Chapter 31: Is This... A Hint?

In the 404 dormitory on a weekend, everyone except Chen Xiaobei, who was still buried deep in sleep, had risen early. After all, it was the first day off since the start of university, and most students were still buzzing with excitement.

The rustling noises in the room finally roused Chen Xiaobei from his slumber. He groggily poked his head out from under the covers, his hair a chaotic mess, and asked, "Man, you're heading out so early? Where to?"

"A few girls from class want to go shopping downtown and insisted on dragging me along as their guide," Yang Shuang replied while tying his shoelaces.

Chen Xiaobei yawned and turned to look at Zhang Bailan, who was adjusting his collar. "What about you, Bailan?"

"A girl asked me to meet her," Zhang Bailan said, preening his hair in the mirror, the corners of his mouth lifting involuntarily.

"Don't tell me it's that 'Girl's Heart' person?"

"That's the one."

"Watch out, you might get scammed."

Chen Xiaobei rolled his eyes and shifted his focus to Wang Can, who was busy spraying hairspray. "Old Wang, don't tell me you have a date, too?"

"You actually hit the nail on the head," Wang Can said, inspecting himself in the mirror from both sides. "A beauty invited me to her place."

"Bullshit! Stop bragging."

Chen Xiaobei slammed his hand against the bed frame, then collapsed back onto his mattress like a deflated balloon, howling, "Is there any justice left in this world? How is it that the only rich, handsome guy in the dorm has no one asking him out on a weekend?"

"That's not necessarily true," Wang Can said, meticulously styling his hair.

"Huh?" Chen Xiaobei did a kip-up to sit upright. "Someone wants to ask me out?"

"What I mean is," Wang Can turned around, wearing a meaningful smile, "you might not be the only rich kid in this dorm."

"Get lost, get lost, get lost!"

Chen Xiaobei grabbed his pillow and hurled it at him, drawing a burst of laughter from the other three.

After finishing his hair, Wang Can headed out, the location pinned by Xia Kewe displayed on his phone screen. The subway station on a weekend morning was much quieter than on weekdays. The sparse passengers in the carriage were either looking down at their phones or leaning back with their eyes closed. Wang Can found a seat and remained silent for the duration of the ride.

About forty minutes later, he arrived at his destination. Following the signage, he quickly found the house number for Xia Kewe’s place. As he pressed the doorbell, he felt a small spark of anticipation. After all, as the saying goes: "Have the secretary do the work, and if there's nothing to do, then... hehehe."

The door creaked slightly as it opened, and Xia Kewe’s fresh, makeup-free face appeared in the gap. Today, she had foregone her usual routine, wearing only a thin layer of sunscreen, with a few stray strands of hair framing her ears. Her fitted white T-shirt accentuated her curves, and her long, slender legs below her denim shorts were striking in the morning light. She exuded a lazy, homey vibe that was somehow incredibly alluring. Wang Can thought that if she were wearing an oversized white shirt, the subtle transparency might be even more lethal.

"Come in." Xia Kewe’s eyes swept over Wang Can’s crisp clothes, and a faint, almost imperceptible smile played on her lips.

"Where are the slippers?" Wang Can asked, looking at the empty entryway with confusion.

"Why would I need slippers when I live alone?" She shrugged. "Just step right in."

"Just walk in?" A bad feeling stirred in Wang Can’s gut.

Sure enough, once he entered the living room, he was met with a floor covered in cardboard boxes and luggage bags—it was clearly a full-scale moving operation.

"I suddenly remembered I have an urgent matter at school!" Wang Can turned to bolt.

"Bang!"

Xia Kewe beat him to it, slamming the door shut. She leaned back against the door panel with her arms crossed, a cunning smile on her face. "Now that you're here, you think you can just run away?"

Wang Can paused. Wait, shouldn't that be a man's line?

"Don't mess around, I really need to go back."

"Ha, you think I'd believe that?" Xia Kewe arched an eyebrow.

"If you don't move, I’m going to force my way through. Don't blame me if I accidentally bump into something."

"Go ahead and try."

Xia Kewe calmly pulled a pair of gleaming scissors from the shoe cabinet and twirled them nimbly between her fingers.

"..."

Wang Can swallowed hard, suddenly gaining a profound understanding of that old saying: A boy out on his own must learn to protect himself.

The new apartment Xia Kewe had rented was only five minutes away from Shencheng University. The complex wasn't brand new—it had likely been built seven or eight years ago—but it featured a large balcony visible from the outside. Inside, it was a three-bedroom layout; one room had been converted into a study, and another into a walk-in closet. The brand-new furniture emitted a faint scent of paint, clearly having been added only recently.

"What made you suddenly decide to move here? You aren't actually trying to cohabitate with me, are you?" Wang Can asked casually.

Xia Kewe pouted. "Where I lived before, it took an hour to drive here without traffic. If I hit the morning rush, it could take two."

Spending four hours a day on the road was something Xia Kewe, who prioritized work efficiency above all else, could not tolerate. A professional moving company had brought the items up, but the main reason Xia Kewe had called Wang Can over was to help her organize. She owned many expensive pieces of jewelry and luxury goods—from pure gold ornaments to limited-edition items from various brands—and if she had hired a random hourly worker, she couldn't be sure they wouldn't be tempted by the wealth. Yet, the sheer volume was so large that if a piece or two went missing, she wouldn't notice for a long time.

As the boxes were opened one by one, Wang Can couldn't help but be impressed by this woman. She owned over a dozen white shirts that looked nearly identical, and a whole box was stuffed with pencil skirts and bodycon skirts. That wasn't even the most extravagant part. When Wang Can opened the box containing her shoes, the number of high heels was terrifying. A quick glance told him there were at least twenty pairs.

It wasn't until 7:00 PM that they had finished organizing most of the things. Wang Can wiped the sweat from his forehead and approached the final three unopened boxes in the corner. He picked up a utility knife and was about to start when Xia Kewe, who was wiping down the coffee table, suddenly shrieked, "Don't!"

Before the words had even left her lips, she rushed over in her slippers. But the living room floor was tiled, and her foot slipped, sending her hurtling directly toward Wang Can.

Wang Can instinctively opened his arms, and the utility knife clattered to the floor. With a dull thud, the two of them crashed to the ground, the impact making the floorboards tremble. A dull pain shot through Wang Can’s back, though luckily, he had managed to protect his head in the fall. Just as he was about to complain, he felt something soft against his chest, and a faint, alluring fragrance filled his nostrils.

He opened his eyes to find Xia Kewe sprawled in his arms. Sensing the physical change, Wang Can coughed awkwardly. "I think things are getting a bit intimate between us."

Xia Kewe snapped out of it, scrambling up from him in a panic, her fair cheeks flushing a deep, vibrant red.

"You pervert!!"

"Xia Kewe, are you being reasonable? You were the one who threw yourself at me!"

Wang Can rubbed his aching back, his gaze drifting to the mysterious boxes as he changed the subject. "What exactly is in those?"

"Don't you dare look!"

Like a mother cat protecting her kittens, Xia Kewe quickly blocked the boxes. Realizing he wouldn't get an answer, Wang Can shrugged and sprawled out on the sofa. "Well, I've worked for you all day. How about a meal as compensation?" Having been busy all day, he’d forgotten to eat lunch, and his stomach was now staging a protest.

"Sure, I'll treat you, I'll treat you." Xia Kewe patted her burning cheeks. After kicking the boxes into the bedroom, she felt sticky and uncomfortable. "I'm going to take a shower first."

She handed her tablet to Wang Can. "You order the takeout. The payment password is 901210."

"I want to take a shower too, how about we do it together?" Wang Can wanted to say it, but he was truly too hungry to mess around. He simply asked, "Do you have any food allergies? Or anything you’re craving?"

"Anything is fine. You pick."

As she walked into the master bedroom, Xia Kewe paused and added, "Oh, and... help me order some wine."

"Oh?"

Wang Can’s eyes lit up. Was this... a hint?