Driving the brand-new Mercedes, the two of them returned to the Fulong Garden parking lot. Shen Lang parked the car in Xia Shuyi's reserved spot.
After getting out of the car, Shen Lang politely declined Xia Shuyi's persistent invitation to come inside for a meal. He knew that if he succumbed to temptation now, he wouldn't just be eating dinner, but rather a fresh seafood feast!
Bidding farewell to Xia Shuyi, Shen Lang returned home alone, where he found the lunch delivery from earlier still hanging on the doorknob—a 30 yuan barbecue rice bowl.
Not wanting to waste it, he took it inside and ate it. After quickly finishing his dinner, Shen Lang was about to take a shower when he felt something hard in his jacket pocket.
Upon checking, he found not only the keys to his rental and the Mercedes, but also two different bank cards. One was the 500,000 yuan card Xia Shuyi had forced on him, and the other was Shen Lang's own 340,000 yuan card meant for repaying the car loan.
With a helpless smile, Shen Lang opened WeChat and joked, "Sister Xia, this is not fair. I really don't want to live off a woman."
Four Seasons of Peace: "I don't care. Just take it! {Angry}"
Shen Lang chuckled and after thinking for a moment, asked, "What's our relationship now? Am I being kept by you?"
After a few minutes of hesitation, the reply came: "It doesn't matter. If you feel uncomfortable, you can think of it as you keeping me. I've already set my mind on you~ {Shy}"
Sleep Until Dawn: "But I don't want to keep you. Besides, in which keeping relationship does the mistress give money to the employer?"
Four Seasons of Peace: "I don't care. You're keeping me, and that's final. If you argue, I'll come down with a steel wool ball right now!"
Sleep Until Dawn: "Sis, this is outright kidnapping. I'll report you to the authorities! {Crying}"
Four Seasons of Peace: "It's too late to say anything now. Just accept it. I'll treat you well in the future. {Flower}"
Sleep Until Dawn: "You rascal~ {Flower}"
Chatting with Xia Shuyi always made Shen Lang laugh. She was becoming more and more amusing.
After a brief chat, Shen Lang put down his hot phone and lay on his small bed, lost in thought. He had never been in a real relationship before, but it was clear that his relationship with Xia Shuyi was not that of a typical boyfriend-girlfriend, nor was it a kept relationship.
After all, in which kept relationship does the mistress give money to the employer? This was a complete role reversal. Even in the most chaotic circles, it wasn't this chaotic.
"Forget it, time for a shower!"
After thinking about it for a while, Shen Lang decided not to dwell on it. Life, whether good or bad, had to go on, and overthinking wouldn't help. Living in the moment was the right choice.
---
The next morning, just as Shen Lang woke up and was about to freshen up, he received a video call request from Su Lexuan.
Su Lexuan didn't want Shen Lang to appear in front of her roommates, fearing that her single roommates might take an interest in him. So, despite their long acquaintance, Shen Lang had never shown his face to her roommates and mostly chatted through voice calls. Only when her roommates were asleep or not in the dorm would Su Lexuan sneak in a video call with him.
Today was Saturday, and her roommates had gone home to spend time with their families. Her best friend Ye Xinxin had gone out to buy breakfast. Alone in the dorm, Su Lexuan eagerly called Shen Lang.
Su Lexuan was lively and cheerful. As soon as the video connected, her cute and expectant face appeared on the screen, her voice full of energy.
"Shen Lang, you're awake? Do you have time today?"
"Just woke up, brushing my teeth."
With a toothbrush in his mouth, Shen Lang raised an eyebrow and mumbled, "I'll drive over to see you in a bit."
In the early days of their relationship, the somewhat socially anxious Shen Lang might have coughed to clear his throat before answering a call or adjusted his phone to get a good angle. But now, with their relationship more familiar and under the influence of the system, Shen Lang had become more relaxed.
He placed his phone on the windowsill, aiming the camera at his upper body.
Like most couples in love, their interactions, though seemingly casual, did not weaken their bond but rather strengthened it.
"Okay, okay."
Su Lexuan sat cross-legged on her bed, swaying with happiness. Then she realized something. "Wait, Shen Lang, do you have a car?"
"Yeah, just got a Mercedes yesterday."
Shen Lang said proudly, "I'll take you out for a spin!"
"Hmm, hmm!"
Su Lexuan didn't care what kind of car Shen Lang drove. She was more interested in where he would take her. That was normal for a girl in love.
Besides, Su Lexuan's family was well-off. If her parents weren't worried about her driving skills, they would have bought her a car too.
"Xuan~, open the door. I forgot my keys."
"Talk to you later. My roommate's back. Just meet me at the school gate."
Su Lexuan hastily ended the call.
"This feels like a secret affair."
Shaking his head with a wry smile, Shen Lang pocketed his phone.
After freshening up, Shen Lang went to the underground parking lot. The brand-new Mercedes-Benz from yesterday was parked in Xia Shuyi's reserved spot, looking sleek and cool.
Shen Lang took out the silver car key and pressed the unlock button. The car beeped twice and the lights flashed, filling him with satisfaction.
Many new car owners felt this way initially. The better the car, the more pride they felt when unlocking it. Only over time did this feeling fade, sometimes turning into annoyance.
Opening the car door, Shen Lang sat in the driver's seat. After admiring the refined interior, he cleared his throat and in broken English, activated the voice assistant: "Hey, Mercedes~"
The Mercedes voice system responded in an electronic female voice: "How can I assist you?"
Originally, Shen Lang planned to navigate to Zhuhai University to pick up Su Lexuan. But recalling a TikTok video he had seen of other Mercedes owners playing pranks, he decided to try it himself. He started recording and commanded in English.
"Navigate to Red Romance, I need to relax!"
"Ding! As a distinguished Mercedes-Benz owner, you should prioritize career and family. Please do not bring the habits of Cadillac owners into the Mercedes-Benz community."
"Hahaha, that's hilarious."
Amused, Shen Lang saved the video and then navigated to Zhuhai University.