Maxing Out Charisma, Inheriting Game Assets Chapter 710: Innocent College Girl, 2018

Tang Song's figure moved along the platform, following the slowly arriving Bus No. 31.

Outside Yanjing Tiancheng at 6:30 PM, it was the peak of human traffic.

Office workers finishing their shifts, aunties carrying groceries, students, and food delivery riders passed by each other, with lights flowing and flickering on the ground.

Dressed in casual winter clothes, Tang Song stood out from the crowd, attracting wave after wave of admiring, passionate gazes.

"Whoosh—"

The bus came to a stop by the platform with a slight vibration.

He happened to be positioned right at the rear door.

Through the window covered with condensation, their eyes met amidst the interplay of light and shadow.

A gentle, handsome smile appeared on his face.

Chilly wind, carrying exhaust fumes and the scent of the city, poured inside.

Qian Lele stared at him in a daze.

Overwhelming joy and happiness flooded her mind, and her beautiful phoenix eyes subsequently bloomed with brilliant light.

Brother... he's waiting for me.

Following the crowd of disembarking passengers, she squeezed off the bus somewhat unsteadily.

Her steps were still a bit clumsy.

Just then, a warm, large hand steadied her shoulder firmly.

His fingertips lightly brushed through her wind-tousled hair.

"Little sister, are you cold? You're not wearing much."

"N-no, I'm not cold." Qian Lele shook her head, instinctively tightening her grip on her canvas bag, lowering her head slightly with a faint blush on her cheeks. "Thank you for coming to pick me up, brother. Sorry to trouble you."

In Yancheng during December, the night was bitterly cold.

The temperature had already dropped below zero.

To look "nice," she had deliberately skipped the down jacket, wearing only that beige duffle coat.

A section of dark gray thermal tights peeked out from under her skirt, making her appear exceptionally pure and innocent.

"Let's go, it's too cold outside. Come inside with me. Dinner is already ready upstairs. I made it myself, not sure if it'll suit your taste."

Hearing this, Qian Lele's eyes felt slightly warm.

But she only uttered an "Mhm," seemingly unsure how to express her feelings at this moment.

Tang Song chuckled softly, his hand naturally moving down to envelop her slender palm.

He led her towards the residential complex's main entrance.

The warmth from his palm spread through her skin, inch by inch.

It dispelled the chill and completely disrupted Cinderella's heartbeat rhythm.

Qian Lele looked up, her clear eyes filled with light.

Carrying undisguised dependence and joy.

...

Their footsteps echoed in the quiet residential complex.

"Have you been adapting well recently in Professor Jiang's lab?" Tang Song asked, turning his head to look at her with a gentle, intimate tone.

"Mhm!" Qian Lele quickly nodded, her voice tinged with excitement. "It's really great! The senior brothers and sisters are all very good to me, Professor Jiang also takes special care of me and has taught me so much. And—"

As she spoke, she couldn't help but look around.

The low-position ground lights within the complex cast a soft, warm glow, illuminating the clean, bright natural stone pavement beneath their feet.

Evergreen shrubs were trimmed into artfully neat arcs, with light filtering through the tree shadows.

Actually, she had already seen this complex's environment in Douyin short videos before.

After all, [Yanjing Tiancheng] was considered Yancheng's most high-end luxury residential complex, and many local influencers had filmed videos here.

She even knew exactly where Building 1, where brother lived, was located.

"Tap tap"

Their footsteps extended along the stone-paved path deep into the complex.

The winter night air was cool, streetlights stretching their shadows long and slender.

Suddenly, Qian Lele stopped.

She lowered her eyelashes, gently pinching the handle of her canvas tote bag, as if gathering courage.

Tang Song noticed her movement and also stopped, slightly tilting his head to look at her.

"What's wrong, Lele?"

"Brother......"

Qian Lele took a deep breath, her cheeks slightly flushed from the cold wind.

She opened the tote bag she had been tightly clutching against her chest and carefully took out a small square box wrapped in kraft paper.

"The weather has been cold lately... this is a scarf I knitted... for you."

Tang Song was slightly taken aback, then reached out to accept it.

Opening the packaging box, a pure white cashmere scarf lay quietly inside.

The stitches were fine, neat, and regular, the pattern elegant and substantial—clearly a product of immense effort and time.

Looking at the bright-eyed, expectant Cinderella before him, he pressed his lips together, then handed the soft scarf back to her, saying softly, "Could you help me try it on?"

"Okay!"

Qian Lele smiled as she took the scarf, carefully unfolding it.

Tang Song cooperated fully, bending down slightly, bringing his handsome face close to hers.

Their breaths intertwined.

He could clearly smell the clean scent of shampoo mixed with her unique youthful fragrance on her.

With a serious expression, Cinderella wrapped the scarf around his neck, loop by loop, finally carefully tucking in the edges.

"Thank you, little sister. I really like it. I'll wear it often."

After saying this, he gently kissed her smooth forehead.

The warm, soft sensation brushed against her skin like a feather.

Qian Lele's ears buzzed, turning completely red.

"...I'm glad you like it."

Tang Song took her hand again and continued walking towards the building.

Soon, the two entered the independent lobby with its seven-to-eight-meter high ceiling.

Warm air rushed towards them, carrying a faint sandalwood fragrance.

A uniformed property manager immediately stood up and bowed slightly. "Mr. Tang, welcome home."

Tang Song nodded in acknowledgment, then pulled Lele into the splendid, golden elevator.

The elevator ascended smoothly and quickly, numbers continuously jumping until it reached the 20th floor.

"Ding—"

The mirror-smooth metal doors slowly slid open.

Revealed before them was a magnificent, wide private corridor.

Qian Lele involuntarily slowed her pace, afraid her mud-stained shoes might dirty this place.

"I live in Unit 2001, Building 1. There's only this one unit on this entire floor, easy to remember."

Tang Song explained, pulling her around a corner to a pure black double armored door.

"Beep beep—"

The door slowly opened, and a light, elegant fragrance wafted out.

"Come in, Lele." Tang Song, holding her hand, stepped in first.

Qian Lele carefully stepped over the threshold, tightly clutching her canvas bag, her eyes filled with curiosity and awe.

Tang Song took a pair of soft slippers from the shoe cabinet and placed them by her feet. "These slippers are for you. The size should be right, try them."

"Thank you, brother. You went through so much trouble."

Qian Lele felt somewhat overwhelmed by the favor, quickly thanking him.

She crouched down, swiftly changed into the slippers, then neatly placed her own sneakers in the most inconspicuous corner of the shoe cabinet.

She followed Tang Song towards the living room direction.

She couldn't help but look down at the exquisite slippers on her feet.

The plush was fine and dense, the texture smooth, feeling like stepping into clouds—incredibly soft.

She had never worn such comfortable shoes before.

I should buy a pair for mom online later.

Mom has bone spurs on her feet, and those old winter slippers have been worn for years; the soles are worn flat and the edges are frayed.

Passing through a softly lit corridor, the view suddenly opened up before them.

Qian Lele lifted her head, looking forward, and was instantly captivated by the scene before her.

Warm white lighting, minimalist lines, exquisitely luxurious decoration, and air so quiet you could almost hear time flowing.

Beyond the huge curved floor-to-ceiling windows was a starry river of city lights.

All this combined into a picture she had only seen in movies and TV dramas.

She turned her head, her clear eyes shining with sincere light. "Brother, your home is really beautiful. The renovation must have cost a lot, right?"

"Mhm, indeed not cheap." Tang Song smiled gently, pointing at her coat. "It's quite warm inside, you should take off your outer clothes too."

"Oh! Oh!" Qian Lele quickly nodded; she was indeed feeling quite warm already.

She took off her duffle coat, smoothed out the wrinkles, and hung it on the very high-class-looking coat rack.

Following Tang Song to the dining room.

On the table, several steaming home-style dishes were already set.

Sweet and sour ribs, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, stir-fried cabbage...

All her favorites.

Right in the center of the dining table, quite incongruously, lay a pack of spicy strips.

Qian Lele bit her lower lip, her nose feeling a bit sour.

"Have a seat." Tang Song smiled, pulling out a chair for her. "Try it quickly, see if it suits your taste."

Qian Lele nodded vigorously, sat down, picked up her chopsticks, and began eating heartily.

The crispy aroma of the ribs, the sweet and sour of the eggs, and the spicy fragrance of the spicy strips intertwined.

Every bite tasted of happiness.

Tang Song sat opposite her, eating while chatting with her.

From interesting lab stories, to school exams, from roommates to Sister Wen who set up stalls, from front-end development to AI.

Qian Lele gradually talked more, actively serving him food.

The bright dining room was filled with laughter and the clinking of bowls and chopsticks.

For her, Yanjing Tiancheng was a strange, aloof "different world."

But because it was brother's home, she could feel warmth and security.

After dinner.

Qian Lele didn't stand on ceremony at all, very naturally starting to clear the dishes.

She tied on an apron, like a diligent little bee, and began bustling about.

After tidying the dining room and kitchen.

She found a cloth and mop, and began meticulously cleaning,

Her movements were brisk and earnest, a big smile always on her face.

When this Cinderella finally stopped.

Tang Song approached, wiping the sweat beads from her forehead.

"You're still dressed too warmly. Take off the sweater and thermal underwear underneath."

Because the floor heating was strong, the entire house was as warm as spring.

Actually, summer clothes would be most suitable.

After eating and working so hard for so long, Qian Lele was already sweating profusely.

"Oh, no need." Qian Lele smiled and shook her head. "Brother, it's quite late now. I should head back to school, I don't want to disturb you further."

She had already seen brother's home.

The scarf she knitted herself had been delivered.

She had chatted with him and even eaten a meal he cooked himself.

She was already extremely, extremely satisfied.

Besides, it was the weekend tomorrow, and she had long planned to return to her hometown, Handan.

At 9 AM, she would take the cheapest 4483 green train, arriving in Handan in over two hours, then transfer to a forty-minute bus, just managing to reach her own home before noon.

Tang Song looked at her and said directly, "Lele, how about staying here tonight?"

"Ah?" Qian Lele was stunned upon hearing this, instant panic and shyness appearing on her face. "No need... I just came to see you, brother. That... I need to go back to my hometown in Handan tomorrow, I just happen to have free time this weekend."

"It's fine." Tang Song smiled. "I'll talk to your Professor Jiang, ask her to give you a couple more days off. You can go back the day after tomorrow."

"This... isn't good." Her voice grew smaller, her eyes filled with struggle. "The lab project just started, and there's also [Weiguang Coffee] over there..."

It wasn't that she wasn't tempted—that was impossible.

The most beautiful period in her memory was that over half-month of "cohabitation" with Tang Song in the teacher's apartment.

Exercising together every morning, eating together, chatting together...

Tang Song used a half-joking, half-serious tone:

"Actually, I have a selfish motive. Seeing you clean just now, you're really capable. To be honest, several rooms in this villa haven't been properly tidied for a long time. So I was hoping you'd stay and help me clean for a day, haha. If you're not willing, forget it."

He understood this Cinderella's personality too well and knew exactly what words would let her stay with peace of mind.

Sure enough, upon hearing the keywords "work" and "help me,"

The unease and concerns in Qian Lele's heart gradually faded, replaced by a sense of satisfaction and anticipation from being needed.

"Then... alright then, I'll stay tonight to help you clean, and leave tomorrow morning."

"Great, thank you, Lele. Come on, follow me."

A hint of triumphant smile flashed in Tang Song's eyes as he directly took her hand, leading her around the living room to a bedroom door.

Pushing the door open and turning on the light, soft warm white light instantly filled the entire room.

"You can sleep here tonight. Go take off your clothes first, it's really hot."

This large flat had four bedrooms in total. Besides the secondary bedroom where Lin Muxue often "drew maps," the other two were still vacant, kept clean and tidy by the property's regular cleaning team.

"Mhm." Qian Lele nodded with a red face, walking in somewhat awkwardly.

The door was gently closed by Tang Song.

In the bedroom, she was alone.

She looked around curiously yet restrainedly.

The guest bedroom's decor style was consistent with the living room outside—understated luxury.

A huge soft bed, exquisite bedside tables, a spacious independent bathroom, and a whole wall of built-in walk-in closet.

Qian Lele walked to the closet, took off her sweater and thermal tights,

Instantly feeling much cooler and refreshed.

Her clothes were somewhat damp; she had indeed sweated a lot from working earlier.

She carefully pulled open the closet's smooth glass sliding door, wanting to find a place to hang her removed clothes,

But froze the next moment.

Inside the closet, several sets of brand-new women's pajamas and casual homewear were already hanging.

The pajamas were made of soft pure cotton, with cute styles, and there were even a few well-fitting sport jackets.

Below, a few pairs of fluffy cute socks were folded.

On the wooden panel nearby, a cute small clip held a tiny sticky note with the words "Lele's" written in a free and elegant script.

Qian Lele pressed her lips together, picked up a pink pure cotton pajama set with a little bear pattern, held it against herself, then looked at the size tag on the collar.

Her gaze lowered slightly, her nose felt sour, her eyes warm.

These things were clearly prepared specifically for her.

All along, she had been clearly aware that between her and Tang Song, there was an insurmountable gap.

They lived in two completely different worlds.

That's why she missed him so much, wanted to see him so badly, yet was always afraid that excessive disturbance would trouble him.

And today, she mustered all her courage, took that familiar Bus No. 31, came before him, and entered his home.

Brother really did treat her like a little sister who needed care, looking after her thoughtfully.

He was still just like he was in that small teacher's apartment before, seemingly never changed.

She gently pressed the soft pajama against her cheek, closed her eyes, and felt the warmth of that thoughtful intention.

.......

Tang Song took a bottle of chilled sweet white sparkling wine and two exquisite, crystal-clear glasses from the wine cabinet.

Coming to the large central island in the living room.

With a soft "pop," the cork was deftly removed, and a fresh fruity aroma instantly spread.

Pale golden wine liquid, bubbling with fine bubbles, was slowly poured into the glasses.

He took a small sip, a slight smile on his lips.

Leaving aside that somewhat mischievous "little raincoat" task for now, he actually also wanted to spend more time with Cinderella.

She really was a very special girl.

Innocent, kind, simple and sincere, frugal and diligent, yet possessing a self-reliance and resilience beyond her years.

Her presence reminded one of school uniform skirts fluttering in the sunlight, that kind of bright, unpretentious beauty.

Being with her, one could always feel the warmth and loveliness of life itself.

Extremely high emotional value.

"Ding dong—" A WeChat notification broke the tranquility.

The phone screen on the counter lit up.

She looked around curiously yet restrainedly.

Tang Song put down his glass, picked up the phone, and opened the message.

The photo's content was text she had handwritten on paper, neat, delicate, stroke by stroke.

Tang Song:

These past few days in Yangcheng finally carry a hint of winter. It drizzled the night before last, and this morning the wind is much cooler, rustling the banyan leaves outside the window.

This sound isn't as desolate as in the north; instead, it carries a unique southern dampness.

Like silkworms chewing on mulberry leaves.

...

Mother's surgery went smoothly. The doctor said her recovery is unexpectedly good, and she can be discharged tomorrow. Sister Wen Ruan is very considerate, giving me ample time off lately.

Next Monday, I will set off for Yancheng. I'll stay there for three days, then transfer to the headquarters in the Imperial Capital for training.

Yancheng...

Merely uttering these two words, many images tinged by time involuntarily surface before my eyes.

The phoenix trees at the Agricultural University, the teaching buildings in the east campus, and the crowded tide of people at the train station exit.

On the wooden panel nearby, a cute small clip held a tiny sticky note with the words "Lele's" written in a free and elegant script.

"Life's journey resembles what? Like a s