After finishing the meal, Xu An took the full and satisfied Goudan out of the door.
She specifically glanced towards the opposite door. There was no movement inside, or perhaps the soundproofing in the lighthouse apartments was quite good.
Xu An didn't care at all who ended up taking the black box.
However, judging by the husband's demeanor, the contents of that box must have been quite important.
But none of this had anything to do with Xu An.
"Goudan, let's go."
Saying this, Xu An led Goudan straight to the elevator. Just as the doors were about to close, a slender, pale hand reached in.
"Wait a moment," a clear voice said.
Xu An quickly pressed the open door button.
A man wearing a hood, his face obscured, walked in. Xu An glanced at him but said nothing, then closed the elevator door.
"Are you going up or down?"
"Down."
"Alright."
"Thank you."
Xu An looked at him and said softly, "You're welcome." She had an impression of this man; he seemed to be a new resident.
Xu An remembered him because she had seen Xiao Ai with him downstairs previously, and also noticed his exposed forearm.
The man's arm was unusually pale, a sickly white as if he hadn't seen sunlight in a long time.
"I'm a new resident, living next door to you. My name is Chu Yu," the man introduced himself.
Xu An seemed surprised that he would initiate conversation, "Hello." She had no intention of revealing her name to him.
Chu Yu looked at Xu An's face and smiled, unfazed by her defensive stance.
As they got off the elevator, Chu Yu was about to say something when a shout from a distance interrupted him.
"Xu An... Xu An..."
Xu An, who hadn't told Chu Yu her name, stood in place watching He Ci run towards her, looking speechless.
Chu Yu, whose words had been interrupted, stood frozen. His face, hidden in the shadows, curved into a smile in a direction Xu An couldn't see.
"Now I know your name, Xu An."
Xu An watched him without speaking. Just then, He Ci also reached her.
"Xu An, are you busy now?" He Ci glanced at Chu Yu, who was standing not far from Xu An. The man's entire face was buried in the shadows, unclear, giving off a gloomy impression. "Xu An, are you busy now?" He Ci glanced at Chu Yu, who was standing not far from Xu An. The man's entire face was buried in the shadows, unclear, giving off a gloomy impression.
"You two chat first, I'll leave. I won't disturb you." Chu Yu saw the wary look in He Ci's eyes, spoke up voluntarily, and then turned to leave.
He Ci watched Chu Yu's retreating back, carefully choosing his words, and asked Xu An cautiously, "Xu An, is that man your friend?"
Xu An frowned at his question but replied politely, "No, I don't know him. He's a new neighbor. Did you need something from me?"
"Nothing much. About the experimental field we talked about before, have you considered it? Do you want to come?" He Ci's eyes sparkled. He had worked hard to secure two vacant, non-essential positions.
"He Ci, thank you, but no thank you."
Hearing Xu An's refusal, a flicker of disappointment crossed He Ci's face, but he quickly recovered.
"It's okay, I'll keep them for you. Just contact me whenever you want to come."
Xu An fell silent, but gave He Ci a deep look. She thought she had made her refusal quite clear last time, so why did He Ci seem completely unfazed?
"He Ci... I..."
Seeing Xu An's hesitant speech, He Ci seemed to understand what she was about to say.
"You don't need to say it, I understand," He Ci said with a bitter smile. "I know you don't have any romantic feelings for me. Can we be friends?"
Xu An firmly shook her head. "He Ci, no two opposite-sex individuals who harbor illusions about each other can become true friends."
"I can't, knowing your feelings for me, and then shamelessly exploit this relationship and you. It's not fair to you, and it's not fair to me."
"I want you to exploit me!" He Ci retorted softly, as if eager to prove something.
"After that day, I thought a lot. He Ci, are you sure you truly like me? Isn't it just a case of the Oedipus complex?" Xu An continued calmly, her eyes devoid of any ripples. "Because I helped you solve a problem, you want to thank me, so you developed a sense of dependence on me."
Xu An had agonized over it afterward, and this was the only explanation she could come up with.
However, He Ci changed his demeanor and retorted loudly, "No! I can distinguish my own feelings."
But He Ci's current behavior, in Xu An's eyes, seemed like desperate defense because she had hit the mark.
Just as Xu An was contemplating whether to give He Ci a beating to deter him from bothering her again and make him give up, a flamboyant and alluring female voice called out from not far away.
"Little An An~~~"
Xu An found the voice familiar. As she turned her head in the direction of the sound, her vision blurred, and she was embraced in a fragrant, soft hug.
The strong scent of roses flooded Xu An's nostrils. She looked at the person in front of her, somewhat dazed, her brain experiencing a momentary freeze.
"Mei Jie?"
"Yes~"
"What are you doing here?"
"What's wrong, can't I be here?" Zhou Haimei's long hair looked freshly washed, still carrying a faint scent of damp roses in the wind.
"No, you don't live here, do you?" Xu An remembered Zhou Haimei lived in a seaside apartment far from here.
Of course, the so-called seaside was merely an artificial lake on the lighthouse, its water a mere light and shadow simulation technology, not real water. It simulated the seaside of the old world, complete with sea breezes and the salty taste of the tide.
Conversely, the housing prices there were sky-high; the rent for one month there was equivalent to a year's rent for Xu An's current place.
"I moved! Happy?" After speaking, Zhou Haimei looked at He Ci, who was standing awkwardly nearby, his face flushed. "And who is this?"
Before Xu An could speak, He Ci preempted her, "Hello, my name is He Ci, and I'm Xu An's friend."
Xu An: "..."
Zhou Haimei looked at his flushed cheeks, idly twirling a strand of her fiery red hair, and said with a hint of mockery, "An An, your suitor's willpower isn't that strong."
Let alone Zhou Haimei, even Xu An wanted to complain. Even though she had just resolutely rejected He Ci, wasn't his speed of shifting affections a bit too fast???
So, the pathetic fool was me all along?
He Ci finally realized his gaffe and became even more nervous. "Xu An, let me explain, I... I didn't."