Chapter 11: Beauty Wasted Away

"Swipe the card."

Chu Yi wasn't quite familiar with the prices in town, and what was it, just over five hundred thousand? Anyway, he had the money in his pocket.

Zhang Yuru was stunned.

She had braced herself to face haggling, or even a change of heart, but who would have thought this man would simply agree without even rounding down the figure?

Now it was she who hesitated.

Could he be a madman?

It wasn't until the payment was completed that she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

But as she watched Chu Yi enthusiastically inspect the house, she suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of guilt.

"Handsome, maybe I should give you a refund. Earning money isn't easy."

Chu Yi waved his hand, "No worries, making money is harder for you than for me."

As soon as he said that, Zhang Yuru felt as if struck by lightning.

Because making money is harder for me...

Is that why he agreed so readily?

Before she knew it, tears welled up in Zhang Yuru's eyes.

She fought with all her might to earn money, even using her body, thinking she was invulnerable, but Chu Yi's words broke through her defenses.

"Why are you crying?"

Chu Yi returned from the balcony and found Zhang Yuru crying buckets, looking puzzled.

"Just thinking about some things," Zhang Yuru wiped her tears, buttoned her collar, and forced a smile, "Have you eaten? Let me treat you to a meal."

"Sure."

Seeing her cry like that, Chu Yi didn't refuse and followed her out of the complex.

Just a street away from the university, the area naturally teemed with all sorts of snack shops.

Zhang Yuru picked a crayfish restaurant and ordered spicy and garlic-flavored crayfish, adding two small dishes to the order.

While waiting for the food, she asked, "Mr. Chu, how old are you?"

"Twenty-four."

"So young."

"You're not old either."

Zhang Yuru chuckled, "How am I not old? I'm already thirty."

"That's a good age, just past youthful greenness without being weathered by age, prime time for mature charm."

Chu Yi wasn't just flattering her; this was the conclusion he had come to after constant comparison.

Zhang Yuru blushed at his comment, suddenly feeling shy.

Realizing this, she was taken aback.

After all these years in the world, she still felt such emotions?

A moment of melancholy passed through her heart, and Zhang Yuru rummaged through her bag, withdrawing a thumb-sized jade horse.

Smooth and polished, clearly worn from constant handling.

"Mr. Chu, this is for you."

Chu Yi immediately shook his head.

Zhang Yuru stuffed it into his hand, saying, "Just take it, as an apology. To be honest with you, I made a good deal on this contract."

I made a pretty good deal too.

Chu Yi glanced at the object pressed on the table, coughed, and said, "Alright, I'll take it."

As he spoke, he grasped the jade horse, ready to pocket it.

But at that moment, the jade horse touched the bloodstains on the bandage.

Whir!

Chu Yi's head boomed instantly, as if someone rang a bell inside it.

A cold sensation surged from the jade horse, pouring into his eyes.

The Heavenly Eye activated automatically, and Zhang Yuru before him became naked to his sight.

But before Chu Yi could entertain any racy thoughts, Zhang Yuru disappeared!

More precisely, Zhang Yuru's skin disappeared.

In Chu Yi's vision, her subcutaneous muscle appeared first, then organs, blood vessels, tendons...

When he saw a skull opening and closing its mouth, Chu Yi's mouth twitched.

"If lusting is a crime, why don't the police come and punish me instead of making me watch this?!"

Anguish and indignation flooded his mind, dispelling any risqué thoughts.

"Mr. Chu? Chu Yi! What's wrong with you?"

Gradually, Zhang Yuru's calls reached his ears.

Chu Yi snapped to attention, the Heavenly Eye closed, and the fleshy, well-endowed Zhang Yuru reappeared before him.

"Are you okay?"

Chu Yi squeezed out a faint smile, "I'm fine."

At that moment, the crawfish was served, and under Zhang Yuru's invitation, Chu Yi ate absentmindedly.

The jade horse in his pocket had turned into dust, its energy enhancing his clairvoyance to a new level.

Chu Yi had only been able to see through half a palm at most, but now he could see through not only his hand but also through Zhang Yuru and the cash register behind her, to the cashier watching a TV drama.

"What is the energy inside the jade horse?"

That question occupied Chu Yi's thoughts, even after bidding farewell to Zhang Yuru and returning to his newly rented home; he still hadn't figured it out.

Just as he was racking his brains and even considering calling his master for advice, his phone suddenly rang.

Wen Ya's voice came through the other end, bubbling with excitement, "Chu Yi, I'm off work! Where are you?"

"At home."

"Give me the address, I'll come find you."

Less than half an hour after providing the address, someone knocked on Chu Yi's door.

Upon opening it, Wen Ya entered with four bags in tow, making herself at home.

"Nice place. Did you rent it or buy it?"

"Rented it."

Chu Yi closed the door, his gaze falling on Wen Ya's retreating figure, unable to help swallowing hard.

The side effects of using the Heavenly Eye to see skeletons vanished in an instant.

Her exposed slender waist, those tempting white curves, were simply too inviting to crime.

Especially with a single man and a single woman alone together—trouble was brewing.

While Chu Yi was somewhat dazed, Wen Ya bent over by the sofa, her silhouette even more captivating.

But what truly surprised Chu Yi was her pulling out various articles of clothing from the bag.

Shorts, tank tops, T-shirts, stockings... That could still be excused, but she even had intimate wear!

Chu Yi was staggered, "What's going on here?!"

"Changing clothes," Wen Ya replied matter-of-factly. "By the way, can I take a shower here?"

"I suppose... yes?"

"Then it's settled."

As she spoke, Wen Ya picked up a set of intimate apparel and, while heading to the bathroom, took off her midriff-baring top, casually dropping it to the floor.

Chu Yi watched as the figure with a single strap walked into the bathroom, his heart bleeding from the wound on his palm...

What is she implying? A hint?

Most likely! Why else would a vibrant young woman come to a single man's house to shower?

Moreover, she undressed right in front of him, not treating him like a stranger at all!

At that moment, the sound of running water began, fueling Chu Yi's fantasies even further.

Before long, Wen Ya's voice emerged from the restroom, "Chu Yi, why don't you have any shower gel... Never mind, I have some in my bag. Bring it to me, will you?"

Thud!

Chu Yi's heartbeat suddenly accelerated, faster than it had on the bus.

There was a clear difference between the two instances—a few articles of clothing!

"Hurry up, have you found it?"

Wen Ya's urging voice carried over, and Chu Yi immediately ran to the sofa, rummaging through the intimate garments in the bag to find a palm-sized bottle of shower gel.

As he arrived at the bathroom door, a whirlwind of thoughts engulfed his mind.

Eventually condensing into a single phrase.

Carrying on the lineage, starts today!

Bang!

Chu Yi bravely burst through the bathroom door.