Ch. 961..970

Chapter 961

Chapter 961

As Zuko was about to reach the last store, he heard a commotion coming from across the street. Soon, shelves and merchandise were being thrown out of the small supermarket "Jazzy Mint". Zuko was taken aback. He heard a girl shouting in anger and a group of men mocking her and saw the arrogant Violet standing at the store entrance with a cold and malicious smirk. "Lina Jenner, this is just a small warning for you!" Violet looked at the mess triumphantly. "If you dare to talk nonsense and defame us Grists again, I have ways to make you suffer!" "Do the Grists need me to defame you when you do all those outrageous things?" Lina glared at her. "Violet, you better be careful. Karma will find your whole family!"

"You little b*tch, how dare you curse me?" barked Violet.

Lina ignored her directly and tidied up the things on the ground. The fruits and vegetables in the store were smashed, and the bottled drinks were shattered. The only things she could salvage were the packaged snacks.

However, just as she was about to pick up a packet of preserved plums, a stiletto stomped down on it forcefully. Violet deliberately crushed it with her heel, her laughter piercing.

Lina did not lift her head, but a fierce determination flashed in her crystal-clear eyes. She bit her lip, forcefully pulling the bag of preserved plums.

It caused Violet to suddenly lose her balance and fall to the ground with a scream, landing on her back.

Lina calmly stood up, her gaze icy.

Humiliated and angry Violet ordered the bodyguards beside her, "Are you all dead? Can't you see this b*tch bullying me? Smash her store!"

Just as the men were about to act, a tall figure suddenly blocked Lina.

Violet was taken aback and stared blankly for a moment before realizing who the person was.

"You're Zeke?" Then she noticed the delivery truck across the street. "Are you here to make a delivery?"

Zuko remained expressionless, not saying a word. There was an indiscernible emotion in the depths of his eyes.

Violet knew that there was a dim-witted driver in her family business who had a strong build and had gone to prison. He usually did not speak much and only focused on delivering goods to the shops on this street.

Everyone called him a big dumb guy, and she really thought that Zeke was an unsightly big dumb guy, even asking him to defile Lina.

Upon closer inspection, she realized that Zeke actually had an astonishingly handsome face. However... She sneered. 'So what if he is good-looking? He is still a person with a bad reputation!' "What's the matter? Playing the hero to save the damsel in distress?" Violet intentionally raised her voice and shouted, "After sleeping with her for a night, did you suddenly develop feelings? Hahaha! "Oh, by the way, Lina! How did it feel spending the night together? Did it feel good?"

Lina's face turned pale as she stared at her intently.

Violet became even more delighted and suddenly thought of something, bursting into laughter. "Ah, Lina, why don't you just marry him? The ex-convict, big dumb guy, and you shameless little b*stard really make a perfect match!

"Yes, let's settle it like this!" She then looked at Zuko. "Hey, there's no better employer in this world, right? I give you a salary and even helped you find a wife!"

Chapter 962

Chapter 962

"Violet, are you crazy!?" Lina trembled with anger.

When Zuko stood before her, Lina instinctively took a few steps back.

"All of you... get lost! Or I'll call the police!"

"Don't scare me with the police!" Violet gloated. "Lina, if I don't see your marriage certificate with this idiot within three days, I'll return to smash your store!

"Even if you call the police, they'll make me compensate you! Hah! The Grists don't lack money. I'll just think I'm feeding the dogs!

Violet sneered coldly, her lips curling. "But it's different for your parents. If you're willing to let them see how I destroy their lifetime of hard work with their own eyes, then go ahead and oppose me!"

"You!" Lina raised her hand abruptly, but that slap never landed. She knew the Grists had power and influence, so the Grist Group's products would still circulate in the market even if she reported and resisted. Even though her family's small supermarket was smashed like this, there was not a single neighbor around who dared to help. If Violet wanted to embarrass her, she had to be embarrassed.

Lina's trembling hand hung in the air. She was not afraid for herself, but she was afraid of Violet retaliating against her parents and her younger brother.

Zuko's cold gaze scanned the faces of everyone present. He could clearly see Lina's anger and sadness, Violet's bullying, and the indifference and ruthlessness of the onlookers. He felt some sympathy for the girl.

However, the battle between the women was too boring. He needed to expedite the progress of this battle.

"Hah, why don't you hit me!?" Violet taunted, pointing at her own face. "What's wrong, scared now? Hit me!

"Lina, you truly disappoint me! I bet even with ten times the courage, you still wouldn't dare touch me!"

Lina took a sharp breath. Just then, a broad palm grasped her wrist, forcefully pressed against the back of her hand, and landed a resounding slap on Violet's face!

"So annoying," Zuko calmly uttered two words.

Violet was stunned, staring at the two of them without saying a word for a while. Lina was also in a daze. She turned to look at the man beside her. It was him... it was him who had pushed her hand and slapped Violet!

"Ah!" Violet screamed in shock.

Several bodyguards rushed forward, but none of them was a match for Zuko. With his agile movements, he quickly knocked the bodyguards to the ground. His sturdy body shielded Lina securely.

Lina could only stare at his broad back. His back was like a wall, isolating her in an incredibly safe little world.

"Zeke, how... How dare you hit me!?" Violet's face turned pale with anger. "How dare you help that b*tch hit me!?" "Didn't you ask for it yourself?" he asked back.

"You!"

"I'm just hurrying her and fulfilling your wish!" said Zuko.

Although Violet was nearly driven mad by anger, the advantage was clearly not on her side now. She kicked one of the bodyguards and mumbled something under her breath before turning and fleeing.

It took Lina quite some time to calm down. She lowered her head and walked into the small supermarket. The shelves had collapsed, crates of eggs were shattered, and the air was filled with the unpleasant smell of mushed fruits. As she was about to start cleaning up, a strong arm reached out and gently helped her prop up a shelf. Lina was stunned for a moment.

Chapter 963

Chapter 963

Lina felt like she should say something but did not know what to say. Every time she thought about Ziuko, her heart felt like it was being gnawed at by ants, causing unbearable pain.

However, if Ziko had not been there, she would have had a hard time dealing with it alone. Lina bit her lip, and in her mind, these words flashed like lightning-three days, marriage certificate, smashing the store.

She took a deep breath, and a bold thought emerged.

"Z-Zeke," she tried calling his name, "Your name is Zeke, right?"

Zuko's back stiffened, and he paused in arranging the shelves. Even though he was facing away from her, he could still sense her trembling.

"Zeke, how about... we stay together?" she asked.

"What?" Zuko's tone changed as he turned around abruptly, his deep gaze fixed on her.

What nonsense was this girl saying!?

He had only helped out a little when he saw an injustice. Was he being repaid with ingratitude? Was she going to cling to him for the rest of her life?

Lina noticed his change in expression. Her face reddened as she hurriedly explained, "Zeke, don't worry. I'm not saying we should get married! I'm just saying, let's live together..."

The bottle of drink in Zuko's hand dropped to the ground with a thud.

"Ah, not that kind of living together!" Lina's head ached, and her words became incoherent. She could not explain it clearly. She just wanted to use Zeke as part of her strategy to temporarily defuse the situation.

The first step was to prevent Violet from constantly vandalizing the store. Since Violet wanted her to marry Zeke to humiliate her, she would go along with it! She was willing to do anything as long as she could protect her family's small supermarket. Also, when she hid behind him just now, she felt an unparalleled sense of safety.

"Zeke, listen to me...

"From the looks of it, Violet won't let me off if I don't find someone to marry. I'm afraid she'll involve my parents. They are getting older and have invested their lifelong savings in this small store. I can't let them lose everything."

Zuko's pace in arranging the shelves slowed down, and he fell silent for a while before squeezing out a few words in a low voice. "Isn't getting married like this too hasty?"

"N-Not a real marriage!" Lina's face grew even redder. "It's just... I want to use you to deceive Violet."

Lina froze. She looked up and met Zuko's oppressive gaze, which caused her heartbeat to quicken involuntarily.

Zuko thought she was about to say, "If you're not willing, then forget it."

Little did he know that she persevered and analyzed everything with a clear head.

"You helped me today by fighting against Violet, so you won't be able to stay in the Grist Group anymore. How will you support yourself when you don't have a job?

"It'd be better for you to come and live with me. At least I can guarantee three meals a day and provide shelter!"

Lina became more respectful. "Zeke... Mr. Hamerton, as long as you can help me get through this difficult situation, I... I will definitely not treat you unfairly!"

Zuko's facial expression didn't change. He looked around the small supermarket, which was no more than 70-something square meters, packed with shelves filled to the brim with not-so-high-end products. In his eyes, this kind of place was not worth much.

However, in this young woman's eyes, it seemed like a priceless treasure, something she would sacrifice everything for.

Zuko remained silent for a long time. Lina thought there was no hope and awkwardly smiled.

In an instant, she turned around, though, the person behind her suddenly asked, "If we are going to live together, at least tell me your name, right?"

Chapter 964

Chapter 964

"I am Lina Jenner," Lina uttered her name after a moment and continued turning around to tidy up the shelves.

Zuko was somewhat surprised. "You're also a Jenner?"

Lina looked at him. "What's wrong?"

Zuko lightly shook his head, a cold and stern profile with a faint hint of a smile.

'What a coincidence, she is also a Jenner.'

However, Zuko's mother had only used the surname Jenner in the first half of her life. For this special reason, Zuko could not help but look at Lina a few more times.

Unlike the disheveled appearance that night, she now exuded a sense of clarity and purity. Even in a regular white shirt and jeans, she appeared extraordinary. Moreover, she was beautiful.

The corners of Zuko's lips curved up slightly, a smile he himself did not even notice.

...

Lina and Zuko agreed that he would go home and pack his things tonight and move in the next day. However, she felt somewhat regretful in the evening.

When she saw the astonished gazes of Jesse, Melissa, and Dave, she felt even more uncomfortable. Why did she bring a man who had taken advantage of her and stolen her innocence into her home? Was she not inviting trouble?

She gritted her teeth and swallowed her pride, refusing to tell her family about this matter. But it did not mean she had no concerns.

It was just that in this extraordinary situation, perhaps only that man could ensure the safety of their family.

Lina sat low in her chair, anxiously rubbing her hands and occasionally raising her eyes but quickly averting her gaze.

"Lina, what are you thinking!?" Melissa's heart ached. "You... You brought such a person into our home?"

"I've seen that person a few times. He always has a gloomy face and doesn't say a word! Just one glance from him feels like he's wielding a knife!" Jesse's features were scrunched together. "My good girl, didn't I say I'd take you all to live in another city? Why did you—"

"Dad, mom," Lina said in a low voice. "I know you're doing this for my own good, but I caused this, so I have to handle it myself.

"If I don't back down, the Grists won't let us off no matter where we run! I don't want both of you to toil for a lifetime and end up with nothing, living a rough and unsettled life-"

Before Lina could finish her sentence, Melissa was already crying. Jesse coughed and looked at his wife. He felt sad too but was not as emotional as his wife.

In fact, he even felt somewhat relieved that Lina was willing to do this. Even though he had raised her for 20 years, she was not his biological daughter after all. He would feel reluctant to give up his lifetime accomplishments for Lina's sake.

Despite that, he also felt guilty about the decision Lina had made. Because he was useless and could not protect his daughter, she had to ensure their family's safety in this way.

"Dad, mom, what are you doing!?" Lina forced a smile. "I'm not marrying Zeke. I'm just letting him stay in our house to shut Violet's mouth!"

"But you'll be together every day!" Melissa choked. "If he were a good person, it'd be fine... but I heard he has a dubious past! Lina, you mustn't be taken advantage of!"

Chapter 965

Chapter 965

"Don't worry, mom!" Lina said, "He's coming to our house, and there's no other room for him, so he'll sleep on the living room floor!"

"Well..." Melissa said, gritting her teeth, "And don't expect me to show him any kindness!"

Lina's heart lurched, and she hugged her mother to gently pat her back.

"Mom, actually... he has his strengths," she said with a smile. Yet tears were streaming down her face as she tried to say only positive things, "Look at how sturdy and reliable he looks! We'll feel safe at home! If you can't stand him, just treat him as a guard I invited.

"With him guarding the entrance, Violet won't dare cause trouble!"

Melissa's tears turned into a smile as she nodded at Lina's words, letting out a helpless sigh.

That night, the whole family went to sleep except for Melissa, who could not fall asleep. She sat by Lina's side, gently stroking her hair.

20 years had passed like a fleeting moment, but it still felt like it happened just yesterday to her.

At that time...

Melissa and Jesse had been married for years but hadn't had children yet. They had taken a boat to Centrolis, seeking medical advice and remedies. On the boat ride back, they saw a man sitting next to them holding this little girl.

The girl was about one year old, exquisitely beautiful, and adorable.

Melissa loved children, especially such a beautiful and cute little girl. She could not take her eyes off the girl and wished she could take out all the snacks from her bag to give them to her.

The man sitting beside them was vigilant and took the child to the deck. Melissa followed persistently, trying to get closer to the man just to spend more time with the child.

There were two more piers in the coastal area between Centrolis and Jangasas, and the boat made a stop. While waiting for passengers to board the boat, Melissa finally took the opportunity to carry this delicate and endearing little girl from the man's tired hands.

The man said he wanted to smoke and asked her to take care of the child.

Jesse and Melissa were overjoyed and did not know how to express their affection toward her. The snacks in their bags were all gone, and the little girl had started crying. They saw that the ship had not sailed yet, so they quickly took her off it to buy her some delicious food.

It was during that time that the ship left. Later, they heard that the ship encountered a storm, and almost all the passengers on board perished, with only a few survivors.

Melissa's eyes moistened slightly upon thinking of those things. She always felt that she and Jesse had been able to escape that disaster because of Lina.

It was as if fate had sent this child to them.

Back then, out of selfishness and a sense of luck, however, they thought that the child's family had perished in the disaster, so they did not tell anyone about her true identity.

They introduced her as their daughter to everyone they met and thought she brought endless blessings and lasting affection.

Soon after, they had their own son, Dave. Later, Jesse set up a stall and earned a good amount of money. He even acquired a small supermarket, and their lives became comfortable.

They became even more convinced that Lina brought on all the good luck they experienced. They treated her as their own, even better than Dave.

However, as time passed, neighbors always loved to gossip, saying that Lina looked nothing like their family. They would say that Jesse and Melissa were just regular people, so how could pheasants like them raise a swan like her?

Melissa shook her head and sighed.

She never argued with those neighbors, but the matter became her own burden.

In recent years, she had even started to worry. What if Lina still had other family members? What if her own family found her? What would she do then?

Melissa's heart clenched, and she gently lay beside her daughter, just like the countless sleepless nights when she took care of her. She watched her quietly, holding back tears and smiling tenderly.

Chapter 966

Chapter 966

The next day, Zuko arrived at the Jenners with his luggage and experienced the cold treatment he had never had before.

Lina had to stay at school to finish her paper before returning home, so she sent him the address and told him to go by himself. Zuko followed the address and arrived at a small lane where the Jenners lived. The house looked old, with creaking wooden floors.

Fortunately, the living space was not cramped. It was a small two-story house, and the Jenners lived on the left side. Downstairs was a living room, kitchen, bathroom, master bedroom, and Dave's room. Upstairs was a spacious attic facing south with excellent sunlight. Opening the door led to a charming little balcony with black carved railings adorned with blooming roses.

Zuko was immediately drawn to the scenery and asked, "This is..."

Dave softly introduced, "This is my sister's room."

Zuko's lips curled into a smile. "Your parents treat her well. This attic should be the biggest and best room."

Dave glanced at him but did not say anything. He turned and headed downstairs, with Zuko following behind. The stairs were quite narrow and creaked as they walked down. In this house, everything seemed to make noise. Living there would probably be lively.

Zuko smiled faintly.

In the living room, Jesse assumed the central seat, dressed in a suit and with his shoes polished, projecting the image of the head of the family. Melissa had styled her hair into curls and wore a big red scarf around her neck, a treasured item from their wedding. Meanwhile, Dave sat upright, adjusting his black-framed glasses, his eyes gleaming with an unfriendly demeanor.

The imposing scene slightly stunned Zuko.

However, he did not know that these three people were just putting on a show. In their eyes, he had been in fights and even been to prison. With his tall and sturdy build, he could probably overpower their whole family with just one arm. Moreover, he was not talkative. Although his face was handsome, he always had a gloomy expression that naturally intimidated others.

That was why they wanted to intimidate him on his first day there.

Melissa coughed heavily, giving Jesse a signal.

Jesse, an honest man all his life, had never done anything like this before, so he straightened his body as much as possible, trying to encourage himself.

"Um... You!" Jesse pointed at Zuko, extending his arm stiffly, but his fingertips were trembling slightly. "You... Whatever I ask, y-you have to answer! Do you... Do you understand?"

Melissa shot him an exasperated look. This was supposed to add to their daughter's authority, but the old man had made a mess of it and was even stuttering!

"Enough." Melissa pursed her lips. "Ask whatever you want quickly. Our daughter will be back for dinner soon!"

"Yes!" Jesse tugged at his collar, sweating profusely.

He continued pointing at Zuko. "Name, age, and address! Don't miss a single detail!"

His tone was like interrogating a criminal.

This was the decision the three of them made after their "brainstorming" session today. They wanted to give Zuko a taste of what he experienced in the police station and make him recall those days. Although a person who had been to prison was fearless, the police still had some deterrent effect on them.

It was just that...

Chapter 967

Chapter 967

Zuko sneered, thinking that the actors were terrible!

"Hey, what are you laughing at?" Melissa glared at him. "Is it funny? Be serious!"

Zuko looked at them with deep eyes as if he were looking at fools.

Melissa decided to take matters into her own hands since her husband was acting so timidly. She licked her lips and raised her voice to the maximum volume, enunciating each word clearly. "Now that you're staying in our house, we need to establish some rules for you! Do you have any objections?"

Zuko shook his head.

"The first rule is that you have no other place to sleep but the living room floor!"

Dave reminded her softly, "Mom, Lina just bought him a folding bed this morning. It's—"

"Forget about the folding bed!" Melissa shouted, "Sleeping on the floor means sleeping on the floor!"

Zuko made a soft snort from his nose. He did not care where he slept, but he was surprised that Lina had bought him a folding bed. He followed Dave's gaze and looked over to the corner of the room where a folding bed stood, plain military green in color, with a bed sheet neatly put on it.

There was an indescribable expression on Zuko's face.

"Secondly!" Melissa continued to say, "We don't eat much in our family, you know? So, I won't be cooking a lot! If you can eat, eat. If you can't, go out and eat on your own. No one will stop you!"

Zuko looked at her. Did she mean not to waste their food?

He found it amusing and continued listening as she went on with the third, fourth, and fifth points.

"You have to do household chores at home, help carry things at the supermarket, keep yourself busy, and not engage in fights all the time. What's the point of that?

"You have to wash your own clothes, and dirty clothes are not allowed on the sofa, do you hear me?

"And..." Melissa gnashed her teeth and pointed upward. "The attic is a place you can never enter! If you dare to go in, I'll fight you! Do you understand now?"

Melissa bombarded Zuko with her words, creating an eerie silence in the room. Jesse and Melissa exchanged glances and looked at Dave. Finally, the three of them turned their gaze toward Zuko, who was standing by the window.

Just then, Zuko suddenly turned around. His presence was powerful.

Jesse and Melissa sprang up from their seats as if they had springs attached to their bottoms. Dave also stood up, hiding directly behind the two of them.

"What... What are you doing?" Jesse rolled up his sleeves, waving his short arms, and Melissa did the same.

Zuko could not understand what this family of three was up to, but he did not feel like talking. Thus, he simply threw his luggage bag on the ground with a thud, making the wooden floor creak several times. Jesse and Melissa were almost so scared that they hugged each other.

"He hasn't said a word since he came in..." Jesse whispered to his wife, "Could it be that he's really dumb and can't even speak?"

"Mister, you worry too much." Zuko suddenly spoke, startling Jesse. "Not only can I speak, but I can also take care of myself.

"And I have to add something." Zuko put his hands in his pockets. "It was your daughter who insisted on me coming. I didn't ask to. She wanted me to come and be the guardian of your house." Zuko smiled mockingly and slowly walked closer to Melissa.

"Ma'am, what kind of guardian gets no benefits but also gets restricted in so many ways like me?"

Chapter 968

Chapter 968

Zuko's imposing aura, which was intimidating even without anger, made everyone in the room stand still, afraid to make a sound. After a while, Melissa gathered her courage. "You... What else do you want?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Zuko looked at her. Melissa was just a regular middle-aged woman, overweight and exuding no sense of sophistication. Compared to his mother, this woman appeared at least ten years older.

Despite her fear, she confronted him like an old sparrow protecting a young sparrow with fluttering wings. Zuko suddenly remembered the saying about a mother's love. Melissa's love for Lina was no less than his mother's love for him.

"Oh, honey..." Jesse gently pulled Melissa and looked anxious as he whispered, "Don't provoke him. You can't handle him—"

"Stop talking!" Melissa glared at him and then turned her wary gaze back to Zuko.

Zuko found it disdainful to argue with them. After a moment of silence, he simply put his luggage in the corner and went to sit on the porch.

After a long time, the three people in the room finally regained their senses. They took deep breaths, looked at each other, and quietly returned to their respective rooms. The whole afternoon passed peacefully.

Lina had been at the library all this time. There were too many troubles recently. Studying hard was the only way for her to temporarily escape from those disturbing emotions. Gia was both envious and distressed seeing her like this. She bought two cups of vanilla latte and gently placed one in front of Lina.

Lina said, "Are you trying to keep me awake at night with coffee in the afternoon?"

"Even if I didn't buy coffee, you'd still have trouble sleeping! With an extra person at home, can you sleep?" Gia chuckled.

"I..."

Gia leaned on the table and looked at her. "Lina, do you have to do this? That Zeke isn't a good person, and he..."

Gia stopped halfway through her sentence, swallowing the rest. Lina lowered her head and drank the coffee, holding the paper cup with both hands, but her fingertips still felt cold.

Actually, when she thought about it later, she was not sure what exactly had happened that night. People said that the first time would hurt and there might be bleeding. When she woke up in the hospital, she did not feel anything unusual. She had gone to the bathroom and checked-her pants were clean, so maybe she had not...

It was hard to say for sure.

In any case, it was absolutely certain that Violet had drugged her! Lina pressed her temples in annoyance, took a big sip of coffee, and continued to lower her head to write notes.

The librarians had already started their cleaning work, and one by one, the students left. Even Gia was going home. Lina had no choice but to pack up and leave as well.

When she arrived home, the wall clock indicated 11:00 p.m. The small house was pitch black, and the sound of her father snoring could be heard from the master bedroom downstairs. Lina smiled softly as she tiptoed inside, closed the door, and removed her shoes. The living room light suddenly turned on as soon as she did that.

It startled her!

"Lina, why are you back so late?" Dave was standing there, looking relieved.

"I just got up to use the bathroom and heard some noise. I thought it was a thief..." Dave rubbed his eyes and yawned. "Then I thought, how could that be? You just brought a guardian back!" Speaking of the door guardian, Lina suddenly remembered Zuko. "Where's Zeke? He's not in my room, is he?"

"Of course not." Dave smirked and pointed outside. "He's sleeping over there!"

Lina was taken aback.

The small old-fashioned villa had a porch outside, and Zuko had taken the folding bed there to sleep at night.

Chapter 969

Chapter 969

Now that the weather was warm, sleeping outdoors was quite comfortable, but there were a lot of mosquitoes. Lina quietly walked over.

This folding bed she had bought was too short, and Zuko's long legs stuck out. The width was not enough either. Overall, it looked like an adult sleeping in a child's bed. Lina found it amusing and turned back. Dave was still waiting in the living room.

"Why aren't you going to sleep?" she asked.

Dave pointed to Zuko and whispered, "You didn't bring him back?"

"Did he go out on his own? Or did our parents kick him out?"

"He went out on his own," replied Dave. "Oh, by the way, are you hungry? I can get you something to eat!"

After saying that, he turned and went into the kitchen, retrieving a plate of lobster risotto.

"It's kept warm in the pot!" he exclaimed.

Lina was taken aback and looked at Dave. The cooking did not seem like something her mother would do, and lobsters were expensive. Even if her mother bought lobsters, she would cook them whole, not jus pick the meat out for fried rice.

"This..."

Dave smiled mysteriously. "This is a special treat from the door guardian for you!"

"What?"

Dave told her, "Before dinner, he went out for a while. Mom and dad didn't know what he was up to, so they didn't stop him. When he returned shortly after, he was carrying four big lobsters in his hands!" Dave was excitedly gesturing with his hands. "Four of them, so big! Four whole lobsters!"

Although Lina was not in charge of the household, she knew that prices were skyrocketing. Forget four lobsters this big-even buying one would require Melissa to carefully consider it. "Hey, Lina!" Dave continued to perform for her, imitating Zuko's unrecognizable walk. "Look, he came in like this, and then he casually tossed the lobsters on the table with a flick of his hand! "And he had no expression on his face. He just said, 'One for each of you, leave the remaining one for me, don't touch it!""

Lina listened, dumbfounded.

On the other hand, Dave had an engrossed look on his face, wearing a silly smile. "Wow, this door guardian is so cool!"

Lina glanced at the porch and suddenly felt an indescribable emotion welling up in her heart.

She sat at the table and picked up a spoon. The plate of risotto was still warm. With complex feelings, she took a bite and almost spat it out.

"Why does it taste so bad!?" Lina tried her best to control her volume.

Dave was surprised. "What? It's not good?"

Lina's face scrunched up, and all her features squished together.

Normally, these ingredients were considered high-class, but they had turned into a dish from hell! It must be really hard for him.

"Have you and our parents tried it?" Lina looked at her brother. "Don't you think the taste is strange?"

"We didn't dare to eat it! He especially made it for you!" Dave winked. "Do you see that? The kitchen, he almost burned it down!" Lina's heart suddenly clenched.

The kitchen was like a warhorse to a general to Melissa-its significance was extraordinary.

Now, someone dared to provoke her in her beloved kitchen. Would that not be...

Lina had a bad feeling, and the corners of her lips twitched a couple of times. "Is... mom angry?"

"She's fine," Dave answered truthfully. "Mom just used some family disciplinary measures and quietly went back to her room."

Lina followed Dave's finger and looked at the trash can.

It was no wonder Melissa had "quietly" returned to her room. The feather duster had been snapped in half. How could she not go back!?

Chapter 970

Chapter 970

"Hey, Lina, Mom was really scared by the door guardian today!" Dave chuckled. "She used that feather duster for over ten years, and it suddenly met its demise!"

Lina was taken aback. "What? Did Zeke dare to lay hands on Mom?"

"No!" Dave described the situation to her. "Mom was furious because the kitchen was too messy. She grabbed the feather duster to make a point, but she got carried away and accidentally hit him for real... "And the feather duster snapped in half."

Lina widened her eyes.

Dave looked toward the porch and lowered his voice. "Sis, he's not a door guardian but Ironman, is he?"

Lina could not help but laugh and told her brother to go back to sleep.

She looked at the plate of risotto on the table for a while, then went to the porch for no reason.

Zuko was in a vigilant sleeping position, his body tilted to one side, hands crossed in front of his chest, and the blanket only covering his stomach.

His exposed arms and calves had well-defined and perfect muscle lines, exuding a masculine aura.

Lina quickly lowered her head, retracting her gaze and all those fleeting thoughts.

They peacefully spent their first day like that.

Early the next morning, Lina quietly went downstairs.

Weekends were usually the busiest time at the store. Jesse and Melissa would wake up early to restock and tidy the shelves before opening.

Dave had a habit of reading in the morning and was likely studying in the park two blocks away.

Lina went to the porch and realized that Zuko was not there either. She was wondering when she heard footsteps behind her.

She turned her head and saw Zuko, wearing a T-shirt and shorts, walk toward her. It seemed like he had just finished exercising, his chiseled face exuding a hint of firmness and his well-built figure embraced by the morning light.

The T-shirt that was damp with sweat clung to his body, outlining a perfect inverted triangle physique.

Lina's gaze inadvertently fell on his chest.

"What are you looking at?" Zuko's voice was deep.

Lina hurriedly turned her face away.

"It's nothing," she said softly. "I just... wanted to ask how you slept."

"Fine."

Zuko wiped his face with a towel.

Lina looked at him. He always seemed so reserved, with no expression on his face, keeping people at a distance.

She had grown up in a lively atmosphere and assumed the world was lively.

The two of them stood silently on the porch, the atmosphere becoming somewhat awkward.

Lina took a deep breath and tried to find something to say. "Did you cook the risotto last night?"

Zuko was briefly taken aback before he replied in a low voice, "Yeah."

"Well..." Lina had originally planned to complain but changed it to a simple "thank you" in the end.

Firstly, they were practically strangers to each other, even though they had that one inexplicable incident.

Secondly, the fact that he had cooked dinner for her was already quite remarkable. Her parents had always taught her to be grateful and appreciate the good in others.

It was just that... this man did not seem to appreciate it.

His expression remained cold, and he said in a deep voice, "You don't have to worry about it. It's my first day living here, and coming empty-handed wouldn't be right." "So, buying a few lobsters counts as paying rent?"