The heroine feeds and the hero appears

Baize's footsteps slowly descended the stairs, the sound reaching Lin Yuxi's ears.

She turned her head, a hint of surprise in her eyes. "Didn't I tell you to rest in the room? Why did you come down?"

Baize walked toward Lin Yuxi, his voice weak.

"I felt a little better, so I came down."

His eyes swept over the unevenly chopped cabbage leaves on the cutting board and the boiling noodles in the pot, feigning curiosity.

"Sis, what are you making?"

"Uh... I've never really cooked before."

Lin Yuxi gave an embarrassed smile and pointed at the cabbage. "I wanted to add some vegetables to the noodles..."

Baize took two more steps closer to Lin Yuxi, shortening the distance between them to less than a meter. As he approached, he said softly, "Thank you, Sis. I can cook, and I'm actually pretty good at it. How about I help you...?"

Lin Yuxi was about to turn her face slightly to the side and refuse, saying, "No need."

But before the words left her mouth, she suddenly felt a heavy weight press on her shoulders — a pair of long, slender hands tightly wrapped around her waist.

The grip was firm, making her feel as if she was being molded into Baize's body.

This sudden action made Lin Yuxi freeze.

Baize was hugging her — tightly — from behind, in an intimate embrace akin to lovers.

Just like the unexpected kiss earlier.

Lin Yuxi didn't know how to react or what Baize meant by this.

She glanced at Baize's handsome face resting on her shoulder, his brows furrowed with a trace of pain. In that instant, she understood.

Just as she was about to help him to the side to rest, Baize's eyelids slowly lifted, and a warm breath brushed against her ear.

With pain and helplessness in his voice, Baize leaned on Lin Yuxi's shoulder and whispered,

"Sis, I really wanted to help you... I didn't expect... ah, my body is so useless... Sorry..."

Lin Yuxi couldn't let him continue blaming himself.

They say a woman's heart is made of water, and she found herself feeling more and more sorry for this man.

She turned around, one arm wrapping around his waist, lifting his arm onto her shoulder.

With a serious expression, she said, "Don't say such discouraging things. Rest for a while, then eat something. I'll take you out to find the best doctor and a matching donor."

Supporting Baize, she slowly walked toward the sofa. Though she was strong, Baize was still a 1.89-meter-tall man weighing around 145 pounds. His full weight pressing on her made every step heavy.

After settling Baize on the sofa, he opened one eye slightly, peeking at Lin Yuxi.

He looked pitiful, his voice trembling as he said,

"S-sorry, Sis... I'm... too useless... If not for me, you'd already be out of here..."

Baize wasn't wrong.

Though Lin Yuxi was kind, she wasn't a saint.

If the person trapped here with her wasn't Baize, she wouldn't have stayed.

Faced with that half-opened exit and the unknown dangers ahead, she wouldn't have risked her life for a stranger.

She would have escaped without hesitation.

Maybe she would have called the police afterward — maybe not.

But she definitely wouldn't have stayed behind, cooking and comforting anyone.

Before today, Lin Yuxi would have never imagined herself doing such things.

Part of the reason she stayed was because of Baize's family background — the Bai family had deep ties with hers.

But the bigger reason...

The reason she tried to suppress but couldn't deny was —

This man kept making her heart race.

She held Baize's hand tightly, her brows furrowed as she said seriously,

"Baize, don't say that. Misfortune isn't your fault. When we get out of here, I'll find the best hospital and the perfect donor for you..."

Lin Yuxi paused, thinking. With the Bai family's wealth and connections, if there were a suitable donor, why would they have waited this long?

Lowering her eyes in thought, she raised her head again, locking eyes with Baize.

"I'll tell you something, but you must promise not to tell anyone — not even your parents."

Baize weakly nodded,

"Mm... Sis, I won't tell... You should know how tight my lips are..."

You've tasted them, after all.

Lin Yuxi nodded.

"My family... actually has some connections abroad. I'll ask my father to contact them — we'll definitely find a matching kidney for you."

Her voice was firm, with an extra emphasis on the word definitely, as if she were pouring confidence and strength into Baize.

Baize's heart stirred.

The Lin family's overseas business was a well-kept secret, known only to a handful of people.

Yet Lin Yuxi had just shared it with him — someone she'd only known for less than half a day.

Seventy points of favorability — it was no joke.

Baize squeezed her hand, pretending to be puzzled.

"Sis, why do you trust me so much? Why are you so good to me?"

His expression was full of confusion, his acting Oscar-worthy.

Lin Yuxi froze for a moment, then pulled her hand back and turned toward the kitchen.

Her voice floated from afar.

"No reason... I just feel you're trustworthy. If I trust you, then I trust you."

Baize leaned against the sofa, watching her disappear into the kitchen.

He was about to shift positions when Lin Yuxi suddenly returned, holding a bottle of water.

Unscrewing the cap, she handed it to him.

"I found this in the fridge — it's unopened, should be safe. You haven't had water all day. Drink some first — the noodles will be ready soon."

Baize struggled to sit up, almost falling again before Lin Yuxi helped him.

He leaned against the sofa, took two sips of water, and smiled weakly.

"Thank you, Sis... You've worked hard."

Lin Yuxi's voice was gentle.

"It's nothing. Sit tight, I'll check on the noodles."

When she came out again, she carried a steaming bowl of noodles garnished with a few cabbage leaves — simple yet carefully arranged.

Baize couldn't help but admire her — beautiful, intelligent, capable, with an extraordinary family background.

If he hadn't transmigrated, this first taste of Lin Yuxi would have belonged to Chu Cheng.

But now, that had nothing to do with Chu Cheng.

Lin Yuxi placed the bowl on the table.

"It's my first time cooking... It might not taste great."

Baize smiled.

"Anything Sis makes is delicious."

He took a bite — and immediately regretted it.

It was unbearably salty, greasy, with a metallic taste from the cabbage.

His gaze flicked toward the cutting board —

Wait... Wasn't that the knife I used to saw through the iron bars earlier?!

WTF?!

Suppressing the urge to spit it out, Baize forced a smile.

"It's good, just... too hot. I'll wait for it to cool."

Lin Yuxi blinked.

"Freshly cooked noodles are always hot... You can blow on them."

Without hesitation, Baize set the chopsticks down — faster than a scammer deleting chat history.

The taste was one thing — but would he survive the iron filings?

In the original novel, Lin Yuxi's cooking was supposed to be incredible. Had he messed up the timeline?

Baize called out to the system in his mind.

"Did I mess up the plot and ruin Lin Yuxi's cooking skills?"

[Host, the original description was of caramel-colored pastries. As everyone knows, caramel is brown.]

[Besides... a man's mouth is a liar's mouth. Didn't you just praise her?]

Baize: ...

This urban novel author was setting up foreshadowing?

What the hell?!

If he had known the food would taste this bad, he would have let this "blessing" go to Chu Cheng instead.

Bai Ze came back to his senses, and the scene before him lightened his mood a little.

"Huff... huff..."

Lin Yuxi was crouching by his legs, facing the bowl of noodles, carefully blowing on the steaming strands one by one, trying to cool them down.

Although the taste was terrible, the gesture warmed Bai Ze's heart.

"Huff..."

Lin Yuxi blew on the noodles a few more times, then turned to Bai Ze and said, "They're not hot anymore, you can eat now."

Bai Ze was about to get up, but one glance at the wall clock made him sink weakly back into the sofa.

It's time.

The male lead would arrive on the battlefield in two minutes!

Letting him see just a simple scene of eating noodles wouldn't have enough impact.

"I feel so weak... I don't even have the strength to eat."

Lin Yuxi furrowed her brows, looking at Bai Ze with concern.

" You need to eat something to regain your strength, or you'll feel even worse."

Bai Ze gazed at her with puppy-like eyes and said shyly, "Jiejie, I don't have the strength to sit up... Can you..."

Feed me?

Before he could finish, Lin Yuxi cut him off decisively.

"I'll feed you."

Without hesitation, she picked up the bowl, lifted a portion of noodles with her chopsticks, and brought them to Bai Ze's mouth. Her voice was soft and gentle.

"I already cooled them down, eat up."

Bai Ze froze.

Huh?

This Lin Yuxi... was quite perceptive...

She stole his line!

"Oh..." Bai Ze licked his lips, "Then I'll trouble Jiejie."

Lin Yuxi brought the chopsticks even closer.

"Don't be polite, eat."

Bai Ze leaned lazily on the sofa, eating the noodles one bite at a time, his face full of despair as he glanced toward the door.

Chu Cheng, can you hurry up? If you don't come soon, I'll be poisoned to death by your fiancée.

——

Meanwhile, the very person Bai Ze was calling for, Chu Cheng, had just finished searching every room on the second floor with his team.

He gestured toward the stairs leading to the first floor and whispered to Lin Yi and Lin Er, "There's no one on the second floor. They must be downstairs."

The nine security personnel who came along were all highly trained, moving swiftly and silently.

Lin Yi waved his hand, signaling a few people to hold back for three minutes before following.

"You guys, stay and cover us. The rest, follow me."

Lin Er, with the AK on his back and the strongest firepower, led the way. Lin Yi, experienced in combat, followed closely behind.

Chu Cheng's sharp gaze swept toward the kitchen as they descended.

There were traces of recent use — scattered vegetable leaves on the cutting board, a pot with leftover noodles on the stove.

His heart tightened.

Yuxi... His Yuxi...

She must be behind the screen.

But why was it so quiet?

Had he come too late?

Were they already moved to another location?

Lin Er peeked through the gap in the screen first, followed by Lin Yi.

Chu Cheng noticed their expressions change — a rare trace of confusion on their usually cold faces.

Chu Cheng was about to step forward to see for himself when Lin Yi blocked him.

"Ahem, not many people. You stay here. Miss is safe."

There was definitely something behind the screen that Lin Yi didn't want him to see.

The longer he waited, the more agitated he became.

In the face of danger, the heart's true desire becomes clearer.

Wealth, status, and family alliances — none of that mattered now.

All that remained in Chu Cheng's heart was the girl who had called him gege with a sweet smile since childhood.

His heart burned with one conviction:

No matter what Yuxi had endured, the one to comfort her, protect her, and bring her home must be him.

Chu Cheng clenched his fists, his breathing ragged.

With bloodshot eyes, he shoved Lin Yi's hand away.

"Lin Yi-ge, don't stop me. I'm taking Yuxi home myself!"

He stepped past them and gazed through the gap in the screen.

Countless imagined scenarios flashed through his mind.

But nothing could have prepared him for what he saw.

There, crouching by a man's legs, was Lin Yuxi.

Still wearing the pure white dress from their engagement banquet.

Her delicate hands holding a bowl, carefully feeding the man noodles.

The man leaned back on the sofa, legs crossed, one foot lazily swinging in the air.

The scene was oddly... intimate.

Chu Cheng's mind went blank.

It couldn't be.

It must be coercion — she had to be under surveillance.

Meanwhile, Bai Ze heard a system prompt in his head:

[Ding! Host successfully dealt a blow to the male lead Chu Cheng. Villain Luck +200.]

[Ding! Host successfully dealt a blow to the male lead Chu Cheng. Villain Points +200.]

Bai Ze glanced toward the door in confusion.

Huh? He's not even here yet. How did I hit him?

At that moment, Chu Cheng seized a gun from Lin Er and stormed forward, roaring—

"Let her go!"

——

Standing at the stairs, Lin Yi and Lin Er exchanged glances.

Lin Yi: "Is there a hostage-taker?"

Lin Er: "No... just Miss and Young Master Bai. Probably jealous."

Lin Yi nodded thoughtfully.

"To be honest... I kinda respect him now."

Lin Er smirked.

"I'm voting for Young Master Bai. I've never seen Miss take such care of anyone before."

Lin Yi frowned.

"You're always arguing with me. Something's off here — why is there no guard watching them?"

Lin Er pushed him lightly.

"Forget that for now. If Chu Cheng shoots Young Master Bai, the family will have a hard time explaining it."

——

"Let her go!"

The sudden shout shattered the silence.

Bai Ze froze.

So did Lin Yuxi.

Her wary gaze flicked toward the voice, not yet recognizing it.

Bai Ze squinted at the tall, handsome man storming toward them.

Oh... this must be the male lead.

But wait...

Wasn't this scene supposed to happen in the bedroom, with clothes half-off?

Why had the location changed?

[Ding! Host altered the plot (Male Lead's Entrance Location). Villain Luck +200.]

[Ding! Host altered the plot (Male Lead's Entrance Location). Villain Points +200.]

Bai Ze's eyes twinkled slyly.

Finally...

A direct confrontation with the male lead.

He activated his Beginner Observation Eye.

[Character: Chu Cheng]

[Age: 21]

[Appearance: 99/100]

[Combat Power: 150 (Passing score: 60)]

[Current Luck: 18,500 (Initial: 20,000)]

[Female Lead Affection: 90%]

[Cheat Skill: Invincible Fist]

Let the battle begin.