Chapter 12 Collecting Rent Part 2 (2/2)

”If your father is actually ill, you should visit him, rather than lying to my face.” He exposed her lies heartlessly.

”Wow…you have zero sympathy.” Song Xuejia pouted, looking grievously wronged.

”Enough with the acting. Just answer me—are you paying or not?” It was his final demand. She had delayed her rent for three months already. There was nothing else he could do.

”You… ” Song Xuejia stamped her feet and stared at him in disbelief. She didn't mean to delay her payment. The truth was, three months ago, there was this bag from PRADA that she loved, but it was 2,500 dollars. She wanted that handbag so badly that not only did she spend all her savings, but she also maxed out her credit card. It made her friends and colleagues very jealous.

And now, she had to pay the real price. In order to pay her credit card bill, she used the money for rent to cover it, thinking her landlord was quite a nice guy and would have no problem with it. But not anymore. It was her last chance. However, she had nothing to her name.

Looking at this 5'10'' tall, slightly handsome landlord in front of her, she couldn't help but think about how his family owned more than 5 apartments…

Then she came up with a plan. She started acting like she was some poor girl with no money. She then leaned closer towards him, held his hands, and showed as much cleavage as possible, trying to be flirty with him. ”Big Brother Landlord, I am genuinely strapped for cash. Please give me some more time. If…” She bit her lip, seeming to have made a decision on something. ”Big Brother… if I must pay today… other than money, you take anything from me to cover the rent I owe you.”

Chen Jin tried to pull his hands away from her as she spoke. But her offer got his attention. ”Anything? Like what?”

Song Xuejia blushed a little and murmured, ”You know…like going on dates, having candlelit dinners, going to the movies, things like that. It basically means I'll go out with you.”

”Oh, so it's just going on dates, having candlelit dinners, and going to the movies? That's it?” Chen Jin asked out of curiosity, with a smile on his face.

”That's it. What else do you want to do? Anything more than that would be for couples.” Song Xuejia's face turned even redder. She knew exactly what he was talking about, but she was not that kind of woman. If she was, would she be struggling for her rent? She would have gotten all the sugar daddies already, even billionaires, with just one little hint. But she was very confident with her looks and believed she would find her prince charming. Never give in!

It wasn't like she was picky or anything. She could settle for her landlord. He wasn't the wealthiest man she knew, but he was charming, single, and his family was loaded, which ”qualified” her ideal marriage, meaning not only would he love her but support her financially as well. Being the other woman or having an affair with some fat, middle-aged, married men was not her style. She would never do such a thing. From this perspective, her values seemed to make perfect sense. But her plan with Chen Jin was doomed to failure.

”Enough is enough. Here are your options: either you pay your rent now, or I advertise your bedroom for rent on the internet and bring people over for inspection. I'd keep the one month deposit and forget about the two month's rent you owe me. You just have to move out of here this afternoon,” he said to her with a straight face as he pulled his hands away and took a few steps back from her.

”You…” Having been shamed into anger, Song Xuejia's body started to shake; her eyes welled up with tears.

Chen Jin kept his straight face, with his arms crossed. He didn't want to do that, but she gave him no choice.

As he did not relent, Song Xuejia knew her plan was not going to work. ”Fine, I will pay my rent,” she said reluctantly, transferring him the money from a loaning app on her phone.

”Thanks.” Chen Jin left the apartment.

Song Xuejia burst out crying on her bed.

Having witnessed the whole thing, her roommates started gossiping, gloating, even, over her trouble. ”Who does she think she is? How dare she?”

”I don't even know what to say. She had no problem buying new clothes, new handbags, or high-end, imported makeup. She borrowed 75 dollars from me a while ago and still hasn't paid me back. God knows if she ever will.”

”She thinks she's so pretty that she can do whatever she wants with her looks. Well, not this time. Our landlord would never let her get away with it.”

”Exactly! Just because she's good looking doesn't mean she can live here for free.”

”She even tried to seduce him earlier! How manipulative!”

”I have no respect for her.”

Having heard every word the girls were saying, Guo Yan brought a bowl of tomato and egg soup she made from the kitchen, shook her head, and said nothing.