Chapter 25: An Unexpected Encounter

Qin Li woke up to an unexpected knock on her door. Groggy and disoriented, she dragged herself out of bed, still reeling from the bizarre, steamy—then horrific—dream she just had.

Opening the door, she found Thomas holding Schrodinger, the cat, cradled in his arms. His eyes roamed the room suspiciously before narrowing at her.

"Were you watching adult movies early in the morning?" he asked bluntly.

"What? No!" Qin Li sputtered, still half-asleep.

Thomas cocked his head, his curiosity undeterred. "Then why did I hear moaning?"

Qin Li's face turned crimson. "You're hearing things. Maybe your ears are going bad."

Unconvinced, Thomas shrugged. "Well, just saying—this old house doesn't have great soundproofing. If you're up to anything... unseemly, wear headphones, okay?"

Rolling her eyes, she changed the subject. "Why are you here?"

"Breakfast," Thomas declared, his tone as if the word itself was a plea.

"Spaghetti," Qin Li deadpanned.

"Nooo," Thomas groaned like a child, "not spaghetti again!"

Qin Li shrugged. "You'd eat it if I weren't here, wouldn't you?"

"That's not the point," Thomas huffed. "You're here. You can cook something better!"

"Fine. How about pizza?" she offered.

"Had it last night," Thomas complained.

"Well, we've got eggs and not much else," Qin Li shot back. "Pizza it is unless you want boiled eggs on toast."

"Let's go shopping!" Thomas suggested, his eyes lighting up.

Qin Li considered the idea. Grocery shopping sounded like a good excuse to get out of the house—and to avoid thinking about her dream. "Fine. Let me get ready."

Once she was dressed and downstairs, Qin Li was immediately aware of Yan Sen's presence. He was seated at the dining table, reading a newspaper, his usual stoic demeanor intact.

Her cheeks flamed involuntarily as fragments of her dream resurfaced. Get it together, Qin Li! she scolded herself.

Thomas, of course, noticed. "Why are you staring at my brother and blushing like that?" he blurted out.

The comment made Yan Sen look up, his cool blue eyes flicking to her face.

"It's... hot," she mumbled, fanning herself dramatically.

"Fifteen degrees isn't hot," Thomas pointed out with a confused expression.

Gritting her teeth, Qin Li ignored him and busied herself with the coffee machine, hoping to calm her nerves.

"Did you sleep well?" Yan Sen asked, his voice even but direct.

Qin Li froze, the dream flashing vividly in her mind. Her hand instinctively brushed her nose, trying to wipe away her embarrassment. "Slept like a rock. Perfectly fine!" she stammered.

Yan Sen's gaze lingered on her for a beat longer than necessary before he stood and approached her. The proximity was enough to make her heart race, though she had no idea if he could hear it thudding against her chest.

Flustered, Qin Li backed up—straight into the open glass cabinet door.

"Bang!"

The sound echoed through the kitchen as she yelped and clutched her forehead in pain.

Yan Sen raised an eyebrow, taking a step closer. "Why are you dodging me?"

"Dodging? No!" Qin Li squeaked, rubbing her head. "The steam from the coffee! I was trying to avoid it!"

His eyes traveled to her face. "There," he said simply, pointing just under her nose.

Qin Li turned to the reflective glass of the cabinet and spotted the culprit: a smudge of coffee grounds on her upper lip, resembling a small, awkward mustache.

Before she could react, Yan Sen pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. He moved as if to help her, but instead handed it over. "Do it yourself," he said, his lips curving into a faint, teasing smirk.

Her cheeks burned with renewed embarrassment as she hastily wiped her face. This man is impossible! she fumed internally.

"Your forehead's going to swell," he added casually as he walked back to his seat.

"I know!" Qin Li snapped, her mortification not yet abated.

By the time Qu Dani showed up, yawning and groggy, Qin Li was nursing her bruised forehead with an ice pack.

"What's got you so out of it?" Qu Dani asked.

Qin Li hesitated before blurting, "If you dream about... getting intimate with someone, what does it mean?"

Qu Dani's eyes sparkled mischievously. "Oh, you had a dream about him?" she whispered, jerking her thumb toward Yan Sen.

Qin Li reluctantly nodded, her face heating again.

"It means you're into him," Qu Dani declared with certainty. "Daydreaming or night dreaming—it's all the same. You've got a crush!"

"Who doesn't like a handsome guy?" Qin Li muttered defensively.

Qu Dani nodded sagely. "True, at our age, we're like tigers and wolves. But seriously, how lonely and deprived are you to have an actual XXOO dream?"

Qin Li buried her face in her hands, half ashamed and half regretful. "Ugh, it was going so well, and just when the buttons were about to come undone, I woke up! If it's just a dream, why not take it all the way to the climax?"

Qu Dani pinched her arm. "Your shamelessness is growing by the day."

"It's because I've been surrounded by too much eye candy lately," Qin Li sighed.

"Then why not just confess already?" Qu Dani suggested.

"Confess what?"

"Say this: I'm dying to have your body. I even dream about it."

Qin Li jabbed her elbow into Dani's side. "Don't be ridiculous. A man would run for the hills if you said something that blunt."

"Not necessarily," Dani replied with a smirk. "European women are fierce. I'm pretty sure Yan Sen can handle it."

At that moment, Yan Sen looked up from the other side of the room, his sharp gaze catching their conversation.

Dani stuck her tongue out playfully. "Good thing he doesn't understand what we're saying."

After ensuring Yan Sen wasn't paying attention anymore, she turned back to Qin Li. "You two are supposed to be dating, right? If things get serious, it's perfectly natural. Why not just take charge, pounce on him, and get it over with? That way, I can wrap things up here and head home."

"Stop joking around," Qin Li said, rolling her eyes. "This whole thing was just an impulsive decision. Now that I've spent time with him, I'm realizing how different our lives are. I don't think it's going to work. Once this month is over, I'll go back to Munich to finish my studies. City life suits me better."

Dani gave her a look of pity. "Think about it, though. Yan Sen's got both the looks and the physique. He's a pretty solid package."

"Sure, the 'hardware' is great," Qin Li admitted, "but the 'software'... I can never figure out what's going on in his head. He's always saying and doing the most unexpected things."

Dani shrugged. "Then don't make it so complicated. Why not just think of it as a little fling? A casual romance. He's got the face and the body—it's not like you'd be getting a bad deal."

"You're going too far!" Qin Li protested.

Dani laughed. "Come on, you're a grown woman, divorced no less. Stop acting like some naive schoolgirl. Let's be real—when you're lonely and cold, having someone warm your bed isn't the worst thing in the world."

Qin Li had to admit, Dani had a point. No strings attached, no emotional baggage—just some carefree fun.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Yan Sen's deep voice cutting through their conversation. "Are you done eating?"

Qin Li startled. "Y-yeah, I'm done."

"Let's go," he said curtly.

"Where to?"

"Grocery shopping," he replied, turning to walk away without waiting for her answer.

Qu Dani, who was eavesdropping nearby, shoved Qin Li forward with a sly grin. "Go on, Mrs. Farmer-to-Be. Don't keep him waiting!"

Qin Li sighed but followed Yan Sen to his car—a sleek black Mercedes that stood in stark contrast to his rugged farmer persona.

The drive to the supermarket was quiet. Yan Sen wasn't much of a talker, and Qin Li busied herself on her phone, organizing a list of groceries they needed.

At a red light, Yan Sen glanced over at her screen. "Anything you don't eat?" she asked, noticing his gaze.

"I eat everything," he replied simply.

"Even seafood?"

He nodded.

"Not picky, huh? That makes things easier," she murmured, adding a few items to her list.

At the supermarket, Qin Li was thrilled to see the well-stocked meat section. Pork cuts of all kinds, fresh and reasonably priced, lined the cold shelves. Her eyes lit up when she spotted pig trotters—perfect for braising, stewing, or even making jelly.

She added a variety of meats to the cart, along with a whole carp, frozen shrimp, and squid. Fresh vegetables followed, filling the shopping cart to the brim.

"Did you bring enough money?" she asked, half-jokingly.

Yan Sen nodded without a word.

As they headed toward the checkout counter, a sharp female voice called out, "Yan Sen!"

Qin Li turned to see a striking blonde woman in a supermarket uniform striding toward them. She was attractive but had the telltale wrinkles of someone slightly older than her youthful makeup suggested.

Before Qin Li could register what was happening, the woman enveloped Yan Sen in a bear hug, planting kisses on both his cheeks. Her bold red lipstick left two bright marks on his face.

"Yan Sen! It's been forever!" the woman said brightly, her tone dripping with familiarity.

To Qin Li's surprise, Yan Sen didn't flinch or pull away. He even smiled—genuinely. "Hello, Jenny. Long time no see."

Qin Li's curiosity was immediately piqued. Who the hell is she?

Jenny beamed at him. "I'm the shift supervisor here now. Not bad, right?"

"Congratulations on getting back on your feet," Yan Sen replied, his tone polite but restrained.

Jenny's gaze shifted to Qin Li, who stood silently beside the cart, observing.

"And who's this?" Jenny asked, her voice carrying a hint of derision as her eyes swept over Qin Li.

"My matchmaking candidate," Yan Sen said plainly, as if announcing the weather.

Jenny's reaction was instant—a sharp intake of breath followed by a disbelieving laugh. "Seriously?" she exclaimed, her eyes narrowing as they raked over Qin Li with open disdain.

The hostility in her tone was palpable. "Yan Sen, are you so desperate that you've resorted to... Asian women?"

Qin Li's hackles rose instantly. Excuse me? Desperate? I could say the same about you, lady.

Yan Sen's brows knit slightly at Jenny's tactless comment, but he said nothing.

Sensing Qin Li's eyes on him, he turned and offered a calm explanation, "This is Jenny, my ex-wife."

Ex-wife! Qin Li's mind raced as her gaze darted between them. Well, that explains the animosity.

Straightening her spine, she met Jenny's sneer with a steady, equally judgmental look of her own.