Jiang Yuanheng, wearing a mask and sunglasses, pushed a shopping cart through the supermarket, carefully selecting ingredients for lunch.
The address Su Zhiyi had sent him was on the very edge of the capital, almost out of the city. Few people lived here—mostly middle-aged folks nearing retirement or the elderly. Transportation was inconvenient; he had driven over so quickly. He hadn't brought his assistant because none of the locals were young, so no one would recognize him.
He was still on the phone with Su Zhiyi.
"Oh, really? Then take your time shopping. I'm not very hungry right now."
"By the way, I haven't had shrimp in a while. I'm craving some. Can you cook shrimp?"
"I can. Let me see... Sis, do you want black tiger shrimp?"
Jiang Yuanheng had just reached the seafood section. There were live shrimp jumping around in tanks and dead ones lying on ice. The live ones would taste better, of course.
"Of course I want some."
Even through the phone, he could hear the sweetness in Su Zhiyi's voice, tinged with a hint of coquettishness. She deliberately softened her tone. "But I don't want to peel them myself. It'll dirty my hands."
The hint was obvious.
"Mm." Jiang Yuanheng let out a light laugh, already picturing Su Zhiyi frowning slightly and tugging at his hand to act cute. "Your hands are too beautiful to be used for peeling shrimp."
He asked the supermarket staff to scoop out a dozen live shrimp for him, then said to Su Zhiyi on the phone, "Let me peel them, okay?"
"Hmm~ Sure."
Hearing that Jiang Yuanheng would peel the shrimp for her, the hint of grievance in Su Zhiyi's voice vanished, her tone rising slightly like a little hook.
Su Zhiyi directed Jiang Yuanheng to shop for nearly an hour, filling the cart with ingredients. After checking out, Jiang Yuanheng carried big and small bags of groceries to his car and drove to Su Zhiyi's apartment building.
Su Zhiyi lived in an old, small residential area without an elevator. She was on the fifth floor, requiring a climb. Jiang Yuanheng stood at the entrance of the building, plastic bags in hand, the call still ongoing.
"I'm downstairs."
"Mm-hmm, I just left the apartment. I'll be down in a moment. Wait for me."
"No rush. I can wait as long as it takes. Take your time coming down."
Soon, Su Zhiyi walked out of the heavy iron unit door, wearing a nightgown and fuzzy slippers.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
She walked up to Jiang Yuanheng and tried to take some of the plastic bags to share the load, but he dodged her.
"I haven't waited long. I should be the one apologizing for making you go hungry for so long," Jiang Yuanheng said with a smile, looking at her. "I'll carry them. I can't bear to let you lift heavy things."
So what did you call me down for?
That was the first thought that popped into Su Zhiyi's mind.
Did you know it's exhausting going down five flights and then back up five flights?
That was the second thought.
Oh, probably a pampered young master from the capital like Jiang Yuanheng, who lives in a mansion and never even needs to take the stairs, has hardly ever climbed a staircase.
That was the third thought.
She didn't dare voice any of this. Instead, she pretended to be pleased by his words.
"You sure know how to talk... Alright, let's not stand here chatting. You must be tired carrying all this. Let's head up quickly."
They entered the building one after the other. The iron handrails in the stairwell were rusted in spots, the walls mottled and peeling, with grime and many small ads pasted on them. The corridor was narrow, making it impossible to walk side by side.
Jiang Yuanheng and Su Zhiyi climbed the stairs in silence, one behind the other.
When they reached the third floor, Jiang Yuanheng still hadn't asked why Su Zhiyi lived in such a shabby place.
"I've prepared a reason, but he hasn't asked yet," Su Zhiyi complained internally to System 030. "I didn't know he could be this silent."
System 030 said, "Then how should Jiang Yuanheng react?"
Su Zhiyi said, "Shouldn't he be utterly shocked and disgusted by this run-down environment? Then question why a daughter of the capital circle lives in a place like this?"
She had a well-prepared, perfectly reasonable excuse. It would be a shame not to use it. Since Jiang Yuanheng wasn't asking, she might as well bring it up herself, to prevent him from overthinking.
Su Zhiyi suddenly frowned, speaking in a coy and aggrieved tone. "The company arranged this place for me... Sigh, there's no helping it. I'll have to stay here for now."
Jiang Yuanheng followed her lead. "What's wrong? Is there a problem with staying here?"
"Before I entered the entertainment industry, I lived in my family's old mansion—a three-story villa. I grew up in a villa and got used to it. Even going up to the third floor at home felt tiring. I never expected the company to arrange such a small, rundown apartment for me..."
"Sigh..." Su Zhiyi held her forehead, looking troubled. "To keep others from digging up my family background, I have no choice but to stay in the company's arranged accommodation."
"Otherwise, if the paparazzi find out about my family, it would cause trouble for them."
"I see..." Jiang Yuanheng said softly.
"Actually, I think it's nice staying here."
"Huh?" Su Zhiyi let out a surprised single note.
A pampered young master like Jiang Yuanheng actually thought living in such an old, shabby building was nice?
"Why?"
"Because I'm a star," Jiang Yuanheng chuckled lightly. "When I walked around outside just now, no one recognized me."
"Before, every time I went out, I had to cover up tightly, afraid of being recognized. It's affected my daily life somewhat."