In the rental apartment’s living room, the atmosphere was somewhat awkward. Originally, Qin Menglu had wanted to sit next to Xiao Yufan, but was stopped by Yu Yihan’s sharp glance. The girl could only make a face and sat down on the sofa opposite Xiao Yufan.
“Cough… cough… Is it really necessary to be so formal? We’re all friends. Can’t we just sit down and talk like normal people?”
Seeing Yu Yihan’s serious expression, Xiao Yufan, who had initially appeared resolute and dignified, softened his stance immediately, a faint smile creeping onto his face—flattering and visibly uneasy.
“Who said we’re friends? You should be ashamed of yourself…”
Yu Yihan slightly furrowed her brows, clearly displeased by Xiao Yufan’s flippant attitude. Sensing her mood, he wisely repressed his smile, adopting a posture of quiet submission, as if awaiting further punishment.
“Now that there are already three people living here, including Menglu, I think we should set up some rules to regulate certain individuals, so no one ends up being kicked out and then blames me for being heartless…”
Yu Yihan got straight to the point without giving Xiao Yufan any face, a blunt approach typical of her personality.
“This house is yours now, so whatever rules you want to set are up to you. Then why exactly did you call me out here?”
Xiao Yufan showed no signs of being bothered. He was completely at a loss when it came to Yu Yihan’s unreasonable tantrums, but that didn’t mean he would obediently comply…
“Even though the house is mine now, there are others living here too. It’s only fair we make decisions democratically. Otherwise, it would be too harsh not to consult you beforehand!”
“Please, this isn’t consultation—it’s notification! Just say what you want clearly. I’m all ears, since I can’t get a word in edgewise anyway…”
Feeling somewhat resentful, Xiao Yufan thought to himself that this was hardly a discussion. Calling it consultation was being generous—it was more like a mandatory meeting. He had no idea what the girl was planning.
“What kind of attitude is that? We two girls are living under the same roof as you, which might not affect you much, but do you even realize how it affects us? That’s why we need to set some ground rules today!”
Yu Yihan’s emotions began to fluctuate. Feeling Xiao Yufan’s impatience, she grew slightly angry. Her desire to establish these rules wasn’t entirely altruistic—she simply didn’t want to see Xiao Yufan and Qin Menglu being overly affectionate in front of her.
“Cousin, I don’t mind. Yufan gege…” Seeing Xiao Yufan’s helpless expression, Qin Menglu hesitated as she addressed Yu Yihan. In her eyes, living together with Xiao Yufan didn’t seem like a big deal.
“Didn’t you just say you’d listen to me?” Yu Yihan, clearly displeased by Qin Menglu’s wavering stance, placed her hands on her waist and questioned her sharply.
“Well… okay then… fine…” Qin Menglu quickly gave in, not even daring to meet Yu Yihan’s gaze. Though fearless by nature, she was the only one who could intimidate her.
Giving Xiao Yufan a helpless, cute look, Qin Menglu silently signaled him to fend for himself, then sulked away, hugging a bag of snacks.
“Besides, Menglu is still a young girl. If any rumors were to spread, it would only harm her reputation!”
Yu Yihan softened her tone slightly. She didn’t want the atmosphere to remain so tense. If anything, her concern was more for herself than for Menglu.
“Alright, I know what you’re going to say. As long as your demands aren’t too outrageous, I won’t refuse. Besides, I have absolutely no interest in getting involved with a young lady like you…”
Xiao Yufan’s voice gradually faded, and the last sentence was barely audible even to himself. He dared not be so direct with Yu Yihan. If she truly got angry, there would be no escape for him.
“In that case, let’s make three clear agreements—consider them the apartment’s rules. I’m sure you won’t mind!”
“First, no revealing clothing in the apartment; second, no excessive physical contact; and third, most importantly, no staying out overnight!”
Yu Yihan blurted out the three rules in one breath, then exhaled deeply. Although these rules might seem overly controlling, she firmly believed they were necessary to curb Xiao Yufan’s flirtatious tendencies.
“Are you kidding me? Are you even going to control my overnight stays? Do you think this is a boarding school?”
Xiao Yufan was stunned. Since college, he had been used to staying out late at nightclubs, and even then, no one had ever restricted his overnight absences. For Yu Yihan to impose such a rule felt utterly absurd.
“You can choose not to follow them!” Yu Yihan smirked mischievously. Her smile sent a chill down Xiao Yufan’s spine. Then came her chilling remark: “You’re free to leave the apartment, and no one will force you to stay…”
Shrugging nonchalantly, Yu Yihan appeared relaxed, but Qin Menglu’s heart tightened. She feared a conflict between Xiao Yufan and Yu Yihan, which would leave her torn between them.
“You… are truly amazing…” Xiao Yufan forced a smile, his expression stiff as he met Yu Yihan’s unsettling gaze. His rising anger was slowly suppressed—after all, it was her territory now; he had no say.
“Likewise! Actually, you’re amazing too—eyeing one thing while eating another, still sneaking glances at a third. You’re such a shameless flirt and a pervert…”
Yu Yihan hurled every insulting word she could think of at him, secretly reveling in this rare victory. For a while, she had been on the losing side in their constant battles, so this moment felt like sweet revenge.
“Three rules with no real substance? I thought you had something better up your sleeve!”
Letting out a long yawn, Xiao Yufan shook his head, feigning indifference while internally fuming. But to provoke Yu Yihan further, he could only respond this way…
“As long as they can keep certain people in check, that’s good enough for me. I don’t have high expectations. I just hope no one breaks them, or else there’s no other choice but to kick them out!”
Stretching her toned body, Yu Yihan’s curvaceous figure became strikingly apparent, causing Xiao Yufan to swallow hard. But he dared not entertain any thoughts about her—she was a ticking time bomb ready to explode at any moment.
“Keeping a man doesn’t just mean keeping him physically nearby. Sigh…”
“Get lost…” Yu Yihan heard Xiao Yufan mutter after he returned to his bedroom. She suddenly realized what he meant, but by the time she reacted, Xiao Yufan had already shut the bedroom door behind him…
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