After a good meal, they met up with a real estate agent they had contacted earlier and headed out to see the rental listings.
They started with places close to the office. Most of them were old buildings, decades old, with outdated facilities and no basketball court nearby—something Cynthia really wanted.
After filtering based on a few conditions, they checked out all the available newer apartments in the East and Central districts. Cynthia only liked two of them.
One was in a residential building, about five kilometers from the studio in a straight line. Three stops by subway or about a 20-minute drive. It was 80 square meters, with a monthly rent of 1800 dollar.
The other was an apartment eight kilometers away. It required six subway stops and a line transfer, or a 30-minute drive. It was 65 square meters, and the rent was 1200 dollar a month.
Both places had good lighting and ventilation with open views. The residential building was right across from a park, which had a basketball court, badminton court, and all sorts of recreational facilities. If she was in the mood, Cynthia could even join the aunties for a bit of plaza dancing.
The apartment, on the other hand, was next to a big shopping mall. She could go shopping just by going downstairs and wouldn't have to worry about what to eat every day.
While Cynthia was checking things out, William was too.
He also needed a place to rent, and he wasn't low on standards either—otherwise, he wouldn't have taken out a mortgage of over two million yuan before even getting married.
His ideal place was a villa located just one kilometer from the studio, in a fancy neighborhood. It would make commuting easy. The greenery there was like a park, and the facilities were top-notch. There were three large malls nearby, so all his daily needs could be met. The only issue? The rent was steep—7000 dollar a month, and they required a full year's rent paid upfront.
"Have you made up your mind yet?"
They had already seen the only two houses Cynthia liked. If she didn't like those, there wouldn't be any other options unless she was willing to live more than 10 kilometers away, which would mean spending one or two hours commuting every day.
"Let's go look at the one you're interested in first. I still need to think about it," Cynthia said, still unsure.
"Alright."
They called a taxi and gave the driver the address. But when they arrived at the neighborhood gate, the security guard stopped them.
The agent went over to talk to the guard while William and Cynthia waited.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
William couldn't stay calm under Cynthia's intense stare.
"You're not seriously thinking about renting a villa, are you?"
"Just looking doesn't cost anything."
Though that's what William said out loud, deep down he was dying to see the place.
The security guards clearly had military backgrounds. Even though there hadn't been any wars on Blue Star for nearly a century, that didn't mean there wasn't a need for defense.
After the agent spoke with the homeowner, they were finally allowed in through the gate.
To drive the taxi in, they needed special registration, so instead, they decided to walk and enjoy the scenery of the neighborhood along the way.
The deeper they went, the more satisfied William felt.
The roads were wide and made of stone tiles. There were double car lanes and rubber-paved sidewalks on both sides—perfect for jogging in the morning or at night.
Every villa was a separate three-story building with its own small front yard.
The one they were going to see was number 44. It was one of the innermost houses in the neighborhood, near the north gate. But since the north gate was a smaller one, cars couldn't get through—only pedestrians and bikes could pass. There was also a security guard on duty at the gate.
"This house number feels unlucky," Cynthia said with a frown.
William wasn't the superstitious type. As a proud future successor of communism, he saw all that as nonsense.
The agent chuckled awkwardly. "To be honest, that's exactly why the owner decided to rent it out."
"Let's go inside and have a look."
Led by the agent, they put on shoe covers and entered the villa.
The layout was clear right from the start. The entrance opened into the living room, and the first and second floors were connected with a high ceiling, giving it a spacious feel. All the furniture was made of redwood—even the flower stands.
Instead of the usual TV or electronics on the main wall of the living room, there was a huge, breathtaking landscape painting that gave off a powerful vibe.
To the left of the living room is the dining area. A row of floor-to-ceiling windows runs along the side, and in the middle stands a large round table that can seat up to eighteen people. It's clear the homeowner enjoys having guests. Besides the big table, there's also a corner with three sofas facing a small coffee table, which holds a tea set.
Outside the dining room is a covered area, with a few small tables set underneath it. William could already picture how nice it would feel to sit there drinking tea while it gently rains.
There are three bathrooms on the first floor—two in the living room and one inside the dining room.
The kitchen is separate and located on the right side of the living room. It's an open-style kitchen, but there aren't many utensils inside, which suggests they probably hire a chef for gatherings, so the homeowner doesn't need to cook.
The second floor mainly has guest rooms—two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Both bedrooms come with small balconies. There's also a study with two large bookshelves filled with books that look brand new.
The third floor has three master bedrooms and a shared bathroom. The biggest bedroom has its own private bathroom, though it doesn't have a shower. There's also a study on this floor, but instead of books, it's filled with the owner's personal collection.
There are cigarettes, alcohol, tea sets, calligraphy practice sheets, small ornaments, jade, and so on.
After looking around, the three of them returned to the living room on the first floor and sat down on the rosewood sofa.
The agent smiled politely. "What do you think?"
"It's pretty nice."
"Do you really need such a big house?" Cynthia chimed in.
"Not really."
She was right—William didn't need such a large house, and he definitely didn't need that huge dining table. But there was only this one villa available for rent, and buying it was out of the question. Compared to the property prices, the rent was already very reasonable.
The agent was sharp and had noticed during the tour that William was very interested in the house. He had thought the deal was pretty much sealed, but Cynthia's interruption made him feel uneasy.
"By the way, when I made a call just now, the owner mentioned he might drop by. Why don't we wait for him and talk in person?"
"Sure."
Seeing how interested William looked, Cynthia pulled him aside.
"Are you rich or something? I know I told you Jump Jump might bring in billions in investment, but that doesn't mean the money's coming right away. It'll take at least a year or two. After taxes, operations, and splits, the amount you actually get will be much less. Don't be too optimistic!"
"I have money."
William now looked like a kid in a store who refused to leave because he wanted a toy. Cynthia was frustrated but didn't know what to say.
"You really want to rent this place?"
"I think so."
Cynthia went quiet, then suddenly said something that shocked William. "Then I'm living here too."
"What?!"
"What? You've got so many rooms and can't use them all by yourself. And as one of your earliest employees, it's not too much to ask for a place to stay, right?"
"But wouldn't that mean we're living together…" William blurted out.
"You!" Cynthia was fuming. "Forget it! I didn't say anything! I'll go find a place on my own!"
"No no no, I was just joking," William quickly grabbed her arm.
Cynthia took a deep breath. "Let me make this clear—I may be cheerful, but that doesn't mean I'm okay with these kinds of jokes. If you're that kind of person, then sorry, I can't work with you. I won't accept a workplace where there's sexual harassment."
"Sorry, I wasn't thinking before I spoke."
"Don't let it happen again."
They went back inside and waited a bit longer before the landlord arrived.
He was a man in his fifties. According to the agent, he worked in interior design. Apparently, at least half of the upscale homes in Riverdale were decorated by his company—pretty impressive.
After a brief introduction, the landlord asked, "So, you've seen everything? Got a good idea of the place?"
"My client's pretty happy with it, just about the price…" the agent started.
He didn't know what Cynthia and William had talked about outside, but when it comes to renting a house, price is always the biggest issue.
This deal is worth more than a few regular ones, so a lower commission is fine.
"Oh? Sorry to be blunt, but who's renting the place?" The man took out a pack of cigarettes and offered one to William.
William waved it off. He couldn't quit before, but this new body didn't have the addiction, so he stayed away from it completely.
Cynthia didn't smoke either, so the man put the cigarettes away.
William said, "I'm the one renting."
"Young and capable!" The man gave a thumbs-up. "We can talk price, no problem. But it's getting late—how about we chat over dinner?"
"Isn't that a bit much?" William glanced at Cynthia.
Cynthia didn't mind at all. She had dealt with plenty of big clients—some worth billions—so scenes like this didn't faze her.
After calling the chef, the man started showing them around, mainly explaining the design ideas behind the renovation.
"To be honest, this place was decorated completely to my taste. Renting it out really breaks my heart."
Cynthia asked, "If that's the case, why rent it out at all?"
The man glanced at the front door and sighed. "It's the address. You know how it is—business folks can be superstitious. Ever since I moved in, business hasn't been good. A bunch of old clients stopped contacting me. If it keeps up, I might have to shut the company down. Can't help it—it's just bad luck."
"People actually believe that?" Cynthia clearly didn't buy it.
The man smiled at her. "You know the saying: 'If you believe, it's real. If not, it's nothing.' I happen to believe it."
"Alright then."
"Enough talk. Let's eat first and discuss business after."
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