Duàn Chén shook his head, resolute, and quickly signed the rental contract with the real estate agent.
Zhōng Yù and Mǐ Xuě'er stood by, deflated.
After completing the procedures, Duàn Chén smiled slightly, "Thank you, Sister Lan, for helping me find such a good house. I was indeed planning to move these days and didn't have time to look, so I've been staying in a hotel for a few days."
"Little Duàn, don't be so polite with me," Zhōng Yù forced a smile.
He refused the mansion handed to him. A man with such principles was truly rare in the world. This uprightness was so much like Xuě'er's father...
In Duàn Chén's face, Zhōng Yù seemed to see her deceased husband's.
The two of them indeed shared a strange resemblance.
My dearest, it was you who guided Duàn Chén to us, wasn't it...
Zhōng Yù, this strong woman, revealed a rare hint of vulnerability, her eyes reddening slightly before she took a deep breath and suppressed it.
Duàn Chén saw this and, to show respect, turned his eyes away as if he hadn't seen it.
"It's alright, Little Duàn. I want to find time to talk to you about Xuě'er's father. After all, Xuě'er is his child. I'm not surprised she awakened her abilities, but I'm worried because no one can guide her," Zhōng Yù said softly.
"Okay," Duàn Chén nodded.
"So, Brother Duàn Chén, can you reserve a guest room upstairs for me?" Mǐ Xuě'er said, blushing, mustering her courage.
"I want to learn from you, cultivate, and become stronger... If I practice late, the guest room upstairs would be perfect for staying overnight..."
Her voice grew softer as she spoke, her face turning as red as a ripe tomato.
"Of course, I was actually planning on it. Not just you, but Qín Zé too. Since I promised to teach you to become stronger, I'm not just saying it. Get ready for summer training camp. I'll reserve one room upstairs for each of you."
"Really!?" Mǐ Xuě'er's eyes widened with excitement, "Then I'll have to pay rent too, that's absolutely fair!"
Zhōng Yù's eyes lit up, and she immediately took out her phone, transferring 8 million yuan to Duàn Chén.
Duàn Chén twitched his mouth, "This, is rent??"
"Yes, and it includes tuition and miscellaneous fees. Don't think it's too little. I'll handle regular cleaning and supplies. Let me be your logistics captain, and you can just pour your sweat and youth!" Zhōng Yù finally smiled again. "Oh, and that room Mǐ Xuě'er chose, no one else can stay in it."
Heh heh heh, they were so eager to give me money, so polite.
However, this time it didn't violate his principles. Duàn Chén knew that if he refused further, they wouldn't give up, so he tacitly accepted the 8 million yuan for rent and tuition.
He hadn't expected that when Qín Zé learned of this, he would also transfer 8 million yuan to him, requesting that the other guest room be reserved for him.
Duàn Chén: ???
I rented a villa for 80,000, and now I've made a net profit of 16 million?
This was outrageous.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
Duàn Chén thought, perhaps some procedures hadn't been completed. He opened the door to find Wú Suǒwèi standing there.
Wú Suǒwèi was wearing a very casual suit, holding a plump, light-colored silver tabby cat. The cat was curled up in his arms, lazily squinting its eyes.
"Where did you run off to last time at the hospital? The guild almost listed you as missing," Duàn Chén spoke first.
Wú Suǒwèi looked in good spirits, without any injuries, and didn't seem to have been through any major battle.
"I went to take care of a running dog," Wú Suǒwèi smiled slightly. "Haven't had any more nightmares recently, have you?"
Hearing Wú Suǒwèi say that, Duàn Chén suddenly realized that he hadn't been bothered by nightmares these past few days, except for the occasional auditory hallucinations of someone called "Mother" calling him.
"You took care of him?"
"Uh-huh, in this game, we've gained the upper hand," Wú Suǒwèi squinted and smiled, the cat in his arms also meowed softly.
"Wait a minute, let's not say 'we' yet. I haven't decided to join you. What gods, what white pieces, it all sounds a bit too fantastical," Duàn Chén interrupted Wú Suǒwèi expressionlessly.
"I know, you'll eventually accept the authority in my hands. I'll be waiting," Wú Suǒwèi glanced inside, smiling somewhat mysteriously. "Still saying you won't join? How coincidental, we're neighbors."
Duàn Chén looked at his smile, always feeling an indescribable mystery about this guy.
Then he thought, with so many high-end properties in Su City, why did Zhōng Yù specifically choose this one, and why did the decoration and design of this house suit his taste so perfectly?
"...Could it be you? Are the gods so bored?" Duàn Chén twitched his mouth. "No, could it be that there's a conspiracy of some evil god hidden here, and they're coming to the airspace again?"
"Hehehehe..." Wú Suǒwèi smiled without speaking.
Duàn Chén stepped aside, letting Wú Suǒwèi in, and immediately took out a detector to scan the room—
No activity.
Duàn Chén was a bit surprised but also relieved.
"I won't come in. I came today to visit my new neighbor, and secondly, I have something to trouble you with."
Duàn Chén's eyes lit up, and he showed a cunning smile, "Alright, but I'll put a price on it."
"Of course."
Wú Suǒwèi smiled slightly, gently stroking the white cat in his arms.
"I'm going on a trip and I'm not at ease leaving Little Jianjian home alone. Can you take care of him for a few days?"
"...Take care of a cat?" Duàn Chén raised an eyebrow, "I have no experience. Aren't you afraid I'll take care of him to death?"
"You have so many people here. Little Jianjian is tough and not easy to kill."
"Your cat's name is 'Little Jianjian'? Truly, the pet takes after its owner."
As they were chatting, Zhōng Yù and Mǐ Xuě'er approached.
"Oh my, what a cute cat!"
Women always have a weakness for cute things. Mǐ Xuě'er's eyes sparkled as she approached, wanting to reach out and pet it but afraid of startling it.
"It's alright, you can pet him. He has a very good temper," Wú Suǒwèi smiled slightly.
"Really? Oh! You, aren't you the temporary security guard from that day?" Mǐ Xuě'er looked up and finally recognized Wú Suǒwèi.
"Mǐ Xuě'er, don't be rude," Zhōng Yù softly chided.
This person had been able to chat with Duàn Chén for a long time, clearly Duàn Chén's friend and soon to be a neighbor. How could he be just an ordinary security guard? Zhōng Yù clearly couldn't comprehend it.
"Ah, I'm sorry." Mǐ Xuě'er quickly apologized. "Can I really pet him?"
Mǐ Xuě'er cautiously reached out and gently stroked the white cat. She felt a soft, warm touch. Little Jianjian nuzzled her head obediently, purring contentedly.
"So well-behaved!" Mǐ Xuě'er's eyes shone with excitement.
"Can you read the cat's thoughts?" Wú Suǒwèi asked.