Chapter 106: Who Can Live Without a Little Dream?

Ye Chen glanced at the tightly shut bedroom door of Ye Shanshan. In the morning, he had once again heard the sound of her pushing the cart out the door.

“That little girl, she really doesn’t listen to me and went to set up a stall again,” he muttered.

He raised his wrist to check the time with a sly smirk, then turned to look at the small house he had lived in for so many years. Countless memories flashed through his mind.

Since Ye Shanshan and he moved from the farm to the outer city, they had been renting this place. It was small and dilapidated. The pipes often broke, the wiring was faulty, and it leaked when it rained. These troubles were frequent, and the soundproofing was poor. Yet, it was precisely these trivial daily inconveniences that had woven such a rich tapestry of memories.

After a moment of nostalgia, Ye Chen resolutely turned and headed toward the marketplace.

Today’s mission: to buy a house!

Food, clothing, shelter, and transportation—for food and clothing, Ye Chen and Ye Shanshan lived simply and frugally, without excessive desires. Clothes to cover the body, food to satisfy hunger—that was enough for a modest life. For travel, as long as they could walk and run, the world was their oyster. But when it came to shelter, Ye Chen harbored a dream of his own.

He wanted a home of his own, a place to call his own. No longer would he have to live under others’ roofs, scrimping and saving every day just to pay the rent. No more enduring the wails and threats of those who chased after rent payments.

He wasn’t considering houses in the inner city for now, unsure if his status as a researcher at the Extraordinary Mansion would allow him to buy property there. Besides, his friends were all in the outer city, and he was accustomed to the ordinary, bustling environment filled with the warmth of everyday life.

So, he wanted to buy a house with a small courtyard in a residential area.

...

He arrived at a real estate agency in the marketplace. The walls inside were plastered with photos of houses for rent or sale, along with approximate prices.

He was greeted by an elderly woman with slightly protruding teeth.

When he first entered, the elderly woman was cooking in the back room of the agency. Hearing a customer arrive, she leaned back and poked her head out, calling out while stirring the pot:

“Hey there, young man, looking for a house? Make yourself comfortable, just wait a moment, I’ll be right with you!”

The sounds of spatulas clanging and a mouthwatering aroma drifted from the back.

After a short while, the elderly woman emerged, dressed in a thick pink floral nightgown and slippers, swaying slightly with her somewhat plump waist. She carried a plate of fried noodles, eating as she spoke in a muffled voice:

“Young man, are you looking to rent, or are you wanting to buy? Auntie here has some great listings.”

Slurp... smack!

She sucked the noodles too vigorously, sending a thick strand slapping across her face. She quickly sucked it back in with her protruding teeth, leaving a greasy streak on her cheek.

She wiped her face with the sleeve of her nightgown, smearing the oil onto the fabric.

“Young man, why so quiet? Oh, are you hungry too? Auntie can cook you a plate if you want.”

Ye Chen stood there with a dark expression, twitching at the corners of his mouth. He was caught between staying and leaving, unsure what to do.

He had heard that when buying a house, the agents were usually young women in uniform, their voices sweet and crisp. They offered coffee or tea and would warmly explain the layouts up close.

Why... why was he being attended by an elderly woman who was also trying to feed him?

“Glug... glug...”

The elderly woman picked up a teacup that had been sitting there for who knows how long, took two big gulps, then looked at Ye Chen’s troubled expression.

“Young man, are you a bit tight on cash?

Don’t be embarrassed, it’s no big deal.

No worries, leave it to Auntie. Whatever price you want, I can get you a good home to rent.”

Is this about price? No, it’s about the level of service! And why “Auntie”? Shouldn’t you be “Grandma” at your age?!

Ye Chen straightened his clothes and cleared his throat awkwardly.

“A... Auntie, I’m not renting. I want to buy a house.”

“Oh?!” The woman slowed her eating and raised the last syllable.

Judging by how quickly she ate noodles, Ye Chen guessed she didn’t really want to cook for him and was more worried he might snatch something from her.

The elderly woman thought to herself: Not renting, but buying? Could I have misjudged him?

Her wrinkles gathered as she smiled broadly.

“Well, young man, that’s impressive! So young and already thinking of buying a house. Tell me, what price range are you looking at?”

“Um... around 10 million yuan,” Ye Chen replied.

“What?!”

The elderly woman spat out a mouthful of noodles in shock.

Ye Chen easily stepped back to avoid the spray.

She swallowed the noodles she hadn’t chewed and frowned.

“Young man, don’t joke with an old lady. You need to be practical...”

Before she finished, her eyes suddenly glazed over in astonishment.

In front of her, the young man was waving a black-gold stored-value card.

It stirred her emotions so strongly she nearly had a stroke.

“But... if you have money, come by the shop often and joke with Auntie. I’ll be delighted!”

Ha! Double standards!

As a seasoned real estate agent, she knew nobody came to buy a house carrying cash these days—all transactions were card-based. But the type of card mattered a great deal.

Ordinary stored-value cards came in white, red, blue, depending on their limits. Those holders were usually renters.

Cards with higher limits were silver or gold at most.

But the black-gold card Ye Chen held was no mere decoration—he was genuinely wealthy.

The minimum stored value for such a card was at least 10 million.

In other words, if the young man didn’t have at least 10 million on hand, he wouldn’t be able to flash a card of that color.

The elderly woman set down her plate and hurriedly leaned in close, grabbing her nightgown sleeve to wipe him, muttering:

“Oh, handsome young man, I hope I didn’t get you dirty just now. This old lady got nervous. Let me wipe you off—can’t have your clothes ruined.”

This time she admitted she was “Grandma”...

Ye Chen politely stopped her.

“It’s alright, Auntie, no need to trouble yourself. Let’s get down to business.”

The woman clapped her hands and feigned realization.

“Oh, right, right, business. Come, come, I’ll show you some photos.”

“Auntie, maybe you should eat your noodles first before they get cold.”

The woman pretended to scowl and refused.

“Eat noodles? Noodles aren’t as good as you are!”

“Huh?” Ye Chen doubted his ears.

“Pfft, pfft, don’t mind this old lady’s clumsy mouth. I mean, looking for a house is more important than eating noodles!

Come, come, handsome young man, look at these photos. Anything catch your eye?”

Ye Chen stared dumbfounded at the stack of photos she handed him.

“Are you sure this is a real estate agency and not a matchmaking service?”

Suddenly realizing her mistake, the elderly woman saw that Ye Chen was holding a stack of photos of young women.

“Oh dear, oh dear, this old woman is getting confused. Let’s try again.”

Ye Chen gave her a suspicious look... seems like your business covers a lot—you sell houses and play matchmaker on the side.

Good idea, but I wonder if you’re close with the god of marriage and whether your matchmaking is reliable or liable to fall apart.