I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

She cooks for herself every day, yet her kitchen is spotless, as if it were brand new—so clean even a germaphobe couldn't find fault with it—yes, she's good wife material.

While thinking this, he asked, "What kind of hot pot base do you like? Kelp, lemongrass, Mongolian spicy, seafood, cheese, milk, tomato, and vegetables are all fine. You can also distinguish between clear oil and beef tallow. However, the kind of long-simmered soup that requires boiling over high heat for dozens of days is out of the question. I can only prepare something simple."

"Isn't your simple definition a bit strange..." Yukino Yukinoshita paused for a moment, then rested her chin on her hand, deep in thought. "How about something milder? You probably don't like spicy food, right?"

"It's alright, at least it's edible." Yuu Tenkuji started looking for the ingredients she had just bought in the bag.

"Speaking of spicy food, it started around September. I don't know why, but my sister suddenly developed a liking for spicy food, even though she never had any interest in it before..."

Tenkuji Yu paused, looking up at her speechlessly: "...Good question, but are you sure you want to say this during our precious time alone together?"

"Afraid I'll be jealous? Don't worry, I'm not that petty." She smiled lazily like a cat, as if you could see a tail playfully wagging behind her. "I wasn't angry at the amusement park either, was I? Rather than listening to your embellishments, I'd rather hear you tell the story from your own mouth."

"Actually, there's not much to say..."

Even though he seemed uninterested, Yukino persisted in asking, "But surely something must have happened that I haven't heard of? Or are those things you're too embarrassed to tell me?"

Looking into her eyes and confirming that they contained only pure curiosity and a persistent desire to know more, Yuu Tenkuji sighed as if defeated.

"...Okay, anyway, I've already covered the parts that were hard to say. The rest are just mundane everyday stories. If you want to know, I'll tell you."

"Very good!" Yukino clenched her fist slightly in the shadows and couldn't help but smile triumphantly.

Realizing he had lost his composure, he quickly coughed twice to regain his calm.

"Don't worry, you have plenty of time today to tell me about all three of your ex-girlfriends."

Tenkuji Yuu stared wide-eyed in disbelief: "You brought me into the house just to find out about these things?"

Yukinoshita Yukino tilted her head slightly, asking in confusion, "What else could it be for?"

She realized what she had said just seconds later, her fair skin flushed red again, and she glared at him with a mixture of embarrassment and annoyance, but couldn't think of any words to refute or condemn him righteously.

After all, the small box locked in the closet proved that she did have ulterior motives... or rather, she did think about something deeper.

"Didn't you need a pot base? Hurry up and go, these ingredients are also your responsibility."

With a cold voice, she commanded, tossing her leaden black hair, and turned to walk towards the bedroom: "I'm going to change out of my school uniform."

"Okay~" Tenkuji Yu said weakly, watching her run away from the kitchen as if fleeing. Not long after, the sound of the bedroom door closing could be heard.

He stood up, stretched, and took a deep breath of the fresh, fragrant air. Then he looked around at the culinary environment, which was completely different from his own home.

"Hmm... a regular hot pot probably can't produce 'clothing-exploding' dishes, right? And we don't have enough ingredients..."

He muttered with a hint of regret, then turned to look at the apron on the wall and couldn't help but smile helplessly.

"They're acting like I'm going to move in. Did they even prepare my toothbrush and cup in the bathroom? Seriously..."

Taking down the brand-new sky-blue apron hanging next to the cat apron, tying the strap around her waist, Tenkuji Yu turned on the tap and casually picked up the hot pot on the stove—she must have bought it specifically for today.

Unfortunately, her stove is an induction cooker, while Yuu Tenkuji prefers a gas stove because the heat is easier to control and the seasonings taste better when stir-fried.

But it doesn't really matter. When eating hot pot at home, what's important is usually not the taste, but the intimacy and warmth of sharing food from the same pot.

Feeling inexplicably cheerful, Yuu hummed a little tune, turned off the tap, placed the pot, which was eight-tenths full of water, on the stove, and turned on the power.

"Although it's not the first time, cooking at my girlfriend's house still feels quite novel~ Oh right, I forgot about this."

He suddenly remembered something, first confirming that Yukino Yukinoshita was still in the bedroom and hadn't come out, then took out a delicate crystal bottle from his bag.

The "Life Elixir," which hasn't appeared in a long time, is a magical item from another world that can cure all diseases and strengthen the body. There are currently six drops left.

Yuu Tenkuji originally intended to take this opportunity to drug both of them, but the situation changed, and he could only give Yui's share when she came to his house for dinner next time.

"It will be diluted if I put it in hot pot, so it's better to mix it into a drink..."

He opened the crystal medicine bottle and once again revealed a wicked smile, as if he were about to do something evil.

Chapter 181 Flirting and Being Flirted With

This book was compiled by the [Hedgehog Cat Pineapple Bun Novel Exchange Group]. Copyright belongs to the original author. The text is for preview purposes only!

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The upper body is a beige knitted sweater that covers the waist and hips, the lower body is tight jeans that show off long, straight, and beautiful legs, and the bottom is cute cat-shaped plush slippers.

Her long hair, which always flowed gracefully down her back, was simply tied into a low ponytail with a blue hair tie. Just the change in hairstyle made her look much gentler, like a gentle wife who had just gotten married.

"What's wrong?" She stood at the kitchen doorway, gently clutching the hem of her sweater, her face slightly lowered, her gaze half-raised, asking somewhat nervously.

"Hmm... how should I put it..."

Coming to her senses from the inexplicable visual shock, Yuu Tenkuji subconsciously touched her chin, thoughtfully turning her gaze to the ground, before saying in a strangely certain tone:

"...You're just as adorable as I'd like to marry you."

"...Can't you just give a proper compliment?" Yukino shook her head in annoyance, but a small smile appeared on her lips as she blushed and became happy.

Tenkuji Yu quickly turned around, not giving her much of a look at her casual home attire.

He was afraid his heart would beat so fast he couldn't control it, but he didn't want to use the status provided by the system to suppress this sudden surge of excitement and affection.

Looking out the kitchen window, the winter afternoon still had plenty of sunlight. The sparse patches of light seemed to form the words "indulging in debauchery in broad daylight," as if warning him not to act impulsively.

Feeling a little calmer, Yuu Tenkuji picked up the blue cat paw print mug from the table and handed it to Yukino Yukinoshita, who was walking over wearing an apron.

Steam rose from the surface of the tea-colored water, and a sweet and slightly spicy aroma wafted into the nose, giving one a feeling of warmth throughout the body just by smelling it.

"I made my own ginger tea, I'll drink some to ward off the cold."

"I haven't been changing clothes for long, it'll be ready soon..." As she took the mug from him, Yukino Yukinoshita looked at him suspiciously. "Wait, didn't you make one for yourself?"

"No, I'm not afraid of the cold." Tenkuji Yu shrugged and turned to start preparing the remaining ingredients.

"Just make me a cup of black tea later, the best kind, the kind that's full of love. I won't accept anything else."

Her small mouth, still exhaling hot breath, paused slightly. Yukino stared at him through the white smoke, blinking her big eyes in surprise.

"Oh, isn't that the one I usually flirt with you in the Service Club? You can ask for something a little higher."

Tenkuji Yu raised an eyebrow, amused, and asked, "Really? Then why couldn't I taste it?"

"I put ten sugar cubes in yesterday's black tea, did you notice?"

"??? Is my sense of taste gone wrong? Wasn't it completely sugar-free...?"

Looking at her reflection in the tea, Yukino Yukinoshita lowered her eyes slightly and said calmly, "I didn't put any in, because I know you don't like sweets."

"But I know you like me, so in every cup of black tea I make for you, I put a lot of my love for you in it."

"..."

Even with her culinary skills reaching perfection, Yuu Tenkuji almost cut her hand with a kitchen knife at that moment.

He slowly turned his head, like a goldfish starving for air, looking at the beautiful girl standing calmly with an indescribable suffocating expression. He opened his mouth but couldn't say anything immediately.

After a long while, he sighed as if defeated, and his back view became inexplicably lonely.

"Not bad, you've learned how to flirt back... I admit, you're stronger now."

"You flatter me. I still have a lot to learn from you."

Her calm expression finally broke into a ripple, and she chuckled triumphantly a few times. Yukino then blew on the tea to cool it down a bit before tentatively taking a small sip.

Once she was sure she wouldn't burn her tongue, she boldly began to slurp and suck, like a cat snuggling into a warm kotatsu, a relaxed and languid smile gradually spreading across her face.

"Mmm, it's delicious. Thank you."

"You're welcome, and thank you for showing me such a great scene. Zun is dead."

Tenkuji Yu bowed twice to her with feigned piety, causing the girl to blush slightly. She turned her back to him to avoid his flirtatious gaze and continued drinking her hot ginger tea from her warm mug.

My cheeks and heart felt warm, and my whole body felt like it was being soaked in a bath of blissful hot water. I didn't know if it was because of him or the tea... but it seemed like there was no need to separate the two.

His nonchalant voice suddenly rang out: "Oh, by the way, I secretly put some drugs in there."

"..." She paused in her tea-drinking motion, not turning around, nor asking in a flustered manner, "What medicine?"

"Hmph, a drug that makes your whole body feel hot and your blood flow faster."

Yuuki Tenkuji sneered, leisurely waiting for Yukino Yukinoshita to lose her composure, put down her mug, and angrily interrogate him.

His attempt to flirt backfired, and he was the one being flirted with instead. His pride wouldn't allow him to accept this rare defeat! He didn't care if people called him despicable; he was determined to get his revenge!

"……Yeah."

Unexpectedly, Yukino Yukinoshita simply responded with a faint word, leaned against the refrigerator, and continued to slowly sip her cooling ginger tea.

Those eyes remained fixed on his figure standing in front of the cutting board, their gazes seemingly filled with a hazy, dreamlike light.

"...Um, Yukino-san?"

Having not received the response she wanted for a long time, Tenkuji Yuu smoothly prepared and plated the hot pot ingredients, and couldn't help but speak again.

"what happened?"

"Can't you be a little more concerned?"

"You mean you drugged me? You wanted me to feel ashamed and panicked, questioning whether you were that kind of person?"

She saw right through his thoughts, and this time it was Yukino's turn to sneer dismissively, saying calmly, "Get this straight, who hesitated when they heard the two of you were alone? And who kept avoiding my gaze, looking away like a boy in his first love?"

"..."

Yuu Tenkuji didn't speak, but the blade suddenly moved faster, rapidly dismembering the remaining ingredients as if venting his anger.

Yukino Yukinoshita continued to add insult to injury, tracing the cat paw prints on the mug with her fingers: "I could tell you weren't lying to me, which is why I felt relieved... Even if you really did drug me, it would definitely be a drug that would be good for my health. You were just trying to scare me by being vague."

Finally, she said with a smile, "Tenkuji-kun, no matter how good your acting is, you can't hide your ulterior motives."

Yuu Tenkuji couldn't help but roll his eyes: "Is having a girlfriend who understands you so well and is too smart really such an annoying thing?"

Yukino Yukinoshita retorted without backing down: "Having a charming but overly flirtatious boyfriend is something even more annoying than this."

The two glanced at each other, intending to appear serious and aggressive, but the moment they looked at each other, they couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Ha ha……"

"whee……"

The silly laughter of the man and woman echoed in the kitchen for about half a minute before gradually subsiding.

Holding the mug to her face, Yukino Yukinoshita took a small sip.