In the villa's living room.
Sitting on the leather sofa, Shen Manni appeared noticeably anxious and uneasy.
She dared not return to her room to change out of her embarrassing bunny girl costume.
It had been fine when they were outside.
There were other people around then.
But now, inside the house,
Only Xu Mo and she remained.
What if she was halfway through changing and Xu Mo, overcome with animal instinct, burst in without warning?
Besides, she had grown somewhat accustomed to this outfit.
As long as she kept her coat on,
Xu Mo wouldn't be able to see the bunny girl costume underneath.
So changing clothes or not didn't really make much difference.
If Xu Mo dared to try anything inappropriate,
She could quickly run out of the villa.
Well...
None of these were the main problem, though.
The main issue was that Shen Manni was now afraid of the dark.
Sitting in the living room, besides the TV sound,
She could hear the clattering noises coming from the kitchen.
Though Shen Manni wouldn't admit it out loud, she acknowledged in her heart
That while Xu Mo had many flaws, he also had some noteworthy qualities.
She remembered when the gunshot rang out.
Shen Manni had been terrified.
Her body trembled involuntarily.
Xu Mo had very manly placed his hand on her back, patting it gently.
He thoughtfully guided her to move further into the sofa.
While he positioned himself as a shield on the outside.
Who knows how long they waited.
A rich aroma wafted from the kitchen.
Shen Manni's delicate nose twitched, "Is he really just making noodles? It smells so good!"
Honestly, due to the energy consumed by fear, worry, and other negative emotions,
Shen Manni's stomach had started to growl with hunger.
The savory soup's aroma instantly filled the entire living room.
Gulp-------
Shen Manni couldn't help but swallow.
She stood up from the sofa.
Like a curious little cat,
She tiptoed quietly toward the kitchen.
....................
In the kitchen.
Xu Mo was simultaneously brewing a special soup with large bones
And carving fruits with a sharp knife.
The benefits of master-level knife skills were quite evident.
These kitchen knives in Xu Mo's hands were like extensions of himself.
Moving at his will.
Even when performing difficult knife flourishes,
These sharp utensils seemed to have eyes of their own, never harming Xu Mo.
Hearing footsteps,
Xu Mo set down an apple he had carved in less than a minute.
The apple now resembled a rose.
Without careful observation, one couldn't tell it was an apple rather than a rose.
It was not only appetizing but also showcased the carver's exquisite knife skills.
"Weren't you waiting outside?"
Xu Mo asked in surprise as he returned the sharp knife to its designated place.
Shen Manni's face flushed.
She certainly couldn't admit that Xu Mo's cooking smells had
Awakened her appetite.
"Xu Mo, you said you couldn't cook?"
She forced herself to walk in.
Picking up the apple,
Her eyes filled with amazement.
These knife skills were incredible!
Just like a real rose.
Xu Mo admitted frankly with a smile: "That's right! I couldn't before, but now I can."
This was the truth.
Shen Manni couldn't detect any useful information from Xu Mo's inner thoughts.
She assumed he had just been teasing her earlier,
Wanting to give her a surprise!
"Ah!"
Suddenly she let out a cry of surprise.
Startling Xu Mo who thought she might have cut herself.
"Stupid... Manni, why are you being so jumpy?"
Xu Mo asked, somewhat exasperated.
Shen Manni ignored Xu Mo's internal voice calling her stupid.
Her slender jade-like finger pointed at the other side
Where various carved fruits were arranged on a plate.
"Did you carve all of these?"
The plate contained not just rose-shaped apples,
But many other designs as well.
Shen Manni had thought the rose-shaped apple was Xu Mo's limit.
She never imagined
That Xu Mo could carve such lifelike animals from fruit.
He'd even carved a phoenix.
No wonder Shen Manni was so startled.
"Just carved them for fun."
Xu Mo shrugged, appearing very relaxed.
Indeed, it was as he showed.
Having obtained master-level knife skills,
How could he not show off a little?
These were actually imperfect products
Made under time constraints.
If he had enough time,
These carved fruit designs could be even more refined.
"By the way, since you're here, take these fruits out as snacks."
"The bone broth is almost done, I'll call you when dinner's ready."
Xu Mo said, trying to send Shen Manni away.
[Women only slow down my carving speed!]
Shen Manni's eyebrows curved as she glanced at him, picking up the rose-shaped apple and examining it.
Finally, she took a bite.
It tasted even sweeter, a dual pleasure for both eyes and taste buds.
"I can wait here too."
"Heh."
Well, let her wait then.
Xu Mo went about his other tasks.
To make a bowl of excellent quality noodles,
The broth had to be prepared properly first.
This crucial step was also the most important link.
Next, Xu Mo put the beaten egg mixture into oil to set and fry, making fried eggs.
Then he went to prepare other ingredients.
Everything was orderly.
His operations were steady as a rock.
Shen Manni's almond eyes were mesmerized.
In the kitchen,
The aroma grew even more intense.
Constantly teasing her taste buds.
How many more hidden talents did Xu Mo have?
Shen Manni wasn't sure.
In her ideal partner,
They might lack other skills,
But they must know how to cook!
If they had no money,
Shen Manni could support them.
But if they couldn't cook,
Thanks, but no thanks!
On this point, Xu Mo had certainly met the standard.
Shen Manni looked at the exquisite fruits on the plate.
Feeling somewhat reluctant to eat them.
After careful selection,
She chose the 'imperfect ones' that weren't carved too beautifully.
But even this took her quite a while.
Shen Manni ate the fruit while watching what Xu Mo was stirring in his pot.
Talk about eating from your bowl while eyeing what's in the pot.
Shen Manni perfectly embodied this saying.
The fruits, though specially carved,
Were still just fruits.
Their taste was limited!
Not as enticing as the aroma coming from the pot.
Shen Manni couldn't resist, swallowing again.
Seeing that Xu Mo still hadn't started cooking the noodles,
She raised her eyebrows slightly.
Her delicate finger pointed
At the noodles Xu Mo had set aside.
"Xu Mo, why haven't you started cooking the noodles yet?"
Shen Manni deliberately tried to sound casual.
Using a calm tone.
But in reality,
The second half of the sentence 'I'm starving'
Remained unspoken.
Firstly, to maintain her image as an ice-cold elite businesswoman.
Secondly, to avoid making Xu Mo proud!
As a young lady from a prestigious family, hadn't she eaten plenty of delicacies?
Xu Mo was also getting hungry and smiled, saying: "Alright, alright, I'll start the noodles now."
Standing behind Xu Mo, Shen Manni's lips curved into a rare smile as she unconsciously urged: "That's more like it, hurry up and cook the noodles for me to eat, I really can't wait anymore!"