Chapter 63: Little Magnolia: Ten Thousand and Ninety-Nine

Chapter 63: Little Mulan: Ten Thousand and Ninety-Nine

As Lin Wanqiu had mentioned yesterday, her parents were planning to come and stay for a short while.

How long they would actually stay hadn't been specified.

After all, the couple had only one daughter, and they didn't have too many lingering attachments in their hometown.

From Chen Jianghai's perspective, it would be best if the elderly couple simply moved in for the long term.

That way, they could look out for one another.

Hearing this, Grandpa Jiang was slightly taken aback. "What? Are you looking to rent a place?"

"Yes, indeed."

Chen Jianghai nodded. "My mother-in-law and father-in-law are coming to stay for a while. My place is too small and inconvenient, so I'm planning to rent a house."

Grandpa Jiang smiled. "That's easy to arrange! I have some right at my place!"

"Your place?"

Chen Jianghai was momentarily stunned. "Grandpa Jiang, I'm not joking around here."

Grandpa Jiang waved his hand dismissively. "Who's joking with you? I have several empty rooms at home. If you want them, I can rent them all to you."

Chen Jianghai quickly asked, "That would be wonderful. Would it be convenient to take a look?"

"Sure, I'll take you to see them first. We can discuss the rest if they suit you," Grandpa Jiang replied readily.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Grandpa Jiang." Chen Jianghai was quite pleased.

"Pshaw, we're all neighbors here. What trouble is there to speak of?"

With that, Grandpa Jiang led Chen Jianghai to his home. Upon entering, there was a large courtyard, and its layout somewhat resembled a traditional old-style courtyard house (siheyuan).

In Linghai County, there were still quite a few properties of this type.

The courtyard was large and very spotless, with a well in the middle. One could tell at a glance that it was regularly swept and maintained.

Grandpa Jiang pointed to a row of three rooms on the west side and said, "Those three rooms are all vacant. Have a look and see which one you like best."

Chen Jianghai acknowledged and walked over to inspect them.

Generally speaking, the three rooms were roughly the same size. The only difference was how old or new they appeared. The interiors were also tidily kept, and a bed would be all it took to make them habitable.

Chen Jianghai pointed to the relatively newer room and asked, "Grandpa Jiang, how much is the rent for this one?"

"This one? Just fifty a month, utilities not included," Grandpa Jiang said, holding up a palm.

Chen Jianghai nodded slightly; the price was quite fair.

"Then let's sign a rental agreement! How about I rent it for three months first?" Chen Jianghai thought aloud.

For the time being, Lin Wanqiu's parents staying for a month would probably be a stretch, so three months was more than enough.

Even if they went back by then, the place was close to his own home, and using it as a small warehouse wouldn't be a problem at all.

The main reason was that he had acquired far too many electrical appliances recently; Fang Aiguo's room could no longer hold much more.

Of course, if Lin Wanqiu's parents were willing to stay long-term, that wouldn't be a problem either.

Didn't Grandpa Jiang have two other rooms here?

By then, whether it was visiting the elderly couple or looking after the goods in the warehouse, it would be convenient, and buying the place outright in the future wasn't out of the question.

Current housing prices were truly not high; for a few thousand yuan, one could buy a small multi-courtyard compound.

Grandpa Jiang immediately became displeased. "What's the need for a contract? Little Master Chen, do you not trust me?"

"Grandpa Jiang, you've misunderstood."

Chen Jianghai said with a smile, "Signing a contract is good for both you and me, just in case any issues arise later. Bringing it up then would hurt our relationship."

Grandpa Jiang paused for a moment before saying, "I don't really understand contracts and such. How about when my granddaughter gets back, you talk it over with her?"

"That works too. When will your granddaughter be free, then?" Chen Jianghai asked in succession.

Grandpa Jiang checked the calendar. "She happens to be coming home tomorrow. You can discuss it with her then."

Chen Jianghai nodded. "Grandpa Jiang, I'll come back tomorrow, then. Sorry to bother you!"

Grandpa Jiang smiled. "No problem at all, just a small matter."

Leaving Grandpa Jiang's house, Chen Jianghai headed straight to the Zhongbai Department Store.

With some spare cash on hand, it was time to add some household appliances to the home.

That way, when Lin Wanqiu's parents came over and saw them, they could feel more at ease.

The first thing to buy was a gas stove. Cooking with the coal briquette stove required starting a fire every day, which was truly troublesome and quite inconvenient to use.

This item had to be replaced as soon as possible!

As for an air conditioner, autumn was almost approaching, so buying one now didn't make much sense.

Moreover, their current house was very small, and Chen Jianghai planned to buy a new one after purchasing a large home in the future.

As for a color television, the current price was not cheap. Chen Jianghai checked the tags; the cheaper ones were over 2,000 yuan, while the more expensive ones cost as much as 5,000.

Chen Jianghai felt that rather than buying a new one, it would be better to pick up a second-hand one later and assemble it himself.

Besides, Lin Wanqiu would surely be reluctant to spend such a large sum of money on a brand-new color TV.

If she knew Chen Jianghai had spent so much money on a television, she definitely wouldn't be happy; instead, she would feel that he was starting to throw money around carelessly again.

For the sake of family harmony and his wife's happiness, it was better to let it go for now.

In the end, Chen Jianghai bought a gas stove and a brand-new Camel fan, spending a little over four hundred yuan.

Coming out of the Zhongbai Department Store, Chen Jianghai spotted a shop specializing in motorcycles. He couldn't help but stop his bicycle and walk inside.

He hadn't forgotten his small goal of buying a motorcycle for his wife.

And right now, that dashing Mulan motorcycle—a nationwide sensation among women's models—was naturally the top choice.

Walking into the store and looking at the monotonous styles of the motorcycles, the corners of Chen Jianghai's mouth twitched slightly in silent disdain. There was still no sense of competition; if something sold well, they just rested on their laurels without bothering to innovate further.

"Boss, are you here to look at bikes? These motorcycles sell really well!"

A man in his thirties inside the shop immediately walked up with a smiling face.

Chen Jianghai nodded and asked, "How much are they?"

"There's a promotion right now; they're only ten thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine."

Hearing this price, Chen Jianghai couldn't help but draw in a sharp breath.

To be honest, in his past life, Chen Jianghai hadn't really known the price of this motorcycle and had assumed it could be acquired for a few thousand yuan.

He never expected it to cost tens of thousands; it truly was a luxury item!

It wasn't that he couldn't afford it right now, but there was temporarily no need to sink all his money into it. Even if he was willing, Lin Wanqiu certainly wouldn't be!

"Oh, a bit too expensive. I'll think about it some more!"

Chen Jianghai nodded, feeling no embarrassment whatsoever.

The man smiled and said, "No worries, brother. If you want to buy one next time, remember to come to me. I guarantee you the lowest price."

Chen Jianghai glanced at the other man and nodded. "No problem. If I buy one, I'll definitely come look for you."

"Alright, alright! Brother, have a cigarette!"

The boss was evidently a sociable person and casually offered a cigarette. Chen Jianghai naturally didn't refuse, and took out a match to light it.

Friendship among men was established just that easily.

With this exchange of pleasantries, the two could be considered acquainted.

After a few casual words, Chen Jianghai left the shop amidst the boss's enthusiastic gaze.

Along the way, he began to reflect on himself.

Having earned a little money recently, he seemed to have gotten a bit carried away.

Reality taught Chen Jianghai a ruthless truth: the little money he was earning now was only enough to improve their standard of living.

If he wanted to truly change his life and rewrite his destiny, it was still far, far from enough.