Chapter 4: Co-tenants

The woman in white spoke first, smiling as she said, "Hehe, so you are also a student of Nanda Affiliated High School. Xiaoshu and I are from the same school as you." Chen Shihao looked up in surprise, glancing at the woman in white and Xiaoshu. Xiaoshu pouted and said to Chen Shihao, "What are you looking at? Just because you say so, it doesn't prove anything."

The masculine woman nodded and said, "Since that's the case, there's no need to ask for her opinion. I'll go first! I agree, this way I will have a brother and won't have to face you beautiful ladies all day!" As soon as she finished speaking, the sister in the coffee shop nodded and said, "I have no problem with that." The woman in the white dress knew that the sister would only say this much, so after she finished speaking, she also smiled and nodded, saying, "I have no problem either; having one more person at home makes it livelier." The sister in the coffee shop nodded and said, "I have no problem with that." The woman in the white dress knew that the sister would only say this much, so after she finished speaking, she also smiled and nodded, saying, "I have no problem either; having one more person at home makes it livelier."

Although Chen Shihao felt dissatisfied with the girl's remark about women, he still raised his head to introduce himself: "Hello everyone, my name is Chen Shihao." In that moment, Chen Shihao had already seen the appearance of the other two individuals. Standing next to the girl was a person dressed in male clothing, with a neat bob haircut, a cigarette filter held between their lips, one arm crossed over their chest, and the other hand stroking their chin, looking at him sideways.

Chen Shihao, who had just made a decision, was suddenly startled awake by a knock on the door. Before he could go to open it, Deng Shuyu was already standing at the door, coldly saying: "Chen Shihao, hurry up and take over Liu Xue Ning's work!" After saying this, without waiting for Chen Shihao to respond, she turned and left, leaving Chen Shihao for a while before he could remember what Liu Xue Ning's work was.

With his head lowered, Chen Shihao did not dare to look at the beautiful and charming Liu Xue Ning, nodding slightly while tying on his apron. Liu Xue Ning smiled again and said, "Then I'll leave it to you. The ingredients are in the refrigerator, and the instructions for using the kitchen utensils are on the dining table. After you finish cooking, come upstairs and call us." With that, she took her clothes and went upstairs.

The woman revealed a faint smile, nodded, and said, "I am back. By the way, is that the tenant who is here to share the apartment?" As she spoke, Chen Shihao heard the sound of her footsteps entering the living room.

Liu Xue Ning gently smiled and said: "Chen Shi Hao, I appreciate you taking care of this meal today. By the way, you can cook, right?"

Continuing in the same order, Sister Ling smiled and said, "I don't think he would be interested in an old hag like me, so I agree." Little Shu, who was at a loss for words, finally cast a pleading glance at the woman in white. The woman smiled gently and said, "Isn't this good? Having a boy to protect us is nice."

Chen Shihao suddenly felt it was strange. He knew that Deng Shuyu had asked him to help cook in order to let Liu Xueqing tidy up the clothes, but why, when it was raining, did no one come out to help, leaving Liu Xueqing to do all the housework by herself

At that moment, the woman in the white dress entered the living room holding drinks. She handed a cup of coffee to Sister Ling and the masculine woman, while she offered a glass of orange juice to Xiao Shu and Chen Shihao. After thanking her, Chen Shihao gently cradled the cup in his hands, and the woman took a seat opposite him. For a moment, the entire living room was enveloped in silence

The woman, dressed in a very masculine manner, suddenly pulled Chen Shihao down to sit. Then, with her delicate hand, she lifted Chen Shihao's chin, looking at his flustered face, which was slightly flushed. She sighed while biting the filter of her cigarette and said, "What a pity for such a face; are you really a man?" As she spoke, she reached out and touched Chen Shihao's chest, startling him so much that he almost cried out.

The woman in white also stood up and said, "Now that it is dark, I suppose you have nowhere to stay, so why not stay here?" Chen Shihao shook his head, about to say something, when Xiao Shu coldly interjected, "Hey, kid, we have so many people wasting time waiting here, and you think you can just come and go as you please? Let me tell you, once you step through this door, you won't be able to leave so easily! Sit down!" Saying this, she forcefully pushed Chen Shihao onto the sofa. The masculine woman took the opportunity to tightly wrap her arm around Chen Shihao's shoulder.

Chen Shihao's heart skipped a beat; this meant he would have to pay over 700 yuan every month! That was three to four times more than his budget! How could he afford that? Just as Chen Shihao was about to say something in his nervousness, Deng Shuyu spoke in an unyielding tone: "The contract is effective immediately after being read. Now take your luggage, and I will take you to your room!" After saying this, she turned and walked away. After a few steps, seeing that Chen Shihao was still standing there, she let out a cold snort and said, "Hurry up!"

Without turning around, Chen Shihao knew that the person behind him was the woman named Li Xin. Chen Shihao smiled awkwardly at Chen Xin, did not say anything, and continued with his own tasks

Although that person tried hard to present herself as a man, her beautiful face, delicate and tall figure, especially her prominently upright chest, made Chen Shihao aware that she was a woman. Among the four, the one standing at the back, closer to the restaurant, was also a woman. This woman was wearing a snow-white dress, and the fitted dress accentuated her delicate figure.

Thinking about the money in his savings book that he would need in three years, Chen Shihao immediately wanted to leave this place. However, whether it was fate playing tricks on him, a flash of lightning suddenly illuminated the outside, followed by a loud rumble from afar. Not long after the thunder, a scene of strong winds and heavy rain appeared. As Chen Shihao hurried to close the window, he stared blankly at the raindrops on the glass and sighed helplessly in his heart: "It seems I can't leave after all. Sigh, forget it, I'll just stay for a month. I must find a place for 200 yuan within this month!"

Chen Shihao answered the previous question, and Xiao Shu curiously asked: "Your hometown is thousands of miles away from here, and you don't seem to be of the age to attend university. Why are you here? If it's for studying, don't schools have dormitories? Why do you need to rent a place to live?"

Chen Shihao glared at the girl with a displeased expression. Just as he was about to say something, the masculine woman protested first: "Hey, Xiao Shu, I'm not a beauty, you know. After living together for so long, don't you realize I'm a handsome guy, known as the 'Beauty Slayer'?"

Chen Shihao suddenly recalled an article he had read before and hurriedly said, "Do not drink alcohol before taking a shower, as it is harmful to the body." However, after saying this, he quickly lowered his head and added, "I apologize, I am being too meddlesome."

Li Xin noticed Chen Shihao's gaze, and while opening a beer with one hand and holding clothes with the other, he laughed and said, "Apart from Ling Jie’s room which has a bathroom, everyone else takes showers in the bathroom here." As he spoke, he pointed to a room at the end of the dining area.

After Xiaoshu finished her orange juice in one gulp, she spoke up: "Alright, everyone is here, let's begin the review." As soon as she finished speaking, the masculine-looking woman immediately raised her hand and shouted, "No, Linghan hasn't returned yet!" The ponytailed girl immediately pouted and said, "By the time she comes back, it will be dawn. Right now, she must be at some tavern tricking middle-aged men into buying her drinks."

Chen Shihao stood there listening for more than half an hour. He did not expect the contract to be so lengthy, and none of the points discussed were related to a standard rental agreement. Just as Chen Shihao was about to feel dizzy, Deng Shuyu finally mentioned the rental agreement: "The rent for a single room is 300 yuan per month, utilities will be shared after receiving the bill, management fee is 200 yuan, and meal expenses are 200 yuan. Remember to hand the money to the person on duty before the 15th of each month." Deng Shuyu finally mentioned the rental agreement: "The rent for a single room is 300 yuan per month, utilities will be shared after receiving the bill, management fee is 200 yuan, and meal expenses are 200 yuan. Remember to hand the money to the person on duty before the 15th of each month."

Seeing the half-prepared dish and the apron placed beside the chair, Chen Shihao had no choice but to pick up the apron. Just as he was unsure how to proceed, he suddenly noticed Liu Xue Ning standing beside him, holding her clothes and smiling cheerfully, which made his face turn red instantly. He didn't know why, but he felt a bit uneasy whenever he was close to a gentle woman.

When Chen Shihau was busy, a deliberately hoarse voice came from behind: "Brother, looking at your knife skills, your culinary skills are quite impressive."

Li Xin, who had already brought the beer to her lips, was momentarily taken aback by Chen Shihao's words. A flicker of inexplicable light flashed in her eyes, but she quickly responded with a laugh: "Haha, right, don't drink before taking a shower. Thank you for the reminder, brother. However, you don't need to say sorry to me in the future; we are brothers after all." Saying this, she placed the beer on the dining table and called out, "I'm going to take a shower now," as she walked towards the bathroom.

"The dormitory is being converted into a teaching building? Which school are you from?" Xiao Shu asked again, momentarily taken aback.

Liu Xue Ning gently said to the dazed Chen Shihao: "I will go prepare dinner. Junior, what do you like to eat?" Li Xin quickly protested: "Aren't we supposed to celebrate Shihao becoming one of us? Why cook? Let's eat out instead"

Chen Shihao's long-standing habit of retreating whenever faced with a strong opponent caused him to lower his head in silence, his earlier arrogance completely dissipated. Xiao Shu took out a notebook, dragged a chair over to sit in front of Chen Shihao, opened it, picked up a pen, wrote a few words, and coldly said: "Your age!"

Suddenly, everyone fell silent, as Chen Shihao stood up abruptly and said coldly, "I apologize for disturbing everyone." As he spoke, he intended to leave. The masculine woman was the first to react, immediately grabbing Chen Shihao and saying, "Brother, are you angry? Why should we, as men, stoop to the level of a little woman? Let's be more magnanimous."

At this moment, Chen Shihao felt that Xiao Shu's tone was very authoritative, akin to a police officer interrogating a criminal. Although somewhat reluctant, he quickly replied: "16 years old." Xiao Shu wrote it down in her notebook and continued to ask: "Place of origin, family members."

Due to his shoulder being pressed by Li Xin's chest, Chen Shihao, who was completely stiff, nodded with a flushed face. However, he believed that Li Xin's original name should actually be Li Xin.

Chen Shihao knew that these two individuals were his fellow alumni, and the grievances he had just experienced seemed to vanish. He hurriedly handed over the admission notice he had on him.

Still, that masculine woman was the first to speak: "What are you worried about? I am also a man, and I wholeheartedly support Brother Shihau becoming one of us"

Seeing her beautiful face adorned with a gentle smile looking at him, Chen Shihao's heart inexplicably skipped a beat again. If he were to choose which of the four beauties he felt the most affection for, it would undoubtedly be this woman, who embodied all forms of feminine beauty. Although he longed to steal another glance at her, Chen Shihao habitually lowered his head, his face flushed with embarrassment.

Nanjing University Affiliated High School Chen Shihao still kept his head down

Xiao Shu had not yet spoken, when Ling Jie, who had been observing Chen Shihao during this time, said: "Alright, since Chen Shihao is also a student of Nanda Affiliated High School, there shouldn't be any issues. My name is Zhou Ling, I am 22 years old this year, and I welcome you to become a part of this family." As she spoke, she extended her hand to Chen Shihao, who had just raised his head. Upon learning Zhou Ling's age, Chen Shihao couldn't help but be surprised that she was a professional woman at such a young age.

Li Xin took a can of beer out of the refrigerator and shook it at Chen Shihao, asking, "Would you like some?" Chen Shihao shook his head, but at that moment, he noticed the clothes that Li Xin was holding in his hand

Li Xin was momentarily taken aback by Chen Shihao's smile. She patted Chen Shihao on the shoulder and sighed, "Alas, brother, why are you a man? If you were a woman, I would definitely pursue you with all my might."

Deng Shuyu shot a glare at the still dazed Chen Shihao and said coldly: "Listen carefully, you must understand the contents of the rental agreement here, and you are required to comply unconditionally with any objections you may have"

Chen Shihao suddenly realized that among these four individuals, Zhou Ling was the leader. Did Li Xin not walk upstairs dejectedly after hearing Deng Shuyu's words?

The woman said with a smile: "Yes, we are about to conduct the review, and we didn't expect Sister Ling to return. Hey, lift your head and introduce yourself, don't be so shy like a girl."

At this moment, footsteps were heard from upstairs. In addition to the voice of the young girl, there was a sweet voice and another slightly lazy yet somewhat hoarse voice, both saying simultaneously: "Sister Ling, you are back."

Finally, it was Xiao Shu, who somewhat reluctantly extended her hand and said: "My name is Deng Shuyu, I am 16 years old." She gently shook hands with Chen Shihao and then quickly released it.

Xiao Shu took the notification slip and examined it carefully from various angles for a long time before reluctantly handing it back, muttering to herself, "Fortunately, it is Class 3, not Class 1"

The clever Chen Shihau immediately understood that Xiao Shu, like himself, was a freshman and a student of Class 1. He was also relieved that he did not have to be in the same class as this girl; otherwise, he would be in trouble and would surely be bullied by her all day. However, he found it strange that Ling Jie and the masculine girl were both members of society, which made it normal for them to stay here during the summer vacation. But those two were students; what were they doing here so early? There were still about 10 days until the start of school. Were they, like him, trying to familiarize themselves with the school environment?

Liu Xue Ning did not speak, she simply smiled and walked towards the kitchen. Meanwhile, Deng Shu Yu said to Li Xin: "Did you not see that Ling Jie has just returned after a hard day's work? Moreover, Chen Shi Hao has not yet heard the contents of the contract, if you want to go, you should go yourself"

Chen Shihao hurriedly said: "I came here to study, but the school has converted the dormitory into a teaching building, so I have no choice but to consider renting a place outside."

Chen Shihao's heart skipped a beat. Based on Li Xin's earlier behavior, three words popped into his mind: Li Xin is so masculine, turns out he is gay! However, Chen Shihao did not feel any aversion towards Li Xin. Regardless of how masculine Li Xin appeared, he still considered her a charming beauty in his heart.

Deng Shuyu, seeing Chen Shihao's demeanor, might have been quite satisfied. After a pretentious cough, she took out her notebook and said: "First, no one is allowed to bring friends home without permission. This house is our sanctuary, and to avoid disturbing the environment at home, it is absolutely forbidden to bring outsiders in without the consent of all household members. Second, we must maintain a clean and tidy image of the home. A chaotic home only brings suffering to ourselves. Since this house is our sanctuary, to avoid disturbing the environment at home, it is absolutely forbidden to bring outsiders in without the consent of all household members. Second, we must maintain a clean and tidy image of the home. A chaotic home only brings suffering to ourselves. However, this rule only applies to common areas; personal private rooms are exempt from this rule. Third, household chores will be rotated daily, and on duty days, one must be responsible for tasks including cooking, laundry, and mopping. However, since you are male, you do not need to wash your clothes, but do not expect others to wash them for you either. Fourth..."

Chen Shihao, for some reason, found himself involuntarily moving to the entrance to pick up his luggage. He originally thought the room was on the second floor, but Deng Shuyu led him to the balcony and pointed to a room at the edge of the balcony, saying: "That used to be a storage room, but it has been organized now. The furniture inside is the same as what we have upstairs, and you will need to buy anything you need yourself." After saying this, she turned and left. Just as she entered the hall, she suddenly turned back to Chen Shihao, who was about to turn the doorknob, and said: "I will give you the key later. Remember, you are not allowed to go to the second floor!" After saying this, she turned and walked away. Chen Shihao opened his mouth as if to say something, but seeing that Deng Shuyu had already gone in, he could only sigh and carry his luggage into his own room.

The professional woman named Lingjie frowned and said, "Alright, you should stop toying with the children." After she sat down on the sofa opposite Chen Shihao, she smiled at him and said, "I apologize; she is just like this." Meanwhile, the ponytailed girl, who was already sitting beside the professional woman, pouted and remarked, "You seem to panic as if you've been molested just from being touched by a beautiful woman. Are you even a man?"

As soon as Chen Shihao stepped out, he noticed Liu Xue Ning in a fluster on the balcony, hurriedly gathering the clothes that had cooled. He was about to offer his assistance, but upon seeing several colorful pieces of lingerie, he immediately remembered that those were all women's garments, and he hurriedly blushed and made his way to the kitchen.

The masculine woman grabbed Chen Shih-hao's other hand, holding one hand with him while draping the other over his shoulder. Deliberately putting on a cheerful laugh, she said: "My name is Li Xin, I am 19 years old. Remember, it's the 'new' in 'new and old', not the 'joy' in 'joyful'. You can call me Brother Xin. If you encounter difficulties in pursuing girls in the future, feel free to come to me. I will share with you my unique skills for attracting girls."

Chen Shihao shook his head, deciding not to think about it, and began to carefully study the instruction manuals. To be honest, although Chen Shihao could cook, he was not very familiar with modern kitchen appliances, as his home used a wood-burning stove. However, for the top student in the province, after a brief exploration of the manuals, he quickly grasped the methods. At this point, Chen Shihao opened the refrigerator to see what ingredients were available.

Originally, Xiao Shu wanted to say something, but upon seeing that Ling Jie had already reached a conclusion, she sulkily fell silent. Chen Shihao held Zhou Ling's hand in a daze, still unable to comprehend what was happening, yet these people had already accepted him.

The woman in white approached, extending her hand with a gentle smile and said, "My name is Liu Xue Ning, I am 17 years old, and I am your senior. If you have any matters at school, you can come find me in Class 1 of the second year."

Seeing Xiao Shu's expression of sadness, disappointment, and the image of a book, the masculine woman exclaimed: "Xiao Shu, are you worried about being eaten by my brother? Don't worry, if you're concerned, you can sleep with your brother. I will definitely take good care of you." As she spoke, she revealed a lewd smile at Xiao Shu.

Xiao Shu saw that she had not yet stated the conditions for the review, and one by one, these people expressed their agreement. Unable to contain herself, she jumped up and pointed at Chen Shihao, exclaiming: "Hey, hey, can you all be a bit more serious? We are all delicate women here. Are you really going to let a man move in like this? Have you all forgotten that he is a man? Don't you have any concerns about this?"

At this moment, Chen Shihao dared to look at Liu Xue Ning's back. It would be strange not to be moved by such a beauty. After all, Chen Shihao is a 16-year-old youth in the throes of adolescence. As Liu Xue Ning turned the corner, she suddenly glanced back at Chen Shihao, causing him to hurriedly flip through the instruction manuals.

Upon entering the room, Chen Shihao realized that the entire space was approximately 5 square meters. The room was furnished with a beautiful single bed that was fully equipped, and in the corner, there was a lavishly decorated wardrobe built into the wall. Under the window stood a rather luxurious, yet empty table, and of course, there was a genuine leather chair. Was this really a room converted from a storage space? Chen Shihao stared blankly at the furniture. To be honest, he felt that renting such a room for 700 yuan was an incredible bargain, especially considering how luxurious the shared facilities outside were. Was this really a room converted from a storage space? Chen Shihao stared blankly at the furniture. To be honest, he felt that renting such a room for 700 yuan was an incredible bargain, especially considering how luxurious the shared facilities outside were. But how long could he afford to stay with his money? It was then that Chen Shihao remembered that the monthly rent was beyond his means; why hadn't he refused earlier?

Hmph! Who's afraid of that sissy? I am a 10th-degree black belt in karate! Am I supposed to be scared of him? Hmph!" Xiao Shu pouted unhappily. The masculine woman immediately clapped her hands and said, "Alright, since everyone agrees, let's hold a welcome party for Brother Chen. How about we go to my workplace?" Xiao Shu immediately jumped up and shouted, "No way! I haven't even started my review yet!" The masculine woman immediately clapped her hands and said, "Alright, since everyone agrees, let's hold a welcome party for Brother Chen. How about we go to my workplace?" Xiao Shu immediately jumped up and shouted, "No way! I haven't even started my review yet!"

Chen Shihao once again felt the imposing aura of Deng Shuyu and hurriedly nodded in compliance

Chen Shihao involuntarily turned his head to look at the woman upon hearing those words. He noticed that she was casually resting her arms on the back of the chair, her crossed legs and the cigarette filter in her mouth swaying incessantly. Although her tone and demeanor were quite bold, the movement of her chest betrayed her gender. Suddenly, Chen Shihao turned back sharply, his face flushed as he lowered his head, realizing that the woman beside him was not wearing a bra

Zhou Ling said to Deng Shuyu: "Please discuss the agreement with Chen Shihao, I will go change my clothes first." Then, she smiled and nodded at the dazed Chen Shihao, saying: "No need to be nervous, just treat this place like your home." After saying that, she took her handbag and walked towards the stairs. Halfway up, she suddenly seemed to remember something, turned around with an apologetic smile and said: "I almost forgot, there is also someone named Ling Han, who is 18 years old and a freshman at Nanda University, currently out having fun. I will introduce you to him tomorrow." Although Chen Shihao had never met Ling Han, he had already formed an image of a lively girl in his mind from these words.

Upon noticing Chen Shihao's actions, everyone cast a suspicious glance at the androgynous woman, but they quickly discovered the reason. The androgynous woman, feeling frustrated, slapped her chest and said, "Ah! If I had known earlier, I would have flattened it with cloth!" The ponytailed girl named Xiao Shu smiled at Chen Shihao, while Sister Ling could only shake her head with a wry smile.