"I'll be going then, Vill-V."
"Mm, bye-bye. Don't forget my research funding."
"Yes, yes, I know."
Fu Li waved goodbye to Vill-V.
Now that he had been invited, there was no reason to continue hiding here and disturbing her work.
After passing through the complex and lengthy corridors, Fu Li finally left the Helix Workshop. Seeing the dusk about to fall outside, he felt a strange sense of having been gone for a lifetime.
"Hah, Eden, huh? It's been a long time since I've had her home cooking."
Strolling along the stone path, Fu Li recalled a time before Eden's debut. To save up enough pocket money to buy expensive musical instruments, she had cooked for herself for a period.
His offer to lend her money back then had been politely refused by the strong-willed girl.
After she became famous, Eden would only cook on rare occasions when she was in a particularly good mood, and her handmade steak was truly a masterpiece.
Despite this, on the way to the Golden Courtyard, he still kept a wary eye on the roadside, lest a certain little cat suddenly leap out to catch him in the act.
Perhaps his luck was good, as he didn't spot Pardo anywhere along the way and arrived at Eden's residence smoothly.
"Hey, Eden, I'm here."
Fu Li knocked lightly on the door and waited patiently.
Before long, the sound of elegant footsteps approached from inside. The door was pushed open, revealing that flawlessly perfect face.
Is this what you'd expect from a superstar? Even at home, she wore a tailored gown that flawlessly showcased her perfect figure. Set against the wine-red fabric, the fair, soft skin of her waist seemed almost dazzlingly white.
Such a sultry dress, when worn by Eden, produced a sense of high elegance—a beautiful and profound contradiction.
However...
Fu Li frowned, almost subconsciously wanting to grab a coat to drape over her.
He found it strange. Normally, Eden didn't like to wear this type of gown. Why make such an exception today?
But, mindful of his place, his fingers only twitched; he didn't act on the thought.
He failed to notice, however, the flash of disappointment in Eden's eyes at that minute gesture.
She quickly adjusted her emotions and offered a polite greeting:
"It's you, Dr. Li. It's been quite a while."
"Yes, it has been a long time, Eden. By the way, is Elysia here yet?"
Fu Li stepped into the room, looking around curiously.
The Golden Courtyard was less a home and more a magnificent palace. Because it was professionally cleaned every day, there was no custom of changing shoes at the door.
"Oh, you mean Elysia. Regrettably, something came up suddenly, and she can't make it."
A look of disappointment appeared on Eden's face at just the right moment. She took out her phone, opened a Penguin app, and handed it to Fu Li.
On the chat screen of the Penguin app, a contact named Elysia had sent a message of apology just a moment ago, saying something urgent had come up and telling her and Fu Li to enjoy their get-together.
However, Fu Li also had Elysia as a friend. Looking at this profile picture, although it was the same as Elysia's, there seemed to be a subtle difference.
But before he could examine it more closely, the phone was quickly taken back.
"Er... well, alright then. That's a real shame. It's rare for you to cook, Eden. Elysia really missed out."
Fu Li nodded, pushing the strange feeling to the back of his mind.
After all, given Eden's character, she probably wouldn't do something like fabricating a chat history, especially since they were just having a meal.
He followed Eden to the dining room. On the wine-red tablecloth, a lit candelabra was placed, its flickering glow illuminating three steaming steaks on the table, making them look exceptionally tempting.
To avoid arousing Fu Li's suspicion, Eden had specifically chosen the place where they usually held group dinners, and she hadn't decorated the area with a floor covered in fresh flowers to enhance the atmosphere.
But for that very reason, the vast dining area felt somewhat empty. In the darkness beyond the reach of the fireplace and candelabra, a crouching darkness seemed to lurk.
Perhaps it was desire, or perhaps an unspeakable ambition.
In any case, it was a stark contrast to Eden's usually bright and gentle temperament.
However, despite a faint sense of unease, for Fu Li, who had lived here for a long time, this feeling was replaced by a sense of familiarity.
"Please, have a seat, Li. Don't be formal. Tonight, you can enjoy the food to your heart's content."
Eden's languid voice seemed to carry a magical quality. Accompanied by a strange, bewitching incense in the air, it guided Fu Li to subconsciously sit in the seat opposite her.
If one were to ignore the third steak placed between them, to any outsider, this would look like a private rendezvous between a young couple.
"By the way, Eden, what did you want to see me about?"
Fu Li spoke up, breaking the silence. He asked with curiosity as he sliced into the tender, juicy steak with the tip of his knife.
"Mm-hm. I just heard... that you seem to be having a conflict with Pardo?"
Eden propped her head on her hand, her languid posture unchanged, yet she cut straight to the heart of the matter.
"Hm? How did you know?"
Fu Li grew a little wary, but Eden simply rolled her eyes as if exasperated.
"Please. You probably don't know yet, but that little girl Pardo has been pestering us about it all day. I'd be surprised if there's anyone in the MOTHs who doesn't know by now."
"Er... is that so?"
Fu Li swallowed a mouthful of steak, looking somewhat embarrassed.
He hadn't expected that after just one day of shutting himself away, the gossip had already spread so far that even Eden knew.
"Mm-hm. So, Li, how do you see Pardo?" Eden raised an eyebrow. Although she had cut her steak, she hadn't taken a single bite.
It created the strange illusion of a 'good best friend' helping to interrogate a scumbag's true intentions.
Under Eden's guidance, Fu Li naturally noticed this strange atmosphere. It made his back stiffen, and he ignored the tingling, numbing sensation spreading from the tip of his tongue.
"Er, Pardo is a very cute, very pretty, and very lively child. She's full of energy and easily brings joy to people."
"To be honest, I'm quite fond of her too. But you also know that our mission doesn't allow us to indulge in romance."
So, if he were free from this situation, he would fall for Pardo?
Listening to the string of compliments pour from Fu Li's lips, Eden's smile began to grow somewhat stiff.
But she continued to watch him with that same smile, the fingertips of her hand under the table tapping rhythmically against her knee.
10, 9, 8, 7...
Watching Fu Li's eyelids grow heavier and heavier, Eden's smile grew wider and more unrestrained.
Finally, as the countdown reached zero, Fu Li could no longer hold on. Like a drunkard, his head slammed heavily onto the table.
As expected of the anesthetic Mobius created specifically for Fu Li...
Eden's fingers gently brushed her lips, her eyes染上了 a burning desire and excitement as scorching as the candlelight.
Although she couldn't 'eat' Fu Li right now, collecting a little interest should be fine, right?