Courtyard House: Home Alone

"Mr. Lin, you really are... really generous! Your parents won't feel at ease if you bring so much money with you alone?"

Lin Yifan placed the last wad of money on the table. Seeing Boss Liu's shocked expression, his face remained calm. He simply smiled faintly and said, "Don't worry, Boss Liu, this money is from a legitimate source, and my parents know about it. They trust me completely."

He paused, then added, "Moreover, the sooner things are settled, the more at ease I can handle other matters."

Mr. Liu then came to his senses, quickly wiping the sweat from his brow with his sleeve and nodding repeatedly, "Yes, yes, Mr. Lin is right. You see, I've really been making a fuss over nothing."

He carefully gathered the money and counted it meticulously, his fingers moving somewhat uncontrollably due to excitement and nervousness.

Lin Yifan didn't urge him. He simply picked up the teacup on the table, which had already gone cold, gently blew away the foam, and waited patiently.

The sunlight outside the window seemed brighter, shining through the greasy windowpane of the dental clinic and onto the ground, reflecting tiny dust particles dancing in the beams of light.

Seeing that Boss Liu had finished ordering, Lin Yifan put away the signed contract. "Boss Liu, can I have the keys to the apartment now? I might be moving in this afternoon."

"Yes, yes, yes!" Boss Liu hurriedly handed the keys to the house in Jingya Lane to Lin Yifan. "As for the house in Fu'an Lane, I will contact the landlord as soon as possible and have him vacate the place. It will take no more than three days to complete the handover and transfer of the property certificate to you."

"Okay, then I'll trouble you, Boss Liu." Lin Yifan took the keys.

"By the way, Mr. Liu, I wanted to ask if you know where I can rent a truck? I have two relatives in the countryside, and I'd like to move them to the city."

Upon hearing this, Boss Liu patted his chest and said, "Rent a truck? You've come to the right person! Our brokerage sometimes helps customers move and we also contact transportation companies."

There's a truck rental company called "Shunfeng Trucking" in the east of the city. The owner's surname is Li. They have several freight trucks, all in pretty good condition, and their prices are reasonable. If you're interested, I can call them for you right now.

Lin Yifan was overjoyed: "That's great! Could you please contact Boss Li for me and ask if he has any available trucks tomorrow morning? I need a truck that can carry a lot of luggage and people from the countryside in the south of the city to Jingya Lane."

If so, could you please help me schedule a time? Also, could you please help me discuss the price with him beforehand and see if he can offer a reasonable price?

Seeing that Lin Yifan had a new need, and one that he could help with, Boss Liu immediately perked up, picked up the phone on the table and started dialing: "No problem, Mr. Lin, leave it to me! Boss Li from SF Express Auto Service is an old friend of mine, he'll make sure everything is arranged perfectly for you!"

After the call connected, Boss Liu enthusiastically called out "Brother Li" into the microphone, and then explained Lin Yifan's needs in detail, while also trying to get Lin Yifan a discount.

"...You'd better give me this face. This Mr. Lin is one of my big clients. He just rented an apartment and bought a building here. He's very generous! Arrange the car, and make sure the price is fair. You'll have plenty of business with him in the future!"

After hanging up the phone, Boss Liu smiled and said to Lin Yifan, "Mr. Lin, it's all settled! Boss Li said that he has an empty car coming back from outside the city tonight, and it will arrive here around 7:30 tomorrow morning. Just wait for him at the entrance of the brokerage."

As for the price, he said, "For my sake, I'll charge you fifty yuan for the trip from the countryside to Jingya Lane. What do you think?"

Fifty yuan is indeed not expensive for a long-distance transport trip. Lin Yifan nodded in satisfaction: "Okay, this price is fair. Then I'll trouble Boss Liu."

"Hey, don't be so polite with me!" Boss Liu waved his hand warmly. "Mr. Lin, if you ever need anything in the future, just come to me, Old Liu. Whether it's renting or buying a house, finding a car or hiring people, as long as it's within my power, I guarantee I'll handle it perfectly for you!"

Lin Yifan smiled and didn't say anything more. He knew that Boss Liu saw the potential for long-term cooperation and would naturally work hard to perform.

"Boss Liu, I'll head back now. I'll be here waiting for Boss Li at 7:30 tomorrow morning." Lin Yifan stood up, preparing to take his leave.

"Alright, Mr. Lin, take care!" Boss Liu quickly got up to see him off, escorting Lin Yifan all the way to the entrance of the brokerage firm, and didn't forget to remind him, "Be careful on the road!"

Lin Yifan responded and turned to merge into the crowd on the street. Having rented and bought a house, and resolved his worries, he could now focus on his business.

He looked up at the sky; the mist had dissipated, and sunlight pierced through the clouds, spilling onto the streets and bringing a touch of warmth to the somewhat somber city.

He quickened his pace, eager to return and tell his mother the good news. Starting tomorrow, he would go to find the people according to the address given to him by Tang Juye and the others.

Back home, Meng Zhuolin had already prepared dinner and was waiting in the living room with Yu'an in her arms. Seeing Lin Yifan return, she quickly asked, "Xiaofan, why were you gone for so long? How did the house search go?"

Lin Yifan took his sister from him and said, "Well, I just went to check out the house, and everything's settled. The rented house is in Jingya Lane. Also, I bought you a small house with a yard in Fu'an Lane. Boss Liu said he'll complete the transfer within three days, and then the house will be registered under Dad's name."

Upon hearing that he had "bought a small house with a yard," Meng Zhuolin dropped the spatula in his hand onto the stove with a "clatter."

She strode up to Lin Yifan, her face filled with shock and a hint of barely perceptible panic: "You... what did you say? You bought it? Yifan, how could you really buy it? That much money, how could you..."

Before she could finish speaking, her eyes reddened, not from anger, but more from heartache and the feeling that her son had been too hasty.

Yu'an seemed to sense her mother's emotions, and gently patted Meng Zhuolin's cheek with her little hand, babbling "Mom".

Seeing this, Lin Yifan quickly put Yu'an back in his mother's arms, reached out to support her arm, and explained softly, "Mom, don't get agitated. I've looked at this house carefully. It's in a good location, close to you, so it will be convenient for you and Dad to go out and for my sister to go to school."

"Besides, the landlord is in a hurry to move south, so the price is really a bargain. I did the math, and it's much more cost-effective than renting a nicer place long-term. Most importantly, it's our own home, so we feel safe and secure living here. You and Dad won't have to worry about the landlord raising the rent or taking the house back."

He paused, looking at his mother's still furrowed brows, and added, "You really don't need to worry about the money. I came back this time not only to see you and Dad, but also to take care of other things, so I brought plenty of money. The money for the house is only a small part of it, and it won't affect my plans. Just relax and wait to move into the new house."