"open!"

Chen Ningsheng unfolded the fabric in his hand and continued washing.

“You’re not good at this, I’ll do it.” Xu Xinchen said with a helpless expression.

"If you can wash me, why can't I?"

She was almost moved by his stubbornness, so she simply said, "You won't get it clean like this, and the guests will complain about me again."

Upon hearing this, he finally slowed down his movements and looked at her helplessly.

Just as Xu Xinchen was about to take it, he quickly dodged her hand, grabbed the wet sheet, and ran out.

"Wait for me."

Xu Xinchen was left stunned and stood there dumbfounded.

It wasn't until almost evening that he returned with clean sheets. He raised an eyebrow and casually handed the fabric back to her.

Xu Xinchen frowned when she saw that the sheets were dry and brand new, with signs of ironing.

"I sent it to the laundry to be washed."

A smug smile appeared on his face.

Xu Xinchen was speechless as she held the pile of bed sheets. She knew how expensive it was to wash clothes at the laundry room. If she were to send all these clothes to the laundry room every day, she might as well not earn any money at all.

"Don't bother washing it tomorrow, I'll take it to be washed."

He followed closely behind her.

"You've got a lot of money!" Xu Xinchen finally couldn't hold back and shouted back.

Chen Ningsheng raised an eyebrow.

Okay, looks like someone with a lot of money.

Xu Xinchen swallowed her words, but still insisted, "Don't send it for washing tomorrow. You have more money than me, and we have absolutely no relationship."

Chen Ningsheng was stunned, his steps halted, and he stared intently as she walked further and further away.

When Chen Ningsheng came out of his room in the evening, he saw that the small table at the front desk was empty. Just then, Sister Zhao came downstairs with fruit and smiled as she handed him an apple. "Mr. Chen, are you out for a stroll?"

"Hmm." Chen Ningsheng's lips twitched slightly as he took the apple and chatted with her for a while, then the topic turned to Lu Minshi, "She got off work so early?"

"No, she's upstairs tutoring Xiao Bei!"

Chen Ningsheng tossed the apple high into the air and caught it perfectly. "Wow, she's quite knowledgeable."

"That's right." Sister Zhao had long regarded Xu Xinchen as one of her own, and wanted to say a few more words of praise, "Since Xiao Bei started learning from her, her English has improved by leaps and bounds. They say she speaks English better than foreigners."

Chen Ningsheng's hand, which was holding the apple, suddenly tightened. "She's been abroad?"

Sister Zhao asked doubtfully, "This... I don't know either..."

However, she was clearly not interested in the topic and instructed, "She'll be down in a bit, you can see her off."

Chen Ningsheng's lips curved into a smile. "Okay."

"Sister Zhao," Chen Ningsheng called out to Sister Zhao, who was about to leave, "Are you really comfortable with them, a man and a woman, alone in a room together?"

Standing at the top of the stairs, Sister Zhao looked at Chen Ningsheng's handsome yet slightly wicked face under the light, and smiled somewhat puzzledly, "Mr. Chen, what are you saying? Our Xiaobei is still a child."

"Oh," Chen Ningsheng said casually, hands in his pockets, "I was overthinking it. Sorry."

Xu Xinchen and Ji Bei went downstairs one after the other and saw Chen Ningsheng and Sister Zhao at the front desk chatting and laughing.

Before Xu Xinchen could react, Ji Bei rushed up to Chen Ningsheng, his eyes wide, like a wary rooster, and asked, "What are you doing here?"

"Go away, what are you doing? No respect for your elders!" Sister Zhao rushed forward and pulled him away, then smiled and introduced him to Chen Ningsheng, "This is my son, Ji Bei."

Chen Ningsheng smiled gently, "It's alright, I usually don't argue with kids."

"Mom, how did he get in here!" Ji Bei said, dissatisfied.

"What do you mean 'how did he move in'? He fixed the door that the thief broke, shouldn't you thank him?"

Ji Bei turned her face away, fuming and refusing to look at him.

Chen Ningsheng smiled, didn't press the matter, and pulled Xu Xinchen over, "Sister Zhao, I'll see her off!"

Upon hearing this, Ji Bei completely exploded, "Who do you think you are, giving her a ride? I'll give her one!"

"Ji Bei!" Sister Zhao quickly pulled him behind her. "What are you delivering? Go back to your room and read your book." She then smiled at Chen Ningsheng and said, "Be careful on the road."

"Mom!" Ji Bei twisted and struggled to break free, but Sister Zhao still dragged him upstairs. "You should use this time to think about your studies. What are you doing meddling in adults' affairs!"

As night falls, the streetlights along the roadside form a dazzling river, but the streets are deserted with few people, and a gentle evening breeze blows by.

Chen Ningsheng and Xu Xinchen walked side by side without saying a word.

Each lost in their own thoughts, they remained silent the entire way until they finally arrived at their doorstep. Xu Xinchen turned around, his face hidden in the darkness of the night, his expression unreadable.

"Don't waste your time on me." She blinked.

Chen Ningsheng chuckled and lowered his head, "How do you know I'm wasting my time?"

"Whatever." Seeing that he wouldn't listen to reason, Xu Xinchen turned and left angrily.

"Hello."

His deep voice came from beside me, "Don't get too close to Ji Bei."

These words instantly angered Xu Xinchen. She had no feelings for Ji Bei to begin with, treating him like a younger brother. Now, he singled her out, as if the two of them were having an affair.

"What do you mean?" she asked with a stern face.

Chen Ningsheng walked to her side, leaning against the wall behind her with one hand, placing her entirely under his control. In the darkness, his warning was carried to her ears by the night wind.

"Ji Bei's feelings for you are not as simple as you think. You should stay away from him as soon as possible."

“I know it myself, you don’t need to worry about it!” Xu Xinchen reached out and tried to pry his arm, but couldn’t budge him at all.

He simply stretched out his other hand, braced it against the wall, and encircled her entirely into his territory.

What are you doing!

Xu Xinchen sensed a dangerous aura and turned her head to the side, avoiding his gaze.

"I've been chasing you for so long, it's time to give me some benefits."