Chapter Sixteen: Chatting

Shi Nian took Yun Nan to see the house downstairs.

It was a very spacious three-bedroom apartment. Yun Nan took a fancy to it at first glance and immediately called Fang Xi.

"Fang Xi, I've found a house that you will definitely like. I'll send you some photos of it!" Yun Nan quickly took a few photos of the apartment and sent them over along with the address.

Fang Xi swiftly replied, "Yun Nan, the rent in that area is at least thirty to fifty thousand dollars. The house is nice, but I can't afford it. My budget for rent is at most ten thousand dollars."

She sent a big 'sigh' emoji.

Yun Nan hurriedly voice-called her, "Fang Xi, this house belongs to a friend of mine. He doesn't wish to leave the house empty to collect dust, so he's willing to rent it out at a cheaper price. It means that someone is helping him look after the house. The rent is only ten thousand dollars. I'm thinking we can pay for this place together; I want the room facing north to be my art studio. I'll give you two thousand dollars for it, so what do you say?"

"Ahhhh!" Fang Xi screamed in delight. Yun Nan had to move the phone away from her ear.

"Forget about sharing the rent! Just take the room and use it however you like. It's such a nice house, and it's rented out for only ten thousand dollars? Are you sure?" Fang Xi asked.

Yun Nan confirmed, and Fang Xi eagerly urged, "Help me schedule a time with the landlord to sign the contract and move in."

Yun Nan glanced at Shi Nian, who made a gesture. Yun Nan understood and told Fang Xi, "How does tomorrow sound to you?"

"Yes, that's great! Yun Nan, you're a gem. I love you to bits! You're my lucky star! Oh, set a time for me, please! Set the time!" Fang Xi implored.

After the matter was concluded, Yun Nan couldn't help but heave a sigh of relief.

"You're very good to your friend. You helped her rent a house and even shared the rent payment," Shi Nian carelessly remarked as he entered the elevator.

Yun Nan looked at the documents on her phone, and absently replied, "There was a time when I couldn't afford food. Fang Xi was the one who supported me and kept me fed."

"You couldn't afford food?" Shi Nian was surprised.

Yun Nan put down her phone and smiled at Shi Nian. "That's right. I've suffered a lot in the past. It's not something that a young master like yourself can ever imagine in your entire life. In difficult times, even the smallest aid from others can be life-saving. As long as I have the ability, I keep to the saying, 'Those who receive drips of water during their times of need shall return that kindness with a spring.' That's what my parents—my adoptive parents—taught me."

The elevator swiftly deposited them at the penthouse. Yun Nan entered the house and went straight to the kitchen after she changed her shoes, leaving Shi Nian to slowly digest her words.

He admired her straightforward personality. Yun Nan was always open and frank. She didn't fish for sympathy or hide anything. She was completely different from those pretentious girls from wealthy families. She was like purified water, sweet and refreshing.

Shi Nian didn't go upstairs as he usually would. Instead, he strolled to the kitchen entrance and watched as she nimbly took out the ingredients from the refrigerator and placed them on the countertop.

When she looked up and saw him, she said, "I need an hour to prepare dinner. I'm making four dishes and a soup. It'll be a simple meal tonight. I'll cook the feast I promised you during my day off."

She spoke in a tone one would use when soothing a child.

Shi Nian felt awkward, so he crossed his arms, looked at Yun Nan, and searched for a conversation topic. He asked, "When did you learn how to cook?"

Yun Nan deftly peeled the potatoes without stopping as she tilted her head in thought and answered, "I don't remember. My parents used to run a small restaurant. I would help them wash and sort out the ingredients after I returned from school. I would stand by the stove and watch them cook. I guess I learned via osmosis that way." 

"Don't take cooking skills lightly. After my parents passed away, I earned my tuition fees by cooking in restaurants for two summers."

Yun Nan placed the peeled potatoes on the chopping board and cut them into shreds. Her adept knife skills made it impossible for anyone to doubt her words.

"How old were you then?" Shi Nian couldn't help but ask.

"Fourteen, but I told my employer that I was seventeen. They wouldn't dare to hire an underaged teen, otherwise." Yun Nan said with a smug smile as if she was proud of her lie.

"I heard that you were admitted to university at that age," Shi Nian stated; he had seen her resume.

"Yes, I joined the junior class. However, the tuition fees are still quite expensive for me, so I took advantage of the summer vacation to earn money," Yun Nan said casually.

"What other jobs have you done?" Shi Nian asked as he watched Yun Nan shred, slice, dice, and chop the ingredients before putting them neatly on the plate. He was so fascinated that he couldn't take his eyes off her as she worked.

Yun Nan heated the saucepan before adding cooking oil. When she tipped the shredded potatoes into the pan, and they sizzled loudly, she raised her voice and replied, "I did a lot of jobs, all sorts of stuff. When I was young, I could only do labor jobs which didn't earn much. But I had no choice; I needed the money. Tuition, food, and other living expenses; all of these things cost money."

The shredded potatoes were done, and she transferred them onto a plate. Yun Nan handily washed the pot and prepared the second dish.