[Completed: "New Neighbor."]
[Reward: Denny x2000, Morning Star Affection +0. Current Affection: 39.]
The tiny bump in Denny, as usual, caused no real ripple in Fang Wen's mind. Two thousand Denny, put bluntly, was barely enough for a bowl of noodles.
At the current rate missions were paying out, he was definitely going to need other sources of income.
Still, the fact that affection could apparently increase by zero did surprise him a little.
That said, it wasn't something important to him, so he quickly tossed it out of his mind.
Although a lot had happened during the apartment hunt, the excellent conditions of 100,000 Denny a month for a two-bedroom apartment with no extra requirements still won over Morning Star almost immediately.
The only slight pity was that it was on the second floor instead of the first, so it didn't come with the little terrace downstairs.
Still, that regret was later eased by the tiny balcony she ended up arranging for herself.
And so, the move was officially set for two days later. At this point, Fang Wen no longer needed to hide certain things from her.
"From now on, please take care of me, my new neighbor."
"Mm… huh?"
It was as if a giant question mark had popped up over Morning Star's head.
"Huh?!!!"
It took Fang Wen quite a while to calm Morning Star down after she puffed up in anger over the fact that he had hidden it from her.
"Fine. I'll believe you for now."
Morning Star stole a glance at Fang Wen, then quickly looked away again.
"There really isn't anything else you've been hiding from me?"
Fang Wen had a strong feeling that if he told her everything, she definitely wouldn't accept it.
"Uh… for now, no."
The rest could stay buried in his stomach.
"Oh, right. You haven't had lunch yet, have you? Want to eat together?"
"N-no, that's okay."
"It's fine. It's just one more serving anyway."
"Huh? You can cook?"
Fang Wen smiled. Sure, he had only just learned, but learned was learned.
"Since I live alone, I've got to know at least a little." Fang Wen decisively cut ties with his former self.
"If you really don't mind, then… alright."
Morning Star rubbed her slightly flattened stomach and answered in a quiet voice.
While Fang Wen busied himself in the kitchen, Morning Star took the opportunity to look around his home.
Compared to the capable, seasoned image of Fuxing in her mind, Fang Wen's home actually felt very lived-in.
For example, the photo on the shelf to the right of the entryway, and the two potted plants by the balcony that looked newly added.
The plump green succulents still seemed to hold traces of morning dew.
The photograph, naturally, was the same one Fang Wen had stared at absentmindedly before.
He probably never would have imagined that one day he'd actually bring a friend home.
"Are these… his parents?"
Morning Star felt that the woman in the photograph looked oddly familiar.
"Carlos Alna?!"
Her green eyes widened, gem-bright irises full of shock.
Judging from the way the photo was framed, Fang Wen's relationship with that woman was obviously very close.
She had never imagined that Doctor Carlos Alna had a child.
What an astonishing piece of information.
But she quickly forced herself to calm down.
No matter how unbelievable this information was, she could never tell anyone.
"Oh, there you are. Go wash your hands—it's time to eat." Fang Wen leaned out from the kitchen, saw Morning Star standing there blankly in the entryway, and smiled.
"Mm, coming."
Morning Star immediately put her emotions and expression back in order and answered with a smile.
Some things simply could not be sold.
That was the bottom line of being human.
The two of them ate quietly.
Watching the delight and happiness continually bloom across Morning Star's face, Fang Wen gradually came to understand the joy of being the one who cooked.
The truth was, he had indeed noticed Morning Star looking at the photo. It was a momentary slip on his part.
But even while in the kitchen, he had still been keeping an eye on her movements.
Though she hadn't done anything strange, he had to admit—he still wanted to test her a little, to see where she stood.
But it seemed she had already realized that herself.
"Sorry. That photo must be really important to you. I ended up seeing it by accident."
"Oh, it is important. After seeing it… what do you think?"
Fang Wen stopped his chopsticks midway.
"Mm… I think I understand now why you've been investigating Doctor Carlos Alna."
"Mm. I'm her only son."
Fang Wen admitted it openly, and an instant of awkward silence fell between them.
"Don't worry! I absolutely won't tell anyone!"
"How about this—I'll tell you one of my own embarrassing secrets too."
Fang Wen was speechless. Was she a child or something? Who still used this kind of method to reassure someone?
"Actually…" Morning Star blushed a little. "I'm still a vir—"
"Pffft!!!"
Fang Wen couldn't hold it in. He sprayed a mouthful of water straight onto the floor.
"Cough, cough!"
He had expected that whatever she called "black history" might be a little intense.
But this was… still beyond expectations.
Morning Star rolled her eyes at him and continued,
"What's wrong with that? I'm this busy—of course it's normal that I'm still a virgin!"
Fang Wen helplessly covered his face.
Had it occurred to her that the thing he found shocking was an entirely different aspect of this?
Like, for example, why someone would treat that as embarrassing black history, and then earnestly, shyly say it out loud.
"Huh? Isn't being almost thirty and still a virgin considered black history?"
That's enough. You really didn't need to say it again.
At this point, Fang Wen wanted to crawl into a crack in the floor even more than she did.
"Let me say this first: I have never thought that way. I'm twenty-four now, and I have never considered being a virgin or never having been in love to be something shameful."
Fang Wen looked directly into Morning Star's eyes and spoke with unusual seriousness.
"Who knows when someone will finally meet the right person?"
"Some people may never meet that person in their entire lives—but is preserving their purity something shameful?"
"I've never thought so. On the contrary—" Fang Wen lightly tapped his chopsticks against the table. "I actually look down on people who spend all their time fooling around in nightclubs."
"What they call 'seeking excitement' is really just placing their desires and animal instincts above the most important part of themselves."
"They're deeply empty, which is why they surrender to desire instead of having a clear direction."
"What makes a person human isn't the primitive urges written into their genes. On the contrary—"
"It's restraint. It's reason. That's why people can like someone. That's why they can understand what love is."
"So love should mean being with the person you truly like—the person you truly love."
It was the first time Morning Star had ever seen Fang Wen this serious, and honestly, she was a little stunned.
"Is that so…"
She tilted her head thoughtfully.
"Then… this one doesn't count—"
"Stop right there! I already believe you won't tell anyone!"
Fang Wen poked this fool in the forehead with his chopsticks.
Better to stop her now, before she blurted out something even more outrageous.
…
"You know what's funny? There are actually people who consider something like that a black mark on their history." Fang Wen laughed as he spoke to Zhu Yuan, who was rapidly eating in her hospital bed.
Naturally, he left out a few unnecessary identity details and only referred to Morning Star as a friend.
"Mm… yeah, that is a little hard to understand." Zhu Yuan finished the lunch Fang Wen had brought her, put down her chopsticks, and wiped her mouth.
"But what I find even harder to understand is why you would bring a female friend home and have lunch with her."
"Uh, well, I don't think you can put it quite like that."
"Oh?" Zhu Yuan suddenly sat bolt upright. Her whole body leaned forward until she was nearly pressing down on Fang Wen, her eyes locked tightly onto him. "Then what kind of relationship do you two have?"
Fang Wen hadn't expected Zhu Yuan's focus to land in that direction.
Shouldn't she have been commenting on what he said and agreeing with it?
How strange…
"Uh… I wouldn't say I like her. She's a good girl, and I don't dislike being around her." Under Zhu Yuan's sharp gaze, Fang Wen chose his words as carefully as possible, trying not to let her misunderstand anything odd.
Because he had the distinct feeling that if he said the wrong thing, Zhu Yuan might do something rather dramatic.
"Don't dislike… huh…"
"Uh, is there some problem with that?"
"No problem. I just thought you'd probably have at least some feelings for her."
Zhu Yuan shook her head. At the same time that she felt a quiet sense of relief, she also gave Fang Wen another careful look.
That strong, handsome face.
That fit, well-proportioned body.
He really should be quite attractive to a lot of girls.
And besides… did he really think girls would casually tell just anyone that kind of thing?
This dense idiot!
"You're not getting any younger. Isn't it about time you got married? If your parents were still around, they'd probably nag you nonstop." Zhu Yuan suddenly spoke with deep sincerity.
"…Shouldn't I be the one saying that to you? Don't you want Uncle and Auntie to hold a grandchild sooner rather than later?" Fang Wen gathered up the lunch boxes and shot back with a grin.
"With how many missions the Special Operations Unit has every day, where would I find time to meet boys?"
"Huh? But—"
"That's enough, you don't need to say it. You know what I'm like, don't you?"
"Yes, yes. Our study-and-work maniac who placed first in the school's Hollow Studies exam three years in a row."
"You—!!"
Zhu Yuan shoved Fang Wen hard from the edge of the bed.
"Okay, okay, I'm leaving! Watch your injuries!"
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