"That's right, women are still the most sensible!" The middle-aged woman patted her chest, so anxious she was about to vomit blood.

He stepped forward, pulled Xia Lan aside, and said to her.

"Lady, you really want to rent it! I can accept 1.7 yuan, but please do me a favor, is that alright?"

"What is it?" Xia Lan asked curiously.

"While you're staying here, please put in a good word for me outside," the old woman pleaded with Xia Lan.

“I originally intended to leave this house to my son, but he is only twelve years old. He is still too young, so I decided to rent it out. But this unlucky thing happened, and my mother-in-law and husband both scolded me to death.”

The woman herself felt wronged. She was just thinking that since the house was empty, she might as well rent it out to make some money. She never expected something like this to happen.

"Don't worry, auntie. My husband and I live here, so we're here to dispel your rumors. We live in a new era now; those feudal superstitions don't exist anymore," Xia Lan said earnestly, clapping her hands at the older woman.

"What you said, comrade, really hit the nail on the head." The middle-aged woman nodded quickly. "Isn't that right? That person is just jealous of me, doing it on purpose."

"Okay, then it'll be 1.7 yuan, I'll rent it to you!" the woman said happily.

"Thank you, big sister." Xia Lan smiled broadly.

"What are your names?" The middle-aged woman looked at Xia Lan's pleasing smile, and her mood, which had been low recently, improved considerably.

"My name is Xia Lan, and this is my husband, Qin Yu," Xia Lan introduced.

“My husband’s surname is Li, and his name is Li Jianguo. My name is Yang Caimei,” Yang Caimei introduced to Xia Lan.

"Then I'll call you Sister Yang from now on," Xia Lan said affectionately. "Sister Yang, you can call me Xia."

"Then I'll call you Xia Xia from now on!" Yang Caimei said happily.

Xia Lan took out twenty yuan and forty cents from her pocket and placed it in Yang Caimei's hand. "This is the rent for the year. I'll just give it to you directly, Sister Yang."

Seeing how efficient Xia Lan was, Yang Caimei was not to be outdone and immediately gave all the keys in her hand to Xia Lan.

“Since you’re so straightforward, I’m not one to dawdle either. Here are three keys to the front door; I’ve given them all to you. You can move in anytime you want,” Yang Caimei said with a smile.

"We need to write a contract first."

Seeing that the two women weren't even doing their job—one was collecting money and the other was taking the keys—Qin Yu spoke up to remind them.

“It has to be written!” Yang Caimei nodded, but it was getting late. “However, it’s late now, the people who write for others have long since left work, and I can’t read…”

"How about tomorrow?" Yang Caimei thought for a moment and said.

“Sister Yang, let me write it!” Xia Lan pointed to herself. “I can write.”

"Huh? Really? I didn't know Xia could read. Wait a minute, I'll go find some paper and pen." Yang Caimei's eyes lit up, and she turned around and went into the house, rummaging around and bringing out paper and pen.

Xia Lan took the pen and paper and drafted a contract, which specified the rental period and the rent.

"Wow, these characters are so beautiful!" Yang Caimei was overjoyed to see Xia Lan's delicate handwriting.

After confirming that the information was correct, Yang Caimei wrote her name stroke by stroke. Although it was crooked, it was the best she could do.

"My handwriting isn't very good," Yang Caimei said embarrassedly when Xia Lan looked at her handwriting.

Xia Lan smiled and signed her name. After Qin Yu also signed his name, they each took a copy of the contract, and the contract was considered complete.

“Renting to someone with education makes all the difference!” Yang Caimei said happily, holding the contract in her hand.

"Then I've taken the money and signed the contract, so I'm handing this house over to you!" Yang Caimei patted Xia Lan's hand, turned around, and walked towards the opposite door with her things.

Xia Lan was stunned when she saw Yang Caimei walk directly to the door diagonally opposite.

"I forgot to tell you, I live here. Just come find me if you need anything." Yang Caimei turned around and smiled at Xia Lan, waved her hand, and walked into her house.

Xia Lan glanced at Qin Yu and picked up the contract in her hand.

"Hehe, I only rented it for twenty yuan! Brother Yu, you're amazing! You saved three yuan and sixty cents!" Xia Lan said excitedly.

"Oh, no, she originally said it was two yuan and fifty cents! That's almost ten yuan saved!!"

Seeing Xia Lan so happy, Qin Yu's lips curled into a pleased smile.

"It's already dark, let's go back first?" Qin Yu took Xia Lan's hand and led her back to the small room in the department store.

"Brother Yu, aren't you happy?" Xia Lan looked at the contract with great pleasure, but Qin Yu didn't seem to be smiling, so she assumed he didn't like the house.

"Of course I'm happy, why would you think I'm not?" Qin Yu snapped out of his reverie, patted Xia Lan's head, and asked with a smile.

"I was just thinking about something."

"What are you thinking about?" Xia Lan asked curiously.

"I want to spend my whole life with you." Qin Yu smiled, grabbed Xia Lan's hand, and pulled her towards him. Xia Lan threw herself into Qin Yu's arms.

Her face flushed red as she tried to struggle free, but Qin Yu held her captive on his body.

"Don't move, let me hold you for a while." Qin Yu gently kissed Xia Lan's forehead.

"What's wrong?" Xia Lan sensed that Qin Yu's mood seemed a bit strange, so she stopped struggling and nestled in Qin Yu's arms.

"It's nothing..." Qin Yu chuckled, about to say it was nothing, but after seeing Qin Lan's gaze, Qin Yu stopped smiling.

Smelling Xia Lan's scent, Qin Yu slowly said, "...I have a home now too."

Xia Lan was stunned when she heard Qin Yu's words. Wasn't Qin Yu a child of the Qin family? Why was he acting like he was having a family for the first time? These words made her feel inexplicably sad.

"Could it be that you're not a member of the Qin family, Brother Yu?" Xia Lan asked, looking at Qin Yu.

Qin Yu chuckled and playfully pinched Xia Lan's nose.

"Where did all these babies get switched at birth? My mom really did give birth to me in the hospital!"

"She hates me simply because I was raised by my grandmother."

Xia Lan wrapped her arms around Qin Yu's waist. "It's okay, you'll have me from now on."

"Then when will you let me eat you?" Qin Yu lifted Xia Lan up. Seeing the burning desire in Qin Yu's eyes, Xia Lan had nowhere to hide and blushed helplessly.

Xia Lan's face was flushed, even her ears were burning, and her eyes were darting around, refusing to look at him.

Qin Yu took a deep breath. Did she not know how alluring she was to him?

Her alluring appearance, so much like an innocent and adorable little rabbit, made him want to make her cry.

Qin Yu put Xia Lan down. Xia Lan thought she had escaped a disaster and obediently crawled into the quilt. Just as she was about to go to sleep, Qin Yu pulled her out of the quilt.

Qin Yu brought over hot water and knelt down to wash Xia Lan's feet.

Xia Lan's small feet were enveloped by Qin Yu's large hands, and she shuddered the moment they touched the hot water.

"Yu...Brother Yu, I...I...I can wash it myself."