"I'm not just visiting for a few days. I've already rented an apartment. I'm obviously planning to be in Chengdu for the long haul, so we'll have plenty of time to spend together."
The fact that Qi Sheng had rented an apartment in advance made Tan Hua feel even more reassured.
"By the way, how much is the rent for that apartment you got?"
Tan Hua had heard of National Gold Mansion before. It was one of IFS's properties.
It was said that the residents there were all expatriate executives from Fortune 500 companies.
True upper-class elites, with 24-hour butler service.
"20,000 a month, utilities and property management fees included. The parking spot is another 2,000 a month."
"That expensive?"
Tan Hua hadn't expected Qi Sheng to be so extravagant.
Renting an apartment for over 20,000 a month.
"So, with that in mind, want to move in with me?"
Qi Sheng extended the invitation with a smile, clearly testing the waters.
"Forget it. I haven't been in my own rented apartment for long, and moving is too much of a hassle. Besides, I'd lose my security deposit."
Tan Hua hesitated for a moment but still didn't accept Qi Sheng's invitation to live together.
"Well, you could come over for a nap during your lunch breaks. It's so close, and it'd be convenient for you to head back if anything comes up."
Qi Sheng pressed on, not giving up.
'As long as Tan Hua gets used to staying at my apartment during lunch,' he thought, 'it's only a matter of time before she starts staying the night, too.'
"Hmm… I'll think about it."
Tan Hua didn't have the heart to refuse Qi Sheng again; after all, he meant well.
Besides, National Gold Mansion was extremely close to the mall.
It would indeed be very convenient to go over for a short rest at noon.
She wouldn't be so tired for work in the afternoon.
As the dishes were brought to the table, the bright red hot pot base began to boil, releasing an enticing aroma.
The two of them dropped the subject and began to eat and drink happily.
The thousand-layer tripe, brought out by the waiter on a dustpan-like tray, left Qi Sheng utterly stunned.
It was just so incredibly satisfying; the portion was shockingly large.
Stuffing himself with tripe to his heart's content was a first for Qi Sheng. He instantly felt that this trip was well worth it.
After eating and drinking their fill, the two of them didn't waste anything.
Most of it ended up in Qi Sheng's stomach, completing his personal "Clean Plate Challenge."
"Let's go. We'll head to my place first. You can go back tomorrow."
Tan Hua paid the bill, feeling a little nervous.
This was the first time she had ever brought a man back to her place.
In her heart, she already considered Qi Sheng her boyfriend.
Unlike other girls, she had no intention of stringing people along.
She either didn't date at all, or she was completely open and honest.
"Phew…"
Arriving at her front door, Tan Hua grew even more nervous.
Qi Sheng was carrying several shopping bags, planning to borrow Tan Hua's washing machine in a bit.
'I have to wash the clothes I just bought before wearing them,' he thought. 'Especially the underwear. Who knows what kind of germs are on them.'
"I don't have any men's slippers at home, so you'll have to make do, 'kay?"
Tan Hua bent over and took out a pair of soft, pink women's slippers from the shoe cabinet.
She burst out laughing when she saw they were way too small for Qi Sheng's size 44 feet.
Qi Sheng didn't mind at all, curiously sizing up the apartment Tan Hua was renting.
It was less than 30 square meters, but with a vanity, bed, wardrobe, and TV, it was fully equipped and rather nicely furnished.
"The rent must be 3,000 a month, right?"
"It is. With rent, utilities, and internet, it's about 3,200 a month."
Tan Hua quickly tidied up the magazines and snacks on the coffee table.
'Looking at the sofa, which is less than 1.5 meters long, it's obviously too small for Qi Sheng to sleep on,' she realized.
"Your base salary must be pretty high then, otherwise you couldn't afford an apartment like this."
"My base salary is seven thousand. With commission, it's usually over ten thousand a month. If my performance is good, it can even be over twenty thousand."
Qi Sheng sat on the sofa, resting his head on one armrest, watching Tan Hua's gracefully curved figure as she tidied up the bed.
'I really haven't been inside a single woman's bedroom very often,' he mused.
"I'll throw the clothes you bought into the washing machine first. After they're done, I'll hang them out to dry. I don't have a dryer, but luckily summer clothes dry fast, so you can wear them tomorrow."
As she spoke, Tan Hua took the clothes and shorts out of the shopping bags.
As for the brand-new underwear, she set it aside, planning to hand-wash it later.
'It's not like Qi Sheng has already worn them, so I don't really mind.'
"In that case, could I trouble you to wash what I'm wearing, too?"
With that, Qi Sheng pulled off his T-shirt.
"Stop! If you take off anything else, I'm kicking you out!"
Tan Hua hadn't expected Qi Sheng to be so bold. Blushing, she gave him an embarrassed and annoyed glare.
'If I hadn't stopped him in time, that jerk would have stripped completely naked!'
With his Physique raised to 69, Qi Sheng's body had improved quite a bit.
For someone who was 5'11", 187 pounds was no longer considered overweight.
His pectoral muscles were quite developed, and his abs were faintly visible.
It was a huge improvement over the potbelly he used to have.
"So, you shower first, and I'll go after?"
'I'd better stop,' Qi Sheng quickly thought. 'I definitely don't want to end up staying in a hotel. Having a girlfriend and not getting to hold her? That would be incredibly stupid.'
"Okay, I'll shower first. And you're not allowed to strip naked."
'I really shouldn't have brought Qi Sheng home,' Tan Hua suddenly realized.
Watching Tan Hua grab a bath towel and hurry into the bathroom, Qi Sheng started humming happily. He felt quite content, enjoying the cool blast of the air conditioner.
Girls take a long time to shower to begin with, and on top of that, Tan Hua was feeling quite conflicted.
Almost an hour later, Tan Hua shyly stepped out of the bathroom, her long, fair legs on display.
GULP.
Watching the beauty emerge from her bath, Qi Sheng instantly swallowed hard.
In the quiet room, the sound was all too clear.
At that moment, two rosy patches appeared on Tan Hua's ethereally beautiful face.
Her eyebrows were long and slender, her nose delicate and straight, and her snow-white collarbones were undeniably sexy.
Her full chest was tightly concealed by a white bath towel.
Below the hem, a pair of slender, fair legs were revealed.
Her ten toes, like translucent jade, looked incredibly alluring.
It was safe to say that Tan Hua's looks and figure perfectly matched Qi Sheng's standards for a partner.
Tell me, faced with a great beauty who had just stepped out of the shower, what man could possibly remain calm?
Qi Sheng, in any case, couldn't. With a single long stride, he pulled Tan Hua, who was like a startled rabbit, directly into his arms.
"Huahua, you're so beautiful."
With that said, Qi Sheng lowered his head and kissed her.
"Mmph…"
Tan Hua shot Qi Sheng a look, realizing she had led the wolf right into her house.
Her incomparably beautiful, delicate face was flushed with an alluring crimson, and her moist eyes looked as if they were about to overflow.
Her pair of fair arms wrapped gently around her boyfriend's neck.
Awkward yet passionate, she cooperated with him, savoring the sweetness of their new love.
The room was silent, save for the sound of the air conditioner blowing cold air.
And the occasional, barely audible, rapid gasp.
Qi Sheng took a deep breath and let go of the breathless Tan Hua, feeling as if his own body was about to explode.
"Haa… I'm going to take a shower."
After saying that, Qi Sheng quickly ran into the bathroom, afraid he'd truly lose control otherwise.
'What's the point if only one person is having fun?' he thought. 'Tan Hua is my first-ever girlfriend, and a top-tier beauty with both looks and a great body at that. I'm willing to give her the utmost respect.'
"Jerk. Serves you right."
Seeing Qi Sheng flee in disarray, Tan Hua actually laughed quite happily.
'If Qi Sheng had insisted on taking me to bed, my feelings for him would have plummeted. But he managed to hold back; he obviously remembered our agreement. He wouldn't touch me until I consented.'
This feeling of being respected made the corners of Tan Hua's lips curve up in a smile she couldn't hide.
Her affection for Qi Sheng deepened a little more.
A man who was willing to respect her, and was excellent in every other way—it would be hard for any girl not to be moved.
When Qi Sheng came out of the bathroom, he was only wearing a pair of boxer shorts.
His fit, strong body was on full display before Tan Hua's eyes.
"Exhibitionist! Get under the covers, quick."
Tan Hua rolled her eyes at Qi Sheng and tossed his discarded T-shirt and shorts into the washing machine along with the other clothes.
She skillfully poured in the laundry detergent and set the timer.
Then, she patiently hand-washed the underwear he had taken off.
'Since I've decided to date Qi Sheng, I won't shy away from a girlfriend's duties.'
However, while Qi Sheng was in the shower, Tan Hua had already changed into her pajamas.
'To prevent a certain someone's roaming hands, I'd better wear a bra underneath.'
Qi Sheng gave Tan Hua a playfully wounded look. 'Where's the trust between people?' he mused. 'Honestly, I just wanted to inspect the future nutritional supply for my son. I really didn't have any bad intentions.'