The landlord has multiple personalities and wants everyone to pay him.

Take care of yourself.

What does it mean to "take care of yourself"?

Ye Shu sat in the chair in a daze. The burning sensation in his right palm had not completely subsided, but he had no interest in it at the moment.

What did An Jianxing mean by his final words, "Take care of yourself," falling to the ground? Was it a warning? An expectation? Or an ultimatum?

Does this mean I have to say goodbye to this luxury apartment with a monthly rent of 800 yuan? Am I going to say goodbye to...?

Thinking of this, Ye Shu raised his head and looked towards the door. Zhi Qiu happened to walk up to him, her face showing a hint of helplessness, and she sighed softly.

"Xiao Shu, you were too impulsive." Her voice was still gentle, but this time there was a hint of reproach in it.

Ye Shu raised her head and met Zhi Qiu's gaze.

There was no anger in his eyes, only a helpless "Why are you so reckless, child?" look, but this only made him feel more guilty, his conscience pricked, and he could only nod.

"I'm sorry, Sister Zhi Qiu. Just now... I accidentally..."

"Forget it, since Dad said this matter is over, let's not bring it up again."

Zhi Qiu gently interrupted his self-blame, took a step closer, extended her right hand, and gently grasped Ye Shu's hand that had just committed the crime.

Her cool, slender fingers gently massaged his palm, which was stiff from using too much force, as if to soothe him or to check him.

"but……"

Zhi Qiu's voice trailed off slightly, and her kneading motion paused for a moment.

Hearing Zhi Qiu speak, Ye Shu also looked up.

Zhi Qiu lowered her eyes slightly, her eyelashes casting a small shadow beneath them. Then, little by little, she raised her eyes.

......!

Ye Shu's heart skipped a beat.

Whether it was a misperception or not, when Zhi Qiu's eyes, which always held a hint of a smile and a gentle warmth, were fully open and no longer habitually squinted, Ye Shu seemed to see a faint purple light emanating from the depths of her pupils.

It felt like a gemstone accidentally revealed by moonlight at the bottom of a deep pool, carrying a quiet eeriness.

Why were you so impulsive just now?

Her question was direct, and the strength in her grip on Ye Shu's hand unconsciously increased slightly, no longer a simple reassurance, but more like a gentle confinement.

Ye Shu felt a little uneasy under her gaze, and his right hand, which was being held, instinctively tried to pull back. But Zhi Qiu's fingers held him firmly, preventing him from succeeding.

"Because..."

Ye Shu avoided her gaze, her throat tightening, her mind racing, trying to figure out what could be the reason:

"Because! Because I met my uncle at noon! He... he pretended to be a scoundrel and tried to scam me out of a thousand yuan! So I mistook my uncle for a bad guy!"

I'm sorry, Uncle An. Although you don't want this to be discovered, things have come to this point, so I have no choice but to sell you out.

"Um?"

Upon hearing this, Zhi Qiu's eyebrows furrowed slightly, clearly indicating that she hadn't expected this reason either.

"Honestly... how old are you, still playing such childish tricks..."

Seeing this, Ye Shu felt a little relieved. It seemed that Sister Zhi Qiu believed this reason.

However, before she could fully relax, Zhi Qiu, holding his hand, not only didn't let go, but instead used this position to lean her upper body slightly forward, bringing the two of them even closer.

She lowered her head, bringing her face closer, and her gaze once again captured Ye Shu's eyes, which she was trying to avoid.

This is bad! This distance is dangerous!

The faint fragrance emanating from Zhi Qiu slowly enveloped Ye Shu, and Ye Shu could even see his own flustered face reflected in her eyes.

He instinctively wanted to jump up from the chair and create some distance.

But as soon as his bottom left the chair, Zhi Qiu's hand was already firmly on his shoulder, completely trapping Ye Shu between herself and the chair.

"However..."

Zhi Qiu's voice became even softer, almost like a whisper, yet it possessed a strange penetrating power, reaching straight to Ye Shu's eardrums.

She watched as Ye Shu froze instantly and his pupils widened suddenly. A very subtle curve appeared at the corner of her mouth, and her eyes, which seemed to reflect the deepest corners of people's hearts, stared at him without blinking.

"Little Shu lied too, didn't he...? What you just said wasn't the main reason... right?"

This is not a question, it's a statement. Zhi Qiu saw through Ye Shu's pretense at a glance and is now patiently waiting for him to expose the flimsy reason himself.

Ye Shu sat in the chair, as if she were nailed to that gentle gaze, with nowhere to escape or avoid it, and a trace of fear began to appear in her heart.

We're out of options, truly out of options.

He had no choice but to confess, his voice barely audible, like a mosquito's hum:

"Because...because as soon as I came in...I saw Uncle...holding your hand...and...I don't know why...I got really angry."

Clearly, this answer pleased Zhi Qiu more than the previous one, "to be considered a scoundrel." She gave a soft "hmm," her voice tinged with understanding, amusement, and a hint of...encouragement.

She leaned forward slightly, maintaining a distance that blurred the line between safety and intrusion, her voice even lower, like a strange older sister trying to lure a child:

"Oh? Then... why do you get so angry when you see your hand holding mine? Hmm?"

She guided the discussion, pushing it into a more central and private area.

Ye Shu was taken aback by her question, and continued thinking along those lines...

Why?

Because those were Sister Zhi Qiu's hands.

Because Sister Zhi Qiu is always so gentle and kind.

Because...she doesn't want to see anyone touch her?

because……

Ye Shu dared not think any further. He felt his face burning uncontrollably, as if his whole body was about to catch fire.

He hurriedly looked away, no longer wanting to look into Zhi Qiu's eyes. He felt as if his tongue had just grown out and was no longer under his control, causing him to stammer:

"Because... Sister Zhi Qiu, you're a girl! And... and you usually take such good care of me, you're so nice to me... As your roommate, when I see... when I see someone touching you inappropriately, of course... of course I have to speak up and take action when necessary!"

He spoke louder and louder, as if that would make him seem particularly innocent. But his face, now as red as a monkey's bottom, and his evasive eyes made his frankness seem somewhat unconvincing.

He really couldn't take it anymore. It felt like standing on the edge of a cliff, with someone gently pushing his back from behind. He wouldn't fall, but he couldn't go back either.

"Sister Zhi Qiu..."

Ye Shu finally gave in. He looked up at Zhi Qiu with a pitiful expression, as if begging for mercy.

"Don't, don't scare me... You look... a little scary..."

Upon hearing his trembling pleas for mercy, the faint purple light that had been flickering in Zhi Qiu's eyes seemed to be blown away by a gentle breeze and disappeared into the depths of her pupils.

"laugh……"

She chuckled softly, released her grip on Ye Shu's shoulder, patted him reassuringly, and then straightened up, creating the suffocating distance between them.

Then, like a considerate and slightly teasing older sister, she ruffled Ye Shu's hair.

"Okay, okay, I'm just teasing you."

Her voice was full of laughter, and her eyes once again curved into gentle crescents.

"You looked so brave when you rushed in and stood in front of me... I never imagined my little Shu was actually so timid! You got scared just from teasing me?"

Ye Shu stood up from the chair, stretched her stiff shoulders, and breathed a sigh of relief:

"That's ridiculous... And Sister Zhi Qiu, you were really scary just now. I felt like you could bite my neck at any moment..."

"Is there?"

Zhi Qiu blinked, looking completely innocent:

"You must have misread it. I'm not a lion. Okay, go wash your face. You don't need to cook tonight. I'll order some food to comfort your wounded heart."

She turned around and walked slowly towards the kitchen, leaving Ye Shu with only her back to her.

Ye Shu's mind was still replaying what had just happened; it was truly too thrilling... As for the "because" that she dared not think about further... she still seemed too afraid to think about it...