The condition Jiang Nan Fang mentioned, merely asking Pei Ke Xin to be his neighbor, was surprisingly simple. Zhan Jing Chen was secretly delighted, knowing his mother still loved him, though he didn't show it.
"Why do you like Pei Ke Xin so much? How can you be so sure she's a good person? What if she leads me astray too?"
Jiang Nan Fang replied, "If she really leads you astray, and you both end up ruined, I'll accept it."
After all, she couldn't trust anyone but Pei Ke Xin.
Amidst her busy work, Pei Ke Xin's day concluded.
Her manager left first. Zhan Jing Chen watched her finish the closing tasks and tossed her a key.
"Here."
Pei Ke Xin was puzzled. "What is this? A key to an apartment? You found me another apartment?"
Zhan Jing Chen said, "Would I lie about this? Am I the type of person who only talks and doesn't act?"
That wasn't what she meant. Pei Ke Xin felt she was living quite well and didn't need to move.
Zhan Jing Chen, rarely able to get closer to her, wouldn't give up easily.
"You say it's unnecessary, but how do you know this apartment doesn't have other uses? It belongs to my second sister-in-law. She needs it now, and I can't just keep it without returning it, can I?"
So that was the reason. With no other choice, Pei Ke Xin accepted his key.
She went to the underground parking lot with Zhan Jing Chen, intending to drive home herself. However, Zhan Jing Chen walked over and held her car door.
"Why drive so many cars? Do you have too much money to spend?"
Pei Ke Xin retorted, "If I don't drive, are you going to pick me up and drop me off every day? You're not my driver."
"I am indeed not your driver, but I've already picked you up and dropped you off many times. Now you know how good I am, right?"
Zhan Jing Chen unlocked his own car.
"Let's go. It's on the way anyway, no need to be polite."
On the way?
Pei Ke Xin couldn't help but ask him where his apartment was, but he wouldn't say.
"You'll know when we get there. Stop with the nonsense."
This person, though not old, always spoke so unpleasantly.
Pei Ke Xin didn't want to talk to him anymore. If he wouldn't tell her, she wouldn't ask. She got into the car and closed her eyes to rest.
Soon, the car stopped.
Opening her eyes, she saw several grand and imposing characters.
It was Sheng Shi Hua Chao, not far from the company.
"You have a place here too? Such a good location, are you sure you're letting me stay here?"
"Good that you recognize a good location," Zhan Jing Chen thought to himself, driving into the garage.
He thought dropping her off was already quite the gesture, but to his surprise, Zhan Jing Chen turned off the engine and followed her out.
Pei Ke Xin was somewhat reluctant.
"No need to see me off. Just tell me which floor and unit number, and I'll go up myself."
Zhan Jing Chen was exasperated with her ingratitude.
"What do you think I'm going up there for? To secretly admire you? To take the opportunity to make a move on you?"
Pei Ke Xin: "..."
"You're overthinking it, President Pei. Is it possible that I live here too?"
With that, he pressed the elevator button, and to Pei Ke Xin's bewilderment, they arrived at the top floor together.
There were two units per floor. Zhan Jing Chen pointed them out to her.
"This one is yours, and this one is mine. I am also a distinguished owner here, President Pei."
He lived here too, becoming her next-door neighbor?
Seeing her stunned, Zhan Jing Chen flicked her forehead.
"Stop staring. It's all my mother's arrangement. Thank her if you want to, or blame her if you want to. Alright, mission accomplished, I'm going in."
Pei Ke Xin entered and first surveyed the environment.
It was finely decorated and spotlessly clean.
Standing by the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, she could overlook half the city.
Such a good apartment, Jiang Nan Fang was really too generous to her.
Pei Ke Xin felt very embarrassed and didn't know how to thank Jiang Nan Fang via WeChat.
But since she had already made the arrangements, it would be rude not to say something to express her gratitude.
After much hesitation, she finally sent a thank-you message.
Unexpectedly, Jiang Nan Fang immediately initiated a video call.
"How is it, Ke Xin? Are you satisfied with the apartment?"
"I'm very satisfied. It's just too much trouble for you, Ms. Jiang, to personally handle this."
"Don't be so polite with me, aren't we friends? Besides, am I really that good? Just arranging an apartment for you?"
Pei Ke Xin smiled, waiting for her to continue.
Jiang Nan Fang also smiled. "Little Wu has always been more rebellious than his older brothers and sisters since childhood, and his thinking is very active. I don't understand many of his actions... But he's grown up now, and I can't keep him tied to my side. If I let him go, I worry."
Pei Ke Xin understood.
No wonder she wanted them to be neighbors. Jiang Nan Fang wanted her to act as a spy and help keep an eye on Little Wu.
"I understand, Ms. Jiang. Please rest assured."
To facilitate observing Zhan Jing Chen, Pei Ke Xin sat at home for a while, then proactively ordered two takeout meals and knocked on his door to eat together.
It wasn't the first time they had eaten together, and they were both accustomed to it. They ate their own meals in silence. After finishing, Pei Ke Xin didn't make a move to leave, instead sitting on his sofa with her laptop to review some documents.
Living alone was quite boring. Zhan Jing Chen had been looking for an excuse to spend time with her, but she had come to him proactively. After dinner, she showed no sign of leaving, and he was secretly delighted.
He didn't rush her away, instead bringing her a cup of water and sitting beside her.
"What are you doing? After eating, you're already glued to your laptop?"
Pei Ke Xin replied, "The technical department just submitted a proposal to develop two new products. I need to review it, and there are many parameters I don't understand. I'm looking up some information to study."
Zhan Jing Chen heard this and said, "Why didn't you call me for such an important matter? You don't let me participate in anything. When will I ever understand?"
Pei Ke Xin said, "I didn't say I wouldn't call you. Am I not sitting in your house right now? Who knows if you're willing to learn. If you're willing to learn, look at it with me. If you're not, I don't like to force anyone."
Their heads came together, and Zhan Jing Chen looked at it with her.
He wasn't a professional and didn't understand many parts, so Pei Ke Xin patiently explained to him.
Citing references and reviewing past cases, they finished reviewing the proposal, which took over three hours. It was almost ten o'clock at night.
"Alright, that's enough for today. We've been talking for so long, I'm parched, and you haven't even poured me a glass of water."
Zhan Jing Chen liked it when she was unguarded in front of him.
"Can't you get it yourself? Don't you know what a water dispenser looks like, or are your hands not working?"
Pei Ke Xin retorted, "It's your home, after all. Without your permission, would I dare to rummage through your things?"
Zhan Jing Chen teased her, "With such a thick skin, are you afraid of upsetting me?"
"..." Pei Ke Xin rolled her eyes at him, picked up her laptop, and went back to sleep.
"Stop with the nonsense and go to bed quickly. We have a meeting tomorrow to discuss this proposal, and you'll participate. Offer some opinions, otherwise, everyone will think you're like Pei Zong Rui, just eating without contributing."
Zhan Jing Chen understood.
He needed to quickly establish his image in the company with solid capabilities.
"You can leave with peace of mind. I won't run around. If you don't believe me, install a surveillance camera in my room."
"..."
"Mission accomplished. You can go back and report to my mother."
"..."
"Oh, are you really feeling shy? Do you think I don't know why she arranged for you to live here? It's okay, you can come and supervise openly from now on. We're doing nothing wrong, so we're not afraid of being watched."