Chapter 34

"Uh..." Li Mingcheng immediately wilted. He did have a sum of money saved up, but at most, it could only buy a place around a hundred square meters. A two-hundred-square-meter house was still a bit out of reach for him at the moment.

However, he didn't let the setback discourage him. He quickly put on a smile and fawned over Liu Yanzi, saying, "Yanzi, didn't you say you were going to treat me to a big meal? It's getting late. Shouldn't we go?"

"It's not me," Liu Yanzi raised an eyebrow. This woman was like a fully armed hedgehog, having just finished dealing with Li Mingcheng, she now turned to Lin Zixian, pointing at him and saying, "He's the one who's going to treat all of us at the Ivory Coast."

"You? Treat us to the Ivory Coast?" Li Mingcheng looked at Lin Zixian with some surprise, re-evaluating him a few times, and asked uncertainly, "The Ivory Coast is one of the top hotels in the East Sea, with high expenses. Are you sure you want to treat us there?"

Lin Zixian was taken aback, finally realizing why everyone was looking at him strangely. He scratched his head and said, "I have a friend who works there, so we can get a good discount. It won't cost much. I had a free meal there last time."

The women immediately understood. It made sense; he wasn't just putting on a show.

Liu Yanzi suddenly exclaimed, "Wow! That's where the rich people hang out. Maybe I can find a rich husband. Ivory Coast, here I come! Everyone, hurry up and change into something pretty!" She ran upstairs in a flash.

Lin Zixian was petrified on the spot. This woman was really something, not at all hiding her desires. He couldn't help but think of a saying... In a big forest, there are all kinds of birds.

The others seemed to be used to Liu Yanzi's craziness. The women smiled without a word, while Li Mingcheng just smiled bitterly.

"Zhang Beibei, didn't you say there was another male resident at Sakura Snow Apartments?" Lin Zixian looked around and asked.

Zhang Beibei pointed at Qin Yue and said, "Xiaqiu is Yueyue's boyfriend."

Lin Zixian was a bit depressed when he heard this. Liu Yanzi's situation was obvious, and Li Mingcheng was clearly pursuing her. Now, Qin Yue had a boyfriend. He paused and said, "Qin Yue, why don't you bring your boyfriend along? I said I would treat everyone at Sakura Snow Apartments, so it wouldn't be right to leave him out."

Qin Yue shook her head gracefully and said, "He's out on business and might not be back tonight. We'll treat you next time."

Lin Zixian nodded, his gaze lingering on Qin Yue for a moment. He had met many wealthy and influential people, and Qin Yue's demeanor and style subtly revealed a certain elegance typical of the wealthy. She didn't seem like an ordinary person, but living with her boyfriend here didn't quite fit the profile of a wealthy child.

Suddenly remembering something, he said, "Didn't you say the male residents live downstairs and the female residents upstairs? Qin Yue, you and your boyfriend..."

Qin Yue knew what he was asking and didn't hide it. She said frankly with a smile, "We have an agreement to not live together before marriage, so we don't share a room."

"Cough, cough! I really admire your... willpower," Lin Zixian chuckled, not finishing the last word.

Liu Yanzi, who had changed upstairs, came down again. She looked like a different person, elegant and dignified in a purple low-cut backless evening gown that showcased her good figure. Li Mingcheng's eyes immediately lit up as he praised her, "Yanzi, you look so beautiful!"

"Of course! Otherwise, how would I catch a rich husband?" Liu Yanzi walked down the stairs, glanced at the other women, and said in surprise, "Why aren't you changing?"

They all said they didn't want to go through the trouble, and Liu Yanzi laughed, "Then I'll have to steal the show. Li Mingcheng, what are you staring at? Never seen a beautiful woman before? You see me every day and still can't get enough. Hurry up and start the car!"

Li Mingcheng responded, obediently running out like Liu Yanzi's personal servant.

Outside the courtyard was a Toyota Nissan. When they got to the car, they realized it was a bit crowded. In the front passenger seat, Tong Yinan was with her daughter, and the three women were squeezed in the back. Lin Zixian stood alone by the car door. He didn't mind squeezing in with the women, but he wasn't sure they would be willing.

"Hey... Lin Zixian, why don't you take another car?" Li Mingcheng laughed from inside the car, his tone much friendlier since he was treating them to a meal.

"Sure! You guys go ahead, I'll take another car," Lin Zixian waved and said.

Despite feeling a bit guilty, they left him behind. Li Mingcheng gave him a business card for later contact.

Standing at the gate, Lin Zixian took out his old phone, which he had turned off for a few days. As soon as he turned it on, it started beeping with missed calls. He looked and saw a bunch of missed calls, mostly from Qiao Antian and Ning Lan.

He filtered those out, remembering that Meng Zidan had once entered a phone number on his phone, saying to call her if he needed anything.

He found Meng Zidan's number and called her. Her voice came through the receiver, "Hello! Who is this?"

"Meng Zong, it's been a while. It's Lin Zixian, the one who was with Ning Lan last time. Remember me?" Lin Zixian laughed.

"It's you?" A loud exclamation followed, and Meng Zidan immediately started a tirade, "You scoundrel, you ate and ran. Do you think our Lanlan is someone you can just sleep with and then dump? How dare you call me, you bastard, I won't let you off..."

Her voice was so loud it hurt his eardrums. Lin Zixian winced and held the phone away. When the tirade stopped, he said, "Meng Zong, why are you so angry? Can't we talk calmly?"

"Spit! I don't need to talk calmly to an animal. Lanlan is a mess because of you. Do you think a virgin is a toy? Lin, where are you now? Tell me the truth, or I'll find you and tear you apart."

"We'll talk about tearing me apart later. Meng Zong, I need your help with something."

"You dare to ask for my help?" Meng Zidan sounded incredulous, her cold laugh continuing, "Lin, where are you now? Don't hide, give me your address."

"Damn! Who's hiding? I'm coming to find you!"

"Who are you cursing? Try it again! Uh... You're coming to find me?" Meng Zidan paused, "What is it? Speak up!"

"Such a beautiful lady shouldn't be so rude... Anyway, I'm taking some friends to the Ivory Coast for dinner, but I'm worried about getting a table. Can you help me arrange it?"

Meng Zidan immediately asked, "Boyfriends or girlfriends?"

"Both."

"Alright! I'll help you. Better hurry, or I'll make you pay if you stand me up." She hung up.

Lin Zixian shivered, holding the phone. Her tone was like a trap. She must have misunderstood what happened that night. He needed to explain properly this time, or he'd be seen as a heartless womanizer, which would be unfair.

He turned and pushed his bicycle out of the courtyard, closed the gate, and rode off.

It wasn't to show off or save money on a taxi. After spending some time in the East Sea, he knew this was the peak traffic hour. The old city wasn't far from the Ivory Coast, and he could make it in about half an hour if he rode fast.

Riding through the streets, he quickly reached the intersection of the old and new cities. The road was indeed jammed with cars. Lin Zixian smirked at his own foresight, feeling quite cool as he sped past the stuck cars.

Liu Yanzi, stuck in traffic, was complaining. Her daughter, Tong Feifei, sitting on her lap, suddenly pointed out the window and shouted, "Mom, look! It's Uncle Lin."

They all looked back and saw Lin Zixian riding his bicycle away. Li Mingcheng's eyes widened in surprise, "No way! He can't be riding a bicycle to the Ivory Coast!"

Liu Yanzi looked at her evening gown and imagined meeting Lin Zixian with a bicycle at the Ivory Coast. She groaned, "Oh no! If he's really going that way, he can be shameless, but he should think about us! I don't want to be embarrassed on my first visit to a six-star hotel!"

Zhang Beibei and Qin Yue exchanged glances and couldn't help but laugh.

"Yanzi, don't worry. If he's really on a bicycle when we meet, we'll just avoid him and pretend we don't know him," Li Mingcheng comforted her.

Lin Zixian, on his bicycle, didn't have such concerns. He didn't think riding a bicycle was embarrassing; in fact, he found it quite refreshing. Suddenly, his phone beeped. He answered it, and Meng Zidan's voice came through, "Lin Zixian, where are you? Don't play games with me!"

Lin Zixian looked at the white building in the distance and replied, "Almost there, just five more minutes."

"Good! I'll wait for you."

Meng Zidan hung up and immediately left the hotel lobby, angrily walking to the road entrance, ready to give Lin Zixian a piece of her mind.

However, when she reached the road entrance, she saw Lin Zixian riding his old bicycle right at that moment. She was stunned!

Lin Zixian made a sharp stop, jumped off gracefully, and handed her the bicycle, saying, "Hold this for me. My friends should be there already. I'll call them to find out where they are."

Meng Zidan, holding his bicycle, was speechless. She couldn't even start her prepared tirade, looking at him as if he were a monster...

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