Chapter 3

After having lunch at the clinic, Xu Qiao rode her bicycle and arrived back at the community at exactly 12:45 PM.

It was already mid-March, and the sun was shining brightly at noon, causing Xu Qiao to break out in a fine sweat on his forehead and nose.

Since the renter hadn’t arrived yet, Xu Qiao decided to wash his face again. As he turned off the faucet and looked at himself in the mirror, a thought crossed his mind, and a transparent water arrow suddenly appeared between him and the mirror. The arrow was stable, resembling a tangible object made of transparent glass, with a sharp tip glinting coldly.

Xu Qiao’s auxiliary ability was water-based.

Among the five common elemental abilities—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—only wood-based abilities had three major directions: planting, healing, and combat. The other four types were primarily combat abilities.

E-level ability users only have enhanced physiques, meaning their mental bodies and abilities cannot be externalized. At most, they possess some talents related to their mental bodies; for example, E-level wood users find it easier to study fields related to planting and healing, while E-level metal users have an advantage over ordinary people in developing metal products or repairing machinery.

D-level ability users can externalize their mental bodies and abilities, but their capabilities are limited. D-level wood users can only handle supportive tasks like tilling the soil, watering, and harvesting crops, or working as nurses in hospitals and clinics. D-level combat users are also suited only for law enforcement roles within the base or for taking on the least dangerous mercenary missions.

C-level ability users truly begin to possess the combat power to single-handedly kill powerful exotic beasts.

Major military academies have long established specialized course arrangements for students with different abilities based on scholars’ suggestions and the experiences summarized by ability users over the past century.

For someone like Xu Qiao, who has 42 classes every week, only four are allocated to the development of D-level water abilities. This is intended to help her build a strong physique and acquire the basic survival skills necessary for missions outside the base, ensuring she isn’t helpless against even weak D-level exotic beasts.

During those three years, Xu Qiao didn’t slack off just because her water ability was at a low level; she consistently scored full marks in combat-related subjects.

When her lotus spirit body unexpectedly transformed into one with thirty-three petals, Xu Qiao carefully concealed her abundant wood-based spiritual power while training her equally plentiful water-based abilities in the nighttime when no one was around.

C-level water arrows and water balls are used for offense, while C-level water walls and water shields are for defense or restraining enemies. As long as the potential renters coming to view the property aren’t B-level ability users, Xu Qiao can counterattack even if they have criminal intentions.
—-
At 12:55 PM, Xu Qiao, who was checking the growth of vegetables in the courtyard of the Lu family, suddenly heard the sound of a vehicle approaching.

She stood up from beside the vegetable beds and looked in the direction of the sound. A black car was slowly approaching, eventually coming to a smooth stop outside the courtyard.

It was a brand-new sedan.

Buses and subways operate normally within the base, which is the preferred mode of transport for most ordinary people and low-level ability users. Only those with a significant number of points can afford to buy such ordinary cars, which are limited to use within the base. Professional mercenaries prefer to buy or rent modified off-road vehicles that can withstand exotic beast attacks.

Ordinary cars also vary between economical and luxurious options, and judging by the car’s brand, it was obviously a high-end vehicle with a low-key appearance and an expensive price tag.

It must be that straightforward renter.

No wonder there was no haggling over the 10,000-point monthly rent.
—-
While Xu Qiao speculated about the new renter’s financial situation based on the luxury car, the driver’s door opened, and a tall figure stepped out, dressed in dark gray trousers and a white shirt.

From the back, the person appeared to be at least 1.9 meters tall. Both the shirt and trousers were well-tailored, accentuating the man’s broad shoulders, slim waist, and long legs.

Aside from male celebrities in TV shows and movies, Xu Qiao had hardly encountered such a well-dressed man in her life.

The men she commonly saw were mid-level ability users rushing to various companies, factories, or farms, or mercenaries coming back from missions in blood-stained combat uniforms seeking treatment at the clinic. These low- and mid-level ability users, preoccupied with points and survival, would not have the leisure to take such care in their appearance even if they had the financial means to buy such clothing.

At that moment, the man walked around the front of the car and revealed an equally strikingly handsome face.

An appearance and physique that were too outstanding often created a sense of distance for ordinary people. As their gazes met, Xu Qiao felt a rush of nervousness. The man suddenly smiled a very subtle smile, but his gentle gaze immediately conveyed that he was polite and wouldn’t treat others with arrogance due to financial or other disparities.

“Hello, I’m looking for Ms. Xu. I have an appointment to view the house with her.”

Qin Chi stood at the edge of the courtyard, making a point to identify himself to the young woman who might not yet be of age. He then glanced back at window 102, guessing that there might be an elder in the room as well.

Xu Qiao: “…That’s me. May I ask how to address you?”

Since he was the landlord, Qin Chi’s smile deepened. “My surname is Qin, and my given name is Chi, like ‘pond.'”

Xu Qiao couldn’t help but think of her nickname, “Little Pond,” and was slightly embarrassed that it coincided with the renter’s name. She quickly looked toward the entrance to conceal her flushed earlobes. “Shall I accompany Mr. Qin inside to take a look?”

Qin Chi nodded and followed her inside.

The Lu family’s house looked much like the photos had shown, with just a few personal items taken by Lu Yang. Xu Qiao led the way, introducing the rooms while subtly observing Qin Chi’s reactions to gauge his satisfaction with each space.

However, Qin Chi maintained his initial polite expression throughout. No matter what Xu Qiao said, he simply responded with an “Mm” or a nod.

The tour quickly concluded. As they returned to the living room, Xu Qiao turned to Qin Chi and first noticed his long neck, with the top two buttons of his white shirt undone, giving him a relaxed and casual look.

The height difference made Xu Qiao take a couple of steps back before lifting her gaze to meet his eyes. “What do you think, Mr. Qin? Is there anything you’re not satisfied with?”

Qin Chi sensed her concealed nervousness and smiled. “It’s great. When shall we sign the contract?”

Xu Qiao: “…You really are straightforward. Signing the contract is no problem, but the house belongs to my younger brother, so you’ll need to sign with him. He’s in middle school and usually gets home around nine o’clock on weekdays, except on weekends. When would be convenient for you?”

Qin Chi: “If he’s willing to rent to me, we can sign tonight. This weekend works too; I’m not in a rush.”

Xu Qiao: “My brother is very easy to talk to. He has only two requirements for renters: first, to take good care of the house, and second, to get along well with the neighbors on the same floor. If it’s not too presumptuous, may I ask what Mr. Qin does for a living?”

Qin Chi smiled. “I just got hired as a lecturer at the Second Military Academy. Here’s my employment certificate.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a red-covered certificate appeared in his hand out of thin air.

This indicated that he either had space abilities or possessed a spatial crystal core.

It was polite for a renter to voluntarily show proof of employment, and Xu Qiao could examine it closely, but Qin Chi’s excellent attitude made her feel that scrutinizing it too much would imply a lack of trust.

So, Xu Qiao opened the certificate, glanced at the first line confirming that the Second Military Academy indeed hired Qin Chi, and after quickly verifying the academy’s seal on it, she promptly closed the red certificate and returned it. “Among so many people who came to view the house, your profession and temperament are the most reassuring to us. I’ll mention it to my brother, and I’m sure he’ll agree.”

Qin Chi: “Your small courtyard is very tidy. It would be my honor to live here.”

Hearing this acknowledgment of her hard work made Xu Qiao feel a sense of pride. In a place where every bit of land was precious, many wood-type ability users would overcrowd their gardens, prioritizing maximum utilization over aesthetics. Xu Qiao, however, wasn’t that extreme; she had left ample space between her vegetable beds, making the courtyard naturally pleasing to the eye.

She glanced at the clock on the wall and explained, “I need to get to work now. I’ll talk to my brother about this tonight, and as soon as he agrees, I’ll message you right away.”

Qin Chi: “Okay. Where do you work? If it’s on my way, I can give you a ride.”

Xu Qiao laughed. “It’s nearby. I can just ride my bike; it’ll only take about ten minutes.”

Qin Chi: “Alright then. I’ll head off now. Hope to see you again.”

Xu Qiao saw him out, and the black car drove away. She locked the door and rode her bicycle to the clinic.
—-
In the evening, when Lu Yang returned, Xu Qiao happily told him about Qin Chi.

When Lu Yang heard that it was a male tenant, he instinctively frowned, but since Xu Qiao praised Qin Chi so highly, it would have been unreasonable for him to nitpick over the tenant’s gender.

“I want to see if he suits my taste.”

Every homeowner who grew vegetables in their courtyard had installed surveillance cameras, so Xu Qiao took Lu Yang to the study and opened the playback for him.

Thus, Lu Yang saw Qin Chi’s understated luxury car and the man who looked like he had stepped out of an idol drama.

Lu Yang tried to find some flaw in his character, but the footage showed that aside from maintaining social etiquette, Qin Chi had never spied on Xu Qiao.

As a tenant, Qin Chi’s conditions were truly impeccable.

Xu Qiao: “Mr. Qin knows you might be home around this time. He might be waiting for you. What do you think?”

Lu Yang: “…Invite him over. I’ll chat with him again. If all goes well, we can sign the contract tonight.”

Nine o’clock wasn’t too late; the sooner the house was rented out, the sooner they could collect rent. Xu Qiao immediately contacted Qin Chi.

“Okay, he said he’ll be here in about twenty minutes.”

Lu Yang: “You take a break; I’ll wait for him in 102.”

Xu Qiao: “Are you sure you can handle it alone?”

Lu Yang: “…You’re not trying to catch a few more glances at him because he’s handsome, are you?”

Xu Qiao poked his forehead with her finger. “I’m not that superficial.”

Lu Yang: “He might already be in his forties if he can be a university lecturer.”

With the enhanced physiques of ability users, their lifespans were extended, so someone who was thirty-seven or thirty-eight could look nearly indistinguishable from someone in their twenties. People only entered middle age after forty, but young women in their twenties, like Xu Qiao, typically preferred partners under thirty.

Xu Qiao poked him again. “You can joke around in front of me, but be polite when you meet Mr. Qin. Who knows, you might end up at the Second Military Academy too.”

Lu Yang: “Not possible.”

Southeast Base had a total of nine military academies. Apart from the First Military Academy in the central district, the Second Military Academy was the strongest. Many financially constrained A-grade ability users chose the Second Military Academy because its tuition was significantly lower than that of the First Military Academy. This made the admission standards for the Second Military Academy very high, with B-grade students from non-prominent backgrounds finding it difficult to get in.

Lu Yang’s uncle had saved up two years’ worth of tuition for him based on the third military academy, which also had a good reputation.

Xu Qiao didn’t want to put pressure on Lu Yang, so she didn’t make the joke about “Maybe you’ll awaken an A-grade spiritual body.”

Actually, it wasn’t entirely a joke; there was a probability for lower-level ability users or ordinary people to have children with higher-level abilities; it just depended on luck.

Fifteen minutes later, Qin Chi arrived.

Xu Qiao accompanied Lu Yang to greet him before returning to 101 alone.

She had no idea what the elder and younger man discussed, but they signed the rental contract.

There were two copies of the contract, each attached with a photocopy of their identities.

Xu Qiao was quite curious about one detail. After receiving the contract Lu Yang brought back, she flipped to the last page and saw Qin Chi’s identity information.

It turned out that the newly appointed lecturer at the Second Military Academy was only twenty-nine years old.

Lu Yang snatched the contract back, staring at her. “He’ll be thirty next year; that’s not young anymore.”

Xu Qiao: “….”