A Little Sweet O Travels to a Normal World - Chapter 5

Tang Zhuo was delighted to recognize Jun Yanxing.

At that moment, he finally noticed their overly close posture, and two blotches of crimson immediately bloomed on his face. He scrambled backward to stand properly.

Although he felt a bit shy, he wasn’t particularly embarrassed. After all, in this world, he and this “Mr. Good Person” were of the same gender; being a little close didn’t matter. If the other person had been an Alpha, that scene would have been impossible—living alone, if he smelled a strange Alpha’s pheromones at his doorstep, his first reaction would have been to call the police, not get closer.

“Thank you for helping me again,” Tang Zhuo said with a beaming smile.

Jun Yanxing recognized Tang Zhuo as well, but he hadn’t expected such a coincidence—that this man would be the landlord they were looking for. He gave a soft grunt of acknowledgment and gestured, “Let’s go inside and talk.”

Only then did Tang Zhuo remember Xia Chunzheng was standing right there. Realizing what was happening, his eyes lit up once more.

“So you’re the tenant coming to see the house!”

He greeted Xia Chunzheng while fumbling for his keys to open the door. “Come in, come in! I’ve been waiting for you for so long.”

Xia Chunzheng was a bit dazed, stealing several glances at Tang Zhuo. Though they had only met once before, his memory was excellent, and he could easily sense the change in Tang Zhuo. It was the same face, but the aura and spirit were completely different. The listlessness and dejection from their first meeting were gone, replaced by a vibrant energy.

He was like a little sun overflowing with positive energy. That gentle, friendly smile was not only cute but also incredibly infectious, making others want to share in the joy.

Upon entering, Xia Chunzheng’s eyes lit up. The living room was so tidy and clean it seemed virtually dust-free; the filth and chaos were entirely gone, and the air was fresh. Beyond the cleanliness, the arrangement of the furniture seemed to have changed slightly—he couldn’t put his finger on what exactly was different, but the place felt warm and soft, like a true home.

Was the place renovated? Or did he hire a cleaning service? Xia Chunzheng couldn’t help but wonder.

Tang Zhuo set the bedding down on the sofa and headed toward the kitchen. “What would you like to drink? Tea or coffee?”

“Don’t trouble yourself,” Xia Chunzheng said quickly. “Let’s look at the house first; it’s getting late.”

“Alright then,” Tang Zhuo nodded.

“I remember the rooms are this way.” Xia Chunzheng led Jun Yanxing toward the master bedroom, but he heard Tang Zhuo speak up hesitantly: “I’m sorry, the master bedroom is no longer for rent.”

“Was it reserved by another tenant?” Xia Chunzheng asked.

“No, I just simply don’t want to rent out the master bedroom anymore.” Tang Zhuo scratched his head, walked over to pick up the bundle of bedding, and led them to the study. “Only this room is for rent.”

“Mr. Tang, this is a bit different from what we agreed on…” Xia Chunzheng frowned.

Tang Zhuo looked away guiltily. “But the study is quite large. Look, even with a bed laid out, it’s very spacious. It’s perfectly adequate.”

The bed had been built-in during the study’s renovation; it could be pulled out or stowed away. At 135x200cm, it wasn’t huge, but it was certainly enough for one person. Tang Zhuo briskly spread out the sheets, making the room look much cozier.

“And if you live here, you don’t even need to buy bedding. Look how soft this silk quilt is, and the sheets are washed clean—they’ve been drying in the sun all afternoon.”

Tang Zhuo approached Jun Yanxing, holding out the soft, fluffy quilt for him to see. “See? Can you still smell the scent of the sunshine?”

He looked at Jun Yanxing with crescent-moon eyes, trying his hardest to show off the perks of renting here.

To the side, Xia Chunzheng shook his head inwardly, feeling Tang Zhuo was missing the point. Even though Mr. Jun was young, judging by his designer clothes, he didn’t look like someone lacking money. Most tenants would bring their own bedding or buy new sets.

Sure enough, Jun Yanxing just looked at Tang Zhuo coldly, appearing unmoved.

Tang Zhuo lowered his head and placed the quilt back on the bed dejectedly. Just as he was thinking about whether to let them see his own bedroom instead, he heard Jun Yanxing’s deep, chilly voice: “Does the rent include everything in the study?”

Tang Zhuo blinked and looked up quickly. Confirming that Jun Yanxing actually seemed interested, he said hurriedly, “Yes, yes! Everything in the study is at your disposal…” He then added, “But you can’t damage them; you have to take good care of them.”

Jun Yanxing nodded. “Let’s see the rest of the place.”

The study wasn’t that large, and since everything was visible at a glance, there wasn’t much more to see. Afterward, they checked the bathroom, the living room, the balcony, and finally the dining area and kitchen.

Tang Zhuo was nervous, but Xia Chunzheng knew there was a high chance of a deal—Mr. Jun hadn’t looked at the previous houses this closely. He also felt Tang Zhuo’s apartment was a good value; on top of the previous pros, the appliances were all there and it was so clean that one could truly move in with just a suitcase. Perhaps the only downside was that it wasn’t a full-unit rental. However, if the master bedroom wasn’t being rented out, there likely wouldn’t be any other roommates.

Finally, Jun Yanxing nodded and decided to rent the room.

Upon hearing the news, Tang Zhuo was overjoyed, his pale face flushing with excitement. He hadn’t expected things to go so smoothly. Although the tenant wasn’t the girl he had hoped for, his bank balance didn’t allow him to be picky. Besides, Mr. Good Person was great!

Because of Tang Zhuo’s leg injury, Xia Chunzheng thoughtfully suggested signing the contract right there; he had brought the documents and a POS machine. The three of them sat on the living room sofa around the coffee table to talk.

“There’s a slight point of contention regarding the lease term,” Xia Chunzheng said. “Mr. Tang’s apartment is for long-term rental, with a minimum of one year. Mr. Jun, renting for only three months might be a bit too short.”

Opposite him, Tang Zhuo nodded in agreement. While he would have to agree to three months if Jun Yanxing insisted, he felt he could still push for more until the last moment.

Jun Yanxing furrowed his brow. Renting was just a temporary measure until he gathered enough wealth and resources to move. He looked up and met Tang Zhuo’s eager, pleading gaze. He paused; the refusal on the tip of his tongue never made it out.

He mused for a moment and said, “How about this: the lease can be extended to six months, with the rent paid in full upfront. But, I have conditions.”

From three months to six months—not only an extra three months but paid upfront! This was an unexpected windfall. Tang Zhuo suppressed his joy and said, “Mhm, go on.”

“You’ll be living here too, right?” Jun Yanxing asked.

Tang Zhuo nodded. “Yes, I’m in the second bedroom, right across from the study.”

Jun Yanxing nodded. “I am used to living alone and do not wish to be disturbed. Therefore, I hope you will minimize your presence as much as possible during the lease.”

Tang Zhuo: “…”

He looked at Jun Yanxing’s cold, detached face and gained a new understanding of this “Good Person’s” personality. However, the request wasn’t exactly unfair. Everyone has their own lifestyle habits; like his older brother, who used to lock himself in his room whenever he came home after starting high school. His parents understood and didn’t force him to come out.

Tang Zhuo was about to nod when he thought of something. He said seriously, “Alright, I’ll keep as quiet as possible.” Then, his tone shifted. “But I also have a condition.”

Jun Yanxing raised an eyebrow, gesturing for him to continue.

“No smoking in the house,” Tang Zhuo said earnestly. He actually wanted to say that smoking was bad for his health and he should quit, but since they had just met, that seemed too forward. He chose to compromise.

Sure enough, Jun Yanxing frowned at the condition. He was silent for a moment before saying, “I can only guarantee that I won’t smoke in areas outside of my room.”

Tang Zhuo opened his mouth. He was reluctant, but considering his tight wallet, he ultimately chose to back down. “Fine. But I hope you’ll smoke less; it’s only bad for you.”

Jun Yanxing simply gave a curt “Thanks for the concern.” Tang Zhuo pursed his lips and said no more.

Thus, after the contract was signed and Jun Yanxing swiped his card, Tang Zhuo’s account suddenly increased by 18,000 yuan. After deducting the 1,000 yuan commission for the agent, he had 17,000 left.

This was a fortune! Tang Zhuo looked at the balance on his phone, and all his unhappiness vanished instantly. He looked at Jun Yanxing and said “Thank you” with a beaming smile.

Having seen the ID information during the signing, he realized Jun Yanxing was only eighteen—a month younger than Tang Zhuo’s real age! His gaze toward Jun Yanxing suddenly softened with a bit more elder-like tolerance.

Xia Chunzheng was also very happy; with this deal closed, he could get off work early. Tang Zhuo saw him to the door and wanted to invite him for dinner, but Xia Chunzheng declined.

When Tang Zhuo returned to the living room, he found Jun Yanxing had already retreated to his room. Just as he was about to ask if he wanted to eat dinner together, he remembered the condition to “minimize his presence.” Tang Zhuo wrinkled his nose and grumbled as he headed to the kitchen.

The Study.

The sky hadn’t completely darkened yet; the evening glow painted the horizon, and intense orange-yellow light spilled into the room through the two floor-to-ceiling windows. Just as Xia Chunzheng had described, the lighting and the view were excellent.

Jun Yanxing dropped his duffel bag by the door, his gaze scanning the room. The decor and equipment were good, and the area was larger than a typical second bedroom, so it didn’t feel cramped. Although the windows provided excessive light, drawing the curtains would create a dim, private environment.

As a former workaholic in his past life, Jun Yanxing had spent more time in his study and office than his bedroom every day after entering the corporate world. Thus, he didn’t mind living in a study. Of course, besides the comfortable environment, there was another reason he chose this place.

Jun Yanxing looked at the desk by the bookshelf—specifically, the desktop computer. In this era where smartphones were just beginning to rise, computers weren’t as ubiquitous as they would be later, and laptops lagged far behind desktops in performance and build quality. The fact that the Tang household was equipped with a desktop and a network cable saved him a lot of trouble.

He didn’t rush to tidy the bed. Instead, he sat in the chair behind the desk. Power on. Booting up.

While waiting for the computer to start, his gaze swept across the room and landed on a DSLR camera on the bookshelf. Blurred images surfaced from the depths of his mind. Jun Yanxing paused, a look of realization slowly dawning on his face.

He finally knew where that sense of familiarity from their first meeting came from. Because…

In his past life, they had met. It was only a brief encounter, which was why he felt a sense of familiarity but hadn’t remembered immediately. However, as the blurred images sharpened and he recalled all the information from that meeting, Jun Yanxing’s brow furrowed deeply.

To be honest, the Tang Zhuo from his past life hadn’t left a good impression.

It happened during a magazine interview. Tang Zhuo was a photographer hired by the magazine; he was reportedly somewhat famous and skilled, with the potential to move into top-tier fashion photography. For some reason, it never happened, and Jun Yanxing, focused on his own work, had no interest in prying into others’ privacy.

The reason he had a poor impression of the photographer was that during a break, he had accidentally overheard him borrowing money from a colleague in the restroom. From their conversation, it was clear that Tang Zhuo had a history of not paying back debts, and it wasn’t for some unavoidable reason—he was borrowing because of gambling debts to loan sharks.

This caused Jun Yanxing’s view of the photographer to plummet. After the interview, they had no further contact. The reason he still remembered such a person was likely because… the man had an incredibly beautiful face. Even when looking haggard and unkempt, his beauty was hard to hide.

Thinking of this, another image flashed before his eyes—Tang Zhuo in the bright, clean clinic, eyes misty with tears. Glistening droplets hung at the corners of his eyes, trembling with the soft, sobbing pleas of his voice, reflecting a broken, blurry beauty under the lights.

“It hurts so much…”

“Gentler, please be gentler…”

His throat suddenly tightened, and a ripple appeared in his usually calm eyes. Jun Yanxing tugged at his collar and leaned back against the chair, slowly exhaling. He shook his head, forcing the image out of his mind.

He didn’t have a strong “hero complex.” No matter what kind of person the other was, or why he would fall into becoming an unprincipled gambler in the future, it had nothing to do with him. If he had remembered this before signing the contract, he certainly wouldn’t have rented this place.

Unfortunately, it was too late.

The computer finally finished booting. Looking at the bright sunflower wallpaper on the desktop, Jun Yanxing quickly pulled his wandering thoughts back. It didn’t matter; it was only for six months. What he needed to do now was use his foreknowledge of the future to accumulate wealth rapidly.

After all, Jun Hua wouldn’t let him go easily. That father of his, with his intense need for control, would never allow a child to defy his orders. Therefore, before he was found, he needed to grasp the capital necessary to oppose him.

Only then could he live the life he truly wanted.