Chapter 22: I Will Not Rent Out This Room Again

"Jiao, now that you have such a handsome and kind landlord, can you really bear to move out?"

"Listen to your sister. I’m heading to work now, and your opportunity has arrived—go ahead and use your charm to win him over! He’s definitely more reliable than Zhong Hanlong!"

"I’m not coming back tonight. Aside from sleeping with him, you can do whatever you want!"

Xia Huajiao wanted to bury her face in her hands again. She wasn't that scandalous!

She noticed Gu Zhaojing’s peach-blossom eyes glancing at her phone. He asked, "Is Ms. Qin looking for you? Is she trying to talk you out of moving?"

Xia Huajiao’s fair face flushed again as she explained for Qin Lijuan, "She’s a very nice person!"

Gu Zhaojing’s expression was gentle. "So, do you intend to rent for only one month, or would you like to continue with a long-term lease?"

Xia Huajiao answered firmly, "Only one month! I’ll be able to buy my own place soon; there’s no need to keep renting." Even though her landlord had turned out to be a handsome, top-tier god among men, she still wanted a home that was truly hers.

A glimmer of bright appreciation appeared in Gu Zhaojing’s eyes. "Good! You don’t need to pay me. In a month and a half, I’ll deduct the utilities from your two-month security deposit and return the rest to you."

This landlord, Mr. Gu, was certainly reasonable. Xia Huajiao’s eyes lit up, and her lips curled into a happy smile. "Great!"

Gu Zhaojing met her gaze for a moment, a fleeting trace of a smile flashing in his eyes. "Was it He Ming who accompanied you to pick up the car this afternoon? And was he the one who helped you choose the license plate?"

His tone was quite familiar, which helped Xia Huajiao relax significantly. She began to show off, "I picked the license plate myself! He originally suggested I choose a 100,000-yuan one, but I ended up choosing an 800,000-yuan one!"

Gu Zhaojing’s gaze held even more admiration. "Oh? What is the plate number?"

When Xia Huajiao told him, Gu Zhaojing’s eyes narrowed slightly in surprise. "You have good luck!"

"Right, he also sent me an audio clip!" Xia Huajiao then opened the recording Jiang Heming had sent and played it.

After it finished, seeing Gu Zhaojing frown slightly, she felt a sense of satisfaction and commented with disdain, "Your childhood sweetheart really has poor character!"

Gu Zhaojing’s expression returned to calm. "She’s not exactly a childhood sweetheart. Ying Tao was my high school classmate; Mo Yanyu was in elementary school back then, and we only saw each other occasionally during summer breaks. We didn't attend the same university as Ying Tao either, so we only saw each other during winter and summer holidays."

"But Mo Yanyu is definitely infatuated with you!" Xia Huajiao looked at him, unimpressed. "And because you helped me, she looks at me with hostility. Seeing her get deflated makes me feel quite happy!"

A clear hint of amusement appeared in Gu Zhaojing’s eyes. "It’s rare for anyone to make her feel deflated; you’re quite impressive. Now that you’ve bought a car, is buying a house the next step?"

Xia Huajiao was startled, then admitted frankly, "Yes!"

Gu Zhaojing asked, "Which areas are you considering?"

As Xia Huajiao roughly described the three developments she had viewed that afternoon—Lotus Sky Street, Rosy Garden, and Yuezhen Ten-Mile Park—Gu Zhaojing’s gaze sharpened, and he commented with great composure.

"The apartments at Lotus Sky Street have some issues with water leakage that owners have complained about, so I wouldn’t recommend buying there. There is a KTV near Rosy Garden, which is relatively noisy at night; if you have high standards for a sleeping environment, I wouldn’t recommend it either."

"Yuezhen Ten-Mile Park is well-planned, though there are relatively few residents who have moved in. If you don’t mind the quiet, it’s worth considering."

Xia Huajiao widened her apricot-shaped eyes in astonishment. "You’ve seen them all?"

Seeing her arched brows and the look of innocent admiration and cuteness in her eyes, Gu Zhaojing’s gaze softened further, and the corner of his well-defined mouth curved upward. "I looked at all of them three months ago. However," he changed the subject, "the property prices at Yuezhen Ten-Mile Park are relatively expensive, at over 80,000 yuan per square meter. A three-bedroom unit of over 80 square meters would cost more than 6 million yuan—equivalent to buying six 740s!"

"Property prices have been dropping slightly during this period. You might as well wait another half a month before buying; you might save yourself another hundred thousand yuan or more!"

Prices were dropping? Xia Huajiao was slightly stunned. Then, her heart skipped a beat, and for the first time, she gathered the courage to tentatively ask him, "You... aren't you going to urge me to move out?"

Gu Zhaojing met her gaze for several seconds, his eyes flickering slightly as he nodded. "You can stay until the end of next month."

Xia Huajiao’s eyes darted as she probed further, "Are you... not going to list the room for rent to others ahead of time?"

Seeing Gu Zhaojing looking at her deeply, her heart fluttered, and she guiltily looked away. She heard him say briefly, "I will not be renting this room out again!"

Xia Huajiao froze, looking up at him. "Why?"

Watching her ignorant and innocent eyes, a helpless smile appeared in Gu Zhaojing’s eyes. He didn't explain further. "In any case, there’s no need for you to rush to move out after half a month!"

He elegantly lifted his hand to check his watch and asked her, "He Ming must have invited you to watch the light show tonight, right?"

His watch was exquisite, bearing the Patek Philippe logo. His hands were clean and slender, with no long nails, but the half-moon crescents were clearly visible and healthy. The evening glow filtered through the clean windows, casting a subtle, rosy flush across his handsome face.

Xia Huajiao couldn't help but linger on his handsome features for a moment before answering with realization, "I declined. Did he invite you too? But shouldn't you be going back to celebrate Mo Yanyu’s birthday in a little while?"

Gu Zhaojing turned his head back to the television. "Since her first year of high school, I have only sent gifts. I don't attend her celebrations, just to avoid any misunderstandings among friends and family."

Xia Huajiao felt quite happy, but also more surprised. "Then how has she been able to chase you for so many years? Jiang Heming said you’ve explicitly rejected her! Besides, Brother Tao is your good friend, and he had you help him order a car—it’s obvious he’s trying to set you two up."

Watching her analyze the situation with such seriousness, a strange glint flashed in Gu Zhaojing’s eyes. He answered earnestly, "I’ve told both Ying Tao and Mo Yanyu that there is no future for Mo Yanyu and me. But Mo Yanyu’s mother once performed surgery on my mother with good results, so I cannot be too cold toward her."

"Of course, this time, Ying Tao said it would be the last time he helps Mo Yanyu invite me out, because she is graduating with her master’s degree this year and officially entering society. From now on, she is responsible for her own actions!"

Xia Huajiao suddenly understood. Wait—he was explaining this so clearly, even more clearly than what Jiang Heming had said earlier! Was it because she was his tenant, and therefore no longer a stranger?

She couldn't help but playfully joke, "So, starting from this birthday, you can finally feel free and bold to go find a girlfriend!"

Gu Zhaojing was slightly stunned, then teased her, "The reason I don’t have a girlfriend is not because of Mo Yanyu."

"Understood!" Xia Huajiao said with lighthearted clarity, "It’s because our handsome Mr. Gu has high standards and hasn't found anyone he likes!"

Gu Zhaojing looked her over. "In that case, have you ever had a boyfriend?"

Xia Huajiao was startled, then gave him a playful glare. "I’m twenty-six, and I’m not lacking in any way—so what if I’ve had a boyfriend? Having a boyfriend doesn't mean we lived together!" She turned her head to watch the TV, looking puffed up with annoyance.

A subtle, indefinable spark appeared in Gu Zhaojing’s gaze. After a long moment, he asked softly, "Why did you break up?"

Xia Huajiao was stunned for a moment, then felt a pang in her heart. After blanking out unconsciously, she self-deprecatingly remarked with frustration, "I was blind. I ran into a 'phoenix man' who valued money above all else. When a wealthy socialite stepped in, I couldn't tolerate it anymore, so I dumped him."

Gu Zhaojing was taken aback. Ten seconds later, his voice became gentle. "It was he who was blind."

Xia Huajiao looked at him in surprise. There was encouragement, comfort, and sincerity in his eyes.