Chapter 15: Chapter 015 The Monster Roommate
As a freelance writer, whenever inspiration ran dry, Chu Mo often sat alone on his balcony, then looked down through the glass from the thirteenth floor.
Watching the pairs of lovers, watching the happy families of three, after consuming a hefty amount of "dog food," he would always find his muse, then return to his room to write furiously!
The article he wrote in the café yesterday had passed the review; barring any surprises, it should be published in the latest issue of the magazine this Sunday.
A text message just notified him that the special contribution fee of 500 RMB had been credited to his account, a payment for the article that was selected last week.
Being a freelance writer seems leisurely, with plenty of time to manage at will, but in fact, Chu Mo didn\'t feel relaxed at all.
A selected article could bring Chu Mo an income of three to five hundred RMB, after all, he wasn\'t some well-known author!
To maintain his most basic expenses, Chu Mo needed at least eight thousand RMB a month, and out of that, just the rent took away four thousand RMB each month!
Calculating each article at four hundred RMB, that meant Chu Mo had to have at least twenty articles selected each month. Since some would inevitably be discarded for not meeting quality standards, aside from the occasional day off, Chu Mo basically had to maintain a daily output of one article!
After yesterday\'s article was selected, he hadn\'t written a single word all day today.
At this moment, Chu Mo was considering something: whether he wanted to continue with the career of a freelance writer?
...
Just like yesterday, the dining table was still set with four steaming dishes and one soup.
The crispy, sweet and sour fish, his roommate Yang Xuan\'s favorite dish.
The spicy crawfish was Chu Mo\'s favorite, followed by braised eggplant in oil and eggs with garlic sprouts, and a bowl of hot and sour soup.
Just preparing this meal had taken Chu Mo an hour and a half.
Clothed in a light blue waist-tightened long dress, Yang Xuan was nibbling on her rice with delicate, gentle gestures, everything about her exuding elegance.
Her soft, waterfall-like hair was casually tied behind her head. Usually preferring silence during meals, Yang Xuan seemed hesitant at this moment, having paused at least three times while eating, thinking about how to start a conversation!
Previously, she hadn\'t noticed any changes in the food on the table or, rather, she didn\'t have the mind to care about these small details, but after seeing the watch on the wrist of the man across from her last night, Yang Xuan began to observe his every move without being aware of it!
Two years ago, when he first came to rent a room, he held a notebook in his hand, tall and thin, smiling shyly. It was his clean and even somewhat humble smile that made Yang Xuan decide to keep him around.
In fact, before that, Yang Xuan had met several people who wanted to share the rental, but the surprise and joy in their eyes made her decide to turn them all away.
Before, Yang Xuan had never actively cared about this young man. Reflecting on it, except for the majority of time he spent locked in his room writing, he rarely interacted with others, and as for a girlfriend... Yang Xuan was sure he definitely didn\'t have one!
This guy who always wore glasses on his nose, looking scholarly and neat, had been cooking for her dutifully for two years!
Thinking back on it now, Yang Xuan seemed to understand why she found the cafeteria food at her company increasingly unsatisfactory.
It was because this man\'s culinary skills were getting better!
If he were to leave one day, would she feel uncomfortable?
Having hesitated thrice just now, Yang Xuan actually wanted to ask him how the house hunting was going but ultimately couldn\'t bring herself to ask.
"Buzz... Buzz...!"
Vibrations from the phone on the table, thinking it might be work-related and not daring to neglect it, she put down her chopsticks and gently opened the phone!
It was a message from her best friend Zhan Bingxue.
"Xiao Xuanxuan, whether I eat meat or soup in the future depends entirely on you. Help me with this once, and if it works out, I\'ll buy you a big diamond ring. Tell Mr. Chu that I\'ve managed to negotiate that No. 1 villa in Emperor Xuan Villas for him, for eight billion."
Villas, eight billion!
Glancing at the brand-name watch on the wrist of the man across from her and ruling out the possibility of her best friend joking, her slender and delicate fingers rapidly typed on the keyboard, and moments later, she pressed send.
"I don\'t understand any of the details here; why don\'t you talk to him personally?"
No sooner had she put down her phone than the buzzing started up again.
After a moment\'s hesitation, thinking of the best friend she had known for more than a decade on the other end, she let out a soft sigh and picked up the phone again!
"Xiao Xuanxuan, I really need you this time. You know my character. The villa in Emperor Xuan Villas is absolutely worth eight billion, and I stake my head on that..."
"You know, I\'ve just met your roommate, and there\'s not much trust between us. But it\'s different when you ask. After all, you\'ve lived together for two years. One word from you is worth a thousand, ten thousand of mine. Xuan Xuan, we\'ve been best friends for over a decade. Help me out this time, and I\'ll be indebted to you for life...!"
This was the first time her best friend had asked for her help!
When she put her phone down again, Yang Xuan couldn\'t help but glance at the man across from her.
His nose was straight, his face bore a bit of firmness, and his eyes beneath his glasses were deep.
Why hadn\'t she noticed before that he was actually quite good-looking?
As if without much thought, she picked up a piece of sweet and sour fish for him and watched his surprised expression. The corners of her mouth curled up slightly as Yang Xuan chuckled and said,
"Seeing you lost in your thoughts, not even knowing what you\'re eating... All this food will go to waste again!"
"Thank you!"
A slight ripple stirred in Yang Xuan\'s heart; this was the first time she had ever served a dish to a guy voluntarily!
"Xiao Xue just sent me a message saying that the No. 1 villa in Emperor Xuan is a good deal at eight hundred million. I\'m not very knowledgeable about these things, but Xiao Xue is quite reliable!"
She scooped up a piece of egg into her bowl, observing his thoughtful demeanor. Yang Xuan said nothing more.
There was a moment of silence, and then the man, who was adjusting his glasses, suddenly said,
"I got it! You go ahead and eat; I\'ll reply to a message."
Seeing him head to the living room, Yang Xuan\'s appetite vanished.
Capable of considering an eight hundred million RMB villa, this demure-looking roommate of hers must be worth well over a billion.
And what\'s more, he had willingly cooked for her for two years!
Were anyone to hear of it, they would surely be amazed.
…
She gently sat down on the sofa.
An eight hundred million deal was far more plausible than the building in Century Garden previously mentioned.
Emperor Xuan Villas were completed two years ago; the price of 5.9 billion for Villa No. 1 was from two years back. Considering the continuous rise in real estate prices, using 5.9 billion as a reference now would be a pipe dream.
After two years, Chu Mo silently added a billion in appreciation to his mental calculation. Considering the villa\'s location and the 9,900-square-meter expanse unique to Villa No. 1, along with a minimum multi-million decoration budget and the move-in ready condition—saying it was priceless was no exaggeration.
An eleven billion valuation was utter nonsense, but eight billion... could indeed show that the other party was quite sincere.
However, the fact that Zhan Bingxue hadn\'t contacted him directly, instead involving his roommate Yang Xuan, suggested that the matter of the female mind was indeed complicated.
Zhan Bingxue was probably worried he wouldn\'t trust her, so she took such a big detour.
Chu Mo chuckled and shook his head. He unlocked his phone, clicked on Zhan Bingxue\'s WeChat, and typed,
"Okay!"
The moment he hit send, the problem that had been troubling Chu Mo seemed to be effortlessly resolved!
Writing was a hobby of his. Now that he was not short of money, there was no need to write as desperately as before. But there was also no rush to give it up. When inspiration struck, he would continue to write.
Having made up his mind, Chu Mo felt a great relief throughout his body.
...
Buzz buzz buzz!
At the dining table, an absent-minded Yang Xuan was picking at her rice grain by grain, when her phone vibrated again.
Upon checking it, she found a smiling emoji sent by her best friend!
So...
An eight hundred million villa deal had just been agreed upon!
Glancing back at the man in the living room, who now looked so at ease, Yang Xuan suddenly felt some peculiar emotions brewing inside her!
This roommate, who had been by her side for a full two years, just what kind of extraordinary being was he!