Hu Jiasheng explained his work to her, and Tang Nannan couldn't help but worry.
"The temperature has been quite high these past few days. If you have to work outdoors for a long time, won't you sweat a lot? That would be very bad for your wound."
Hu Jiasheng had thought of this when the doctor mentioned it earlier.
But since things had come to this, he didn't want to lose face in front of his colleagues, so he had to grit his teeth and go along with it.
"It's fine, we'll talk if anything comes up."
Tang Nannan couldn't help but feel guilty. "I'm sorry, it's all my fault."
"Stop. I don't want to hear those words again."
A warm current flowed through Tang Nannan's heart.
She dared not look up to see Hu Jiasheng's expression when he said this, only feeling the shock of being dominated, a feeling she hadn't experienced in a long time.
She softly replied, "Oh."
When the dishes were ready and placed on the dining table, Tang Nannan went to cook noodles, and Hu Jiasheng waited for her.
After being chilled in cold water for a moment, Tang Nannan fished out a bowl of noodles and handed it to him. "You must be starving, go ahead and eat."
Hu Jiasheng didn't move, nor did he take the bowl.
"You are not a servant I hired, and I don't intend for you to repay my debt by doing housework, so don't act like you're inferior to me. I'm not used to it."
"I'll wait for you. We'll eat together."
Finally sitting down to eat, Hu Jiasheng tasted the stir-fried meat she had made. It was indeed quite delicious.
It was too quiet in the room with no one talking, so he asked Tang Nannan for advice.
Late at night, the two of them studied a small plate of lean meat in front of them.
After finishing the meal, Tang Nannan went to wash the dishes, but Hu Jiasheng stopped her.
"You cooked, so it's only right that I wash the dishes. I'll do it."
"No, no, no, your hand is injured, I'll do it."
"It's one hand, not both."
"No, no, Mr. Hu..."
"Did everything I just said go in one ear and out the other?"
Tang Nannan realized she was indeed trying to please him, and she disliked this inferior version of herself, but she couldn't help it.
"How about this. Let's save it up for now. When your hand is better, you can make up for the times you owe me. Today is really not possible, you're too tired."
She realized she had said something wrong.
Hu Jiasheng hadn't invited her to stay, and by saying this, she sounded like she was trying to overstay her welcome.
She couldn't help but blush fiercely and looked at Hu Jiasheng in a panic, wanting to explain.
To her surprise, Hu Jiasheng agreed.
"That's fine too. Then, as you said, you'll wash them recently, and I'll make up for it in a few days."
Tang Nannan felt a little smug.
Hu Jiasheng had asked her to cut ties with her uncle, but she had nowhere else to go if she left her uncle's house.
She hadn't found a new job, and the money she had wasn't even enough for food, let alone renting a place.
His willingness to let her stay had indirectly eased her financial burden, making her very happy.
More importantly, Hu Jiasheng was a truly upright and good person, and she felt safe living with him.
After all the fuss, neither of them felt sleepy.
But they had to work the next day, so they had to force themselves to sleep even if they weren't tired.
When Hu Jiasheng rented this apartment, he hadn't expected anyone to stay over, so there was only one bedroom.
Fortunately, he was quite clean and had plenty of spare bedding, so it was fine to sleep on the floor.
He asked Tang Nannan to sleep in the bedroom and he would sleep on the floor.
Tang Nannan felt too embarrassed to accept. She opened her mouth to refuse, but thinking about their previous conversation, she held back.
"Alright then. I'll go to sleep first. Goodnight, Mr. Hu."
"Goodnight."
Hu Jiasheng lay down and remembered that he hadn't set an alarm, so he said to Tang Nannan.
"My phone is over there on the sofa. Please set an alarm for me."
Tang Nannan picked it up, ready to hand it to him.
Hu Jiasheng had already closed his eyes. "The password is 072503."
Unlocking it, Tang Nannan asked what time to set it to. "Six thirty, I guess."
Tang Nannan set the alarm and placed the phone where he could reach it before entering the room.
Fortunately, she didn't use her phone much, so the battery was still quite full. She set her own alarm for six o'clock and lay down.
She had no intention of sleeping, her mind filled with many thoughts.
In a daze, it felt as if the alarm went off as soon as she fell asleep.
Tang Nannan sat up abruptly, tidied the bed, and tiptoed out of the room.
She wanted to make breakfast but was afraid of waking Hu Jiasheng.
She was about to sneak out to buy him breakfast when she realized that Hu Jiasheng was a light sleeper and she woke him up before she even reached the door.
"Is it time already? Why didn't I hear the alarm?"
He sat up as well.
Tang Nannan stopped in her tracks and explained sheepishly.
"It's not time yet. I woke up half an hour early to go buy you breakfast."
"I don't like eating food from street vendors. If it's convenient for you, could you cook me a bowl of noodles?"
That would be wonderful. It would help alleviate some of her guilt.
Tang Nannan asked him what kind of noodles he wanted, and Hu Jiasheng said any kind would do.
Hu Jiasheng went into the bathroom, and some embarrassing sounds came from inside, followed by flushing and a call.
"There are spare toothbrushes in the drawer. Did you see them?"
Tang Nannan hadn't washed her face or brushed her teeth yet. Hearing this, she felt dirty and a little embarrassed.
"No, I didn't see them."
"Wash your face before you start cooking," he said, pushing open the bathroom door.
Tang Nannan went in, and he had already found the spare toothbrushes.
They each took one, silently squeezed toothpaste, Hu Jiasheng stepped back, and Tang Nannan stood in front, brushing their teeth separately.
Even though it was just brushing their teeth, with a man and a woman together early in the morning, it felt rather intimate.
Moreover, Tang Nannan couldn't help but examine him in the mirror.
He must have slept soundly, as his hair wasn't messy at all. Perhaps the medicine was working, as he looked much better.
Under the harsh fluorescent light, his face showed no pores.
As she thought about it, her mind began to wander.
Hu Jiasheng nudged her gently with his elbow. They looked at each other with foamy mouths.
Hu Jiasheng gestured to ask if she was done. She quickly lowered her head to rinse her mouth, then washed her face.
"You can use it."
While making breakfast, Tang Nannan felt as if she was floating on clouds, her movements involuntarily carrying a hint of playfulness.
Tang Nannan had been in a relationship before, and she knew very well where this good mood came from.
After a hasty breakfast, Hu Jiasheng was about to leave, and Tang Nannan went with him.
After locking the door, Tang Nannan handed him the key, but Hu Jiasheng didn't take it.
"What are you doing today?"
"I'm on the day shift today, driving a taxi."
"Where is the car?"
"I have to go to the company to change shifts."
Hu Jiasheng thought for a moment. "Then it's perfect. I won't need to take a taxi. You can give me a ride."
Tang Nannan was overjoyed. "Okay."
As they went downstairs, Hu Jiasheng asked, "Has anyone ever rented your car for a whole day?"
Tang Nannan replied, "No."
"If I were to rent it, is there a specific calculation method?"
"How could I possibly charge you..."
"Just answer me, yes or no."
"...Yes."
"Then fine, I'll rent your car for the whole day today."