“So, just as you often take care of me, I want to take care of you the same way.”
Jiang Xiao stopped at the armrest of the sofa, his eyes sparkling as he smiled at the girl, who looked a little dumbfounded.
Song Qiuyu slowly came back to her senses, the blank expression on her pretty face gradually changing.
“Uh, it’s… just that simple?”
Song Qiuyu blinked her beautiful almond-shaped eyes twice, looking at Jiang Xiao in surprise.
To be honest, when Jiang Xiao said those words, she already believed him ninety percent. After all, this was exactly the kind of thing he would do.
“Yeah, it’s really just that simple!”
Jiang Xiao’s young and handsome face was lit up with a fresh, sunny smile.
“But shouldn’t you be asking me why I also want to move out of the dormitory at a time like this?”
Song Qiuyu swallowed hard.
Anyone with a bit of sense would be curious about this, just like she was now, wondering what Jiang Xiao’s reason was.
“But you didn’t ask me for a reason. If you’re not making things difficult for me, then why should I make things difficult for you?”
Jiang Xiao replied, a little amused.
Song Qiuyu was startled.
“Besides, there happens to be an empty room. Rather than letting it sit idle or renting it to someone else, I think it’s better to rent it to ‘you, who need it more right now.'”
Jiang Xiao’s explanation was logical and reasonable, making Song Qiuyu’s already wavering resolve even shakier.
After hesitating for a moment, she bit her lip and spoke:
“So…”
“Hmm?”
Seeing the lingering hesitation in her expression, Jiang Xiao showed even more patience, looking at her gently. “Do you still have any questions?”
“Is it really only six hundred a month for rent?”
Song Qiuyu’s eyes glimmered with hope, and her excitement was impossible to hide—she didn’t even try.
“Mm, if you’re willing to take turns cooking meals with me to solve our daily meals, I could even consider giving you a small discount.”
Jiang Xiao sat down beside her, curious how she’d react to that, wondering if she’d try to push her luck for an even lower rent…
“No, no need!”
Song Qiuyu shook her head and waved her hands. “Six hundred is already more than enough. It’s like a pie falling from the sky—I don’t need a discount!”
After all, Jiang Xiao’s money didn’t come out of thin air, and she was already getting a massive bargain.
What’s more, right now she was still Sin-Bearing. It was fine to enjoy a little compensation from Jiang Xiao, but anything more—she just couldn’t accept.
She hadn’t even finished paying back what she owed Jiang Xiao; she definitely couldn’t take more, or she’d never be able to settle it!
“As for cooking, since we’re sharing the apartment, of course we’ll take turns! You can rest assured, the food I cook—not to brag—”
Song Qiuyu patted her chest confidently.
“It’s really delicious! New Oriental level!”
“Alright, so, when do you plan to bring your things over?”
Jiang Xiao wasn’t surprised.
Xi’er had shown off her cooking to him countless times before, and her favorite time for showing off was in the middle of the night—which, to put it bluntly, was ‘poisoning him at midnight.’
Song Qiuyu froze for a second, her eyes darted, then she picked up her phone and sent a message in the Dormitory Group.
With a beep, Jiang Xiao’s phone received the same message.
It was Song Qiuyu asking if Xie Zhuran and Lin An had managed to save seats at the Library.
Soon, Xie Zhuran and Lin An replied.
Turns out, they had just arrived at the Library and were looking for seats.
Seeing this, Jiang Xiao more or less understood, and, holding his phone, looked up at Song Qiuyu. “Need any help?”
Song Qiuyu froze again. As expected of Jiang Xiao, he saw through her thoughts right away!
Agreeing to share the apartment with him still seemed a bit risky…
But there was no other way; Jiang Xiao’s offer was just too good. And even if she didn’t rent Jiang Xiao’s place, there was no guarantee she could find a better, safer one.
Rather than risk dealing with strangers, she felt much more comfortable living with Jiang Xiao.
“No worries, I don’t have that much stuff. I can do it myself!”
With that, Song Qiuyu got up from the sofa and headed to the entryway to change her shoes.
“I’ll go with you anyway. It’s already almost half past nine. If we hurry there and back, we’ll still make it to the Market in time to buy ingredients for lunch.”
Jiang Xiao quickly followed after her.
Upon hearing this, Song Qiuyu thought for a moment, then agreed.
After a bit of running around, all the essentials were moved into the Rental Apartment.
The wet clothes had been re-hung on the drying rack at the Rental Apartment, and the Quarterly Rent had already been transferred to Jiang Xiao.
After all this running around, Song Qiuyu’s whole face was flushed bright red—like peach blossoms in March, vivid and glistening.
Her neck, naturally, was even redder.
“Hoo… Moving is so tiring, so exhausting.” Song Qiuyu wiped her sweat with her sleeve, panting softly, her chest rising and falling.
Between her slightly parted lips, her little pink tongue peeked out, just barely visible.
So seductive.
And yet a little cute, like a little animal overheated.
Even though he’d seen her look more seductive and tempting before, Jiang Xiao still felt his chest burning with a smoldering heat, nearly unbearable.
“Have some hot water.”
Jiang Xiao steadied his voice, trying to distract himself as he mixed hot water and mineral water until it was the right temperature, then handed it to her.
“Thanks, Jiang Xiao! Good thing you helped today—I overestimated myself. If I were on my own, I’d probably have to call you halfway through for help.”
Song Qiuyu took the cup from Jiang Xiao, and maybe it was because she was really thirsty after all that work, but she started drinking the water like a little leaky kettle.
The warm water trickled down her smooth chin, along her beautiful neck, slipping under the tightly buttoned collar of her shirt, then disappearing from sight.
“By the way, isn’t there still a Physical Fitness Test in the second half of the month? Finals Week just has so much going on~”
Finishing her water in one go, she let out a comfortable sigh, wiping her damp chin and neck with her sleeve.
She was only thinking of complaining to her good friend, not realizing her tone had become coquettish without her noticing.
Hearing this, Jiang Xiao’s ears tingled and itched, and he couldn’t help but pinch his burning earlobe.
“True, you never were great at PE back in middle school, right?” Jiang Xiao asked, deliberately phrasing it as a question.
“Yeah, I’m alright at short bursts, but I have no endurance—just can’t keep going… Jiang Xiao, your memory is freakishly good, you should lend me some of your brain power!”
Song Qiuyu swung her legs, feeling a little down.
Once she pulled herself together, she turned sideways, jokingly grabbed the back of the sofa with both hands, and winked at Jiang Xiao as she said,
“Why are you smiling so happily? You’re not making fun of me, are you?”
Song Qiuyu made a face as if she were about to blow air at him.
“Just practice more.”
“Mm.” If only practicing actually helped. Ever since she became a girl, her already small strength had gotten even smaller.
“Come on, let’s go buy groceries.”
Upon hearing this, Song Qiuyu lazily got up from the sofa. She didn’t dawdle, quickly keeping pace as Jiang Xiao headed out.
She only wanted to buy a few things and come right back. After all, it was just the two of them—they couldn’t possibly eat that much.
Although, Jiang Xiao did have a pretty big appetite, about three times hers.
What surprised her was, once they got to the Market, Jiang Xiao’s series of actions were practically superhuman, leaving her utterly stunned, completely befuddled!