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The living room was even more luxurious.
Imported genuine leather sofas, a carpet made of pure wool, and from the high ceiling hung a crystal chandelier worth six figures.
Although Wang Yuxin came from a fairly well-off family, she still looked around like a country girl visiting the city for the first time.
Xu Ye was calmer. After entering, he sat down on the sofa in the living room.
Chen Qingqing walked to the refrigerator and asked, “What kind of ice cream do you want?”
“Little pudding.”
“Old popsicle.”
Xu Ye and Wang Yuxin answered almost at the same time.
Chen Qingqing hesitated, then opened the freezer and said to the siblings, “I don’t have either of those. At home, we only have Magnum and Häagen-Dazs.”
“Then whatever.”
Chen Qingqing took out two Magnum ice cream bars and handed them to them.
Wang Yuxin asked curiously, “Qingqing Jiejie, is this entire building your family’s?”
“Mm.”
“This is so huge. Your room must be really big, right?”
Chen Qingqing said, “It’s okay.”
In fact, the entire second floor belonged to Chen Qingqing’s living area. She had her own walk-in closet and a very large bathroom. Just the bathtub alone took up more space than an average family’s entire bathroom.
Wang Yuxin listened with envy.
The two chatted happily back and forth for a long time, until finally Wang Yuxin cut in, “Xu Ye Gege, why haven’t you said anything all this time?”
“You guys talk among yourselves. What’s it got to do with me?”
Wang Yuxin gave him a stern glare, then turned and smiled at Chen Qingqing, “Qingqing Jiejie, can I take a look at your room?”
“Sure~”
Chen Qingqing did not refuse; she led Wang Yuxin upstairs, while Xu Ye remained seated on the sofa.
Since Wang Yuxin was a girl, it was no problem for her to visit Chen Qingqing’s room, but Xu Ye couldn’t go—he was a boy, and besides, it was his first time at Chen Qingqing’s home. There were certain boundaries he dared not cross.
What he didn’t know was that at this moment, a camera mounted upside down in the corner of the living room ceiling was focused directly on him. Meanwhile, Jiang Meilin was watching the live feed on her phone.
Seeing Xu Ye just sitting quietly on the sofa, Jiang Meilin felt relieved but also curious about what he might be thinking.
During their previous meetings, Xu Ye had always seemed talkative and articulate.
Yet today, since arriving at the house, he had hardly spoken a word.
Jiang Meilin wondered if Xu Ye, upon seeing her home, had become aware of the gap between himself and her daughter, feeling a sense of inferiority.
Chen Qingqing wasn’t good at socializing and probably hadn’t noticed this.
Jiang Meilin hesitated about whether to warn her daughter but ultimately decided against it.
Since Xu Ye had already come to the house, the situation was beyond repair.
Whatever happened next, she would let it unfold naturally.
Meanwhile, upstairs…
After Chen Qingqing led Wang Yuxin into the room, she immediately regretted it because the Doraemon toy Xu Ye had given her was still lying on her bed.
However, Wang Yuxin didn’t pay any attention to the Doraemon. Instead, she walked straight into Chen Qingqing’s walk-in closet, looking at the dazzling array of clothes and shoes inside with envy.
Chen Qingqing realized that Wang Yuxin didn’t know the Doraemon on the bed was a gift from Xu Ye, and she felt a weight lift off her heart.
“Qingqing Jiejie, you’re so lucky to have a walk-in closet all to yourself.”
Seeing the smile on Wang Yuxin’s face, Chen Qingqing suddenly froze for a moment.
Could having a room just for your clothes really be called happiness?
“My Xu Ye Gege’s room probably isn’t even as big as your walk-in closet. But my Gege is actually pretty good, just a little silly, a little clumsy, and a bit thick-skinned, don’t you think?”
“And a little dumb too.”
“Yeah, that’s true.”
After spending more than ten minutes upstairs, the two came back down together.
Then the three of them sat on the sofa watching a comedy movie—a classic Stephen Chow film. Watching it on the hundred-inch big screen felt completely different from watching on a phone.
By almost five o’clock, Xu Ye finally stood up and said, “It’s getting late. Yuxin and I will head back first.”
“I’ll have Aunt Wang drive you home.”
“Thanks~”
Wang Yuxin also stood up and smiled, “Qingqing Jiejie, can I still come to your house to play when I have time?”
“Of course,” Chen Qingqing nodded with a smile.
At five o’clock, the sun had not yet set.
Wang Yuxin sat in the car and started chattering again, her words filled with envy.
Xu Ye smiled and reached out to pat her on the head. “Don’t be so hopeless. If you get into a good University and work hard to earn money, you’ll be able to buy a house just as nice someday.”
Wang Yuxin suddenly asked, “Xu Ye Gege, you didn’t say much to Qingqing Jiejie this afternoon. Do you feel like there’s a big gap between you and Qingqing Jiejie?”
Wang Ruxue, overhearing this, was also curious about how Xu Ye would respond.
“No, it’s just that I realized my previous goals were a bit too small. Now I need to aim higher.”
“What goals?”
Xu Ye reached out and lightly flicked Wang Yuxin’s forehead, smiling, “Little girl, you’re bossing me around now? Go bother someone else.”
“Bleh~” Wang Yuxin stuck out her tongue playfully and rolled down the car window to enjoy the scenery outside.
…
That evening, as soon as Xu Ye arrived at the shop, Zhang Xiaonuan handed him last month’s wages.
As soon as Xu Ye reached out, he could tell the money was more than usual. He frowned and said, “I didn’t work a full month last month, and I took a day off. Did you overpay me?”
Zhang Xiaonuan smiled and said, “The boss lady already told me. Part of this is your singing fee, plus a 200 yuan bonus. Altogether it’s 3,300. You can count it.”
“What’s there to count? I don’t doubt you.” Xu Ye pocketed the money and looked around. “By the way, where’s the boss lady?”
“She’s got something to do.”
“Something to do?”
“Yeah.” Zhang Xiaonuan took out a wet wipe and wiped the cash register screen while saying, “She probably won’t be coming tonight.”
Xu Ye pressed further, “Xiaonuan Jie, you’ve known the boss lady the longest. Has our boss lady really gotten married or not?”
“Both yes and no.”
“Ah?”
Zhang Xiaonuan looked up at Xu Ye. Seeing that there was no one else in the shop, she lowered her voice and said, “You have to swear not to tell anyone first.”
Xu Ye immediately raised his hand. “I swear, Xiaonuan Jie, don’t worry. I’m always tight-lipped.”
“The boss lady had a fiancé she was with for seven years. They were already engaged, but just before the wedding, he got into a car accident… and didn’t make it.”
After hearing this, Xu Ye felt a pang of sorrow.
No wonder the boss lady often stood alone at the door late at night, staring at the stars and the moon. So she had been through something like that.
“Today is the anniversary of her fiancé’s death, so she probably won’t be coming tonight.”
“I see…”