Chapter 34: Renting Out the Stairwell Space

Chapter 34: Chapter 34: Renting Out the Stairwell Space

After cleaning up the kitchen, Ling Qianjun spoke up. "It’s getting late. My family is still waiting for me, so I must go back.

"We are currently in a room at the inn, so there is no fear of anyone seeing us. I’d like to take some more food back for them to try." It was rare to find a place shielded from prying eyes, and he wanted his family to eat and drink better.

Hearing this, Hua Buwan naturally had no reason to refuse, nodding hastily in agreement. "Of course! You can pick out whatever you want from the supermarket, and I can even give you some recommendations.

"You can choose food, drinks, and everyday items." Hua Buwan looked over Ling Qianjun’s clothes and suggested, "Do you want some hot water for a bath? I have a bathtub here in the supermarket. I can fill it with hot water directly, and you can take the tub straight back to your room. After each person finishes washing, you can bring the bathwater back here to dump out and fetch fresh hot water. That will save you the trouble of bothering the waiter at the inn.

"There are also small bottles of body wash and shampoo downstairs, but I’m afraid they might be too fragrant. How about this: you take a bar of soap with you to wash up later. This soap has a milder scent and won’t attract too much attention."

Hua Buwan was worried that if Ling Qianjun didn’t take a bath soon, he would get head lice. She had heard that they had been traveling for days without washing up or doing laundry. Looking closely, his hair did seem a bit greasy. It wasn’t too bad—she couldn’t smell any stench from up close—but it was probably only a matter of time.

Speaking of brushing teeth and washing faces, Hua Buwan quickly followed up. "How about you take some toothbrushes and face towels? You can carry water back for your family to wash up, and then bring the dirty water back here to dump. If carrying those items around is inconvenient, you can just leave them with me. I’ll store them for you!

"That space under the supermarket stairs is just sitting empty anyway. I might as well rent it to you as a storage cabinet," Hua Buwan said, looking around and pointing to the stairwell. "If it’s inconvenient to carry your family’s belongings on your person, you can temporarily store them here. Whenever you need to use them, you can find an opportunity to come over and grab them.

"Whatever you need to carry with you, you can just take yourselves. How does that sound?"

The more Hua Buwan thought about it, the more she felt her idea was brilliant. She felt she was absolutely pampering her wealthy patron! Her place could practically serve as his portable inventory space.

Upon hearing Hua Buwan’s proposal, Ling Qianjun’s brows relaxed, a brilliant light flickering in the depths of his eyes. He thought Buwan’s idea was absolutely marvelous. This way, he wouldn’t have to worry about the hassle of carrying certain items around.

"Let’s do as you say," Ling Qianjun said, naturally having no objections.

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck Hua Buwan. She clapped her hands together abruptly, her excitement palpable. "Oh! I just remembered. You can also take a hair dryer with you! I have a battery-operated one here that you can absolutely bring over. This way, you can wash your hair and clothes, and easily blow them dry!"

"What is a hair dryer?" Ling Qianjun asked out of curiosity, seeing Hua Buwan so excited.

Hua Buwan could hardly wait. She immediately went over to the supermarket section, retrieved a hair dryer for Ling Qianjun to see, installed the batteries, and turned it on. She aimed it at his hair, demonstrating both the hot and cold air settings.

It was Ling Qianjun’s first time seeing such a miraculous object. When Hua Buwan handed it to him, he immediately aimed it right at his own face, letting it blow at full force. He marveled at how the air was hot. There was clearly no burning charcoal and no stove, yet this device emitted billowing waves of heat.

"I want to take two," Ling Qianjun hurriedly placed his order. "One for my brother and me, and one for my mother and sister."

"Alright, I’ll get them for you right now." Hua Buwan grabbed one blue and one pink hair dryer from the supermarket shelf.

As soon as she finished speaking, Ling Qianjun rubbed his waistline and pulled out that Jade Ring from earlier, handing it to Hua Buwan. "This is the deposit. I will bring the rest when I return."