"I think you might have misunderstood something..." The smile on Wise's face instantly froze. "Do I look like that kind of person?"
"Don't you?"
The look of distaste on Nicole's face deepened by another degree.
Wise smiled to himself in quiet contempt. He would sooner walk into a Hollow alone than ever develop feelings for this woman — busty, Dennies-obsessed, and utterly shameless about it!
If he had extra Dennies to spare, he'd much rather buy a few more films he actually liked and watch them with Qingfeng later.
If he ever ended up with Nicole, he'd probably never see a bank balance with more than four figures for the rest of his life.
"What is that supposed to mean?!"
Nicole, true to her nature, shot to her feet, glaring furiously at Wise.
"Nicole? Brother? What are you two doing?"
Just then, Belle — unable to be of much use in the kitchen — had slipped back to the living room. The moment she approached, she sensed the tension crackling between her brother and Nicole.
"Ask your brother."
With Belle present, Nicole wasn't going to waste any more breath on Wise. She let out a short, dismissive snort and sat back down.
"What did you do to make Nicole so angry?"
Belle leaned in beside Wise and asked in a hushed, curious tone.
"Remember the plan you told me about earlier?" Wise lowered his voice, and the two began conspiring in plain sight of Nicole.
"You mean that one?"
Belle immediately caught on, a faint blush rising to her cheeks.
"Exactly! Follow my lead." Wise glanced over at Nicole, and only when he was satisfied she wasn't close enough to eavesdrop did he continue: "We're going to abduct Qingfeng."
"No problem!"
Belle had been feeling a little deflated about not being able to help in the kitchen, but Wise's plan perked her right back up.
Nicole, meanwhile, was pretending not to care — and failing. Burning with curiosity but unable to get close enough to listen in, she could only steal the occasional sideways glance.
"So, Nicole — what if I told you the commission fee could be waived entirely?"
Wise recrossed his legs and regarded her with an air of quiet certainty.
Nicole didn't believe for a second that those two were plotting anything good. She watched Wise with open wariness.
If it were just Belle alone, she might have agreed without much thought. But after dealing with Wise long enough, she knew perfectly well he was far sharper than he let on.
She wanted to see exactly what this little fox was up to.
Belle, sensing Nicole's hesitation, chimed in: "Come on, Nicole~ an opportunity like this doesn't come around often!"
"Just state your conditions."
Nicole wanted to see what cards they were actually holding.
"Oh—!" Wise put on a look of long-suffering weariness. "You have no idea, Nicole — the video store is absolutely swamped every day. My sister and I can barely keep up on our own. It would be such a help if someone could lend a hand from time to time."
*Swamped at the video store?*
They had a Bangboo helping them run the place. Nicole wasn't Anby or Billy — she wasn't about to swallow that line.
But she quickly picked out the real signal buried in Wise's words. Combining it with everything she'd observed about the siblings' behavior around Ye Qingfeng, the picture became clear.
"You mean Qingfeng."
Nicole had no patience for dancing around it any longer.
Wise wasn't surprised she'd figured it out — if anything, he'd more or less let her.
"Since Nicole's already worked it out... does that mean you're in?"
The aromas drifting from the kitchen were already reaching him. He had no desire to drag this negotiation out any longer than necessary.
"Of course... not!"
Nicole refused without blinking.
She wasn't the type to sell out a friend for Dennies.
Qingfeng was her beloved companion — practically a little brother to her!
"Future commissions discounted as well." Wise laced his fingers together. "Twenty percent off."
"Absolutely out of the question. I've always treated Qingfeng like my own—"
"Thirty percent off."
"Deal!!"
Nicole and Wise rose simultaneously, clasping hands with matching smiles.
"What happened? What are you two so pleased about?"
Ye Qingfeng appeared from the kitchen wearing a pink apron, carrying two dishes which he set down on the table, and looked between them curiously.
"Oh... nothing much."
Wise, perhaps feeling a twinge of guilt, mumbled without meeting Ye Qingfeng's eyes.
"You've been wronged."
Nicole clapped a hand solemnly on Ye Qingfeng's shoulder.
He had only been in the kitchen for a little while. So why did he feel like he'd just been sold out?
"Dinner's almost ready." Ye Qingfeng shook his head, unable to bring himself to believe Nicole would genuinely do him harm. "Sister Nicole, could you go upstairs and call Anby and Billy down?"
"Sure."
Nicole agreed and headed for the stairs.
"Qingfeng, let me help bring out the dishes."
Belle got up and followed him back into the kitchen. She emerged shortly after carrying two plates, set them down, and immediately turned around to head back for more.
"Safe delivery!" Belle grinned and gave a little salute, then turned her attention to a freshly plated dish of boiled fish slices.
Beneath a gleaming layer of bright red chili oil, pale, tender slices of fish were just barely visible — and the aroma rising from the dish was intoxicating.
Belle's mouth began to water almost immediately.
*Smells incredible.*
*There's a lot of chili, though... it must be seriously spicy.*
*No matter how spicy it is, she would eat it. She wouldn't disappoint Qingfeng.*
"It looks a lot spicier than it actually is." Ye Qingfeng had noticed Belle's gaze fixed on the dish, and the almost imperceptible way she kept swallowing. He picked up a slice of fish with his chopsticks and held it toward her lips. "Want to try it?"
Belle looked at the fish slice held just in front of her mouth. Her eyes traveled up along the chopsticks and met Ye Qingfeng's quiet smile, a hint of expectation in his expression.
Suddenly, Belle couldn't hear anything around her — only the sound of her own heartbeat, like a runaway horse crashing recklessly around inside her chest.
"I — I won't stand on ceremony!"
She murmured the polite phrase quietly, then closed her eyes, leaned in, and took the fish slice from the chopsticks.
The moment it hit her tongue, Belle felt the fiery bloom of chili and Sichuan pepper — followed immediately by the fish itself dissolving into something impossibly tender.
*Unbelievably good. It just melts.*
The numbing heat spread through her mouth in waves. Belle was instantly, completely won over by the dish.
Ye Qingfeng, watching Belle's cheeks flush red as a ripe apple, worried she might not handle spice well, or that he had overdone it.
"It's not too spicy, is it?"
He looked at her uncertainly. But she seemed not to hear him, eyes still closed, lost somewhere in the experience.
Ye Qingfeng picked up a slice for himself to check.
Just as the fish reached his mouth, Belle opened her eyes — and froze.
*Those chopsticks... I just used them.*
*Qingfeng and I just... indirectly kissed.*
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