A natural, friendly smile graced Ye Qingfeng's lips as he waved Anby over.
Anby responded with a slight nod, quickening her pace to the table. Her eyes scanned the simple spread, and she stated matter-of-factly, "Calculation: if we begin eating now, one breakfast portion can be consumed within three minutes."
The meals were the picture of simplicity: two fried eggs, a slice of golden-brown toast, and a glass of milk for each of them.
"Let's... wait for Sister Nicole to join us," Ye Qingfeng suggested gently. "And eating that quickly isn't good for your digestion."
He found her oddly precise way of speaking a little peculiar, but he didn't dwell on it. "Anby, could you go wake Sister Nicole for breakfast?"
"Affirmative. However, there is an 85% probability I will be unable to delay my bladder's biological imperative if the waking process exceeds three minutes."
Ye Qingfeng blinked, taken aback. Her completely deadpan delivery confirmed it—her personality wasn't just a little different; it was profoundly unique. Seeing her still standing there, patiently awaiting his response, he quickly waved a hand.
"Go, go! Use the bathroom! I'll get Nicole."
Anby's mouth opened slightly as if to reply, but Ye Qingfeng was already dashing up the stairs. She tilted her head in quiet confusion, then turned toward the bathroom, muttering under her breath, "Estimated bathroom completion time: one minute. Is Qingfeng's operational tempo always this accelerated? I hope this does not lead to future inefficiencies."
Had he heard her, Ye Qingfeng would have cried foul. But his mind was elsewhere, currently tangled in a knot of nervous anticipation as he stood before Nicole's door. This was a milestone—his first time knocking on a girl's bedroom door. Barring any surprises, it would also be his first glimpse into a woman's private sanctum.
Two life-firsts, traded for a look at Sister Nicole's sleepwear? A worthy bargain, he thought, a thrill running through him.
He bit the tip of his tongue, the sharp pain banishing his hesitation. With newfound resolve, he knocked softly. "Sister Nicole? Are you awake?" he called out, his voice gentle.
He waited, his heartbeat an eager drum against his ribs.
Inside, Nicole stirred. A soft, muffled sound escaped her lips as she pushed back the covers. She shuffled into her pink bunny slippers and trudged toward the door, her voice thick with sleep. "Ugh... what time is it...? I'm coming!"
The sound of her footsteps mingled with her drowsy call, which carried a touch of unconscious, petulant charm.
Creeeak—!
The door swung inward, and Ye Qingfeng's eyes widened instinctively, afraid to miss a single detail.
Wow... Impressive! And... revealing. Very revealing.
Nicole stood there in a pink spaghetti strap nightgown. The delicate fabric draped over her form, the thin straps looking precarious on her smooth shoulders. A frill of white lace adorned the neckline, which dipped low enough to showcase a generous décolletage that rose and fell with her sleepy breaths. The sight was enough to give a man a voracious appetite.
As the squad's latest riser, Nicole was accustomed to being woken by Anby or Billy. Billy's method involved thunderous knocking and booming shouts of "Boss! Rise and shine!" Anby's approach was more subdued, similar to Ye Qingfeng's, but in her own drowsy state this morning, she'd forgotten about their new fourth member.
The sleepiness in Nicole's eyes evaporated the instant they focused on Ye Qingfeng. A flush of anger and embarrassment spread across her cheeks. With a gasp, her left hand flew up to cover her chest while her right slammed the door shut with surprising force.
"You're dead, Ye Qingfeng! Dead!" she roared from behind the wooden barrier, her voice vibrating with fury.
As the door closed, the resulting gust of air acted like an impish hand, catching the hem of her nightgown and flipping it up for a fleeting moment.
A flash of black seared itself into Ye Qingfeng's vision.
I can die a happy man...
A sudden warmth bloomed in his nose, followed by the unmistakable feeling of liquid heat. He jerked his head back, pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers.
[Ding! Potential Love Interest: Nicole Demara]
[Initial Favorability: 20%. Reduced by 10% due to host's transgression. Current Favorability: 10%]
Yeah, no kidding, he thought wryly.
"Brother Qingfeng! You're up early!"
The boisterous voice made him jump. Billy had burst from his room, twirling down the hall with balletic flair before slinging a heavy, friendly arm over Ye Qingfeng's shoulders.
"Whoa," Billy said, leaning back to look at him. "Feel like you've gotten taller overnight... or is it just me?"
Ye Qingfeng's heart hammered against his ribs. He forced himself to take a steadying breath, suddenly gripping his left wrist with his right hand to stop its slight tremor. He met Billy's gaze squarely, knowing that looking away would seem suspicious. He kept his tone light and casual.
"Haha, you know how it is with guys. Sometimes we have late growth spurts. Totally normal."
[Ding! Potential Love Interest: Billy Kid]
[Initial Favorability: 15%]
(Note: 'Potential Love Interest' includes deep platonic bonds. Increased favorability yields rewards.)
"Is that so?" Billy mused, scratching his head. "I'm a robot; human biology isn't my strong suit."
"Of course. Speaking of which," Ye Qingfeng swiftly changed the subject, seizing the opportunity, "have they made robots that can eat real food yet? I made breakfast. Want to join us?"
"Uh... not quite. I should get back to maintaining my girls!" Billy replied, suddenly looking awkward. He gave a quick wave and retreated into his room.
The moment Billy's door closed, Ye Qingfeng didn't allow himself a sigh of relief. This was familiar territory. Deflect, distract, disengage. He had honed these skills to perfection during his three-year stint in the country's most notorious prison—a place reserved for the worst of the worst, where sentences were longer than life expectancies. He'd been sent there after nearly beating a well-connected scion to death, a move that ironically got his own sentence reduced. Surviving that hellhole unscathed and with a clean record required a certain kind of cunning.
You didn't walk out of there without learning a trick or twenty.
He turned back to Nicole's door, his expression shifting to one of innocent confusion. He knocked again lightly.
"Sister Nicole? What's wrong? What did I do?" After a pause, he continued in a softer, sincere tone, "I made breakfast for everyone. Please come down and eat when you're ready."
Without waiting for a reply—which would likely be another furious shout—he turned and walked away.
[Ding! Nicole's Favorability has increased by 5%. Current Favorability: 15%]
A small, satisfied smile touched his lips. Just as I planned.
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