C13 I Rented a House

This woman had an incredible figure. Not only was she curvaceous, but her bewitching, peach blossom eyes seemed to have the power to enchant with just a flutter. She was a natural beauty, through and through.

Changshun quickly grabbed her hand.

"Don't take off your clothes."

"But I'm hot."

"Seriously, you go out for a quiet drink and end up in trouble. Where do you live? I'll take you home first."

The woman smiled and shook her head.

"Right, where do I live? Here? There? Or over there?" She pointed around haphazardly with her red nail polish-tipped fingers, clearly too drunk to discern any direction.

Changshun wondered if he should bring this woman back to the hotel. But what would he say to Xiuxiu?

Besides, he had no connection to this woman; it didn't seem right. And if she woke up the next day accusing him of impropriety, he'd be at a loss for words.

While Changshun was indecisive, the woman began to sway and nearly collapsed.

Changshun steadied her, and she nestled into his arms.

"This bed is so comfy. I want to sleep..."

She seemed to believe she was on a bed, nuzzling Changshun's neck in her delirium.

Changshun was beside himself with frustration.

He used to go a year without seeing a single girl, and now, here he was, with women literally falling into his arms. What was going on?

"Miaomiao, Miaomiao."

Just then, a woman's voice called out a name.

The drowsy woman responded instinctively.

"Ruanruan, I'm... I'm right here."

"Are you Miaomiao?" Changshun inquired.

The woman didn't reply, seemingly asleep again.

Hearing footsteps, Changshun thought this might be his chance to leave if the woman knew the person approaching. But as he supported the inebriated woman to the alley's entrance, a ponytailed girl in a T-shirt and low-rise jeans charged toward them.

"You pervert, what were you planning to do to Miaomiao?"

The slaps came hard and fast, leaving Changshun dazed.

The girl gave Changshun a fierce glare and escorted the drunk woman away.

Changshun stood there, utterly bewildered. What had he done to deserve this?

Upon returning to their hotel room, Xiuxiu was already awake. The sight of Changshun, battered and bruised, sent her into a flurry of concern, her previous heartache forgotten.

"I'm okay, I just... took a tumble after drinking," Changshun offered a weak excuse.

Xiuxiu wasn't convinced.

"That doesn't look like a fall; you've obviously been in a fight. Never mind that now, I'll grab a towel to clean you up."

Thankfully, the injuries weren't severe, or Xiuxiu would have insisted on taking Changshun to the hospital.

The night had unfolded with bewildering twists and turns.

At dawn, Changshun took Xiuxiu to find an affordable rental property nearby. He knew that if they were to live together, the place couldn't be substandard, as it would be uncomfortable for both of them.

After much deliberation, they searched a local neighborhood for a suitable rental.

Luck was on their side; the area was teeming with universities, and many students who preferred not to live on campus were renting nearby, resulting in an abundance of available housing.

As Changshun walked, a flyer fluttered onto his face. He examined it and saw it was a rental ad. Without hesitation, he led Xiuxiu to the address listed.

The rent was irresistibly low—a three-bedroom for only five hundred yuan a month. In this city, that was a steal.

"Changshun, is this the place?" Xiuxiu asked.

"I think so. Let me make a call to confirm."

While Changshun was on the phone, Xiuxiu knocked on the door.

"Coming!" she heard someone respond from inside.

The door swung open to reveal a stylishly dressed girl, clad in a skimpy tank top and shorts that barely covered her hips.

"Ah! Why is there a guy here?" she exclaimed, spotting Changshun and swiftly closing the door.

Changshun's brow furrowed, suspecting they wouldn't be renting here after all.

"Xiuxiu, let's check out other places," he suggested.

They were about to leave when the door opened once more, revealing the same girl, now wearing a coat, looking somewhat more presentable.

"I'm sorry, I thought my friend had arrived. Are you here to look at the rental?"

"Yes."

Changshun remained silent, but Xiuxiu quickly spoke up.

"Please, come on in."

The girl ushered them into the house.

Inside, the house was spotless and well-furnished, with every necessary piece of furniture in place.

The environment was quite nice. Having worked in the city for so long, Changshun seldom visited such well-kept homes.

He would only occasionally attend a friend's gathering and have a meal at their place.

To someone like Changshun, this was practically a luxury apartment.

"Would you like some tea or a soft drink?"

"No, thank you. We're just here to take a look. The rent is five hundred a month, correct?"

Changshun chimed in eagerly.

"Yes, my two roommates moved out, and it's been tough covering the rent on my own. I'm looking for someone to share the costs. Is it your sister who's looking to rent?"

Xiuxiu, being younger than Changshun, and with Changshun's outdoor work giving him a darker complexion, made him appear older.

She quickly shook her head.

"No, we're renting together."

The girl looked surprised. "Are you... a couple?"

"No, she's my sister. We've come here to work," Changshun clarified hastily.

The girl laughed, "You two really don't look alike at all."

Xiuxiu remained silent, clearly disappointed with how Changshun had described their relationship.

Changshun, oblivious as ever, didn't pick up on the tension, nor did the girl sense anything amiss. She continued to chat with them for a bit.

"Though it's not ideal to have a guy living here, I've been thinking about the break-ins that have been happening lately. Having a man around might actually be safer. You both seem desperate to find a place, so let's go ahead and make it official. Congratulations, we're now roommates."

The girl made a quick decision to rent the house to Changshun and Xiuxiu.

Changshun gave an awkward chuckle.

"Are you sure about this? It could be dangerous if you encounter the wrong person."

"How so? Are you bad people?" The girl's naive smile left Changshun at a loss for words.

"By the way, I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Du Yuewei. You can call me Weiwei."

"My name is Wang Jinxiu," Xiuxiu added.

Changshun was taken aback. He had always referred to her as Xiuxiu and realized he never actually knew her full name was Wang Jinxiu.

"Brother Changshun, he..."

"Wang Changshun, that name sounds quite old-fashioned."

Changshun had no comeback; after all, his last name wasn't Wang.