Fang Xihe dawdled, trailing behind Shang Chenzhou as they walked out of the alley.
She couldn’t think of a reason to refuse moving in with him.
They were already married would it seem strange to act fussy now?
She didn’t want Shang Chenzhou to think she had other intentions.
She realized he was quite sensitive.
Not that it was surprising after all, the original character had been awful, two-faced, playing him.
Oh well, she would be moving in anyway.
But everything was happening so fast!
She had just transmigrated yesterday, got married today, and would soon be sleeping in the same bed as a man.
If her mother in her other world knew, she would go crazy.
Of course, her mother in this world would probably freak out too.
So, for now, the marriage had to be kept a secret.
They hailed a taxi back to the shared apartment.
Shang Chenzhou stood at the door, not entering.
“Call me when you’ve packed,” he said.
Fang Xihe liked his sense of boundaries.
She had experienced roommates who brought boyfriends home without notice, sometimes leaving them overnight.
She disliked that behavior.
The clothes on the balcony weren’t fully dry, so she packed them separately. She also packed the unwashed bedding separately.
The original character had a lot of belongings two large suitcases and one big bag.
She pulled the suitcases to the door for Shang Chenzhou.
She turned to lift the big bag only to have Shang Chenzhou take it.
Fang Xihe was momentarily stunned.
She was used to handling everything herself, so this sudden care felt unfamiliar.
She glanced back at the shared apartment, closed the door, and stepped into the elevator.
Once inside, Shang Chenzhou pressed the button for the first floor.
After exiting, Fang Xihe reached for the big bag.
Shang Chenzhou stopped her.
“I’ll carry it.”
He strapped the big bag onto the handle and dragged a suitcase with one hand ahead of her.
Fang Xihe watched for a moment, a faint smile curving her lips.
Even if just for a short while, enjoying Shang Chenzhou’s service wasn’t bad.
Fang Xihe’s two suitcases were large; the taxi trunk wouldn’t close over them.
During the ride, they banged against each other, making her head throb. She frowned tightly.
“You okay?”
Shang Chenzhou placed a hand on her head.
Fang Xihe tilted her head to look at him.
His dark eyes were gentle.
Unaccountably, her irritation eased.
“I’m fine.”
Fang Xihe checked the time she had to get to the office.
“When we reach the apartment building, help me take my things upstairs. I’ll head straight to work.”
Shang Chenzhou nodded. “Okay.”
He bent over to fidget with his phone.
Fang Xihe’s phone chimed.
She opened it and saw a string of numbers sent by Shang Chenzhou.
She tilted her head to look at him.
He was looking back at her.
“Apartment code.”
He then sent her the specific building number and door number—probably worried she might get lost.
This apartment was newly rented by Shang Chenzhou; she had come here for the first time yesterday.
“How much is the monthly rent for this apartment?”
“7,000.”
Fang Xihe was surprised. “Where did you get the money?”
7,000 a month, with a deposit and three months upfront that’s 28,000, plus the engagement ring, almost 40,000.
For Shang Chenzhou later on, it was pocket change, but for the current Shang Chenzhou, it was a fortune.
He seemed hesitant, and after a while admitted, “I borrowed it from Fu Tang.”
Fang Xihe knew Fu Tang Shang Chenzhou’s college roommate, a local of Jiangcheng with a good family background, and one of Shang Chenzhou’s business partners.
She couldn’t understand why Shang Chenzhou was in such a hurry to get married.
Just graduated, no money, no apartment.
Borrowing money to get married.
If it were anyone else, she’d think it was a marriage scam.
Shang Chenzhou held her hand, his gaze firm. “Xihe, these difficulties are temporary. I’ll make sure you live a good life.”
Fang Xihe knew that.
“Mm, I trust you.”
Shang Chenzhou felt both guilty and moved, and wanted to lean in to hug her.
Fang Xihe quickly said, “We’re here.”
Shang Chenzhou paused, glancing around.
They had arrived at the apartment building.
He had no choice but to give up.
The car stopped.
Shang Chenzhou got out, went around to lift the suitcases and bag from the car.
Standing by the curb, he gazed at Fang Xihe.
She waved at him with a smile.
“Driver, to Wange Company.”
Once the car pulled away, Fang Xihe exhaled.
What was she going to do?
She still couldn’t get used to being physically close to Shang Chenzhou.
Thinking about sharing a bed with him at night, her nerves tensed.
The company in the original character’s world was in an industrial park, a bit far.
She usually took the subway, then rode a shared bike for about a kilometer to reach it.
She looked at the taxi meter.
Gasped.
200 yuan already!
And they weren’t even there yet.
God, she hadn’t noticed at all.
If she’d known, she could have asked the driver to drop her at the subway station and taken the subway.
A whole day wasted.
The original character had just graduated, with a monthly salary of 5,000 yuan. After social security and housing contributions, there was barely enough for food and rent.
Fang Xihe felt like crying.
Her phone chimed.
It was Shang Chenzhou transferring her 1,000 yuan.
She was about to accept, but then remembered Shang Chenzhou was heavily in debt he might have given her all the money he had.
She didn’t accept it.
When getting out of the taxi, she bargained with the driver through tears.
“Sir, can you lower it a bit? I just graduated and I’m really poor.”
The driver glanced at her, impatient. “Fine, fine. Let’s round it off 252, make it 250.”
Fang Xihe: “……”
Might as well not bother rounding.
“Sir”
The driver got stern.
“No less. Pay quickly. I can’t let this affect my next fare.”
Fang Xihe bit her lip, tears in her eyes, and paid.
250 yuan was fine, saving two yuan was better than nothing.
She swiped her card to enter the company, took the elevator up.
The company had several hundred employees.
The sales department was on the third floor.
Fang Xihe found her workstation.
Just as she sat down, a woman with black-framed glasses approached, tapping on her desk.
“Come to my office.”
Through the original character’s memories, Fang Xihe knew this was the sales manager, Zhao Jing.
Zhao Jing didn’t wait for a response and walked toward her office.
Fang Xihe took a deep breath, walked over, and knocked on the door. She was allowed in.
The moment the door closed, Zhao Jing began scolding:
“Fang Xihe, this isn’t your family business. You can’t just take leave whenever you want.”
“Don’t think that a bit of beauty lets you do whatever you want. If you work under me, you’d better show professional responsibility, or get out now.”
Fang Xihe hadn’t expected to still face such humiliation after transmigrating.
But now she was a new employee no matter how the manager scolded her, she had to endure it.
She couldn’t just flip the table and quit.
Shang Chenzhou was in debt from the wedding, and she had barely any money.
Better to bear it for now.