Chapter 73

The living room was decorated in a simple and elegant style, clean and tidy everywhere, but it felt a bit cold and lacked a sense of warmth. "What would you like to drink?" Ning Lan asked Lin Zixian, who was sitting on the sofa. "A glass of water will do," Lin Zixian replied casually. On the large glass coffee table in front of him, there was a pile of things, clearly just bought, including fruits and vegetables. Ning Lan placed a glass of water in front of him and sat down beside him, pointing to a large handbag on the coffee table and said, "Try it on and see if it fits. If it doesn't, I'll go and exchange it." "What is it?" Lin Zixian looked at her with some suspicion, pulled the handbag over, and when he shook it out, he found a complete set of men's clothes, including a pair of casual shoes and even underwear. Lin Zixian was speechless and asked, "You bought this for me?" "I knew you wouldn't change your clothes after work, so I bought them while buying groceries. Otherwise, it would be awkward to have dinner at home with a guy in a security uniform," Ning Lan said with a teasing smile. "Uh... I know I'm handsome and charming, but... Ning Lan, you're not really into me, are you?" Lin Zixian asked, looking at the things on the coffee table, feeling a bit uncomfortable. He noticed a brand new ashtray on the coffee table, a metal lighter, and a pack of cigarettes that had just been opened, with the box half open and a row of untouched cigarettes inside, showing meticulous service. "Since it's a kept relationship, it should have the appearance of one. What's so surprising about buying you some things?" Ning Lan said with a relaxed expression. "I..." Lin Zixian picked up the men's underwear and shook it, smiling bitterly, "It seems that birds of a feather flock together. You're just like Meng Zidan, but Meng Zidan only talks, while you go a step further. To be honest, I'm already a bit suspicious." "Go wash up and change into them. If they don't fit, I'll go and exchange them... I'll go make dinner. The bathroom is on the right," Ning Lan said, then picked up the bags of ingredients and went to the kitchen. As soon as she entered the kitchen, she took deep breaths, feeling extremely nervous. No one could imagine how much courage it took for her to do this, even though she appeared calm on the surface. In fact, Meng Zidan had been encouraging her, saying that if she liked someone, she should boldly confess. Otherwise, a man like Lin Zixian, who could handle anything with ease, might not see much that truly caught his eye. Wealth, glory, and a sea of beauties might all be like passing clouds to him. If she didn't take the initiative, she might miss her chance... This was the standard analysis of a best friend and confidante. Women always liked to give advice and analyze men from behind the scenes, but if they were asked to do it themselves, they might not be as bold as their friends. Meng Zidan talked easily, but Ning Lan didn't have the courage. She was afraid that if she spoke up and Lin Zixian rejected her, how could they face each other in the future? But she was also afraid of missing out, so she could only test the waters with her actions. The kitchen became busy, and Lin Zixian looked at the things in front of him, shaking his head and smiling bitterly, then took the items to the bathroom. After taking a shower, he found a pair of clean cotton slippers at the bathroom door, clearly new. When Lin Zixian appeared in the kitchen in a clean and tidy casual outfit, Ning Lan's eyes sparkled. It had to be said that Lin Zixian looked quite good when he dressed up properly, with the potential to live off a kept relationship. "Do they all fit?" Ning Lan asked, holding a kitchen knife and wearing an apron. "Would I dare say they don't fit with you holding a kitchen knife?" Lin Zixian said with a reluctant expression, then smiled meaningfully, "You have a good eye. They fit perfectly." Ning Lan's eyes showed a hint of happiness. It was no surprise that they fit. Before today, she had seen Lin Zixian's casual dressing and had always wanted to buy him a set of clothes. She had done a lot of research to make sure they would fit. Feeling happy inside, she pretended to be indifferent and turned around to continue cooking, saying, "Go sit down. It will take a while." "Okay, if you don't mind, I'll take a look around your house." Ning Lan nodded. As soon as Lin Zixian left the living room, the phone on the coffee table rang. It was a call from Zhang Beibei, saying that Tong Yunan had prepared the meal and asking if he was coming back for dinner. He could only say he had a business dinner. After hanging up, he lit a cigarette that Ning Lan had prepared and started wandering around. The villa had two floors. The first floor had a living room, dining room, kitchen, bathroom, a guest room, and a gym with some simple exercise equipment. The second floor had three bedrooms, a bathroom, and a study. Lin Zixian noticed two books on the desk in the study: one was a cookbook, and the other was titled "To Capture a Man's Heart, Capture His Stomach," written by "Yue Qianrou." Outside, there was a small terrace with a white long chair swing. Lin Zixian sat on it and enjoyed the view. By now, night had fallen, and the traffic on both sides of the river was bustling, with neon lights flashing. The island, however, was very quiet, like a different world from the riverbanks. Ships sailed on the river, and the gentle breeze and occasional sound of a ship's horn made it feel like a dream. After a while, Lin Zixian's stomach was growling with hunger. Ning Lan, who had changed into a white strapless long dress and washed off the cooking smell, came up and called him for dinner. The dining room was warmly lit, and the clean tablecloth was set with seven or eight dishes, all looking quite appetizing. Lin Zixian was skeptical about Xiao Hua's claim that Ning Lan couldn't cook. Ning Lan asked him what wine he wanted, and Lin Zixian said anything was fine. Ning Lan went to the wine cabinet, opened a bottle of red wine, and poured it. The two sat facing each other. Ning Lan, with her bare shoulders and smooth skin, her long hair falling over her shoulders, was a typical intellectual beauty. Watching Lin Zixian taste her food, she asked nervously, "How does it taste?" Lin Zixian tried a bit of each dish and nodded, "Not bad!" Ning Lan relaxed and smiled, "I just started learning, and this is my first time showing it. If you like it, eat more. If not, don't force yourself." "Don't worry, a full stomach is the most important thing. I won't be shy," Lin Zixian said, eating heartily. After a while, he sipped his wine and asked, "Do you ever feel lonely living in such a big house by yourself?" "Who says I don't? I feel a bit scared at night... Meng Zidan used to live here for a while, but she moved back to the hotel for convenience in managing it. Now I'm all alone. Meng Zidan is trying to persuade me to move to Ivory Coast, but I think it's inconvenient to live in a business place long-term. I haven't found a satisfactory place to move to yet. I actually envy you living in Sakura Snow Apartments, which are both quiet and lively. Seriously, are there any vacant rooms in Sakura Snow Apartments? If there are, I'll move in." Ning Lan said, putting a piece of foie gras in her mouth with some anticipation. Lin Zixian pondered and said, "There are, but the last time you saw the couple arguing, the man moved out, and the woman hasn't gotten over it yet. It wouldn't be right for you to move in and take over. Let's wait a bit." Ning Lan immediately got excited, "Great! Let's make it a deal. When the time is right, let me know, and I'll move in." "What about your parents? Why don't you live with them?" Lin Zixian asked, puzzled. Ning Lan's face darkened, and she shook her head, "When I was still a minor, they died in a car accident, leaving me alone. I have some relatives, but they didn't want to take care of me, thinking I was a burden. The things that happened during that time are hard to talk about. Later, I stopped contacting them. I remember when I was about to drop out of school, I met Mr. Qiao, who was donating to our school. After hearing my story, he started sponsoring me until I graduated from university. Later, he arranged for me to join Minghua Group." Lin Zixian said, "Oh," and changed the topic. The two continued eating and chatting until they were full. Just as Lin Zixian was about to leave, Ning Lan asked him to wait and ran upstairs. When she came back down, she placed a set of keys in front of him. "What's this?" Lin Zixian asked, looking at the keys in surprise. "The keys to this place," Ning Lan said, sitting back across from him with a smile, "We agreed that you're being kept, right? You can't even enter my house, can you?" "Don't mess with me," Lin Zixian said and ran out. A short while later, the sound of a motorcycle driving away faded away. Ning Lan looked at the leftover food and the keys on the table, feeling a bit lost... In the suburbs of Donghai City, in an abandoned factory warehouse, seven or eight cars quickly drove in. A group of people got out of the cars, all wearing open jackets with guns tucked inside. Among them were Monkey, Gao Yunliang, and Huang Mao. The three walked to a van in the middle, and someone opened the door. Inside, several people were lying in a disheveled manner, including a few women from Sakura Snow Apartments, even Tong Feifei. They were all breathing steadily, showing no signs of harm, but their eyes were closed, and they were unconscious. Someone looked at the women and swallowed, saying, "Brother! These women are really hot. Why don't we have some fun first?" "Sixth Brother!" Monkey patted Gao Yunliang's shoulder and said to the speaker with a smile, "We need to help Gao first. Once the job is done, everyone can have fun." Gao Yunliang looked at the guns on the belts of the people and nodded nervously, forcing a smile, "Thanks, brothers." To be honest, he was now regretting being involved with this group, worried that things might get out of hand. Some things might seem very upsetting at the time, but as time passed, the desire for revenge might not be as strong. He was going to study abroad in a few days and had planned to let things go and pretend nothing happened once he was abroad. But just after he was discharged from the hospital, Monkey found him and threatened him, leaving him no choice but to go along.