The hint was so obvious, yet Chen Jiaojiao responded with such a remark.
Xiang Yang smiled at her and decided to stop beating around the bush.
"If I can't find a place to rent, and you happen to have a spare room, could you temporarily be my landlady?"
"Don't worry. I'm not lazy or messy. I won't mess up your place, and I can even cook for you. I'll leave as soon as school starts."
"I can pay you double the market rate, as long as I have a place to stay for now, is that okay?"
He spoke so sincerely, and her place was indeed vacant. It would be somewhat unkind not to let him stay.
Chen Jiaojiao, seeing such a clean-cut young man, couldn't refuse him too harshly.
"Alright. But I'll be signing a rental contract with you. If you don't meet my requirements, I will scold you."
Xiang Yang's heart lit up, "No problem, I guarantee I'll do it all!"
It was getting late. Chen Jiaojiao poured him some water, and then they fell silent, having run out of topics.
Xiang Yang reluctantly got up, "I'll be going then."
Chen Jiaojiao saw him to the door.
Upon reaching the entrance, they saw that it had started raining without them noticing.
Xiang Yang didn't have an umbrella and still needed to find a taxi. He had work the next day, which would be quite inconvenient.
Chen Jiaojiao made up her mind, "Why don't you just stay for now? This way, I, as the landlady, can test if you're a suitable tenant beforehand."
Xiang Yang got his wish and stayed. He took the master bedroom, and she took the guest room.
They didn't say much more and spent the night quietly.
The next day, Xiang Yang went out to work, and Chen Jiaojiao went to work too, giving him a ride on her way.
On the road, Xiang Yang received a call.
It was from a boy in his dormitory, wanting to have a meal together before the holiday. Xiang Yang agreed without hesitation.
However, the dinner venue they mentioned was quite far.
"Could I trouble you to give me a ride? I'll pay for the gas. My schedule is a bit tight today, and it's hard to get a taxi after shooting."
Knowing he was being rather thick-skinned, he felt his request to Chen Jiaojiao was a bit unreasonable.
But for some reason, he just wanted to find excuses to see her.
It was just a car ride, so Chen Jiaojiao didn't think much of it. "No problem. You don't need to be so polite with me."
Time quickly passed to the afternoon. Xiang Yang sent the address, and Chen Jiaojiao went to pick him up.
They chatted about the day's filming and headed towards the dinner venue.
They were stuck in traffic intermittently and it took a long time to arrive.
Outside the restaurant, their classmates had been waiting for a while.
Xiang Yang got out of the car and introduced Chen Jiaojiao to them, saying, "This is my friend."
They were all young men around 20 years old, bright and sunny. Seeing how beautiful Chen Jiaojiao was, they greeted her warmly and invited her to stay for the meal.
Although Chen Jiaojiao would have been bored at home, she had a good sense of propriety.
She didn't have much in common with them, and she wasn't familiar enough with Xiang Yang to mix their friends. So, after politely declining a few times, she prepared to leave.
Just then, another classmate who had gone to buy cigarettes returned and bumped into Chen Jiaojiao.
They were old acquaintances, and he recognized her at a glance.
"Chen Jiaojiao? What are you doing here?"
The person speaking was Li Pengcheng. When they were still in high school in Jincheng, they had been classmates for two years.
His family had some influence in Jincheng, and he had pursued Chen Jiaojiao.
However, Chen Jiaojiao found his behavior arrogant and overbearing, and she didn't pay him much attention, which led to some friction between them.
"Li Pengcheng? Long time no see. You've come to Nancheng too?"
"Yes, I've been here for two years, studying at Nandao. My classmates and I came here for dinner."
Speaking of his school, Li Pengcheng felt a sense of pride and pointed to his classmates behind him.
"Are you done eating or what? Where are you going?"
Chen Jiaojiao looked back and saw everyone waving at her, only then realizing they were all together with Xiang Yang.
He had also become classmates with Xiang Yang.
So, everyone knew each other.
Seeing Chen Jiaojiao talking with Li Pengcheng, the classmates gathered around again and insisted that Chen Jiaojiao stay for dinner.
"Since we're all friends, let's have a meal together. Miss Chen, do us a favor."
Everyone was so enthusiastic towards Chen Jiaojiao. As a man, Xiang Yang understood their intentions and felt a bit displeased.
Although he had told everyone that he and Chen Jiaojiao were just ordinary friends, she was brought here by him, and their intentions were so obvious. What did they take him for?
"I really have something to attend to back home. I'm sorry, everyone. Let's make plans another time. Thank you for your kind invitation, I'll treat you next time."
The evening breeze slightly ruffled Chen Jiaojiao's hair. She elegantly smoothed it back and turned to leave with a smile, but Li Pengcheng suddenly reached out and grabbed her.
"Aren't you in school anymore? You're dressed so maturely. Are you working or married?"
"You seem to be doing quite well. Is that car yours? I didn't expect you to be doing so well even after your father's downfall. What does your boyfriend do?"
Chen Jiaojiao turned back, her face wearing a smile, but she felt a deep sense of disgust.
What business is it of yours? Just because we knew each other before, do I have to tell you everything?
"Talk if you want to talk, why are you touching me? Let go of me."
Li Pengcheng did not let go.
Seeing that Chen Jiaojiao wasn't speaking to him politely and refused to stay, his expression turned unpleasant.
"What are you pretending for? You're obviously a very open and wild little rebel, always pretending in front of me, what's the point, Chen Jiaojiao?"
"Back in school, you relied on your family's wealth and the attention you got, so it was understandable that you ignored me. But now, with your father in that state, you're still pretending with me?"
Chen Jiaojiao's smile disappeared. She pulled her wrist out forcefully but it wouldn't budge.
She was starting to get angry.
"What's the matter? Judging by what you're saying, if I don't say something to you today, you're not planning on letting me go?"
"That's right, that's exactly what I mean." Li Pengcheng had a scoundrel's look on his face.
"We're both men, who isn't the same? I'm not not giving you money. If others can play, why can't I?"
"I'm young, have good stamina, and I guarantee I'm better than those old men..."
"Shameless!" Chen Jiaojiao glared at him coldly. "I'm warning you, if you don't let go, I'll call for help!"
"Go ahead and call. You're dressed like a tout, looks like you're no decent person. Call whoever you want, see if anyone will bother with you."
Seeing their conversation escalating like this, the other two classmates felt awkward. They looked at each other and then at Xiang Yang.
Xiang Yang could no longer stand it. He stepped forward and grabbed Li Pengcheng's hand.
"Li Pengcheng, let's talk properly. She hasn't offended you, why are you doing this?"
Xiang Yang used considerable force, and Li Pengcheng's hand hurt. His tone became agitated.
"I'm talking to her, not you, what's it to you? Trying to be a knight in shining armor? What, you think she's pretty and you want her too?"
What a scoundrel!
He never realized Li Pengcheng was such an ill-mannered person before.