Chapter Eighty-Eight: Booking a Room with a Beautiful Woman

"Hello, could you please get me another standard room?" Chen Hao said to the hotel cashier.

Ban Qianqian was still holding onto Chen Hao’s arm, her little head resting on his shoulder. Hearing Chen Hao’s request, she looked up and said firmly, "We want a single room, not a standard room."

The difference was simple: a standard room had two beds, a single room only one. The cashier, in her twenties with two years of hotel experience, had seen plenty of couples quarreling at the front desk—but invariably, it was the man who asked for a single room, while the woman insisted on two singles or a standard. This was her first time seeing the opposite.

Chen Hao had never brought a girl to a hotel before. Ban Qianqian had been frightened and was afraid to be alone in a room, hence his request for a standard room. Even if his intentions were innocent, his face was already flushed with embarrassment at the mere idea of sharing a room with Qianqian. When she insisted on a single room, his heart started to race. He was always a homebody; since graduating college, he’d been immersed in the game "War," never having dated, and of course, there was a part of him that harbored curiosity about romance.

He and Ban Qianqian had been a married couple in-game for two years, their hearts always in sync; now, meeting in reality, they’d barely had time to get to know each other before the KTV incident. Her request for a single room sent his thoughts into chaos. Wasn’t it too hasty to do anything after just meeting?

Noticing his changing expression, Ban Qianqian burst out laughing. "Don’t overthink it, brother. I’m really scared—I just want to stay close to you, that’s why I want a single room."

The cashier, seeing the girl so insistently ask for a single room while the boy hesitated, found the scene rather sweet. She smiled, "So, shall I book you a single room?"

Chen Hao, with no experience in such matters, remembered something he’d read online: that Liu Xiashui could remain unmoved with a woman in his arms only because he was, in a certain sense, incapable. He was sure he wasn’t. Ban Qianqian was beautiful, and he had no idea how strong the temptation would be to share a bed with her. He feared he might lose control and act rashly.

"Fine, a single room it is. I won’t take off my clothes to sleep anyway. If I can’t keep it together, I’ll take a cold shower," he decided. With that, he agreed to the single room, took the room card, and went upstairs with Ban Qianqian.

Chen Hao entered the bathroom and turned on the shower, adjusting the temperature before stepping out. "Qianqian, do you want to shower before bed?"

Ban Qianqian blushed, her cheeks flushed. "It’s not convenient for me these two days," she said softly.

"Not convenient?" Chen Hao was slow to catch on. "Is there an inconvenient time for a shower?"

She shot him an exasperated look, her lovely face like a sunset cloud. In a near whisper, she said, "Brother, could you go downstairs and buy me a pack of Seventh Heaven?"

"Seventh Heaven?" Chen Hao was puzzled. "What’s that?"

"Sanitary pads," she almost exploded with frustration, then laughed. "Brother, now I’m convinced you’ve never dated anyone."

Fleeing in embarrassment, Chen Hao was about to close the door when Ban Qianqian added, "Remember, get the overnight kind."

At a shop near the hotel, Chen Hao stood awkwardly for a long moment before forcing out, "Excuse me, do you have sanitary pads?"

"Restroom? It’s at the end of the alley," the shopkeeper replied, mishearing his hurried, muffled words.

Flustered, Chen Hao pressed on, "No, I mean sanitary… pads."

The shopkeeper burst out laughing. "Do you want day use or overnight?"

Returning to the hotel, Chen Hao told Ban Qianqian about his ordeal, and she laughed until she nearly fell over. She emerged from the bathroom, climbed quickly into bed, and peeked out from the covers, shyly saying, "I’m going to sleep first. You should shower and get some rest too!"

After showering, Chen Hao climbed into bed, stiff with nervousness, not daring to pull up the covers, staring at the ceiling. Ban Qianqian gently pulled the quilt over him, whispering, "It’s cold at night. I want you to hold me while I sleep."

She pillowed her head on his arm, hugging him tightly. Feeling the soft fullness of her chest against him, Chen Hao was at a loss. Suddenly, Ban Qianqian took his left hand and placed it on her chest, blushing furiously. "Brother, you don’t have to be so restrained. You can touch me, just don’t go further. I promised my mom I’d wait until marriage…"

The sensation was overwhelming; he was reluctant to let go. But at her words, he gently withdrew his hand. Looking at her endearing expression, he kissed her gently on the forehead. "If you’re tired, sleep well."

She clung to him even tighter, looking up with hope. "Brother, I never want to be apart from you. Can we always live together?"

"Of course," Chen Hao replied. He didn’t want to disappoint her. Besides, he’d planned to buy a gaming pod and live on his own; if Qianqian didn’t return to her dorm, he’d just prepare a room for her.

When sunlight spilled across the bed, Chen Hao opened his eyes to find Ban Qianqian still hugging him tightly, his hand resting on her pert little bottom. He quickly withdrew it. "Qianqian, don’t you have class?"

Rubbing her eyes, she looked reluctant. "I don’t want to go to class. It’d be so nice to spend every day with you like this."

"Be good, go to class. I’ll pick you up after and give you a surprise."

After seeing her off at the university, Chen Hao didn’t return to the cybercafe. He planned to rent an apartment. After viewing several, he settled on a two-bedroom, one-living room place between Huayang University and the School of Economics and Trade. The rent was higher, but the furnishings were complete and the place well-decorated.

He paid six months’ rent upfront, then called Hongda Corporation to order two virtual neural interfaces, one with an attached nutrient pod. The total cost was 600,000 yuan.

Hongda Corporation was efficient: within an hour, four staff delivered the equipment. The basic interface was simple to install; the one with the nutrient pod required a special solution, an extra 50,000 yuan per refill.

Selling his ocean treasures had netted him 720,000 yuan—a fortune at the time, but now it seemed the money vanished quickly. The interfaces and nutrient solution cost 650,000; six months’ rent, 12,000; what remained barely covered one more refill.

After the staff left, Chen Hao climbed into the nutrient pod. Immersed in the solution, he felt his pores open, his whole body revitalized. It was worth every penny.

He put on the helmet and logged into the game, reappearing in the small courtyard he’d rented in-game. Several pigeons flew toward him—messages from Honest Dealer, who had sold out the first batch of reloadable cartridges and arranged to meet Chen Hao at the market.