in the blanket as she approached the table. "Why didn't you call me?"
Cheng Che said gently, "I want you to sleep a little longer."
Su Miaoyin was stunned.
Cheng Che is usually very good to her; he helps her fix the washing machine, brings her breakfast, and takes care of her when she's sick.
But that kind of kindness is different from the gentleness I feel now.
Most of the good things I've received in the past have been passive, convenient, and somewhat distant.
The tenderness I feel now is proactive, earnest, and spoken while looking into her eyes.
Her face flushed slightly, she lowered her head, pulled out a chair, and sat down.
She pulled the blanket up around herself, picked up her chopsticks, took a piece of braised pork, put it in her mouth, and chewed it a couple of times.
"How is it?" Cheng Che asked.
Su Miaoyin chewed on the meat and mumbled, "It's alright. Whether it's authentic or not, I'll have to try it again."
Cheng Che smiled and picked up a piece for himself as well, "If it's not authentic, just make it more often, and you'll get used to it."
Su Miaoyin almost choked on a bite of meat.
She coughed twice and patted her chest.
She looked up at Cheng Che.
Cheng Che was eating with his head down, his expression very natural, and his words just now seemed to have been spoken unintentionally.
She swallowed the meat and picked up the bowl to drink a sip of soup.
Her ears were bright red, but she still stubbornly insisted, "Then you'd better practice more. I'm only eating this for you today."
"Okay. Then I'll do it every day from now on."
Su Miaoyin put down the bowl and buried her face in the blanket. Her voice came out muffledly from behind the blanket.
"Who wants you to do that every day?"
Cheng Che looked at her curled up in a ball wrapped in the blanket, and the corners of his mouth curved into a smile.
He didn't say anything more and continued eating with his head down.
The sky outside the window had completely darkened.
The room was warmly lit, and the dishes on the table were steaming. The two people sat on either side of the table, and neither of them mentioned the assistant again.