Chapter 83: An Immense Honor

The corners of Lu Sinian’s lips curved with a hint of a smile, yet he said nothing. Mu Yinyin continued to eat, sampling a bite of each dish, her appetite evidently good.

Lu Sinian, still smiling, gently ladled a bowl of soup for her as he spoke in a soft voice, “To be acknowledged by you is my honor.”

With that, he placed the soup before her.

Mu Yinyin picked up the small spoon, unable to suppress a laugh. “Indeed, thank you, Mr. Lu, for giving me the good fortune of tasting food you’ve prepared yourself.”

“At this point, don’t you think calling me Mr. Lu sounds a bit distant?” Lu Sinian’s tone was half teasing, half serious.

Mu Yinyin’s lips quirked. “It’s just a formality, nothing important.”

Just like how she had called Fu Siyue “husband” for three years; he had always loathed it. Even the most intimate title meant nothing if it couldn’t change the facts.

In the end, they still divorced.

In those three years, she had never entered his heart.

So, it was just a title—nothing to fuss over.

“Call me Sinian,” he said, gazing at her. Seeing the complexity in her eyes, he guessed she was thinking of the past again. He smiled faintly and said, “What’s gone is gone. We have to face the present and look to the future.”

Mu Yinyin returned to herself, a gentle smile touching her lips. “You’re right.”

“Yinyin.”

The sudden use of her given name made her look up at the man.

Lu Sinian didn’t pursue the matter, only urged in a soft voice, “Drink your soup first.”

Her eyes flickered. She said nothing more and drank the soup.

Its flavor was both light and rich, an unlikely harmony.

Mu Yinyin truly wanted to lavish praise upon it.

Whoever married Lu Sinian one day, if he were willing to treat her with all his heart, would likely know a lifetime of happiness.

But as for her, she no longer believed in love. Moreover, given Lu Sinian’s status—highborn and noble—a marriage of convenience would surely be in his future. At that point, things would probably not go as he wished.

She could only hope that, one day, he would find the woman he truly loved.

They ate in silence after that.

Mu Yinyin ate with care, feeling comfortable and at ease.

Ever since moving out, she’d been eating casually, no longer preparing a table full of dishes waiting for Fu Siyue’s return.

It seemed she hadn’t enjoyed a proper meal in days.

Today, Lu Sinian had indeed satisfied her wishes.

Not until Mu Yinyin finally set down her chopsticks did Fu Siyue also put his down.

Mu Yinyin patted her stomach and couldn’t help but sigh, “I’m so full.”

“Good, it seems my efforts paid off. I’ll cook for you again tomorrow,” he replied.

The implication was clear—he intended to cook for her again tomorrow.

Mu Yinyin’s eyes flickered and she immediately said, “No need. You have so much to do every day; there’s no need to trouble yourself for me.”

“Consider it payment for examining my grandfather’s health later.”

Mu Yinyin was helpless. “Isn’t that payment a bit too generous?”

“How could it be?” Lu Sinian raised an eyebrow. “I don’t know how many meals it would take to repay the favor. How about a lifetime?”

Mu Yinyin was speechless.

She forced a smile and said, “Mr. Lu, you really know how to joke.”

“I told you, call me Sinian.”

Sinian.

Those two syllables.

Mu Yinyin didn’t think much of it. She nodded. “Alright. Then let me say this clearly: don’t flirt with me. It’s a waste of your time and effort—I won’t be moved. We can be excellent partners, but beyond that, let’s not.”

Her words could not have been clearer.

If Lu Sinian had other intentions, there was no need for further discussion. She would not fall for him, and she had already promised to cooperate well.

Lu Sinian shook his head helplessly. “For today, just get some rest. I’ll clean up, then I’ll leave.”

“No—”

She hadn’t finished the word “need” before Lu Sinian had already stood and begun to clear the dishes. Mu Yinyin’s expression shifted; she quickly got up and placed her hand on his arm. “Really, it’s fine. I’ll clean up.”

“You’re not well. Cleaning up might make you feel worse. Is this your way of hinting that you want me to stay and look after you tonight?” His tone was amused.

Mu Yinyin was silent.

Yesterday her whole body had ached, but after a night’s rest and her own treatment, she had mostly recovered. Now, the lingering pain was so mild it hardly counted.

“You—”

“Go rest?” Lu Sinian looked at her, his voice gentle, but his gaze brooked no argument.

Mu Yinyin felt she couldn’t win. If she insisted, she didn’t know what this man might do. In the end, she relented: “Fine… you tidy up.”

With that, she let go.

Lu Sinian’s lips curved in a pampering smile. “That’s better.”

Mu Yinyin felt something odd about him, but said nothing, quietly making her way to the sofa in the living room.

Normally, two people who had only met by chance wouldn’t develop feelings so easily.

Love at first sight? Impossible.

So, Lu Sinian’s closeness must have its purpose. Even after she’d told him she was divorced, he didn’t mind and kept pursuing her—clearly, he valued the company’s interests more.

Perhaps it was her identity as the so-called King of Hell, or maybe he simply valued Starfire’s growth and wanted to get closer.

Mu Yinyin watched as Lu Sinian busied himself in the kitchen, her gaze complex.

He was lofty, gentle as jade, and nobly refined, yet here he was—washing dishes.

Even so, his elegance was undiminished. He even made washing dishes seem a sacred task.

Half an hour later, Lu Sinian finished tidying the kitchen, restoring it to its original state.

When he emerged, he had already removed his apron.

Mu Yinyin couldn’t help but laugh. “Do you feel like the kitchen’s scent is all over you? It seems my kitchen has sullied you.”

Lu Sinian’s lips twitched in a smile. “It’s an honor.”

Mu Yinyin was at a loss for words.

He had a way of stopping a conversation dead in its tracks.

She no longer had the energy to protest.

Lu Sinian looked her over. “I’ll head back now. If anything comes up, call me anytime. I’m just nearby.”

She paused, surprised. “Nearby?”

He raised an eyebrow, saying nothing.

She quickly remembered—he also owned a house in this villa community.

In the end, she said softly, “Alright, then rest early.”

“Will do.” Lu Sinian smiled. “See you tomorrow.”

Her eyes narrowed slightly, as if to say something, but before she could, as though he had anticipated her reaction, Lu Sinian smiled and spoke first.