Chapter 56 055: Buying a House

The next morning, after waking up, Ye Chen remembered something important: now that he had a considerable sum of money, it was high time to buy a house. Continuing to live here was becoming increasingly inconvenient. The apartment only had two bedrooms—he occupied one, while Daxia and Mouse had to squeeze into the other. Though neither of them ever complained, Ye Chen still felt uncomfortable about it. They were his brothers, and if he couldn’t even provide decent food and shelter, what kind of man was he?

At present, Ye Chen still had more than 1.5 million on hand—more than enough to buy a decent place. What’s more, he still had over thirty million in his account, so if that wasn’t enough, he could always dip into those funds.

Having made up his mind, Ye Chen roused Mouse and Daxia. The two were still sound asleep, crammed together in one bed, but Ye Chen dragged them out.

“Boss, why’re you waking us up so early? There’s nothing going on today—let us sleep a bit longer, will you?” Mouse yawned, clearly not having slept enough.

“Yeah, and this guy kept tossing and turning all night—I could barely sleep,” Daxia grumbled, casting Mouse a disapproving glare.

Ye Chen chuckled at their complaints. “You won’t have to worry about getting a good night’s sleep anymore. Come on, today we’re going house hunting. We’re buying a three-bedroom place at the very least.”

At this, both men bounced up out of bed and exclaimed in unison, “Boss, you’re finally getting a new place! I really don’t want to share a room with Daxia (Mouse) anymore!” The identical outburst startled them both, and they glanced at each other, slightly embarrassed—it was odd for such close companions to admit they didn’t want to live together.

Yet, when Daxia thought of Mouse’s wild sleeping habits, and Mouse recalled Daxia’s massive frame, they both quickly urged, “Boss, let’s go already!”

So, Ye Chen was dragged out of the apartment by the pair, and only then realized that perhaps the two weren’t as inseparable as they appeared.

Ye Chen had no idea where the best properties were, but since it was Sunday and Tianya Group was likely on holiday, he thought that woman might be able to recommend some good listings.

With that thought, Ye Chen dialed Lin Ziwen’s number. When her familiar voice answered, Ye Chen said, “Hello, Miss Lin? This is Ye Chen. I have a favor to ask.”

“Oh, Mr. Ye? What is it?” Lin Ziwen’s voice sounded languid, suggesting she hadn’t yet gotten out of bed.

“I was wondering if there are any decent properties for sale in Jianghuai City? My current place is too small—I’m looking to buy.” Ye Chen asked with a laugh.

“You’ve come to the right person! Our Tianya Group owns several developments, and I know the people in charge. I’ll accompany you—you’ll get the best options,” Lin Ziwen replied on the other end.

Ye Chen responded politely, “That’s too much trouble for you. But if it’s not an inconvenience, I’d be grateful for your help.”

“Pfft…” Lin Ziwen laughed at Ye Chen’s tongue-tied politeness. Ye Chen’s humor was as endearing as ever.

“What’s so funny?” Ye Chen asked, puzzled.

“If it’s not an inconvenience, you’d be grateful for my help—so am I helping or not?” Lin Ziwen teased, still laughing.

Ye Chen could only smile wryly. “Please, don’t make fun of me. I’m not usually this formal—it just slipped out.”

“Alright, I’ll stop teasing. Head over to Jinsheng and wait for me—I’ll get ready and meet you there,” Lin Ziwen said with a laugh.

“Alright, I’ll wait for you.” Ye Chen hung up and called Daxia and Mouse to get in the car.

Ye Chen’s car was now leagues above the old one—even though it was a hand-me-down from Li Ruo, it was a vast improvement over the decrepit Alto he used to drive.

“Boss, the car’s not bad, but red? Isn’t that a bit much?” Mouse commented as he climbed in.

“The other day I was wondering whose woman this belonged to—turns out it’s yours, Boss,” Daxia joked.

“Enough nonsense. We have a car to ride in—don’t complain.” Ye Chen shot them a look. The car was red, true, but he’d earned it through his own efforts, and it was a limited-edition sports car—nothing to scoff at.

Once they set off, Daxia closed his eyes and said, “The engine sounds great, but the chassis could be reinforced, and a big grille up front would make it safer.”

“Would it still be a Z4 then? You two only care about safety and speed—no sense of aesthetics at all.” Ye Chen shook his head, stepped on the gas, and drove toward Jinsheng.

Jinsheng was a five-star hotel not far from Lin Ziwen’s place. Ye Chen figured she’d arrive shortly after he did, but after waiting an hour, he finally saw her.

“Miss Lin, you’re finally here! I have to say, that was quite a long ‘getting ready’ session,” Ye Chen teased as she got into the car.

“Don’t you know it takes a long time for women to do their makeup? Men should be patient,” Lin Ziwen replied, casting him a reproachful look.

“Fine, but after an hour of makeup, I’m curious what you look like without it,” Ye Chen quipped, turning the car around.

“Are you saying I’m ugly without makeup?” Lin Ziwen laughed, playfully smacking him, then greeted Mouse and Daxia. Turning back to Ye Chen, she added, “Makeup is a sign of respect for men, you know.”

“Alright, then. To show my appreciation, I’ll treat you to a meal later. Where to first? By the way, can I get a staff discount, since I’m technically a Tianya Group employee?” Ye Chen joked.

“Of course. All staff get a six percent discount, but I’ll try to get you an even better deal—maybe eight or even ten percent off. Let’s start with Cuiheyuan. The properties there are excellent,” Lin Ziwen replied with a smile.

“Then I really have found the right person. Thanks, Assistant Lin.” Ye Chen started the car and headed for one of Tianya Group’s developments.

“Ye Chen, you’re much too formal. When we’re off the clock, just call me Ziwen—or even ‘Sister,’ since I’m a bit older,” Lin Ziwen said lightly, glancing at Ye Chen’s profile. She couldn’t help but notice how handsome he was, and she did feel a certain fondness for him. Yet, she would never consider marrying someone of his status—her aim was to marry into wealth. This wasn’t out of pure materialism, but necessity: with a brother in college and ailing parents living on a modest pension, she shouldered the burden of her brother’s tuition. When it came to major life choices, Lin Ziwen couldn’t help but dream of marrying into a wealthy family.

But that was beside the point.

Ye Chen drove the group to the Cuiheyuan sales office. The sight of the Z4 parked at the entrance immediately caused a stir—the car was known to be the general manager’s, unique in all of Jianghuai City, so no one dared be lax in their reception.

However, when they saw a stranger step out of the car accompanied by the general manager’s assistant, they were somewhat puzzled. Both the license plate and the car were unmistakably Li Ruo’s.

“Assistant Lin, may I ask who this gentleman is?” The head of sales, a tactful woman named Manager Zhu, asked, glancing at Ye Chen.

“Manager Zhu, this is Ye Chen, head of Tianya Group’s security team—and also our general manager’s chief bodyguard. I’m here with him today to look at properties,” Lin Ziwen replied with a smile.

“Of course, right this way.” Manager Zhu showed no condescension despite Ye Chen’s position. The fact that he’d driven the general manager’s sports car spoke volumes about his status—otherwise, how could he possibly have gotten hold of her car?

Moreover, Ye Chen was strikingly handsome, with a certain roguish charm. Manager Zhu couldn’t help but let her thoughts wander—this man didn’t look like a bodyguard at all, more like the pampered lover of a wealthy woman.

With that thought, she hurried after them.

“Mr. Ye, what kind of property are you looking for?” Manager Zhu asked with a professional smile, assuming that Ye Chen wouldn’t be without a home of his own and choosing her words accordingly, treating him as a wealthy client.

“Well, do you have any recommendations? I’ll need at least four bedrooms and a good location. A garage would be ideal,” Ye Chen replied, listing his requirements—there were three of them, after all, so each should have a bedroom, and a garage would be a bonus.

“We have several excellent duplex units here—there are six buildings, each twenty-four stories high. The twenty-third and twenty-fourth floors of each unit are connected, with floor areas ranging from 140 to 230 square meters. There are also single-entry duplexes, with a minimum area of 400 square meters and a maximum of 550—there are just two of those,” Manager Zhu explained.

Hearing this, Lin Ziwen frowned. She knew Ye Chen’s financial situation—forty thousand at most. These duplexes started at 1.5 million, far beyond what he could afford. She quickly said, “Manager Zhu, do you have anything smaller? And the higher floors might be a bit inconvenient.”

Manager Zhu nodded thoughtfully. “If you prefer a lower floor, there are twelfth-floor duplex penthouses—most are around 200 square meters, but there are a few smaller ones with attic space, about 120 square meters. They’re smaller, but the price per square meter is higher—over 8,000 on the twenty-fourth floor, and about 10,000 on the eighteenth. For value, I’d still recommend the twenty-fourth-floor duplex, but of course, it depends on Mr. Ye’s preference.”

“Um…” Lin Ziwen was speechless. She’d intended for Manager Zhu to show them something more affordable, but the latter seemed convinced Ye Chen could afford the best.

If Manager Zhu hadn’t been so earnest, Lin Ziwen might have thought she was being mocked.

Just as Lin Ziwen was about to say more, Ye Chen spoke up, “I noticed there are a few villas here. Are any of them for sale?”

“Of course. Villa Number One belongs to the general manager—she occasionally stays there herself,” Manager Zhu replied with a smile. These villas were extremely expensive; only the wealthy could afford them in Jianghuai City. Manager Zhu had already sized up Ye Chen and doubted he could buy one. Still, since he asked, she was happy to go along—it was always worth trying to land a big commission.