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"Okay, but I need to drop off my luggage first. I live on the 23rd floor of Building 19. Would you like to wait for me?" Su Chang said with a smile.
"Wow! Building 19, 23rd floor, what a coincidence! We live in Building 19, 2202. We're even neighbors living on different floors!" Qiu Yingying said bluntly.
"That's such a coincidence." Su Chang's face showed a look of surprise. "Since we're neighbors, please take care of me in the future."
"I wouldn't call it taking care of you, but we can certainly help each other out," Guan Juer said with a smile.
"Then it's settled." Su Chang picked up her luggage. "I'll go upstairs to put my luggage away and unpack, then we'll go eat."
"How about we help you carry your luggage?" Guan Juer asked shyly.
“Yes, we need to go back too. We also share an apartment with Sister Fan. Can we have one more person for dinner?” Qiu Yingying immediately chimed in.
"No need for help, my luggage is over there," Su Chang said, pointing to a suitcase and document bag on the ground next to him.
"It's more lively with more people eating, so let's invite everyone together."
If he weren't unfamiliar with them, he would really like to invite all five beauties from the 22nd floor to get to know each other better. However, he doesn't know if Andy and Qu Xiaoxiao have moved in yet, but he'll find out when the time comes.
"Okay." Guan Juer and Qiu Yingying lost their desire to help when they saw how simple the luggage was.
The three of them walked together toward Building 19, chatting and laughing along the way.
After taking the elevator to the 23rd floor, Su Chang opened the door and invited them in to sit down.
The room was large, over 400 square meters (after all, there are three apartments on the 22nd floor, each over 100 square meters, and Andy's room is clearly larger; including the common areas, it's roughly 400 square meters). The decor was very simple, but very clean. The white walls paired with dark wood floors gave a simple yet comfortable feel.
The living room features a set of soft gray sofas and a transparent glass coffee table, on which several magazines are neatly stacked.
"Wow! It's so big! The 23rd floor is actually a large single-level apartment!" Qiu Yingying exclaimed exaggeratedly as soon as she entered the room, her eyes wide open and her face full of excitement.
Guan Juer was also filled with shock. Her mouth was slightly open, as if she wanted to say something, but she didn't know where to begin.
"It's nothing. I just got back to China and this is my first time here. You guys can look around by yourselves. I'll pack my things and come out soon. We'll go eat in a bit," Su Chang said with a smile. His eyes revealed a hint of fatigue, but even more so, anticipation for his new life.
"No problem, no problem, you go ahead. We'll just wander around the room." Qiu Yingying immediately pulled the still somewhat embarrassed Guan Juer around.
Su Chang smiled helplessly, put her luggage and document bag into the master bedroom, and then came out.
Chapter Three: Fan Shengmei
Seeing that the two were still wandering around, Su Chang did not disturb them, but sat on the sofa in the living room and began to sort out his thoughts.
He pondered to himself: in his past life he was a PhD in biology, and in this life he was a Harvard IT master's graduate and a skilled hacker, yet combining the memories of both lives, he seemed to have no talent for business. Fortunately, the inheritance he had received was quite substantial, including 50 million in cash, this house, and 0.5% of the shares in Shengxuan Group from the "newbie gift package."
Thinking of this, Su Chang felt a surge of confidence. He knew that although this 0.5% stake seemed insignificant, for a top group in Shanghai, it was worth nearly 100 billion yuan, which meant he possessed almost 500 million yuan in wealth. With this money, he felt he could completely stop working and enjoy life to the fullest.
Recalling his past life, where he encountered that scumbag woman and became her long-term meal ticket, Su Chang felt a pang of bitterness. Nearly thirty years old, he hadn't tasted love beyond holding hands. In this life, he had lived alone in the United States since childhood, studying diligently to earn living expenses and scholarships. He had even graduated with a master's degree from Harvard at just 20 years old, yet he still hadn't been with a woman.
Su Chang took a deep breath and silently told himself: In this life, he must roam among seas of flowers and fully enjoy the beauty of life. He wanted to experience different lives, make friends with all kinds of people, and feel the diversity of this world.
"Hello... I'm sorry, the patient has already woken up, so we're leaving... Yes, yes... Thank you." Guan Juer's voice came through, and Su Chang suddenly came back to his senses.
A hint of doubt flickered in his eyes, and his mouth was slightly open, as if he wanted to say something.
Guan Juer looked at him, a shy expression on her face. She gently touched her forehead and said somewhat embarrassedly, "Um... I was so worried when I saw you faint that I called 120. After you woke up, I was so nervous that I forgot about it. The ambulance just called to ask me about it."
Hearing this, he smiled gratefully, laughed, and said, "Guan Guan, thank you. Let's go eat now, or I'll faint again." As he spoke, he deliberately swayed his body, pretending to be weak.
Guan Juer was amused by his appearance and quickly nodded in agreement, "Okay." Then she turned around, called Qiu Yingying, and together they went out the door and went to the 22nd floor.
Upon arriving at the door of 2202, Qiu Yingying couldn't wait to take out her key and rush inside, shouting as she went, "Sister Fan... Sister Fan... There's something delicious to eat!"
Su Chang looked around at rooms 2201 and 2203. Guan Juer saw Su Chang looking at the rooms next door and said from the side, "Brother Su Chang, the two rooms next door have just been renovated and should be ready for move-in soon."
"Oh." Su Chang replied calmly. He understood that the plot of Ode to Joy hadn't started yet, so he decided not to think about it too much for the time being.
"Brother Su Chang, let's go in first."
"Ok."
As soon as Su Chang and Guan Juer entered, Qiu Yingying led a beautiful woman in her thirties with a good figure over and introduced her first.
"Sister Fan, this is Su Chang, also a resident of the large apartment upstairs. She'll treat us to dinner later. Su Chang, this is Sister Fan, who shares the apartment with us."
Upon hearing Qiu Yingying's introduction and looking at the handsome Su Chang in front of her, Fan Shengmei thought to herself, "Isn't this the Prince Charming I've been searching for all along?"
Su Chang knew what kind of woman Fan Shengmei was. To be honest, he didn't really like that kind of woman. To put it nicely, she was materialistic; to put it bluntly, she was opportunistic. Whether Fan Shengmei portrayed herself as a gold digger or used people's sympathy to help her family, she wasn't someone Su Chang liked. Although she was pretty, how long could a thirty-year-old woman maintain her beauty? Even if he liked mature women, he didn't like women who were constantly entangled in trouble.
Su Chang politely extended her hand and said with a smile, "Hello, Sister Fan, it's a pleasure to meet you."
Fan Shengmei smiled and extended her hand to shake hands with Su Chang, saying, "Hello, Mr. Su, thank you for your invitation."
"I just got back to China today, so I don't know if there are any good restaurants nearby. So, ladies, do you have any recommendations for where to eat?"
"Let's just grab something to eat nearby," Guan Juer said before the two women could speak.
Fan Shengmei and Qiu Yingying looked at Guan Juer in surprise, and Su Chang was also stunned. After Guan Juer finished speaking, she lowered her head with her face flushed.
"Alright, let's just grab something to eat nearby this time. I'll treat you to something better later when we have more time." Seeing Guan Juer's embarrassed expression, as if she wanted to disappear into the ground, Su Chang quickly spoke up.
After everyone responded, the group went downstairs.
Along the way, Qiu Yingying, like a cheerful little bird, excitedly told Fan Shengmei how Guan Juer had saved Su Chang.
"Sister Fan, you have no idea how critical the situation was! If it weren't for Guan Juer, Su Chang might have been in danger!" Qiu Yingying said excitedly, her eyes wide and her face full of excitement.
Guan Juer stood to the side, blushing and looking down, fiddling with the hem of her clothes somewhat shyly.
"Oh dear, little earthworm, don't exaggerate like that!" Guan Juer said softly, a shy smile appearing on her face.
As Su Chang watched them playfully bickering, a smile involuntarily crept onto her lips, and a hint of tenderness appeared in her eyes.
Upon arriving at the restaurant, Su Chang gentlemanly pulled out chairs for the three ladies. After arranging their seats, he sat opposite Fan Shengmei, with Guan Juer sitting next to him.
When ordering, Su Chang smiled and asked everyone about their tastes and preferences: "Miss Fan, do you like spicy food? Guan Guan, do you have any dietary restrictions? Qiu Yingying, what about you?"
Fan Shengmei tried her best to appear elegant, smiled, and replied, "I'm fine, I can't handle spicy food very well."
Guan Juer replied somewhat nervously, "I'm fine with anything, thank you."
Qiu Yingying waved her hand dismissively: "I don't have any dietary restrictions."
At the dinner table, everyone chatted happily, and laughter filled the air.
"Qiu Yingying, the joke you just told was hilarious!" Su Chang said with a loud laugh, his eyes narrowing into slits.
Qiu Yingying proudly raised her head: "Of course, I'm very good at telling jokes!"
Fan Shengmei laughed along, and gently patted Qiu Yingying's shoulder: "You're such a joy to be around!"
Seeing everyone's happy faces, Guan Juer also broke into a bright smile.
Su Chang's wit and humor made the atmosphere relaxed and pleasant, and everyone was immersed in the joyful atmosphere.
After the main course was served, Su Chang remembered that she had one more chance to sign in today, so she immediately called out in her mind.
"System, sign in."
"Ding! The host has checked in next to Fan Shengmei, Guan Juer, and Qiu Yingying, the female leads of Ode to Joy, and has received the following rewards: 1000 million yuan in cash, mastery of university-level financial knowledge, and mastery of cooking skills. Would the host like to claim the rewards now?"
"Um... I won't claim them for now. But system rewards like cash and shares, will they stand up to scrutiny? Won't I get invited for questioning?"
"Please rest assured, host, all rewards in this system have legitimate sources, and you can use them with confidence."
"Ok."
Su Chang was relieved and continued eating.
Chapter Four: Opening a Private Kitchen
Back home, Su Chang didn't rush to her room, but sat on the sofa instead.
"System, claim today's reward. By the way, where are those shares?"
"Host, the shareholding agreement is in the file folder."
"Proficient in university-level financial knowledge and culinary skills, now being awarded."
"Buzz..."
Suddenly, a large amount of knowledge flooded into Su Chang's mind. However, this time Su Chang did not faint. He was only dazed for a moment before regaining his clarity.
"Hiss..."
Su Chang rubbed his throbbing head and muttered to himself.
"This hurts even more than being hit with a stick a few times."
"Host, because you have the Indestructible Body, you did not faint or become mentally disabled after gaining so much knowledge. Otherwise, an ordinary person who suddenly gains so much knowledge would probably either become stupid or die."
"Damn it, you damn system, why didn't you say so earlier!"
"Host, please watch your words, or I won't mind you experiencing it again."
"Uh... how could that be? System, we're like family." Su Chang's survival instinct was still very strong.
"Keep up the good work, host. I'm off on my date now, bye-bye!"
"Hey! System Daddy, wait a minute... Is your indestructible body even legitimate?"
"System...Dog System..."
"Holy crap, it's already off, going on a date? Is it really necessary? Heaven is so unfair! Even the system can go on dates, I'm such a miserable single dog."
Su Chang sat down on the sofa with a sullen expression and reorganized her thoughts.
First, I sorted out all my assets. Not counting the hundreds of thousands of dollars I earned during my university years, I now have 60 million in cash, plus this property in Ode to Joy, and 0.5% of the shares in Shengxuan Group. I'm definitely a person with a net worth of over 100 million. So, it's impossible for me to work for someone else anymore. Not to mention anything else, just the stock dividends alone will give me at least tens of millions every year. What job can give me an annual salary of tens of millions?
Since I'm not going to work for someone else, and considering my current skills—basic medical research, basic hacking, master-level martial arts, plus the financial knowledge and culinary skills I gained today—I might as well open my own private kitchen.
Thinking about opening a private kitchen means I need to find a storefront and get myself a car. After all, I'm a billionaire, how can I not have a car?
Next, I thought about my girlfriend. After all, even the dog system knew to go find the mother system, so what could a normal, handsome young man like me do by relying on my five fingers?
Then I thought of the personalities of the five women in Ode to Joy. Guan Juer was undoubtedly the best choice for a wife. She was from a well-off family with no financial pressure, and she was gentle and kind. At the same time, she was a little rebellious and it was obvious that she had feelings for me. However, when I thought about how I planned to be a loving person for the rest of my life, my head started to hurt. After all, it was hard to accept a well-behaved girl like Guan Juer.
Next up is Qiu Yingying, who is obviously love-struck but very loyal and a foodie. However, she is a bit unable to distinguish right from wrong, making her easy to win over. It's just that her voluptuous figure makes Su Chang hesitate.
As for Fan Shengmei, she's clearly a gold digger. Winning her over would be very simple; all you have to do is throw money at her. However, as mentioned before, there's her age, her bottomless pit of a family, and her little bit of scheming. Su Chang doesn't even consider her.
As for Andy and Qu Xiaoxiao who are moving in soon, Qu Xiaoxiao is a woman who plays games and is somewhat opportunistic. She is also a complete looks-obsessed person. Thinking of the scene in the original drama where she pursued Dr. Zhao with a reserved and flirtatious attitude, and then thinking of her own looks, which are comparable to those of the readers, she could easily outshine Dr. Zhao. However, Qu Xiaoxiao is a bit too smart and has a very strong sense of purpose. It would be good to have a friendly competition and broaden her horizons.
Andy's intelligence and emotional intelligence are two extremes. Her figure and looks are impeccable. Although she is not young, she is much better than Fan Shengmei. Her personality is indeed a bit cold, but she is very innocent. Although it is still a bit difficult to get close to her, such a strong woman is the kind of woman who gives you a sense of conquest.
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