Don't You Want to Be the Hostess

Gu Xiaoman's face lit up with delight. "Great, shall I take Mr. Su to see the show flat first?"

Su Yang nodded with a smile. "Sure, but no need to keep calling me 'Mr. Su.' It feels a bit too formal. Just call me Su Yang, or Xiao Su if you prefer."

Zhao Mengrou, sipping the coffee brought by the receptionist, teased, "Why don’t you let me call you Xiao Su then?"

"Uh... you can call me that too. Or just Yangyang, hehe."

"Ugh, that’s so corny."

Gu Xiaoman watched the two with an amused smile. "Mengrou, how come you never mentioned Su Yang to me before?"

"Oh, we’ve only met a few times. I’m actually his landlord."

"Wait, he rents from you?"

"Yeah, but turns out he’s a hidden rich kid slumming it for the experience. Now he’s done pretending, so he asked if I knew anyone selling properties."

Ahem... "Alright, alright." Gu Xiaoman covered her mouth, laughing.

"Shall we go see the show flat now?"

"Sure, but is there any difference between the show flat and the actual unit?"

Gu Xiaoman shook her head. "None at all. Everything you see in the show flat is exactly what you’ll get in the actual unit—what you see is what you buy."

"Got it. By the way, what’s the price per square meter for these two layouts in Building 3?"

"The 300-square-meter unit is priced at [omitted], and the 355-square-meter one is [omitted]. Both currently have promotions, and if you decide to buy, I can push for an extra discount on top of the existing offers."

Gu Xiaoman glanced at Zhao Mengrou. "Since you’re Mengrou’s friend, you’re mine too. As the sales manager, I can pull some strings for you."

Su Yang looked at Zhao Mengrou’s smug expression before turning back to Gu Xiaoman with a grin. "Thanks in advance, then. And to you too, Sister Mengrou—I’m definitely riding on your coattails here."

"Hehe, you bet you are." Zhao Mengrou beamed.

"Oh, one more thing—buying a unit also comes with a complimentary parking space."

"Now that’s a perk." Su Yang chuckled.

For a property worth millions, a free parking spot was hardly surprising.

"Alright, let’s go take a look."

"Sure~"

The three followed Gu Xiaoman toward the show flat.

Exiting through the back door of the sales center, they entered a beautifully landscaped garden. After crossing the garden and climbing a short flight of steps, they arrived at Building 3 of Senhai Manor.

Gu Xiaoman led them into the lobby, explaining, "Building 3 has two elevators serving two units per floor—one 300-square-meter and one 355-square-meter. Our show flat is on the second floor, and it’s a fully furnished replica of the actual unit."

Su Yang and Zhao Mengrou nodded and followed her inside.

The lobby featured a massive marble screen, its design and color scheme consistent with the sales center, exuding an air of sophistication.

After bypassing the screen, they took the elevator to the second floor.

Gu Xiaoman first showed them the 300-square-meter layout.

At the entrance, a deep brown door stood imposingly, radiating elegance.

Gu Xiaoman pressed her fingerprint against the lock, and the door swung open.

"You might want to put on shoe covers," she reminded them.

"No problem."

Once they’d slipped on the covers, they stepped inside.

The interior was dominated by a palette of deep brown, black, white, and gray.

The foyer stretched out before them, flanked by two transparent glass shoe cabinets.

At the end stood a white-and-black accent wall, adorned with an artistic sculpture at its center.

Past the foyer lay the combined dining and living area—spacious and open.

To the right of the dining area was a sprawling open-concept kitchen, complete with separate zones for Chinese and Western cooking.

Adjacent to the kitchen, directly behind the foyer, was a floor-to-ceiling glass wine cabinet paired with a multifunctional bar counter.

On the other side of the kitchen, near the balcony, was another open space that could serve as a tea room, study, or flex room.

Connecting the living and dining areas was an expansive L-shaped floor-to-ceiling window, offering 270-degree views and flooding the space with natural light.

Outside the window stretched an equally generous L-shaped balcony—perfect for hosting barbecues.

Gu Xiaoman guided them through the space, pointing out features.

"This area is fully furnished, as you can see."

Su Yang looked around, visibly pleased. "Not bad at all. I really like this layout."

He stepped onto the balcony and glanced down. Below, the scenery was picturesque—lush gardens, a shimmering pond, pavilions, and, further away, the Tianxing River.

Being on the second floor, the river view wasn’t fully visible, but a higher floor would offer an unobstructed panorama.

"Nice. So everything here is identical to the actual unit?"

"Yes, this is a fully replicated show flat. Every detail matches."

"Got it. Sister Zhao—oops, I mean Sister Mengrou—what do you think?"

Zhao Mengrou’s eyes sparkled. "Absolutely gorgeous. I’m in love."

"Too bad I can’t afford it."

Su Yang grinned. "We’re friends. If I buy this, you’re welcome anytime!"

He turned to Gu Xiaoman. "Let’s check out the bedrooms."

"Right this way." She gestured for them to follow.

The bedroom area was situated behind the living room, accessible via a wide hallway. The first room they entered was a secondary bedroom—though even this "secondary" space was larger than many standard master bedrooms.

Opposite it was another secondary bedroom. The entire layout boasted five bedrooms, two living areas, and three bathrooms.

Aside from the multifunctional room near the living area and the master suite, Su Yang considered the rest of the rooms variations of secondary bedrooms—whether labeled as a guest room, study, or otherwise.

After touring the secondary bedrooms, they finally reached the innermost master suite.

To the right of the entrance was the sleeping area—spacious and opulent. The bed faced a full-length transparent glass wardrobe on one side and a lounge sofa on the other, with a massive floor-to-ceiling window completing the scene.

Further in was an ensuite bathroom—double vanities, a smart toilet, a separate shower, and, at the far end, an oversized bathtub.

Su Yang’s imagination ran wild as he eyed the tub.

"This bathtub is perfect—very executive. And the toilet’s great too."

"Why’s your face red?" Zhao Mengrou suddenly asked.

"Huh? Is it? Must be the heat."

"Weirdo," she muttered under her breath.

Gu Xiaoman led them out of the bathroom and around the sleeping area to the walk-in closet designed for the lady of the house.

The closet was equally lavish, with wraparound cabinetry and a long upholstered bench in the center.

"So, what do you think of this closet?" Gu Xiaoman asked Zhao Mengrou with a smile.

"I adore it. But alas, it’s just a dream for someone like me. Woe is me."

"Hey, Mengrou," Gu Xiaoman teased, "don’t you want to be the mistress of this bedroom?"

Gu Xiaoman whispered something into Zhao Mengrou's ear.

Hearing those words, Zhao Mengrou’s face instantly flushed red all the way to her neck. "Oh, stop talking nonsense! Su Yang and I are just ordinary friends. Besides, I’m several years older than him—it’s impossible," she replied in a hushed voice, ensuring Su Yang couldn’t overhear their conversation.

When Su Yang turned to look at her, he noticed Zhao Mengrou’s face had turned red as well.

"Mengrou, why is your face so red?" he asked.