Zhou Yi's eyes sparkled with amusement upon hearing the system's announcement.

  A woman like Jing Wen needed nothing more than care and attention.

  He knew he had taken the right step.

  However, he also realized that in Jing Wen's eyes, he was still just a younger brother, and she hadn't yet begun to see him in any other light.

  Unless he managed to change her perspective, Jing Wen would at most develop a stronger fondness for him or view him as family.

  Only when she saw him as a man would she start to feel romantic attraction toward him, and then the accumulation of her affection points would accelerate.

  "Host, where do you plan to allocate the attribute points?"

  "Not in a hurry yet."

  Zhou Yi finished washing all the dishes in the shop for Jing Wen. Standing at the kitchen door, she waved at him. "Xiao Yi, come here."

  Zhou Yi wiped his hands clean and walked over. The woman pulled out a stack of bills and placed them in his hand. "This is your salary for this month."

  Zhou Yi lowered his head shyly, pretending to be flustered. "But Sister Wen, it's not payday yet. Isn't it supposed to be on the 15th of next month?"

  Jing Wen gazed at him softly with her beautiful eyes. "It's just the three of us in the shop. It doesn't matter which day we pay. I'm afraid I'll be too busy next month and forget. You'll be at school, and I can't just walk in. What will you do for meals then?"

  In truth, Jing Wen knew Zhou Yi might run out of living expenses at the beginning of the month, so she gave him his salary early.

  Zhou Yi didn't refuse further. He took the money and thanked her. "Thank you, Sister Wen. Can I go out for a few minutes? I'll be back soon."

  "Go ahead. The customers haven't arrived yet. Just be back by 6."

  Jing Wen wasn't a picky boss and had no intention of micromanaging Zhou Yi. It was rare for him to ask to go out, so of course, she wouldn't stop him.

  While Jing Wen busied herself in the shop, Zhou Yi headed straight to the pharmacy.

  He found hand cream on the shelf, bought the most expensive one, paid for it, and then rushed to a clothing store to buy a dress and a pair of shoes for Jing Wen. After that, he went to the supermarket and purchased a large dishwasher.

  All in all, he spent several thousand, almost depleting the money the system had rewarded him, leaving only enough for next month's living expenses.

  077: "Host, are you really going to spend this much? Don't you want to buy something to improve your own image first?"

  Zhou Yi: "To Jing Wen, it doesn't matter what I look like. She won't judge me. So, improving my appearance now is pointless."

  "I'll earn this money back eventually. Why not treat her well first? It's both to repay her and to move her. Once her affection points increase, this money will come back easily."

  To Zhou Yi, this was an investment.

  Panting heavily, Zhou Yi lugged the dishwasher into the kitchen. Jing Wen, seeing him struggling with a large box, hurried over to help.

  "What's this, Xiao Yi? Why is it so heavy?" she asked, grabbing a few tissues to wipe the sweat from his face.

  Zhou Yi glanced at Lao Hai, who was still prepping ingredients, and pulled Jing Wen to the corner of the small staircase outside the kitchen.

  He handed her a large bag. "Sister Wen, next month is your birthday, and I'll be at school. If I end up with a full schedule, I might not have time to buy you a gift. So, here's your birthday present."

  Jing Wen was stunned. She hadn't expected Zhou Yi to remember her birthday.

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  Instead of taking the bag, she looked at him with concern. "Xiao Yi, where did you get the money? Did you spend all the salary I gave you on these gifts?"

  "If that's the case, go return them. I know you mean well, but you can't just throw money around like this."

  Zhou Yi smiled, his expression relaxed. "Don't worry, Sister Wen. I've saved the salary you gave me. This is money I earned at school a few days ago."

  "A friend taught me to build websites on the computer, and we landed a big project together. That's how I got this much. Do you think I'd go around scamming people or something?"

  Jing Wen's eyes widened in surprise, and she patted his head with a mix of pride and relief. "I didn't know our Xiao Yi was so capable. Of course, I know you're a good kid. You wouldn't do anything like that, and you wouldn't lie to me."

  "I'll accept the gifts, but don't buy anything else in the future. Save your money. College is expensive, and you'll need it."

  Jing Wen didn't yet realize how expensive the items Zhou Yi had bought for her were. But to her, what mattered most was Zhou Yi's sincerity. The value of the gifts wasn't that important.

  "Sister Wen, aren't you going to see what I bought you?"

  Only after Zhou Yi's prompting did Jing Wen open the bag. The dress and shoes were nice, but it was the hand cream lying quietly inside that made her eyes well up.

  [Jing Wen Affection Level + 10, Wealth + $50000, Attribute Points + 50.]

  "My hands are used to rough work. Why bother with hand cream?" Jing Wen smiled through her tears, her voice trembling.

  Zhou Yi felt a pang of pity. He comforted her gently. "Sister Wen, don't say that. The thing I just brought into the kitchen is a dishwasher. You won't have to wash dishes by hand anymore. Use this hand cream, and your hands won't hurt."

  "You're a woman too, Sister Wen. Of course, you deserve to be cared for. I just don't have the means to do more for you now. But once I make more money, I'll open a bigger shop for you, and you can just relax as the boss lady."

  Jing Wen was deeply moved by his words. Her expression softened. "Xiao Yi, I've only done what I could. You don't have to treat me so..."

  She didn't know how to describe her feelings at that moment. She felt she had only done small things, not worthy of Zhou Yi's gratitude. And at thirty, what did she have to do with being cared for?

  Zhou Yi took out the hand cream, opened the cap, and squeezed a dollop onto his palm. Then he took Jing Wen's hand and began to gently apply the cream, his movements tender and his gaze focused.

  Jing Wen looked at the determined young man before her and couldn't help but choke up.

  As he applied the cream, Zhou Yi spoke softly. "Sister Wen, everything I do for you comes from the heart, not just out of gratitude."

  "In my eyes, you're a wonderful woman. I've never met anyone as good as you. Please don't reject my feelings, okay?"

  Zhou Yi was a natural when it came to sweet talk. He first expressed that his kindness wasn't just out of gratitude, then praised her as a remarkable woman.

  This created a boundary between them that was more than just a sibling relationship.

  Zhou Yi had shown Jing Wen his growth. While she felt proud, there was also a new, subtle emotion in her eyes when she looked at him—though she hadn't yet realized it herself.

  But if Zhou Yi had other ways to make money, would he still need to work at her shop?

  The thought made her heart inexplicably heavy.

  Frowning slightly, Jing Wen asked with a hint of nervousness, "Will you still work here in the future?"