I agreed to be a kept man, but I'm still being punished by the system.

Su Man had anticipated Lin Yang's possible reactions—perhaps ecstasy, perhaps excitement, perhaps feigned composure—but she never expected him to reject her so directly.

This answer was unexpected, yet perfectly reasonable.

"So what do you mean?"

Su Man's tone softened unconsciously.

"I'll take the subway to your house tomorrow morning, and then drive you to the office."

Lin Yang explained his plan.

"It's the same after get off work. After dropping you off at home, I'll take the subway back."

Su Man fell silent.

She looked at the young man in front of her.

He was wearing a very ordinary white shirt, with some yellow stains on the cuffs, but it was ironed very neatly.

But his eyes were calm, without greed or pretense.

"Okay, I've sent you the address."

Su Man didn't say anything more, left those words behind, and turned to walk towards the elevator lobby.

Lin Yang watched her retreating figure, slowly loosening his grip on the car keys, his palms already damp with a thin layer of sweat.

My phone vibrated, and a new message appeared on the screen: an address and a neighborhood location.

Tianheng Garden.

Lin Yang was familiar with this name.

That was one of the most luxurious residential complexes in Huahai City, situated in the prime riverside area where land is incredibly valuable. Rumor had it that even the cheapest apartment there had a starting price of eight figures.

The next morning, before dawn, Lin Yang squeezed onto the first subway train heading to the city center.

The carriage was filled with the aroma of steamed buns and soy milk. He was swept along by the crowded people, and everyone's face showed the fatigue of lack of sleep and the numbness of another day's work.

An hour later, he came out of the subway station.

Unlike the hustle and bustle of urban villages and the crowds of the subway, everything here seems quiet and detached.

The wide streets were spotless.

The tall and straight sycamore trees along the roadside cut the morning light into dappled shadows.

The main gate of Tianheng Garden is less like the gate to the residential complex and more like the entrance to a small fortress.

The security guard, dressed in a crisp uniform, scanned each approaching stranger with sharp eyes.

Lin Yang gave Su Man's address and his own name. After verifying the visitor information, the security guard pressed the release button.

The moment he stepped into the residential area, he truly understood what "social class" meant.

There are no towering, densely packed buildings here, only rows of well-arranged slab-style buildings with extravagantly wide spacing between them. Large lawns and meticulously manicured gardens make this place feel more like a private park.

The air was filled with the fresh scent of grass and earth.

He found the building where Su Man lived, building number 11, according to the address.

After swiping the access card that Su Man had given him in advance, he entered the lobby, where two elevators were waiting.

The elevator requires a card to access each apartment.

As the elevator ascended smoothly, and with a soft "ding" as the elevator doors opened on the 12th floor, Lin Yang's breath caught in his throat for a moment.

Outside the elevator, there is not a corridor, but a separate entrance hall.

He was facing the dark brown front door.

He went inside and, as Su Man had instructed, took out a new pair of slippers from the shoe cabinet and put them on.

Then, he saw the scene before him.

open.

The huge floor-to-ceiling windows generously embrace the entire river view of Huahai City, and the morning light pours in, gilding everything inside with a golden edge.

The living room is larger than his entire dormitory room in college.

The simple yet expensive furniture is scattered throughout the space, each piece resembling a work of art.

He stood awkwardly in the entryway, not even knowing where to put his feet.

He needs to go to the restroom.

He followed the corridor and, guided by instinct, pushed open the door closest to him.

Then, he froze completely.

The space in front of him was larger than the single room he was currently renting.

The design features a separate wet and dry area, a huge round bathtub, a double vanity, and marble walls and floors with natural textures.

This is just a toilet.

Lin Yang looked down at the smooth, mirror-like ground beneath his feet, and involuntarily, the image of his less than ten-square-meter, dark, damp rented room with peeling paint involuntarily surfaced in his mind.

Lin Yang forced himself to look away from the smooth, mirror-like marble floor.

The constant temperature of the warm air in the bathroom made him feel a little dizzy.

He turned on the tap, and the warm water washed over his palms, the elegant woody scent of the high-end fragranced hand soap filling his nostrils.

This smell is very similar to the one on Su Man.

The mirror reflected a face that didn't fit in.

She was pretty, but her awkwardness and fatigue were undeniable.

The enormous class divide transformed into an invisible pressure, squeezing in from all directions, making it difficult for him to breathe.

He turned off the tap, and the sound of water stopped abruptly.

The entire space was eerily quiet.

He must remain calm.

The system brought him into this arena not so that he could lament the gap between the rich and the poor.

Lin Yang straightened his slightly yellowed white shirt, walked out of the bathroom, and returned to the empty, separate entryway.

He lowered his head, staring at the brand-new guest slippers on his feet, trying to make himself look less like a beggar who had wandered into a palace.

"Click".

With a soft click, the door to the master bedroom opened.

Lin Yang's body tensed instantly.

Su Man came out from inside.

She wore a smooth, off-white silk blouse paired with a pair of well-tailored black high-waisted trousers.

The top button of her shirt was fastened meticulously, perfectly outlining her slender neck and delicate collarbone.

She didn't look at Lin Yang, but walked straight to the shoe cabinet that covered an entire wall in the entryway.

It was a wall made up of countless transparent acrylic grids.

In each compartment, there lay a pair of high heels that would make any woman scream, densely packed together like an armory.

Su Man casually pulled open a compartment and took out a pair of black stilettos.

She bent down to change her shoes.

This simple movement caused the black trousers to stretch tightly, outlining a stunning curve of the hips, exuding the ultimate charm of a mature woman.

Lin Yang's Adam's apple bobbed, and he quickly looked away.

"Let's go."

Su Man straightened up, instantly growing taller, and then uttered two words.

The two entered the elevator one after the other.

In the enclosed space, the fragrance emanating from her body, mixed with the woody scent from before, became even more intense, constantly assaulting Lin Yang's senses.

The elevator descended smoothly, leading directly to the underground parking garage.

"bite."

The elevator doors opened.

The black Volvo S90 was parked quietly in its designated parking space.

Su Man got into the back seat, closed the door, and isolated herself from him.

Lin Yang got into the driver's seat and closed the car door.

He gripped the steering wheel, his heart pounding heavily in his chest.

I took a deep breath and started the car.

Lin Yang drove very slowly and steadily because he was a complete novice driver.

The car smoothly drove out of the underground parking garage and merged into the morning traffic.

The interior of the carriage was so quiet that only the faint noise of the tires rolling over the road could be heard.

Have you had breakfast?

Su Man's voice suddenly broke the silence from the back seat.

This question came out of the blue and was asked casually, like something out of nowhere.

"I ate soy milk and steamed buns on the way."

Lin Yang spoke the truth.

There was a moment of silence in the back seat.

Lin Yang could imagine Su Man's slightly furrowed brows when she heard this answer.

"Come eat at my place next time."

Her voice rang out again, calm yet authoritative.

"The housekeeper at home prepares breakfast."

She added another sentence, as if to explain.

"it is good."

Lin Yang answered succinctly.

He didn't say thank you, nor did he show any sign of being flattered.

The car arrived at the underground parking garage of the Enwei Group building, and the two walked into the company one after the other.