Chapter Forty: Homecoming

Faced with Fan Yirou’s relentless persistence, Chen Hao could only feel helpless. Yet, despite his exasperation, he wasn’t truly annoyed. After all, the two of them had shared plenty of close moments, both as children and later as adults. What troubled Chen Hao was that since Fan Yirou insisted on living with him, Gu Mengyan, not to be outdone, adamantly declared she would move in as well.

But things were different now. Chen Hao no longer lived in his family’s mansion. He had moved out and now resided in a small apartment owned by his family—a place less than seventy square meters, with only two rooms. One was already occupied by Chen Hao, furnished with a single bed.

The other room served as his study and storage. Apart from a desk, it was crammed with miscellaneous items and cabinets, leaving no space for a bed. That left only the bathroom, kitchen, and living room. He couldn’t very well let the two girls sleep in the living room, could he?

Never mind whether the sofa was big enough for two grown women—even if it was, it would still be awkward. Both girls were adults now, and if he got up in the night to use the bathroom, it would be inconvenient. Yet, having the two girls sleep in his bed… he wasn’t sure if they would be willing.

Honestly, if it were just Fan Yirou, Chen Hao wouldn’t have minded. He’d been meaning to have a talk with her about their relationship anyway; it was time to take things to the next level. Perhaps this stay would be the catalyst for a breakthrough between them.

Chen Hao could sense that Fan Yirou had feelings for him. Though she usually teased him and Gu Mengyan, surely she wouldn’t make such jokes if she didn’t feel close to him. Maybe she was just waiting for him to make the first move.

Judging by Fan Yirou’s behavior today, Chen Hao felt she was ready to be more proactive, too. Otherwise, why would she so insistently offer to move in and take care of him? Was this her way of suggesting a trial marriage? The thought made Chen Hao’s heart flutter with anticipation.

A trial marriage encompassed so much more than just sharing meals and chores… there were many other possibilities… Ahem! Calm down! Compose yourself!

Ah, he really shouldn’t have brought Mengyan along today. If only he’d met Fan Yirou alone, he could have settled everything first and told Mengyan afterward. Perhaps it was a bit inconsiderate, but as her older brother, it was only natural for her to listen to him.

To this day, Chen Hao couldn’t quite figure out what Gu Mengyan was thinking—he still regarded her as a little sister. Her siding with Fan Yirou annoyed him slightly. She was becoming more and more disobedient! As a child, she’d always followed him around, sometimes mischievous, but always obedient in the end.

Now, not only did she not listen, she actively opposed him, bossing him around. Within these walls, his authority seemed to be dwindling.

In the end, Chen Hao failed to stop the two from their plan to stay by his side twenty-four hours a day. Under the envious and jealous gazes of the entire restaurant, he could only leave with the two girls, leading them to his luxury car.

“Alright, it’s getting late. Yirou’s place is far, and my family’s estate is even farther. I’d worry about you going home alone, Yirou, so just stay at my place. Mengyan, you come too! You two haven’t seen each other in ages; I’m sure you have a lot to catch up on. You can both sleep in my room tonight. I’ll make do in the study.

“As it happens, I have new bedding and sheets—meant for the studio I was planning to set up. You two can use them.” Once in the car, Chen Hao didn’t start the engine right away but turned to the girls and said this.

“Hmph! Who’s her sister? I can’t stand her. There’s nothing I want to say to her!” Gu Mengyan huffed stubbornly.

“Oh my, Mengyan is upset with her big sister. Could it be you blame me for luring away your beloved brother while you weren’t around? Hehehe!” Fan Yirou teased. “Don’t worry, tonight I’ll make it up to you—whatever tenderness Chen Hao gave me, I’ll give it all back to you!”

Gu Mengyan rolled her eyes and ignored her.

Fan Yirou continued, “And Chen Hao, what are you talking about? Why wouldn’t I be used to your bed? Did you forget, back in the day, the two of us… hehehe! Don’t worry, I’d never mind. The warmth and scent you leave in your bed always help me sleep soundly.”

Chen Hao’s face darkened. “Please watch your words. First of all, there’s no way my bed is still warm. Second, men don’t have ‘fragrance’—that’s called sweat! If you genuinely like that, you have very peculiar tastes.”

“Exactly!” Gu Mengyan chimed in, then realized that might imply Chen Hao was smelly. “Ah! Chen Hao, I didn’t mean you! Don’t take it to heart!”

“Thank you both, ladies. Now, stop making trouble and let’s get back. Get some rest; I still need to resign from my company tomorrow!” Chen Hao said, finally starting the car and heading toward his apartment.

The rest of the ride was uneventful. The two girls, no longer bickering as they had in the restaurant, sat together in the back, whispering about who-knew-what.

At first, Gu Mengyan had no intention of speaking to Fan Yirou. She was still upset that Fan Yirou had “stolen” Chen Hao while she was away. Although Gu Mengyan hadn’t confessed her feelings, she was sure Fan Yirou had noticed. For Fan Yirou to cozy up to Chen Hao in her absence was nothing short of betrayal! But then again, nothing much had actually changed between Chen Hao and Fan Yirou—they were still just friends, as they had always been. Maybe she was overthinking it.

Sensing Gu Mengyan’s discontent, Fan Yirou took the initiative to whisper to her after getting in the car. No matter how cold Gu Mengyan acted, Fan Yirou persisted. In the end, the longing for her old friend won out, and Gu Mengyan relented. The two quickly fell into conversation, their laughter ringing out now and then, all past grievances forgotten.

Chen Hao, driving, quietly breathed a sigh of relief. He had known all along that the girls would never really fall out—they’d been close friends since childhood and cherished each other deeply. His only worry was that if they started making a fuss, he’d be the one to suffer.

Once home, Fan Yirou didn’t wait for an invitation. She skillfully took out her own slippers from the shoe cabinet, slipped them on, then took off her coat, revealing her graceful figure, and started to take off her pants as well, completely unconcerned.

Chen Hao hastily stopped her. “Hey! This isn’t your house. Show some restraint!”

Fan Yirou looked at him in confusion. “Why not? I always did this at your place before, didn’t I?”

Chen Hao coughed awkwardly. In this, Fan Yirou wasn’t wrong; she had always acted this way when visiting him, though back then, it had just been the two of them.

Originally, Chen Hao had intended to intervene, but then he realized that such behavior from Fan Yirou showed she didn’t see him as an outsider. Besides, it was a feast for the eyes. Still, with Gu Mengyan present, it was a bit awkward. Oddly enough, the girls were nonchalant, but he, the man, was blushing.

Seeing Chen Hao’s reaction, Fan Yirou burst out laughing.

Gu Mengyan, understanding what was going on, snorted and pointed at both of them. “You two, behave yourselves!”

Then, to their astonishment, Gu Mengyan mimicked Fan Yirou, stripping down to her underwear and calmly walking to the bathroom.

“Damn!” Chen Hao couldn’t help cursing. “Tomorrow, besides quitting my job, I’m going straight to an agent to look for a bigger place!”

Fan Yirou nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, yes, you’re absolutely right, darling! We definitely need a bigger house. Especially the bedroom—it needs to be big enough for a bed that fits all three of us!”

Chen Hao shook his head. “You two are crazy! Sort yourselves out. I’m going to the study. There are extra quilts, sheets, and pillowcases in my wardrobe—help yourselves! I’m not getting involved. There’s food in the fridge, hot water in the flask. If you want instant noodles, buy them or order takeout. Just don’t burn the place down or wreck my home. Do whatever you want!”

With that, he ignored Fan Yirou’s response, set aside thoughts of deepening their relationship, and retreated to his study, turning on his computer to… no, not that—to research a certain topic.

Chen Hao skillfully opened the search engine and typed in four words: artificial intelligence. Clearly, the day’s experiences with Gu Mengyan had brought him back to reality, but he was still deeply interested in AI. Maybe what he’d experienced before was just a dream, and Vivian was only a projection of his subconscious, but artificial intelligence was real. Perhaps one day, such a thing would develop true self-awareness.

Driven by curiosity, Chen Hao embarked on a long journey of study, until he finally dozed off at his desk.

At the very moment he fell asleep, a green, data-like glow once again shimmered over his body…