Chapter 1732 - 707: The Old House (Part 2)

Chapter 1732: Chapter 707: The Old House (Part 2)

"Tut-tut," Yang Hao said.

With the new store opening, Zhou Wang certainly can’t handle everything by himself. Even though Sister Xiao Yu volunteered to help, she could only assist with serving tea, washing clothes, and cooking, not much help in business operations.

So, Zhou Wang made a call to get Yang Hao to come over, acting as free labor for the initial phase.

After graduating, Yang Hao spent some of his time helping at the family-owned chain of hot pot restaurants, but most of the time he was just goofing around. Hearing his closest godfather needed help, Yang Hao came to Qin Island without hesitation.

He landed last night and started working this morning.

He even brought his own "uniform" that Zhou Wang requested... a custom white Armani suit costing nearly a hundred thousand, adding to his professional appearance.

Although Yang Hao had no clue why Zhou Wang suddenly decided to dabble in small ventures again, he appreciated that Zhou Wang called him over for help. He wouldn’t probe too much and treated it like a trip, appearing quite enthusiastic.

Zhou Wang didn’t mention anything about salary or compensation, and he didn’t ask either.

In fact, not only Yang Hao, but Zhou Wang also mentioned it in the old group chat "We’re Not Old (6)", and everyone seemed enthusiastic back then, but for various reasons, only Yang Hao eventually showed up here.

"It’s about time, let’s call it a day."

Zhou Wang didn’t answer Yang Hao’s pointless questions, he just glanced at his Patek Philippe watch and, seeing that it was nearly 9 PM, waved his hand.

The system had frozen all his cash assets, but things like clothes, jewelry, and watches could still be used, just not converted into cash.

"Oh, right, Haozi, do you have a place to stay?"

Before leaving, Zhou Wang asked.

"Yeah, I booked a hotel nearby for a month, so I’ll stay there for now..."

"Alright, then let’s go."

"Hey, hold on, Brother Dog!"

Yang Hao urgently pulled Zhou Wang back, "I didn’t say much yesterday since I landed late, but now it’s just the start of nightlife, aren’t you going to show me around?"

Seeing Yang Hao’s winking expression, Zhou Wang knew what he was thinking.

"Haozi, I’ve given up on those things."

"Given... given up?"

"Yeah, you’re not mature yet. One day you’ll be like me, suddenly realizing there’s no interest in these things. We have a whole lifetime ahead of us; we can’t waste it on such low-level pleasures... Romance should have a more advanced definition."

Zhou Wang patted his shoulder, and as Yang Hao was taken aback, Zhou Wang had already turned and walked away, leaving only a "remember to lock the door" behind.

...

After leaving the store, Zhou Wang silently took out his phone, looked at the balance of only a few thousand on WhatsApp, and sighed silently.

My good son, it’s not that your godfather doesn’t want to take you places, but the capability just isn’t there!

Of course, he knew Yang Hao had money. Hearing about starting a business with him, Yang Hao’s dad happily approved a six-figure sum, and there could be more if needed. Otherwise, Yang Hao wouldn’t have lavishly booked a hotel for a month.

Zhou Wang also understood that Yang Hao would probably be willing to treat, showing off a bit to Brother Dog.

But the problem was, Zhou Wang couldn’t bring himself to ask...

"Forget it, forget it. I’ve promised to settle down and cultivate my morals. It’s nothing but worldly skeletons, not worth lingering over."

Zhou Wang comforted himself with a few words, just as Linlin appeared in front of him on a newly bought small motorbike, calling Zhou Wang to hop on.

Zhou Wang didn’t have any intention of fighting with Linlin for the wheel, just sat on the back seat and wrapped his arms around Linlin’s waist. With the slightly salty and damp cold wind blowing, the small motorbike drove towards a nearby neighborhood.

...

An old neighborhood, not by the sea, with a two-bedroom layout, renting for 3600 a month by season, not too extravagant. Yet, this rent further emptied Zhou Wang’s wallet, dropping him into the "thousand-yuan household" category.

Of course, Sister Xiao Yu, who lived with Zhou Wang, was more than happy to cover the rent. But Zhou Wang knew she didn’t have much savings either, and while serving as his nanny in the Magic City, grateful Sister Xiao Yu stubbornly refused to accept a penny. So, of course, Zhou Wang couldn’t bring himself to let her pay in advance; eventually, he funded the rent himself.

But now that the store was starting to do business, cash flow would soon come in, so as long as they got through this initial tough week, it wouldn’t be too problematic.

When Zhou Wang and Linlin pushed the door open, a delicious aroma of food wafted over. Sister Xiao Yu had just finished preparing the dishes, and from the smell alone, it was evident that they were authentic Yunan Province hometown dishes, making Zhou Wang’s mouth water.

"Sister Xiao Yu, tomorrow, I’m heading to Beidou, I should be back by the day after tomorrow if nothing goes wrong, so I won’t take you and Linlin with me. If you feel bored, you can help out at the store, but remember to take your medicine on time."

After the meal, while Sister Xiao Yu was tidying up the dishes, Zhou Wang remembered something and reminded her.

Theoretically, Sister Xiao Yu had an "incurable disease", but fortunately, Zhou Wang had connections. The "Little Blue Bottle" he secretly provided her had greatly alleviated her condition.

Now Zhao Yu was glowing with health and even looked one or two years younger than before. Coupled with her improved dressing taste, she now resembled a vibrant urban lady. Her simple floral dress and the occasional revealing cleavage when bending over to clean the table unconsciously drew Zhou Wang’s gaze.

Sister Xiao Yu had a classic hourglass figure, with a fullness that a skinny girl couldn’t compare to. Coupled with some lingering "Huang Yuegong" memories in Zhou Wang’s mind, his eyes seemed glued to her, unwilling to shift away.

"Alright, boss."

Zhao Yu didn’t raise her head, seemingly unaware of Zhou Wang’s gaze, responding softly.

"Brother, I’ve prepared the bathwater for you, hurry up and take a bath."

At this moment, Linlin ran over from the direction of the bathroom.

The startled Zhou Wang realized his gaffe, hastily withdrawing his gaze, and inwardly scolded himself for being a beast; it had only been a few days, and he was already starting to get restless again...

"It’s true, I haven’t taken a bath in a while. You two should rest early, and I’ll wash up and sleep."

Clearing his throat, Zhou Wang dared not look any further and hurriedly slipped into the bathroom.

After Zhou Wang disappeared in the direction of the bathroom, Zhao Yu finally raised her head, lightly pursing her lips, her eyes flickering, again lost in thought.

...

Though it was an old neighborhood, the bathroom had been newly renovated. The landlord had even installed a new bathtub, albeit a small, standard single-person one. But after rushing around since arriving at Qin Island, Zhou Wang now really wanted a good soak to relax.

Removing his clothes, Zhou Wang lay in the bathtub sprinkled with a few petals, staring at the ordinary patterned ceiling, feeling a little dazed.

... It’s been a long time since I’ve used a bathroom this "basic".

It also seemed like ages since I took a bath alone.

At this moment, Zhou Wang felt a subtle sensation, vaguely understanding another layer of meaning behind the "fourth action round".

He had moved too fast and too high, perhaps occasionally needing to settle down to see more things clearly.

A temporary pause, merely to prepare for a longer journey ahead.

With his mind wandering, Zhou Wang gradually felt drowsy. In a daze, he leaned back in the bathtub and closed his eyes.

No one knows how long it was before Zhou Wang suddenly felt a strange warmth and comfort, accompanied by the splashing sound of water as if a significant amount had overflowed the bathtub.

Startled, Zhou Wang opened his eyes and found that the small bathtub had somehow squeezed in another person.

"Sist... Sister Xiao Yu?"

Seeing the unexpected guest’s face, Zhou Wang was taken aback.