Ice Age Apocalypse: I Hoard Billions of Supplies

Chapter 177: Petty Jealousy

Zhang Yi arranged a room for Zhou Ke'er on the second floor, where his room was also located. After explaining the basic requirements, he instructed Zhou Ke'er to tidy up her room. Zhou Ke'er obediently went upstairs, and once she was out of sight, Yang Siya finally breathed a sigh of relief.

She looked at Zhang Yi with heartfelt gratitude. "Zhang Yi, thank you for not telling her about us."

"I already feel guilty enough towards her. So, I hope you can keep our relationship a secret from her."

Knowing that Zhang Yi was Zhou Ke'er's boyfriend filled her with a strong sense of guilt.

A twisted smile slowly formed at the corners of Zhang Yi's mouth. This house was large, but with three people living together, it would be nearly impossible to keep Zhou Ke'er from finding out. Yang Siya's request was essentially self-deception. But why refuse her?

"First of all, Zhou Ke'er and I aren't exactly boyfriend and girlfriend," he said with a cheerful nod. "But since you asked, I'll respect your wishes."

Yang Siya was surprised at how readily Zhang Yi agreed. She let out a long breath and bowed slightly to him. "Thank you!"

"Do as you please," Zhang Yi replied lazily, lying back on the sofa. Now that they were away from Yuelu Community, he could finally relax and enjoy life. With two beautiful women managing the household chores, he could spend his days playing games and eating delicious food—truly the life of a winner!

Yang Siya then suggested, "I'll cook dinner."

Zhang Yi was surprised. "You can cook?"

With a hint of pride, Yang Siya said, "Of course! Don't think all celebrities are useless in daily life. When I’m bored, I like to cook to relieve stress." She walked to the open kitchen in the corner of the living room, bent down, and began looking for ingredients in the cabinets.

"Hey? There's no food here!" she exclaimed.

Zhang Yi walked over to her. "If you need any ingredients, just let me know." With that, he pulled a large amount of food from his interdimensional space and placed it on the table. "Is this enough?"

Yang Siya’s eyes widened in astonishment at the sight of fresh chicken, duck, bass, pork, abalone, sea cucumber, and dried scallops appearing out of thin air. "How do you have all these things?" she asked, barely believing her eyes.

She hadn't seen such ingredients in a long time, and they were remarkably fresh. Though raw, the sight made her mouth water with hunger.

"That's how we'll eat from now on," Zhang Yi said softly. Yang Siya felt a great sense of relief. She had expected to survive on canned food and preserved meat, but this richness made her feel much more balanced.

"Okay," she said, her eyes sparkling with joy.

"You get started; I'll explain everything later," Zhang Yi said, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek before leaving.

Yang Siya gave him a helpless look before eagerly selecting a few ingredients to start preparing dinner. Soon, Zhou Ke'er finished organizing her room and came downstairs. Zhang Yi noticed that Yang Siya would need some time to finish cooking, so he stretched and went to take a shower.

With nothing else to do, Zhou Ke'er sat on the sofa and turned on the TV to watch some recorded shows. Zhang Yi, fresh from his shower and now in comfortable pajamas, found the atmosphere quite enjoyable.

Yang Siya was still diligently cooking in the kitchen, putting extra care into the meal, likely out of guilt towards Zhou Ke'er. But Zhou Ke'er’s resentment was not easily dispelled. When Zhang Yi was not around, the two women did not speak a word to each other. Zhou Ke'er sat on the sofa with her back to Yang Siya, turning up the TV volume.

Zhang Yi observed the situation with amusement. He walked over to watch Yang Siya cook. Several dishes were already prepared, and the aroma was mouthwatering. "You really cook on your own?" he asked, surprised.

In his mind, such a celebrity should never have to cook.

Yang Siya smiled slightly. "The Yang family has strict household rules. I learned to cook from my mother when I was very young."

Zhang Yi raised his eyebrows, pleased. The household indeed needed a good cook. Neither he nor Zhou Ke'er were particularly skilled in the kitchen, and eating their own cooking every day would get boring quickly.

...

Feeling content, Zhang Yi retrieved a bottle of beer from the fridge and sat beside Zhou Ke'er on the sofa. Zhou Ke'er’s face showed a wary expression as she kept her eyes glued to the TV screen.

Zhang Yi noticed her expression and smiled oddly. "Dinner's ready; come eat," Yang Siya called out, trying to sound cheerful.

Zhou Ke'er bit her lip, reluctant to get up, but Zhang Yi pulled her over.

Yang Siya adjusted her hair, looking slightly embarrassed. She wondered if Zhou Ke'er had noticed anything between her and Zhang Yi. Zhang Yi, with a cheerful smile, pulled Zhou Ke'er to sit beside him. "Come, try the celebrity chef's cooking."

There were six dishes on the table: braised bass, stir-fried kidneys, pork with jellyfish skin, and black fish egg soup. Zhou Ke'er tasted the bass and scoffed, "Too salty! How can anyone eat this?"

Yang Siya lowered her head, pushing rice around her bowl, unsure of how to respond. Zhang Yi could see she was flustered. Yang Siya had indeed been startled earlier, making it hard to gauge the seasoning properly.

Zhang Yi inwardly smiled. He intended to stir up jealousy and competition between the two women. If they became too friendly, they might team up against him. Discovering that they were cousins had made him more cautious. He realized he could become an outsider if they united.

While the possibility of them overthrowing him was slim, especially with all the supplies in his interdimensional space, he believed caution was always wise. So, he purposefully showed affection to Yang Siya in Zhou Ke'er's presence to maintain a delicate balance of rivalry.

With a mischievous smile, Zhang Yi took a piece of stir-fried kidney and offered it to Zhou Ke'er. "Here, try this! It's really good for you."

Zhou Ke'er’s expression softened a bit. She opened her mouth, allowing Zhang Yi to feed her. "Ah!"

Zhang Yi laughed, putting the food in her mouth. She chewed, licked her lips, and gave him a seductive look before glancing at Yang Siya, as if declaring her territory.

Zhang Yi felt ecstatic. Creating a competitive environment was indeed the best way to keep everyone motivated.