Are we friends

Xia Zhiyu pursed her lips softly and replied, "Alright."

After speaking with Xia Zhiyu, Su Yang turned to Wang Qiang and said, "Lao Wang, go ahead."

"Sure thing, Boss Su! Just give me a moment—I’ll grab some materials for you to look over." Wang Qiang stood up and walked over to the counter, where he picked up two booklets listing available properties.

He returned with a cheerful smile, sat down, and flipped through one of the booklets until he found a residential area near Yue Shiguang. He then slid it toward Su Yang. "Boss Su, take a look. This is one of the neighborhoods near Yue Shiguang—it’s called Galaxy Seasons. Right now, I have over a dozen available units just in this complex alone."

Su Yang glanced down at the booklet in Wang Qiang’s hands. Inside were actual photos of the various apartments for rent in Galaxy Seasons.

"Looks decent. Do you have any two-bedroom, one-bath units?"

"Two-bedroom, one-bath? Of course!" Wang Qiang flipped through the booklet, stopping after two pages to point at an 88-square-meter apartment. "Boss Su, this one fits the bill. It’s south-facing, fully renovated, with great natural light and all the furniture included. You could move in right away."

Su Yang examined the photos and nodded. "This could work. Which floor?"

"12th floor."

"Got it. Any others?"

"There’s one more two-bedroom unit, but this complex mostly has larger layouts, so I don’t have many two-bedrooms available."

Wang Qiang flipped through the booklet again and showed Su Yang another unit—this one 78 square meters.

From the photos, both apartments had similar decor—a bit dated but perfectly functional, neither outstanding nor disappointing.

Su Yang nodded. "What’s the rent for these two?"

"The 88-square-meter one goes for 2,800 a month. The landlord requires one month’s rent as a deposit and three months’ rent upfront. As for our agency fee, I’ll be straight with you, Boss Su—we usually charge clients one month’s rent. But since you’re Old Gao’s boss and, in a way, his friend, I promised him I’d only charge you half the usual fee."

Su Yang gave Wang Qiang a polite smile. "Thanks."

"Don’t mention it, Boss Su. It’s an honor to have any kind of connection with someone like you."

Su Yang chuckled lightly. "You’re too kind, Lao Wang. Take a seat—let’s see what else you’ve got."

"Sure thing!"

Wang Qiang proceeded to show Su Yang available units in two other well-regarded neighborhoods.

In the end, Su Yang settled on an 85-square-meter, two-bedroom, one-bath fully furnished apartment in a complex called Jade Lake Bay.

This particular unit was showcased in great detail, with photos of every area provided.

After reviewing several options, Su Yang found this one the most appealing.

The apartment was elegantly decorated, fully furnished, and had a cozy, slightly feminine aesthetic—perfect for a female tenant.

Su Yang nodded in approval. "Lao Wang, this one looks pretty good."

Noticing Su Yang’s satisfaction, Wang Qiang grinned. "Boss Su, you’ve got a sharp eye! This unit was renovated just two months ago—brand new, never lived in. The landlord owns multiple properties in Haicheng and specifically asked me to handle the rental. But the market’s been slow lately, so it’s been sitting vacant for over a month."

"Oh? Never been lived in? That’s a plus. What’s the monthly rent?"

"This apartment is 3,800 a month. It's a bit pricey, but personally, I think it's worth it. It's a brand-new unit in a great neighborhood, fully furnished with high-quality renovations, including floor heating—ready to move in immediately. But it does require a one-month deposit and three months' rent upfront."

"Hmm, the price isn’t an issue as long as it meets our requirements. Wang Qiang, do you have time now? Could you show us the place?"

"Of course! Mr. Su, just give me two minutes." Wang Qiang replied with a bright smile as he stood up and headed toward the counter.

Once Wang Qiang left, Xia Zhiyu bit her lip and hesitated before speaking to Su Yang. "Su Yang... this place is too expensive..."

Su Yang already knew what she was thinking and patiently explained, "Actually, it’s not bad, Zhiyu. Think about it—the location is perfect, less than a kilometer from our restaurant. The neighborhood is well-maintained, and the apartment itself is newly renovated, fully furnished, with everything included."

"At 3,800 in downtown Haicheng, this is a pretty reasonable deal."

"But... I... right now..." Xia Zhiyu stammered, her voice trailing off. What she really wanted to say was that she only had 5,000 yuan to her name—far from enough to cover the deposit and rent.

Su Yang understood perfectly. He tilted his head slightly and said, "Zhiyu, I know money’s tight for you right now. But I’m not asking you to pay—I’ll cover it for you."

Hearing this, Xia Zhiyu immediately waved her hands in protest. "No, Su Yang, you’ve already helped me so much! I can’t possibly let you pay for my rent!"

"Are we friends or not?" Su Yang’s tone shifted, deliberately stern.

Xia Zhiyu lowered her head and murmured, "Yes..."

"Then no more arguing. Let’s go see the place first. If you like it, I’ll cover a year’s rent upfront."

"Your salary is 10,000 now, but with your skills, I know you’ll earn more soon enough. Once you’re back on your feet, you can pay me back—how’s that?"

Su Yang spoke with deliberate seriousness. Of course, this was just a temporary tactic—he had no intention of ever taking her money. But given Xia Zhiyu’s stubbornness, he knew she wouldn’t accept his help otherwise.

Sure enough, after a deep breath, Xia Zhiyu finally nodded. "Alright, Su Yang... I don’t know how to thank you, but I swear I’ll pay you back someday."

Su Yang grinned. "Deal."

Just then, Wang Qiang hurried back, car keys and a briefcase in hand.

"Mr. Su, we’re ready to go."

"Great." Su Yang stood up, and Xia Zhiyu followed.

At the entrance, Wang Qiang turned to Su Yang. "Did you drive here? If not, you can ride with me—I’ll take you there."

"I drove. Just lead the way ahead."

"Got it!"

The three stepped onto the sidewalk, and Wang Qiang’s eyes widened at the sight of a sleek red Ferrari parked by the curb.

He looked surprised and said, "President Su, this... this must be your car, right?"

"Yeah, it's mine. Where's yours?"

"Uh, my car's up ahead. President Su, your ride is seriously cool!"

"Haha, it’s alright. Go get your car."

"Got it." Wang Qiang nodded and walked forward. He had already passed the car, but his eyes remained glued to the Ferrari.

"Stop staring, or you might trip~"

"Ah, right, right."

Wang Qiang grinned, turned around, and jogged over to a black Nissan Teana.

Glancing at his own car and then back at Su Yang’s, an overwhelming sense of disparity welled up inside him.

"Ah, such is fate~"

He shook his head with a bitter smile, pulled open the car door, and got in.

After starting the engine, he rolled down the window and leaned out to call back, "President Su, let’s head out."

"Alright~"

Su Yang acknowledged and watched as Wang Qiang drove the Teana out of the parking spot before slowly following behind.

......

Jade Lake Bay residential area wasn’t far, just a little over a kilometer away.

The two cars soon arrived at their destination.

As they approached the entrance, Su Yang tilted his head to take in the sight—the gate was surprisingly lavish.

A grand marble arch stood at the entrance, with the words "Jade Lake Bay" prominently displayed atop it.

The buildings inside the complex looked decent too, roughly thirty stories each, with generous spacing between them, ensuring plenty of natural light.

A security booth stood by the entrance, next to the automated gate barrier.

Wang Qiang drove up first, exchanged a few words with the guard, and the barrier lifted.

The two cars then proceeded into the neighborhood.

The complex was quite large, featuring a two-level underground parking garage and well-paved internal roads.

Wang Qiang didn’t head underground. Instead, he led Su Yang through a series of turns before stopping by the roadside next to a residential building.

He quickly got out and jogged over to Su Yang’s car, smiling. "President Su, we’re here."

"This is the one, right?" Su Yang looked up at the building beside them.

Wang Qiang nodded. "Yes, this is Block C, Unit 3. The complex is pretty big—six zones in total, each with five or six units."

"Got it." By then, Su Yang and Xia Zhiyu had also stepped out of the car.

Wang Qiang pulled out a pack of Huazi cigarettes and offered one to Su Yang. "President Su, smoke?"

"Thanks." Su Yang took it, lit up, and glanced around.

The three of them were now in Zone C. The area was quiet, with few people around. Lush green trees lined both sides of the road, and the building entrances were adorned with well-kept flower beds, giving the place a serene atmosphere.

Standing there, Su Yang could barely hear the noise of traffic from outside the complex.

Xia Zhiyu was also taking in the surroundings. Compared to where she’d lived before, this place felt like paradise.

After a few puffs, Su Yang tossed the cigarette into a nearby trash bin. "Let’s go, Old Wang. Time to check out the place."

"Sure thing, President Su. Little Xia, follow me."

......