Chapter 59: Shameless

“This house is small, but I got it for just a thousand yuan,” Cheng Huaien said gleefully. “I’ll keep an eye out for more nearby and buy them too.”

“Dad, why are you buying so many houses?” Cheng Yuan asked, staring at the property certificate, feeling as if she were dreaming.

In her past life, whenever her father had a little money, the Cheng family would come asking to borrow it under all sorts of pretenses—like a tiger borrowing a pig—with no intention of paying it back.

Back then, she hadn’t understood the importance of owning property. They had always rented. By the time the county began its demolition projects and housing prices soared, they could no longer afford to buy.

“Houses are gold! With development moving so fast, who doesn’t want a home of their own?” Cheng Huaien wouldn’t admit he already knew property values were about to skyrocket. Their area currently sold for two to three hundred yuan per square meter, but in a few years, it would climb to over a thousand.

“Dad, you’re really thinking ahead,” Cheng Yuan praised. “We should buy one in Hai City too. The sooner, the better. As living standards rise and more buildings go up, prices will only follow.”

She offered the reminder casually, planting the idea in his mind.

Cheng Huaien nodded, smiling. “Yuanyuan, don’t worry. Your dad knows what he’s doing.”

What he hadn’t told her was that his stock investments had already grown to over a hundred thousand!

In just two short months, his money had multiplied again and again. He figured that by the first half of next year, he’d be able to buy an apartment in Hai City.

I need to work even harder and earn more, he thought. I’ll open a nationally renowned restaurant. Maybe Xiaoxiao will see the name and come back.

That night, Cheng Yuan lay in bed, feeling like everything had changed since her rebirth. After several restless nights, she couldn’t help reaching for her jade pendant and slipping quietly into the dark room.

She moved cautiously, afraid of waking Jun Nanye.

As she lay on the icy bed, all her fatigue vanished. I can’t act foolishly anymore. A good night’s sleep is more important than anything. Why bother holding a grudge?

Worst case, I’ll just deny everything.

With that comforting thought, she drifted off into a deep sleep.

Jun Nanye woke to the sound of his alarm. The familiar tone, combined with the lightness in his body, told him immediately that he was in the dark room again. He lay still, eyes closed, pretending to be asleep.

Cheng Yuan groggily turned off the alarm. It was already six o’clock. She nudged him. “Hurry up and get up, I’m going to be late.”

Sleeping here really made a difference. Her exhaustion had vanished, and her body felt rejuvenated.

“Cheng Yuan, you’re not from Hai City,” Jun Nanye’s voice suddenly broke the quiet.

She raised her brow. He still hasn’t figured it out.

“Tao An, get up now! If you don’t, I’ll bite you!” she threatened, glaring down at him.

“Go ahead.” Jun Nanye offered his arm, still refusing to open his eyes. He could skip work, but a high school senior like her couldn’t skip school forever, could she?

“Tao An!”

Cheng Yuan’s temper flared. Standing beside the bed, she snapped, “Didn’t we agree to mind our own business? Why do you need to know who I am?”

Her tone dripped with resentment at his broken promise.

Jun Nanye reached out and grabbed her arm. “I want to know if the person in my bed every night is a human or a ghost.”

Human or ghost.

Cheng Yuan shivered involuntarily. “Are you stupid? Can’t you feel body heat? Don’t you see a shadow? Are you blind?”

Then, realizing his eyes were still closed, she touched her nose sheepishly. “Oh, right. I forgot you really are blind.”

“Are you going to open your eyes or not?” she demanded.

Jun Nanye’s lips curved into a faint smile. “…”

Without warning, Cheng Yuan lunged forward, grabbed a lock of his hair, and whipped it across his face. When that didn’t work, she pinched the soft flesh at his waist, nails digging in mercilessly.

“Open your eyes already!”

Too focused on waking him up, she didn’t notice the subtle change in his body. But when her hand accidentally brushed against it—

Her face turned bright red.

“Shameless! Tao An, are you even a man?!” she cried in outrage.

Jun Nanye opened his eyes slowly, her voice still echoing in his ears. He lowered his head and sighed deeply.

Isn’t she the shameless one?

She was the one rubbing all over me. If I didn’t react, would I still be a man?

She got away again.

Jun Nanye’s desire to see her face grew even stronger. Such a fierce little girl must be ugly. Maybe she spends her days drooling over my handsome face?

“Shameless.”

Cheng Yuan washed her hands over a dozen times, but still felt dirty.

“Yuanyuan, did you touch something gross?” Cheng Huaien asked, puzzled, while preparing breakfast and watching her scrub her hands.

“No.”

She turned off the water and changed the subject. “Dad, what’s for breakfast today?”

“Scallion pancakes with an egg.” Cheng Huaien worked hard every day to make sure his daughter ate well.

“Dad, don’t trouble yourself next time. Just a bowl of noodles is fine.” She eyed the pancake—it looked like it took effort.

“It’s no trouble. It’s simple enough,” he replied warmly. Then, after studying her face, he added, “You look good today. Must’ve slept well last night.”

“Not bad,” she replied, teeth gritting slightly at the thought of Tao An.

Seeing her expression, Cheng Huaien made a mental note to replace her bed, desk, and wardrobe. That way, Yuanyuan wouldn’t have any trouble sleeping at night.

With that decision made, he took a rare day off work. As soon as Cheng Yuan left for school, he began tidying up her room.

Her room was always spotless. No matter how busy she got, she never let it fall into disarray. Her clothes were neatly folded and arranged in the wardrobe. He carefully took everything out, lined the walls with calendar paper, and instantly brightened the space.

That afternoon, he went to a furniture store and bought a Simmons mattress, a stylish desk, and a new wardrobe. After arranging everything, he placed her belongings back into their spots.

Her original cramped desk had barely held her books. She used to stack them on the floor. Now, with a large desktop, two cabinets, and three drawers, everything had a place.

He even replaced her old curtain with a pink one and added a new pink four-piece bedding set. The room had undergone a full makeover.

Cheng Huaien stood in the doorway, looking around with satisfaction, his heart racing.

Yuanyuan will like this, right?