Chapter 3

After a few days of regular life, Bella painfully overturned her previous thoughts and now she felt that sheltering Ethan was the biggest mistake of her life.

"Jake, can you please tell Ethan not to bother me so much? I can't take it anymore," on the other end of the phone, Bella couldn't help but let out a long howl.

"What's wrong?" Jake looked at the clock on the wall, half-awake, and let out a sigh just like his sister. "Bella, can I ask you something? Do you know what time it is now?"

If it wasn't his dear sister calling, he would have cursed a few dirty words and hung up mercilessly.

"It's 9 o'clock in the morning!" Bella replied mournfully. 

"Oh my god! Why are you up so early?" Jake yawned loudly, struggling to stay awake. 

"Ethan woke me up for breakfast," Bella said pitifully, pursing her lips. She had secretly hidden in the closet and called for help while Ethan was busy in the kitchen. 

"Why is he so industrious for no reason?" Jake wondered. He remembered that when they were in the military, Ethan was just as lazy as him. When did Ethan become so diligent and hardworking? 

"Jake, I can't take it anymore. Please talk to Ethan, okay? Ask him to stop taking me on morning runs every day. I hate running and in the evenings, I like to watch the sunset, not swim. Tell him to stop dragging me to the nearby swimming pool. I'm like a duck out of water, I'm hopeless..." Bella complained nonstop, clearly harboring resentment for a long time. 

"Wow, Ethan is even more controlling than a mother." Jake had no idea that Ethan could be so nitpicky. 

Bella nodded sadly, forgetting that Jake was on the other end of the phone line, unable to see her miserable expression. 

"Jake, I finally escaped from my mother's clutches, and now why are you finding another person to torment me?"

She had been tortured beyond recognition, barely clinging to life. "Strange! Why is Ethan playing such mean tricks on you? He should know that you hate sports, right?" Jake started to suspect Ethan's motives. "Sis, be honest, did you offend Ethan in the past, so he's seeking revenge on you?"

"Huh!" Bella was startled by his words. "Jake, you're so suspicious! Ethan is not that kind of person!"

She depended on Ethan for her daily meals and drinks, even her dog thrived under his care, lively and strong. How could she join the ranks of those who slandered him?

"Sis, didn't you call me to complain? Why are you now speaking up for Ethan? Women are truly fickle."

"Uh…" Bella was left speechless. Ah, this is the drawback of relying on others and being a pushover.

Suddenly, the closet door swung open, and a piercing light spilled in from outside.

"Bella, on such a hot day, why are you hiding in the closet?" A cheerful male voice, bursting with laughter, sounded like sunshine.

"I-I was, uh, making a phone call." Bella stuttered, clutching the receiver with a bewildered look on her face.

"Talking on the phone in the wardrobe?" A pair of charming eyes scanned amusingly at the white phone she held in her arms. "Is this your latest quirk?"

"I...I'm chatting with Ethan," Bella replied guiltily, her cheeks turning red. Under Ethan's gaze, she cautiously picked up the receiver. "Jake, are you still there?"

"No shit!" Jake snorted from his nostrils. Where else could he possibly go?

Bella sneakily glanced at Ethan and then lowered her voice. "Jake, can you please talk to Ethan and explain? Pretty please!"

"Tell Ethan to get on the phone."

Bella breathed a sigh of relief and handed the receiver, along with the phone, directly to Ethan.

"Ethan, Jake wants to talk to you."

Ethan squinted his handsome black eyes, holding the phone in one hand and wedging the receiver between his shoulder and neck, lazily asking, "What's the matter?" The corner of his eye caught Bella tiptoeing out of the room. Hm! Escaping in guilt, there must be a problem.

"Ethan, what the hell are you up to? Why are you bullying my sister?" Jake didn't mince words, launching into a displeased roar.

"Am I bullying Bella?" Ethan raised a handsome eyebrow. "Did she tell you that?"

"Of course, it was my sister who tattled, who else?" Jake yawned and turned over. "Ethan, no matter what my sister did to offend you in the past, for my sake, let it go! A real man shouldn't fuss so much with women's affairs."

"What did Bella say I did to bully her?" Ethan chuckled. This woman was so amusing, instead of directly expressing her dissatisfaction to him, she resorted to telling her little brother. Tsk!

"She said you make her run and swim with you every day, which makes her complain endlessly," Jake said, laughing at himself as he spoke.

Ethan curved his lips, and his extraordinary handsome face softened even more, highlighting his exceptional beauty. "I thought Bella would be unhappy that I cook three meals for her every day!" Women were always afraid of getting fat.

"She didn't complain about that," Jake scratched his messy hair, suddenly feeling that what he said sounded strange. "Wait a minute! You said you cook three meals for my sister?!"

"Is that not okay?" Ethan muttered.

"Hahaha..." Jake's burst of laughter almost pierced Ethan's eardrums. "Hahaha... you, the pampered rich boy who has everything handed to him... when did you become so 'domesticated'? Hahaha..." He laughed so hard on the bed that he almost fell off.

"Have you laughed enough?" Ethan's cold voice contained a warning. His good mood was completely ruined by this idiot.

"I...I laughed so hard..." Jake rubbed his aching stomach.

"I'm going to hang up."

"Okay! Okay! I won't laugh anymore." Jake White suddenly remembered that he hadn't taken care of the important matter yet, so he quickly stifled his laughter.

"Don't hang up, I have something important to say."

"What is it?" Ethan casually sat on the wooden floor, lifting the soundly sleeping black cat onto his lap and playfully scratching its round belly.

"I command you to take good care of my sister and stop her from calling and bothering me early in the morning." Regardless of Ethan's motives, Jake trusted him as a person—he wouldn't hurt his sister.

Ethan saw Shadow comfortably stretching out its soft body, allowing him to scratch it without restraint, causing him to involuntarily smile.

"Is this what you call something important?" This cat, like its owner, trusted people, was gentle and lovely, clearly influenced by Bella for a long time, which is why it had no trace of a cat's nature.

No! It should be said that Bella is like the beloved cat she raises—spoiled, lazy, easily contented, and without a single claw, incredibly innocent.

"Yeah! Sleep is really important!" Jake stretched lazily, only to remember Bella's instructions. "And, don't bother trying to 'train' my lazy sister like that. She's beyond redemption already. The best thing to do is let her be and let her fend for herself! That way she'll be grateful to you." 

Ethan chuckled softly. "You guys are really friendly."

"Good to know. Well, let's chat next time! I'm ready to sleep now." Jake hung up the phone. 

Hearing the buzzing sound from the receiver, Ethan hung up with a smile and then carried the kitten into the room to settle the score with its owner. 

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In the living room, Bella sat worriedly on the blue sofa, hugging her knees. Cotton and Snowflake, the two guards, were sitting in front of the sofa. As soon as Bella saw Ethan carrying his beloved cat out of the room, she sprang up like a spring. 

"Did Jake tell you...?" Bella widened her innocent doe-like eyes, staring at him eagerly. 

"Yeah," Ethan glanced at her casually and then walked through the now neatly cleaned living room, striding towards the kitchen.

Bella hesitated for a moment and quickly called out to the dog in charge of boosting her courage. "Cotton, Snowflake, come quickly." She tiptoed into the kitchen. 

In fact, there was no need for her to waste her breath. Cotton and Snowflake had long abandoned her with their tongues sticking out and rushed into the kitchen, circling around Ethan. 

"So... do you understand what Jake means?" Bella stood anxiously behind Ethan's tall figure, her pink toes curling up nervously. 

"Not really." Ethan opened the cupboard with classical patterns and started searching through it. "Could you please say it again?" 

"Oh!" Bella's face instantly drooped, sighing as she turned around, ready to retreat. 

"Where are you going?" Ethan finally found the lonely can of cat food lying in the corner, revealing a satisfied smile. 

"Meow..." Shadow's excited cat eyes gleamed, meowing incessantly. 

Bella stammered in explanation. "To make a phone call... to wake up Jake and ask him to... clarify things with you." Stupid Jake, how could he even mess up something so small? 

Ethan placed the little black cat on the table and opened the can for it. "Why didn't you say it yourself?" He lowered his head, hiding the smile on his face. If he didn't take this opportunity to playfully tease her a little, how could he forgive himself? 

"I... I'm sorry, I can't be straightforward." Bella pouted in frustration, biting her rose-colored lips. In order to protect her own stomach, she wouldn't dare to offend him even if she were to die.

"That must be very difficult to talk about," Ethan asked knowingly.

He poured the canned food into Shadow's bowl, letting it enjoy a hearty meal, while Cotton and Snowflake sat upright, assuming a well-behaved dog posture, waiting for their treats.

"No! You already ate in the morning," Ethan shook his finger at them.

"Woof…" Cotton and Snowflake saw his gesture and sadly drooped their ears, watching Shadow eat with relish.

"I guess I'll just guess," Ethan suddenly turned around and looked straight into her beautiful eyes.

"Huh?!" Bella stared blankly, her mouth wide open. She had been busy watching the two dogs perform, almost forgetting what they were talking about. "What did you say?"

Ethan's dark eyes twinkled mischievously. "I said since you're so hesitant, how about I take a guess?"

"Oh! Okay!" Bella, that silly little fish, couldn't resist the temptation and happily bit the bait on the hook.

"You don't like the three meals I cook?" Ethan began to feign guessing.

Bella vigorously shook her head. "Of course not! I love the dishes you cook the most. As long as I can eat the food you cook, even if it makes her gain ten kilograms, she is willing."

"So you don't like it when I clean the house too much?" Ethan pretended to be distressed.

"Well...not really." Bella wanted to nod, but then she realized that wasn't her biggest concern, so she reluctantly added, "But I really can't adjust to such a clean environment."

She was used to seeing her things at a glance, but ever since he came, she could never find her own things. And when she walked, she felt strange because there was nothing in the way, causing her and the dogs to often inexplicably trip and fall.

"I understand, I'll try not to tidy up the house from now on." For Ethan, who had a bit of cleanliness OCD, this was quite difficult. But in order to accommodate her quirks, he reluctantly agreed. "Or maybe you're not happy that I treat Cotton and the others too well?" he guessed.

"No." She couldn't be too selfish as a person, how could she monopolize Ethan's kindness?

"Then you're not happy that I insist you go to bed before ten o'clock every night, right?" Ethan teased her with amusement.

Bella struggled for a moment before she managed to hold back her desire to nod. "No, that's not it." Every time there was something good on TV, Ethan would call her to bed to sleep. Of course, she felt a bit unfair, but compared to activities like morning runs and swimming, she considered being called to bed a great blessing.

"Do you not like that I took over your dishwashing and garbage duties?" 

"No." Bella grumbled, stealing a resentful glance at him. How can anyone be so bad at guessing? I've been trying for ages and still can't figure it out. 

"Well...is it that you don't like our daily morning runs and swimming sessions?" Ethan finally got to the point after playing around for a while. 

Exactly!" Bella breathed a sigh of relief. "Can't we skip the morning runs and swimming?" Men truly are dull creatures. 

Ethan shook his head regretfully. "Unfortunately, I can't agree with you on that." 

"Why not?" Bella widened her almond-shaped eyes. 

"Because I've made a promise to Jake to properly train your physical endurance until you can run without wheezing." Ethan responded coolly, enjoying getting back at her. 

Bella angrily complained, "You...why did you agree to whatever Jake asked you? How infuriating! You're the death of me!" 

"Please accept my condolences." Ethan solemnly patted her frail shoulder, but inside he was laughing hysterically. Strange! Why was Bella so obedient? How come she never considered resisting Jake's requests? Ah! This clawless house cat is just too cute and naive.

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"Chirp chirp..." The cicada on the treetop chirped vigorously, accompanied by occasional defiant barks from the old house and a melodious sound of piano. This summer afternoon was bustling.

After leisurely playing the piano, Bella raised her lips, revealing a sweet smile. 

"Hmm! The sunshine today is so beautiful." Bella got up and walked to the white French window, admiring the bright sunlight outside. 

"Meow..." Shadow walked over, lazily rubbing against her legs.

Bella bent down and picked up the affectionate little black cat, lovingly kissing its head. "I wish summer would never end, Shadow. Don't you think so?"

"Meow..." Shadow half-heartedly meowed, clearly not as fond of summer as its owner. In fact, it thought that curling up in warm blankets during winter was the true cat's delight. 

"To celebrate the round and hot sun this year, Shadow, shall we do the laundry?" Bella's eyes shimmered like two crescent moons.

"Meow..." Upon hearing this, Shadow immediately jumped out of her embrace and swiftly ran away with its nimble legs, trying to escape from its owner who was smiling like an idiot.

It's...terrifying. What on earth is this sweet-smelling, silly-looking female human thinking? Who celebrates the sun being round and hot by doing laundry?

"Really not enthusiastic..." Bella muttered, seeing Shadow frantically running around the house like his tail was on fire.

Oh well! She'll ignore that overly reactive cat.

Bella walked barefoot into the room to search for her and Ethan's dirty clothes. However, when she went through the trouble to find Ethan's neatly folded dirty clothes, all she had to say to him, who wasn't home at the moment, was, "Such a weirdo..."

Ethan's cleanliness obsession is simply terrifying. It's one thing for him to fold clean clothes neatly, but he even folds dirty clothes so perfectly square. Tsk!

Bella shook her head, carrying a bucket of dirty clothes taller than a small mountain, and walked lightly to the backyard.

In the backyard, there were several tall and lush banyan trees, their green branches almost blocking out the sky, creating a captivating canopy.

Bella couldn't help but take a deep breath, mixing the warm air with the fragrant smell of the trees. It was a scent she could never tire of.

Luckily, last year's hurricane only damaged the washing machine in the backyard, and didn't blow down these banyan trees she grew up with. Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to enjoy the scent of their emitted phytoncides.

She stood in front of the sink, separating the clothes into two piles - whites and colors. Then, she added some water into the basin, gently kneading the dirty clothes before draining the dirty water, replacing it with clean water and fragrant laundry detergent.

After spreading the laundry detergent, she moved the bowl of white clothes onto the ground and let it soak a little longer. Then she happily began to scrub the pile of colorful clothes. Among all the household chores, she liked doing laundry the most because she could daydream without guilt.

Speaking of daydreaming, she couldn't help but think of Ethan, who always interrupted her daydreams. This guy is really strange. He moved in half a month ago and still hasn't found a job. He spends his days bossing her around like a butler.

She had kindly suggested that he go out more and try to meet some beautiful girls, but to her surprise, he gave her an angry glare, completely unappreciative. Afterwards, she reflected and realized that maybe she was too impulsive. Perhaps Ethan had just been dumped by his girlfriend, and her suggestion only reminded him of his heartbreak. No wonder he looked so gloomy for the next few days. It's really a shame!

However, just the thought of a handsome and good-looking boy like Ethan also experiencing heartbreak made her unable to resist a little chuckle. She wasn't the only one who had been through a breakup. Hmm! This feeling of empathy was quite comforting.

Hmm? Could it be that because of this shared experience, Ethan was being particularly nice to her?

This is the most reasonable explanation she can think of so far. Otherwise, why would Ethan take care of her so devotedly and even go to such meticulous lengths! 

Realizing this, Bella's mood suddenly becomes bright, and a sweet smile blooms on her lips.

Alright! In order to give Ethan a spiritual refuge, she will reluctantly let him continue to take care of her, as a way of repaying him for always providing her with good food.

"Seems like you're in a good mood," Ethan walks out from behind the mosquito net, wearing loose jeans and with his wet upper body exposed. It's obvious that he just finished showering.

Bella has seen this comfortable look on him no less than thirty times, from being initially shocked to now salivating uncontrollably. She still can't get used to this vivid and attractive man moving around in front of her.

Ethan possesses a well-proportioned figure, with well-trained and strong muscles. Every inch of his body resembles the grace and beauty of a Greek statue in a museum.

For her, this scene is just too alluring and stimulating!

"Yeah! Whenever I see the sun, my mood usually turns out pretty good," Bella forcefully shifts her gaze, afraid that her heart will beat too fast and she will collapse at his feet.

Ethan lazily walks to her side and lightly taps her head with the dirty clothes in his hand.

"What were you daydreaming about just now?"

He stuffed his dirty clothes into the white foam and let her wash them thoroughly.

As Ethan got closer, Bella smelled the warm breath with a hint of rose fragrance, which made her suddenly feel a little dizzy. Damn it! This guy stole her shower gel again!

"Well... nothing, just thinking randomly." Bella blushed and answered weakly.

Strange! Why does he make the scent of roses smell so masculine?

"You're amazing! Even thinking randomly can make you laugh so happily." Ethan smiled and couldn't help but admire her ability to find joy in herself.

A woman who can be happy even while daydreaming, it's no wonder there's no sign of worry on her. She always sees the bright side of things, so optimistic that it's unbelievable. Even if she's so poor that she can only rely on instant noodles to live, she can still enjoy herself by picking her favorite beef flavor.

Bella couldn't help but steal a glance at the "meat wall" beside her, and after a dry throat, she decided not to spoil herself. "Ethan, go put on some clothes, you'll catch a cold."

"In this hot weather?" Ethan raised an eyebrow with great interest, leaning against the laundry sink, presenting his entire robust chest to her.

The biggest progress in the past half month was that Ethan often caught her glancing at his chest in secret, which gave him a bit of confidence and prevented him from feeling too discouraged.

Bella's blush deepened as she lowered her head and nervously fiddled with the clothes he had just thrown down. "Don't underestimate summer, it can cause a cold too." Her cheeks burned and the bright red color resembled the rising sun.

No, this is too exciting, she was close to having a brain hemorrhage.

Ethan, rarely gaining the upper hand, of course wouldn't easily give up. He wore a malicious smile and said, "Bella, do you know what you're washing right now?" He was willing to bet that she didn't know, otherwise she wouldn't be washing so enthusiastically.

Bella picked up the floral shorts from the mound of foam and held them up curiously in her hands.

"With such a cute and passionate design, and so short..." She tilted her head, seriously pondered for a moment, and then confidently answered, "They must be hot pants!"

"Wrong answer." Ethan picked up a blob of white foam with his finger and provocatively smeared it on her cute little nose.

"How is that possible?" Bella's beautiful eyes widened even more than before, and with the blob of foam on her nose, she looked a bit comical.

A smirk appeared in Ethan's charming eyes as he deliberately slowed down his speech, word by word, to let her hear. "This is my underwear."

"Gah?!" Bella was completely stunned for three seconds, then blushing, she threw aside the cute pants that were said to be underwear. Then, she forcefully turned on the faucet and quickly rinsed off the foam on her hands. "L-Liar! Underwear is... triangular! And who wears such fancy underwear?"

In her impression, boxer briefs should only be the product of her old man's era.

Ethan's handsome face slowly produced a dazzling, sexy smile. "Haven't you watched TV commercials? Ventilated boxer briefs are popular now."

Bella's face drooped in misery.

Every time she thought about having washed countless pairs of underwear for Ethan, she had an urge to cry... Why didn't anyone tell her that men's underwear had become like this?