Chapter 155 Sincerity

“Care about me?”

Qiao Suluo was taken aback. She had never once thought Yue Hanzheng would care about her.

To be honest, of her five Beast Husbands, she had already won over four. Only Yue Hanzheng remained. That was because he harbored a deep-seated prejudice against her. Since he never believed a word she said, she couldn’t exactly tell him that she wasn’t the original owner of this body. However, he was a Beast Husband she had to conquer—not just to complete her mission, but also to prevent him from going down a dark path. Thus, she had been trying her best to win his heart.

“Perhaps his attitude has softened because I’ve been making delicious food for them every day,” she said to the system. Still, it was merely a softening. She didn’t flatter herself into believing he was already won over.

“At least it’s a good sign,” the system replied. “His attitude towards you has changed. He isn’t throwing barbed remarks at you like he did in the beginning. So, keep up the good work, Host! I believe that with time, Yue Hanzheng will be yours. Besides, Host, he’s a Dog Night Beastman! His true form is incredibly beautiful. Don’t you want to see it?”

Qiao Suluo’s interest was piqued. She really didn’t know what his true form looked like. As curious as she was, she didn’t show a hint of it on her face.

She looked at Yue Hanzheng and said, “Yes, it’s ready. Eat the wontons while they’re hot. Once you’re done, I’ll treat your legs.”

Soupy dishes like this couldn’t sit for long, or the wrappers would grow mushy and lose their taste.

Yue Hanzheng fell silent for a moment before replying, “Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. I’ve said it before: the way I treated you in the past was my fault. I’ve been trying to make amends, and I hope you can see my change and my sincerity.” Qiao Suluo knew he was probably tired of hearing this, but it still needed to be said. At the very least, she had made her stance clear.

“Mhm,” Yue Hanzheng replied softly.

Hearing that single syllable, Qiao Suluo froze. At first, whenever she said things like this, he would mock her and refuse to trust her. Later on, he became cold and distant, ignoring her completely without bothering to respond. Now, he was actually answering her.

“What does his ‘mhm’ mean?” she asked the system in her mind. “He wouldn’t even give me that much before.”

“Perhaps he actually listened to you this time,” the system analyzed. “He might have taken your words to heart and believes you aren’t lying to him.”

Nowadays, Yue Hanzheng no longer refused to eat the food Qiao Suluo cooked. His every movement while eating was incredibly elegant, not making a single sound. Watching his refined, noble demeanor, Qiao Suluo felt a momentary daze.

She remembered his true identity. From a young age, he had displayed extraordinary talent. He was a brilliant prodigy, excelling in both literature and martial arts. As the Heir of Duke Dingguo, he had been meticulously raised. Had he not suffered such torment at the hands of the original owner, his temper would never have soured.

Rumor had it that the Heir of Duke Dingguo used to have a very gentle disposition.

While Qiao Suluo was lost in thought, Yue Hanzheng was earnestly eating his meal. Only when the wonton entered his mouth did he realize just how delicious it was.

Wontons were actually his favorite food. He used to eat them often in the Capital City. Even when defending the borders during times of war, he would take a moment of respite to enjoy a steaming bowl from a street stall; it always made him feel grounded in the warmth of everyday life. However, the wontons Qiao Suluo made tasted completely different from any he had ever had before. He had to admit, they were the best he had ever eaten.

The flavor suddenly brought back a flood of memories.

Yue Hanzheng lowered his gaze to look at Qiao Suluo, who was sitting beside him, chatting with Dongqing. Her eyes and brows were gentle as she smiled and laughed with the young attendant.

She had never smiled at him like that.

Qiao Suluo was always happy to talk to Dongqing, mainly because he was such an enthusiastic audience whenever food was involved.

“Miss Qiao, your wontons are absolutely delicious! It’s a good thing our Young Valley Master isn’t here, so I get to eat two portions,” Dongqing praised.

“Won’t you be too full?” Qiao Suluo asked. She had served very generous portions.

Dongqing smiled. “Being a little too full occasionally is fine. They’re just too good! Miss Qiao, I really don’t know how you cook. Everything you make is tasty. When my Young Valley Master returns and realizes he missed out on your wontons, he’ll definitely be upset.”

He secretly wished his young master could marry Miss Qiao. That way, as his subordinate, Dongqing would get to eat her cooking all the time.

Qiao Suluo loved cooking. She found the process of creating delicious food to be relaxing and enjoyable. Seeing people love and appreciate her dishes so much gave her a deep sense of accomplishment. “It’s fine,” she said. “When Young Master Gu gets back, I’ll make another batch and bring it over.”

Looking at her, Dongqing couldn’t help but ask, “Miss Qiao, what do you think of my young master?”

“He’s wonderful, of course,” Qiao Suluo replied without hesitation.

“But… in what way?” Dongqing pressed, growing a bit anxious. He couldn’t make his intentions too obvious, so he tried to probe carefully.

His young master had a cold personality and devoted all his time to treating patients and saving lives. He spent his days fiddling with medicinal herbs. In the past, his only interests were researching prescriptions and rare ingredients. He had no interest in anything else, and even less interest in females.

But ever since he started interacting with Miss Qiao, Dongqing had noticed that his young master treated her differently. He always put her matters first. When it came to brewing fetus-preserving medicine for her, the young master refused to let Dongqing help, insisting on doing it himself. He claimed Dongqing couldn’t control the heat properly. Dongqing had been by the young master’s side since childhood, helping him brew medicine—since when did he not know how to control the heat?

Miss Qiao was such a great person. If she became his young master’s wife, Dongqing would fully support it. The problem was that his young master remained silent, refusing to voice his feelings. It would be a miracle if Miss Qiao noticed anything at all.

“Young Master Gu has the benevolent heart of a healer and a noble character that commands respect,” Qiao Suluo replied earnestly. “He’s also helped me a great deal, and I’m deeply grateful to him.”

Hearing this, Dongqing grew even more anxious. She might as well have said nothing at all. Still, it at least proved that Miss Qiao didn’t dislike his young master.

“Miss Qiao, my young master has actually never treated anyone else so well. Whenever it comes to your matters, he gets more worried than anyone—”

“COUGH, COUGH…”

Before Dongqing could finish, Qiao Suluo heard Yue Hanzheng coughing.

At the sound, Qiao Suluo immediately rushed over. “Yue Hanzheng, how are you? Are you feeling unwell?”

Yue Hanzheng felt he had perfectly understood Dongqing’s words and what the attendant was trying to do. He also knew that Gu Songlan probably liked Qiao Suluo. A heavy, stifling sensation had settled in his chest, accompanied by an itch in his throat that made him cough. But seeing Qiao Suluo hurry over to check on him, that heavy feeling instantly eased.

“Are you worried about me?” he asked.

Qiao Suluo nodded. “Of course I am. Your body has finally been nursed back to health, and I’m about to start treating your legs. We can’t have anything go wrong now.” She reached out her hand. “Let me check your pulse first.”

Nowadays, Yue Hanzheng was very cooperative with her. He immediately offered his wrist. His hands were beautiful—fair, slender, and smooth as jade, though peppered with calluses from his years of martial arts training.

As Qiao Suluo rested her fingers against his wrist, Yue Hanzheng felt the soft texture and warmth of her skin. His fingers gave a nearly imperceptible tremble, and his breathing involuntarily grew shallow.