Chapter 4: Not just anyone can be her neighbour (1/2)

The house was on the 26th floor, almost 160 square meters, with three bedrooms and two living rooms.

The interior design followed an Italian minimalist style, and the furniture and soft furnishings were tastefully matched.

She wanted to ask which designer did the work, but then thought better of it.

This kind of effect couldn’t be achieved without at least a couple of million, and she didn’t have the money…

Lu Youchuan helped her place the two large suitcases in the living room, raising an eyebrow and asking, “I had the place cleaned yesterday.

Are you satisfied?”

“How could I not be satisfied?” Jiang Nanshu looked at him seriously.

“I’ll treat you to a meal.”

“Alright, but next time.”

Lu Youchuan smiled, checked his watch, and added, “I have something to do at noon, I need to leave now.”

After seeing him off, Jiang Nanshu wandered around the house.

She had originally planned to stay in the guest room, but found there was no bed there… So she had to move her suitcases into the master bedroom.

The kitchen had all the utensils likely just bought by Lu Youchuan yesterday, still in their packaging.

Apart from some daily necessities and food, there was really nothing lacking.

She ordered some daily essentials online, scheduled for delivery in the afternoon.

She put on her coat, grabbed her bag, and went out to familiarize herself with the neighborhood.

The weather was freezing.

She walked around the area for over ten minutes and entered a well-decorated café.

She sat by the window, ordered a hot latte, and sent a message to Cheng Jiajia, asking if she was home.

Cheng Jiajia: [I’m working overtime! What’s up?]

shu: [When will you be back? I’m sending a moving company to pick up my stuff.

I found a place.]

Cheng Jiajia: [That fast? Which neighborhood?]

Jiang Nanshu explained the house situation to her.

Cheng Jiajia sent a voice message: “Your ‘cheap’ brother is almost like a real brother now.

Not bad!”

Jiang Nanshu took a sip of her coffee, lowered her head, and replied: [He’s great, except for trying to hook me up with Song Ye.]

Cheng Jiajia: […]

Cheng Jiajia: [Is he serious? Doesn’t he know about you and Song Ye?]

shu: [He doesn’t know.

I don’t know how to tell him, telling him the truth would be too embarrassing.]

Cheng Jiajia: [Aren’t they pretty familiar with each other? Let the person who rejected you deal with it.]

True.

Rejecting someone once makes it awkward, but Song Ye is much better at handling it.

Once she figured this out, Jiang Nanshu felt a bit lighter.

After finishing her coffee, she went home to tidy up.

Having been used to the small one-bedroom apartment in Deep City, this large house felt a bit too much for Jiang Nanshu.

Especially at night, when the whole place felt empty.

She ordered some takeout, had dinner, and then the movers called to say they had arrived downstairs.

She opened the building’s gate for them and video-called Cheng Jiajia as she had been advised, since it was late and Cheng Jiajia worried about her being a pretty young woman alone with two movers.

The video connected, and Cheng Jiajia asked: “Are they downstairs yet?”

“They should be in the elevator now.”

Jiang Nanshu waited by the door.

“This house… Your brother is rich!” Cheng Jiajia marveled.

Jiang Nanshu smiled hearing that.

Lu Youchuan worked in medical devices, and his father was a well-known cardiovascular surgeon.

The family had always been well-off, and with their connections, business was naturally easy to run and profits came regularly.

Cheng Jiajia continued: “Is this a two-unit floor? Have you met the neighbors?”

“No.”

Jiang Nanshu glanced at the closed door across the hallway.

“Who knows, maybe you’ll run into a handsome neighbor.”

Cheng Jiajia continued gossiping, “Didn’t you ask your brother about the neighbors?”

Jiang Nanshu hadn’t thought to ask and shrugged.

“As long as they don’t disturb the peace at night, it doesn’t matter who they are.”

Ding

The elevator doors opened, and two movers came out with the items.

Jiang Nanshu waved and called out to them, “This way.”

“Is it here?” one of the movers asked, as he noticed her video.

“Make sure they know you’re on video,” Cheng Jiajia whispered, lowering her voice.

Jiang Nanshu pointed the camera at the elevator.

“Wait a minute,” the mover called as he placed the box next to the elevator.

He quickly went back into the elevator to grab the remaining boxes and thanked the man holding the door button, “Thanks.”

Was there someone else in the elevator?

A neighbor?

Jiang Nanshu looked over, still curious about her new neighbors.

“You’re welcome.”

The man in the elevator said.

“…”

Hearing that voice, Jiang Nanshu froze.

The next second, the man in the elevator stepped out, his coat hanging over his arm.

He wore a grey thin sweater and a crisp white shirt collar that made him look neat and sharp.

He turned, and his eyes met hers.

He raised an eyebrow slightly.

Jiang Nanshu’s heart skipped a beat.

Her hand shook uncontrollably, and her mind went blank.

Because of the shaky camera, Cheng Jiajia couldn’t see his face clearly, but that was enough to make her exclaim: “Wow, he’s so handsome! Is this your new neighbor?”

Her voice echoed clearly in the hallway, and everyone there could hear it.

Song Ye and the two movers turned to look at her.

Jiang Nanshu: “…”

She looked at Song Ye, and a bad feeling crept into her heart.

Cheng Jiajia, too excited to remember she was on a video call, enthusiastically shouted: “Nanshu, go for it! He’s just as good-looking as Song Ye…”

“…Shut up.”

Jiang Nanshu finally snapped back to reality and quickly interrupted her, embarrassed, as she turned to look at Song Ye.

He heard everything.

At this point, hanging up would make things even more awkward.

So instead, she pointed the camera at Song Ye and said, “It’s Cheng Jiajia. She’s just joking.”

The last time Cheng Jiajia saw Song Ye was at the class monitor’s wedding.

The class monitor married young, having a wedding during the National Day holiday three years ago, and most of their classmates attended.

Cheng Jiajia had attended with Jiang Nanshu’s red envelope.

“Song Ye?” Cheng Jiajia recognized him and froze.

Song Ye looked at the phone screen and casually greeted his old classmate, “Long time no see.”

Three years apart, the heartthrob was still the heartthrob, even more handsome than before.

But how could he be here?

Cheng Jiajia froze for a few seconds, asking the question that had been on Jiang Nanshu’s mind: “What are you doing here?”

Song Ye glanced at Jiang Nanshu, his tone as indifferent as ever: “I live here.”

Jiang Nanshu: “…”

Her premonition had come true, and her heart sank.

She wanted to take back her words.

Not just anyone could be a neighbor at least, Song Ye shouldn’t be.

The atmosphere became awkwardly silent.

“Where should I put the stuff?” one of the movers asked, breaking the silence and looking at Jiang Nanshu.

“Huh?” Jiang Nanshu was still dazed.

She looked at Song Ye’s indifferent expression and thought about moving, but that felt too cowardly.

Why should she move?

What reason did she have to move?

Moving would make her look guilty, and Song Ye wouldn’t know what to think.

After all, it was only for a few months.

Everyone had to work, and even though they were neighbors, they wouldn’t meet often.

“Put it in the living room.”

Jiang Nanshu was a little flustered, unsure what to say to Song Ye, so she just kept quiet and stepped aside, letting the movers in while avoiding his gaze.

Cheng Jiajia, understanding the situation, fell silent.

Song Ye walked to his door, inputting the password to open it.

As the door opened, a chubby golden British Shorthair cat meowed twice and slowly walked toward him.

He left the door slightly ajar, took off his shoes, and tossed his coat on the sofa backrest, bending down to look at the cat rubbing against his ankle.

From outside, the sound of the movers moving back and forth could be heard.

He walked to the fridge, grabbed a bottle of water, drank half of it, and his phone rang it was HR calling.

He answered the call: “Mr. Song, I’ve sent you the resumes you asked for.

If everything looks good, I’ll schedule the interviews.”

“I’ll take a look.”

After hanging up, Song Ye opened the resumes and flipped to a particular page.

His gaze unintentionally landed on the passport photo in the top left corner, and he froze.

The girl in the photo had her hair tied in a high ponytail, her face a bit youthful, with clear bright eyes and a slight smile.

He stared at the phone screen, momentarily lost in thought.

Just then, he heard a cat meow from the door.

He snapped out of it and quickly walked over, sending HR a voice message: “Let’s schedule the interview for Monday.”

He paused and added, “Have the lead designer and operations director handle the interview.”

After signing for the luggage and sending the movers out, Jiang Nanshu noticed the door across the hall was ajar.

Had it not been closed properly? Should she remind him?

Just as she hesitated, a furry cat paw suddenly appeared, and a round, fluffy head slowly peeked out, eyes wide as it stared at her, meowing.

Jiang Nanshu: “!!!”

Oh my god! So cute!

She was immediately charmed.

Song Ye actually has a cat?!!!

Jiang Nanshu had always wanted a pet, either a cat or a dog, but she preferred cats.

However, Jiang Yu was allergic to animal fur, so she had never gotten one.

Back in high school, she had asked Song Ye if he liked cats.

He had said no.

Now the person who once said he didn’t like cats was raising one, and it looked like he had had it for quite some time.

A round, fluffy British Shorthair… It was her dream cat!

She really wanted to pet it!

She didn’t know if Song Ye’s cat would let her pet it, but it wasn’t afraid of her.

It looked at her with its round head.

Jiang Nanshu couldn’t resist and took a step forward.

Just then, footsteps approached from inside the apartment.

Before she could react, the door suddenly opened.

Song Ye stood behind the door, looking down at her: “Is there something?”

Jiang Nanshu felt awkward.

She couldn’t exactly say she wanted to pet his cat, could she?

She pointed at the cat by his feet and awkwardly said, “Your door wasn’t closed properly, and the cat almost ran out.”

No sooner had she finished speaking than the cat took a few steps forward, seemingly trying to prove her right.

Song Ye immediately bent down and picked up the cat with one hand.

“…”

Jiang Nanshu looked at the cat in the man’s arms, suddenly feeling a bit irritable and depressed.

If he really knew that Lu Youchuan was trying to matchmake them, would he think it was laughable?

Lu Youchuan really knew how to create problems for her.

The two of them probably just didn’t get along.

After a long silence, she looked up at him: “I didn’t know you lived here.

My brother didn’t tell me.”

Song Ye, holding the cat lazily, leaned against the doorframe and looked down at her: “What if you did know?”

There really was no adult understanding here.

Did she have to spell it out for him?

Jiang Nanshu stayed silent for a few seconds, then decided to speak honestly: “If I knew, I wouldn’t have moved in.”

She paused and slightly raised the corner of her mouth, “But we’re all busy.

Even though we live next door, we won’t run into each other often.”

“True.” Song Ye gave a slight smile, his eyes still cold, and nodded at her: “If there’s nothing else, you can leave now.”

Jiang Nanshu realized she was still standing in front of his door and awkwardly said, “Oh,” before quickly turning around and heading back to her apartment.