“I didn't expect you to actually know how to haggle.”
The two of them quickly settled on an apartment. Eschewing flashy pursuits of extra space, they chose a one-bedroom with a small kitchen in a residential complex near the hospital, just a ten-minute walk away. Following the standard practice of one month's deposit and three months' rent, the landlord had originally asked for six thousand yuan a month, but Li Shuirui had stubbornly hacked a thousand off the price.
Although it wasn't a massive amount, it was enough to make Jiang Chen see her in a new light.
Before meeting Li Shuirui, his instinct had been to assume she was someone who spent money recklessly, but through their interactions, his impression of her had been constantly evolving.
Rumors truly couldn't be fully trusted.
“Do you think I’m stupid? Even though it’s next to the hospital, the renovation isn't great, and it’s an old building. Five thousand is plenty,” Li Shuirui said earnestly, insisting on paying the rent herself.
He had to admit, her reasoning was perfectly logical and sound, yet coming from her mouth, it always seemed to carry a slight sense of dissonance.
Jiang Chen let out a wry smile.
“I didn't realize a goddess could be so down-to-earth.”
“Are you mocking me?” Li Shuirui shot him a look.
“No, I mean it sincerely.”
“In front of you, I can hardly be called a goddess, can I, Mr. Billionaire?” Li Shuirui placed extra emphasis on the words "Mr. Billionaire."
“I said you're down-to-earth.”
Li Shuirui’s tone faltered.
Jiang Chen burst into laughter.
The Panamera drove back into the hospital area.
“Alright, you go back. I’ll go up by myself.”
Jiang Chen, who had intended to push the door open and get out, paused.
“Two hundred plus three hundred... that makes five million in total. With that much money, my mother might really find it hard to accept. Let me go talk to her slowly on my own,” Li Shuirui explained.
Jiang Chen thought that made sense. Facing him, Xue Mingqin would likely find it too embarrassing to accept the money; letting Li Shuirui do the psychological groundwork was the best course of action.
“Alright then.”
“Drive safely.”
After speaking softly, Li Shuirui opened the door and stepped out of the car.
【Li Shuirui's favorability towards you +20】
This time, Jiang Chen wasn't surprised.
On the contrary, he felt that an increase of only twenty was a bit stingy.
After all, at this very moment, Li Shuirui might be at the lowest and most vulnerable point of her life; he was providing "charcoal in the snow" in the truest sense.
After all the running around and spending three million, her favorability had only just reached 50. Despite this, Jiang Chen felt no dissatisfaction.
The sudden accident in Li Shuirui's family had inadvertently created a perfect opportunity for him.
90.
The goal that once seemed unreachable now appeared to be just around the corner.
Watching Li Shuirui disappear from view, Jiang Chen withdrew his gaze and turned the car around.
————
As the Panamera entered the gates of Dongda University, Jiang Chen had finished checking his current "Simp Gold" spending limit.
From the time the funds arrived until now, he had spent a total of just over ten million.
In other words, if he completed the mission to win over Li Shuirui right now, he would instantly transform into a millionaire.
A millionaire.
It sounded decent, but in reality, with the rapid development of the era, a million could hardly be called "wealthy"—it was merely middle class, let alone in the prime real estate of Great Donghai.
Setting aside everything else, the apartment he had just rented for Li Shuirui's mother was likely no more than sixty square meters, yet if it were sold at current market prices, it would probably fetch five or six million!
In other words, a so-called millionaire might not even be able to afford a toilet in Donghai.
Thinking of this, Jiang Chen couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Why was the cashback only ten percent?
Wouldn't a full refund be much better?
Because his mind was preoccupied, his attention inevitably drifted. A figure suddenly darted out from the roadside. By the time Jiang Chen reacted and slammed on the brakes, it was too late.
*Screech... Thud.*
The Panamera came to a halt. Realizing he had hit someone, Jiang Chen quickly pushed the door open and rushed out.
“Student, are you okay?”
At the front of the car, a girl with a delicate, manga-like face lay on the ground. Her pants were torn, her palms were scraped, and she was frowning in pain. A drawing board lay fallen beside her.
Forgetting to admire the girl's beauty, Jiang Chen hurried toward her.
“Do you even know how to drive?”
The girl's voice was also beautiful, like a clear spring flowing through a valley—pleasant and crisp. However, when she lifted her head and saw the culprit who had hit her, her large, dark, bright eyes momentarily froze in shock.
“I am truly sorry. I'll take you to the hospital.”
Jiang Chen wanted to help her up, but at the same time, he was wary of the social boundaries between men and women, leaving him momentarily hesitant.
Distracted while driving—it was indeed his fault. But he truly hadn't expected someone to come sprinting out from the woods.
However, hitting someone was hitting someone, and he would not shirk his responsibility.
“Can you stand up?”
The girl pursed her pink lips. Surprisingly, she didn't express further anger, and she managed to scramble up from the ground with a limp.
Because the car speed hadn't been high, she likely wasn't seriously injured, but the blood on her fair little hands was indeed heart-wrenching.
A person like this deserved to be held in the palm of one's hand and protected with utmost care.
Jiang Chen helped her pick up the drawing board. Looking at the landscape painting on it, he immediately understood why she had been running out of the woods.
“Get in the car.”
Seeing that she could still stand, Jiang Chen breathed a silent sigh of relief, though he didn't dare let his guard down, as one never knew if there might be internal injuries.
It was only then that he noticed the girl's extraordinary beauty: a petite, elegant nose, porcelain skin, large manga-like eyes like obsidian, and especially those thick, fluffy twin tails—enough to destroy any man's resistance.
If some creep with specific fetishes saw her, they might lose control on the spot and turn into a wolf.
“No need.”
The girl tried to take the drawing board back from Jiang Chen, seemingly having no intention of making a scene.
“Your hand is still bleeding; you must have it bandaged. I'm sorry, but I really didn't do it on purpose, and I'm not a bad person.”
Jiang Chen thought she was afraid or guarded, but her response left him stunned.
“I know you're not a bad person.”
After a brief moment of bewilderment, Jiang Chen asked skeptically, “...You know me?”
“I've heard of you.”
Although the girl's voice held no anger, her beautiful brows were still furrowed, clearly enduring pain.
“Since you've heard of me, you should know I'm also a student at Dongda. Your hand really needs bandaging, and you should have your other injuries checked. If you don't want to go to the hospital, then let's go to the infirmary.”
Jiang Chen's expression was earnest, trying his best to appear harmless.
The girl, whose features were flawlessly exquisite, glanced at him and then looked down at her bleeding hand. Perhaps thinking it would be a bit frightening to go back like this, she finally nodded after a moment of silence.
Jiang Chen helped open the car door and placed the drawing board inside.
“Get in.”