In early May, with the sun shining brightly and the weather growing warmer, Lin Zhixia brought her family good news—after screening numerous properties, she had settled on a second-hand apartment spanning over 270 square meters. Built in 2014, the unit came with complete amenities. The owner had spent over a year renovating it and was now eager to sell at a reasonable price. Lin Zhixia had already paid the deposit.
After hearing Lin Zhixia's description, Lin Zeqiu slightly furrowed his brow: "Lin Zhixia, how could you pay the deposit without discussing it with the family?"
But Lin Zhixia replied, "I talked to Mom about it. She told me to decide for myself."
It was a clear Sunday. Lin Zeqiu didn’t have work, and Mom and Dad had temporarily closed the family supermarket. Standing right in the middle of the living room, Lin Zhixia announced excitedly, "If everything goes smoothly, we can move next month."
"Next month?" Dad exclaimed. "So soon?"
A sparkle shone in Lin Zhixia’s eyes: "Yes, next month is June. We’ll move in June. By July, when the rainy season hits..." She walked to the wall and patted it: "This place gets damp, and Mom’s arthritis acts up again. That’s why I want to move sooner."
Back in the early 1990s, Lin Zhixia’s parents had moved into Ancheng Community. In the blink of an eye, over twenty years had passed. Dad felt a surge of emotion: "Ah, it feels like a dream. Xia Xia bought such a big house all on her own."
Lin Zhixia said happily, "Come with me, all of you. Today, I’ll take you to see the new home."
Lin Zeqiu immediately bent down, opened the coffee table drawer, and rummaged for his bus IC card. Lin Zhixia tugged at his sleeve: "Brother, Jiang Yubai is coming to pick us up."
Lin Zeqiu paused.
Mom asked, "Is Xiao Jiang driving?"
"Yes," Lin Zhixia said. "His driver will bring a van so our whole family can fit."
Jiang Yubai had arranged to meet Lin Zhixia at nine that morning.
He arrived at the entrance of Ancheng Community ten minutes early. Through the car window, he saw Lin Zhixia’s family approaching gradually. He opened the vanity mirror, checked his reflection for two seconds to ensure he looked tidy and his collar was neat, then stepped out of the car calmly.
The moment Jiang Yubai appeared, Lin Zhixia dashed toward him. Unconsciously, a smile surfaced in his eyes. In full view of everyone, he extended a hand to her. She wrapped her arms around his, and he guided her into the car.
Lin Zhixia obediently took a seat in the back, while Jiang Yubai remained outside to greet the others.
In front of his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Jiang Yubai was especially mindful of his image.
So far, Jiang Yubai had gotten along quite well with his in-laws. He often liked their WeChat Moments posts, but he couldn’t apply the same strategy to Lin Zeqiu—because Lin Zeqiu had blocked him and even kicked him out of their family group chat. Still, Jiang Yubai didn’t mind at all. Lin Zhixia knew Jiang Yubai hadn’t been fully accepted by her family yet. She always comforted him gently, showering him with affection and coaxing, which he thoroughly enjoyed.
In their youth, whenever Jiang Yubai encountered Lin Zeqiu, he always felt the urge to outdo him—drinking water more vigorously, peeling shrimp faster. But now, Jiang Yubai had changed significantly. He proactively opened the car door for Lin Zeqiu.Lin Zeqiu was somewhat baffled. His intuition told him that Jiang Yubai was a deep and scheming young man with ulterior motives. Without a word, he got into the car and unintentionally took a seat in the middle row, while Jiang Yubai sat behind him, right next to Lin Zhixia.
Lin Zhixia whispered soothingly to Jiang Yubai, "Thank you for taking the time on a Sunday to accompany us to look at the house."
"It's no trouble," Jiang Yubai replied. "I'm not busy on Sundays."
Lin Zhixia secretly gave him a quick kiss and added, "Later, I'll talk to Brother and try to get him to remove you from his WeChat block list. If he refuses, I'll reason with him."
But Jiang Yubai said, "It's fine as it is. Don't let me affect your relationship as siblings."
Lin Zhixia was touched. "You're so gentle and considerate."
Lin Zeqiu vaguely overheard their conversation. Suddenly, he felt a surge of anger, as if he had become the ungentle and inconsiderate one, but he held back his temper. He took out his phone and changed Jiang Yubai's contact name to "Be Wary of This Guy."
The car drove smoothly along the road and, in less than twenty minutes, brought Lin Zhixia's family to the entrance of the new residential complex. The complex was well-landscaped, with lush trees lining the streets, their branches swaying and intertwining to form a canopy of shade. Beneath a small stone bridge, an artificial stream flowed, its surface reflecting blooming flowers and verdant leaves, obscuring the fleeting shadows of passersby on the bridge.
Children gathered to play on a spacious green lawn, while a few elderly people sat nearby chatting. Lin Zhixia's parents walked slowly, pausing now and then. Mom asked, "How expensive is the housing here?"
"Over thirty thousand, nearly forty thousand per square meter," Lin Zhixia answered honestly.
Mom sighed. "Forty thousand is too expensive."
Lin Zhixia quickly added, "Jiang Yubai lives in the neighboring complex, where the prices are even higher. I originally wanted to be neighbors with him, but I really can't afford a place there..." She pulled out a set of keys. "But this complex, I can manage."
She looped the keys around her finger, twirling them with a light jingle, and stepped briskly into one of the residential buildings.
Lin Zeqiu followed closely behind. His palms felt slightly warm, and a heat seemed to gather in his chest, slowly rising. He saw the tidy lobby, the gleaming elevator, and the marble-carved staircase. Lin Zhixia said, "We're on the fourth floor. We can take the elevator or the stairs."
"Let's take the elevator," Lin Zeqiu suggested.
Lin Zhixia cheerfully agreed, "Okay, okay!"
Lin Zeqiu stuffed his hands into his pockets and stood straight in the elevator. In contrast, Dad retreated to a corner, wiping his face and the thin sweat at his temples. Mom appeared calmer than Dad, but she kept tucking stray hairs behind her ears and shifting her stance several times.
With a "ding," the elevator doors opened.
Lin Zhixia led her family down the hallway. She stopped in front of a security door, inserted the key, pushed the door open, and introduced, "This unit faces south, with a total area of 270 square meters. It has four bedrooms, two living rooms, two kitchens, three bathrooms, and a terrace..."
Stepping into the entryway, Dad asked in a daze, "Should I take off my shoes?"
Lin Zhixia turned to look at him. "This is our home. Just make yourself at home."Lin Zeqiu entered while supporting himself against the wall, which was clean, tidy, and brand new without any cracks or water stains. He couldn't help but stride forward, continuing to explore this new apartment.
A cool breeze blew in through the floor-to-ceiling window in the living room, causing the white sheer curtains to billow higher and higher. The polished solid wood floorboards were perfectly fitted together. Lin Zeqiu crouched down and reached out to touch the floor.
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