Chapter 5 – Come to My Place

Tang Xiaohe spent quite a long time carefully getting ready, even contouring her ankles. She had picked out her outfit last night: a French-style, wide square neckline black short-sleeve top paired with a simple apricot-colored long skirt.

After changing, Tang Xiaohe found a pair of pearl stud earrings from Lin Qing’s jewelry box and put them on, which made her whole face look bright and radiant.

Just thinking about possibly running into Ji Yanli made Tang Xiaohe smile uncontrollably, and soon she was laughing out loud.

But sometimes, the more you look forward to something, the more it disappoints. For several days in a row, no matter how carefully Tang Xiaohe dressed and how well she kept herself ready at all times, she didn’t see Ji Yanli again.

She couldn’t help feeling a bit down.

That day, she arranged for the landlord auntie to come to Lijingyuan to handle her lease termination.

The landlord’s surname was Xu, given name Lihua. She looked to be in her forties, with kind eyes and brows. Tang Xiaohe had met her once when signing the contract.

This time, seeing her again, Tang Xiaohe felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity. Perhaps it was because Aunt Xu was so warm and kind, reminding her a little of her own mother.

“Auntie, I’m really sorry to trouble you with this… I’ve transferred two months’ full rent to your card, hoping to make up a little for the loss during the rental transition period.”

When Tang Xiaohe rented the apartment, she wasn’t sure if her job in Nancheng would be stable. Also, she had just had a fight with her dad, so she didn’t have much money and signed only a six-month lease. Aunt Xu was understanding of the young girl’s situation and didn’t even ask for a deposit.

Since Tang Xiaohe had only lived there just over three months and hadn’t yet paid the second quarter’s rent, she felt very embarrassed to move out now.

Aunt Xu waved her hand repeatedly: “Ah, you’re such a polite child! No need to be so formal.”

“Auntie, I’m not short of this money. I just put this place up for rent because I was bored and wanted something to do.”

“Whatever happens, it happens. I won’t feel at ease if I don’t accept this money.”

Tang Xiaohe insisted but didn’t want Aunt Xu to feel uncomfortable accepting it, so she made up a little white lie: “I’ve been super lucky recently — I won the lottery and even met a partner I’m very satisfied with. Auntie, please take this money as a little good luck.”

“Really? That’s wonderful!” Aunt Xu was genuinely happy for her. When she first met Tang Xiaohe, she liked the girl at once.

Changing the subject, Aunt Xu sighed regretfully: “When I first met you, I thought you were a blessed young lady. I was even thinking of introducing you to my son.”

Mentioning her son, she raised her voice: “Hey! He’s really my troublemaker. Whenever I mention it, he says he’s too busy with work and doesn’t want to date. I just can’t persuade him to find the right person. You’re a good kid, young and at the right age to be in love. Looks like he’s the unlucky one…”

Tang Xiaohe smiled shyly and didn’t reply.

Tang Xiaohe only had a small amount of luggage left. She had already packed clothes and large items and shipped them to Golden Garden.

The remaining miscellaneous things fit into a large suitcase, a small suitcase, a box, and a tote bag.

Standing at the entrance of Golden Garden, about to swipe her access card, she suddenly realized she didn’t have the card on her. Thinking back, she had placed it in her wallet while packing, and the wallet was inside the tote bag.

She needed to unlock the suitcase first, put the box down, and then free her hands to find the access card.

Since the community gate was located on a slope, after unlocking the suitcase and squatting down to look for the card, the suitcase suddenly started sliding backward.

Tang Xiaohe hurriedly stood up, only to see a pair of slender, bony hands steadying her suitcase. Her gaze, which had been following the sliding suitcase, just as she was about to look away, caught a pair of familiar shoes.

“It’s you!” Tang Xiaohe looked up, her eyes sparkling with delight when she saw Ji Yanli.

Ji Yanli quietly took the other suitcase from her and pulled the access card from his pocket. He opened the gate and let Tang Xiaohe enter the community first.

“Officer Ji, what a coincidence!”

Ji Yanli glanced at Tang Xiaohe. Because of the heat and the heavy luggage, she was carrying, her skin was flushed, and a drop of sweat trickled down her neck into her collarbone.

Damn it, he thought, he couldn’t help but notice her collarbone. Swearing silently, he frowned slightly and looked away, asking, “Why so much luggage?”

“Ah, I’m moving in to live with my best friend. From now on, we’ll be neighbors for a long time. Please take care of me, Officer Ji,” Tang Xiaohe smiled happily, her eyes curved in joy.

Ji Yanli unconsciously smiled a little, nodded, and replied “Mm,” though he wasn’t sure if she noticed.

“Ding—” The elevator arrived at the 21st floor.

Tang Xiaohe held the tote bag in one hand and a box in her arms. She stretched out an arm to block the elevator doors, waiting for Ji Yanli to push the two suitcases out before pulling her arm back.

“Thanks so much, Officer Ji. I’ll carry everything inside myself later.”

Ji Yanli said lightly, “It’s nothing. I’ll watch you go in.”

Tang Xiaohe bent over to enter the door code. Ji Yanli noticed that Lin Qing’s door lock was exactly the same as his — all installed by the developer originally. Some owners had replaced theirs, others found it troublesome and didn’t. Both he and Lin Qing were in the latter group. No wonder Tang Xiaohe had mistaken him for Lin Qing’s roommate.

Tang Xiaohe fiddled with the lock for a long time, but it didn’t respond at all.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know what’s going on. The keypad won’t light up.”

Ji Yanli bent down to look, then told her the likely cause: “Probably out of power.”

“No way? What do we do then?” Tang Xiaohe had never encountered this situation before and was dumbfounded.

“Do you have a spare key?” Ji Yanli asked.

Tang Xiaohe shook her head like a rattle. Not just her — even Lin Qing didn’t always carry a spare key on her. Besides, Lin Qing was still in Beicheng, too far away to help now.

“Is there any other way?” Tang Xiaohe almost started to cry. She didn’t want to be stuck outside with all her luggage.

Ji Yanli glanced at her. The little girl’s big eyes were already moist with tears. He hated seeing women cry, especially Tang Xiaohe. Quickly, he comforted her, “Don’t worry. We can charge it for a bit with a power bank. Do you have one?”

Tang Xiaohe nodded, then shook her head again. She had brought one, but it was dead and hadn’t been charged yet.

Ji Yanli sighed. Seeing tears already falling down her cheeks, he reached out to wipe them away. His tone was calm, “How about you come to my place to wait for a bit?”

Tang Xiaohe was stunned. Ji Yanli’s fingers, unlike his delicate face, were a bit rough, and when they brushed against her cheek, it felt a little prickly and tingling.

Her face felt like it was burning from the lingering warmth of Ji Yanli’s touch, flushing bright red. Her mind went blank, only echoing one tempting phrase: “Go to my place… go to my place… go to my place…”

Lin Qing was wrong. Who said Ji Yanli wasn’t a ‘demonic charmer’? He was way too good at this, ahhhh!