bullyxtreme Chapter 338 Buying a Shop!
Chapter 338 Buying a Shop!
This sudden "goodness" from someone in the clouds was as beautiful as a dream, yet so illusory that she dared not delve into it, much less easily believe whether something else was mixed in with it.
Her deep-seated sense of "unworthiness" made her instinctively avoid deeper interpretations.
Therefore, she chose the simplest explanation, one that best protected her fragile heart—accepting all the reasons Ye Fan gave and rationalizing them:
Cooking and cleaning? "He needed someone to take care of the yard, and I happened to need to work to earn money to pay off my debts, so it was an employment relationship."
Food and lodging were provided, and the food was so good! "He said it's no fun eating alone, he needs someone to eat with him, and he said it was his way of showing concern for his classmates as class monitor (although this way of showing concern was a bit domineering)."
Taking her home by plane? "He just happened to want to come and visit, and he needed a tour guide. I'm a local, so it was just a side trip."
She repeatedly reinforced these "coincidences" and "reasons" in her mind, as if grasping at a lifeline, to convince herself that all of this did not stem from some emotion she dared not hope for or was afraid to touch, but was merely a lucky encounter where each party got what they wanted.
Ye Fan's words, "The class monitor's help to his classmates," became the best shield for her to soothe her pounding and fearful heart.
Only in this way can she accept this "goodness" with a clear conscience, without losing herself in the huge sense of disappointment.
......
On the other side, in the center of the county town.
Ye Fan's MPV stopped in front of a real estate agency that wasn't very big.
He pushed open the door, got out of the car, and walked in with steady steps.
Under the bright lights, several real estate agents, some sitting and some standing, saw Ye Fan walk in. Although young, he was dressed and had an extraordinary air about him. One of them immediately came forward to greet him: "Hello, sir, how can I help you?"
Ye Fan skipped the pleasantries and went straight to the point: "I've got my eye on that shop for sale at the intersection of Chengxi Road, the one facing the street and next to the school. The phone number listed there is yours, right?"
"Yes, yes, yes!" A lean, middle-aged real estate agent's eyes lit up, and he immediately responded enthusiastically, "You mean the one next to Guihua Road Elementary School? That's a great location! It's 30 square meters facing the street, with a kitchen and a small storage room partitioned inside. It's small but perfectly formed! The landlord urgently needs money and is sincerely selling. The asking price is 180,000 yuan, which is definitely the market price!"
Ye Fan nodded, his gaze sharp: "I've bought it. Can we sign the contract and transfer the ownership today?"
"Huh?" The agent was stunned, and the smile on his face froze for a moment.
He'd seen straightforward people before, but never anyone this straightforward! He didn't even go inside the shop to take a look?
"Um... sir, wouldn't you like to take a look in person? Or perhaps we could discuss the price?" he asked tentatively, afraid that the deal might slip away.
"No need to look, the price is fine too." Ye Fan's tone was calm but undeniable. "However, there's an additional condition. After signing the contract, you need to immediately arrange for manpower to complete three things by tomorrow. First, reinstall a professional kitchen exhaust system; second, replace the gas stove with a brand new one; third, replace all kitchen equipment with high-standard new equipment."
He paused, then looked directly at the agent: "The budget is flexible, as long as you can deliver on time and to a high standard by tomorrow. Can you do that?"
The agent's heart skipped a beat!
No budget limit!
These four words are simply heavenly! This means that the room for maneuver and the profits are quite considerable!
The hesitation on his face was instantly replaced by ecstatic joy. He straightened his back ramrod straight and patted his chest, assuring everyone, "Yes! Absolutely! Don't worry! Our company has a professional renovation team and supplier channels. We guarantee to work 24/7 tomorrow and have everything arranged perfectly for you! The exhaust system, stove, and equipment will all be done to the highest standards!"
"Very good." Ye Fan said no more.
The following process was exceptionally efficient. Contract, payment (Ye Fan completed the transaction by swiping his card), key handover... the whole process was smooth and fast, making the intermediary somewhat dazed, as if the 180,000 yuan transaction was as simple as buying a bottle of water in his eyes.
In less than half an hour, the shop where Ye Fan's plan was entrusted had quietly changed owners.
After leaving the agency, Ye Fan asked the driver to take him to the most decent-looking hotel in the county town to check in.
Standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of his hotel room, watching the lights of thousands of homes in the county town gradually come on, Ye Fan took out his phone and opened WeChat.
He tapped his finger and sent a message: "Are you asleep?"
At the same time, the ancestral spirits were offered to the family.
Under the dim light, Xian Zuling sat on the edge of her bed in her small room, absentmindedly flipping through a book.
Suddenly, a crisp "ding-dong" notification sound rang out.
The fawn, startled awake by the ancestral statue, almost reflexively put down her book and grabbed the phone that was placed beside her pillow—the smartphone that Ye Fan had recently given her.
The screen lights up, and there's a small red dot on the familiar WeChat icon.
Her heart started racing involuntarily, and her fingertips trembled slightly as she carefully opened the app.
The contact list was empty, except for one name.
Ye Fan: "Are you asleep?"
Three simple words, yet they made Xian Zuling's cheeks slightly flush.
She took a deep breath and opened the reply box.
The virtual keyboard popped up, and for someone who was new to smartphones, typing still felt a bit clumsy.
She tried hard to recall the nine-key pinyin input method Ye Fan had taught her, tapping each letter one by one: "Not yet! What's wrong!"
Click send.
As she watched the message pop up in tiny bubbles, she immediately held her phone in both hands, staring intently at the screen as if trying to see through the tiny box, holding her breath and waiting for the reply notification that might light up at any moment.
The room was so quiet that the only sound was her own heartbeat.
Outside the window, the county town was quiet at night.
......
Inside the hotel room.
Ye Fan casually dried his wet hair with a towel, water droplets dripping from the ends of his hair onto his neck, bringing a touch of coolness.
He picked up the phone on the bedside table. The screen lit up, and Xian Zuling's exclamation mark, "Not yet! What's wrong!", came into view. He could almost picture her holding the phone, replying earnestly and a little nervously.
A slight smile played on his lips as he tapped his finger, first sending a cute "peeking" emoji, then asking, "Are you sleepy?"
The reply came almost instantly from the other end of the phone: "Not sleepy yet!"
Looking at her crisp and decisive reply, Ye Fan could almost see her nodding vigorously.
He continued drying his hair while typing with one hand: "I want to take a walk to get some fresh air and grab something to eat. Didn't you say you'd be my tour guide? Come out and keep me company now?"
The room in the courtyard.
When Xian Zuling saw the message from Ye Fan, she first felt a sense of relief that "finally I have a mission," but then she glanced out the window—it was already late at night. The night in the small county town was far less bustling than in Jinling. At this moment, it was quiet outside, with only a few occasional barks from dogs in the distance.