Chapter 20: The Patron’s Demand

“So, you mean to say…”

“This is precisely my second point: I intend to reside at your place.”

“What?” Zhong Tian exclaimed, a mix of surprise and bewilderment in his voice. “Live with me?”

‘Su Lingxi’ simply nodded.

“Well, the thing is… I don’t actually have a studio,” Zhong Tian explained, a slight awkwardness creeping into his tone. “That means you’d be living at my home. And, as you know, I’m a guy…”

‘I don’t believe that’s an issue,’ ‘Su Lingxi’ stated, her eyes half-lidded. ‘I will cover both rent and living expenses, and I will endeavor not to disrupt your daily life.’

Zhong Tian couldn’t shake the feeling that she didn’t perceive him as a male at all.

Noticing Zhong Tian’s conflicted expression, ‘Su Lingxi’ continued, “As I mentioned earlier, this is a prerequisite for the contract’s establishment. And this particular endeavor promises to bestow upon you immense fortune.”

“Money and renown,” she added. “Moreover, I am certain you will come to adore my novel.”

‘Hmm, she’s certainly hit the nail on the head,’ Zhong Tian mused.

Indeed, Zhong Tian harbored a genuine appreciation for ‘Su Lingxi’s literary style, even if he had yet to complete a single one of her novels. Deep within his heart, he yearned to transform a truly excellent work into vivid illustrations, bringing it to life for everyone to see.

Moreover…

The prospect of cohabiting with a beautiful girl stirred a faint, undeniable longing within Zhong Tian.

Just a tiny, minuscule bit, he assured himself.

“…I’ll consult my sister for her opinion first.”

“Very well.”

Zhong Tian retrieved his phone and dialed his sister’s number. As he waited for the call to connect, he turned to ‘Su Lingxi’ and inquired, “So, when exactly are you planning to arrive…?”

“Tonight,” ‘Su Lingxi’ responded. “The butler will chauffeur us home.”

‘So soon?’ Zhong Tian thought.

He had originally intended to return tomorrow morning.

‘Well…’

‘Perhaps it’s for the best,’ he conceded.

At the very least, he wouldn’t have to endure another night in that room with the frosted glass shower enclosure.

Still, this entire arrangement hinged on his sister’s approval.

After a considerable wait, the call remained unanswered.

‘Could she be working overtime?’ he wondered.

Zhong Tian glanced at ‘Su Lingxi’. “About that…”

“If there’s still no response after we’ve finished dinner, we’ll simply have to act first and report the matter later.”

At that moment, Lin Chu’s negotiations also appeared to have drawn to a close. The two returned to the dining table, where a contract was presented before them.

“I’ve already reviewed it on your behalf,” Lin Chu stated. “Aside from the actual drawing, I’ll manage everything else. You just need to glance over the contract and sign it.”

“Understood,” Zhong Tian affirmed with a nod.

He quickly perused the contract, then affixed his legal name and pen name to it.

With that, the matter was definitively settled.

Both parties securely put away their contracts, just as the meticulously prepared dishes were brought to the table.

While not quite the lavish spread Zhong Tian had envisioned, filling the entire round table, the meal was undeniably abundant and each dish appeared exquisitely crafted.

He wondered, however, if they tasted as good as they looked.

Zhong Tian helped himself to a bowl of seafood soup, a flavor he remembered from his childhood.

It was incredibly fresh and utterly delicious, precisely as he recalled. Yet, the price… he remembered it being exorbitant.

This small serving in his hands, he suspected, easily cost over a hundred yuan.

And there were seven such dishes gracing the table.

‘Good heavens,’ he thought, ‘they truly went for the most expensive options!’

A sudden wave of psychological pressure washed over Zhong Tian, making the food seem less appealing.

‘Perhaps… after this meal, I shouldn’t charge her rent for the month…’

‘Indeed.’

Zhong Tian’s appetite was modest; he felt full halfway through the meal. He excused himself and tried calling Zhong Jing again.

Still, the call went unanswered.

‘What on earth is she doing?’ he wondered.

‘Could it really be that I have no choice but to act first and explain later…?’ Zhong Tian turned to observe ‘Su Lingxi’, who was still daintily eating, and fell into contemplation.

****

‘Very well, then,’ he decided. ‘I’ll act first and report later!’

****

“Mmm…”

The young girl leaning against Zhong Tian’s shoulder was evidently fast asleep, her long eyelashes occasionally fluttering. Her brown hair lay softly against his arm, creating a faint, ticklish sensation.

A subtle, delicate fragrance wafted from the girl. Zhong Tian instinctively touched his nose, turning his face away as a blush crept onto his cheeks.

‘No, I am absolutely not a lolicon!’ he inwardly protested.

‘Though, she probably isn’t that much younger than me anyway…’

Zhong Tian shifted his gaze, looking out the car window at the brightly illuminated streets.

‘We’ve already returned to Taishan City,’ he realized. ‘This one can really sleep; she leaned on me the moment we got in the car and drifted off in mere minutes.’

Zhong Tian pulled his gaze inward, bowing his head in quiet contemplation. ‘How am I going to explain this to my sister?’

“Butler, we’ll alight here,” Zhong Tian announced, simultaneously giving the girl beside him a firm shake. Without a bit of force, he might genuinely struggle to rouse her.

“Mm…”

The girl slowly straightened herself, stretching languidly and emitting a contented sigh. Then, rubbing her eyes with a small hand, she asked, “Are we there?”

“We are… but this is the shopping mall on our side. We need to pick up some daily essentials,” Zhong Tian explained, opening the car door.

Both of them stepped out. The butler lowered the car window and addressed ‘Su Lingxi’, “Miss, please take care. Should any unforeseen circumstances arise, you may call me. I will be residing in this area for a period. This is my phone number.” The latter part of his statement was directed at Zhong Tian, as he handed him a business card.

“Understood…” Zhong Tian replied.

The butler nodded, started the engine, and smoothly merged into the flow of traffic.

“Let’s go,” Zhong Tian said.

The two entered the bustling mall. Zhong Tian casually retrieved a hair tie from his pocket, swept his long hair up, and swiftly fashioned a simple ponytail. He gave it a light flick, almost brushing ‘Su Lingxi’s face.

“Zhong Tian…” ‘Su Lingxi’ looked up, her gaze fixed on his face.

Indeed, the girl before him stood just over five feet tall, a considerable height difference from Zhong Tian.

“Is something amiss?” he inquired.

‘Are you truly male?’ she asked, her expression devoid of overt emotion, yet her eyes were brimming with genuine confusion.

“Didn’t you see my ID card… when we signed the contract?”

‘It’s truly beyond belief,’ she murmured, lowering her head, her voice still somewhat fragmented. ‘Your… appearance, it aligns perfectly with the image of the female protagonist I’ve envisioned.’

“Is that so…”

Hearing such a statement, Zhong Tian wondered whether he should feel pleased or simply sigh with resignation.

‘You should simply draw yourself as the protagonist,’ she declared.

Zhong Tian’s hand, which had been reaching for a lemon tea on the shelf, froze mid-air. “Wouldn’t that be… a bit inappropriate? I mean… it feels rather embarrassing.”

‘This is not a mere request; it is the patron’s demand,’ she asserted.

She regarded Zhong Tian’s face with utmost seriousness, her demeanor entirely devoid of any hint of jest.

“Oh, come on…” Zhong Tian’s cheeks flushed faintly. The mere thought of such a thing made him feel as though he’d spiral into an abyss of mortification.

But it was the patron’s demand… ‘Well, fine, so be it,’ he conceded. ‘Anyway… no reader will ever figure it out… right?’

With that thought, he tossed three family-sized bags of potato chips into the shopping cart.

“Didn’t you say… we were here to purchase… daily necessities…?” ‘Su Lingxi’s words caused Zhong Tian’s hand, poised to toss Pocky into the cart, to freeze once more.

Unbeknownst to him, he had accumulated an exorbitant amount of snacks.

“Ahem…”

Zhong Tian placed the two boxes of Pocky he held into the cart. “Well, food can certainly be considered a daily necessity, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Is that so… I understand.”

‘Su Lingxi’ nodded, then began to select a mug.

****

“Beep!”

“That will be three hundred and twenty-eight altogether,” the sales assistant announced, startling Zhong Tian.

‘Over three hundred? Good heavens!’

Zhong Tian, shouting inwardly, pulled out his wallet. Fortunately, he had brought enough cash.

‘Su Lingxi’ glanced at the price, then at Zhong Tian’s face.

“Card,” she stated, producing a bank card.

Zhong Tian was momentarily stunned.

“There’s no need for that. I’ll take care of it…”

‘Consider it as rent,’ she interrupted.

‘If you truly feel uncomfortable, then simply buy me a bubble tea.’ Having completed the payment, she retrieved her bank card. She then looked up at Zhong Tian, offering a faint smile.

“Mmm… alright then,” Zhong Tian conceded, gathering the two large bags and nodding.

_

‘Su Lingxi’ and Zhong Tian walked down the street, each holding a matcha cheese bubble tea, along with a bag of daily necessities and snacks.

‘It’s past ten already,’ Zhong Tian mused.

‘Once I get home, unpack, and take a shower, I’ll play some games, maybe push through some more of Elder Scrolls IV.’ Zhong Tian calculated, casting a glance at ‘Su Lingxi’.

‘However, it seems there are no spare thin blankets at home…’ ‘Well, never mind,’ he decided. ‘At this hour, it’s hot enough to make you spiral to the heavens, so whether there’s a blanket or not makes no difference.’

‘Ah, well…’

Zhong Tian took a sip of his bubble tea, leading ‘Su Lingxi’ into his apartment building.

Zhong Tian’s home was on the first floor, its front door situated beside the staircase.

Standing at his familiar doorstep, Zhong Tian felt an unparalleled sense of nervousness. He looked at ‘Su Lingxi’ again.

‘Is something the matter? Did you forget your keys…?’ ‘Su Lingxi’ inquired.

“No…” Zhong Tian took a deep breath, produced his keys, and opened the door.

“I’m home…”

There was no blinding light as he had imagined, nor the clamor of a television. The house was dark, seemingly empty.