My Exclusive Dream World Adventures-Chapter 138 - I have to go now (Fifth update)

Chapter 138: 138 I have to go now (Fifth update)

Chapter 138: 138 I have to go now (Fifth update)

The next morning, Chen Xu finished his morning run, used his key to open the door, changed into a pair of slippers, took off his socks, and tossed them into the laundry basket on the balcony designated for socks.

Returning to the living room, he took off his shirt, picked up a pale blue towel hanging on the wall, and wiped the sweat from his body. As he walked to the bedroom door, he glanced inside. Seeing Yang Jinxia was already up, he asked, “How come you’re up so early today?”

She tended to be a heavy sleeper; usually, she would sleep until about nine o’clock.

Now it was just after seven, and she was already up, fully dressed, her hair combed, makeup done.

She was sitting on a chair in front of the bed on the phone. When he pushed the door open, she said to the person on the line, “I’ll talk to you later,” and hung up. She stood up, walked over to Chen Xu, wrapped her arms around his neck, and gave him a light kiss on the lips.

It was quick, like a dragonfly skimming water. She looked into his eyes with a face mixed with helplessness and reluctance and said, “I have to go.”

“Go?”

Chen Xu repeated the word somewhat blankly, then suddenly tensed up, his breathing becoming a little rushed, “Go? Where to?”

She cradled his face tenderly and said, “To the place where I must go.”

Chen Xu calmed down and asked, “When will you be back?”

“I don’t know.”

“Can’t you just not go?”

The smile on her face was a bit bitter, “In life, there are times when things are beyond our control.”

After saying that, she let go of him, stepped back, picked up the bag at the foot of the bed, and said, “I really have to go now.” Then she headed for the door.

Chen Xu stood still, motionless, letting her walk past. Just before she left, he asked, “In your heart, what am I to you?”

Yang Jinxia stopped in her tracks and said, “You were my first man, and you will be my only man.” With that, she walked out.

Chen Xu heard the sound of the front door closing, closed his eyes, and let out a deep sigh.

It was all over.

He had not been completely unprepared for such an ending. But he didn’t expect it to come this quickly, so quickly that he couldn’t react at all.

He supported himself with his hands on his knees, slowly sat on the ground, leaned his back against the foot of the bed, looked up at the heart-shaped lamp on the ceiling, as if he had a lot on his mind, or as if he couldn’t remember anything at all.

It felt as if there was an emptiness inside him.

……

That afternoon, Chen Xu left the apartment with his luggage in hand, locked the door behind him, and casually put the keys in his pocket.

He walked out of the residential complex, and a car was parked not too far away; it was the one he had reserved online. He sat in the back, and as the car drove further and further away, he never looked back.

When the car passed by the riverbank, he asked the driver to find a spot to stop, then got out of the car, took out Yang Jinxia’s house keys, and gently tossed them into the river. He looked down but was too far away to even see the splash.

“Let’s go,” he said upon returning to the car.

Back at his rental, which had been uninhabited for over twenty days and gathered a layer of dust, he cleaned up the place. It was already evening by the time he finished. Feeling a bit tired and not wanting to cook, he went downstairs and found the closest restaurant, settling for a simple meal.

After dinner, he returned to his rental and fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.

The next morning, as usual, he woke up at five, went for a run, and returned at seven to have breakfast before going out to look for storefronts.

For several days, his life seemed to be completely unaffected.

That evening, just as he got home, Old Tang called him, saying he had found a suitable storefront and suggested he come and take a look.

Without a second thought, Chen Xu took a taxi there.

It was a distinctive restaurant called Instant Noodle Canteen, with all new decoration. It was clear that the previous owner had spent quite a bit on the decor, giving it a unique flair.

“How is it?” Old Tang asked after taking him on a tour inside.

“Indeed, it’s nice,” Chen Xu said and pulled him aside to ask in a low voice, “Are they really only asking for a hundred thousand for the transfer fee?”

The restaurant was in a good location, with several office buildings nearby, attracting many white-collar workers. On this street alone, there were numerous restaurants and fast-food outlets.

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The space wasn’t small either, about sixty-odd square meters with an open kitchen and room for five or six tables seating four each.

There was also a mezzanine floor above, nicely decorated as well, which could be used for accommodation.

The decor was still new, the equipment complete, and all necessary licenses were in order; all that was needed was to change the sign, and it could start operating.

Moreover, the rent wasn’t expensive, below the market rate, and most importantly, the contract was for three years. Such a shop only asking for a hundred thousand was hard for him to believe.

Old Tang whispered, “This shop belongs to the cousin of my uncle’s wife’s daughter who partnered with two of her classmates to start a business. They’d been operating for barely over a month, constantly losing money, and their investment was about to go down the drain. The three girls are nearly at breaking point. Now, she’s eager to recover the capital and doesn’t quite understand the market. Let me tell you, you won’t find such an opportunity again. If you really want it, you need to decide quickly.”

“Okay, I’ll take it,” Chen Xu, not one to hesitate, made an immediate decision. The main reason was that he trusted Old Tang.

Soon enough, Old Tang summoned the seller: indeed, a young woman who looked like she had just graduated from university. The two parties quickly reached an agreement, drafted a contract, signed it, and Chen Xu transferred the money.

The woman breathed a sigh of relief, clearly having come to view the shop as a burden she wanted to rid herself of. She left quickly.

Holding the keys, Chen Xu felt a sense of unreality. In just a moment, he became the owner of a shop.

Frankly, he had gotten a great deal. Nowadays, many shop landlords only want to sign one-year contracts, and if you want to renew for the second year, they say sure, but first, they increase the rent and add a “tea fee,” easily costing tens of thousands. If the location is good, they might ask for upwards of a hundred thousand. If you don’t want it, no problem, there are plenty of others who will.

Many businesses that were doing well were forced out by their landlords in just this way.

His new shop, with a three-year contract, was an excellent deal. According to Old Tang, the woman’s family had some influence, and she had negotiated these favorable terms with that support.

Chen Xu closed the shop door and insisted on taking Old Tang out for a meal.

Old Tang didn’t refuse, saying, “Sure, why don’t you bring your girlfriend along too?” After saying that, he noticed the smile fade from Chen Xu’s face and quickly asked, “What’s wrong?”

Chen Xu let out a self-deprecating laugh and said, “We’ve already broken up.”

“Ah,” Old Tang was surprised and finally could only pat his shoulder. He wasn’t the type for comforting words.

Chen Xu took a deep breath and said, “It’s actually quite good this way, being single, there’s more freedom.”

PS: Five chapters completed, asking for monthly tickets.