Li Guanqi, hearing this, glanced at the cupboard and then at Cornelia. She wiped her hands with a towel, bent down to pick up a small stool, and handed it to her, saying, "Please be careful."
The atmosphere was already set, so naturally, Cornelia was influenced by it. She subconsciously took the small stool, placed it in front of her white stockings, and then lifted her right leg over it. Following that, her left foot also stepped up, standing steadily on the stool. She then turned her head excitedly and said, "I'm ready!"
Seeing this, Su Cheng's mouth curved into a gratified smile, and Li Guanqi beside her nodded encouragingly.
"Mm-hmm."
Cornelia raised her hands and opened the cabinet to take out a plate. However, as soon as she touched the plate, the smile on her lips gradually faded.
She had realized something was off.
"Why are you treating me like a child?!"
Realizing the truth, Cornelia was immediately displeased. She put down her hands, placed them on her hips, and questioned loudly.
Hearing this, Su Cheng and Li Guanqi exchanged glances, then shook their heads in unison and said, "No, we're not."
"What do you mean, 'no'?!"
Cornelia looked at the two with suspicion, her eyes filled with disbelief.
Just a moment ago, she had a momentary illusion that she was with her parents.
But then she realized, these two were clearly treating her like a child!
As she thought about it more, Cornelia became increasingly frustrated. She picked up a plate, glared angrily at Li Guanqi, and then huffed, "Tell me, what's so dangerous about taking a plate?"
"In my opinion, there are safety hazards."
Li Guanqi said flatly, her expression unchanged.
"I think you're treating me like a child."
Hearing this, Cornelia was both angry and embarrassed. As a result, she lost her balance and leaned backward.
"Oops~"
Fortunately, Su Cheng seemed prepared and stepped forward to gently support her, preventing her from falling.
"Quick, take the plate down. We need to start cooking. Besides, who lets a child handle something so dangerous as a plate?"
Su Cheng advised from the side.
His reasoning was sound and convincing.
Cornelia, realizing she had almost fallen, felt a bit guilty and quickly took some plates down, placing them next to Su Cheng. "Here you go. If you need any help, just say so."
After saying that, she sheepishly ran to the sofa, picked up the remote control, turned on the TV, and started flipping through channels, trying to ease the awkwardness.
This small episode in the kitchen didn't affect the two of them; they continued focusing on their tasks.
Sitting on the sofa, Cornelia calmed down and gradually thought of something important.
It was a crucial matter.
Su Cheng had confessed to her, although she had rejected him. But Su Cheng clearly liked her a lot.
What did this expressionless woman have to compete with her?
She was just one step away from becoming the rightful mistress of the house.
If that was the case, she might as well be more generous.
After all, she was just an ordinary classmate.
As the one Su Cheng loved but couldn't have, she felt she needed to show her mistress-like demeanor in advance.
Thinking this way, Cornelia felt much more at ease. She turned her head to sneak a glance at Su Cheng, who was cooking.
The next second, her expression froze.
The expressionless woman was using a tissue to wipe the sweat from Su Cheng's forehead.
"This… this… this."
The scene before her was too much for her to handle!
She hadn't even done anything that intimate with Su Cheng!
This expressionless woman had?
She just couldn't stand it!
Why?!
So, she stood up, trying to walk over to Li Guanqi, but Li Guanqi had already finished wiping the sweat and was carrying a dish, passing by her.
Seeing her back, Cornelia clenched her teeth in frustration. She felt this woman was too unreserved, how could she do something so intimate?
Then, she looked at Su Cheng's forehead and found it was already dry, which disappointed her greatly.
Still, she stood beside Su Cheng and said unhappily, "Why did you let an 'ordinary classmate' wipe your sweat? Don't you know that's a very intimate gesture?"
She emphasized the words "ordinary classmate" heavily.
"Then, can you help me wipe my sweat?"
Su Cheng said without looking up as he continued cooking.
Hearing this, Cornelia was momentarily stunned, then her cheeks turned slightly red, but she quickly regained her composure. She coughed lightly and pretended to be a bit reluctant, "Well, I suppose… I could do it… but only for this occasion…"
Saying that, she pulled out a few tissues from the side, raised her arm, stretched out her hand, tiptoed, and carefully wiped the fine sweat from Su Cheng's forehead.
"There, that's enough. Next time, don't let just anyone do this for you!"
Cornelia wiped Su Cheng's forehead clean, then complained like a jealous little wife.
"Oh."
Su Cheng calmly agreed and continued cooking.
Seeing Su Cheng's casual attitude, Cornelia felt a bit annoyed. She pouted, looked at Su Cheng, and then said in a bored tone, "Hey, is this woman here for the first time? Why is she so cold? That's so rude."
As soon as Cornelia finished speaking, Su Cheng stopped cooking and turned to look at her seriously, "She can't control her facial nerves."
"……"
Cornelia was rendered speechless.
She had thought the girl was deliberately giving her a cold look, but it turned out to be this reason…
This made her feel a bit uncomfortable.
So, she lowered her head and played with her fingernails, not saying anything more.
"Have you two met before?"
Su Cheng asked again, then continued cooking.
Hearing this, Cornelia remembered they hadn't properly introduced themselves earlier, so she felt a bit awkward and said, "No."
At that moment, Li Guanqi just happened to walk in from outside and directed her gaze at Cornelia, saying calmly, "William, my name is Li Guanqi, Su Cheng's classmate."
Hearing her self-introduction, which even seemed to recognize her, Cornelia felt even more awkward. She glanced at Su Cheng, but he was focused on cooking, not paying any attention to her.
This made Cornelia even more embarrassed, but she couldn't ignore Li Guanqi's question, so she had to force herself to answer, "Hello, my name is Cornelia. I'm Su Cheng's 'good' friend."
She enunciated the word "good" very clearly, as there was a clear distinction between being a classmate and a good friend.
However, Li Guanqi just nodded lightly, "Mm-hmm."
Then she carried the dish out.
Hearing this, Cornelia felt like her punch had landed on a cotton ball. She could only stand there, staring at Su Cheng cooking until he finished the last dish.
"I'm done."
Su Cheng said.
"I'll take it out."
Cornelia immediately perked up, quickly picked up the plate, and carried the dish out, looking very diligent.
Li Guanqi walked over, untied the apron from Su Cheng's back, and said, "You've worked hard."
"It's much easier with your help. Thank you."
Su Cheng smiled in response, then went over to wash the pot.
"You're welcome."
Li Guanqi replied, then turned to the dining table and started serving rice into bowls.
Cornelia sat on the sofa, her arms crossed, her gaze somewhat vacant as she watched Li Guanqi serving rice.
Su Cheng finished washing the pot, walked out, and carried a bowl of soup, telling Cornelia, "Dinner is ready."
The table was now set with four dishes and a soup.
All were standard home-cooked meals.
Enough for three people.
Hearing this, Cornelia snapped back to reality and stood up, walking to the dining table and taking a seat.
Li Guanqi handed her a bowl of rice.
"Thank you."
Cornelia thanked her and took the bowl.
The seating arrangement formed a triangle.
Su Cheng sat in the middle, with Cornelia on his right and Li Guanqi on his left.
Su Cheng lowered his head, eating the rice Li Guanqi had handed him, while secretly observing Cornelia and Li Guanqi.
After all, receiving praise for one's cooking was a joyful experience.
He naturally wanted to be complimented!
But unfortunately, these two women were silent and their eating habits were quite strange.
For some reason, it gave him the impression that the two of them were engaged in a competitive race to finish their meals.
The speed at which they picked up food and ate was simply too fast for him to distinguish who was who, even giving him the illusion of afterimages on the dining table.
"Um, could you two slow down a bit?"
Su Cheng timidly reminded them.
"……"
Cornelia and Li Guanqi exchanged glances, then stopped their chopsticks and resumed eating at a normal pace.
This silence lasted for half an hour before Li Guanqi finally put down her chopsticks, took a tissue from the side, and elegantly wiped the corners of her mouth. She said calmly, "Thank you for the meal, it was very delicious. Next time, I hope Su Cheng can come to my house for a visit. I’d like to treat you to my cooking."
As she wiped her lips, she spoke with a humble attitude.
Seeing Li Guanqi’s behavior, Cornelia also put down her bowl and chopsticks, nodded slightly, and wiped her lips with a tissue. Then, recalling the etiquette her mother had taught her for visiting others’ homes, she replied calmly, "I also enjoyed the dishes you prepared today very much. They suit my taste perfectly. If you have the chance, please come to my house next time."
These words from the two women sounded like invitations.
But hearing Cornelia’s words, Su Cheng couldn’t help but want to complain inwardly.
Are you inviting me to eat takeout at your place?!
However, he didn’t say anything out loud, only nodded and looked at the table where only soup remained. He said, "You two rest for a while, I’ll go wash the dishes."
"I’ll help."
"Let’s do it together."
The two women stood up and spoke in unison.
Seeing their determination, Su Cheng couldn’t refuse. Thus, a production line formed in his kitchen.
Su Cheng washed a plate and handed it to Li Guanqi, who dried it with a towel and passed it to Cornelia. Cornelia, standing on a small stool, placed the plate into the cabinet.
Anyone who saw this scene would say, "What a warm and harmonious family of three."
Unfortunately, only Cornelia felt an inexplicable sense of discomfort among the three.
It just felt… off.
"William, would you like to study with us?"
After finishing their chores and returning to the living room, Li Guanqi extended an invitation. Cornelia immediately nodded and added, "Yeah, sure. As a senior, I can also teach you a thing or two in this area."
At this moment, she finally remembered her senior status and felt a surge of pride. Her mood brightened, and she said with a beaming smile.
She even began to fantasize:
The two of them looking at her like idols, humbly asking questions, while she, like a strict teacher, sternly guided them.
Just imagining this scene made her chuckle foolishly.
Until…
Su Cheng tossed a practice workbook onto her lap.
"Huh?"
Cornelia stared blankly at the math practice workbook in her hands, then looked up at Su Cheng.
As if asking, "What is this?"
Su Cheng, however, just chuckled lightly and said, "Today, our study task is to finish half of this workbook!"
"?"
Cornelia flipped open the workbook and was instantly dumbfounded.
What?
Why are there so many problems?!
This one workbook would take a month to finish!
Wait, hold on!
The first question… I’ve never even seen it before?!
No, I don’t know most of these problems!!
This is clearly third-grade material!!
She flipped through the pages in disbelief, but not a single problem was familiar. She widened her eyes and stared at Su Cheng, at a loss for what to do. Then she looked at Li Guanqi.
But Li Guanqi had already taken out her own workbook from her bag and was writing furiously, as if she knew the answers by heart.
Cornelia’s face darkened, and she looked back at Su Cheng, only to find him also writing, his speed no less than Li Guanqi’s.
"Uh… I…"
Cornelia opened her mouth, about to say something, but Su Cheng interrupted her: "What’s wrong?"
"Nothing!"
Cornelia plopped down onto the table, her senior pride kicking in. She picked up a pen and started writing.
Even though she didn’t know most of the problems, that didn’t stop her from attempting the ones she could.
As a senior, how could she lose to Li Guanqi and Su Cheng in this?!
Time passed minute by minute.
For Cornelia, an internet-addicted girl, writing these problems felt like torture. Yet, she had to maintain her senior demeanor, so she grit her teeth and persisted.
A few more minutes passed, and both Li Guanqi and Su Cheng were still going strong.
But Cornelia’s mental state had already collapsed. She simply couldn’t write anymore. The more she wrote, the more her head hurt, as if her brain cells were dancing wildly in her mind.
Yet, neither Li Guanqi nor Su Cheng showed any signs of stopping.
A few more minutes later, Cornelia finally couldn’t take it anymore. She covered her face with her hands, looking utterly miserable.
Hearing this, Li Guanqi and Su Cheng both turned to look at her.
Su Cheng, understanding the situation, put down his pen and said, "I’ll go prepare some tea and snacks."
"Mm."
Li Guanqi nodded and continued working.
Cornelia watched Li Guanqi’s focused demeanor, biting her lip with resentment and feeling even more frustrated. She couldn’t help but vent inwardly, "How can you keep writing like that?!"
After a while, Su Cheng returned with some snacks and three bottles of "Eight Walnuts" (a popular brain-boosting drink in China).
These snacks were high-end items he had bought on a previous shopping trip, usually saving them for special occasions. He had felt he hadn’t been a good host last time when Zhao Yan and Xuan Ying visited, so these were reserved for guests.
Seeing the "Eight Walnuts," Cornelia’s eyes lit up. Her expression was like that of a superhero spotting their favorite candy.
"Let’s take a break."
Su Cheng handed the drinks to the two women.
"Thank you."
"Thanks."
The two women thanked him, took the drinks, and without hesitation, opened them and started sipping.
After taking a gulp, Cornelia felt her brain purified, her thoughts clearer, and her intelligence soaring.
Confident, she looked back at one of the math problems, only to fall into confusion again because she still couldn’t solve it.
So, she took another sip of the drink.
But no matter what, she just couldn’t figure it out.
She glanced at Li Guanqi, who was also drinking and then placed her bottle on the table. She moved her workbook in front of Su Cheng and pointed to a problem, asking, "What do you think about this one?"
"Let me see."
Su Cheng leaned over to look at the problem in the workbook.
This scene, however, made Cornelia’s face turn red with anger. The two of them were so close their heads almost touched, looking intimate and oblivious to it all.
She was so engrossed in their studies that they didn’t even notice.
Cornelia couldn’t take it anymore. She cleared her throat loudly and reminded them, "Hey, hey, if you’re going to explain a problem, keep your distance!"
Hearing Cornelia’s words, the two of them actually looked at each other first.
Their faces were just a fist’s length apart, close enough to feel each other’s breath, as if they could even hear the other’s heart pounding.
This frozen moment was even more stimulating to Cornelia’s psyche. She scrambled onto the table, stretching out her two small paws to forcibly separate them.
"Pay attention to your distance!!!"
She shouted sharply, her voice deafening, startling both Su Cheng and Li Guanqi.
"Hmph!"
Cornelia glared at Su Cheng and Li Guanqi before finally sitting back down, satisfied.
Su Cheng and Li Guanqi exchanged glances, then Su Cheng tried to ease the awkwardness with a random explanation: "This problem is the first question on our upcoming exam, and also the hardest one. When you see the problem, you should be able to guess its purpose."
Li Guanqi nodded slightly and said, "The first question is meant to serve as the foundation for this problem, while the second question is a false proposition. Even so, in my opinion, these two problems are the main themes of our future studies. Therefore, I believe we should start with the first question, combine it with the second, and then arrive at the answer. I think this approach aligns more with the survival rules of this world."
What is she talking about?
Cornelia was completely baffled, not understanding a single word.
Su Cheng and Li Guanqi glanced at each other but didn’t respond.
Because Su Cheng and Li Guanqi didn't really know what they were talking about.
Time slipped away quietly.
The three of them felt it was time to head home.
So Su Cheng saw Li Guanqi to the door of his apartment, watched him get into the car, and then took Cornelia to the villa district.
On the way, Cornelia kept repeating one thing.
That was to make sure to notify her next time they studied together.
"Phew~"
After a long day, Master Su Cheng returned home, flopped onto the sofa, and let out a long sigh. After resting for a while, his mood became excited and anxious again.
This was because he was about to check his reward.
"So..."
This time, the A-level reward is—