Chapter Forty Lodging

Jiang Chuan locked the car door, and the two walked towards Lin Yu's house one after the other. The streetlights in the old neighborhood were dilapidated, and the light was dim and flickering. Lin Yu was afraid that he would get lost, so he looked back from time to time to check.

A SpongeBob SquarePants character was printed upside down on the back of her pajamas, with two dark, wobbly feet swaying with her every step, making her look particularly comical.

Jiang Chuan couldn't help but reach out and tug, only to be glared at fiercely by Lin Yu. He innocently withdrew his hand. "I was just saying hello to your good friend."

Lin Yu's one-bedroom apartment is a typical old apartment from the 1990s. The space is compact yet well-organized, and every inch is used perfectly.

Pushing open the slightly worn security door, you are greeted by a small kitchen. To the left is the bathroom, which is separated by a tightly closed frosted glass sliding door. Just one door in front of you is Lin Yu's bedroom.

Jiang Chuan was seated at a small dining table in the kitchen area, just big enough for two people to sit opposite each other, holding a can of Starbucks he had just taken from the refrigerator. In the end, he was invited upstairs and had the coffee that Lin Yu personally handed him.

Lin Yu told him to rest for a while, then slipped into the bedroom to pack his luggage. Jiang Chuan didn't sleep well, so he only took a symbolic sip of his coffee before putting it down and began to discreetly survey the narrow space in front of him that he could see right through.

He looked around. The off-white walls and light wood furniture created a unified style, but lacked a strong personal touch, typical of rental platforms.

The kitchen was surprisingly clean; the stove and walls weren't stained with cooking fumes, suggesting she didn't cook often. Thinking about this, Jiang Chuan couldn't help but smile. Perhaps that bowl of plain porridge truly represented the limit of her culinary skills.

Suddenly, a heavy thud came from the bedroom. Jiang Chuan got up and walked to the door. Through the crack in the door, he looked at the disaster scene surrounded by pink.

"I have everything I need, so there's no need to take everything from home with me!"

Lin Yu, her butt sticking out, knelt among a pile of overturned books, the SpongeBob SquarePants logo on the back of her pajamas wiggling comically as she rummaged through them. "I'm preparing for my registration exam, so I'm bringing two books to read."

Jiang Chuan leaned against the doorframe, surveying the girl's pink bedroom, the coolness of the coffee can still lingering on his fingertips. "Are you sure you're only staying at my place for four days? I don't mind..."

Lin Yu's bedroom looked like a toy store that had been ravaged by a typhoon. On the pink sheets, a quilt with cartoon patterns was haphazardly rolled into a small hill, and on the white fleece blanket at the foot of the bed were scattered leftover potato chip wrappers and an open electrical manual.

Inside the open suitcase, clothes and skincare products were tangled together, and several professional books that had flown from the collapsed bookshelf landed right in the pile of luggage that was only half-packed.

Jiang Chuan had barely taken half a step when he kicked a soft obstacle. Looking down, he saw a Garfield plush toy lying on the ground in a twisted position, its fur detached.

The moment he bent down to pick it up, Lin Yu jumped up as if electrocuted, snatched the doll away, and shoved him out the door. "Don't look at what you shouldn't see, I'll be right there." A whisker accidentally fell off during the tug, and the doll's crooked mouth seemed to be making a silent accusation.

After some internal struggle, Lin Yu ultimately only packed two commonly used books of regulations into her suitcase. This was thanks to Jiang Chuan, who helped her recall through the door, asking her if she had actually opened and read even a single page of the books she brought home during her university winter and summer breaks.

Under intense questioning, Lin Yu reluctantly closed her suitcase, fearing the other party might misunderstand that she intended to stay for an extended period. She turned and slammed the door of her own hut, following Jiang Chuan back to his luxurious home.

When Lin Yu stepped into Jiang Chuan's apartment again, she already knew the way well. Jiang Chuan put her luggage at the door of the second bedroom and then turned to go to the living room to fiddle with his phone.

After Lin Yu quickly tidied up her belongings, she heard Jiang Chuan calling her from outside. She pushed open the door and saw him leaning against the entryway, waving at her.

As soon as she approached, he naturally took her right hand and guided her index finger to the fingerprint recognition area. Lin Yu reflexively pulled her finger away.

"what?"

"I'm going on a business trip in a couple of days." Jiang Chuan grabbed her wrist again without waiting for a reply, gently pressing her fingertips against the sensor area. "If you can't get into the house then, are you going to sit at the door and cry?"

The electronic lock beeped in confirmation, and a triumphant smile flashed in his eyes.

Lin Yu understood Jiang Chuan's literal meaning, but couldn't grasp the deeper meaning behind it. These door locks typically have many unlocking methods, with fingerprint unlocking undoubtedly being the most subtle. A light touch of the fingertip opens the door, yet it feels more intimate than any other method.

This is not a simple authorization; it's more like being allowed to step into the other person's most private living space, as if being simultaneously granted control over both the house and its owner.

A strange feeling rose from the bottom of Lin Yu's heart, making her unconsciously ask the question that had been lingering in her mind for a long time.

"You don't actually like me, do you?"

Jiang Chuan continued working until the system beeped to indicate successful data entry. The moment the metal clasp clicked shut, he looked up and met her gaze.

Is it hard to guess?

His earnest question sealed the deal. Jiang Chuan's fingertips lingered on her palm, subtly tracing her delicate fingerprints. He watched with amusement as she fell into the trap he had laid.

Lin Yu's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at him, even forgetting to pull her finger back. "Are you kidding me? We've met four times in total? Five times?"

“Some people may spend their whole lives together and still not have any feelings for each other. There is no causal relationship between the two, Lin Yu!” Jiang Chuan looked at her calmly, his dark eyes flashing with a deep, dark light.

He suddenly took a half-step closer and slowly rolled up his shirt sleeves. "Besides, I got injured for you, shouldn't you take responsibility for me?"

Lin Yu rushed forward to stop him in a panic, but his thoughts were in complete disarray.

She could indeed vaguely sense Jiang Chuan's affection, just as Lin Yu was unconsciously attracted to the outstanding Jiang Chuan. However, she did not expect that he had taken it so seriously that he wanted to date her. She also couldn't figure out what Jiang Chuan saw in her.

The warmth from her fingertips made her suddenly realize the seriousness of the situation; their relationship seemed to have gone beyond simply staying overnight. "I think... I'd better stay in a hotel," she said, trying to pull her hand away.

Jiang Chuan held her wrist firmly, a half-smile playing on his lips. "Now is the safest time."

He leaned down slightly, trapping Lin Yu between himself and the entrance, and whispered in her ear, "After all, a man is at his most gentlemanly just before he succeeds."

The elevator doors opened with a ding. In Jiangchuan's apartment building, which has one unit per floor, residents usually have to swipe their cards to reach their designated floors. Before even seeing who it was, Lin Yu had already reflexively shaken off Jiangchuan's hand and slipped into the second bedroom.

A property management staff member in a specific uniform walked out of the elevator carrying two paper bags. "Mr. Jiang, your takeout."

Jiang Chuan glanced at the closed door to the second bedroom, took the paper bag, and politely thanked him. He calmly filled the refrigerator with the ingredients from one of the bags before carrying the other bag to the second bedroom and knocking on Lin Yu's door.

"Come out! I have something for you!"

"Just leave it at the door!" Lin Yu's voice sounded muffled through the thick door. "Thank you!"

"Can't you get up?" Jiang Chuan leaned calmly against the door. "Do you need me to carry you to the hospital?"

A rustling sound came from behind the door, and soon Jiang Chuan heard the soft click of the lock as the door was pulled open a crack. Lin Yu stood barefoot on the floor, her fingertips pressed against the door frame, staring at him warily like a vigilant cat.

"What is that?"

Jiang Chuan calmly handed the paper bag forward. "Daily necessities. Let me know if you need anything!"

Lin Yu looked down and rummaged through the bag. Two fluffy slippers with rabbit ears peeked out from the opening. The exaggerated design clearly indicated they were specially made for her. "I'm only staying for four days, not four weeks, not four years. Isn't this a huge waste?"

It feels great to be well taken care of, a feeling that is rare for Lin Yu.

This had never happened with Lin Jianguo, nor with Lin Min, and perhaps with Chen Guang, but it was far less skillful and thorough than Jiang Chuan's, even knowing that he had ulterior motives.

"Don't speak too confidently!" Jiang Chuan smiled meaningfully, reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, and turned to leave while she was still in a daze.

......

The next day, Lin Yu opened his eyes precisely five minutes before the alarm clock sounded. Surprisingly, he felt refreshed.

She had thought that after Jiang Chuan's ambiguous confession, she would toss and turn like she did on her first night sleeping here, but she slept so soundly that she didn't even have a dream.

After washing up, she followed the enticing aroma to the kitchen. Jiang Chuan, wearing an apron, skillfully placed the last breakfast on the table.

Lin Yu stared in astonishment at the lavish breakfast spread across the table, a fusion of Chinese and Western dishes. "I never knew you had such culinary skills!" she exclaimed. "I thought you were a pampered young master who never lifted a finger in the kitchen."

“The principles behind everything are similar. Cooking isn’t difficult; it’s just that I don’t usually have much time.” Jiang Chuan took off his apron, sat down opposite Lin Yu, and casually pushed the sliced ​​tuna sandwich in front of her. “Eat well, and I’ll take you to the company!”

Lin Yu took the sandwich and asked suspiciously, "It's rush hour now, aren't you going to be late?" Then he understood. "Hmm, you're a capitalist, fundamentally different from us working-class people!"

She took a bite of bread indignantly, and some tuna sauce was squeezed out and got on the corner of her mouth.

Jiang Chuan took a tissue and naturally wiped her face. "Workers are the fundamental driving force of capitalist society," he said, taking a sip of milk and adding meaningfully, "Wouldn't you like to try it yourself? It should be very fulfilling!"

Lin Yu pretended not to understand his implied meaning, buried his face in the bowl and shook his head frantically, which made Jiang Chuan chuckle.

The car was parked two blocks from the company. Lin Yu thanked him and got out. As she approached the company building, she received a text message from him: "Want to have dinner together after work?"

Remembering that she did owe him a meal, she readily agreed and strode into the office building.