Chapter 46: New Home and Princeton

As the day dawned, everyone was preparing to head to Washington in the McLaren. Despite being a small and fast car, it had seating for six—three in the front and three in the back.

"Is everyone ready?" George asked enthusiastically, dressed unusually in a blazer, suit jacket, and black pants. George was large and robust but not overweight.

Mary was also dressed appropriately, wearing a floor-length floral dress that exuded the elegance of a mature woman.

Missy and Sheldon were more casual, with Missy in jeans and a white shirt adorned with a moon necklace, and Sheldon in his typical bow tie, brown pants, and striped shirt tucked into his pants.

Paige wore jeans with suspenders, giving her a country girl vibe. As for me, I wore a distinct black suit. Despite being 13 years old and 1.70 meters tall, I dressed with elegance.

Once everyone was in the car, George started the engine and said, "I missed you, you know?" before I interrupted him, saying, "Yeah right, keep dreaming," with a pout.

"Get ready; we'll be on the road for a while," George said because, after all, from Galveston to Washington D.C., it's 1429.154 miles, or 2300 km (Why do you guys use miles, inches, palms, and feet instead of the metric system????)

During the journey, we had to switch drivers twice between Mary and George, and by nightfall, we finally arrived in Washington, D.C.

Upon arrival, we spent some time looking for an inn or hotel to stay the night and then contacted a real estate agent.

The next morning, everyone set out to accomplish their tasks. George, Mary, Sheldon, and Missy went to meet with a real estate agent. Meanwhile, Paige and I took a taxi to Princeton.

"Do you have any plans for when we arrive in Princeton?" Paige asked.

"First, I was thinking of finding a house or apartment for us to stay in. Second, I wanted to meet Leonard, and third, less importantly, visit Princeton," I replied.

"Why less important?" Paige inquired.

"I don't plan to spend much time at university. I'll be studying computer science and mechanical and aerospace engineering. What about you?" I asked.

Paige paused for a moment before responding, "I want to study physics and mathematics, maybe even architecture."

Finding her choice unusual, I asked, "Why not computer science? You're good at it."

Paige looked me in the eyes and said mockingly, "I doubt they have anything to teach me. It would be easier for me to teach them. It's easier to pursue an area I'm interested in than waste time on something I already master."

With our eyes still locked, I said, "Smart!"

"We've arrived! That'll be $130," said the taxi driver, who had been unusually quiet, which was rare since they usually talk a lot.

Exiting the taxi onto a bustling street, we asked people if there was a real estate agent nearby and eventually found the location.

"Hello, are you open?" Paige asked an older man with Mediterranean hair.

The man, not expecting customers at this hour, was startled and nearly fell out of his chair but quickly composed himself to put on a professional facade. Upon realizing we were children, he reverted to a more relaxed demeanor and asked, "What? Lost or need information?"

I spoke up, "No, sir. We're here to rent or buy a house. We're new students at Princeton University and would like to see if there are any properties in a location that meets certain requirements."

The balding man looked at me strangely, then paused, glanced at Paige, and sighed before saying, "Sure, sure. What requirements do you have for the location?"

As he prepared some paperwork with photos of houses, I looked at Paige, and she gestured for me to continue. So, I said, "We need a location somewhat away from the city, preferably with few neighbors and plenty of privacy."

He looked strangely at me, then paused and glanced at Paige before sighing and saying, "Sure, there are some houses that meet those requirements. Here," as he placed some photos for us to look at.

As we flipped through the photos, Paige's eyes lit up when she saw one. "I want this one," she said, showing me a three-story wooden house with a beautifully designed exterior. I looked at the price and was a bit surprised but quickly accepted. Besides meeting all our requirements, it was very beautiful.

"She wants this one; I also think it's very nice. I'd like to see the inside. Could you take us there?" I asked him, which surprised him after he saw the price of the house.

The old man wasn't stupid; he could tell when a customer had money or not. Just his suit was worth thousands of dollars, and he was surprised by the price of the house but not enough to frown. He knew he had caught a big fish and wouldn't miss this opportunity, especially since the house, despite being very expensive, was largely overlooked by people.

When the old man brought us to see the house, the first thing Paige did was enter and check out the interior, while I went to survey the surroundings. During my college years, I planned to do a lot of training and needed space without any annoying people bothering me or calling the police every 30 minutes.

Fortunately, the area didn't have many issues in that regard, with the nearest house being about 500 meters away.

When I returned, I saw Paige waiting for me outside the house, tapping her feet with her hands behind her back. As soon as she saw me, she waved.

"Connor, the house is beautiful. Buy it, buy it, buy it, please," she said, with stars in her eyes, pleading.

"Of course, I'll buy it. There's nothing wrong with the location; the fresh air here is good, and the atmosphere is perfect for enjoying a cup of coffee."

After settling everything, Paige led me to a nearby house. When we rang the doorbell, a voice called out, "Leonard, answer the door."

  -End of the chapter -