Chapter 31: The Foolish Daughter of the Landlord

Lin Zhizhi tossed her suitcase into the trunk, clapped her hands, and hopped into the car with light steps, embarking on the long journey of bonding with the formidable woman.

Zhou Tiantian was currently living in an old residential building, which seemed to be a rental.

It was the peak of summer, with the sun blazing during the day and the heat so intense it felt like it could roast a person. The building was home to long-time neighbors who had lived there for years, and they got along harmoniously.

After dinner in the evening, small groups of people gathered outside, chatting while enjoying the cool breeze. Some held palm-leaf fans, waving them lazily.

Children played nearby, chasing each other and laughing.

The sounds of adults talking and children playing mixed together, creating a peaceful and comforting atmosphere that made time feel still and serene.

When Lin Zhizhi followed the navigation to the entrance of the residential building, this was the scene that greeted her—ordinary yet precious, beautiful in its simplicity, and worth remembering.

She slowed down the car to avoid accidentally hitting anyone.

Since it was nighttime and she wanted to enjoy the evening breeze, she had opened the car’s roof from the start.

While driving on the main road, people had glanced at her, but those were fleeting moments that didn’t leave much of an impression. Now, however, she felt as if all the neighbors sitting outside were staring at her.

Lin Zhizhi pulled the car over slightly to the side, took out her phone, and called Zhou Tiantian. Her tone was cheerful.

“Hello, it’s me, Lin Zhizhi. Remember me?”

“Of course. What’s up?”

On the other end of the call, Zhou Tiantian had just picked up her cup, intending to take a sip of water. Her hand paused in midair.

For some reason, she suddenly had the eerie feeling of being targeted. A vague sense of unease crept up on her.

And sure enough, the next second confirmed her instincts.

Lin Zhizhi let out a mischievous chuckle and said: “I did you a big favor this afternoon, didn’t I? You said that if there was anything you could help me with, I could come to you anytime. Right? Right?”

Zhou Tiantian set the cup down on the table, swallowed hard, and responded: “Yeah… Do you need my help with something? Just say it.”

Please, just hurry up and say it. As long as it’s not about borrowing money, anything else is fine.

“Actually, it’s nothing too major… not a big deal at all… Just let me stay at your place. I’m downstairs at your building right now.”

Hearing the first half of the sentence, Zhou Tiantian let out a sigh of relief and picked up her cup again, taking a sip of water.

If it wasn’t a big favor or a major issue, then it definitely wasn’t about borrowing money.

Zhou Tiantian had just been about to swallow her water when she heard Lin Zhizhi say she was downstairs.  

In an instant, a mouthful of salty soda sprayed all over the table.  

She quickly grabbed a few tissues, wiped her mouth, and strode to the window in just a few steps. Sure enough, she spotted a flashy sports car parked in the residential complex, looking completely out of place among the older buildings. And standing next to it was that dazzlingly beautiful woman.  

As Zhou Tiantian stared at Lin Zhizhi sitting in the car, an overwhelming realization hit her—she had unknowingly invited trouble upon herself.  

No, not just trouble. She had attracted a spoiled landlord’s foolish daughter!  

-o-o-o-

Meanwhile, Lin Zhizhi remained seated in her car, waiting for Zhou Tiantian to come down and get her. She picked up her phone and swiped her fingers across the screen repeatedly, pretending to be busy, acting as if she hadn’t noticed the curious stares directed her way.  

Under the big tree nearby, a group of middle-aged men sat together, chatting. One of them, an uncle with a keen interest in cars, admired Lin Zhizhi’s vehicle and couldn’t help but sigh: “This young lady must be loaded. That’s a really nice car.”  

After saying that, he deliberately left his words hanging, only glancing at the car while expressing his amazement. He crossed one leg over the other, rested an arm on his knee, and leisurely fanned himself.  

The people around him, seeing his teasing manner, grew impatient.  

“Hey, Old Sun, just say it already! You’re killing us with suspense!”  

“Yeah, quit leaving us hanging! Spill it!”  

Seeing everyone urging him, Old Sun finally stopped playing coy. He simply held up three fingers.  

Someone immediately guessed: “Three hundred thousand?”

“Oh, come on, how is that possible? That guy from a few buildings over took out a loan just a few months ago to buy a car, and even that cost 300,000. This girl’s car looks way fancier—how could it only be 300,000?”  

“Three million?”  

“Three million? That’s like driving a whole house on the road!”  

“Yeah, with that kind of money, why not just buy a house instead?”  

…  

Seeing that the conversation was going off track, Old Sun finally stopped acting mysterious. He cleared his throat and said: “Did I say it was exactly three million? You’re all just guessing wildly. What I meant is that three million is just the starting point. That girl’s car is worth at least that much—I’d say it’s more like four or five million.”  

“4 or 5 million?”  

“That’s some serious money.”  

“Yeah, you could buy several houses back in our hometown with that.”  

“But why would a girl like that come to our neighborhood?”  

“Yeah, what’s she doing here?”  

“She’s really beautiful, though.”  

…  

In the end, the topic had completely derailed.