I have to say, Peng Kai is someone who really loves cleanliness.
His home is spotless; although the living room isn’t very big and doesn’t have many things, everything is arranged neatly and in perfect order.
“I’ll show you the bedroom.” Peng Kai took the lead and walked toward the bedroom.
Lan Hui hurried after him.
Peng Kai opened the master bedroom door and turned on the light. “See if you’re satisfied with it?”
Lan Hui looked around. The master bedroom was about twenty-five square meters, with a 1.8-meter-wide bed, a desk, and a wardrobe. It looked really nice.
It was much better than where she’d lived before.
“I’m very satisfied.” Lan Hui voiced her doubt, “Classmate, are you sure the rent for this room is only 1,400?”
This was the master bedroom! And in this location too—it was really hard to believe.
Peng Kai nodded. “1,400 a month.”
Originally, the rent for this master bedroom was 1,800 a month. He had planned to move in tonight, and the new roommate would take his former secondary bedroom.
But since she was a young lady, and she’d even gotten sick from helping him hold an umbrella before, he figured it would be fine to let her have the master. The sunlight was better there anyway.
Lan Hui wasn’t a fool. She said, “Classmate, I’d like to see the secondary bedroom.”
She remembered that Peng Kai had mentioned renting out the secondary bedroom on the phone.
Peng Kai frowned. “That’s my room. It’s not convenient right now.”
His clothes and luggage were all packed up, even the sheets and covers had been put away, ready to move after class. Letting her see it now wasn’t suitable.
“What’s so inconvenient?” Lan Hui didn’t understand and said bluntly, “Classmate, I remember you said on the phone that it was the secondary bedroom for rent!”
Peng Kai didn’t expect her to have listened so carefully and decided not to hide it.
“It was indeed the secondary bedroom for rent before, but I’d rather rent out the master bedroom. The problem is, the master bedroom is 1,800 a month—it’s too expensive, most people can’t afford it.”
“I had no choice but to offer the secondary bedroom, otherwise I might not find a roommate at all.”
Lan Hui immediately said, “Then I’ll move into the secondary bedroom tomorrow, and you can move into the master.”
Peng Kai refused, “I’ve lived in the secondary bedroom for over four years, I’m used to it. Tomorrow, you just move straight into the master.”
“Don’t worry, the rent stays the same, 1,400 a month. I just have one condition: when you have time, help clean the house a bit. Of course, I’ll clean my own room, you just take care of the common areas.”
Lan Hui knew perfectly well Peng Kai was deliberately letting her have the master bedroom. The cleaning was just an excuse.
“Classmate, I really can’t stay in the master bedroom. You should take it.”
Peng Kai was firm, “It’s settled. If you still don’t want to, then I can choose not to rent out the place.”
Lan Hui listened to his domineering words and knew he meant well.
Fine, she wouldn’t fuss. She decided she’d do more chores after moving in, and after getting paid, treat him to a few meals.
“Alright, then it’s settled. I’m off work tomorrow, so I’ll pack up at home and find a car to move over.”
Peng Kai nodded and handed her a key directly. “This is the previous roommate’s key. Keep it safe.”
“Thank you.” Lan Hui put it away carefully.
“I’ll drive you home now,” Peng Kai said, going to the door to put on his shoes. “Do you have a lot of stuff?”
Lan Hui thought about the original owner’s things. “Not much.”
Ever since she started working, she hadn’t earned much, only bought the necessities, so a few bags would do.
“Then after class tomorrow, I’ll drive over and help you move.”
Lan Hui was surprised. “That’s too much trouble for you, really, it’s fine.”
“You’re not fully recovered yet. It’s my responsibility. I was going to drive you home anyway, moving your things is just on the way.”
Peng Kai made it sound easy, but Lan Hui knew it wasn’t that simple. Her heart felt warm.
“Classmate.” As soon as she spoke, Lan Hui felt it was a bit awkward. “I’ll just call you Kai-ge, otherwise it feels too distant.”
He’d helped her so much, calling him “ge” was only right.
Peng Kai didn’t say anything, still cold as ever.
Lan Hui didn’t care, calling him “Kai-ge” again and again, becoming quite familiar.
Half an hour later, the Black Volkswagen stopped steadily downstairs at Lan Hui’s apartment complex.
“Kai-ge, drive safe on your way back. Message me when you get home.”
Lan Hui waved at the Black Volkswagen with a smile, watching as he sped off.
It was already past eleven at night. Lan Hui hurried home, filled the kettle, and washed up.
Her body hadn’t fully recovered yet, so she couldn’t shower. The doctor said she had to wait at least three days.
At midnight, Lan Hui noticed Peng Kai still hadn’t messaged her, but she didn’t expect him to take the initiative anyway.
She sent him a message: “Kai-ge, are you home yet?”
Peng Kai replied instantly: “Mm.”
“That’s good. Good night.” Lan Hui sent a dancing Xiao Niu emoji.
***
The next morning, Lan Hui got up early to pack and contacted her landlord to move out.
The landlord came in the afternoon, a middle-aged woman in her early forties, a bit plump, looking quite blessed.
Since Lan Hui was moving out on short notice, the landlord wouldn’t refund the deposit. She just came to check the condition of the place, and after confirming everything was fine, agreed to let Lan Hui move.
“When you leave, put the key in the mailbox downstairs, so the new tenant can get it easily,” the landlord reminded her.
“Okay.” Lan Hui nodded with a smile.
Originally, the key should have been handed directly to the landlord, but since she was moving out at night, she couldn’t give it to her in person. This was a compromise.
“Xiao Niu, found a boyfriend? Moving in with him?” the landlord asked with a laugh.
Lan Hui shook her head.
“No boyfriend, I just found a new place. This place is too far from work and school. I have to leave early every day, and get home late, it’s too tiring. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be moving in such a hurry.”
The landlord nodded knowingly. “It’s not easy for you girls from out of town. But you’re so pretty, and you don’t have a boyfriend—how about I introduce you to a guy from S City?”
“If you get married here and get an S City household registration, you’ll have a good life.”
The landlord saw that Lan Hui was obedient and hardworking, still studying at Adult University, a diligent and motivated girl, so she had the thought to introduce her to someone.
“Thank you for your kindness, but it’s alright. My parents don’t want me to marry far from home, they want me to find someone from our hometown.”
The landlord didn’t press further and chatted with Lan Hui for a bit before leaving.
***
After school in the evening, Peng Kai drove Lan Hui back to her apartment to move her things.
It was his first time following Lan Hui upstairs and seeing the place where she lived—it was indeed cramped and simple.
“Just these few bags?” Peng Kai pointed at the several woven bags and suitcases in the room.
Lan Hui nodded. “Yeah, I don’t have much.”
Peng Kai said nothing, hefted two woven bags onto his shoulder, and strode out.
Lan Hui carried two lighter bags and followed behind.
After two trips, they got everything.
The Black Volkswagen didn’t have much space. The trunk couldn’t hold all the bags, so the back seat was stuffed too. Lan Hui could only sit in the passenger seat.
It was the first time they’d been this close. Peng Kai’s face was calm, and Lan Hui pretended to be just as calm.
“Kai-ge, um… about the rent, can I transfer it to you after I get paid this month? I don’t have enough right now—my salary comes in about ten days.”
She still had a little over a thousand in her account, but she needed to eat and buy daily necessities. If she paid the rent, she’d have nothing left.
“That’s fine.”
Peng Kai had no objections.
“Thank you, Kai-ge.”
Lan Hui’s eyes curved with her smile, looking pure and lovely.
Peng Kai met her gaze and froze for a second. Her eyes were filled with laughter, as if they contained stars—stunningly pure.
Peng Kai suddenly realized—this little Xiao Niu was really beautiful.
This was the first time in years that, apart from thinking Gu Shinan was good-looking, he found someone else this attractive.
Peng Kai shook his head. What was he thinking!
Soon, the Black Volkswagen pulled into the community. As the car passed the main gate, Lan Hui clearly saw the name on it: “Xingfu Li.”
“Mm, remember the name of the community, don’t end up not even being able to find your own home,” Peng Kai said.
Lan Hui laughed, “Don’t worry, if I get lost, I’ll just call Kai-ge and it’ll be fine.”
Peng Kai fell silent.
The car parked smoothly, and Peng Kai opened the trunk to start moving things. Lan Hui was about to help when Peng Kai said, “You stay here and watch the bags, I’ll carry the things upstairs.”
If both of them went up, someone might take their things without them knowing.
“Alright.” Lan Hui didn’t argue. She’d troubled him so many times already, one more wouldn’t hurt.
Thinking this, her cheeks turned a little red.
She silently scolded herself for having such a thick skin.
Peng Kai made three trips, Lan Hui made one, and finally, everything was upstairs.
“I’m going to take a shower. You sort out the rest yourself,” Peng Kai said, then went straight into his room.
“Thank you, Kai-ge,” Lan Hui replied with a smile.
Peng Kai didn’t answer, just closed the door with a “bang” after entering.
Lan Hui hummed a little tune as she unpacked, hanging clothes in the wardrobe, putting shoes on the rack by the door, placing basins and buckets by the bathroom door…
She was as busy as a spinning top.
She kept at it until after one in the morning before finally lying down to sleep. The environment here was much better than before, and even in her dreams, she couldn’t help but smile.
***
The next day, Lan Hui was still off.
She went out to get familiar with the new area, bought daily necessities and groceries, and on her way back, stopped by a flower shop and spent 9.9 yuan on a bouquet of Chrysanthemums.
“Kai-ge, are you free tonight? I bought some groceries—come try my cooking?” Lan Hui texted.
Peng Kai: “No need, you eat.”
Lan Hui made Grandmother’s Vegetable Omelette and Qingjiao Rou Si, saving a portion of each for Peng Kai and putting them all in the fridge.
“Kai-ge, just heat these up when you get home tonight, you have to eat, otherwise it’ll go to waste.”
“Thank you.”
Peng Kai replied.
***
After school in the evening, Peng Kai and Lan Hui went home together. As soon as they entered, a faint scent of Chrysanthemum greeted them.
When he turned on the light, he saw a vase of Chrysanthemums on the coffee table in the living room—very refreshing.
The house was also spotless, the floor shining, the sofa covered with a new beige slipcover, and a layer of fluffy white carpet on the floor, with two little bear cushions on it.
The whole place had changed.
It felt fresh and cozy.
“Kai-ge, how does it feel?” Lan Hui asked with a smile. “The living room was too plain before, so I bought a few things to decorate it a bit.”
Peng Kai nodded. “Not bad.” It seemed that only a girl who loved to smile this much could make a room so bright and full of sunshine.