Su Yaoyao woke up and groggily opened her eyes. She reached out to the side of the bed, but her hand met only cold, empty space.

She instantly became more alert. ’Where are my two little fluffballs?’ Had they snuck downstairs to play while she was asleep? Or had they gone back to their owner?

Su Yaoyao’s heart raced with anxiety. Without bothering to change out of her thin nightgown, she got into her wheelchair and hurried downstairs.

"Cat! Leopard! Where are you?" Su Yaoyao called out, looking all around. Her voice was thick with anxiety and worry, but there was no sign of her little fluffballs.

Just then, a series of CLANGS and BANGS echoed from the kitchen. Su Yaoyao subconsciously assumed it was Bai Lian making breakfast.

The thought had barely formed before she was pushing open the kitchen door. The sight that greeted her, however, made her freeze in place.

There was Reg—the dark-skinned youth who usually wore such a cocky expression—now sporting a pink apron, his head bowed in concentration as he bustled about the stove.

Su Yaoyao never would have imagined seeing such a comically jarring scene.

Her eyes widened and her mouth fell slightly agape, her face a mask of disbelief. "Re... Reg?"

Hearing his name, Reg turned his head, and he too was momentarily flustered.

He saw Su Yaoyao in a white spaghetti-strap nightgown. Her fair collarbones were faintly visible in the morning light, along with her rosy shoulders and the long, pale legs peeking out from under the hem. It was all impossible for him to ignore.

His Adam’s apple bobbed uncontrollably. His heart suddenly hammered in his chest, and his breath hitched.

In the moment he was staring, stupefied, the smell of something burning assaulted his nostrils.

"Damn it!" Reg snapped back to reality and quickly looked at the pan. The fried egg had been cooked to a glossy black, a perfect piece of charcoal.

Reg heaved a deep sigh. This was already his fifth failed attempt.

He looked at the charcoal-black egg, shook his head in resignation, and tossed it into the trash.

Filled with curiosity, Su Yaoyao wheeled herself over to Reg’s side. Tilting her head back to look up at him, she asked, "Aren’t you supposed to be in confinement? What are you doing here?"

Reg glanced down at Su Yaoyao by his legs, and oh, that was a mistake.

From his vantage point, looking down, he had a clear view of the pale, rounded swell of her chest, a vision of feminine allure.

Reg’s face flushed crimson. He quickly averted his gaze, refusing to look again.

"I have my ways," he said, picking up another egg. He was ready to challenge the fried egg once more, his gaze now intensely focused and serious.

Watching the egg in the pan, Su Yaoyao couldn’t help but offer a tip. "Turn the heat down a little and let it cook slowly. That way it’ll hold its shape."

Reg did as she said, carefully lowering the heat.

About two minutes later, Su Yaoyao chimed in again at just the right moment, "You can flip it now."

Like an obedient schoolboy, Reg dutifully followed her instructions.

At last, a reasonably decent-looking fried egg was ready.

Reg was ecstatic. ’This isn’t just a fried egg,’ he thought, ’it’s a masterpiece we created together!’

"I didn’t know you could cook," Reg said, giving Su Yaoyao a teasing look. In reality, he was deeply impressed. ’She’s amazing,’ he thought.

Su Yaoyao shrugged and explained with a smile, "I can’t cook. That’s all Pink Baby. I just watch how it usually fries eggs."

As if on cue, Pink Baby zipped out from a corner, broom still in hand. It had apparently been busy cleaning.

"Little Mistress Yaoyao, is something the matter?" Pink Baby’s voice was a blend of mechanical tones and a slight, childish lilt.

Su Yaoyao reached out to pat its head, smiling gently. "It’s nothing. You can go back to what you were doing."

Watching the roly-poly robot depart, the corner of Reg’s eye twitched.

He was indignant. ’I can’t even beat a smart-bot? No way. Next time, I have to do better. I’ll make Su Yaoyao see me in a new light.’

"But why are you the one making breakfast?" Su Yaoyao asked, her expression full of confusion.

Reg’s expression instantly grew awkward. He could hardly admit he was just trying to impress her.

So, he cleared his throat and said with a straight face, "Ahem, I said I’d be responsible for your three meals a day. When I, Reg, make a promise, I never go back on my word."

Su Yaoyao tilted her head, trying to recall. ’Didn’t he say he’d arrange for someone else to cook for me? Why is he suddenly in the kitchen himself?’

Reg balanced the plate steadily in one hand while gently pushing Su Yaoyao’s wheelchair with the other, slowly heading for the dining table. "Here, try my handiwork."

Reg sat down in the chair beside Su Yaoyao. He turned sideways, propped his chin on one hand, and watched her without blinking, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Su Yaoyao stared at the fried egg on her plate, feeling a wave of apprehension, as if she were about to taste-test for poison. "Alright," she said.

She took a bite, and her pretty brow furrowed slightly. ’Yep, it’s really not very good.’

Seeing Su Yaoyao’s brow knit together, Reg’s high hopes were instantly doused with a bucket of cold water, his excitement fizzling out.

He opened his mouth, wanting to ask how it tasted, but swallowed the words. He already knew the answer; he just wasn’t willing to admit it.

"Is it... not very good?" Reg asked, a faint trace of nervousness in his voice. His eyes were glued to Su Yaoyao, scrutinizing every subtle change in her expression.

Su Yaoyao gave an awkward little laugh. She couldn’t bear to crush him completely, so after a moment’s hesitation, she said, "Maybe... it’s a little too salty? But it’s much better than I expected!" She tried to comfort him with a lighthearted tone.

"And compared to Bai Lian’s cooking?" A competitive fire instantly blazed in Reg’s eyes. He leaned forward slightly, his gaze locking onto Su Yaoyao as he asked with utmost seriousness.

Su Yaoyao hadn’t expected him to throw such a thorny question at her. Her hand came up unconsciously to scratch at her cheek in embarrassment.

’She groaned internally. ’With a question like this, you’re supposed to praise whoever is in front of you, right?’’

’Given Reg’s personality... last time he force-kissed me and pinned me down. If I make him angry, what if he does something like that again...?’

Thinking of the consequences, Su Yaoyao shrank back into herself and forced an awkward laugh. "O-of course, yours is more delicious."

As she spoke, her voice trembled slightly, and her gaze drifted away, not daring to meet Reg’s.

Reg narrowed his eyes slightly, like a sharp-eyed leopard scrutinizing its prey.

He knew perfectly well that this girl was a terrible liar. Her flustered expression and darting eyes had already given everything away.

Still, hearing such blatant, fawning flattery was, for some reason, strangely satisfying.

The corners of Reg’s mouth quirked upward. He let out a soft chuckle, a sound laced with a hint of smugness and cunning.

"Since it’s more delicious than what Bai Lian makes, and you can finish his food, then you can definitely finish mine. Right, Yaoyao?"