A light rain fell late at night, fine droplets pattering against the hotel windows with barely audible taps.
By the next morning, as the sun grew stronger, the slightly chilly summer rain gradually faded away. Sunlight spilled through the clouds onto the earth, warm and bright.
The cicadas began shrieking madly, and another scorching day had begun.
On the messy hotel bed,
Xia Shuyi's soft, delicate body lay pressed against Shen Lang's side, her thick black hair spread across the sides of her flushed cheeks.
"Mm~"
A weak murmur escaped Xia Shuyi's lips. Her graceful naked body shifted unconsciously in her sleep, while a satisfied smile remained at the corners of her mouth the entire time.
After waking up, Shen Lang held Xia Shuyi's jade-soft body and leaned against the headboard, wide awake as he stared blankly ahead.
Last night, Xia Shuyi's Favorability toward Shen Lang had finally broken through 100 points!
Ding! Xia Shuyi's Favorability toward the host has increased by 5 points. Current Favorability: 100 points. Congratulations, host, on successfully raising Xia Shuyi's Favorability to 100 points! Ding! Xia Shuyi's Favorability toward the host has reached 100. You have obtained a Mysterious Treasure Chest. Would you like to open it?
"Not yet. I'll open it when we get back."
The Landlady was lying right beside him. Shen Lang did not want to make too much of a commotion—what if he opened it and got a physical item? That would be hard to explain.
After scrolling through Douyin for a while, Xia Shuyi finally woke up groggily in the warm blankets. Her beautiful eyes, lazy and dependent, quietly watched this mischievous big boy.
"Are you hungry?"
Shen Lang stroked Xia Shuyi's smooth back and asked with a smile, "Want me to go get you something to eat?"
Xia Shuyi gently shook her head and asked, both impressed and curious, "How long have you been awake? Aren't you tired?"
"A little."
Shen Lang slipped beneath the covers and pulled Xia Shuyi's warm, jade-like body into his arms. "But didn't you keep me, Sister Xia? Then I have to do my job properly, right?"
"Smooth talker."
Xia Shuyi shot Shen Lang a seductive glare, but she still nestled contentedly against him.
After checking out of the hotel, Shen Lang supported the unsteady Xia Shuyi as they headed to the underground parking garage to get the car.
"Haah~"
As soon as she got into the car, Xia Shuyi yawned tiredly. "I need to catch up on sleep when we get back."
"Hehe, want me to keep you company, Sister Xia?"
Shen Lang held the steering wheel and asked teasingly.
"Just drive."
Xia Shuyi rolled her eyes at Shen Lang irritably. She both loved and feared this guy now.
Xia Shuyi had always been relatively traditional. She used to not understand why those women she knew liked finding young boys like this.
Whenever she saw them leading young boys around and flirting with them, Xia Shuyi would feel a chill run down her spine.
She felt that boys in their early twenties had only just entered society. Not only were they immature, but they were not particularly sharp either.
Wouldn't those women feel embarrassed? There was such a huge age gap—those boys could practically be their sons. Could they really bring themselves to do it?
But after spending this time with Shen Lang, Xia Shuyi finally understood what it was all about.
After driving back to the residential complex, Shen Lang supported Xia Shuyi into the elevator.
When they arrived at Xia Shuyi's door, Shen Lang discovered that Li Liusi was actually standing there blankly, holding three hundred yuan in her hand.
"Landlady Auntie."
Li Liusi hurried over in small steps. Seeing the Landlady's strained expression, she could not help asking worriedly, "What's wrong with you?"
Xia Shuyi had cut Li Liusi's rent in half and bought her quite a few daily necessities. Li Liusi was deeply grateful to this kind Landlady.
"Nothing, nothing. I twisted my ankle. I ran into Little Shen on the way, so I asked him to help me."
Xia Shuyi smiled dismissively. "What did you need me for?"
"Um, it's the beginning of the month. I wanted to pay you the rent."
Li Liusi handed Xia Shuyi three wrinkled bills, then said somewhat awkwardly.
"Landlady Auntie, could I delay paying the utilities for a few days? But I'll make it up soon. I've been working at a restaurant lately, and I'll get paid soon."
Seeing the wrinkled bills in Li Liusi's hand, Xia Shuyi could not help feeling sorry for the unfortunate girl.
But she was afraid that waiving Li Liusi's rent outright would hurt her pride.
Xia Shuyi glanced between the humble Li Liusi and Shen Lang. As though she had thought of something, she said readily,
"No need. Little Shen already paid it for you last night."
"Yeah, I paid it for you last night."
Since Xia Shuyi wanted to help, Shen Lang accepted this nonexistent favor. "Keep this money and buy your grandmother some nutritional supplements."
"No, I can't."
Li Liusi shook her head agitatedly and stubbornly held the three hundred yuan out to Shen Lang. "I'll give you the rent first. I'll pay you back for the utilities once I get my wages."
"Oh, silly girl, your grandmother is sick and hospitalized right now. Everything costs money. Keep it for now."
"But..."
Li Liusi looked hesitantly at the wrinkled three hundred yuan.
"If you really can't accept it, just keep track of these debts first."
Unable to persuade the stubborn girl otherwise, Xia Shuyi comforted her gently.
"Once you graduate, get a job, and have money, it won't be too late to pay him back."
"Okay."
Only then did Li Liusi nod firmly and say to Shen Lang with immense gratitude,
"Thank you, Shen Lang. Once I start working, I'll definitely pay you back."
"Alright, it's about time to eat anyway."
Xia Shuyi took out her keys and opened the door, warmly inviting them, "Mengmeng isn't home either, and the house feels so empty. You two can stay for dinner."
"There's no need to trouble yourself."
Li Liusi took a step back, flattered beyond measure.
"It's no trouble."
Xia Shuyi took Li Liusi's little hand and half-pushed, half-pulled her into the house.
"Make yourself comfortable, girl. There are fruits in the fridge—help yourself. Little Shen, come give me a hand."
"Okay."
Shen Lang rolled up his sleeves and headed toward the kitchen.
"Little Shen, what do you think of that girl?"
In the kitchen, Xia Shuyi glanced at Li Liusi, who was sitting stiffly on the sofa, and asked in a lowered voice.
"Isn't she pretty? And she has a great figure, plus she's so gentle."
"Hm? What are you trying to say, Sister Xia?"
Shen Lang looked at her in surprise. Why did this sound like she was setting him up with someone?
"How about you pursue her?"
Xia Shuyi startlingly encouraged him, "That girl has had a hard life, but she's honest and simple. If you put in the effort to pursue her, you'll definitely win her over."
Xia Shuyi knew that there could never be a future between her and Shen Lang, much less marriage and children.
Xia Shuyi worried that if Shen Lang found a more clever girlfriend in the future, she would have absolutely no chance of being with him anymore.
Since either way it would end up like this, Xia Shuyi hoped Shen Lang would pursue a pure, guileless girl like Li Liusi.
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