After the meal, Yan Ruanning was picked up by Xiao Zhou.
Cheng Che escorted Qin Lie back to his hotel. The two walked through the night in Capital City, the streetlights casting long shadows, and the plane tree leaves rustling in the wind.
Qin Lie suddenly spoke up, "You can apply to move out if you have time."
Cheng Che was taken aback.
"After this endorsement, you'll be a true public figure." Qin Lie said calmly, his hands in his pockets. "With such a high income, even if your roommates are nice, an economic gap can create problems. Living apart, with distance, will help maintain the relationship."
Cheng Che did not respond immediately.
He thought about it again and realized that what he said made sense.
The photos of him and Su Miaoyin don't matter if he's not endorsing any products.
Even if it was posted, it was a minor matter. He didn't even need to care about the comments from his fans online, since he wasn't a public figure at the time.
But that's no longer possible; he has to be responsible for the product.
Secondly, he and his roommate had only known each other for a few days, so they shouldn't have such a close relationship.
Moreover, for the sake of their friendship, he should do so.
"Then move out." He nodded.
Qin Lie patted him on the shoulder with satisfaction:
"You're not familiar with the Capital City, and neither am I. You can ask Yan Ruanning for help. Don't rush to refuse; the more you ask her for help, the happier she'll be. After all, you're not just ordinary friends."
Cheng Che gave him a speechless look.
Qin Lie chuckled and said nothing more.
Back at the hotel, Cheng Che took out his phone and sent a message to Yan Ruanning, saying that he wanted to rent a place outside, but not too expensive, because the cost of living in Capital City was too high.
Cheng Che: I want to rent an apartment for myself. It doesn't need to be too expensive; prices in Capital City are too high.
Yan Ruanning replied quickly.
[ Yan Ruanning: Don't worry. I'll let you know when I've found it.]
Two days later, the military training review ceremony officially concluded.
Cheng Che sat in the classroom and began his first formal class at Peking University.
Mathematical analysis.
The professor spoke very quickly, with dense derivations, writing on the blackboard one after another.
Some of the students next to me had their brows furrowed, some hadn't stopped writing, and others were secretly flipping through their textbooks trying to keep up.
Cheng Che listened with ease.
Although he didn't actively activate [ Total Concentration ], his 70 points of Intelligence provided enough comprehension to keep up with the professor's pace.
In addition, there is [ Rigorous Thinking ] and [ the Comprehension by Analogy ].
Occasionally, when he encounters a section that requires deduction, he will mentally review it before continuing to listen.
After a day of classes, he found the content simple and easy to understand, with absolutely no pressure.
There are no classes in the afternoon.
Back in the dorm, Wang Zheng, Zhou Hao, and Li Yuan had already turned on their computers, ready to play games together.
Cheng Che had just sat down when his phone rang.
It's Xiao Zhou.
" Cheng Che, we've chosen a house. Come over and take a look, then make your decision. It's near Peking University, a ten-minute walk."
"Good."
He hung up the phone and stood up to grab his coat. Wang Zheng glanced at him sideways. "Where are you going?"
"Go out for a bit."
"Oh." Wang Zheng nodded, without asking any further questions.
Cheng Che walked to the door, thought for a moment, and then said, "I rented a place outside."
All three of them turned around at the same time.
Zhou Hao was the first to react, revealing an extremely ambiguous expression. "Renting a place outside? Living alone?"
"Um."
"Be careful," Zhou Hao said.
"Don't become a father so early," Wang Zheng added.
Li Yuan added, " Su Miaoyin is still young."
Cheng Che gave them the middle finger, opened the door, and left.
He was indeed somewhat speechless.
He hasn't been in contact with Su Miaoyin lately.
Although he had joined the music club, Su Miaoyin didn't pay special attention to him when she spoke in the group chat, and since they were both busy, the second class was never held.
He left the school gate and headed east, following the location given by Xiao Zhou.
"Let's go. There are three options. They're all near Peking University, within a ten-minute walk."
The first apartment is in an old residential area Dongmen of the school. It's a one-bedroom, one-living room apartment, 40 square meters, fully furnished, but the decoration is old and the walls are a bit mottled. The monthly rent is 6,500 yuan.
The second apartment is next to the south gate of the school. It's in an apartment building, with a studio apartment. It's newly renovated and has a gym and a common lounge area. The monthly rent is 8,000.
The third apartment is located in a hutong outside the west gate of the school. It's a renovated side room of a courtyard house, with one bedroom and one living room. It's not large, but the layout is compact, and it comes with a small courtyard. The monthly rent is 7,000 yuan.
Cheng Che stood at the entrance of the alley and looked at the small courtyard.
There is an old locust tree in the courtyard, its shade covering half of the yard.
The side room has a south-facing window, so it gets plenty of sunlight.
"This is it."
Xiao Zhou nodded and led him inside to sign the contract.
The landlady, an elderly woman in her sixties, chuckled and said upon hearing that he was a student at Peking University, "Good, good, scholars need quiet places to live."
After signing the contract, Xiao Zhou received a phone call and said that something had come up at the studio and he had to leave first.
Cheng Che stayed in the house alone, standing by the window and looking at the old locust tree in the yard for a while.
He took out his phone and called Jiang Xue.
"Mom, I rented a place outside of school."
Jiang Xue was silent for a moment, then asked worriedly, "Why are you renting a place? Are you not comfortable in the dorm?"
"No... it's just... a little more convenient."
He didn't mention the endorsement deal, nor did he mention the eight million.
These things can't be explained clearly over the phone.
Once it's in my pocket, I'll tell my parents.
Champagne should not be opened halfway through the game.
"Okay." Jiang Xue didn't ask any further questions. "Is the money enough?"
"Enough."
"Then take good care of yourself."
After hanging up the phone, Cheng Che walked around the house, checking the water, electricity, doors, and windows. Then he opened the door, preparing to go back to school to apply for off-campus accommodation.
He froze the moment the door opened.
The door opposite also opened.
A girl walked out, carrying a bag of trash, her hair casually tied up, wearing a loose-fitting loungewear T-shirt.
Su Miaoyin.
The two men looked at each other in bewilderment.