Chapter 21: Buying a car

In the afternoon, the counselor held a class meeting for the graduating students of the Chinese Department, mainly discussing a few key matters: completing enough credits, writing a good thesis, securing a job, and graduating smoothly.

Chen Jin already had an idea for her graduation thesis and had also determined her thesis advisor early on, Professor Jiang Chaosheng, an old man who looked very serious but was actually quite trendy.

Lin Xinran quietly asked her, “Are you going to look for an internship this semester?”

“Maybe. I’ll see. There have been a lot of things going on at home in the past month or two, so I probably won’t have time to intern.”

The renovations for the small western-style building are also nearing completion, and she needs to find time to pick out furniture at the furniture store; appliances also need to be installed. The house in Hanlin Garden also needs some additions…

“Alright, once you finish up with things at home and if you still want to look for an internship, just let me know. My dad’s friend works at Cheng’s Group; he can arrange an internship position for you. If you perform well, you might even get a full-time offer after graduation.”

Cheng’s Group can be considered a calling card for Southern Province. The benefits offered to graduates are generally better than those from other companies, making it one of the top choices for many soon-to-be graduates.

Lin Xinran wasn’t just being helpful because she and Chen Jin had a good relationship; it was also because Chen Jin had already decided to give up her chance for graduate school. She had gone to talk to a teacher about her final exam results from last semester and found that she was solidly in fifth place. Once Chen Jin stepped back, she would definitely take her spot.

“The internship position is an administrative role, so the tasks are quite trivial. Once you get converted to a full-time role, your position will be adjusted according to the actual situation. The internship pays two hundred for a month, including food and accommodation. I also plan to intern to gain some social experience and pocket money.”

With her decision to pursue graduate school secured, she now had a lot of free time. Writing her thesis wouldn’t take too long, and she wanted to gain some social experience and earn some extra cash.

The pay for this internship was comparable to the salaries of regular employees at small companies.

Chen Jin was also a bit tempted. After all, it was Cheng’s Group, which had been praised by seniors and teachers alike. If it weren’t for her family’s relocation and financial situation, she would have jumped at the opportunity without a second thought.

“How about I think about it some more?”

“Sure,” Lin Xinran readily agreed. “My dad’s friend is a small leader in the administrative department at Cheng’s Group. Arranging one or two interns is a piece of cake for him.”

But for regular employees, it wasn’t the same. In larger companies, the systems are more established; without strong connections and abilities, one must go through the regular recruitment channels.

After the class meeting, Chen Jin stayed in the classroom a bit longer. Once no one was seeking out the counselor, she approached to ask about the recruitment of counselors by the college this year.

“The college hasn’t released the recruitment notice yet; it usually comes out around November or next March. With your grades, you can rank second overall. Why haven’t you thought about continuing for your master’s?”

The counselor had a deep impression of Chen Jin. Her exam scores had always been the highest, and the teachers in the Chinese Department praised her for being diligent and serious in her studies. Recalling her personal information, the counselor remembered that although Chen Jin had a rural household registration, she had never applied for financial aid. Logically, her family conditions shouldn’t be too bad.

Oh, he suddenly remembered; Chen Jin came from a single-parent family. Her mother passed away last year due to illness…

No wonder she didn’t want to continue her studies; she probably worried about not having enough money to support herself.

Chen Jin smiled shyly and replied honestly, “I don’t think I’m suited to continue my studies and pursue academic research. I want to start working as soon as possible.”

When she had chosen her major, she lacked experience and, like many others, thought that it was fine for girls to study a liberal arts subject, believing that college students could easily find jobs regardless of their major. But now that she had studied this subject, she realized she didn’t like it and couldn’t switch majors.

No, it wasn’t that—she simply didn’t like studying! Who knew that university would involve so many subjects and exams?

Continue for a master’s degree? Forget it!

The counselor thought: It’s definitely because of financial reasons!

He gently advised, “You should go back and think it over. Actually, the cost of graduate studies isn’t that high. If you find an internship in your senior year to save some money, you know that graduate students can receive living stipends, right?”

Chen Jin nodded. “I know, teacher, but I’m really not planning to pursue a master’s.”

The counselor urged her to reconsider and promised to remind her once the notice for counselor recruitment was released.

After leaving the faculty office, Chen Jin and Lin Xinran went to the west gate to find something to eat.

The area past the west gate was a residential district for faculty and staff, with a kindergarten, elementary school, and middle school nearby. As they exited the west gate, the entire street was lined with shops. Compared to the quiet during the summer vacation, it was now bustling, like a big market during the New Year.

But it was just the beginning of the semester, so it was normal for many students to be out buying food and clothes.

Lin Xinran pulled Chen Jin into the cleanest-looking shop, where they ordered two bowls of noodles, then went to a braised food shop to buy some snacks, and got two bottles of soda. Lin Xinran insisted on paying. “This is on me.”

“This has nothing to do with graduate school. You lent me your review materials to photocopy for the final exam last semester, and I didn’t even thank you, so there’s no need to be polite.”

“Alright.” Chen Jin accepted without hesitation. She had indeed lent all her materials to Lin Xinran, and not to brag, but her organized study materials were really useful.

“You got a lot tanner over the summer. Did you have a lot of work at home?” Lin Xinran recalled that after the last semester’s final exam, Chen Jin had mentioned her family was busy with house construction and orchard management, thinking it must have been tough for her, explaining her tan.

Chen Jin thought: Practicing driving under the sun every day, of course, I’d get tanner.

“Yes, there was indeed a lot of work at home this summer. It was very busy,” Chen Jin reflected for a moment before adding, “But it was especially fulfilling. This was the happiest summer I’ve ever had.”

“Really? No way!” Lin Xinran couldn’t believe it.

Chen Jin confirmed earnestly, “Absolutely true!”

Lin Xinran muttered quietly, “Chen Jin has become quite strange after this summer.”

As she took a bite of the braised pig’s ear, she looked up and spotted a familiar figure walking past the shop outside. She nudged Chen Jin to get her attention.

“It’s Yang Qian! I didn’t see her at the class meeting earlier. During the summer, I went to look at furniture with my mom and happened to run into her and her mom. Yang Qian has already confirmed her plans to stay at school for graduate studies.”

Although Yang Qian was her roommate, Chen Jin didn’t know her well and figured they would just nod at each other if they met outside.

Yang Qian likely came from a wealthy family; everything she used seemed expensive. It made sense—her family could afford to buy her a place to live, so they probably weren’t an ordinary family.

“When I start graduate school, I don’t really want to live in a dorm. I’m discussing with my mom whether we can get our old house back, which is close to the school.” Lin Xinran said helplessly, “If I have to live in a dorm, I’d definitely be assigned to share with Chen Lu, and we wouldn’t get along.”

If there were options, who would want to share a dorm with others? When a few people gather together, small frictions and minor conflicts are hard to avoid. If you encounter someone like Qin Xuemei, it would really be a nightmare.

Chen Jin didn’t say anything. She didn’t want to intentionally tell Lin Xinran about her family’s relocation. She thought she would mention it if it came up one day. Especially now, Lin Xinran wanted to ask her family for the old house to move into, while she mentioned she had a small western-style-building (small Villa)… it was quite awkward.

So it’s better to stay silent for now.

After dinner, they strolled back and forth on this street, treating it as a way to digest their food.

As they passed by a shop that had closed and was up for transfer, Chen Jin stopped to take a few more glances. She noticed that both sides of the shop sold clothes, and it seemed to have been renovated recently, looking bright and new, with trendy styles inside.

Lin Xinran was not interested in the closed shop but was powerless against pretty clothes, eagerly pulling Chen Jin to check them out.

In the end, Chen Jin didn’t buy anything, but Lin Xinran ended up purchasing two skirts. When they returned to the school gate, Lin Xinran suddenly regretted buying those two skirts, saying, “I’m almost out of pocket money for this month.”

Thanks to Chen Jin stopping her, otherwise, she would have wanted to buy three skirts.

When they returned to the dormitory at night, Yang Qian was still absent. With only five people in the dorm, it was rare for Qin Xuemei to be quiet and not cause trouble, so Chen Jin had a good sleep.

The next morning, after waking up and getting ready to go out, Lin Xinran came over to ask what she planned to do that day.

“I’m going home for a bit. Tomorrow I have a group meeting with Professor Jiang to discuss the graduation thesis. I have other things to do afterward, so I probably won’t be coming to school for a while.”

Lin Xinran looked a bit disappointed. “Alright, we’ll go watch a movie another day.”

“Yeah!”

Thus, Chen Jin’s senior year started off rather uneventfully.

To conveniently commute between school and driving school, she moved into a house at Hanlin Garden.

On the second day of school, she went to the university for a meeting with Professor Jiang, along with Yang Qian and Chen Lu. The three of them had coincidentally chosen Professor Jiang as their thesis advisor right away.

They each discussed their intended thesis topics, and then Professor Jiang individually asked them about their current understanding of their research directions and the progress of their writing…

This was one of the main reasons Chen Jin didn’t want to continue her studies. Just thinking about these things was enough to give her a headache.

With two full pages of notes, after sending off Professor Jiang, Chen Jin let out a big sigh, “This is so hard!”

Yang Qian and Chen Lu both looked at her, and Yang Qian suddenly asked, “I heard you’re giving up on pursuing further studies?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

Chen Jin raised an eyebrow, “If I don’t want to study, I won’t. Writing a thesis is too difficult; I just can’t do it.”

If it were just about passing exams to graduate, Chen Jin would dare to say she could get her Ph.D. But if it required writing a thesis, forget it; she really couldn’t handle it.

Yang Qian raised her chin proudly and said, “If you’re worried about tuition fees, I can lend you money, no interest charged. Just pay me back when you graduate and start working.”

“Thank you, I didn’t expect you to be so kind.” For the first time, Chen Jin thought that although Yang Qian had a bit of a proud and cold personality, she was genuinely a good person. She was actually willing to lend money to a classmate she didn’t interact with much to support her education.

Such a good person!

Yang Qian snorted softly, “No need to thank me, it’s just a small favor.”

As Yang Qian and Chen Lu thought Chen Jin would choose to continue her studies, Chen Jin said, “But I really don’t need it. It’s not that I’m short on money; I just truly don’t want to go to grad school.”

“What’s wrong with you? I already said I’d lend you money, interest-free. Are you worried you won’t be able to pay me back later?”

Chen Jin waved her hand in refusal. “I really don’t need it. I’m not short on money, and I really don’t want to keep studying.”

Sighing at the confusion, Chen Jin decided to flee. “I have something to do, so I’ll go now. Bye!”

For the next month, with no major events, she didn’t feel like coming to school at all.

Yang Qian was left fuming on the spot, “What’s wrong with her? It’s not like I’m giving her money for free.”

Chen Lu lowered her eyes. “Everyone has their own aspirations. We think continuing with grad school is better, but she might not feel the same way.”

In fact, she thought it was good that Chen Jin wasn’t continuing her studies.

Leaving the classroom, Chen Jin headed to the library and borrowed most of the reference books and materials she needed for her thesis. She packed them up and brought them to the Hanlin Garden house.

There was no rush to work on the thesis just yet. Chen Jin called her driving instructor and confirmed that she would continue practicing driving every morning until she got her license. In about half a month, she would take the road test, and if she passed, she would finally get her driver’s license.

The renovations on her small villa were almost finished. The renovation team leader reminded her to buy appliances soon so they could help install them.

The next morning, Chen Jin went for her driving practice, had lunch at Wanmin Plaza, and spent the afternoon at the electronics and furniture stores. She arranged for the delivery of a TV, air conditioners, and other items, buying double sets—one for the Hanlin Garden house for installation.

Aside from some large items she had already ordered, she needed some smaller things like a chest of drawers, desks, and bookshelves. She contacted a friend of her uncle’s, who owned a furniture factory that provided furniture for rental homes, and scheduled a time for a designer to come measure the house.

On September 23rd, Chen Jin successfully got her driver’s license.

On the 25th, which was a Saturday, her third uncle’s whole family, along with Tian Miao, a total of five people, accompanied her to look at cars. Her third cousin, Chen Yongfei, acted as their car expert.

“This Nissan Duke is not bad, with a 3.0L V6 engine. Look at its emblem, isn’t it unique?”

Altogether, it would cost 600,000 yuan? Out of her budget!

“And this Toyota Crown…”

Even more expensive than the last one? Way too expensive! Can’t afford it!

Chen Jin gave her cousin a sideways glance, “Are you picking out a car for yourself?”

Chen Yongfei glanced at his parents, then gave Chen Jin a meaningful look: “Sis, help your brother out here!”

But to be honest, the more expensive cars really do look a lot better. The feel of driving them, along with the interior design, is completely different. After spending half a day browsing car dealerships, Chen Jin, who was initially determined to buy a car for under 200,000 yuan, now found herself wavering.

She could now understand her third cousin’s appreciation for a good car. As for her, she had her eye on an Audi, the one with leather seats. But this car cost 400,000 yuan…

Not long ago, they had heard that Third Uncle Chen bought Chen Wenxing a car for over 400,000 yuan, and they all thought it was not worth spending so much money on a car. But now…

Chen Jin felt like there was a hook in front of her, slowly pulling her forward, step by step. As she walked, she realized it was leading her toward a deep abyss, dark and endless below. She looked down and saw her own burgeoning material desires, ready to erupt.

Chen Jin snapped back to reality, shaking off her moment of temptation and regaining her rationality. She decisively chose a white Santana, opting for the station wagon version that cost 195,000 yuan—several thousand more than the regular version. It fit perfectly within her budget.

Soon, a professional came to take her to the vehicle management office to handle the license plate registration. Luckily, she had her household registration book and driver’s license with her. With the professionals taking care of everything, Chen Jin just followed along, saving herself a lot of hassle.

Chen Yongfei was a little disappointed. He had hoped his cousin would buy a better car so he could occasionally enjoy a ride in it. Sigh, even though she had plenty of money, she still chose to save. If it were him, he would’ve bought the car he had his eye on without hesitation.

He had just turned his nose up at the Santana, only to find his parents had picked out a Xiali for under 100,000 yuan for him. As soon as he got his driver’s license, they’d bring it over for him to drive… He felt like crying. How could he even look down on the Santana now?!

Chen Yongan was thrilled that day. He didn’t care much about cars—whether it was an Audi or a Santana, they all looked fine to him. A car that cost nearly 200,000 yuan? He couldn’t help thinking about how many new gaming consoles that could buy!

Even though Chen Jin had bought a new car and obtained her driver’s license, after taking a couple of test drives, she still decided to have her uncle and his family take a taxi home. She would wait until she got more familiar with driving before taking them for a spin.

Third Cousin squeezed his way into her car. The more he looked at the car, the more he liked it. Buckling his seatbelt and leaning back, he sighed comfortably, “You really know how to resist temptation. If I had money, I would definitely buy a nice car.”

But deep down, he agreed even more with his dad’s praise of Chen Jin: “Although she laughs foolishly every day, she always has a plan in mind.” How many people lose themselves in luxury after suddenly acquiring wealth? But his sister remained grounded, keeping her feet firmly on the ground.

Chen Jin got into the car, pressed the “START/STOP” button below the steering wheel on the right to start the engine, and adjusted the air conditioner temperature to 25 degrees. Both she and Third Cousin let out a contented sigh.

“Third Brother, I feel like I’m the richest person in the world right now.”

Chen Yongfei chuckled, and his earlier sense of disappointment disappeared. He was buying a car now purely for business convenience. After all, he was a company salesperson, needing to run around securing orders. Many salespeople still rode bicycles, motorcycles, or took the bus. He felt incredibly lucky that he was about to drive a Xiali!

Even his boss, who often gave him a hard time, didn’t own a car. By his sister’s standards, that made him the richest person in Rong City!

“Didn’t Second Brother say he was coming to look at cars with us? Why didn’t he come?”

Chen Yongfei sighed. His sister lived carefree, not worrying about anyone else, being Second Aunt’s only child. How could she know the extent to which siblings in other families fought over inheritance?

“He’s not in the mood lately. Big Sis-in-law goes to Uncle’s house every day, demanding her share of the house and savings. Second Brother doesn’t want to upset Uncle, so he stays at the office all day. If Big Sis-in-law found out he went to look at cars, it would stir up more trouble.”

Second Brother might not even be able to stay in the company for long. Eldest Brother and Big Sis-in-law had their own toy company, while Second Brother worked in Uncle’s construction company. In the past, Uncle’s company couldn’t secure good projects and had limited profits, but now Big Sis-in-law was closely watching, afraid Uncle would invest all the family savings into the construction business. Wouldn’t that mean Second Brother would get everything?

Luckily, in their own family, it was just him and Little Brother. Their parents had already decided how to divide the savings and house. As long as the two brothers lived sensibly, there wouldn’t be any ugly disputes.

“Not just Eldest Brother—Chen Ting is causing trouble too. She insists on buying a house in Hanlin Courtyard, even refusing properties in beautiful and splendid districts. Can you believe that… Hmph, I don’t even know what she’s thinking.”

Chen Yongfei almost blurted out, “Is she out of her mind?” But thinking she was still family, he held back.

He really couldn’t understand Chen Ting’s mindset. Even if she did get a house in Hanlin Courtyard, living in such a large apartment without renting it out would just be a waste. Her only extra income was her salary from work. Wouldn’t it be better to wait for Uncle to buy her a house near her workplace? With four other properties to rent out, her rental income alone could equal her monthly salary. Why not use that money to enjoy life?

As their parents said, a little money has gone to her head.

Chen Jin focused on the road, sitting upright, not sparing even a glance at Chen Yongan as his chatter filled the air.

As they entered the busy part of the city, Chen Jin slowed down, inching forward carefully.

Although she had learned traffic regulations when getting her driver’s license, many people ignored the rules, parking haphazardly. Some drivers were so bold they drove like they were flying a plane.

Chen Jin pursed her lips, her expression serious. Third Cousin, however, couldn’t sit still. He asked her to lower the window and stuck his head out, yelling insults at the car recklessly rushing toward them. But the other driver didn’t even notice him and just sped past them.

Chen Jin: “…”

Was he a little unhinged?

“Third Brother, you need to stay calm when driving. Being too aggressive isn’t safe.”

Chen Yongfei sat back down and casually said, “No worries, I calm down after I yell.”

Chen Jin raised the window again. Fine, maybe she was overthinking it.

Chen Jin had bought a Santana sedan, and their Third Uncle thought they should have a meal to celebrate. Conveniently, the Hanlin Courtyard house was already equipped with all the necessary appliances and furniture. Since tomorrow was Sunday, they might as well have the first meal in the new home.

Without hesitation, the third uncle quickly got everything organized, calling the eldest uncle, second uncle, eldest aunt, and youngest aunt to let them know: “Our third sister has moved into a new house and bought a new car, let’s all get together for a meal.”

The eldest aunt said she couldn’t make it, but everyone else promised to arrive early the next morning. They all asked the third uncle if the new house still needed anything, as they felt obliged to bring a gift.

That evening, Chen Jin grabbed a long shopping list and headed to the newly opened supermarket in the West District with her third cousin.

She had already cleared out the stock in her small shop, and Tian Miao was about to start working at this new supermarket. There wasn’t much left in the transitional housing, and what was left had already been moved to Hanlin Garden. She figured she wouldn’t be staying at the transitional housing much anymore.

The new supermarket was holding a promotion, so there were lots of shoppers. Chen Jin and her third cousin split up—she went to buy condiments, dishes, and such, while her cousin had the simpler task of buying snacks.

As for the meat, vegetables, and fruit needed for tomorrow, they’d go to the market in the morning to pick out fresh items.

After they returned home with their purchases, the third aunt and Tian Miao helped organize everything before heading back to Rose Garden.

The third uncle’s family had now moved to live at Rose Garden. Tian Miao had wanted to stay in the transitional housing but was pulled over by the third aunt to live with them.

Rose Garden was the house the eldest uncle had initially wanted to find for Chen Jin, but after she bought the house in Hanlin Garden, she didn’t go to see it. In the end, it was the third uncle who bought it.

Before going to bed, Chen Jin tidied up the two guest rooms in her house, taking out new bed sheets to put on the beds.

That night, she seemed to see her mother, who said she could rest easy now.

When Chen Jin woke up, it was already past seven. She wasn’t sure if she had actually dreamed of her mother the previous night—it felt like she had, but maybe she hadn’t. Perhaps it was just something she was telling herself.

In the middle of brushing her teeth, foam still in her mouth, the doorbell rang.

She hurried to finish washing up, got dressed, and rushed out. Through the peephole, she saw her third uncle and his family carrying bags of things. She quickly opened the door. “I was just about to say I’d drive you to the market to buy groceries this morning.”

She wasn’t confident about driving people yet, but she didn’t mind carrying things!

The third aunt, however, said, “It’s a brand-new car; taking it to the market will get it dirty.”

Chen Jin couldn’t help but laugh. The car was bound to get dirty sooner or later, with all the dusty roads outside. But the third aunt was adamant about taking good care of the new car, so Chen Jin decided to say no more.

This was the first time her third cousin had been to her house. He wasn’t shy, putting down his things and wandering around. The master bedroom and two guest rooms looked quite empty, with the most items in the study. There weren’t many books on the shelves, but boxes of books were piled next to them, waiting to be unpacked. At the moment, a dozen or so books were scattered on the desk, along with pens and notebooks. The densely packed writing in the notebooks made him dizzy.

His sister was truly dedicated to her studies!

His family’s house in Rose Garden was also 200 square meters, but the layout wasn’t as neat as Chen Jin’s. It had floor-to-ceiling windows too, but the view wasn’t as good as hers.

“Tsk tsk, you really get what you pay for.”

The third uncle and aunt had bought a lot of groceries. Chen Jin helped wash vegetables and fruits, and soon after, the second uncle’s family of three arrived. After greeting them, the eldest uncle’s family arrived too.

Chen Jin was about to close the door when the eldest uncle stopped her. “No need to close it; someone will be delivering something soon.”

“What are they delivering?” Chen Jin asked curiously.

“We uncles and aunts pooled money to buy you a computer. Someone will be coming by to set it up soon.”

A computer?! Chen Jin knew what a computer was, but she had never used one. Li Xingyi’s family had bought a computer two years ago, and he had told her how amazing it was. When she was buying appliances, she hadn’t thought to look at computers, so she hadn’t considered getting one for herself.

This gift from her elders was truly perfect!

“Thank you, uncles and aunts! I love this gift so much!”

Buying a computer was a small expense for Chen Jin now. The eldest uncle had suggested pooling money because the second uncle and youngest aunt weren’t as well off as the rest, so splitting the cost made it more affordable.

Chen Jin kept praising how thoughtful and practical the gift was, making all the elders laugh with joy.

No wonder everyone said Chen Jin was such a good kid—she really knew how to sweet-talk her elders!

But when Chen Jin thanked her eldest aunt, the other elders, who knew the backstory, didn’t bring it up. They couldn’t be bothered to discuss it, as it would only bring frustration.

Chen Yongan was even more excited than Chen Jin—he loved computers too! He was eager to try it out once it was set up!

He liked his sister’s house even more now!

The previously empty, spacious house quickly became lively. Chen Jin went to the kitchen to help her aunts and cousins, while in the living room, Chen Jia, Chen Ting, Chen Yongan, and Tian Miao played cards. Little Duoduo, barely over a year old, leaned against the big sofa watching cartoons, while the three uncles and three cousins chatted in the dining room.

The eldest uncle came over to call her, “Third sister, come chat with us.”

The eldest aunt took the basket of washed vegetables from her. “Go on, we have enough hands here. Your eldest uncle has something to discuss with you.”

The second and third aunts also urged her to go. They had probably heard something from the second and third uncles about Chen Jin’s plan to buy land in Qiaoxi Village.

As expected, after washing her hands and sitting down, the eldest uncle asked her, “What’s the word from the Liu family in Qiaoxi Village?”

Chen Jin told him about her grandfather’s offer to sell her 200 square meters of land for two million. “I said the most I could offer was 2,100 per square meter. I haven’t heard from them yet, so maybe the negotiations fell through. Or maybe they’re stalling to haggle more, trying to figure out if we know any inside information. They could be fishing for news right now.”

Chen Jin laughed and added, “Eldest uncle, when you encouraged everyone to buy houses last year, many people suspected you had some insider information. So now that I’m making a move, they’re probably overthinking things.”

“I didn’t expect that,” the uncle wiped his face. “Last year, I did hear some rumors, but it was just someone who was drunk talking, and that person wasn’t a major leader. I didn’t believe it at first, but the more I thought about it after going back, the more I felt that it might really be possible for the place to be redeveloped. Anyway, if it doesn’t get redeveloped, it doesn’t matter; even if we build a house, it can still be rented out.”

Chen Jin was shocked: !!!

So her uncle really did get some insider information!

No wonder he didn’t want her to close the small shop, wouldn’t let her transfer the orchard, and even had them plant peach trees on their land! Her uncle really knows how to keep secrets!

Uncle Chen Wenqiang was still feeling frustrated, “At that time, I was thinking about whether to divide Yongxin and apply for a piece of land for residential use, but I just didn’t have the confidence. What a loss.”

What’s hardest to let go of in this world is probably the feeling of: I had the chance to become a millionaire, but I didn’t seize it and missed out.

Now that her uncle predicts that Qiaoxi Village has great potential for the future, he wants Chen Jin to see if she can buy a piece of land. If it can be redeveloped, that would be great; if not, they can rent out the house.

But there are clever people everywhere in this world, and what they can think of, others can think of too. So, it won’t be easy to buy a residential plot in Qiaoxi Village. It all depends on whether Old Liu is willing to go to the village to help Chen Jin negotiate. After all, if he insists, Chen Jin could be considered a member of the Liu family, making it only natural for her to want to buy land to build a house in the village.

For now, they just have to wait. However, her uncle also said, “If you can get it, then go for it. If not, then forget it. It’s a straightforward transaction—cash for land. There’s no need to suffer at the Liu family’s hands.”

Chen Yongfei couldn’t help but twitch his lips. His sister is not the kind of person who can calmly endure grievances; she may look obedient, but she has quite a temper.

“Didn’t you call for a car to pick up Chen Kui? Is it not here yet?” Second Uncle glanced at the big clock on the wall; it was already ten o’clock.

“It takes a little longer to come from the village, no rush. It’s not time for dinner yet,” Third Uncle said. “Mutang Village is a mess. I’ll see if she’s home. The Zhang family doesn’t mind. I’ll have her pack her things and stay with me for a while.”

After saying that, Third Uncle looked at First Uncle and Second Uncle. “I discussed it with Xiuhe. We’re planning to give a three-bedroom apartment from beautiful Community to Miao Miao and Little Sister, each one. We’ll put it under their names. In the future, if Little Sister wants to continue living with the Zhang family or wants to divorce and come back, it’s up to her. We’re thinking of buying two more shops, so the three of us will have something to do in the future.”

The younger generation, including Chen Jin, had no say in this. First Uncle and Second Uncle were silent for a moment before saying, “That sounds good.”

Third Uncle was allocating apartments to his own sister and his sister-in-law’s niece, which was something he and his wife could decide on themselves. He specifically mentioned it to First Uncle and Second Uncle to prepare them psychologically. After all, First Uncle and Second Uncle also had a younger sister, so they were concerned that she might come to them for an explanation later.

First Uncle said, “Our parents tried to divide the family property equally while they were alive. No one complained back then when they benefited from it. Now, there shouldn’t be any objections. It’s fine for you to allocate an apartment to Chen Kui, and you can also open a shop with her, but it’s best to find a lawyer to draft a contract. Those gifted properties should not be inherited or used by Zhang Leye or his children. It’s better to settle this legally now to avoid disputes later.”

Third Uncle hadn’t thought of this and quickly said, “Yes, we should get a lawyer to sign a contract.”

If the house he allocated to his sister were to be snatched away by those outsiders from the Zhang family, he would really be furious.

Second Uncle, who usually didn’t express his opinions, rarely gave a few pieces of advice, “If Chen Kui is willing, you should advise her to get a divorce. Those two kids of Zhang Leye are not worth relying on; you can’t expect them to support her in old age. Yongfei and Yongan are both good kids. With them looking after her, Chen Kui’s old age won’t be a problem.”

“Okay, once Little Sister moves over, let Xiuhe talk to her.”

Chen Jin felt emotional; money really does give confidence.

In the past, Third Uncle and her mom had advised her aunt to just get a divorce. The Zhang family had many issues and conflicts. No matter how well they treated the two stepchildren, when the maternal grandparents’ family encouraged them, they wouldn’t treat the aunt well. But the aunt didn’t want to get divorced because she felt she couldn’t bear the gossip from others after leaving, and her brother and sister-in-law’s family wasn’t in great shape either.

In recent years, Third Uncle’s family had improved significantly, but when they advised the aunt again, she would say that the Zhang family was doing fine now, and since the two stepchildren were away at school most of the time, she couldn’t just leave after years of hard work and not enjoy anything. It would be too unfair.

Now things were different. Third Uncle had money and could let the aunt live here. There weren’t many familiar neighbors around, so people wouldn’t gossip like they did in the village.

Third Cousin and Cousin were indeed inheriting Third Uncle and Third Aunt’s kind-heartedness and would look after the aunt in her old age.

Chen Jin thought again, hands on her hips, feeling proud: What about her! Her savings could easily support ten aunts!

Just as she thought this, her aunt arrived with two luggage bags. “I almost couldn’t find the building.”

Wiping off her sweat, the aunt laughed, “The buildings in the city are so tall. I felt anxious taking the elevator just now.”

Chen Jin replied, “I felt the same way the first time I took this elevator, but you get used to it after riding it a few times. Aunt, come sit over here. Let Third Brother take it to the room.”

Chen Yongfei resignedly obeyed and took the two luggage bags Chen Kui brought to one of the guest rooms.

Everyone who was supposed to come had arrived. Chen Jin noticed that First Uncle and the others were talking about something else, so she went to bring out two large platters of fruit. With her aunt now in the kitchen, her place was completely gone. Even her sister-in-law was sent out. The four women—her aunt, her sister-in-law, and her cousins—had things they wanted to discuss, and the younger people weren’t welcome to listen.

She went to replace Chen Ting and played three rounds of cards. Just then, the person delivering the computer arrived, and everyone forgot about the game, rushing to the study to watch the technician set it up, listening to him explain the precautions. After Chen Jin tried it out, the technician finally left with his tools.

“I, I, I, I’m the first to play!” Chen Yongan jumped the highest. As soon as Chen Jin moved aside, he immediately took over the chair, rubbing his hands together excitedly, one hand on the mouse and the other on the keyboard.

In fact, he was the most interested; everyone else had a casual attitude toward the computer. They were just curious about something new. It was just a small box, and they didn’t quite understand how many uses it had; it was honestly not as interesting as a new phone.

Chen Ting said she wanted to see the master bedroom, so Chen Jin opened the door for her to look. She didn’t know who had closed it after finishing the tour.

The master bedroom was quite empty, with a dedicated walk-in closet. Her clothes only took up one-fifth of the space, and the winter blankets took up more room than her clothes.

“How much did you spend on furniture and everything?” Chen Ting suddenly asked.

Chen Jin felt suspicious but still replied, “For the appliances and furniture, it cost about fifty thousand in total. The main expenses were the TV, refrigerator, air conditioner, and washing machine, which were all quite expensive. The sofa was brought from home. The bed and wardrobe were part of the renovation, so I didn’t have to buy those. Oh, the mattress was a bit pricey; it cost over two thousand. As for the remaining items like the dresser and dining table, I bought a lot, and there were quite a few discounts.”

“Oh.” Chen Ting went to look at the master bathroom, then glanced at the distant scenery outside the master bedroom’s floor-to-ceiling window, frowning as if she were deep in thought.

“You bought a Santana? How much was it?”

“195,000.”

From her expression and questions, Chen Jin vaguely sensed something and decided to be direct. “Are you thinking about buying a place in Hanlin Garden and then getting a car?”

Chen Ting pulled the corners of her mouth. “If I buy the house, I won’t have enough money left for the car.”

“Hmm, well, think it over.” Chen Jin felt she couldn’t offer advice; if she said the wrong thing, Chen Ting might think she was just showing off.

“If you were me, how would you choose? Five houses or one good house in Hanlin Garden?”

Chen Jin shrugged. “If it were me, I’d definitely want five houses. I could rent out the other properties and use the money to live a bit better, right?”

Seeing Chen Ting deep in thought, Chen Jin knew she was open to suggestions. After all, she was the daughter of her eldest uncle and Chen Jin’s own cousin, and she genuinely hoped for her success.

“The houses you got in beautiful Community and splendid Community are fewer than what the older brothers got. The house your uncle gave you will definitely be nice. Didn’t he also say he would give you some extra money?”

Chen Ting bit her lip and stayed silent, and Chen Jin understood. Of course, her uncle valued her two older cousins more, but he wouldn’t shortchange his niece either.

“If I were you, I’d follow your uncle’s plan, rent out the houses in beautiful and splendid Communities to get the rental income, and live closer to work. With the money you save, you could buy a car if you wanted, and in two or three months, you could save enough to get a nice handbag. Just think about it.”

“If you get a big house in Hanlin Garden, it’s too large for just you, and you won’t have any savings. The house in Hanlin Garden is nice, but you’d have to pay a hundred yuan a month for property management fees.”

Chen Ting was actually listening to her.

Her dad had said that if she got a house in Hanlin Garden, it would be equivalent to receiving a million yuan, and the family wouldn’t give her any more money. Thinking about it this way, she would have a big house to live in, but her spending money would still just be her salary.

Previously, her parents and older brothers had tried to persuade her, but she never listened. Now, after Chen Jin’s words, it made sense to her.

Having said all she could, Chen Jin couldn’t force her to decide. “You should go home and think about it carefully.”

It was a rare family reunion, and everyone squeezed around the large table, arms brushing against each other as they happily enjoyed the meal. Especially her uncle. As the head of the family and the eldest brother among the siblings, he stood up holding a cup of juice. “Come on, let’s toast to better days ahead!”

“Cheers!” both the second and third uncles echoed.

“Third sister, as you start living on your own, remember, you still have uncles. Look, there are three of us! If you have any problems, don’t just think it over yourself; just tell us, and we can help.”

“And you all, brothers and sisters, need to support each other to widen your paths. Let’s make sure to get together often, eat out, and go shopping.”

In her memory, her uncle had always been vibrant and energetic, but now, with some gray hairs, he was still hoping to achieve great things while protecting his younger siblings and taking care of the next generation. His voice was still loud.

Chen Jin sat next to him, her ears buzzing from the noise.

It was so loud it was making her heart feel heavy, and she was on the verge of tears!