Chapter 409: Did She Notice?

Seeing Fu Cheng’s reaction, Shen Lu hummed smugly.

"Good, isn’t it?"

"It’s more than just good," Fu Cheng said, utterly amazed. "The soothing effect on the Spiritual Sea has reached a whole new level."

If the previous effect was like a bucket of ice water dumped over your head on a scorching summer day—all about that sharp, refreshing shock...

Then the effect now was more like a gentle spring breeze and fine rain, with a much wider reach. It felt like bathing in a warm spring; with every ripple of the water, his Spiritual Sea was cleansed.

It felt as if a chronic ailment of many years was being meticulously unraveled and healed.

"How did you do it?" Fu Cheng was incredibly curious.

Shen Lu laughed it off. "I just had a sudden breakthrough. The ingredients are the same. Maybe it has to do with my cooking technique?"

Fu Cheng didn’t press further.

Shen Lu chattered on, introducing the dishes she’d brought and instructing Fu Cheng on which ones to eat first so they wouldn’t be past their prime.

"You’re not allowed to share any of this with that female classmate of yours. Not a single bite," Shen Lu said pettily. "If I find out you did, you can forget about ever eating my cooking again."

Fu Cheng obediently agreed. Even if Shen Lu hadn’t said anything, he wouldn’t have shared it with anyone else.

While others might discover Shen Lu’s cooking could heal and soothe the Spiritual Sea, Fu Cheng hoped that day would come as late as possible.

Preferably, not until he was strong enough to protect Shen Lu.

Seeing him so obedient and cooperative, the stifling frustration she felt finally began to fade.

"Now, let me see the wound where the prosthetic is attached," Shen Lu pouted. "Don’t you dare say no. You already let *her* see it, so I get to see it too."

Fu Cheng agreed to this as well.

After all these days of recovery, the incision had mostly healed. There was just a little redness and swelling where the flesh and prosthetic connected. It was a bit unsightly, but not horrifying.

Fu Cheng undid his hospital gown and exposed his right shoulder.

With lightning-fast hands, Shen Lu yanked his top all the way off.

Fu Cheng: Σ(っ°Д°;)っ!

Fu Cheng: ’What is she doing?!’

Before he could even react, Shen Lu’s cool fingers were already roaming over his skin.

It really had been a while since she’d last seen Fu Cheng’s body.

It wasn’t that she was unwilling, but rather that once Fu Cheng was able to care for himself, he insisted on doing everything on his own.

She respected that, so she didn’t push it.

But today was different. ’If he can let *her* see,’ Shen Lu thought, ’then why can’t I?’

’I’m the one who nursed him back to health, applying his medicine, changing his bandages, and feeding him every bite and sip!’

She remembered when Fu Cheng had been lying in bed, unable to move a muscle. Every couple of days, she had to strip him bare to apply medicine all over his body.

Back then, his body was like a broken rag doll, torn up everywhere, with raw, red flesh and wounds so deep you could see the bone.

’He’s so much better now.’

Aside from some scars, all the wounds, big and small, had healed. Those strange, dark-red patterns on his body had vanished completely, and the weeks of rehabilitation he’d endured were also showing results.

Shen Lu could clearly feel that the muscles under her palm had grown a bit thicker.

Below his right shoulder was a prosthetic limb, its color slightly lighter than his own skin.

The difference in skin tone wasn’t obvious; you wouldn’t notice it if you didn’t look closely.

Shen Lu curiously stroked the prosthetic. "Can you feel it when I touch this?" she asked.

A blush spread from the tips of Fu Cheng’s ears all the way to his cheeks. "Yes."

"That’s incredible! I thought it only restored motor function. It can restore your sense of touch, too?"

"The nerves in the entire arm were reconnected. Once it has fully integrated, it should recover over eighty percent of its function."

"Hm?" Shen Lu suddenly reached out and touched his flushed cheek. "What’s wrong with you? Are you running a fever?"

"No." Fu Cheng, flustered, pulled away from her hand.

A trace of burning heat lingered on her fingertips. Shen Lu’s expression shifted from concern to confusion, and then to astonishment.

She was admittedly quite dense when it came to romance.

But that didn’t mean she’d be dense forever.

For instance, right now, it was as if she suddenly understood something.

’But how is that possible!’

’How could Fu Cheng...’

Shen Lu composed herself, feeling a bit lost as she withdrew her hand. Flustered, she pulled Fu Cheng’s gown closed.

Fu Cheng tilted his head slightly. He gazed at Shen Lu, whose cheeks were now also tinged with pink, his eyes filled with anticipation.

’Did she realize?’

"Little Deer..." Fu Cheng suddenly felt the urge to confess, even though this wasn’t the best time.

"Uh, I just remembered something, I have to go." Shen Lu’s first reaction was to run.

’Run now, think later. I need to calm down before I can analyze anything.’

"Little Deer, just listen to me first."

"I can’t, I’m leaving now! You take care of yourself." Shen Lu was like a gust of wind; in a flash, she was gone.

A flash of pink caught the corner of Fu Cheng’s eye. He turned his head and saw the pink diamond jewelry set he’d given her sitting on the nightstand—all except for the ring on her finger.

He ground his teeth, a feeling of indignant frustration swelling in his chest.

’I should have just confessed, plain and simple. What is this awkward, unresolved mess?’

Fu Cheng rubbed his brow, put away the jewelry box first, then called a nurse and asked her to pack up the food Shen Lu had brought.

’Next time. The very next time I see Shen Lu, I’m going to confess.’

’It’s like they say: you charge at the first drum, hesitate at the second, and your will is gone by the third. He’d already missed his chance once—that was his mistake. He absolutely wouldn’t let it happen again.’

Shen Lu practically fled all the way to the car. Wu Jun, who was inside scrolling on his Light Brain, let out a curious "huh?" when he saw her get in.

"Back so soon?"

’Didn’t she say she’d be a while?’

"Yeah, let’s head back," Shen Lu mumbled vaguely.

Wu Jun obediently started the car and headed toward the Lower City District.

When they reached a shopping center, Shen Lu had Wu Jun stop. She wanted to go inside and browse for a bit.

Ever since she’d arrived in this world, she had been incredibly busy. Every time she came to a mall, it was in a hurry. Today, for once, she had both the time and money, so she was going to enjoy the leisurely life of the wealthy.

Of course, the shopping centers in the Lower City District couldn’t compare to those in the Upper City District. The goods sold were average in both price and quality, but considering the spending power of the Lower City District, it made sense.

The truly wealthy people of the Lower City District wouldn’t shop here; they usually went to the shopping centers in the Upper City District.

Shen Lu didn’t care about that. She just wanted to find a place to wander around and clear her head.

She didn’t have many clothes, just a few outfits, so today was a good opportunity to buy some more.

The upcoming Kitchen King Competition would be broadcast live. While she didn’t need to wear something extravagantly eye-catching, she still needed to look poised and proper.

She knew that in this kind of competition, it wasn’t just about cooking skills; audience appeal was also important.

After all, most of the audience could only watch the competition on the livestream. Unlike the judges on site, they couldn’t actually taste the food she made. Sometimes, making a good visual impression could play a crucial role.

Shen Lu was beautiful. Having been well-nourished these past several days, she had filled out a bit. She was in the prime of her youth and could look good in anything.

If Shen Lu weren’t so level-headed, she might have indulged in the classic overbearing-CEO move of declaring, "I’ll take one of everything."