PS-Chapter 46 Renting a House

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Early morning. The alarm rings, waking him up and he gets dressed and washes up.

On Sunday morning, while most people were still deep in their dreams, Lu Chen, as usual, woke up early, greeted the misty dawn, and began another busy day.

He worked out for two hours by the park along the man-made river, sweating profusely, then replenished his body with a hearty breakfast, just in time for the nearby bank to open.

Lu Chen transferred 300,000 Yuan from his account to a very familiar account.

As soon as he stepped out of the bank, the phone in his pocket rang.

Lu Chen immediately answered, "Mom, I was just about to call you!"

On the other end of the line, a familiar voice spoke, "Little Chen, was it you who sent the money? Where did you get so much money?"

Her voice was filled with uncontrollable anxiety, mixed with genuine concern and worry.

Lu Chen smiled and replied, "Of course, I earned it!"

The call was from his mother, Fang Yun.

Fang Yun was an ordinary accountant at the Binhai City Tax Bureau in Zhejiang Province. After Lu Chen's father passed away, it was she who had bravely shouldered the burden of the family, which had lost its main support.

Lu Chen had moved to the capital to work, sending money to Fang Yun's account every month so she could arrange payments to the creditors. Although the amount wasn't large, it was enough to keep hope alive.

These creditors were friends, relatives, and clients of Lu Qingsheng (Lu Chen's father), who had lent their life savings out of trust, family ties, and friendship. If there was no hope of repayment, the Lu family would forever carry a heavy burden of guilt.

When Lu Qingsheng passed away, he left behind a mountain of debt that couldn't be ignored.

Lu Chen had once felt anger, pain, despair, and frustration over this, but eventually, he pulled through and saw a glimmer of hope.

Now, like the warm sunlight filtering through the plane tree leaves, he felt the brightness on his body and face.

Fang Yun anxiously asked, "Tell me the truth, child!"

A mother always worries when her child travels far. Lu Chen had left university to work in the capital nearly a year ago. He hadn't even returned home for the New Year to save money, and Fang Yun missed him dearly.

Now that Lu Chen had suddenly sent 300,000 Yuan, her first reaction wasn't joy, but fear— fear that Lu Chen had done something wrong.

Otherwise, where could he have earned so much money?

Lu Chen said, "Mom, check your Feixin messages, and you'll understand."

He had anticipated this situation and had already taken pictures of the contracts he signed with Qingyu Media and Chen Jianhao. After transferring the money, he sent them to Fang Yun.

It took about five minutes for Fang Yun to confirm that her son wasn't involved in anything illegal in the capital.

Lu Chen had earned this money by writing and singing songs, and he even owned 5% shares in a bar!

She felt both surprised and proud, her emotions swirling before she finally asked, "When are you coming home?"

Lu Chen thought for a moment and replied, "I'll come home in early June. I need to attend my graduation ceremony at school. Oh, and Mom..."

"Please tell Sis that she shouldn't go to work anymore. She should stay home and prepare for the postgraduate exam in December!"

Lu Chen's sister, Lu Xi, had always excelled in her studies. She was recommended for a postgraduate degree without taking exams, but because of the family's misfortune, she had to give up on that opportunity to work and help support the family.

Lu Chen knew that Lu Xi's lifelong dream was to earn a Ph.D., and she had the ability to do so. Now, there was still time: "She doesn't need to worry about the family's debt anymore. I'll pay it off within three years, at most!"

Lu Chen spoke boldly, filled with confidence in his future.

But Fang Yun wasn't as optimistic. "I'll try, but you know how stubborn your sister is. She's just like your dad!"

Lu Chen quickly added, "Ask her to come to the capital!"

He was planning to stay and build his career in the capital long-term, and having a family member close by would be ideal.

After finishing the call with his mother, Lu Chen returned to his underground apartment.

Li Feiyu was already up, standing by the door with a phone in his hand. Seeing Lu Chen return, he looked relieved. "I was just about to call you. Little Mei and the others are waiting for us at the GuangYuan Building!"

"I'll change clothes, and we'll head out!" 

Lu Chen quickly ran to his room, changed into clean clothes—a simple T-shirt, jeans, and casual shoes— then rushed out with Li Feiyu to catch a cab to the GuangYuan Building.

GuangYuan Building was less than a five-minute drive from where Lu Chen and Li Feiyu were staying. At the entrance, Lu Chen finally met the legendary Sister Little Mei.

Although he had seen photos of Little Mei before, this was his first time seeing her in person.

Little Mei was young and pretty, with a petite and charming figure, though her makeup was a bit heavy. The woman with her had a more professional look, wearing a white skirt and carrying a handbag while holding her phone, exuding a smart and capable aura.

"Sorry, sorry!" 

Li Feiyu apologized repeatedly, "I'm really sorry to have kept you two beautiful ladies waiting!"

Little Mei rolled her eyes with a huff, clearly showing she was not pleased. However, her friend was more understanding and smiled, easing the situation, "No worries, we just arrived too. Is this the handsome guy looking to rent the apartment?"

She glanced curiously at Lu Chen.

"Yes, yes!" 

Li Feiyu quickly nodded and introduced, "This is my good buddy, Lu Chen. Big Chen, let me introduce you. This is Sister Chen, also known as Little Mei, and this is her friend, Zhang Ying."

Lu Chen smiled and said, "I've heard a lot about you, Sister Little Mei. It's great to finally meet you in person!"

A handsome guy is a handsome guy, especially someone like Lu Chen, who was tall and charming. His warm and sunny demeanor made a good impression, especially when he smiled, which made people naturally feel at ease.

As expected, Sister Little Mei was pleased, smiling as she said, "I've heard a lot about you too. Li Feiyu has mentioned you many times."

Lu Chen replied, "Brother Li is always helpful. Shall we go see the apartment now?"

The apartment was located just a few hundred meters from GuangYuan Building, in a complex called Jincheng Garden.

Jincheng Garden wasn't very large, with nine independent mid-rise buildings. However, the community had complete facilities, with green spaces covering at least 50% of the area. The property management was strict, and visitors had to register upon entry.

The surrounding environment was also excellent, being near a commercial district, and it was just a few minutes' walk to the nearest subway station.

Zhang Ying's apartment was in Building 7, Room 1502. It was a one-bedroom, one-living room unit with a bathroom and kitchen, about 35 square meters in size. The apartment was fully furnished and had been well maintained, looking almost brand new.

Lu Chen couldn't find anything to complain about.

Zhang Ying had rented this single apartment two years ago, signing a five-year lease. She had spent money on renovations and furnished it with a full set of appliances and furniture.

Sister Little Mei's friend worked as a cosmetics distributor in the capital. However, due to the intense competition in the capital, she was planning to return to her hometown to open a brand store, making her rental apartment a problem.

Breaking the lease would be too costly, so subletting it was the best option. However, most rental agents weren't very reliable, so to avoid any trouble, Zhang Ying had posted about the apartment in her social circle. This eventually led her to Lu Chen.

As for the rent, Zhang Ying straightforwardly said, "Since you're a friend of Brother Li, I'll be direct. It's 5,000 Yuan per month, with three months' rent paid in advance and a one-month deposit. You can use all the appliances and furniture for free, but utilities, gas, internet, and property fees are your responsibility."

Renting in the capital wasn't easy, and housing prices in the capital were the highest in the country. Even though this apartment was small, it would cost at least 2 Million Yuan to buy, and a 5,000 Yuan monthly rent was quite standard, especially with full furnishings.

Lu Chen thought for a moment and said, "How about 4,000 Yuan? I'll sign a three-year lease and pay six months' rent upfront. What do you think?"

He was hoping to take over the remaining lease term from Zhang Ying, so naturally, he wanted to negotiate a better price.

Zhang Ying, being a savvy businesswoman, was, of course, open to signing for the full term but wasn't going to agree to Lu Chen's price without negotiation.

After some back-and-forth bargaining, they finally settled on 4,500 Yuan for the rent. As part of the deal, Zhang Ying threw in her nearly new computer in the living room, which she wasn't planning to take with her.

Both Lu Chen and Zhang Ying were satisfied with the deal. After coming to an agreement, they went to a nearby print shop to print the contract, signed it on the spot, and Lu Chen paid the rent.

In no time at all, Lu Chen had secured a new apartment, though it left his wallet considerably lighter.

(End of chapter)