The Prince and the Plant Whisperer

More Money More Problems

[Posted Jan. 20, 2022]

[Hi everyone. Two words: writers block. Plagiarists +  all the canceled celebs = writers block. Lucas Wong and Zheng Shuang, who inspire the male and female lead--- both canceled!? WTF. Anyway, I'm trying to find a reason to keep going, can't believe some of you are still reading, thank u. At least the mirror website's gone for now. The second it's back, this story is going off wattpad and going over to issuu.com/forestpeople

Meanwhile check out my new name!! I'm ForestPeople now. new year new name--better, right? happy new year!]

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Kai was wondering why Lukas was paying for an empty flat for a whole month. The thought was eating away at her. It seemed like the most wasteful thing she'd ever heard of. How much money did this guy have? She couldn't even imagine a millionaire wanting to do that. A billionaire, maybe. But there was no way—

Kai asked:

"Could we use the empty flat to house someone who was currently homeless? Until you move in?"

It was a weird question. But December was so cold, and she'd seen a woman on the edge of campus, living in a tent, with a shopping cart full of belongings, and brown teeth.

"You're a kind soul," Lukas said. "I know this about you." Then he added firmly, "But this apartment is for us. And our extracurricular activities." He spoke like no one would change his mind.

Red-faced, Kai asked him if... that was why he was renting an empty apartment for a month, even while he had a dorm room for the rest of the semester!? So that they could have private time together? Without roommates around?

"Ah, no." he said. "Actually, the flat's previous tenant had broken their lease, so the new apartment was sitting empty anyway. The landlord gave me early access. He was happy because I put in all new appliances."

Hm.

It all sounded expensive to Kai.

Like the super high-end new fridge. The fridge that belched out giant cubes of ice from its chrome ice-maker.

The fridge that Lukas had pressed her firmly against a week ago.

She was getting the sense Lukas was weird about money, so she didn't ask him.

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It was really winter in New Haven. Kai woke up that Saturday, and through the window the world was glaring brighter than she'd ever seen. While Lilly snored in the bunk bed above, Kai tiptoed over to the window. She pulled aside the curtain and discovered the glare. Icy white snow blanketed the courtyard, making the world all diamond-cut and arctic.

In the quiet morning, looking at the snow, Kai felt like a cleaned-out fridge.

She'd made a plan to meet Lukas for breakfast. The ridiculousness of it—she'd spent time with him, just last night. It was like they were living together, except she'd stumble home late at night to technically sleep for 8 hours in her dorm. Then she'd wake up, head back, and spend even more time with him.

You better not let your grades go down the drain.

Yes, just last night they'd had an intense make-out session at Lukas's apartment—which was no longer empty. He was filling it with things. Lukas-like things. A giant bed. No TV. He said he didn't have time for a TV.

But bookshelves, with his econ books and medical manuals and artificial intelligence textbooks. And a modern linen-upholstered sectional sofa that still had a price tag on it. When Kai glimpsed it, her eyes widened. There was no way anyone would pay that much for... a sofa.