Seeing Chen Cheng acting as if nothing had happened, as if today were the first time they'd met, Xu Yan couldn't help but feel uneasy.

She followed the others closely into the elevator.

Ji Nanjia examined the stylish decor of the elevator and suddenly asked:

"Chen, how much did you buy this for?"

As everyone knows, not all elevators are the same.

Some elevators in luxury homes can cost as much as an entire apartment.

Chen Cheng was stunned for a moment, then immediately recalled the plot point about Ji Nanjia wanting to buy a house.

He replied with a smile, "A bit over seven thousand."

Not only Ji Nanjia and Xu Yan, but even Qiao Xichen's eyes widened.

Although Qiao Xichen had been "persuaded" to move here by Chen Cheng's forceful approach, she had always avoided mentioning this matter in her heart.

Because she knew that with a lake to the west and the core area of Chaoyang Park just one neighborhood away to the east, the price was definitely something she couldn't afford.

Ji Nanjia clicked her tongue and said with a smile, "Sorry, I overthought it."

Chen Cheng chuckled, "Thinking of buying a house?"

Ji Nanjia nodded, "Yeah, the place I'm renting has a bit of a leak, so I thought about spending some money to fix it up."

"I just wanted to spend some money on renovations. The landlord agreed, too."

"But the landlord is abroad, and without his property deed, the property management won't let me touch it."

"Anyway, it's been a bit of a headache."

"So I thought about just buying a place."

Chen Cheng gave a faint smile. "There's nothing wrong with thinking about it. People should always have dreams."

"What if it actually comes true?"

"Sigh~" Ji Nanjia sighed. "Our industry is really a bit sluggish this year."

"I don't know when it'll end."

As Ji Nanjia spoke, her eyes suddenly lit up. "I heard from Qiao that you're a freelancer, trading stocks?"

Chen Cheng nodded in response. "Mhm~"

"Then I'll have to ask you for some advice on economic matters in a bit."

"This pandemic has almost left me feeling lost."

"I wouldn't dare give advice. Let's just chat over drinks and treat it as idle talk."

As they were talking, the elevator arrived.

Chen Cheng stepped forward to open the door, and Qiao Xichen made a welcoming gesture with a grin. "Please come in, my two friends."

Ji Nanjia chuckled and didn't stand on ceremony, heading straight inside.

She even shouted to Qiao Xichen about taking off her shoes, "Qiao, slippers~"

Qiao Xichen hurried off to find slippers, while Chen Cheng gave Xu Yan a faint smile and gestured for her to enter.

Xu Yan swallowed hard and stepped into the house.

Today, Xu Yan was wearing a cucumber-green puffy long-sleeved shirt with short black hot pants underneath that were covered by the shirt's hem, revealing her long, fair legs.

On her shoulder, she carried the Chanel CF Black Gold bag that Chen Cheng had bought her.

[yanzus, post the pictures]

After changing shoes, Qiao Xichen invited them to sit. "Make yourselves at home. It's not your first time here anyway, heehee~"

She turned and went to the kitchen to get drinks.

"Do you two want any water or drinks?"

"Whatever's fine~"

Just as Chen Cheng finished changing his shoes, Goudan dodged Ji Nanjia and Xu Yan's pursuit and ran to the entryway, meowing at him:

"Meow~ Meow~"

"Meow meow's hungry~ Meow wants to eat meat~"

Chen Cheng's lip twitched. This little fellow didn't look big, but its intelligence was top-notch.

This morning, while Chen Cheng and Qiao Xichen were doing their morning exercises, Goudan had let out a meow in protest before running into the room to hide.

Chen Cheng bent down and picked it up. "You're too greedy~"

"Eating too many cat treats isn't good for your stomach~"

As he spoke, Chen Cheng suddenly realized he was being a bit of an idiot.

Telling a fur baby they can't have snacks was like playing a lute to a cow.

He casually handed the cat to Xu Yan. "Go play with the big sisters, or no cat treats for you~"

"Meow~"

Goudan let out a pitiful cry.

But the cat didn't seem to want to run away from Xu Yan, letting her pet its head.

Ji Nanjia looked in surprise at Chen Cheng, who was picking out wine at the cabinet. "You've only been back for a day, and this little guy is already so close to you?"

Chen Cheng chuckled. "I have special powers; I can communicate with kittens."

"..."

Ji Nanjia gave him an annoyed look; he was quite the talker.

Chen Cheng searched the wine cabinet for a while before finally picking out a 1990 DRC La Tâche.

It was exactly at its peak, perfect for satisfying a craving.

A quick explanation: the Romanee-Conti that the public knows is actually its core Monopole vineyard, the Grand Conti. This area is only 1.8 hectares, with an annual production of 5,000 to 10,000 bottles. Due to its scarcity and high quality, it sells for the highest price—basically 200,000+ RMB for any vintage. This is the Romanee-Conti most people recognize.

In fact, Romanee-Conti has other vineyards; La Tâche is another core Monopole of the Domaine.

The remaining ones include Richebourg, Romanée-Saint-Vivant, Grands Échezeaux, and Échezeaux, which are sub-core vineyards.

DRC also has some white wine regions.

For specific details, you can search on Baidu.

"Wow, you're really going all out," Ji Nanjia recognized the wine in Chen Cheng's hand at a glance.

This was her line of work; wine and spirits were her company's specialty.

Chen Cheng raised an eyebrow with a smile. "Since it's my first time meeting Qiaoqiao's best friends, I have to treat you well."

Ji Nanjia was indeed a bold and straightforward woman, suitable to be a buddy.

As for anything else, forget it.

Chen Cheng handed the wine to Ji Nanjia and turned to get the decanter.

Ji Nanjia was already examining the bottle. Although she worked in the industry, this kind of wine was still rare to see.

Not to mention a legendary vintage like 1990.

Xu Yan looked curiously at Ji Nanjia and whispered, "Sister Nanjia, is this very expensive?"

Ji Nanjia thought for a moment. "Yes, very expensive."

"It would probably sell for... seventy or eighty thousand on the market."

"What?" Xu Yan's pupils dilated in shock.

It took her a long while to recover. "Then wouldn't one sip cost several thousand?"

Ji Nanjia glanced toward the kitchen and shouted loudly with a laugh, "That's why I said he's going all out to treat us!"

Just then, Qiao Xichen came over with coconut water and washed fruit.

"Who's going all out?"

Ji Nanjia looked at Qiao Xichen with a mischievous grin and shook the wine bottle in her hand. "Here~ This is the 'all out'."

Qiao Xichen's smile vanished instantly. She asked tentatively, "Is this very expensive?"

Ji Nanjia nodded slightly. "Mhm~ Seventy or eighty thousand."

She just wanted to tease Qiao Xichen.

Qiao Xichen was famously frugal in their little circle—or rather... stingy!

She was the type to feel the pinch for half a day just by treating someone to grilled fish.

If she knew the price of this wine, she'd surely be heartbroken to death.

Qiao Xichen was stunned, her eyes fixed on the bottle in Ji Nanjia's hand.

After a long while, Qiao Xichen spoke slowly, "Eighty thousand it is, then."

Huh?

Ji Nanjia was momentarily taken aback, then her expression brightened as she teased Qiao Xichen with a smile:

"Qiao~ Have you had a change in character?"

Qiao Xichen lifted her chin defiantly. "He's already brought it out; it's not like I can put it back, can I?"

After saying that, she sat down next to Ji Nanjia and reached out to examine the bottle. "Is this thing really that expensive?"

Seeing that Qiao Xichen didn't seem to be faking, Ji Nanjia raised an eyebrow. This girl really had changed.

"Mhm~ This is basically from the most top-tier winery on this planet."

"And this bottle was brewed thirty years ago."

"Thirty years ago?" Qiao Xichen clicked her tongue. "I wasn't even born yet."

As she spoke, a smile appeared on her face. She grandly waved the wine in her hand and turned to look at Chen Cheng, who was coming over with a bulbous decanter and wine glasses.

"Then today, we'll bask in the glory of our Mr. Chen."

"Heehee~"

[Just got back from overtime. Not sure if I can get the next chapter out.]