Cheng Jinyu’s voice came through the phone.
Huh? A printer?
Suddenly, Meng Chu almost laughed.
He called her late at night just to ask if she knew how to fix a printer?
Suppressing her amusement, she said, “What, did yours break?”
“Yeah, it was fine before I left. Suddenly, it won’t print. I was hoping to print a document at home,” Cheng Jinyu said calmly.
Meng Chu: “Send me the printer model. Let me take a look.”
A moment later, a photo came through.
Meng Chu glanced at the model and searched for it online.
She hadn’t expected to be shocked by the results.
What kind of printer was this? It was ridiculously expensive.
And precisely because it was so expensive, there were hardly any repair tutorials available.
Meng Chu searched for a long time without saying a word.
Until Cheng Jinyu’s voice came through again.
“Is it hard to fix? It’s fine—I’ll just have someone replace it tomorrow.”
Meng Chu took a deep breath.
“Send me your address.”
Apparently not expecting to hear this, there was a long silence on the other end.
Meng Chu pulled the phone away from her ear, thinking the call had been disconnected.
But the screen still showed the call was ongoing.
“I’ll come pick you up,” Cheng Jinyu finally spoke.
Meng Chu couldn’t help but laugh: “You come pick me up, then we go to your place together? Doesn’t that seem too troublesome? I’ll just take a taxi to your place, and you can meet me outside.”
“Send me the address.”
Meng Chu added one more reminder before hanging up.
She then gathered her things and prepared to leave.
Soon after, Cheng Jinyu sent her the address.
As expected, it was clearly one of the most luxurious residences-located right in Shanghai’s prime district.
Carrying her toolkit, Meng Chu headed straight out.
By the time she reached the neighborhood entrance, her ride was already waiting.
Half an hour later, the large display in the front passenger seat indicated they were nearing Cheng Jinyu’s residential complex.
She figured the compound must be quite large-it might take him a while to walk from his home to the entrance.
So she wasn’t in a hurry to message Cheng Jinyu about her arrival.
She could send it after getting out of the car.
Soon, the vehicle stopped at the complex’s gate.
True enough, while the entrance wasn’t ostentatiously grand, it exuded understated luxury.
The security guards standing by the gate were tall and impeccably dressed in well-fitted uniforms.
Meng Chu lowered her head, about to send a message.
Suddenly, a voice called out.
“Meng Chu.”
She instinctively looked up and saw a figure approaching from a short distance away.
By the time Cheng Jinyu reached her, Meng Chu had snapped out of her daze.
“How did you get here so fast?” she murmured.
But as soon as she said it, a strange thought crossed her mind.
Could he have been waiting here ever since their phone call ended?
The idea amused her, and she chuckled to herself.
What was she thinking?
Someone as busy as him wouldn’t waste precious time like that.
Cheng Jinyu looked down at her and took the items from her hands.
“You didn’t have to bring anything.”
Meng Chu burst into laughter.
Cheng Jinyu tilted his head slightly, looking puzzled.
Clearing her throat, Meng Chu said, “You’ll find out soon enough.”
“Let’s go,” Cheng Jinyu said, carrying the case as he led the way.
Meng Chu followed behind.
As the homeowner, Cheng Jinyu was immediately recognized at the gate, and the guard promptly opened it for them.
Walking through the complex, Meng Chu had to admit the landscaping in such high-end residences was breathtaking. The ornate street
lamps cast a soft glow over the lush greenery, making the summer night feel even more serene.
A few minutes later, they arrived at the entrance of Cheng Jinyu’s building.
When they reached the elevator, Cheng Jinyu pressed the button.
He glanced at Meng Chu. “It’s on the 25th floor.”
Meng Chu nodded, assuming he meant his apartment.
Sure enough, the elevator stopped at the 25th floor.
Although Meng Chu had known beforehand that the complex was near the Huangpu River—after all, proximity to the Bund and the river
was a major selling point for Shanghai’s luxury properties—she was still stunned when she stepped into the living room.
The floor-to-ceiling windows unveiled a night view that took her breath away.
Beneath the ink-black night sky, dazzling neon lights resembled stars fallen into the world. The towering skyscrapers stood like a forest,
radiating a brilliant glow that outlined the most prosperous nightscape of Lujiazui—like a modern yet elusive dream.
The overwhelming sense of awe struck Meng Chu even more deeply than when she had dined at the Bund earlier.
Because this was a standalone private residence.
The kind of house everyone would dream of owning.
“Would you like to take a look first?” Cheng Jinyu walked to her side and asked softly.
Meng Chu had originally intended to ask directly where the printer was.
But the words on her lips turned into a nod.
After all, she lived in this city too, and she wanted to see what this most coveted house was really like.
It had to be said-Cheng Jinyu must have hired a top-tier designer for this house. Moreover, it was evident that the owner pursued
perfection, as every decorative piece was understated yet exquisitely placed.
A true embodiment of old-money elegance.
After the tour, Cheng Jinyu walked to the kitchen island and asked, “What would you like to drink?”
Meng Chu watched him open the fridge. “Water is fine.”
Cheng Jinyu took out two bottles of water. He set one down and lightly twisted the cap of the other-not fully opening it—before handing it to Meng Chu.
“Thank you,” Meng Chu murmured.
She took a sip and glanced around, sincerely complimenting, “Your home is truly spacious and beautiful.”
At this, Cheng Jinyu, who had just tilted his head back to drink, lifted his gaze to look at her.
He was about to say something when a faint whimper suddenly echoed from within the house.
Meng Chu turned toward the hallway in surprise.
“Did you hear that?” she couldn’t help but ask.
It couldn’t be a person, right?
Surely he wouldn’t have someone hidden here while she was visiting.
But Cheng Jinyu only smiled faintly and said softly, “Sorry, give me a moment.”
Then he turned and walked toward the hallway.
Curious, Meng Chu craned her neck.
Soon, she heard the whimpering again, followed by a loud, crisp bark.
A blur of movement darted out from the hallway.
Cheng Jinyu appeared moments later, following closely behind.
Meng Chu looked down at the black-and-white figure-no, the dog-frolicking excitedly in the living room.
“Is this your dog?”
Meng Chu asked with a laugh.
Cheng Jinyu nodded and called out to the dog, “Momo, this is Meng Chu.”
As soon as he spoke, the dog, which had been in the living room, suddenly turned and bolted straight for the island.
It began circling Meng Chu’s feet, wagging its tail furiously, as if thrilled just hearing her name.
“What’s wrong with it?”
Meng Chu had never owned a dog and wasn’t familiar with their behavior.
Cheng Jinyu replied calmly, “It’s just happy.”
Meng Chu bent down to look at it. “Are you this happy to see me?”
“Meng Chu,” Cheng Jinyu suddenly called out.
At the sound of her name, the already excited dog let out two more barks.
Meng Chu was stunned.
“It really seems to like me!”
“Yeah,” Cheng Jinyu acknowledged quietly.
Having never had pets before, Meng Chu was surprised to discover she might actually have a way with animals.
“My best friend studies veterinary medicine, she—”
Now a veterinarian, Meng Chu had always loved small animals since childhood.
“I always thought I didn’t have much of a connection with animals,” she said boldly, reaching out to pat the dog’s head.
To her surprise, the dog actually stayed still and let her pet it.
“By the way, what did you just call it?” Meng Chu asked curiously.
Cheng Jinyu lowered his gaze to look at her and said softly, “Momo, the ‘mo’ from ‘beginning and end.’”
Meng Chu couldn’t help but freeze for a moment.