"Three meals a day?" Shu Yuxin blinked slightly, then a playful smile spread across her face. "Whoa—like a maid?"

"A maid does more than just cook," Jiang Zixuan shrugged. "Think nanny. No cleaning needed—just meals."

His words piqued her interest. "Cooking covers rent? You’re overestimating me."

"Fair price," Jiang Zixuan said earnestly. "A proper nanny costs three to four thousand monthly. I’m charging one thousand—you’re the one losing out."

Something about his serious face made Shu Yuxin want to laugh. She suppressed a smile. "How about a little subsidy?"

"Sure. How much?"

"...Wait, you’re serious?"

"Dead serious," he nodded. "I genuinely hate eating out. The apartment has a kitchen—cooking saves money and suits my taste. It’s close to your campus too. Consider it a part-time gig. I’ll add a subsidy."

Shu Yuxin held his gaze for ten seconds.

"Deal! I’ll be your… nanny. Skip the subsidy." She nodded lightly, eyes brightening. "But fair warning—I haven’t cooked since sixth grade."

"No worries. Muscle memory kicks in fast if you knew how before." Jiang Zixuan’s mood lifted.

"So… should I call you *Master*?"

"Of course—*ahem*—absolutely not!" Flustered, he tugged his lips into a wry smile, studying her teasing expression before adding almost involuntarily, "…Unless you *want* to."

"Hah," Shu Yuxin chuckled. "You’ve got some nerve."

Jiang Zixuan: "…"

And just like that, a verbal "indenture" contract—legally void, utterly whimsical—was sealed. Living rent-free in such a place left our heroine glowing, even tempted to hug Jiang Zixuan and plant a kiss.

She wasn’t naive enough to believe his "can’t eat out" or "save money" excuses. The real reason hung unspoken between them. Gratitude? Absolutely. But deeper still—a quiet warmth. Since middle school, he’d quietly supported her in countless ways while she gave little back. Sometimes she wondered: having a friend like him must be karma from a past life.

"I’ll bring my stuff tomorrow. Heh—brace for my disastrous cooking!" She laughed softly, grabbing her shopping bag.

"Wait." Jiang Zixuan snatched the car keys from the coffee table. "It’s only 7:30. Move in *now*. I’ve got the car."

Shu Yuxin turned, eyebrow raised. "You’re *that* eager to meet your doom?"

"Have faith," he sighed. "Most people can’t even *make* disastrous cooking."

Nanhu College dorms closed at 11:30—plenty of time. After a beat, she nodded. "Okay. Let’s go!"

The Weiyaers Apartment had an underground lot. The landlord’s purchased spot now benefited Jiang Zixuan (he paid modest extra rent). Post-semester, he rarely drove. Minghai University’s open-air student lot battered cars—another small reason he’d rented off-campus.

But the real trigger? His roommate. Mid-military-training, one guy brought a Poodle into the dorm.

Jiang Zixuan liked dogs—their loyalty, their spirit. Tragically, he was allergic to dog hair.

Allergies weren’t fatal with proper grooming. Problem was: his roommate thought "feeding + bedding = dog care." Zero cleaning. Plus, Poodles are energetic. Result? Jiang Zixuan’s "cold" never lifted for weeks.

Hearing this, Shu Yuxin snickered the whole car ride.

"Hahaha—your roommate’s a legend! A Poodle in-dorm? Worried about… *midnight surprises*?"

"How would I know?" Jiang Zixuan sighed, steering through Nanhu’s main gate. "They seemed happy."

"Your dorm *allows* pets?"

"Technically no. But if it doesn’t disrupt others, the dorm supervisor turns a blind eye. The school tacitly permits it."

"Lucky," Shu Yuxin leaned back. "Top-tier uni perks. Our school bans even hamsters. A girl across the hall hid one—got reported. Student union confiscated it next day."

"Reported?" Jiang Zixuan chuckled. "That’s people problems. Not pet problems."

He paused. "How’s dorm life treating you?"

"…Fine," Shu Yuxin’s expression tightened, thinking of Cheng Xiaonan. "I just… don’t get them."

Jiang Zixuan glanced at her, parking by the inner gate. "Girl dynamics are thornier than guys’. If you can’t navigate it, stay clear."

Before she could reply, he stepped out and vanished into the guardhouse.

"I never *wanted* to get involved…" Shu Yuxin murmured, shifting slightly in her seat.