Xu Xiliu wasn’t particularly eager to stay for lunch. The thought of enduring the male lead’s handsome but perpetually gloomy face while eating was enough to kill his appetite.

But the sharp gaze boring into his back felt like an unspoken threat—refuse, and you won’t be leaving here today. For the sake of his future peace, Xu Xiliu had no choice but to accept.

"Then I’ll have to thank Mr. Qin for the hospitality."

Upon further reflection, it wasn’t as if he’d done anything wrong. The male lead had no real reason to retaliate. At worst, he'd be served a table of deliberately terrible food.

No big deal. I won’t die from it.

Reassured, Xu Xiliu sucked on his rose-lychee candy and lazily took his seat again.

Seeing Xu Xiliu agree, Qin Li said nothing more. The butler approached to collect the rainbow assortment of pill bottles from his lap and legs, carefully storing them away, while Qin Li reverted to his usual brooding silence.

Watching the man in the wheelchair, Xu Xiliu’s peach-blossom eyes curved slightly behind his gold-rimmed glasses. As Qin Li passed by, he suddenly remarked, "Since Mr. Qin is kind enough to invite me to lunch, it’s only right that I return the favor. After the meal, I’ll supervise your medication. No need to thank me."

Qin Li stiffened.

His gaze darkened with a dangerous glint.

But after a moment of struggling to find a retort, he could only let out a heavy, disdainful snort before wheeling himself away.

As he left, a sweet, cloying scent lingered in Qin Li’s nose—something floral like roses, mixed with the crispness of lychee. It was... pleasant.

Sweet?

Is this doctor wearing perfume?

The realization made Qin Li’s mind flash to the private doctor’s strikingly beautiful face, and he scoffed in disgust.

Tch.

How girly.

Catching sight of the man’s annoyingly cheerful expression from the corner of his eye, Qin Li was abruptly reminded of the nauseatingly sweet words he’d spouted earlier. His chest tightened, his mood darkening further. Unable to stand the sight any longer, he forcefully pushed his wheelchair forward and left.

Xu Xiliu, meanwhile, watched him go without reservation.

Strip away the facade of a ruthless tycoon, and this was just a rebellious man-child throwing a tantrum.

Not that he’d ever say that out loud. At most, he’d keep the thought to himself.

But what kind of past could twist a man into this?

Xu Xiliu couldn’t help but wonder. Pale and frail, though not physically disabled, the aftermath of his episodes left him so weak he needed a wheelchair. His gaze lingered on Qin Li’s back. Objectively speaking, the man had long, well-proportioned legs, and his hands, resting on the armrests, tensed with visible veins when he exerted force—hinting at latent strength. It only made one wonder what he’d look like standing tall, confident, and unbroken.

Clearly, he’d once been extraordinary. But to fall from grace so completely? Anyone would crack under that.

Xu Xiliu’s smile faded briefly before resurfacing.

Why overthink it? The male lead had his own path to walk. As a mere side character, Xu Xiliu just needed to do his job and stay out of the way.

With that thought, he pressed the half-melted candy against his teeth, biting down sharply. The burst of sweetness washed away his lingering irritation.

Before long, the butler returned to summon him for lunch.

Xu Xiliu followed.

Perhaps because he’d been invited to stay, the meal was surprisingly lavish—a spread of dishes that practically gleamed under the dining room lights.

Taking his seat, Xu Xiliu noted that Qin Li was already at the head of the table. The man barely acknowledged his arrival with a slight nod before picking up his chopsticks. Having grown somewhat accustomed to his eccentricities over the past few days, Xu Xiliu followed suit without hesitation.

The first bite made him pause.

Huh. Not great, not terrible. Just... mediocre.

Weird.

Glancing at Qin Li’s indifferent expression as he ate, Xu Xiliu wondered—Was this lunch not meant to mess with me?

Is this really the culinary standard of a wealthy family?

Even street food tastes better.

Keeping his thoughts to himself, he continued eating calmly.

Qin Li, meanwhile, observed his private doctor’s refined table manners with a cold eye before abruptly asking, "Dr. Xu, how do you find the food?"

Xu Xiliu, mid-sip of soup, nearly choked.

Setting down the bowl with deliberate calm, he dabbed his lips with a napkin. Unsure of the man’s intentions, he opted for diplomatic honesty. "It’s... acceptable."

Acceptable.

A word so versatile it bordered on artful evasion.

Assuming this was mere small talk—given how Qin Li usually regarded him with open disdain—Xu Xiliu was surprised when the man casually continued, as if genuinely seeking conversation: "Earlier, you mentioned my diet needed adjustments. What exactly did you mean?"

Faced with the male lead’s seemingly troubled tone but entirely untroubled expression, Xu Xiliu had no idea what game he was playing.

Under that scrutinizing gaze, he hesitated before answering truthfully.

Well, it’s my job to repeat this anyway.

"Mr. Qin’s digestive system is weak, and with the medications you’re on, your meals should be light and easy to digest. Avoid anything spicy or overly cold..."

Mid-explanation, he caught Qin Li’s faintly mocking smile.

A sinking feeling hit him.

His eyes swept over the table.

Spicy and sour potato shreds—hard to digest.

Pepper steak—hard to digest.

Glutinous rice cakes—doubly hard to digest.

Spicy crab, seafood soup—all cold-natured ingredients.

Not a single dish suited the male lead’s condition.

Damn. The Qin family’s chef is ruthless.

Xu Xiliu fell silent, a rare flicker of awkwardness passing through him. Qin Li, however, let out a low, humorless chuckle.

"Seems our cook isn’t quite... suited to my needs."

His tone was icy as he called out, "Zhong Shu."

The butler, never far, approached immediately. "Sir."

Qin Li tapped the table. "Who’s in charge of the kitchen?"

"Madam Zhao," Zhong replied respectfully.

"Is that so?" Qin Li’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. "Then summon the steward."

As the butler left to comply, Xu Xiliu watched with growing intrigue. Is this the legendary rich-family drama unfolding before me? Excited, he helped himself to a sweet-and-sour pork rib.

The taste might be mediocre, but the ingredients are top-tier.

Besides, what’s a show without snacks?

Soon, a middle-aged man in a steward’s uniform hurried in—the same head servant Xu Xiliu had encountered that night, Xue Bo. Though his expression was composed, his voice carried a hint of panic as he greeted Qin Li.

"Xue Bo, wasn’t it?" Qin Li drawled, taking his time with a piece of beef before speaking. "I suppose I should address you as Uncle Xue."

"I wouldn’t dare," Xue Bo hastily demurred before cautiously adding, "Did you need me for something, sir?"

"Nothing major. Just that my private doctor insists my health requires a carefully regulated diet."

Qin Li’s gaze slid to Xu Xiliu, who had been enjoying the spectacle, and his lips curled in a sinister smile. "Isn’t that right, Dr. Xu?"

Xue Bo’s sharp eyes snapped to Xu Xiliu as well, suspicion lurking beneath the panic.

Cornered, Xu Xiliu slowly set down his chopsticks.

"...Yes."

What else could I say?

The male lead looked ready to murder him if he refused.

I knew this was a setup!

Qin Li seemed pleased with his compliance, some of the storminess fading from his expression.

Casually, he continued, "Dr. Xu says, as a patient, my meals must adhere to strict standards. Our current cook is inadequate. Replace her. From now on, Dr. Xu will recommend a chef and nutritionist. You’ll handle the transition."

Xue Bo paled. "Sir, you can’t just—!"

Qin Li’s smirk turned razor-sharp. "Can’t I?"

Realizing his blunder, Xue Bo stiffened under that predatory stare—the kind that promised violence if provoked. Swallowing hard, he scrambled for an excuse. "B-But Madam Zhao has served the Qin family for years! A newcomer won’t understand your preferences!"

Qin Li laughed softly.

The sound made Xue Bo freeze mid-sentence.

"What I need," Qin Li said, each word dripping with venom, "is health, not preference."

His eyes flicked to Xu Xiliu again.

"Right, Doctor?"

Again?!

Trapped, Xu Xiliu straightened with a professional air. "Indeed. Mr. Qin’s recovery requires proper nutrition. The current arrangements fail to meet that standard."

Their eyes met—Qin Li’s gaze knowing, Xu X

iliu’s deliberately guileless.

Both understood the unspoken game.

Xu Xiliu maintained his polite smile, though inwardly, he sighed.

I’ve been made a pawn. And blatantly, at that.

Could he refuse?

Not when the male lead’s icy stare alone could turn a living man into a corpse. Any resistance, and this mediocre meal would truly become a life-or-death banquet.

Qin Li studied the doctor’s faux-innocent face for a beat before looking away.

His attention returned to the trembling steward.

"Understood?"

Xue Bo wavered. "But—"

Qin Li’s voice dropped to a whisper, his grin widening unnaturally. "Is there a reason you’re refusing?"

He leaned forward slightly.

"This is still the Qin residence, isn’t it?"

The unspoken threat hit Xue Bo like a physical blow.

Qin Li might be ill, might have spent years lost in madness—but he was still the master of this house.

And Xue Bo had overstepped.

Worse, the implications behind Qin Li’s words...

Meeting those deranged, beast-like eyes, Xue Bo felt his blood turn to ice. He bowed deeply. "...It will be done."

Once the steward fled, the dining room fell into heavy silence. Qin Li’s appetite, already negligible, vanished entirely.

Xu Xiliu, however, was quite satisfied after the unexpected entertainment—even if he’d been forcibly dragged into it.

Initially, he’d been annoyed at being used as a prop without warning (Even side characters have pride!), but seeing the mighty male lead reduced to leveraging a stranger’s words just to oust a cook was... well.

Pathetic, really.

Oh well. Hard to stay mad at that.

His smile softened into something almost serene.

Qin Li, pleased with the successful purge, glanced at the composed young man beside him. Recalling how he’d grudgingly played along, he decided to grant a small reward.

"Dr. Xu," he said abruptly, "weren’t you going to supervise my medication?"

"...Huh?" Xu Xiliu blinked, thrown by the non sequitur. But faced with Qin Li’s expectant stare, he swallowed his confusion and nodded. "...Of course."

Half an hour later...

Xu Xiliu meticulously counted out the required pills, stacking them into a small pile.

He handed them to Qin Li and turned to fetch water.

But when he returned, cup in hand, he was met with the horrifying sight of the man dry-swallowing the entire handful.

AGAIN?!

Xu Xiliu’s soul nearly left his body.

You absolute—!

I give up.