Volume 1 Chapter 164
by Need_More_SleepVolume 1 + Chapter 164: The New Neighbor
After work, holding a large pile of ingredients gifted by Umi’s mother in her arms, Leah stepped lightly up the apartment stairs, humming a soft tune under her breath.
She was in a good mood. After all, it was rare to get Umi’s mother’s homemade goods, tonight, she could prepare another lavish dinner for Eve.
When she reached her own door and habitually reached out to open it, her peripheral vision inadvertently caught the neighboring room. Her steps faltered slightly.
“Hmm? A new neighbor?” she murmured softly, her gaze lingering on the door that was usually thick with dust and perpetually closed. Today, it was actually ajar, and the hallway outside was haphazardly piled with suitcases and wooden moving crates, seemingly just moved in recently and not yet sorted.
Leah was somewhat surprised. One had to know, the housing prices here were not something ordinary people could afford. She had previously asked Qianzhi, wanting to know just how much an apartment in such a prime location was worth.
However, the answer Qianzhi gave at the time had astonished her—not only were the houses here exorbitantly expensive, but they were also long since claimed, basically inhabited by top-tier noble families from the Imperial capital or by significant figures in high society.
Thus, fundamentally, the property here had long been in a state of “having a price but no market.” Even if someone possessed sufficient wealth, purchasing a residence here was by no means easy.
After all, those who owned property in this golden location were either immensely wealthy or of noble status and prominent standing. Unless they encountered irrecoverable misfortune, they would never easily sell.
Of course, compared to buying, the possibility of renting was slightly higher. But even renting, the price was equally jaw-droppingly high. According to Leah’s knowledge, the monthly rent for a single apartment here alone amounted to over a dozen gold coins.
This figure was simply unimaginable to her. After all, a dozen gold coins was no small sum, and here it was merely for the right to reside for one short month…
Thinking this, she couldn’t help but grow even more curious about the newly moved-in neighbor.
What kind of background must they have to be able to live in this incredibly expensive location?
“Wait till Mama gets back, then go greet the new neighbor together.”
Leah murmured to herself, adjusted the heavy ingredients in her arms, then pushed open her door and walked inside.
The interior was quiet and still. Eve had gone to the palace and hadn’t returned yet. Sister Qianzhi, along with Pipim, had been staying at the Lorraine family residence these past few days and hadn’t come back either.
For a moment, this spacious apartment had only Leah in it.
She looked at the empty living room, and a faint trace of loneliness inexplicably surfaced in her heart, but it was soon washed away by the prospect of something new.
Leah thought to herself that since Eve wouldn’t be back for a while, she might as well go over and introduce herself first, and see if the new neighbor needed any help. After all, judging from the mountain of luggage piled in the hallway, they were clearly newly moved in and hadn’t had time to tidy up yet.
Whether it was tidying the room or arranging items, it would likely be somewhat troublesome. If she could lend a hand, it would be a gesture of neighborly goodwill.
Moreover, although Leah wasn’t skilled at cooking, she was excellent at household chores, especially since she was strong. Moving things and cleaning rooms were no trouble for her at all.
She didn’t think this was anything special, she simply believed that since she was strong, she should help out more.
She was, however, completely unaware of her lack of skill in cooking, often even brimming with confidence, thinking her culinary efforts were quite good.
“That settles it,” she murmured to herself, then promptly got up and walked briskly to the door, pulling it open and stepping out.
However, the moment she stepped outside, she saw a young girl busy cleaning dust from the room. The other girl wore a mask, had a slender figure, and was occupied tidying up accumulated dust and clutter.
Although the mask covered half her face, those clear eyes appeared exceptionally bright, as if they could speak, carrying a lively charm.
Leah couldn’t help but pause slightly. She felt this face was somewhat familiar, as if she had seen it somewhere before, but couldn’t recall exactly who it was for the moment.
Simultaneously, the other girl also stopped her actions, looked up at her, a trace of surprise in her eyes, seemingly also taken aback by Leah. For a moment, she stood frozen in place, not reacting.
Leah didn’t overthink it. Seeing the other girl frozen, she mistakenly thought her sudden appearance had startled her. She quickly waved her hands, her tone apologetic as she spoke: “I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you!”
She paused briefly, then offered a friendly smile, continuing in a lighthearted tone: “I live next door, my name is Leah! Big sister, are you the new neighbor who just moved in?”
Saying this, she unhesitatingly extended her hand towards the other girl, composed and without any guard, carrying an innate frankness and warmth.
“I’m staying here temporarily with my mama. I’ll have to ask for your guidance in the future, big sister.”
Her tone was cheerful, her intonation carrying a soft, sweet quality that made it hard to feel distant.
Clearly, she did not recognize who this masked girl, covered in dust and looking somewhat disheveled, was.
At this moment, Vivian had a bit of dust on her face, and even the hem of her clothes showed traces of dust stirred up during cleaning—completely different from her former glamorous image.
And Vivian, who had been abruptly addressed, was completely dumbfounded.
Her mind went blank, even somewhat unable to process what was happening before her. Her original plan was to move in quietly without alerting anyone, then secretly observe Leah and her mother to see how their lives were now.
However, despite all her calculations, she never expected to be caught red-handed by Leah before she could even settle in.
What made her even more unprepared was that Leah didn’t recognize her at all, even showing such an enthusiastic and frank smile, and proactively extending her hand for a handshake?
Vivian stood rigidly in place, her thoughts in turmoil, momentarily at a loss for how to respond.
“Ah… it’s fine, it’s fine if your hand’s a little dirty. A bit of dust doesn’t affect us shaking hands.” Leah chuckled unconcernedly, her tone relaxed. She then proactively reached out and straightforwardly grasped Vivian’s dust-covered hand, not showing the slightest hint of disdain.
Her hand was soft and warm, forming a stark contrast with Vivian’s cool fingertips, making Vivian’s heart jolt, leaving her somewhat at a loss.
“Wow, big sister, you sure have a lot of stuff.”
Leah glanced at the messy pile of luggage in the hallway, then looked inside the room. Just as she expected, the furniture was thick with dust, clutter was scattered on the floor, and even tiny dust particles floated in the air. Clearly, this room had been vacant for a long time, thoroughly cleaning it was probably no easy task.
“This place hasn’t been lived in for a while, so dust accumulation is serious. Cleaning it up certainly isn’t easy.”
As she spoke, she already expertly rolled up her sleeves, a gleam of eager anticipation in her eyes. “Perfect timing, let me help you!”
Vivian immediately panicked. How could she dare let Leah help? She subconsciously shook her head repeatedly, trying to refuse, but her throat seemed clogged, unable to utter a single word.
Because she was afraid that once she opened her mouth, Leah would recognize her…
But how could Leah possibly accept refusal so easily? She was straightforward and warm-hearted by nature, seeing someone in difficulty, how could she stand idly by?
“Hey, don’t be so polite!”
She waved her hand with a laugh, speaking as if it were only natural. “We’ll be neighbors from now on! Neighbors should help each other out, that’s how it should be! Besides, my mama always taught me to be kind and polite to others, not to stand by and do nothing when you see someone in need!”
She paused, looked at the chaotic scene in the room, and decisively made up her mind: “If big sister cleans up alone, you probably won’t finish until past midnight! At times like this, many hands make light work! I’ll help!”
With that, she had already stepped briskly into the room, giving Vivian absolutely no chance to refuse.
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