The door inside remained silent, offering no response. He looked at the locked doorknob. "Ziyu, are you asleep?"
*Click*
The door opened from the inside, and Gu Xiuyu’s outstretched hand froze mid-air.
Ye Ziyu emerged expressionless, glancing at the food on the plate. "Give it to me."
"It's a bit heavy. I'll bring it in for you," Gu Xiuyu said, stepping towards the room.
Ye Ziyu’s body perfectly blocked the doorway. She insisted on taking the plate. "No need, just give it to me."
Her fingers landed on the plate, and they both felt the opposing force. Neither was willing to yield on letting go.
"Let go!" Ye Ziyu looked up, displeased.
Her sudden insistence piqued Gu Xiuyu's curiosity. She either refused to eat these past few days, or she sat at the dining table downstairs. This was the first time such a situation had occurred.
"Fine," Gu Xiuyu released his grip.
The plate landed in Ye Ziyu's hands. She stood at the doorway, waiting for Gu Xiuyu to leave.
"I've arranged for the bridal shop staff to pick up the wedding dress. The housekeeper will come up later to take your measurements for precise data to provide to the bridal shop for alterations," Gu Xiuyu said.
Ye Ziyu gazed absently at the food on the plate. It was a single serving, and she wondered if it would be enough for Di Mingjue alone. As her wandering thoughts returned, she realized Gu Xiuyu was still standing at the door, not leaving.
"Is there anything else?" Ye Ziyu asked. "If not, you can leave. I'm hungry and need to go in and eat."
Hearing that she was hungry, Gu Xiuyu's nascent curiosity vanished. He quickly responded, "Okay. Call me if you need anything. I'll be downstairs and won't leave."
"Mm, you should go down and eat too," Ye Ziyu said, feigning concern.
Ye Ziyu was well aware of what Gu Xiuyu wanted. A simple sentence had him beaming with happiness.
"Alright, I'll go down and eat now," Gu Xiuyu said, turning and walking downstairs with a smile. With every step, he glanced back at Ye Ziyu, who had yet to enter her room.
At that moment, she looked like someone seeing him off on a long journey, reluctantly standing still, watching his departing back, just to catch another glance.
Once his figure disappeared around the corner of the stairs, ensuring he wouldn't make a surprise return, Ye Ziyu turned, opened the door, and entered her room.
Di Mingjue appeared behind Ye Ziyu like a wisp of smoke. He took the plate from her hands and pinned her against the door. "You're very concerned about whether he finished eating?"
His fingers pinched her chin forcefully, making Ye Ziyu tilt her head back to look at a jealous Di Mingjue. "If you don't say things like that, he wouldn't have stood at the door refusing to leave. Would you rather I stand face-to-face with him?"
"Such a silver tongue!" Di Mingjue's fingers moved from her chin to her lips.
Ye Ziyu pushed his chest. "No more teasing. Hurry up and eat. He might come back soon, and you'll have to hide."
Di Mingjue's gaze flickered to the plate. "Did he cook this?"
"No, the housekeeper cooked it," Ye Ziyu replied.
Having eaten Chen Yaping's cooking a few times, Ye Ziyu could tell from the plating and the dishes that the food on the plate was her handiwork.
Di Mingjue pulled Ye Ziyu to sit on the sofa, then placed the plate before her. "You're the one who should be eating. You've lost weight these past few days."
When he had held her earlier, his hands could feel her bones.
Chopsticks were placed in Ye Ziyu's hand, and Di Mingjue sat opposite her, watching her like a supervisor.
"Let's eat together," Ye Ziyu pushed the plate towards the center, then got up and sat cross-legged on the carpet.
It had to be said that Chen Yaping had excellent culinary skills. Even before tasting it, the aroma made her mouth water.