A Meal of Mixed Emotions

What was he doing now?

Mu Yaochen was discreetly driving her limited edition luxury sports car through the bustling streets. Despite navigating the busy traffic, her mind was entirely preoccupied with Luo Yao. Still, it was only two more blocks until she would arrive.

“The food is ready.”

The kitchen staff worked swiftly; it wasn’t long before Luo Yao’s lunch was mostly prepared, though a few more intricate dishes were still being finished. Frost, tray after tray, brought in numerous plates, placing them on the bedside table before Luo Yao.

Judging by the extent of care he received from both Mu Yaochen and Frost, Luo Yao seemed less like a patient with a broken arm and more like someone utterly incapable of self-care. ‘Perhaps, becoming a useless invalid was part of Mu Yaochen’s plan,’ he mused. ‘If that were truly the case, it would be quite terrifying.’

Others, oblivious to Luo Yao’s true thoughts, saw only a high school student based on his outward appearance. Transforming a young man into a useless shell, dependent solely on women, was regrettably simple. Most others, he imagined, would be corrupted by money within a week.

Luo Yao couldn’t entirely dismiss this possibility, as Mu Yaochen’s apparent remorse felt superficial at best. He still couldn’t quite decipher her true intentions, but he was certain Mu Yaochen’s ultimate goal held no benefit for him. Her desire was purely possessive, a craving to dominate; this so-called love was anything but. Moreover, Luo Yao currently had no desire for anyone to love or like him. ‘Such emotions were akin to ultimate madness. And ultimate madness, was the very definition of elegance.’

“Would you… would you like me to feed you?” Frost had already placed a bowl of rice before Luo Yao. Luo Yao glanced at the array of dishes, confirming his suspicion: most of today’s lunch was sweet.

“There’s also a sweet and sour pork ribs dish; I’ll go get it in a moment.” Frost’s gaze remained fixed on Luo Yao’s injured arm.

‘Hey, hey, don’t get any ideas. My left hand is the one that’s broken; it doesn’t stop me from eating.’

“Thank you, Sister Frost.” Luo Yao, ignoring her initial offer, simply offered a small smile, expressing his gratitude.

“Um, are you really sure?” Frost had previously witnessed Mu Yaochen feeding Luo Yao, and back then, she hadn’t thought much of it. But now… ‘I just feel this strange itch in my heart. I want to try it too. Miss shouldn’t be back this afternoon, right?’ Frost recalled that Mu Yaochen had a mountain of work, too much to handle in a single day, so she wouldn’t be returning to the hospital for lunch.

‘Why is she getting so persistent now?’ The old Frost, if she desired to do something, would typically just do it, disregarding others’ feelings entirely, acting with complete nonchalance. In the past, if she wanted to feed Luo Yao, she wouldn’t have bothered to ask for his consent. Instead, she would have assertively taken the spoon and chopsticks from the table and systematically fed him without waiting for his approval. Yet, now, Frost was hesitant, only softly asking for Luo Yao’s permission. A hint of longing mixed with a pleading expression filled her eyes, though Frost herself remained oblivious to these uncharacteristic emotions.

Luo Yao was about to pick up his chopsticks. Even with one arm out of commission, he could still manage to eat by himself; he wasn’t yet so incapacitated that he needed to be fed. However, when Luo Yao looked up, preparing to refuse Frost once more, he saw a flicker of longing in her eyes, a stark contrast to her usual cold demeanor. ‘It should be called pleading, actually. Mu Yaochen gets to experience that feeding play with Luo Yao, so why can’t Frost? As the saying goes, what others have, I shouldn’t be without.’

Luo Yao rarely saw such emotions in Frost’s eyes, and the words of refusal he’d intended to speak caught in his throat. ‘Forget it, it’s just feeding, no big deal.’ Seeing Frost’s eager, puppy-dog eyes, Luo Yao, despite his initial reluctance, finally conceded.

“Alright, alright then,” Luo Yao instinctively agreed to Frost’s request.

“Mhm.” Upon receiving Luo Yao’s consent, a smile first bloomed on Frost’s lips. This common expression, usually seen everywhere, appeared on Frost’s face like a pristine white lotus: pure and natural. Such a seemingly ordinary expression was, in fact, incredibly rare to witness on her. Before Luo Yao could fully take it in, the curve of Frost’s lips settled back into placidity.

Though outwardly Frost appeared utterly cool and composed, her heart was surging with excitement. The words she’d just spoken had been uttered with immense courage, especially that second follow-up question. At that moment, Frost had felt her entire body tremble uncontrollably. Yet, before her body could fully register it, Luo Yao had already agreed to her request to feed him. Until now, she had merely been operating on instinct.

She was now seated in the chair typically occupied by Mu Yaochen. Gazing at Luo Yao from such close proximity, Frost initially paused, slightly startled. Then, she picked up the silver spoon from the table, glanced at the dishes, and then back at Luo Yao.

“Wh-what… what would you like to eat first?” Frost’s voice was trembling, yet she forcefully suppressed her own body. Her body, quivering with excitement, was being held in check by a stronger will.

“Anything… anything is fine.” Even Luo Yao, usually not one for keen observation, could tell that Frost was incredibly nervous. ‘It’s just feeding someone; why be so tense?’

Looking at the tempting dishes before him, Luo Yao actually didn’t have much of an appetite. This was mainly due to having eaten a large breakfast and not having exercised much that morning. Still, Luo Yao found he couldn’t resist Frost’s earnest, longing gaze. Frankly, Frost’s usual cold demeanor, combined with her earlier puppy-dog eyes, created an unexpected “moe” contrast for Luo Yao. This was what led him to instinctively agree to her request.

“Anything’s fine, really. Oh, I’d like to try that.” Luo Yao pointed to the sweet and sour pork ribs that had just been served, and Frost immediately picked up a piece and brought it to his lips.

‘Why do I feel Frost feeding me is even more embarrassing than Mu Yaochen doing it?’ Frost’s eyes were intently fixed on Luo Yao’s lips, which made him feel inexplicably awkward. Mu Yaochen was different; when she fed him, Luo Yao found her to be very efficient and businesslike.

Luo Yao found today’s lunch exceptionally uncomfortable to eat. Yet, Frost, sitting before Luo Yao, felt a profound sense of joy.