6: Taking possession of the house

The brilliant magenta Xiaomi SU7 slowly drove into the open underground garage of the Haitang Bay Residential Area.

Chen Qiu gripped the steering wheel and followed the clear signage in the garage, heading toward the parking area for Building 9.

After leaving Chow Tai Fook, he first drove back to the internet cafe where he had previously left his luggage to retrieve it.

Chen Qiu had originally thought about going straight home, but the thought of suddenly owning a fully paid-off house under his name filled him with such curiosity and a sense of unreality that he felt compelled to see it with his own eyes.

This was a house! Something he hadn't even saved enough for a down payment on, despite struggling and working hard in Peng City for several years.

However, the system had only given him the property deed, not the keys.

When he asked the system in his mind, that cold mechanical voice rang out again: [The host may simply proceed directly.]

He parked the car steadily in a parking space in the basement of Building 9.

Just as he unbuckled his seatbelt, he saw a man in a crisp suit pacing anxiously back and forth near the entrance of the elevator hall. The man checked his watch from time to time and craned his neck to peer toward the garage entrance.

Chen Qiu closed the car door and walked toward the man.

"Hello, excuse me. I'm here to take possession of a property. Where is the residential area's property management center?"

Li Qing, who was waiting anxiously, had his mind entirely on the entrance, hoping to see a mercedes-benz or BMW with a special license plate. He was startled by the sudden voice behind him.

He turned around and saw a normally dressed young man. He was about to impatiently point in a random direction when the words "take possession" made his heart skip a beat.

His gaze involuntarily bypassed the young man and landed on the extremely eye-catching, brand-new, reflective magenta Xiaomi SU7 not far away.

A thought flashed through his mind.

The big boss had said over the phone that the new owner's surname was "Chen."

Li Qing's heart jolted violently. He looked at the young man in front of him: "Hello, may I ask... are you the new owner of Unit 501, Building 9, Mr. Chen?"

Chen Qiu was somewhat surprised that the other party knew his surname, and he nodded.

The moment the identity was confirmed, the smile on Li Qing's face instantly bloomed like a chrysanthemum. His enthusiasm and respect made him seem like a completely different person from a moment ago.

"Oh! Mr. Chen! I've finally managed to wait for you!" He took a quick step forward, proactively extending both hands to firmly grasp Chen Qiu's. "Our boss already called to inform me. My name is Li, and I am the property area manager for Haitang Bay. You can just call me Little Li!"

"Hello, Manager Li." Chen Qiu shook his hand, somewhat caught off guard by the other man's enthusiasm.

While shaking hands, Li Qing quickly sized Chen Qiu up.

He was so young, looking only to be in his twenties, and his clothes were as ordinary as could be.

Yet, it was such a young man who could make the Group's big boss call personally to specifically instruct that he be "well-received," and even give him the last unit in Building 9.

Li Qing thought to himself: He doesn't look like a rich second-generation kid; he looks more like a low-profile son of a high-ranking official!

"Mr. Chen, this way please! I'll take you up to see the apartment! I just had some people open the windows to air it out, so I guarantee the air will be fresh when you enter!"

He led the way while introducing the place incessantly.

"Mr. Chen, let me tell you, this unit of yours is the undisputed king of the entire residential area! One elevator per household, a 158-square-meter large flat with an actual usable area of over 180 square meters! The location, the lighting, the view—everything is top-tier! So many people were scrambling for it back then, but our boss never budged!"

Listening to his introduction, Chen Qiu's heart was also filled with anticipation.

The two entered the elevator and went straight to the 5th floor.

Li Qing used the key he had prepared in advance to open the door to 501.

When Chen Qiu stepped into this apartment that belonged to him, his eyes lit up!

A massive living room, a layout that allowed for cross-ventilation from north to south, and an unobstructed wide view outside the window... He walked to the scenic balcony on the south side, looking down at the exquisite gardens of the residential area, and nodded with considerable satisfaction.

As expected of something given by the system; it truly was of premium quality!

...Meanwhile, downstairs at Building 9.

Lin Shanshan and her Group were standing by the lobby entrance with nothing to do, the atmosphere awkward and somber.

Suddenly, her sharp eyes noticed the elevator floor display in the lobby. An upward arrow lit up, finally coming to a steady stop at the number "5."

"The person is here!" Lin Shanshan said immediately.

That intense curiosity in her heart was scratching at her like a cat's claws.

She really wanted to know what kind of person could make Li Qing so fawning and easily obtain the house she had dreamed of.

"Let's go up and take a look," she said to Chen Yujie.

Chen Yujie looked troubled.

"Huh? This... wouldn't this be a bit inappropriate? Manager Li told us to wait downstairs."

"What's inappropriate about it?"

Lin Shanshan immediately retorted righteously.

"We are customers too, and we came here with a sincere intention to buy a house! Why should he let someone else look but not us? What's wrong with us going up to take a look and understand the situation? Do we not even have the right to know?"

Her words left Chen Yujie speechless.

Huang Hui added with some dissatisfaction, "Taking a look shouldn't be a problem, right?"

Looking at Lin Shanshan's unquestionable gaze and then at his mother's eager expression, Chen Yujie could only nod helplessly.

Thus, the Group of four, each with their own different thoughts, stepped into the elevator of Building 9 once again.

The elevator rose slowly and finally stopped on the 5th floor.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, they heard Li Qing's enthusiastic voice coming from the open door of Unit 501.

"...Look here, Mr. Chen, the design of this terrace is simply a stroke of genius! In the future, you can set up a small tea table here, read some books, and drink some tea. That life, tsk tsk, would be even better than that of an immortal!"

Lin Shanshan was the first to step out of the elevator. She tiptoed to the doorway of 501 and peeked inside.

She immediately saw the property manager, Li Qing, standing respectfully beside a young man with a face full of fawning smiles, gesturing as he introduced the house. That young man had his back to the door, standing on the wide balcony and gazing into the distance.

Seeing Li Qing's "lapdog" appearance as if he were eager to lick the man's boots, Huang Hui, who followed behind, couldn't help but curl her lip and marvel in a low voice: "A young man can make this Manager Li act so sycophantic?"

Chen Yujie and Lin Shanshan deeply agreed, their curiosity about the identity of the person behind that back growing even stronger.

Only Luo Jinglan was stunned the moment she saw that back.

That figure... that height, that build, even the familiar jacket on his body... it all gave her a sense of familiarity that reached into her very bones.

"Son... Son?"