Chapter 236: A Housewarming Gift for the Neighbor

The next day, at the first glimmer of dawn, Ling Wu's body, having been conditioned for five years, had a very regular routine; he went to bed early and rose early, living the life of an "elderly person" in advance. As he stood on the second-floor balcony holding a cup of hot tea, he heard the sounds of hammering and knocking from the courtyard next door.

Are there new neighbors?

Chu Yi, this mysterious neighbor, acting on the principle of "the pavilion closest to the water enjoys the moonlight first," had moved into the courtyard next to Ling Wu's overnight, and the two had officially become neighbors.

"Ding-ling!"

"Ding-ling!"

Ling Wu had just returned from his morning run when the doorbell rang. He opened the door wearing loose loungewear and saw Chu Yi standing at the entrance.

He was slightly stunned: "Why are you here?"

Compared to this, Ling Wu wanted to know more about how Chu Yi knew his house was here, but thinking of the not-so-coincidental reunion on the street last night, there was no need to ask.

Chu Yi was dressed simply in a light-colored striped shirt and a pair of crisp black trousers. He handed a kraft paper bag to Ling Wu and leaned slightly against the doorframe: "A housewarming gift for my neighbor."

The sweet fragrance of cookies drifted out from the gaps in the kraft paper bag, permeating the space between the two.

Ling Wu took the bag: "Neighbor?"

A lazy smile played on his lips: "So it was you making all that noise next door early in the morning."

Chu Yi: "Sorry, did I disturb your sleep?"

"I saw the curtains in your room were open, so I assumed you were awake."

Ling Wu was suspicious: "........"

The next second, Chu Yi, being sharp-minded, quickly dispelled the doubts in his heart: "I didn't install surveillance in your house, because last night only that one room in your house had the lights on, and the orientation of your room is visible from my side."

"Ling Wu, can I come in and sit for a while?"

Ling Wu felt that a clever person like Chu Yi was a bit difficult to deal with, so he stepped aside: "Come in."

Chu Yi changed into the slippers Ling Wu handed him at the entryway, his gaze unobtrusively surveying the apartment. It was very clean and tidy, and there were no shoes at the door that didn't belong to Ling Wu's size; everything revealed traces of Ling Wu living alone.

Then he asked: "Have you had breakfast?"

Ling Wu did not know that he had analyzed so much in his heart like a Sherlock Holmes investigation; he poured a glass of water and said: "Not yet."

Chu Yi watched as Ling Wu took the cookies he had baked himself out of the kraft bag, took a small bite, and then said: "Very delicious."

"Thank you."

Chu Yi: "Let me make you breakfast."

Ling Wu was not used to troubling others, so he quickly stood up and politely refused: "No need, I can cook for myself."

The morning light shone in, making Chu Yi's facial features appear even more three-dimensional under the play of light and shadow. He had always had his own standards for doing things; he walked up to Ling Wu, and with a slight exertion of his arm, which had smooth muscle lines, he pressed him down onto the sofa, leaned over, and said: "Didn't you agree to let me pursue you? Give your suitor a chance to show himself."

"Hmm?"

Five years had passed; if the teenage Chu Yi could still be easily fooled or brushed off, then the Chu Yi who had broken free from the complex, power-hungry melting pot of the Empire was by no means a pushover. His methods and boldness were not what they used to be, and with just a few words, he left people speechless.

Ling Wu looked away, knowing that one shouldn't always go back on their word, and besides, Chu Yi was a good person.

He gave a muffled "hmm" and pointed in a direction: "The kitchen is over there, there's an apron on the rack next to it."

"Do you need me to help out?"

Chu Yi looked at him one last time: "Just sit at the dining table and wait for me."