Chapter 21

Of course, having a wife means someone who can manage both household duties and social settings, who is not only thrifty and capable but also beautiful. For Nian Qi, it was clear that he could handle both the kitchen and public settings, and his handsome looks were right in front of her. Whether he was frugal and good at managing a household was yet to be seen, but Ruan Qing had never regarded thriftiness as a virtue that deserved to be idolized. In fact, she believed that thrift was only necessary when finances were limited. If money was available, it should be spent to make life more comfortable and enjoyable.

As Ruan Qing sneaked glances at Nian Qi, she felt that whoever married him would be incredibly lucky. Switching the perspective to a male one, she suddenly understood why men would constantly complain about high bride prices. You could tell them, “You won’t die if you don’t get married,” and they’d fall silent. Because “getting a wife” brings so much comfort and joy. No one is foolish, if a man complains about the cost of the dowry but still scrapes together the money to pay it, it means he believes marrying that woman will definitely be worth it.

Ruan Qing, who had once played the “big sister” role, was now experiencing the satisfaction from a man’s perspective, and the difference was more than just slight.

“Got plans?” Ruan Qing snapped out of her thoughts. “Oh, you mean work? I need to visit a construction site in the morning, and in the afternoon, I’ve got an appointment at the auto shop to get my car repaired.”

She chuckled, “Yes, the car you dented.”

The roof of Ruan Qing’s car had been dented by Nian Qi’s sudden, sky-high arrival. Yesterday, when they went to the mall, they still drove around with that dented roof. Ruan Qing reassured him, “Don’t worry about the cost.”

After breakfast, Ruan Qing pretended to start doing the dishes, expecting that the “diligent” Nian Qi would say, “You have important things to do, let me handle this.”

Ah, how wonderful. In the past, when Ruan Qing occasionally got the urge to cook, she had to push Zhao Hao to wash the dishes, and he would grumble and complain. But Nian Qi didn’t mind at all.

Though he had lived a life of luxury during his downtime, when he was on a mission, he had experienced every possible condition. What’s more, modern conveniences made things so easy—just turn on the tap, and there’s water, a quick rinse with dish soap, and the grease on the dishes was gone. With his dexterous hands, washing dishes was a matter of minutes. And those disposable wipes? You could clean the dining table and stove with them and then throw them away—no need to wash any rags. How convenient.

When Nian Qi finished drying his hands and stepped out of the kitchen, he saw Ruan Qing sitting on the sofa with her laptop on the coffee table.

“Come here,” she beckoned him. “I’ll teach you how to use a computer.”

She started by teaching him how to use the keyboard, emphasizing the functions of the Caps Lock, Shift, and Ctrl keys, and how to switch between input methods. Finally, she opened a folder on the desktop and said, “These are the videos I spent all night downloading. Watch them one by one.”

The collection consisted of educational videos and numerous historical documentaries. The science videos would help him understand significant milestones in the history of modern scientific development, and the documentaries would give him a comprehensive overview of the past five thousand years.

“I also ordered a set of middle and high school textbooks for physics, chemistry, and biology,” Ruan Qing added. “Once you get through these subjects, you’ll be pretty much on par with modern people.”

But then, would Ruan Qing lose interest in him once he caught up? Nian Qi, after spending a day and night interacting with her, had begun to understand that her enthusiasm stemmed from a sense of novelty and curiosity.

She was treating him like a novelty. But what if, one day, he was no longer novel to her? Nian Qi smiled, “Sure.”

Ruan Qing then asked, “I won’t be home at noon. Should I order takeout for your lunch?”

“No need,” Nian Qi replied. “I can cook for myself.” He glanced at her. “Will you be back for dinner?”

“I’ll be home in the afternoon,” Ruan Qing responded.

“What would you like for dinner? I’ll make it,” he offered.

“Huh?” Ruan Qing was surprised. “I can even make requests?” How quickly this ancient man had adapted! Her dark eyes widened, lips slightly parted, revealing her white teeth. The alluring sight from last night flashed unbidden through Nian Qi’s mind, and he quickly forced himself to recall the times he’d narrowly escaped death and the pain of festering wounds while evading assassins.

“Limited to what we bought yesterday,” he said, sitting upright and serious.

“What did we buy yesterday… let me think…” Ruan Qing brushed her hair back, pondering, but out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Nian Qi wasn’t looking at her. Instead, he was staring at the TV wall ahead, his long neck exposed, and his Adam’s apple moved slightly as he swallowed. Maybe he had just swallowed a bit of saliva.

Ruan Qing thought, “… Can an ancient man be this sexy?” Up close, seeing such an enticing gesture, who could possibly resist?

“Eggplant!” Ruan Qing blurted out. “We bought eggplant yesterday, so let’s have eggplant tonight!”

Perfect, it was settled. The two of them seriously discussed and agreed on what to have for dinner, after which Ruan Qing got ready to head out.

“Oh, by the way,” Ruan Qing rummaged around and found a set of keys. “Here, take this.” These were actually Zhao Hao’s keys, and when Ruan Qing kicked him out the other day, she forgot to ask for them back. Yesterday, Zhao Hao had used those keys to get in, but then Nian Qi “confiscated” them.

Although Ruan Qing felt it was best for Nian Qi not to show his face too much before resolving his identity issue, she didn’t plan to keep him locked up in the apartment forever. Everyone needs a breath of fresh air. She just reminded him, “If you feel like going downstairs for a walk, it’s best to wear a mask.”

There wasn’t a solid reason for it, just a gut feeling that, until his identity issue was resolved, he should keep a low profile. After all, he was a time traveler, and it’s better to be safe than sorry.

This suggestion suited Nian Qi perfectly. He nodded, “Don’t worry, I’ll stay home and watch the videos you told me to study.”

He was so easy to talk to, and Ruan Qing felt deeply touched. She liked how well he listened. “If you listen to advice, you’ll eat well,” as the saying goes.

After a pleasant breakfast, with no worries about washing dishes or cleaning, she dressed professionally and stylishly, leaving for work in high spirits. She had no idea, however, that after she left, the ancient man who had promised to “study diligently at home” had no intention of sticking to that plan.

Nian Qi mentally calculated the time, waiting until he was sure Ruan Qing had taken the elevator down to the underground parking lot and driven off. Then, he immediately got up and opened the storage box next to the sofa.

Yesterday at the mall, he had observed many people and had gathered enough information on how they dressed. He rummaged through the box, picking out a T-shirt and shorts, something that wouldn’t draw much attention. Once he had changed and put on the new shoes and socks they’d bought yesterday, he grabbed the keys. Pausing for a moment, he also slipped the phone into his pocket.

Glancing at the apartment number, he committed it to memory, then closed the door and stepped out.

Ruan Qing was anxious for him to quickly catch up on a millennium’s worth of scientific knowledge, but to Nian Qi, that wasn’t a priority. Right now, getting a sense of his surroundings was the most important thing, a habit ingrained in him. It was still early, not yet rush hour. Ruan Qing had left early because she needed to head to a construction site in a suburban villa area, which was quite far. Most people hadn’t set out for work yet. In the elevator, there were two adults and three kids, all on their way to school. The children were still sleepy, yawning and drowsy. When the elevator doors opened on the 16th floor, one of the kids looked up and saw a tall man outside, also lifting his eyes.

The man wore a cool, black mask and had long hair tied back in a ponytail. His eyes, dark and deep, met the child’s gaze. The child suddenly felt a slight chill on his shoulder and instinctively stepped back, pressing closer to his mother, who gave him a puzzled look.

Nian Qi glanced at the elevator buttons. Only B2 was lit, which he already knew was the underground parking level. To reach the ground floor, the courtyard of the residential complex, he needed to press 1. So, he did, slipping his hands into the pockets of his shorts, standing at the front with his back to everyone else, while quietly observing them through the mirrored elevator doors.

Even after a thousand years, people hadn’t changed much. Some faces still bore signs of sleepiness and fatigue, while others looked refreshed and ready to tackle the day. All of them were alive with the same mundane, everyday energy. This was a real, living future, he thought, and he would now, and forever, live in this real future world.

When the elevator reached the 1st floor, the doors opened, and only Nian Qi stepped out. He glanced around and saw a glass door. Transparent, flat glass like this was everywhere, allowing in plenty of light. He reached out to push the door, but it didn’t budge—it was locked, and there were no other exits in sight. Nian Qi frowned slightly.

Just then, another person emerged from a different elevator. Nian Qi stepped aside to let them pass. The person gave him a curious look and pressed a button beside the door, making a “click” sound as the door unlocked. The person then pushed the door open and walked out.

Nian Qi glanced at the switch. He had mistaken it for a light switch, but it was actually the door’s locking mechanism. As the automatic door closed with another “click,” he pressed the button himself, heard the same sound, and then pushed the door open to step outside.

This was his first time on the ground floor, and he realized it served as a kind of lobby, similar to a gatehouse, with a uniformed person sitting behind a desk. Nian Qi had seen similar uniforms at the mall yesterday, Ruan Qing had explained that these were the people responsible for maintaining order at the premises. From Nian Qi’s perspective, it was akin to a gatekeeper or watchman, much like the ones who guarded the homes of the wealthy back in his time, not just for the elite but also for well-off commoners.

The door opened, and a man with an unfamiliar face walked out—or at least, that’s what it seemed, since the man was wearing a mask, obscuring most of his face. The most striking feature was his ponytail, which stood out. The security guard had been on duty in this building for almost six months and couldn’t recall any male residents with long hair.

The guard opened his mouth, intending to ask a question, but Nian Qi’s gaze caught the subtle movement. He understood that bowing or clasping hands together was no longer customary, so he simply kept his hands in his pockets, walking at an unhurried pace. With a calm, relaxed air, he subtly nodded at the guard.

The guard, about to speak, instinctively switched to a friendly smile and nodded in return, unable to get a word out. As the man with the ponytail walked out of the building, the guard finally snapped out of it. He absentmindedly scratched the back of his head. That confidence, that aura—it must be a resident, he thought.