Chapter Four: The First Signs of Success

Yan Xue held the heavy food container in her hands, momentarily stunned, her mind seemingly frozen, unable to grasp what had just happened.

“What’s wrong? Is it that my braised beef looks so good you can’t bear to share it with Xia Qing and Ji Yuan? Then hurry and hide it in your fridge while you can!” Kang Ge teased deliberately when he saw Yan Xue staring blankly at him.

Snapping back to reality, Yan Xue glanced toward the neighboring door. “You… didn’t buy that place, did you?”

“That’s just a TV drama cliché! I’m not that flush with cash,” Kang Ge laughed at her reaction. “I’m just renting. Come on, let’s go over there first. Standing in the hallway, do you want the neighbors on both sides to hear our conversation?”

Yan Xue felt his point made sense. She quickly grabbed the keys from the shoe cabinet’s key holder, locked the door, and followed Kang Ge.

The adjacent apartment was a small two-bedroom unit, which Yan Xue knew of, but stepping inside to see it for the first time was new. The previous tenants had been two young roommates who weren’t very sociable. Occasionally, when they met, the others weren’t the chatty type who instantly became friends, and Yan Xue herself lacked the energy to mingle with neighbors, so even when the door was open, she rarely peeked inside. This time, however, she finally got a clear look at the layout—not just at the doorway, but confidently stepping into the home.

Though it was a two-bedroom, the space was modest, about fifty or sixty square meters, similar in size to Yan Xue’s place, both quite compact. There was a neat, square living room facing south with a floor-to-ceiling window. There was no dining room; the bathroom and kitchen were located on opposite ends, each adjoining a bedroom.

Xia Qing and Ji Yuan had already arrived. Both were familiar and comfortable with Kang Ge, showing no signs of awkwardness. They sat on the living room sofa, snapping green beans. When they saw Yan Xue, Xia Qing waved warmly, inviting her to join.

Yan Xue placed the braised beef on the small round dining table, took a small chair from Kang Ge, and sat opposite Xia Qing. As she picked up some green beans, she asked, “So, when did you find out Kang Ge rented a place here?”

“Oh, I knew from the start!” Xia Qing raised her eyebrows with a smile. “To be honest, I helped Kang Ge find this place! Do you remember when we were looking for apartments together? I met your landlord’s sister-in-law. We even exchanged landlord contacts just in case. So when I needed to find a place for a friend, I called your landlord’s sister-in-law to ask if she knew anyone renting around your unit.”

“Coincidentally, she said her neighbor’s apartment had been rented out for a while, but the previous tenant wasn’t well-kept and left the place in a mess. So they didn’t want to renew that lease and were waiting for the tenant to move out to rent it again.”

“As soon as I heard that, I got the landlord’s contact and passed it on to Kang Ge. He handled the rest himself and apparently signed the lease without much trouble.”

“Sigh, typical of girls to be so outgoing! My best friend turns into someone else’s secret agent!” Yan Xue guessed who must have sent Xia Qing. “You were so focused on making a surprise for someone else, you didn’t even ask if I was okay with it?”

“Knowing you, I figured you wouldn’t mind. But if you did, that would be easy to fix.” Xia Qing nudged Ji Yuan with her elbow. “Hey, what if Yan Xue doesn’t want this?”

“I’ll kick him out for you,” Ji Yuan said matter-of-factly, glancing at Kang Ge.

“That won’t be necessary. What’s done is done. The furniture is already here. There’s no kicking him out now!” Yan Xue joked, then noticed Kang Ge watching her seriously. She quickly asked, “What’s on your mind?”

“I realize I should have asked you first if me moving next door would bother you,” Kang Ge said, unusually serious and sincere, dropping his usual teasing tone.

“No, not at all. I was just joking with Xia Qing,” Yan Xue reassured him upon seeing his earnest expression.

Kang Ge relaxed with a sigh. “Good. When you said that earlier, I worried I might have been inconsiderate.”

“I honestly don’t mind. I’m just curious—why move here when you have such a nice, spacious place? Wouldn’t living here feel like being in a pigeonhole? They say it’s easy to go from frugal to extravagant, but hard to go back,” Yan Xue said, intrigued.

Kang Ge smiled but hadn’t yet replied when Ji Yuan shook his head. “He’s never really lived extravagantly, except for the stuff his family bought. Personally, I can vouch for Kang Ge—he’s always been pretty much like us.”

“You said it yourself—your place echoes when you talk alone!” Kang Ge laughed, gauging Yan Xue’s reaction and relaxing again. “So this place is more than enough for me.”

“I’d thought about moving here before, but I worried it was a one-sided decision. If it cramped your private space, that wouldn’t be good. Later, I figured you probably wouldn’t mind, so I asked Xia Qing to keep an eye out. Finding a place next to you was an unexpected surprise. From now on, my place is an open kitchen, and you’ll have company on your night runs.”

Yan Xue was momentarily speechless. She remembered Kang Ge’s concern about her running alone at night and how he once said it would be better if she had a running partner. At the time, she’d casually mentioned that Xia Qing ran in the mornings, which didn’t match her schedule, and Ren Yaya was slow-paced and not really into running unless it was mandatory physical training, so finding a partner wasn’t easy.

Later, they talked about her poor cooking skills and tendency to skip breakfast, often relying on fast food or joining Xia Qing and others for hotpot because they felt sorry for her.

She hadn’t taken Kang Ge’s worry seriously then, but now she realized he had thought it through and devised a solution.

A wave of mixed emotions surged inside her, so unfamiliar and touching that her heartstrings trembled fiercely. For so long, she had played a fierce role: at work, protecting victims of crime; in life, shielding her meek parents. Everyone saw her as an indomitable female warrior—invulnerable and able to endure anything without complaint.

Slowly, she came to believe this herself—that her role was to protect others. Until now, she suddenly realized someone was carefully looking out for her, worried about her getting hurt. This strange yet comforting feeling stirred her deeply.

Xia Qing had known Yan Xue for many years and was the closest among the four close friends. She understood Yan Xue’s character well. Seeing Yan Xue’s slight daze as she looked at Kang Ge, Xia Qing couldn’t help but smile in relief and exhale softly.

Kang Ge and Ji Yuan took charge of lunch while Xia Qing and Yan Xue were sent to the living room to watch TV. Both rarely had much time for TV and found it difficult to choose a program, so they randomly picked a cheerful variety show as background noise and began chatting.

Yan Xue recounted the recent case involving Song Chen, including how Song Chen exaggerated and slandered her family. Though Xia Qing was somewhat familiar with Song Chen’s character, she frowned deeply at the story.

“She’s unbelievable! Your aunt is formidable, but how did she give birth to such a spiteful troublemaker who outdoes her own teacher?” Xia Qing gritted her teeth, seething. “I used to dislike my own gossiping relatives, but at least they only twisted the facts. Your aunt and cousin, though—they cause trouble even when there’s none!”

“Don’t get too riled up yet. I’ve got a different strategy this time, thanks to a tactician,” Yan Xue explained, telling Xia Qing about Kang Ge’s advice and how she applied it. “When my aunt asked if I’d apologized to Song Chen, Song Chen purposely dodged the question, implying I hadn’t. You know my aunt’s temper—she immediately went to my parents to complain.”

“But didn’t you already send the recording of your apology call to your parents? They must have realized how shamelessly your cousin lies now!” Xia Qing felt a rush of satisfaction at the thought.

“Exactly. My dad even scolded my aunt for it, saying that if Song Chen didn’t hang out in those bad places, none of this would have happened. If they still think my apology wasn’t sincere, next time they might as well handcuff her. No matter what, Song Chen and my aunt won’t be satisfied, but at least I can keep the peace at work.”

“My mom said my aunt left looking like a boiled eggplant — probably never used to my dad talking back like that. She must have been stunned.”

“Great! That makes me feel so good! Nothing beats seeing someone you dislike get their comeuppance!” Xia Qing chuckled, glancing toward the kitchen. “Now I’m truly relieved. I think you two are a good match.”

“Was there something that made you uneasy before?” Yan Xue was curious. Xia Qing was a genuinely caring friend with a good eye for people. She had told Yan Xue before that Kang Ge was reliable. So what had made her doubt?

Xia Qing thought for a moment. “Maybe because I never really figured out Kang Ge’s true personality. He’s close with Ji Yuan, but when he talks, he’s always a bit obscure, like nothing’s serious or important to him.”

“So when I first noticed he was attracted to you, I worried it might be a passing fancy. What if, after getting to know each other better, you two clashed like fire and water? That would be a shame.”

“Ji Yuan said he didn’t think so. He said Kang Ge jokes around with us because there’s a part of him he hasn’t revealed. But someone who doesn’t open up easily, once they let someone in, it’s serious. I thought that made sense, so I stopped worrying. Now, it seems you’re meant for each other.”

Hearing Xia Qing’s words, Yan Xue fell silent. Her initial impression of Kang Ge matched Xia Qing’s. But the more she got to know him, the clearer his concealed side became.

“See, this is how it should be! Being together means lifting each other up and growing together,” Xia Qing nodded approvingly. “Look, with Kang Ge’s advice, dealing with Song Chen and your aunt went way better than before, when you just clashed head-on. Even your dad, who’s usually too mild, got mad to defend you. That’s rarer than the sun rising in the west! Kang Ge’s move was brilliant!”

Xia Qing’s objective praise resonated with Yan Xue, but it also stirred a flicker of doubt.

Xia Qing believed that couples should mutually improve and grow, which was true in her relationship with Ji Yuan. She helped him heal old wounds, and he helped her overcome past shadows. One was firm and decisive, the other flexible and gentle; they complemented each other perfectly at work and in life.

What about her and Kang Ge? Kang Ge had changed her approach, using strategy and retreat to advance rather than confronting difficult relatives head-on. The new tactic was effective and inspiring, especially at work.

But what could she offer Kang Ge in return? What could she bring that would benefit him?