Chapter 495: A sort of learning

Xu Tingsheng spent the entire day accompanying people in looking at flats.

It was Tongtong in the morning.

Faced with Xu Tingsheng's tough, uncompromising stance that left no room for discussion, though it was more of happiness and joy that Tongtong felt, she inevitably still felt desolate somewhat.

Xu Tingsheng opened the door and asked, "What are you daydreaming about? Come on in and see your new home!"

As they stepped inside, Tongtong almost behaved like when she had shamelessly pestered Xu Tingsheng to take her out of Starry Splendour in the past, commenting, "Xu Tingsheng, so you want to keep me hidden, fed and clothed here for your own unspeakable purposes…"

Sadly, for some things...even a willingness to accept wasn't enough.

Most of the downpayment for the flat had actually come from Xu Tingsheng. As Tongtong did not think of herself as his life saviour, she inevitably felt rather guilty. Still, looking at this from another perspective, this was equivalent to a house that Xu Tingsheng had purchased for her...

As he was the one who had bought it, even if she lived here alone, she would still gradually be able to feel the warmth of two.

The former owner of this four-room flat had left most of the furniture behind. Thus, it looked like a complete home.

As her feelings of joy and security overshadowed all others, Tongtong sprightly traversed all the rooms, already unable to resist the urge to clean and tidy it up.

In a certain sense, she was someone who had not had a home for a long time. Her so-called home, with such parents and an elder brother, did not provide her with so much a sense of family aside from their relation of blood.

While a flat belonging to solely her alone might still not be considered a complete home, Tongtong's sense of security and freedom here was incomparable to her life prior to this.

"I want to change the curtains. These are too old-fashioned."

"Add a small red sofa here."

"Got to buy a new shoe cabinet."

"A metal flower stand on the balcony...actually, inside the living room would also be fine."

"..."

Tongtong went on and on about her thoughts regarding her new home, smiling brilliantly through it all.

Xu Tingsheng stood by the side and watched for a while before smiling as he asked, "It's good that you know what you want. Like this, you also won't have money to give away for others to spend, right?"

While wiping away the dust from the television cabinet, Tongtong replied earnestly and quite frantically, "No, no! I have to save up for myself. There are so many things that I want to buy."

To this girl, happiness and a goal were actually so easy to find…

When someone's mind is filled with wonderful hopes, motivation and joy naturally come more easily for them.

Xu Tingsheng discarded his original intention of taking out another sum of money for Tongtong to change her furniture with.

"She can slowly save up on her own and change it then. Maybe it'd be better the longer the process takes. Once, a few new curtains. Another time, a new sofa or a new shoe cabinet. A flower stand, a flowerpot...every single change will fill her with joy and satisfaction. How good is that…"

He did not linger there for too long.

"When the procedures are all complete in a few days, get someone to change the lock and move in. You can slowly save up and refurnish the place while you live here…" Xu Tingsheng said, "Here are the keys and the agreement. If there is anything regarding the procedures which you cannot understand, feel free to ask me about it anytime."

He placed the keys and agreement on the table, concluding, "I've got to go entertain the bosses from Binzhou. I'll be leaving first."

"Yep," Tongtong said, "I'll slowly save up and pay you back for the downpayment."

Xu Tingsheng turned back, smiling at her, "I can't repay my life to you, you know."

"Don't, don't talk about that!" Tongtong suddenly shook her head nervously and agitatedly, "You shouldn't mention that no matter where the place. Somebody could overhear. You got that?"

Tongtong had embedded Xu Tingsheng's reminder deeply in her heart as she remained constantly alert not to let this matter slip. She was even more concerned about it than Xu Tingsheng himself simply because the things that this matter was related to could harm Xu Tingsheng.

You got that, she asks? Xu Tingsheng could only nod.

"I won't speak of it even if I die. You can't say it again too."

When Tongtong had previously said that she would not speak of this even if she died, she had mustered up her courage before Wu Kun and pointed to Xu Tingsheng, declaring that she would never do so because she liked him, because she liked Xu Tingsheng.

This time, she let her words lapse here. The remainder, she buried within her heart: 'I don't want your life. I could even give you mine.'

…..

That afternoon, Xu Tingsheng accompanied the people from Binzhou To Zhicheng. He got some employees to introduce Ning Garden's second phase villas and demonstrate the initial projected layout and conception.

Still, Xu Tingsheng declined the offer to pre-order a whole twenty flats in one go that would even see their deposits paid right now.

"What's the relationship between us? A verbal agreement is more than enough. How is there a need for these things?! We'll definitely leave some for you when the time comes," He assured them.

He saw He Twenty-seven again.

Just like Xu Tingsheng, Huang Yaming and Tan Yao previously, anyone who had been present yesterday night and witnessed that scene would most probably feel some goodwill towards this coal mine boss who was a breath of fresh air and a willingness to get closer to him.

A wealthy, handsome, young billionaire, he had confessed when drunk last night and ended up being rejected.

This had not caused him to lose face, however. Because of the 'silliness' and 'foolhardiness' which he had shown at the time as well as his humble attitude even after the rejection, he actually evoked positive vibes in seeming honest, sincere, straightforward and authentic…

If not for Old Jin having enlightened them, Xu Tingsheng and co would actually feel the same way as well.

Seemingly nonchalantly, this person had comfortably shaped everyone's impressions of him through a mere simple act, with a few expressions and words. He had eased all feelings of alienation and erased any guardedness.

For instance: Before voicing the confession, he had downed a glass of wine and said 'I'll toast this glass first; it's easier to speak when drunk'.

That act and those words had made people feel like he was like any simple, ordinary guy who would feel nervous in front of the woman he liked.

In order to protect Tongtong, he had coldly asked his companion to 'shut their trap', appearing 'foolhardy' and more likely to rely on good old physical force rather than schemes.

Finally, he had sighed and asked despondently 'You'll still accept this wine, yeah?'.

It was relatively easier for sorrowful characters to gain the goodwill of others. The magnanimity he displayed, with its discrepancy with the typical mine boss who was depicted as arrogant and full of themselves, also made him feel rather friendly and approachable.

These little details had allowed him to easily establish a 'good guy' image within a short period of time, unconsciously winning the trust as well as goodwill of most.

Meanwhile, no one had detected or been led to consider anything as they had all been taken with him and thoroughly led around by the nose.

"Just how terrifying is this person?!"

When they were alone, Huang Yaming told Xu Tingsheng, "Did you know? Last night, I actually considered looking for Tongtong if there's time and helping them to get together...god knows why I would think that. So willing to be a nosy parker?! In conclusion, the guy's an expert!"

While this was what he said, as opposed to Xu Tingsheng who only displayed the necessary manners and enthusiasm, not acting overly close, Huang Yaming had perfectly reproduced that sense of goodwill and willingness and desire to get closer to He Twenty-seven.

Over the course of the afternoon, the two had already gotten very close and were even already acting like best buddies.

"Since they all think I'm a fool and easy to deal with, how can I as their anointed prey disappoint them?" Huang Yaming said, "I should best make use of this opportunity to learn how to act devil against devil."

Xu Tingsheng looked at Huang Yaming. Perhaps what Old Jin said was right, and Hung Yaming was indeed a person with a high chance of becoming a wolf or tiger, because of his ambition and how he was far more enthusiastic and interested in these more 'murky' things than he himself was.

Xu Tingsheng said, "Don't you stray too far off the path."

Huang Yaming said, "Men cannot live lacklustre lives. Maybe not leaving behind a name in the annals of history, but a blank slate is just too pitiful. Actually, even if one ends up reviled as villainous for millennia to come, it's still better than coming here all for nothing, nameless evermore."