After the elevator doors opened, the agent led us to Door No. 2, expertly inputting the code. The door creaked open in response, revealing a pristine interior, scarcely showing any signs of prior use—clearly, it was a brand-new home. She walked through the space, scrutinizing every corner with meticulous attention.

"This will do. How soon can we sign the contract?" she asked, turning toward the agent with a tone tinged with satisfaction.

The agent, clearly a sharp individual, was prepared."I have the contract with me. We can sign right now. I also brought the official seal," he replied.

I stepped onto the balcony and gazed down at the view below. Beneath me was a kindergarten, where children frolicked joyfully on the playground. I had never lived in such a high-rise, but watching these little ones, I felt as though I could spend the entire day here without a trace of boredom.

The contract was quickly signed between her and the agent. She took out her card and paid the rent via the POS machine. After resetting the house's code, the agent handed it to us, instructing us to input our passwords and fingerprints.

She entered her code first, then called to me,"Come here and input your fingerprint too."

I was somewhat puzzled."Me? Why should I? It's not my house. If anything goes wrong, I won't be able to explain."

She shot me an exasperated look before kicking my calf lightly."Just do it. Stop talking nonsense."

Reluctantly, I approached and pressed my fingerprint, feeling a sense of reluctance. The agent handed us the utility cards, his face beaming with satisfaction. Clearly, this was a significant deal for him, especially since we hadn't even haggled over the price. It was evident his performance for the day had been greatly enhanced.

After the agent left, she turned to me, speaking with an air of finality."Go to the hotel, bring my things over, and you move them over too."

"Me? No," I replied without hesitation. To be honest, I was unwilling to become too deeply entangled with her. She was no longer the person she once was—her presence had become somewhat intimidating.

"You move in. I'll cover all the expenses here. I'll also give you an extra 2,000 a month for spending money," she said, maintaining her superior tone as though everything was under her control.

"I'm not coming," I asserted firmly, shaking my head. I would rather stay in my dilapidated place than live with her.

"Really not coming?" she asked, her brow furrowing slightly, a hint of impatience in her voice.

"Not coming," I reiterated.

"Fine then, but you'll pick me up here every day at 6:30," she said, suddenly shifting her tactic, her tone laced with a playful mockery.

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"What? 6:30?" I could hardly believe my ears.

She gave me a half-smile, repeating herself with emphasis."Yes, 6:30. You'll pick me up here every day."

"I quit, okay?" I was a little angry. This was simply unreasonable.

"Okay, I'll go talk to your parents." She said lightly, as if she was talking about a trivial matter.

"You?" I widened my eyes, my heart filled with helplessness and anger.

"Fine, I'll pick you up at 6:30," I finally conceded, though my heart was heavy with resentment.

She smiled triumphantly and continued,"Let me think… if I get here by 6:30, someone's going to have to wake up before 6, huh? Tsk, poor thing."

I glared at her, my anger simmering within me.

Unperturbed, she continued,"While I'm still in my sweet dreams, someone has to drive out. If it were winter, tsk, tsk. Must be so lovely."

"I'll definitely be there at 6:30," I gritted my teeth, silently vowing to find a way to free myself from her control. She always had a way of tightening her grip on my life, like an invisible hand that never allowed me to breathe.

Seeing that I was still unwilling to come, she showed a mocking smile on her face,"Well, I improved someone's living conditions, but he didn't appreciate it. Forget it, just think of it as my own wishful thinking. Come on, take me to the hotel."

As we descended the stairs, I drove out of the complex, noting the exorbitant parking fee—two yuan per hour. After scanning the code to exit, I couldn't help but say,"You should register your license plate with the property management. It's two yuan every day, it's not worth it."

Her eyes widened as realization dawned on her."Oh right, you have to bring money to pick me up every day!"

"You..." I paused, trying to control the frustration rising in my chest. I softened my tone as I spoke,"It's just not appropriate for us to live together. You're the boss, I'm just a small fry. I have a girlfriend, and you have a boyfriend. If they found out we were living together, what would they think?"

She fell silent for a moment, as though contemplating something, before finally speaking softly,"What if I don't have a boyfriend?"

I smiled faintly, attempting to diffuse the awkward tension,"Shouldn't he be called your fiancé by now?"

She turned her gaze toward the window, her voice low and tinged with a trace of sadness."You just don't want to see me, and you're using that as an excuse."

It was indeed the main reason, but how could I admit that?"It's nothing like that, you're not a tiger."

She turned to face me, her eyes piercing with a calm yet unwavering intensity. Every word she spoke was deliberate and certain."You and your girlfriend will never work. You don't need to bother looking for another girlfriend. It's impossible. No woman will ever be able to be your girlfriend."

A chill ran down my spine, and I involuntarily slammed on the brakes. Turning to her, my voice trembled,"What do you want to do?"

Her gaze remained as cold as ever, devoid of any emotion."Drive. Why are you stopped in the middle of the road?" she snapped.

I snapped back to reality, releasing the brake and driving toward our destination. The silence in the car stretched on, a heavy and suffocating stillness enveloping us.

Upon arriving at the hotel, she opened the car door, preparing to step out. Unable to contain myself, I asked,"Go back. Come pick me up tomorrow morning."

I looked at her, puzzled."Aren't you moving in?"

She shook her head, her voice tinged with a mix of helplessness and exhaustion."Not going. It's pointless." With that, she shot me a cold glance before getting out of the car, slamming the door with a sharp "bang."

It was a new car. My heart clenched in sympathy—not for me, but for the owner. This woman, renting a house and yet not living in it, was truly out of her mind.

As I drove carefully, conscious of the new car, I thought about her wastefulness. She had the money now, and yet was so reckless with it.

Just as I was lost in these exasperating thoughts, my mother's call came through. I answered it."Ryan, you still haven't taken me off your blacklist?"