Shuyu clamped a hand over her mouth and, still crying, slowly poked her head out from beneath the blanket like a frightened kitten.
Her trembling hand picked up her phone.
When she saw the words “Voice Call in Progress,” the last bit of hope in her heart finally died.
Shuyu completely broke down.
Does Heaven really have to torment me like this?
Being transmigrated into a novel and forced to complete missions was bad enough.
Now the mission target had heard her crying while arguing with her roommate.
She felt like her soul had left her body.
Turning to Tie Dan, she said,
“Egg… I’d only give myself 8.6 out of 10 for what just happened.”
“Because… I’m a little 1.4.”
(It was a Chinese internet joke: 8.6 + 1.4 = 10, implying she was “a bit crazy.”)
Tie Dan urged,
[Yubao, hurry and salvage your image!]
[If we fail the mission, we might really end up crying behind bars.]
Taking a deep breath, Shuyu spoke into the phone in a muffled voice.
“…Big brother.”
A low chuckle came from the other end.
His deep, magnetic voice was incredibly pleasant to hear.
“So,” Si Yiheng said, “you finally realized you accidentally called me?”
“…Mm.”
Shuyu’s voice became even quieter.
Trying desperately to save face, she muttered,
“I’m not usually like this.”
“Oh?”
His tone was casual, his last syllable drawn out lazily.
“What part isn’t like this?”
“You don’t cry?”
“Or you don’t argue with people?”
Before her brain caught up, Shuyu blurted out,
“I don’t like talking to people.”
Si Yiheng seemed genuinely surprised.
“That must have been difficult for you.”
A notification popped up.
Si Yiheng transferred 1,000,000 yuan.
His voice came through the speaker again.
“Move out.”
“Don’t force yourself to stay somewhere that makes you unhappy.”
Shuyu nodded blankly.
“…Oh. Okay.”
“I have classes this afternoon,” Si Yiheng continued.
“I can’t accompany you…”
…to look for a place.
“I know.”
“I’ll be good.”
“Goodbye, big brother.”
“…Mm.”
After hanging up, Si Yiheng remained lost in thought for quite some time.
He had started dating Shuyu through a mutual friend’s introduction.
He didn’t believe in love.
His priorities were his studies and career.
The only thing he wanted from a girlfriend was…
Someone colorless and flavorless.
Someone plain enough not to stir his emotions.
He could give her money.
A house.
Anything she wanted.
As long as she behaved herself and didn’t cause trouble.
The previous Shuyu had occasionally made a fuss.
Even so…
She had remained a colorless, flavorless person.
But today’s Shuyu…
Had somehow become sweet.
Soft.
And tinged with a salty bitterness.
For the first time…
Si Yiheng found himself wondering whether this relationship should continue.
Meanwhile…
The moment Shuyu received the one million yuan transfer, she immediately decided to move out of the dormitory.
She packed only her essentials.
She changed into a simple black cropped top with high-waisted pants and put on a black baseball cap.
The cap covered most of her face.
Only a small portion of her delicate, fair features remained visible.
She’d intentionally dressed as plainly as possible.
Unfortunately…
Her naturally beautiful appearance still couldn’t be hidden.
Tie Dan observed,
[Yubao, put on a jacket too. Cover yourself up more.]
Shuyu casually threw on an outer jacket.
It didn’t help.
If anything, the cold expression on her beautiful little face made her look unexpectedly cool.
Tie Dan sighed.
[This feels a little out of character.]
Shuyu gestured confidently.
“Just tell me what I should look like.”
“I know how to do makeup.”
Tie Dan tried describing it.
[Someone pale and lacking vitality. A low-energy office-rat. The kind of background extra who disappears the moment they’re lost in a crowd.]
“I get it.”
Picking up some makeup, Shuyu drew dark circles under her eyes.
She put on a pair of thick black-rimmed glasses.
She hunched her back.
Combined with her naturally timid demeanor…
The transformation was perfect.
Looking around furtively, she sneaked out.
Her destination was the faculty office.
She needed permission to live off campus.
The original owner had been an art major.
Luckily, Shuyu had studied the same field.
On the way, she deliberately passed the exhibition hall and took a careful look at the paintings inside.
After explaining her situation to her academic advisor, she was approved to live off campus.
Meanwhile, Tie Dan hadn’t been idle either.
It had organized dozens of rental listings near the university.
Wanting Shuyu to live comfortably, it finally recommended a luxury apartment complex.
Monthly rent:
100,000 yuan.
Shuyu pursed her lips.
“Isn’t living somewhere this expensive… a little inappropriate?”
“And… don’t we eventually have to pay Si Yiheng back?”
Tie Dan answered confidently.
[What’s inappropriate about it? We’re not planning to never repay him.]
[Once we complete the mission, we’ll receive one billion yuan.]
[Repaying him one hundred million is nothing.]
[Do we really need to worry about such a tiny amount?]
Shuyu fell silent.
“…It feels like you’re encouraging me to spend money I haven’t earned yet.”
“Egg…”
“Have you considered the possibility that we might fail the mission?”
Tie Dan answered without hesitation.
[Impossible.]
Although Shuyu was a rookie…
Her performance was phenomenal.
It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours since entering the novel.
She had already obtained 1.1 million yuan from Si Yiheng.
She was practically the strongest newcomer in the Gold Digger Department.
Tie Dan declared confidently,
[I believe in you.]
[Spend without worry.]
[Even if we somehow fail, I’ll sell myself if I have to and pay back every cent.]
Shuyu smiled.
“Okay, Tie Dan.”
“But I’ll earn my own money too.”
“I can support myself.”
All she needed was a tablet and a stylus.
She was confident she could earn that 100,000-yuan monthly rent.
Back in her original world…
Although she was an extreme social recluse with no regular job…
She’d been a highly sought-after freelance illustrator.
Her income had been extremely high.
Clients booking commissions with her had waiting lists stretching over a year.
Her starting commission price was over 100,000 yuan.
She had intentionally examined the paintings from this era earlier.
Now she had a general understanding of the artistic standards here.
That only made her more confident.
In her original timeline, artists had already been competing fiercely.
Everyone had developed distinctive, irreplaceable personal styles.
She herself had cultivated a very recognizable style.
Her social media following had exceeded ten million.
If she hadn’t accepted a seven-figure commission designing an original character…
Working herself to death until she literally dropped…
She’d probably still be living in her original world.
What a pity.
She hadn’t even delivered the finished OC to the client.
Following Tie Dan’s directions, Shuyu soon arrived at the real estate agency.
Before entering, Tie Dan encouraged her.
[Yubao, don’t be scared.]
[Pretend you’re playing a game.]
[Our quest right now is to successfully rent a house.]
[Think of the real estate agent as an NPC.]
Shuyu took a deep breath.
Her palms were already sweaty.
“…O-Okay.”
She walked up to the entrance…
Then immediately turned around and walked back into the hallway.
“I’m not avoiding it.”
“I’m… approaching it slowly.”
“According to a plan.”
Tie Dan: […]
Then it whispered like a devil in her ear.
[Yubao… if you don’t go inside… you’ll have to return to that four-person dorm.]
[And then you’ll have to explain to your advisor why you suddenly want to move back in.]
Shuyu’s expression cracked.
“…I’m renting the apartment right now.”
Steeling herself, she finally pushed open the door.
Following Tie Dan’s directions, she found the agent they’d contacted earlier.
“Hello, Miss…”
“I’m the person who contacted you this morning about renting.”
“I’m here to sign the contract.”
The agent blinked.
The girl standing before her kept her head lowered so much she looked ready to tear her own shirt hem apart.
She was tall.
Wearing a baseball cap.
Her skin was remarkably fair.
The agent quickly matched her to the customer she’d spoken with earlier.
“Of course, Miss Shu.”
“I’ll take you to see the apartment.”
“No need.”
“I’ll rent it directly.”
Tie Dan’s recommendations couldn’t possibly be wrong.
The agent was surprised.
After working in real estate for years…
She rarely met someone this decisive.
“Certainly, Miss Shu.”
“What would you like to drink?”
She guided Shuyu to a chair.
Keeping her head down, Shuyu whispered,
“Nothing, thank you.”
The agent paused again.
A gentle smile appeared on her face.
“Alright.”
“Please wait here while I prepare the paperwork.”
“…Okay.”
The contract was signed quickly.
Shuyu added the landlord’s contact information.
Transferred the agency fee.
Paid the rent.
And moved into her new home that very same day.
The apartment looked like a model home.
Everything was neat and modern.
A large refrigerator.
Dishwasher.
Washing machine.
Three bedrooms.
One study.
Shuyu couldn’t have been happier.
After unpacking, she ordered daily necessities, snacks…
And, of course…
A drawing tablet.
Meanwhile, in the laboratory…
Wearing a white lab coat that accentuated his broad shoulders, Si Yiheng looked as cool and refined as ever.
He removed samples from the centrifuge.
With long, steady fingers, he carefully placed the test tubes into a rack.
Just then, his phone rang.
He answered on speaker.
“Heng-ge, you don’t need to help me find a tenant anymore.”
“I’ve already rented out my apartment.”
The caller was his childhood friend, Xiao Jun.
Xiao Jun was currently studying abroad.
After getting into some trouble recently, his family had cut off his allowance.
To make some extra money, he’d decided to rent out his apartment back home.
“…Mm.”
Si Yiheng responded indifferently.
“So you’re still living downstairs from my place?”
“…Mm.”
Xiao Jun finally lost his patience.
“Heng-ge, besides ‘mm,’ do you know any other words?”
Si Yiheng said nothing.
Xiao Jun: “…”
So now you’re too lazy to speak at all?
After a moment, Xiao Jun asked,
“I heard you’ve got a girlfriend now.”
“Is she pretty?”
Only then did Si Yiheng lazily raise his eyes.
In his usual calm tone, he replied,
“I don’t know.”
“We haven’t met in person yet.”