Prince charming, your persona has collapsed!

"Is this a gift from Zhou Yuwen to you?"

Tao Tian started the car and smiled, saying, "Not really, it's a gift from Zhou Yuwen for both Qu Jing and me."

"For both of you?" Minmin was a bit taken aback by this.

After hearing Tao Tian's explanation, Minmin pouted and said, how can two people share one car?

"If Zhou Yuwen isn't short of money, why not buy one for each of you?"

Tao Tian said, mainly because we don't really need it.

"We just happen to go to work together, sometimes it's inconvenient not to drive. Besides, even if he got us one each, we might not be able to afford to maintain them."

"You wouldn't need to maintain them, it would definitely be Zhou Yuwen's responsibility."

Minmin said naturally, she said, "Zhou Yuwen knows your relationship, how could he expect you to share a car? Oh, by the way, Tiantian, why did I see you and Qu Jing shopping together that day? What's going on?"

The main reason Minmin hurried over to find Tao Tian was out of fear that Qu Jing and Tao Tian were getting too close, leaving her out. She was eager to confirm if Tao Tian was only hanging out with Qu Jing to please Zhou Yuwen.

It must be because of Zhou Yuwen's orders that they're like this.

Remember how fiercely they argued back then?

How could they possibly have made up?

Yet, she received the answer she least wanted.

But Tao Tian's expression seemed a bit unnatural, and while driving, she said, "We just went shopping together, is there anything wrong with that?"

"We've been in the same dorm for so many years, isn't shopping together normal?"

"But at that time," Minmin quickly said.

Before she could finish speaking, Tao Tian interrupted, "Let's not bring up the past."

From the subway station to the gate of Zhonghai Garden, it only takes about two minutes by car. Although this is a big-brand community with many residents, the gates are indeed impressive, much better than Minmin's low-rent apartment.

After parking the car in the underground garage, Tao Tian took Minmin up the elevator.

Along the way, Minmin marveled countless times, from the small vendors outside the community to the greenery within, all with a look of envy.

In the car, too, Minmin took many photos, clicking away and exclaiming, "So nice, my friend hasn't even graduated and is already driving a Mercedes, unlike me, relying on the subway every day."

But Tao Tian said, taking the subway is nice as well.

"Environmentally friendly."

"Huh, then Tiantian, let me drive the car, and you can be environmentally friendly!" Minmin hurriedly said with a laugh.

Tao Tian said, "No way, because Qu Jing needs to drive it too."

With one sentence, Minmin was rendered speechless.

They hadn't seen each other for almost two months, so they talked about everything. The biggest issue they face when going out for internships is still renting an apartment. Compared to others, Minmin's place was actually quite good, but the soundproofing wasn't great, and the property management wasn't that good either.

Minmin asked Tao Tian if there were any issues like that living in Zhonghai Garden.

Tao Tian said, currently, I haven't noticed any.

"Are you living in a three-bedroom or a two-bedroom?"

"You'll see when we get there, won't you?"

As they talked, the two got out of the elevator.

Tao Tian opened the door with a password lock, and it was a three-bedroom apartment, tidied up by Tao Tian. With just one look, Minmin fell in love with it, feeling there was an indescribable fragrance in the room.

"Are you living in this whole place by yourself?" Minmin asked in surprise as she looked around the living room.

Tao Tian nodded and said yes.

"Zhou Yuwen occasionally comes over, but mostly it's just me living here."

"That's really nice, you can even see the school from here!"

Tao Tian's apartment is on a high floor, and the view is excellent. From afar, you can see a corner of the school.

Inside, all the furniture was chosen by Tao Tian herself, so it was very stylish, incomparable to Minmin's shared rental place.

She toured around; it was a three-bedroom layout, with one main bedroom for living, and the other two simply used as storage rooms, with one even turned into a yoga room by Tao Tian.

"Gosh, Tiantian, you're just wasting resources. If you rented out a room, it could easily go for at least eight hundred, right? And you just use it as a storage room?" Minmin said.

Tao Tian chuckled and said, why should I rent it out?

"If there were people coming and going, wouldn't it be chaotic? Oh, is it okay if I cook some steak?" Tao Tian asked.

"Of course!"

And so, Tao Tian began to put on an apron and cook personally, while Minmin, after touring Tao Tian's house, stayed by her side watching her cook.

As she watched, Minmin marveled, expressing her envy.

Minmin said she dreams of living like Tao Tian, having a small Mercedes, a three-bedroom apartment, and being able to cook for herself.

Tao Tian curiously asked, "What's wrong with cooking?"

"The apartment I rent can only use electric stoves; there's no natural gas," Minmin complained.

"Oh."

Tao Tian truly didn't know this since she hadn't rented a place before.

Minmin said, "Tiantian, you don't know how many people envy your life. Really, the outside world is exhausting; everything costs money. You have to count your days with your fingers; you earn just a hundred yuan a day, and if you miss the subway, taking a taxi costs thirty or forty. Sigh, Tiantian, I envy you so much!"

Tao Tian chuckled but didn't respond to Minmin.

But honestly, after hearing so much from Minmin, Tao Tian felt moved. She thought, if Zhou Yuwen hadn't chosen her, she might be living like Minmin, squeezing into a subway and renting an apartment.

She reminded herself to be contented and happy, and not to be greedy like before, always wanting more.

Tao Tian picked Minmin up before noon, inviting her home for lunch, where she served some steak and even opened a bottle of red wine.

Minmin drank happily, and after eating, she soaked herself in the bathtub, then stepped out naked, waiting for Tao Tian to find her a change of clothes.

At this moment, there was a noise outside the door, as if someone was unlocking it.

Actually, Minmin had enough time to react and hide in the bathroom.

However, Minmin, thinking quickly, suddenly thought the person coming in might be Zhou Yuwen.

So, instead of hiding, she stopped with a hint of mischief, hoping the incoming Zhou Yuwen would see her naked body. Maybe Zhou Yuwen would become interested in her and take her in as well.

But alas, the door opened, and it wasn't Zhou Yuwen.

It was Qu Jing, who had just finished work.

Qu Jing saw Minmin standing there naked and furrowed her brow slightly, "What are you doing in broad daylight?"

"Ah! Jingjing?"

Minmin, flustered, quickly covered herself.

Later, Minmin found out that Zhou Yuwen already knew she would be staying at Tao Tian's place tonight, so he wouldn't be coming over.

Upon hearing this news, Minmin felt somewhat disappointed.

What saddened her more was that Qu Jing and Tao Tian's relationship seemed even better than she had imagined, just as Qu Jing said. It felt like they were already as close as sisters, while she, herself, seemed like an outsider.

As dusk fell.

Qu Jing and Tao Tian began discussing what to eat for dinner.

And Tao Tian said there weren't many ingredients left at home.

"That's alright, I still have some at my place."

It was at this point Minmin learned that Zhou Yuwen had bought two apartments of the same model in this neighborhood, one for Tao Tian and one for Qu Jing.

Apparently, among the three dorm mates, only she was struggling outside to make ends meet.

During dinner, Tao Tian asked Qu Jing how her day had been.

Qu Jing replied that there wasn't much going on.

"Just about the villa banquet; a few girls didn't meet our selection criteria and then asked to take a lower fee to work as servers, but I refused them."

"Ah? Asking for less pay? Why is that?" Tao Tian wondered.

Qu Jing replied, "They probably want to meet men, because those attending the banquet are all wealthy or influential social elites. They think meeting a wealthy man, even casually, isn't a loss. If our boss takes a liking to them, they'd be soaring high."

Upon hearing this, Tao Tian laughed and said, "It's hard to understand these girls."

Minmin listened to their conversation with curiosity, "What are you guys talking about?"

Tao Tian asked, "You don't know?"

"Know what?" Minmin, who had been out for an internship, truly knew nothing about happenings at school.

So Tao Tian told Minmin about Zhou Yuwen hosting a banquet at his villa.

And Minmin's first reaction was, "Zhou Yuwen bought another villa?"