Chapter 70: Happily Acquiring Savings

"Qianqian, I’ve contacted Qi Ke," the man said calmly, ignoring Yin Zhi’s provocative gaze.

He’d known all along that the boy wouldn’t be gone for more than three days. And just as he’d expected... he was back on only the second day.

"You contacted him that quickly?" Wen Qian looked slightly taken aback. According to the information online, Qi Ke was supposed to be filming in S City right now.

"Yes," the man said with a nod. He glanced at his watch and continued, "He’ll be back in City A this weekend. You two can meet then."

There was one thing Gu Mian didn’t mention, though: Qi Ke’s attitude over the phone hadn’t been good.

Gu Mian didn’t tell Wen Qian because he felt the disgust Qi Ke had shown wasn’t what he truly felt... ’Otherwise, why would he go to all the trouble of buying ad space?’

’He spent all that time and money just so Wen Qian could find him, didn’t he?’

’Although Gu Mian didn’t want to let him have his way, since Wen Qian had asked... he would do his best to make it happen.’

That’s why, even though there were a hundred ways he could have taken the fragment back directly, Gu Mian hadn’t done so.

"And who is Qi Ke?" the young man raised an eyebrow. ’What on earth did I miss while I was gone?’ he wondered. After a moment, his expression turned a little strange. "Are you two keeping secrets from me?"

"No, no, there aren’t any secrets..." Wen Qian hurriedly soothed him, afraid he would start acting up again.

Yin Zhi was especially prone to flying off the handle whenever Gu Mian was around.

Gu Mian lifted his gaze slightly and said, "A fox."

"A fox...?" Yin Zhi froze for a second before nodding in sudden understanding. He remembered. "You mean that... that fox who took Qianqian’s pendant?"

"Yes."

Once the man confirmed it, Yin Zhi immediately pulled Wen Qian behind him. "You came all the way over here just for this? Couldn’t you have said it on the phone?"

Wen Qian: "...?"

’Wait... what does it have to do with him whether someone visits or not?’

"I was bringing Qianqian her milk tea." Normally, Gu Mian wouldn’t have bothered responding to him. But today, he was clearly in a good mood, and the corners of his lips even curled into a small smile.

"Oh? I guess food delivery services don’t cover the whole globe yet, huh?" he sneered.

"Still not as fast as a neighbor bringing it over." The man’s smile grew more pronounced. He looked at Wen Qian again, his voice softening. "I moved, Qianqian. I’m right next door to you now."

BOOM—

It felt like something had exploded inside Yin Zhi’s head.

His eyes flew wide, and he took a quick step forward. "What did you say?"

As their eyes met, the man lifted his chin slightly.

This time, he ignored Yin Zhi, instead turning to Wen Qian. "Don’t make breakfast tomorrow. I’ll bring some for you after my morning run."

"Who wants your—OOF!" Yin Zhi nearly pounced on him, but the moment he moved, Wen Qian’s hand shot out and pinched a sensitive spot on his waist.

The man turned his head in disbelief. ’Who taught her that? How does she know exactly where a person’s weak spot is?’

"It’s a date, then, Qianqian. See you in the morning." Gu Mian gave a faint smile, then turned and left, ignoring Yin Zhi completely.

As if he couldn’t let it go, Yin Zhi stealthily trailed Gu Mian until he saw him with his own eyes, entering the apartment across the hall... ’Damn it, he was telling the truth!’

As far as Wen Qian knew, the apartment next door had been renovated last year. The reason it had been vacant was that Aunt Li was saving it as a new home for her son.

’I can’t believe Gu Mian is the one who moved in.’

"That damned snake..." Back in the living room, Yin Zhi was furious. His beast ears and tail popped out as he paced anxiously. The moment he looked at Wen Qian, his eyes instantly welled with tears. "I feel so wronged."

"What do you have to feel so wronged about?" Wen Qian raised an eyebrow.

’Why is he getting so worked up over someone moving in?’

Yin Zhi opened his mouth to say something, but he suddenly remembered Gu Mian’s taunts at the dinner table the other day, and... the corners of his mouth drooped even lower.

’He’d almost forgotten... he had kissed Wen Qian.’

"Now I feel even more wronged," Yin Zhi sniffled.

Wen Qian: "..."

...

「Nighttime.」

A slender young man slipped stealthily into the bedroom.

He had changed into a set of soft pajamas and was now climbing onto the bed, light as a feather.

After making sure Wen Qian was fast asleep, he gently lifted a corner of the covers and slowly slid in beside her.

But the very next second...

A loud wolf howl echoed from outside.

Wen Qian’s eyes flew open. The sound startled Yin Zhi so badly that he rolled right off the bed and onto the floor...

Yin Zhi gritted his teeth. ’That wolf definitely did that on purpose.’

"Chi Heng!" Wen Qian hissed, her voice tight with strained patience. The last thing she wanted was a complaint from the neighbors in the middle of the night.

Instantly, it went quiet outside.

"Now what are you doing?" Hearing a noise beside her, Wen Qian instinctively looked over and was startled by the sight of Yin Zhi.

’What is he doing on the floor in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?’

"The... the bed’s a little hot..." the man stammered, avoiding her gaze.

"But... why aren’t you in your beast form?" Wen Qian frowned.

"It’s not comfortable in beast form..." Yin Zhi mumbled, pouting. In the next moment, he was hugging her arm again. "Can’t we just sleep like this? I’m wearing clothes."

Wen Qian’s first instinct was to refuse, but seeing his pitiful, puppy-dog expression, she hesitated.

’Maybe... just this once?’

"Just this once," Wen Qian said, looking up at him. Then she forcefully pulled her arm free. "And no funny business."

The man agreed readily. "Okay!!"

Watching the man scramble up from the floor, Wen Qian was just about to roll over and go to sleep when she saw him pull a blue card from his pocket.

He shuffled over to her side like a little animal. "Qianqian, these are my savings from all these years... I kept forgetting to give them to you."

"The password is six zeros," he added, then nuzzled his head against Wen Qian’s neck to curry favor. His voice was soft. "Once I give this to you, I won’t have any money left... If you kick me out in the future, I’ll die."

Wen Qian: "...?"

’She was thrilled to be holding the card, but Blue Star didn’t exactly advocate for these kinds of strong-arm tactics!’

’Besides, she didn’t even know how much money was on the card yet.’

"So... your life savings... how much is that, exactly?" Wen Qian tried to ask as tactfully as possible, hoping not to reveal her materialistic nature.

"A few million, I think?" Yin Zhi said after a moment of thought.

"..."

She sucked in a sharp breath. She couldn’t wrap her head around why a Beastman was richer than her. But a second later, she made a solemn promise. "Don’t you worry, Tiger. I wouldn’t let you go even if I were the one leaving."

"...?"

’What kind of nickname is Tiger?’

’Wait... that’s not what I meant at all!’

"I meant I want to live with Qianqian forever..." He pressed the top of his head against her neck, nuzzling her insistently. He took her hand and placed it on one of his beast ears. His voice was low. "I don’t want to live by myself."

’What kind of pretty-boy ploy was this...?’

Unable to resist, she gave his ear a couple of rubs and a gentle pinch. Seeing the man shiver, Wen Qian finally let go.