Fu Teng froze the moment those words reached him, and the heat that rose to his ears was something he could not control, no matter how hard he tried to remain composed.
For a brief moment, he stood still, his hand lingering in place as if he had forgotten what he was doing.
Then he stepped back.
The movement was quick, and the space between them widened immediately.
"That is enough," he said, his voice steady, though there was a slight tension beneath it.
"You can take care of the rest yourself."
An Yu did not stop him.
He simply watched.
Fu Teng turned away without hesitation and walked toward the door, clearly intending to leave, but just as his hand reached it—
"Teng."
His steps slowed.
He did not turn, but he did not continue walking either.
"I have something for you to do today," An Yu said, his tone calm now.
Fu Teng stood still before replying,
"What is it?"
"We need a new cook," An Yu said. "The one we had left without notice."
