Chapter 258 255. Su Peng’s Home
Su Peng had been stealing glances at An Han the entire time.
Having not seen her for over ten days, the girl who used to be exceptionally hyperactive and scatterbrained now seemed much more composed and steady. Her movements and gestures didn't seem much different from before, but a sense of maturity had settled between her brows; every move she made radiated a full sense of charm.
It was a pity she still had short hair; otherwise, that charm would likely be even more intense.
He had no idea what An Han had gone through over this winter break to mature so much in such a short period...
Imagining the hardships An Han might have encountered after going home, Su Peng felt a constant pang of heartache. While he liked this version of An Han and her new aura, he wouldn't have minded if she had stayed the mischievous prankster she used to be, if it meant she could remain carefree.
"So... what exactly happened after you went home?" Su Peng asked tentatively, weighing his words.
An Han looked up at him, a bit dazed. After reminiscing for a moment, she replied, "I went to visit my grandfather, and my dad came back too."
Su Peng remembered clearly that An Han’s relationship with her father wasn't great. He immediately brainstormed a tragic family drama in his head, feeling even more pity for her.
"Oh, right. I need to head back to the hotel first. It’s almost twelve."
An Han suddenly realized that the hotel she was staying at required checkout by twelve noon; staying past two would mean paying for another full day. She hurriedly hailed a ride on her phone and waited by the roadside with a hint of anxiety.
"How much is the daily rate?"
"One hundred and fifty!"
Hearing this, Su Peng also put on an impatient expression. Although that amount of money meant nothing to him, An Han was clearly stressed about it.
"If you hadn't dawdled and made me wait for almost an hour, I wouldn't be in such a frantic rush," she grumbled.
After rushing to the hotel and checking out, An Han finally breathed a sigh of relief. Her luggage consisted only of a backpack filled with the inner layers of clothing she needed to change over the next two days. As for her trench coat, it didn't matter; those things weren't meant to be washed frequently anyway.
"I need to figure out where to stay tonight..." Walking out of the hotel, An Han casually handed her backpack to Su Peng and asked, "Are there any cheap hotels near your place?"
This particular hotel was near the train station. While the price was low, the environment was mediocre at best. Moreover, it was far from the shops An Han was interested in—even a ride-hail would take over half an hour.
"How many days are you staying?"
"Just tonight. I’m leaving tomorrow afternoon."
Su Peng realized then that An Han could only accompany him for one day. He paused for a second, then asked tentatively, "Why don't you just stay at my house?"
"..." An Han looked at him as if he were a pervert.
If she applied her old masculine way of thinking, Su Peng’s words were practically an invitation for "zero-distance interaction."
"There are two guest rooms at my place that no one is using. If you're worried about my family... I'll just kick them out."
An Han still looked at him skeptically: "Then where would they stay?"
The moment the question left her mouth, she realized it was a stupid one. Does a rich person ever worry about having nowhere to stay? She could probably point at a random building and it would turn out to be owned by Su Peng’s family.
"Forget it—let's go have fun first."
She figured she’d try out all the shops she was interested in and then find a hotel near whichever one turned out to be the most interesting.
"Just stay at my place, it won't cost you anything..." Su Peng’s tone held a hint of teasing. "Why are you so sensitive about staying at a friend's house?"
An Han froze for a moment and turned her head away. "I never stay at friends' houses. It's not a habit of mine."
...
By evening, An Han was staring blankly at the three-story grand villa in front of her. She turned her head to look at Su Peng. "This is your house?"
"Yeah, what's wrong?"
What’s wrong? This was a villa in the city center of a near-first-tier city. The most extravagant dream An Han’s parents had was to buy a plot of land in their rural hometown and build a small villa themselves—though that seemed impossible now due to policy issues.
Su Peng unlocked the door with his fingerprint and said with a smile, "My parents just happened to go out for New Year greetings today. They’ll probably stay over at a relative’s house."
In the afternoon, he had said he’d "get rid of" his parents, but now it had become "New Year greetings."
An Han followed Su Peng inside, peering around curiously. Looking through the massive, high-ceilinged living room, she immediately spotted a woman behind the glass doors of the kitchen. Her expression instantly froze. "Then who is she...?"
"The cooking lady for my family. She's quite good. She’ll leave once the food is done."
"Oh..."
An Han nodded in realization. "So it's just the two of us in this huge villa?"
"Just the two of us tonight." Su Peng plopped down on the sofa, casually tossing An Han’s backpack aside. He looked up and asked with a gentle smile, "What do you want to eat tonight? I'll have the lady make it for you."
"Anything is fine with me."
Even though Su Peng’s parents weren't home, An Han still felt constrained. She looked at her shoes and then at the tile floor that was so clean it practically had no dust. She walked cautiously to the edge of the sofa. "Do I need to take off my shoes?"
"It’s fine."
She breathed a small sigh of relief, scanning the massive living room. She looked up at the ceiling, which was easily four or five meters high, and glanced at the mahogany-colored stairs nearby. Next to the stairs, she even spotted an elevator.
Her own home was also three stories, but she wasn't sure if the total area even added up to a hundred square meters.
"You even have a basement?"
"Yeah, that’s where my dad keeps his wine. He works down there occasionally, too."
Su Peng turned on the TV, observing An Han’s curious expression. After spending the afternoon together, he realized that An Han’s "mature lady" facade was mostly an act. As soon as she got excited, she reverted right back to the hyperactive girl from ten days ago.
"So where am I sleeping tonight?"
"There’s a guest room on the first floor. I’ll take you there in a bit."
"Oh~"
An Han sat down on the sofa somewhat stiffly, yet she couldn't suppress her curiosity. Her large eyes darted around, observing the villa that she had only ever seen in movies or on TV.
It’s alright, just average, she thought. Compared to the luxury mansions she had seen on "Little Ai’s" videos, Su Peng’s home didn't have many decorations that looked outrageously expensive. This was a relief—she didn't want to accidentally knock something over only to find out it was worth tens of thousands.
"Xiao Peng! Dinner will be ready in half an hour," the lady called out as she stepped out of the kitchen with a smile. "We have quite a feast today. If you can’t finish it, just put it in the fridge."
"Got it."
An Han leaned in slightly and whispered into Su Peng’s ear, "She didn't even call you 'Young Master'."
"..."
Su Peng didn't even know where to start roasting that comment. However, the familiar girlish fragrance coming from An Han was starting to go to his head. He felt that the milky scent was even more concentrated than before.
They say only girls in their developmental stage have that milky scent.
So, An Han is still developing?
"Why are you still wearing your coat inside?"
"True." An Han had already felt the trench coat was too heavy. She took it off and set it aside. Immediately, she noticed Su Peng’s gaze landing on her chest.
Her expression stiffened for a second, but she secretly straightened her back a little more.
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