The Premeditated Seductress Childhood Friend - Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Routine (The Set-up)

Yu Wei and Xu Qingyu hadn’t chatted for long before Song Yixi returned.

She handed the cup, now filled with warm water, back to Xu Qingyu. Keeping her head down, she grabbed her bag and made a move to leave immediately. She looked exactly like a pitiful, wronged little wife.

The lighthearted Yu Wei threw an arm around her shoulder. “Let’s go, let’s go. Let’s look at houses. I can’t wait to move out tonight. With a roommate like that, who knows what we’ll fight about next. Four years? I definitely can’t take it.”

Song Yixi felt the same way. It wasn’t just about the air conditioning; if there were real financial difficulties, they could have discussed it. But sneaking around to turn off the AC in the middle of the night without their consent—and then self-righteously demanding they cover the entire electric bill—spoke volumes about Chen Jingyu’s character.

She wasn’t willing to spend four years with such a person. No, she wasn’t even willing to spend one more night.

At that thought, Song Yixi stopped resisting and tacitly accepted going house-hunting with Xu Qingyu.

Xu Qingyu stood up unhurriedly. “Let’s go.”

She led the two out, slowly took a car key from her bag, and pressed the ignition button for a white BMW parked nearby.

Yu Wei’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. “Senior, you have a car?”

“Mhm.” Xu Qingyu answered lukewarmly, as if having a brand-new BMW as a college student was nothing out of the ordinary.

Song Yixi was also long accustomed to it. She opened the back door and slid inside in one smooth motion. Yu Wei sat beside her, stroking the leather seats with a sigh. “Senior, this is so classy.”

Her family was well-off, but buying a car before graduating university? That was impossible for her. She turned to Song Yixi and whispered, “No wonder you bought her a top-tier laptop.”

Xu Qingyu exuded the aura of a wealthy heiress—educated, poised, and elegant. Anything less than top-of-the-line really wouldn’t suit her.

Song Yixi didn’t speak. she tilted her head to look at the scenery outside the window, her expression listless.

Xu Qingyu gripped the steering wheel with one hand, watching her through the rearview mirror. After not seeing her for a while, Song Yixi had gotten thinner; the contours of her face were sharper now. When she wasn’t smiling, her expression looked quite grumpy.

She spoke: “Are you still dieting?”

Song Yixi’s brow twitched, and her expression soured further. she held her ground, remaining silent as if she hadn’t heard a thing.

Xu Qingyu continued, “You’re already very thin. Don’t lose any more weight; it’s bad for your health.”

Song Yixi lifted her gaze slightly, noticing Xu Qingyu’s hand on the wheel. The knuckles were prominent, skin hugging the bone, and her wrist was so thin it looked like it would snap with a single pinch.

She gave a cold snort and muttered, “You have a lot of nerve saying that to me.”

The car fell silent, with a faint scent of gunpowder in the air. Yu Wei, caught between them, felt something was off but couldn’t put her finger on it. She asked tentatively, “Did you two… have a fight?” It felt like a cold war that hadn’t been resolved yet.

Song Yixi played dumb and didn’t answer. Xu Qingyu remained silent for a moment before saying, “I thought this was all in the past.”

In her third year of middle school, Song Yixi had suddenly started clamoring to lose weight, as if she had been triggered by something. Xu Qingyu had been busy preparing for the college entrance exams and had no time to manage her. Later, when she saw Yixi fasting to the point of being hospitalized, Xu Qingyu had been so furious she gave her a harsh scolding.

That day, Song Yixi’s eyes had been brimming with tears as she petulantly declared she’d never talk to her again. Xu Qingyu hadn’t cared much at the time; after all, Yixi was just a child, and she figured a little coaxing would fix it.

But after Xu Qingyu graduated, their relationship took a nose dive. Song Yixi had even intentionally applied to a high school far away to study sports, and for three years, she rarely initiated contact. Even when they ran into each other at home during holidays, Song Yixi acted like they weren’t close, speaking to her in a formal “adult” tone—no more acting spoiled, but no more throwing tantrums either.

Xu Qingyu knew they had drifted apart. Yet, Song Yixi would still naturally eat her leftovers and worry about her health. She just wouldn’t talk to her.

She said, “If it’s because I scolded you when you were hospitalized, I apologize. I was too busy then, and I was worried about you, so I didn’t control my emotions. I should have spoken to you properly.”

Song Yixi tilted her head, her voice sounding aggrieved. “I don’t remember.”

It was clear she was still angry about it, but it seemed it wasn’t just because Xu Qingyu had scolded her. Song Yixi was usually big-hearted; she knew Xu Qingyu’s scolding came from a place of concern. She shouldn’t have stayed mad for this long.

Perhaps not wanting to say too much in front of an outsider, Xu Qingyu didn’t bring it up again.

…

The car pulled into the neighborhood where she was currently renting. An agent Xu Qingyu had contacted in advance was already waiting at the gate.

Xu Qingyu parked and followed the agent to see the rooms. The agent first showed Song Yixi and Yu Wei a few brand-new two-bedroom apartments, but the rent exceeded their budget. Yu Wei had to decline.

The agent said, “This is a school district property. Great location, new community—it’s very high demand. The rent won’t go lower.”

Yu Wei looked troubled. “Uncle, we’re staying for four years. We’re stable, long-term tenants, and we’re very clean. Help us negotiate a bit?”

The agent looked at her, then at Song Yixi, his gaze lingering briefly on Xu Qingyu. He seemed to suddenly remember something. “There is one unit… it was originally prepared for an elderly family member, but they passed away. We haven’t had time to put in furniture yet. If you don’t mind that, I can take you to see it.”

Yu Wei hurried to agree. “Sure, we don’t mind that at all.” It was the modern era; she wasn’t superstitious. Song Yixi nodded in agreement. “We can add the furniture ourselves.”

No furniture was actually better; they could buy new things according to their own taste.

Seeing they both agreed, the agent glanced at Xu Qingyu once more and eagerly took them to see the place. The apartment was better than expected—clean, comfortable, well-ventilated, and the price was perfect.

The agent said, “Two bedrooms, both have beds and wardrobes. The landlord said if you’re staying long-term, they’ll help you install the AC and water heater.”

“However, the contract is for a minimum of one year. If you leave early, the deposit won’t be refunded.”

Song Yixi and Yu Wei looked at each other, uncertain. Yu Wei whispered, “Do you think there’s a catch?”

Song Yixi shook her head, lost. “I don’t know.”

Seeing them whispering, Xu Qingyu, who had been silent throughout, spoke up: “Let me see the contract.”

“Certainly!” The agent took out the pre-prepared contract. “This is a template. Take a look and see if there are any issues. We can still modify the details.”

Song Yixi frowned as she watched Xu Qingyu flip through the pages. Why did she feel like the agent was being way more polite to Xu Qingyu than to her?

Xu Qingyu quickly finished reading. “No problems. You can sign.”

Yu Wei immediately chimed in, “Then we sign.”

Song Yixi was shocked. “She says you can sign and you just believe her?”

Yu Wei said seriously, “Yeah, I believe her.”

Song Yixi pursed her lips, rendered speechless. But the house really was good with nothing to complain about. She didn’t hesitate for long before signing the contract along with Yu Wei.

Once signed, the agent handed over the keys and left happily. Yu Wei jingled the keys, throwing an arm around Song Yixi. “Let’s go. Back to school to pack. We’re moving in tonight!”

Song Yixi was just starting to feel happy when she saw Xu Qingyu walk out of their new front door and use her fingerprint to unlock the door directly opposite them.

“It’s not far from school. You two head back on your own.”

Without looking back, she stepped inside and the door shut with a “click.” Song Yixi stood there holding the freshly signed contract, completely stunned.