Chapter 20

Chapter 20

"No, thank you. The clinic is close to my home, so it's convenient for me to cycle there and back. Besides, I don't want my colleagues or neighbors to misunderstand."

Facing the sincerity of the guard, Xu Qiao smiled and politely declined.

The registration fee was in credits, and escorting her would cost time and effort. Even if Jiang Rui was willing to do this, it still put pressure on Xu Qiao.

Jiang Rui understood, nodded, and stepped out of the clinic, closing the door behind him, leaving Xu Qiao with a straight silhouette.

Xu Qiao stared at the door for a few seconds.

Including today, Jiang Rui had only seen her twice. He must really like her appearance.

Xu Qiao knew she was attractive, but given Jiang Rui's background, he shouldn't lack options for pretty potential partners if he wanted to get married. Now that they had talked about it, Jiang Rui probably wouldn't come looking for her again?

It was Xu Qiao's turn for the night shift on Friday. After Lu Yang left for school, Xu Qiao changed into her workout clothes, preparing to go for a morning run.

As she closed her door, the door of apartment 102 opened from inside. Xu Qiao put away her keys and turned around, smiling at Qinchi, who was wearing a gray shirt. "Heading to school?"

Qinchi nodded and walked alongside her. "It's Xiaoyang's birthday this weekend. Do you have any gift suggestions?"

Xu Qiao thought for a moment and laughed. "A set of college entrance exam practice questions?"

It was an old joke, but when Xu Qiao looked up at Qinchi, she saw him stop, considering the idea seriously.

Xu Qiao: "...I was joking. He probably wouldn't like such a gift."

The young landlord looked a bit embarrassed. Qinchi's gentle gaze softened as he looked down at her. "I guessed. I was just playing along."

Xu Qiao: "..."

She walked ahead, stepping out of the unit door. As the bright sunlight hit her, she instinctively closed her eyes.

In the next second, the glare was blocked by a figure—Qinchi standing beside her.

"It's just seven in the morning, yet the sun is already so bright here." Qinchi naturally mentioned the difference in sunlight between the two bases.

Xu Qiao: "Cherish it. In a month, the rainy season will start, and we might not see the sun for over twenty days."

Lotus flowers are aquatic plants but enjoy ample sunlight. Xu Qiao also enjoyed the morning sun.

After a deep breath of the fresh air from the green courtyard, she waved at Qinchi as she jogged onto the concrete street. "I'm off. See you later."

Qinchi smiled and nodded, waiting until the energetic young landlord turned the corner before driving off.

Xu Qiao ran twenty kilometers around the neighborhood and, while showering, suddenly remembered she forgot to give advice to her polite neighbor.

What did Lu Yang like?

Actually, Xu Qiao wasn't quite sure. She remembered that five- or six-year-old Lu Yang liked strawberries and other tasty snacks, but since she started high school, she had been busy every day, coming home only to study and do homework. After entering military school, she only came home once a week to take care of the courtyard, thus spending less and less time with the growing boy next door.

Lu Yang's personality was reserved and independent; he no longer openly showed what he liked or disliked. Xu Qiao even suspected that if she cooked a terrible dinner, Lu Yang would eat it without complaint.

Sitting in a wicker chair on the balcony, Xu Qiao sent a message to Qinchi: "He's grown taller recently. I'm planning to give him a new set of clothes. How about you continue giving him shoes?"

Qinchi was teaching, surrounded by the gruesome corpse of an A-level beast. The students in the classroom held their breaths, fearing the beast might still be alive and could break free from Qinchi's wind barrier at any moment.

Seeing his communication bracelet light up silently, Qinchi chose to continue teaching. During the break, he walked to the southeast corner near the podium, leaned against the window, and replied: "Sorry, I was in class. I just saw your message now."

"Your gift of clothes is perfect. I want something new. I heard Mr. Lu's spirit form is a sword?"

Xu Qiao had seen Qinchi socialize with the elderly neighbors on their floor and wasn't surprised he knew this. "Yes, you're not thinking of giving him a sword, are you?"

Qinchi: "I have an idea, but please let me keep it a secret for now."

On Saturday, Xu Qiao spent the day resting. In the evening, she pushed Lu Yang onto the sofa and prepared a long-life noodle dinner for the birthday boy.

Lu Yang couldn't sit still and leaned against the sliding kitchen door, watching Xu Qiao's slender back as she washed vegetables and sliced meat.

Years ago, it was his mother bustling around in the kitchen; after she passed away, it became his father. Now...

He was an orphan, and so was Xu Qiao. In the entire Southeast Base, they were each other's only... non-blood-related family.

With the college entrance exam approaching, Lu Yang wasn't worried about the written test but was anxious about the spirit form awakening afterward.

He hoped to inherit his father's spirit form so he could protect Xu Qiao.

Xu Qiao turned around accidentally and met the teenager's contemplative gaze.

Xu Qiao wondered, "What are you thinking about?"

Lu Yang: "I was wondering, what if my spirit form is cotton..."

Xu Qiao smiled. "Cotton is fine too. If you really got a plant-based ability, the two small courtyards outside would provide us with food all year round."

Plant-based abilities might have low combat power but were economically valuable. Planters of the same level earned salaries comparable to healers.

Her smile was so beautiful that Lu Yang silently swallowed his other thoughts.

The next morning, Xu Qiao brought out her gift: a black-and-white casual outfit and a pair of white sneakers.

After feeding him for more than two months, Lu Yang was still slim but no longer looked pitifully thin. His limbs were long and muscular, and his height of one meter eighty provided a sense of security when he stood next to Xu Qiao.

"I've washed them. Go ahead and change into them. We can go out today."

Lu Yang awkwardly changed into the clothes. When he came out, he found Xu Qiao already in the kitchen. Just as he was about to help, Qinchi sent a message: "Happy birthday! Are you awake?"

Lu Yang: "Thank you. Yes, I am."

Qinchi: "I'm outside the door, I've prepared a birthday gift for you."

Lu Yang found this person to be overly polite. He found it troublesome but also knew that rejecting him coldly would make him appear very impolite.

He went to open the door alone.

Outside the door, Qinchi was wearing a white shirt and holding a meticulously wrapped gift box over a meter long, which he handed to Lu Yang, saying, "It's a sword. You might not need it next month, but you can use it to practice close combat then."

Lu Yang's heart skipped a beat.

Qinchi shoved the gift into his hands and went back to make breakfast.

Lu Yang returned to the living room with the gift, feeling conflicted.

Xu Qiao had been curious for two days and urged Lu Yang to open the gift box quickly.

Inside the paper-wrapped box was a dark wooden scabbard with lifelike, ancient engravings that looked expensive, fitting Qinchi's style.

Inside the scabbard was a long sword with a cold gleam, a dark golden hilt, and a thin, sharp blade.

The siblings didn't have much experience, and they couldn't identify the metal of the sword just by looking at it. Xu Qiao pulled out the product certificate and saw clearly marked that it was an A-grade alloy long sword produced by the Mercenary Association, with a three-year warranty for any damage!

In addition to the sword, Qinchi had included a storage device. When plugged into a tablet, it revealed rows of swordsmanship tutorial videos.

Xu Qiao was stunned, and Lu Yang was stunned as well.

After a long while, Xu Qiao looked Lu Yang up and down and speculated, "Could he be one of Uncle's friends who knows about Uncle's situation and is specifically trying to take care of you this way?"

Ignoring the fact that the sword could break through the defenses of an A-grade mutant beast, just those swordsmanship tutorial videos were something most people couldn't compile so comprehensively.

Both using points and putting in effort, Qinchi was truly treating Lu Yang exceptionally well.

Lu Yang: "Impossible. Our whole family has never left Southeast Base, and my father hasn't taken missions in other bases. I think he's just too rich and used to spending lavishly, without considering the point expenses when giving gifts."

The spatial crystal core from before was even more expensive than this sword, and it couldn't be bought!

Xu Qiao was just speculating. She had more information than Lu Yang, such as Qinchi's private friendship with the principal of the Secondary Military Academy.

"I'll go return it."

Lu Yang said it and did it, quickly repacking the gift box and heading straight to apartment 102.

Xu Qiao hid in the living room to eavesdrop.

Lu Yang: "We're not related or acquainted, and accepting such an expensive gift makes me feel guilty."

Qinchi: "Firstly, the living environment you provided exceeded my expectations, and I gave you a gift out of courtesy and gratitude. Next month, you are likely to awaken a B-grade mental body. If I gave you a B-grade sword, it would be almost meaningless to you, and I don't give meaningless gifts."

"Furthermore, please don't worry about points. My balance is enough to last several lifetimes. Rather than letting it sit idle in my account, I find joy in using it to give gifts to friends with whom I share a connection."

Lu Yang was only slightly shorter than Qinchi. Seeing the warm and pleasant light in Qinchi's eyes, he knew he meant what he said.

And Lu Yang, suddenly overwhelmed by his neighbor's opulence, paused for a moment before finding a new reason to refuse: "But I might not awaken a B-grade mental body..."

Qinchi smiled and said, "Then you need this sword even more. Abilities are indeed the best way to deal with mutant beasts, but close combat with cold weapons can also kill them. I hope my little landlord, regardless of the level of awakening, can protect themselves and those they want to protect."

The last sentence was spoken softly, as if a wise elder had already seen through the thoughts of a middle school student and was helping to keep the secret.

Lu Yang's lowered eyelashes trembled slightly, various emotions surging within him. Finally, he lowered his arm and held the gift, saying, "Thank you."

Qinchi: "Go inside. I wish you a pleasant day."

When Lu Yang closed the door and returned to the living room, Xu Qiao finally dared to breathe easily.

Lu Yang looked at her and said, "I don't have many points, but if he needs help in the future, I will definitely do my best."

Qinchi had given him a gift he couldn't refuse, and he remembered the favor.

Xu Qiao: "Let's not think too far ahead. Since he's given us a gift, should we invite him to the movies tonight?"

Solitary ability users were common, Meng Li being an example, always seeming to say "don't bother me unless necessary."

Their new neighbor, however, had actively teamed up with her and given Lu Yang a gift, indicating a desire to integrate into the neighborhood life.

Therefore, she and Lu Yang, as landlords and closest neighbors, should be more welcoming.