Chapter 41 Facing Reality

"......"

They just took a nap together.

You can then have three thousand yuan.

And the object is...

Each one was very tempting to Cheng Jia.

His Adam's apple bobbed rapidly, his gaze shifting from Shi Qingci's face to the villa, before hesitantly asked, "Can... I transfer the money first?"

"So you mean you agree to take a nap with me?" Shi Qingci's voice was low and magnetic, her eyes smiling, her expression incredibly gentle. Her face, bathed in sunlight, was clean and handsome, like an angel descended from heaven.

It's mainly her face that's a big plus.

It easily reminded Cheng Jia of her physical education class during her freshman year of college.

As Shi Qingci did sit-ups, he helped her press her ankles.

Under the same sunlight, he saw beads of sweat gather on the fair-skinned, handsome young man's chin, dripping onto the front of his white tracksuit. Every few seconds, the young man's pure and beautiful face would come close to his, their breaths mingling, carrying the hot panting of a young man exercising.

The air was filled with the scent of sunshine and the faint smell of sweat.

He was focused on pressing his ankles and counting, and didn't notice the intervals when he got closer.

But just a fleeting moment.

They looked at each other in the sunlight.

Young Master Shi smiled at him, panting slightly, the atmosphere around them both innocent and restless.

At that time, the unspoken, ambiguous feelings between them were hidden under the shadow of deliberate scheming, but also in their two equally pure hearts, burning and precious.

Now.

In the quiet carriage, Cheng Jia was unusually captivated.

His eyes were filled with a daze as he stared blankly at Shi Qingci's face, vaguely seeing the boy who had been so kind to him five years ago. He nodded with his mouth slightly open: "I'll stay with you and sleep."

I accompanied Shi Qingci during her afternoon nap, briefly reliving my university days.

That was after my parents passed away...

The only time he was truly happy.

"What kind of dream is this! Three thousand yuan to pay someone like you to sleep with me? Are you crazy or am I crazy?" Shi Qingci turned her face away, her tone suddenly turning cold and mocking, "Get out of the car and get out."

Don't let Cheng Jia sleep with you.

They changed their minds.

"......"

Cheng Jia was still stunned and hadn't reacted yet.

so--

Was this person just teasing him?

It was quite embarrassing that he took the bait so easily, only to have the other party back out and slap him hard in the face, leaving him suffocated!

Cheng Jia's fingernails dug painfully into her palm, and she couldn't speak for a long time.

I had warned myself long ago not to recall what happened five years ago.

It's so hard for people to control their thoughts.

"Aren't you leaving yet?" Shi Qingci's eyes flashed with anxiety as she shifted her legs and adjusted her posture. "Are you crazy for money? Don't let me see you again, you disgusting liar."

Get out of here before he changes his mind.

That's troublesome too—

She put away that blank, bewildered expression, her mouth agape as she said she'd sleep with him.

I don't like looking at Qing dynasty porcelain.

It's so annoying.

"......"

The sunshine is no longer warm; it's time to face reality.

Cheng Jia pursed her lips and got out of the car with her head down.

Go back to work at Jinhe.

*

Life was peaceful for a few days afterward.

Mr. Zhou said that Mr. Shi has been busy looking at office buildings lately, and is unsure whether to buy one or rent one first, or he might buy a piece of land and build one on the spot.

But that person's plans have nothing to do with Cheng Jia.

He goes to work as usual, goes home drunk at sunrise to sleep, and gets up when the alarm rings at sunset, returning to the life he had before they reunited.

She moved with Lin Baiyue.

We moved into our new neighborhood on the last day of March.

In April, the grass grows tall and the orioles fly, singing and dancing.

The future is uncertain.

April 5th.

The fifth day after moving into the new house.

Cheng Jia's new bedroom is much better decorated than the old house.

At least the windows are made of thermally broken aluminum, eliminating noise and cold drafts, and saving electricity when using air conditioning in the summer. The curtains are made of thick, light blue chenille fabric, so I won't be woken up by the sunlight while sleeping.

The bathroom also has smooth drainage, so there's no need to manually flush out sewage anymore.

Their bedrooms face each other across a hallway. The bathroom is to their left, and the living room and dining room are to their right. The entryway faces the dining table.

Lin Baiyue's lifestyle habits are more refined than Cheng Jia's.

He enjoys doing housework, and he is diligent and clean. In the five days since he moved in, he has mopped the entire floor three times and wiped everything spotless.

They even decorated the coffee table and dining table with discounted fresh flowers to create a warm and inviting atmosphere.

The house was spotless, and even the air was fresh and pleasant.

These things left Cheng Jia in awe.

After waking up in the evening, he sat at the dining table and couldn't help but praise, "...Damn, the braised pork ribs are delicious too. Seriously, Lin Baiyue, if you were a woman, I would live with you."

She's hardworking, gentle, and cooks delicious meals.

He was frugal and didn't waste money; he even made honey water for Cheng Jia when she was drunk and brought it into the bedroom.

Even the dirty clothes that Cheng Jia left on the sofa, Lin Baiyue would pick up and put in the washing machine, wash them clean, and then carefully hang them up to dry before bringing them into Cheng Jia's room.

Cheng Jia was initially embarrassed, feeling that she shouldn't make Lin Baiyue work too hard.

She offered to share the housework but was refused.

Lin Baiyue disliked that he didn't clean properly.

For example, after Cheng Jia mopped the floor, Lin Baiyue, being a perfectionist, had to mop it again.

He would wash the dishes again after Cheng Jia had washed them.

After this happened three or four times, Cheng Jia let it go and was happy to have some peace and quiet, since Cheng Jia really hated doing housework.

However, they also had to share the workload; Cheng Jia did the work of changing the water and buying groceries.

Cheng Jia is also responsible for changing the bottled water and picking up packages.

At the dining table.

Lin Baiyue smiled faintly: "You can live with me even though I'm not a woman, haven't you already?"

“I’ve never considered sharing an apartment with someone before,” Cheng Jia said while eating, picking up another piece of rib. “The main issue is the work schedule. Few people can accept leaving late and returning early. Also, our lifestyles are different, and I was afraid of conflicts and trouble. I really dislike arguing and hate trouble.”

Cheng Jia: "I didn't expect that this accidental turn of events would lead to these problems if I lived with you."

They both work at Jinhe and have the same work schedule.

They can understand each other's work.

“Right,” Lin Baiyue agreed sincerely. “My grandma lives in a sanatorium in Xining. When I was in school, I often went to cook for her. I learned to cook from my mom. Grandma loves my mom’s cooking, and I got used to it. I really enjoy cooking, but since I came to Jingang and live alone, I only cook for myself…”

Cheng Jia readily agreed: "I'll eat it from now on! I love it."

“Great! Just tell me what dishes you want to eat. I’ve never made them before, but I can learn. I can also make cakes and cookies. Do you like cookies?” Lin Baiyue asked.

Cheng Jia shook her head: "You mean that pile? I don't like to eat it. I was so hungry that I had no choice but to eat it, and I was too lazy to cook."

Cheng Jia's stockpiled grain was displayed in the living room.

It was all instant noodles and biscuits, leading them to mistakenly believe that Cheng Jia liked biscuits.

"Hey, it's almost seven o'clock, let's eat quickly, we can wash the dishes when we get back from get off work," Lin Baiyue checked the time, he needed to clock in at 7:30, "Did you book a room tonight?"

“Yes, it’s Jasmine’s reservation,” Cheng Jia replied.

"......"

Sister Jasmine is coming tonight.

That's the guy who's always thinking about keeping Cheng Jia as a mistress.

The wealthy woman from the port area who was stood up by Cheng Jia last time.

She's in her fifties and enjoys playing games with her mom and puppy.

I especially love watching young, handsome guys being forced to drink alcohol, their pitiful expressions with red eyes as they beg for mercy, calling out "Mommy" again and again—it's so adorable.

Most importantly...

Cheng Jia had asked Sister Jasmine to open two bottles of foreign liquor last time, and promised to drink with her this time.

There's no escaping it tonight.

His sister came specifically to see him.