Chapter 50

Moko looked at her newly decorated home, just as she had imagined; everything was her own choice. However, when she made those choices, she thought it was just a perfunctory response to Yoda's casual remark.

But now that she actually sees all these things combined into a home, Mo Ke realizes: this is the style she wants, and this is the kind of home she likes.

Yoda watched as Moko's smile gradually spread as she entered. Anyone who saw it could feel Moko's happiness and excitement.

Yoda proudly pointed to the shoe cabinet by the entrance and said to Moko, "This space was squeezed out by taking up a little space in the kitchen. But the kitchen cabinets haven't decreased in size because I opened the doorway at the front. This way, what could only be a T-shaped cabinet can now be a U-shaped one. In the end, the total length of the cabinets hasn't changed, and the distance for washing, chopping, and cooking is still very spacious."

"The added shoe cabinet is the perfect size, and it can hold all the seasonal shoes and slippers. If there were floor-to-ceiling cabinets on both sides, it would feel cramped, so we only made two shelves. We added a cushion on top of the shoe cabinet, and the height is just right for sitting down to change shoes."

The entrance hallway, which was originally considered too narrow to accommodate a shoe cabinet, became the highlight of the entire house after the design was completed, because Moke needed a display cabinet but didn't need to store too many shoes.

Moko was very satisfied; she realized that Yoda had fulfilled all her needs. Even things she hadn't previously considered, Yoda had thought of. Watching Yoda happily introduce the house, Moko suddenly felt a little embarrassed.

Originally, she just wanted to do a simple renovation, since it would take a lot of effort to renovate properly. However, for Mo Ke, it was actually easier to renovate a house that people could live in and gradually get used to the unsuitable place.

But now, Mo Ke realizes that if there's something better, who would be willing to settle for less?

Yoda carried Moko's gift in both hands and slowly moved into the office.

There could be no deeper recognition than this; it was a doll that Moko had chosen from her treasured collection to give to Yoda. Just by looking at how this doll occupied the center stage and had its own special acrylic box, you could tell it was definitely one of Moko's treasured possessions.

Yoda carried it in solemnly and placed it in his office.

I looked down and started searching for information about the doll. Even though I carried it all the way back, I didn't really know much about it without checking.

He saw Yoda walk in from afar, but didn't hear Yoda speak to him as usual. Somewhat puzzled, he got up and went to Yoda's office, as if he'd just seen him: "What's this?"

Yoda glanced at Shi Xing, then turned away and said, "This is the medal of recognition I received." He then continued to look at the gift, which was not only of a royal design but also symbolized courageous self-expression.

"I see, it's just like me." Yoda looked at the doll's silly appearance and found it more and more adorable. He hadn't understood why so many people loved it before, but now Yoda understood and was completely hooked.

Shi Xing noticed that Yoda's attention was entirely on the doll, and for the first time, he felt ignored. Rather than feeling disappointed, he was more intrigued: "Have you been very busy these past few days? You haven't had time to talk to me."

They had grown accustomed to each other's concern for one another, and this was the first time they had experienced this since Yoda woke up.

Yoda glanced at Shi Xing, hesitated, then changed the subject, asking, "How's your abandoned factory project going?"

Shi Xing spoke frankly and explained everything: "The other party was very satisfied with the initial plan, but because the project was so large, the person in charge there revealed that they wanted a designer to be stationed on-site to assist with the construction."

Yoda nodded: "That's to be expected. After all, it's such a big project. We're on the construction site every day. If anything is done wrong, it will not only affect the final result, but also delay the construction period due to repeated rework."

Seeing that Shi Xing looked somewhat troubled, Yoda said, "What? You don't think it's good?"

Originally, Shi Xing didn't want to go into too much detail and worry Yoda. But since Yoda's attention had finally returned to him, Shi Xing blurted out without thinking, "It's because the project is too big and can't be completed in a short time. If I decide to take on this project, I may need to travel frequently and even stay there for a period of time." At this point, Shi Xing began to stammer.

Knowing the reason for Shi Xing's hesitation, Yoda stood up and deliberately smiled, "What's the big deal? Even if you leave, the firm still has me. I'm a very successful designer now. Are you reluctant to let me go, or are you afraid that I'll become too outstanding and take your place?"

Seeing Yoda lean closer, his eyes fixed on him, Shi Xing smiled and said, "Of course I believe you, I'm just worried." He then put his hand on Yoda's shoulder, "I'm worried that if you need me, I won't be able to get back in time."

Yoda immediately put on an exaggeratedly confused face: "Didn't we promise to bravely pursue our dreams? When I was confused, you were my support. Now that you have the opportunity to complete the design you want, you can go for it with peace of mind. Because I am your support, not your burden."

"The best support we can give each other is to work towards the path we both want to take, right?"

Shi Xing looked at Yoda's bright smiling face, his gaze wandering, and instead of answering, he continued to ask Yoda, "You still haven't told me why you've suddenly stopped talking to me lately?"

Yoda could tell from Shi Xing's expression that he was deliberately changing the subject, and she wasn't sure if he had even listened to what she was saying. "Oh, no, you're overthinking it."

As she spoke, she squatted down and walked around Shi Xing: "I have to work, my schedule is very full." Shi Xing looked at Yoda's uncooperative attitude and knew that she was unhappy because he did not agree, but he could not think of any good solutions, so he could only leave for the time being.

Once Shi Xing had left, Yoda quietly turned around, looked at Shi Xing's somewhat fruitless figure, and laughed, "Hmph, so you used me as a memo. You still wanted to resist in silence? I won't tell you my thoughts either."

That day, Yoda wanted to see the messages Shixing had sent to his sleeping self. He was prepared to be moved, but apart from the last few sentences, the next few pages were all about renovation data and pictures, all work-related, without a trace of romance.

Feeling triumphant, Yoda was overjoyed. She jumped up and down and quickly walked to the doll that Moke had given her: "Hehehe, I love design, and design loves me."

Some things really can't be said without warning. Yoda had just said he had to get busy with work and asked Shixing to leave, and then work came right afterward.

Yoda watched Zhou Liu walk into his office with a grin and teased, "You look great! Your face has gotten a lot fuller." After not seeing him for a while, he's lost the slender look of the boy he used to be; he's quite the well-off young man now.

Zhou Liu touched his cheek: "Haha, not bad. You're doing pretty well." As he spoke, he carefully looked at Yoda's office. Dolls, potted plants, and a room all to yourself—a privilege you didn't have at the company.

Yoda shrugged smugly: "Of course. I'm not the same person I was yesterday. By the way, what are you doing here?"

Zhou Liu: "I'm here to fulfill my promise."

Yoda: "What promise, oh, designing a house? You've only been working for a short time and you're already buying a house?"

Zhou Liu said with a hint of smugness, "It's nothing special. As long as you choose the right path, it's still easy to succeed. But it's just good luck; I just happened to get started at the peak of the industry. Once this wave of hype dies down, it won't be as profitable anymore." Although he spoke modestly, his beaming expression revealed that he was incredibly proud.

"Huh? Did I ask you about all this?" Yoda chuckled. He hadn't even asked, yet Zhou Liu had hurriedly told him everything, which meant he was doing quite well. Stop teasing him. Yoda said, "Alright, let me look at the floor plan."

Zhou Liu was well-prepared; although he didn't do interior design, he hadn't neglected the basics. "Original floor plan, structural drawings," Yoda said, taking the documents. Zhou Liu then added, "But could we postpone the design fee for now?"

As Yoda looked at the blueprints, he joked, "Now that you're successful, you not only don't help me out, but you also don't want to pay me for the design?"

Zhou Liu sighed, "I've invested all my money in this house; I don't have a penny left." He then sincerely showed all his bank accounts. Yoda glanced at them—yes, empty. It was a little heartbreaking. "You're in too much of a hurry. Are you planning to ruin your life after buying the house?"

Zhou Liu: "You can only start living your life after you buy a house. Otherwise, you'll be renting all over the city every day, moving around all the time, and you'll have no sense of belonging at all."

As they talked, she suddenly became hesitant: "Well, it would be best if the house was designed like a wedding room." Yoda looked up at Zhou Liu, her eyes sparkling: Oh, that's interesting. Zhou Liu quickly explained: "Renovating is no easy feat, so we definitely need to consider the future."

Yoda chimed in, "Of course, you're a customer now, so I'll definitely fulfill your requests. Tell me if there's anything else you want."

Zhou Liu: "The overall style should be natural wood. For the renovation budget, we'll start with the most basic options."

Thinking of Zhou Liu's account balance, Yoda nodded. It was reasonable and understandable.

"However, there may be more later," Zhou Liu added after thinking for a moment.

Yoda said, "You want to save money while increasing your budget? You can estimate a rough amount, and you'll adjust it later anyway."

Zhou Liu shook his head rapidly: "That won't do. My income is unstable right now, what if I don't save enough for the budget? Besides, with renovations, the budget can easily be exceeded in the end. I'd better be more cautious."

"Wow, you've become much more composed now." Yoda observed Zhou Liu and indeed, he was much more mature than before.

Zhou Liu scratched his head: "Hehe, I'm getting old enough."

"By the way, does Zhou Ying know about this?" Yoda asked casually.

Zhou Liu naturally replied, "Not yet, I'm planning to..." Zhou Liu suddenly stopped, "I didn't say anything, you misheard me."

Yoda nodded, then lowered his head and laughed so hard his shoulders shook. Zhou Ying was incredibly busy with her postgraduate studies, and Yoda also had to work, so the two rarely saw each other and mostly chatted online.

On the contrary, Zhou Liu always seemed to have some reason to appear near Zhou Ying, so frequently that even Zhou Ying could sense something was wrong. Not long ago, Zhou Liu mysteriously told Zhou Ying that he had something to tell her after she graduated. After that, no matter how much Zhou Ying tried to find out, the usually carefree Zhou Liu suddenly managed to hold back from saying anything.

So, no sooner had Zhou Liu walked in than Yoda knew why he was in such a hurry to buy a house. But, teasing the kids is endlessly fun.

Zhou Liu covered his mouth, afraid of being tricked into revealing more information, and turned to run away. Yoda chuckled again. Looking at the floor plan on the table, he exclaimed, "La la la, another deal! Does chanting really work?"

Yoda began to devoutly chant: "I'm busy, very busy! Work, come on, work, come quickly!"

Shi Xing hesitated as he looked at the urgent message from the other party.