Chapter 44: Ruined Plans

"If Lin Shiyun is willing to help me find a wife, I wouldn't doubt her for a second," Ye Feng thought, glancing at her with a mischievous smile.

"Ye Feng, are you two really living together?" Fan Tong asked in a hushed tone after Hao Jian's loud exclamation.

"I wish, but someone doesn't agree," Ye Feng replied, casting a teasing look at Lin Shiyun, whose face was still a mix of embarrassment and irritation.

"Then why did you say you'd go home together?" Hao Jian chimed in, his confusion evident.

"Good grief, what's going on in that brain of yours? Who said going home together means living together? Ever heard of neighbors? Or are you just that clueless?" Ye Feng said, looking at Hao Jian with an expression of exaggerated disbelief.

"You two are neighbors?" Hao Jian exclaimed in surprise.

"Talk about a strategic advantage!" Fan Tong muttered, his face a picture of sudden realization.

It all made sense to Fan Tong now. No wonder Ye Feng had managed to win over the icy goddess Lin Shiyun in just a few days—it was all thanks to proximity. He couldn't help but admire Ye Feng's cunning. Clearly, this guy had done his homework; otherwise, how could he have become Lin Shiyun's neighbor so quickly? Truly devious.

If Ye Feng could read Fan Tong's thoughts, he would have cried injustice. "This is all about my irresistible charm! Since when did winning someone over become an act of trickery?"

"What brings you here, anyway?" Ye Feng asked, turning to Hao Jian, who still seemed to be lost in thought.

"Oh, right! About the barbecue—it's way too early in the afternoon. The stalls probably aren't open yet. Let's set a time for tonight instead. Besides, going out in school uniforms would look ridiculous," Hao Jian said, snapping out of his daze.

"Fair enough. I'll head home, shower, and change. You set the place and send me the details," Ye Feng said, turning to Lin Shiyun for confirmation.

"Tonight, I won't even bother with dinner. I'm saving all my appetite for your treat," Fan Tong said with a playful grin, giving Hao Jian a sly nudge.

"Eat as much as you want; I'm not short on cash," Hao Jian declared, puffing out his chest.

After parting ways with Hao Jian and Fan Tong, Ye Feng and Lin Shiyun returned to their villas. Ye Feng whipped up two bowls of steaming noodles for a simple dinner. Even though it was casually made, the taste was exceptional, as always.

After their meal, the two took turns showering and changed into fresh clothes. By the time they were ready, it was already past nine—perfect timing for barbecue.

"Where's Fan Tong? Why hasn't he called yet? I'm starving," Ye Feng groaned, sprawled out on the sofa. His plan to gorge himself on barbecue had led him to eat only a small bowl of noodles, leaving the rest for Lin Shiyun. Now, his stomach was loudly protesting.

"Serves you right! Who told you to eat so little earlier?" Lin Shiyun teased, nibbling on a potato chip from the bag in her hand.

"Here, have some," she said, picking out a few chips and feeding them to Ye Feng with a mischievous smile.

"Do you know what I really feel like eating right now?" Ye Feng asked, his eyes glinting with mischief as he chewed on the chips.

"What?" Lin Shiyun asked absentmindedly, her attention fixed on the TV drama in front of her.

"You," Ye Feng replied without missing a beat, pinning her beneath him as he lowered his head toward hers.

"Ugh, gross! Your mouth tastes like potato chips," Lin Shiyun complained, turning her head to avoid his kiss, a look of mock disgust on her face.

"And whose fault is that? You were the one feeding me chips just now," Ye Feng retorted, grinning at her reddened cheeks.

"You… I was just worried about that little puppy whining about being hungry," Lin Shiyun said, exasperated.

"Oh, so now I'm a little puppy, huh? Let's see if you can handle some discipline," Ye Feng teased, his voice low and playful.

Before Lin Shiyun could react, he captured her lips in a kiss.

Just as Ye Feng was savoring the moment, the sound of a ringtone shattered the atmosphere.

"Come on, stop it. It's probably Hao Jian or Fan Tong," Lin Shiyun said, breaking away from him and adjusting her tousled hair.

"Damn it, this guy has the worst timing," Ye Feng muttered under his breath, glancing at his phone with irritation.

Sure enough, the call was from Hao Jian.

"You'd better have a good reason for this, or you'll regret it," Ye Feng growled into the phone, his mood sour.

"What's with the attitude? Did you go home and eat gunpowder or something?" Fan Tong's voice came through the speaker, dripping with sarcasm.

"Pfft!" Lin Shiyun couldn't help but laugh. Ye Feng had put the call on speaker, and Fan Tong's retort had her in stitches.

"I didn't eat gunpowder, but I might've had some TNT. Now spill—what do you want?" Ye Feng snapped.

"Wait, did I interrupt something? Oh no, were you two… you know…?" Hao Jian stammered, his imagination running wild.

"You tell me," Ye Feng replied coldly, his tone sending shivers down Hao Jian's spine.

"Alright, alright! Don't listen to him," Lin Shiyun interjected, taking the phone from Ye Feng. "Just send us the address. We'll head over now," she said sweetly.

"Got it! I'll text you right away. You two hurry up and join us," Hao Jian said, relief evident in his voice.

After ending the call, Lin Shiyun turned to Ye Feng, who was still sulking. With a soft smile, she leaned down and planted a quick kiss on his lips. "There, satisfied? Let's go."

"Alright, let's move out!" Ye Feng's mood brightened instantly, and he sprang to his feet, his earlier frustration vanishing.

As they stepped out of the villa and onto the sidewalk, Ye Feng tried to hail a cab. After waiting for over ten minutes without luck, he sighed.

"Looks like I need to buy a car," Ye Feng muttered, crouching by the curb with an annoyed expression.

"Do you even know how to drive? Do you have a license?" Lin Shiyun asked skeptically. She'd never seen Ye Feng behind the wheel and assumed he was just talking big.

"You'll see soon enough," Ye Feng replied with a cryptic smile as he spotted an approaching cab. "Let's go."

What Lin Shiyun didn't know was that Ye Feng's driving skills were at a master's level, honed through years of experience. And as for a license? For someone like him, pulling a few strings was hardly a challenge.