ITOTIABSAM | Landlord Tenant | 34
Awkward.
How could he utter such foolish words of concern to an adult male in his twenties, especially when the other person was a top-notch chef and a gourmet blogger.
Fortunately, the normally talkative young man just looked at him with a slow gaze this time, giving him only a glance and not doing anything to make the atmosphere more awkward.
Xie Ye, confirming that he really didn't want to vomit, asked, "System?"
1101: So tired, sob sob.
It was just a weak and pitiful new system, on duty for the first time, with no similar data in the database for reference. It was feeling quite desperate, okay?
In the previous world, it could at least come up with some nonsense based on the principles of ABO pheromones. But in this world? Could Xie Ye eat anything Gu Cong touched? There was no logic to discuss.
Was the other person originally a ginseng spirit? Capable of curing all illnesses and adjusting the efficacy of the medicine based on the host's symptoms? The main world didn't even have such exaggerations.
Frustrated, 1101 said, "Figure it out yourself."
It was about to crash.
His stomach, long deprived of normal food intake, was now filled. With a tangible sensation and a subtle discomfort, Xie Ye took small bites, chewing deliberately. Standing in front of the bedroom door, he finished the entire custard bun.
Gu Cong, responsible for the feeding, had been holding his arm up the whole time.
He felt like a bowl filled with food, a uniquely shaped bowl. A cat named Xie Ye approached, sniffing left and right, naturally taking advantage of him to eat.
Why hasn't he finished eating yet?
It turns out that the TV was right about some people chewing dozens of times while eating.
...Xie Ye's lips were surprisingly cool.
Could a man's mouth be this soft?
Despite being careful to avoid contact with each other, when it came to the last bite, unavoidable contact occurred. Moreover, Xie Ye, who had received an answer from 1101, had no intention of holding back.
Feeling a bit of warmth and moisture on his fingertips, Gu Cong quickly withdrew his hand and shoved the paper bag into Xie Ye's arms.
"I'm going to study."
The plump custard buns were piled up, looking exceptionally cute. However, after Gu Cong returned to his room, Xie Ye frowned in disdain.
Not bad.
But he wasn't a child who needed to be pampered.
1101: Well, so, you voluntarily went in for a bite just now, and now you're complaining?
There was a water glass on the bedside table. Xie Ye took a sip, and his throat and stomach immediately protested. He raised the back of his hand to wipe his lips and looked at the reflection of the black-haired youth in the mirror with narrowed phoenix eyes. "Interesting."
If this world's Gu Cong was truly the same soul as the one in the previous world, then everything—birthday, personality, handwriting, spiritual fluctuations, and the completely different life experiences—was deliberately imposed interference by the world's consciousness.
Almost fooled.
The only existence capable of "healing" him physiologically throughout was Gu Cong. If he had known, he would have immediately ripped open the other's clothes or let him feed him.
"Hold on! I said doing that would be considered creepy," 1101, still unable to comprehend what just happened and finding no relevant information, excitedly interjected, "Why did Gu Cong follow you?"
Xie Ye: "How would I know? You're the one called a system, right?"
[The legendary "high intelligence" life form.]
1101: So annoyed.
Feeling mocked but unable to retort.
[Seriously, if you calculate it, Gu Cong is more like an indigenous inhabitant of the mini-world,] data rapidly circulated as 1101 tried to salvage some dignity, [an NPC that hasn't awakened during modeling? No, there's only one example similar to you in the library, and that's you.]
However, Xie Ye completely ignored its frustration.
Originally, he had no interest in this world, just waiting naturally for death and starting over. But now, concerning Gu Cong, there was clearly a mystery worth his attention.
So, in the following days, Gu Cong couldn't shake the feeling that he had become a lab rat.
The smaller version's home had many mirrors, which meant that in public areas, Xie Ye could observe him from various angles.
After a few intentional and unintentional experiments, Gu Cong realized that, whether through a container or food touched by the chopsticks he had used, it didn't count. Only things that had direct and continuous contact with the other's skin could he swallow.
—Just like in the previous world, before the arrival of the death node, he needed to cuddle with Gu Cong to fall asleep.
Tsk, that sounds more perverted than just stripping off clothes.
Xie Ye thought.
Living under the same roof and with Gu Cong being a living person with normal intelligence, his probing couldn't completely escape the other's notice. But since Xie Ye was skilled in cooking, he could always find a way to lure Gu Cong out during mealtime.
Even Gu Cong's roommate had figured out something was fishy.
A few days ago, during the dormitory birthday celebration, he hadn't shown up. Every night, he would post various delicious dishes in the group chat.
[Big Boss: ??? What happened to the cleanliness obsession and preferring to be alone? Is our new landlord perhaps a snail girl?]
[Second Boss: Drooling in envy at the library.]
[Second Boss: I'm really fed up with the cafeteria. I have to compete for food with the junior and senior students. It's even more miserable in comparison.]
[Third Boss: The plate looks a bit familiar. Have I seen it somewhere before?]
[Big Boss: There's a story.]
[Second Boss: Don't keep us in suspense. Spit it out while I'm on break!]
While Gu Cong hadn't been curious about Xie Ye's account before, he rarely paid attention to such things. Without many clues and vaguely guessing something, he replied: [?]
Gu Cong, being the youngest in the dormitory, had the nickname "4" in the group. Seeing the main character finally show up, the group became even more lively.
[Third Boss: Stop rushing him.]
[Third Boss: ==]
[Third Boss: Here's the link. He's an UP host in the food section on Y-site. A couple of days ago, he got on the hot list thanks to Guan Chen flipping his card. Looking at the cover and utensils, it's exactly the same. I happened to glance at it before, but I didn't expect it to be our landlord, Gu Cao.]
According to the unofficial annual statistics on the school forum, since the beginning of his studies, Gu Cong had consistently held the first position with a considerable lead. For many years, he had firmly occupied the title of school grass.
Although it wasn't as exaggerated as in novels, he couldn't escape the teasing of being called "Gu Cao Gu Cao."
As for Guan Chen, a male student from the past twenty years, almost everyone had watched his competitions. Winning three consecutive championships and completing a Grand Slam, when he retired, "Third Boss" even mourned for quite a while.
Although Gu Cong hadn't played many games, he had heard the other's name. Subconsciously, he felt somewhat averse to the phrase "Xie Ye being flipped by Guan Chen and making it to the hot list."
The other's culinary skills were worthy of appreciation on their own.
The fastest-to-reply Big Boss had already checked and returned after a few seconds: "No snail girl."
[So it's really a guy.]
[Second Boss: Then the food he makes must be delicious.]
[Second Boss: Otherwise, how can it make up for my canceled birthday party.]
"It is delicious." Creating a private collection folder automatically with his fingers, Gu Cong, somewhat unaccustomed, triple-clicked with a single keystroke. In his free time, he replied, "Remember to leave a like."
[Third Boss: Sure, sure.]
[Third Boss: But on another note, how does your new landlord look?]
Gu Cong instantly became wary: [?]
[Third Boss: Just curious, purely curious. It's not because of the thing with Guan Chen and Xizhu before.]
[Third Boss: No malice, forget it if you don't want to talk about it.]
Except for Gu Cong, it seemed like everyone else was quite aware of what Third Boss referred to as "that thing." Without further inquiries or much discussion, the conversation quickly shifted to an unrelated topic.
Gu Cong was indifferent to Guan Chen, treating him as a stranger. Naturally, he wouldn't search for gossip about him.
After a couple of gurgling sounds from his stomach, protesting the exhaustion from an afternoon of solving math problems, Gu Cong turned off his phone. After hesitating for two seconds, he opened the door.
Sure enough, a faint fragrance wafted from the kitchen, seeping into his nostrils.
However, this time, he didn't see Xie Ye. Even when he deliberately jiggled the doorknob a few times, the other didn't come out from the kitchen to see what had happened, using the excuse of "avoiding waste" to have dinner together.
His feet moved on their own, and Gu Cong went towards the kitchen.
In front of the newly set-up camera, the black-haired youth was peeling shrimp. His hands were delicate, pallid, with only a hint of pink at the fingertips. He pursed his lips, seemingly not fond of this task, yet the motion of extracting shrimp meat was quite skillful.
On the plate by the window, there were slices of cut meat, reddish-brown as if brushed with soy sauce. Next to it was a fan silently running, and the source of the fragrance was the bubbling hot soup in the stew pot.
Having already appeared in each other's videos with their voices, and having failed to gain attention, Gu Cong glanced at the cutting board and took the initiative to step forward, "Is there anything I can help with?"
—Passing a knife, washing vegetables, using the excuse of not having free hands to ask him to pass strawberries. These days, Xie Ye had asked him to do similar things several times.
At first, Gu Cong thought it was just his imagination, but now he was quite sure that the other was deliberately creating opportunities for physical contact.
As mentioned in the roommate group, Xie Ye was a man. Despite being a bit thin, still delicate, difficult to serve, and fond of wearing bunny slippers, he was definitely not related to fragrant and soft girls. His height also far exceeded the average.
However, being touched and bumped around by another man, Gu Cong didn't feel annoyed or disgusted. He even felt like a large beast patrolling its territory, silently observing how the intruder would react.
"No." With his head lowered, the black-haired youth continued to peel shrimp one after another, maintaining a safe distance from him. He gave an unexpected answer, "It will take a while. If you're hungry, you can go out and eat first."
It had been a week since they moved into the apartment, and this was the first time Xie Ye had told him to go out for dinner.
Knowing that the other had no obligation to share with him, in that moment, Gu Cong still felt the anger and grievance rising within him. He almost blurted out, "Do you have other dogs?"
Staring firmly at the shallow mole on the outer side of the youth's left ring finger, Gu Cong tried to stay calm but couldn't completely suppress his emotions.
After peeling a total of forty shrimp perfectly, Xie Ye washed his hands. He circled around Gu Cong, placed the pork that had been exposed to the wind for two hours on the cutting board—arranging it in a layout of one piece of pork for every two shrimp.
Then, he turned the blade and used the back of the knife to finely pound the shrimp meat.
This was undoubtedly a physically demanding task.
Xie Ye's somewhat weaker arms were feeling a bit sore.
In the next second, the knife in his hand was deftly taken away by someone. Gu Cong, wearing a solid-colored T-shirt, didn't even look at him and said with a cold face, "I'll take over."
Author's note:
Ta-da! The mystery is revealed. Gu Cong—a cat's exclusive utensil, a living utensil.
PS: For the sake of the plot, don't take it too seriously. In reality, if you're sick, make sure to go to the hospital.
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