Chapter 287: Moving In
Lei Xing was indeed in a hurry.
But he couldn’t find the right moment to give his gift—Shi Zijin was following them around without giving him a chance.
He wanted to give the gift and say a few personal words to Su Tao, not have unnecessary people around.
Su Tao, on the other hand, didn’t even notice his frustration. She was busy thinking about where to settle down. Since she wasn’t familiar with Xindu, she had no clear direction in mind.
Shi Zijin made a quick phone call and settled it: “It’s arranged. We’ll be staying in the northern district. Let’s park the RV in a nearby garage—vehicles like that aren’t allowed to stop in the city.”
Su Tao immediately followed him into the car, asking curiously, “You seem to know Xindu well?”
Shi Zijin subtly glanced at Lei Xing, who had been completely forgotten outside the car, and the corners of his lips lifted slightly.
“I’ve been here a few times. Let’s go.”
As the car was about to start, Su Tao suddenly remembered Lei Xing. She rolled down the window and asked, “Do you have a place to stay?”
Could Lei Xing say no?!
That would be admitting he wasn’t as capable as Shi Zijin!
He waved dismissively. “No need to worry about me. But if your place isn’t comfortable, you can always come find me.”
Shi Zijin replied, “That won’t be necessary, Captain Lei.”
Lei Xing forced a smile, ignoring him, and turned to Su Tao instead.
“Are you free tomorrow? I have something important for you.”
Su Tao had no plans for the next day.
The Alliance Summit was in three days, and she planned to explore Xindu in the meantime.
But she wasn’t keen on meeting Lei Xing, so she asked, “What is it? Why not just give it to me now?”
She hadn’t even considered it might be a gift.
Lei Xing was firm. “No, now isn’t the right time.”
Su Tao was puzzled—what could be so important that it had to wait?
Unable to refuse any longer, she reluctantly agreed.
Once Panther Path left, Su Tao glanced at Shi Zijin.
Shi Zijin remained expressionless. “I’ll go with you tomorrow.”
Su Tao could only nod. There were indeed things she needed to clarify with Lei Xing.
Xindu’s northern district was just as well-developed as expected. Though it wasn’t as refined and picturesque as Taoyang, it was spacious and orderly.
All the major infrastructure was complete, and she even spotted a high-rise building, roughly 20 stories tall, with well-dressed people coming and going inside.
The sight reminded her of pre-apocalypse office buildings filled with white-collar workers.
The building itself looked a bit old, likely built years ago.
But it was a testament to Xindu’s strength—constructing such a building was no simple task, especially in the post-apocalypse. The manpower, resources, and finances required were immense.
Su Tao stared at it for a long time, making a decision. She would build one in Taoyang, no—two!
Their RV was parked in a large lot, drawing plenty of attention. Even before the apocalypse, luxury RVs like this were rare.
Shi Zijin had somehow acquired a large sunshade to cover the RV, explaining, “It’s too eye-catching. Better to avoid unwanted attention.”
Su Tao gave him a thumbs-up.
After that, she and Qian Lin’s family shared a car and headed to their temporary residence.
She expected a basic hostel or motel but was surprised—it was an old-style apartment building.
The surroundings were good, with convenience stores and parking nearby, and it was only a ten-minute drive from the conference venue.
At the reception, Shi Zijin handed over a card.
The receptionist scanned it and greeted them warmly. “Major Shi, you and your team members can access your rooms by scanning your communicators. Here are the keys to your reserved rooms.”
Su Tao took her key card and asked quietly, “How much does the rent cost?”
“It’s free.”
Su Tao: “???”
Shi Zijin just smiled.
“Xindu wants to recruit me. They have to show some sincerity. Just stay without worries.”
Of course!
No wonder they were so hospitable.
Su Tao took her key card and ran upstairs excitedly.
She was curious to see what an apartment in Xindu looked like.
Opening the door, she realized the unit was similar to a three-bedroom apartment, with a shared living room and bathroom. She would be staying with Qian Lin and her daughter, each having their own room.
It was like a shared rental setup.
The furniture was functional but a bit old, mismatching the overall decor.
The room was also stuffy. When she opened the window, a wave of heat rushed in, making it even worse.
There was only one air conditioner, located in the living room.
Su Tao tried turning it on but noticed a meter attached to it.
She looked closer—200 Federation coins per hour!
Having gotten used to Taoyang’s cheap electricity, Su Tao and the Qian family both gasped.
Robbery!
Qian Rongrong immediately backed away from the remote, staring at the air conditioner like it was a thief.
Su Tao handed out chilled drinks to cool them down.
After drinking half of hers, she decided—she wasn’t going to suffer.
She could afford it, and she wasn’t going to be uncomfortable for the next half-month.
Each of them went to unpack. Black Sesame began patrolling its new territory, while the little crow, Ling Yu, gazed sadly out the window from its cage.
Xuedao, the dog, was panting from the heat, losing its appetite for dog food.
Su Tao’s room had only a single bed with yellowed sheets. She replaced it with a king-size bed from her system inventory, complete with fresh bedding.
She also swapped the old wardrobe for a wooden one from her inventory, organizing her clothes and supplies neatly.
Wanting to make the space more comfortable, she replaced all the living room furniture, laid down a soft rug, and hung warm yellow curtains.
Unfortunately, there were no power outlets in the apartment—probably to prevent tenants from using extra electricity. Otherwise, she would’ve added a fridge too.
Instead, she set up a storage cabinet in the living room, filled with drinks and snacks for easy access.
She also wanted to upgrade Qian Lin’s and Rongrong’s rooms, but Qian Lin refused, not wanting to take advantage of her generosity.
Rongrong, however, was already thrilled. Before moving to Taoyang, she had never lived in a place this nice!
Su Tao didn’t insist.
Once everything was settled, Song Yuebin suddenly showed up, looking a little shy.
“Boss Su, I was thinking of checking out Xindu’s pet shop tonight. Want to come? I’m terrible at picking gifts, and I need your advice.”
Song Yuebin wasn’t just here to hand over those traffickers—he was also tasked with finding a quality pet for a certain wealthy lady up north.
A pet store in Xindu? As expected of the top southern base.
Curious, Su Tao asked, “How old is the lady?”
“About 20, same as you. That’s why I thought your taste might match hers.”
Su Tao had assumed she’d be in her thirties.
Not prying further, she agreed. “Alright, what time?”
“After dinner. Does Manager Qian and Rongrong want to come too?”
Since they were free, they agreed.
Lin Fangzhi, who had been handing out supplies, overheard and wanted to join as well.
Su Tao mentioned it to Shi Zijin, and their pet-shopping group grew by one more.
As night fell, Xindu lit up. The streets were bright, unlike Dongyang, where you had to rely on flashlights at night.
Amidst the bustling streets, no one noticed—Black Sesame had slipped out of the apartment, vanishing into the city.
