Wang Qiqi and Shi Man returned home, and due to the alcohol, they both took a shower and went straight to bed, thus failing to notice the piece of paper left on the dining table.

When Wang Qiqi woke up, it was already nine o’clock. She still wanted to sleep, but her rumbling stomach was a reminder that certain physiological needs awaited her attention. She staggered to her feet to use the restroom. As she passed the dining table, she spotted a note. Wang Qiqi found it odd; could it be a message left by Aunt Gong?

Wang Qiqi casually picked it up, only to discover it was a note from Han Tao, containing only a few words: "I succeeded."

Though the note was simple, Wang Qiqi knew Han Tao must have secured the top spot in the city's science stream. She couldn't guess the state of mind in which Han Tao had penned those words yesterday, but from his handwriting, she could discern the emotion of the writer at that moment: "Time to go congratulate him." Wang Qiqi knew that Han Tao had to start his part-time work after lunch. Checking the time, it was nine-thirty; there was just enough time to offer congratulations to the newly crowned science champion.

Just as Wang Qiqi reached for the main door, her steps halted. She remembered she hadn't washed up or even changed her clothes. Wang Qiqi swiftly rushed back to her room, changed, tidied up, and then quietly went next door to knock.

Han Tao was puzzled as to who would be visiting him at this hour. When he opened the door and saw Wang Qiqi, he certainly didn't miss the dark circles under her eyes. "Out celebrating yesterday?"

Wang Qiqi nodded. "Took the teachers out for a meal, and then some big shot treated us to karaoke." Wang Qiqi didn't want to dwell on school matters. "I haven't congratulated you yet. Congratulations on winning the championship. When you get the prize money, you must treat us to a proper meal."

"No problem," Han Tao said with a smile. "By the way, when is Zhao Lina coming back?"

Wang Qiqi shrugged. "No idea. It’s up to her to contact us. She didn't even return to school yesterday." Although Zhu Lina’s father had a mobile phone, mobile service was expensive back then, and they weren't sure if Zhu Lina was even with her father. Thus, she and Shi Man wouldn't call Mr. Zhu’s cell unless it was urgent.

"Let's wait until everyone is here before we eat then," Han Tao reasoned, knowing that if Zhu Lina missed such an important gathering, she would bring it up constantly later. "Alright, go back and get some proper sleep. I’ll need your help in a few days."

Wang Qiqi paused, wondering what matter would require Han Tao's help. But then it dawned on her: "Are we going to look at houses?" The issue was, Wang Qiqi felt that such a significant decision should be made by Aunt Luo and Han Tao.

"My mother is busy, and she said she only needs to review the final choice," Han Tao sighed. In truth, his mother wasn't entirely supportive of buying this house. Her view was that the chances of him returning to this small city after graduating from university were slim; he’d either go abroad or stay in Beijing or Shanghai, making a property purchase here a waste. As for his points about rent savings, his mother argued that money kept in the bank also earned interest. It was only because Han Tao was resolute about buying that the matter hadn't been dropped entirely.

Wang Qiqi murmured in understanding. Though Han Tao didn't explicitly state it, she gathered that Aunt Luo wasn't overly enthusiastic about buying property. Indeed, in those days, few people considered purchasing their own homes. "Okay, when shall we go look at houses?" In Wang Qiqi's mind, viewing properties should happen after receiving the prize money.

"Tomorrow morning." Han Tao had considered waiting for the money, but he wondered if house hunting would be that straightforward. Moreover, he planned to use the summer break, a peak time for job seekers, to rent the property out immediately.

Wang Qiqi was stunned, blinking rapidly at Han Tao. Did it really need to be this urgent?

"Viewing houses takes time, and the money won't be deposited until the end of the month," Han Tao explained his thinking. "I’m looking for a pre-decorated unit. While it might be slightly more expensive, the advantage is that it can be rented out instantly." Han Tao knew he wouldn't have the time to supervise the renovation if he bought a bare shell unit, so finding a shortcut was preferable.

"That's one way to go about it. Do you have a target location?"

"In the same complex where you bought your place." Han Tao had done his homework. Firstly, the property prices there weren't excessive, and secondly, it was close to the development zone, making the units easier to rent out. Even though there were no bus routes passing through yet, the road was built; bus service couldn't be far behind.

Wang Qiqi hadn't expected Han Tao to choose that area. "That's quite good. We should wake up early then and ask the old folks there." While they could find properties through agents, that meant paying fees, whereas asking the elderly was a way to save money. Also, given that there weren't many fraudsters around then, there wasn't the complication of mortgages; once the money was paid, the title could be transferred directly.

Han Tao hadn't considered approaching it this way and was pleasantly surprised by the suggestion. This meant saving on agency fees, which was excellent news for Han Tao, whose funds were tight. "That’s a great suggestion." He thought this approach could eliminate agent costs, a huge plus for someone not flush with cash. "But would anyone in that complex be looking to sell right now?"

Wang Qiqi thought of someone who could help but decided she wouldn't approach that person for assistance. "Don't worry, someone will eventually put a property up for sale. Even if we can’t find a decorated one, we can buy a new one, right?" It would just mean an extra round of decoration. "Actually, decoration is quick. A fresh coat of paint on the walls, lay down the tiles, install the cabinets, seal the balcony, finish the bathroom..." Wang Qiqi mused that since it was for tenants, it didn't need to be lavish; it could be simplified.

Having experienced the complexities of modern interior design, Wang Qiqi found the described renovations overly simplistic as she listed the steps. However, as she enumerated them, Han Tao felt renovating a house was turning into an arduous process, even more tiring than tutoring. Seeing that Wang Qiqi was still about to continue, he quickly interrupted her. "Everything you've listed sounds incredibly tedious. My family’s place wasn't this much trouble when we did it." Han Tao thought their own minimal renovation was similar, and it shouldn't be the case that the rental property was less finished than his own home.

Wang Qiqi's mouth fell open slightly as she scanned Han Tao’s home. She coughed delicately. "Honestly, your place is only slightly better than a bare shell. But the point is, if you do a basic renovation, you can charge slightly higher rent. It doesn’t need to be as elaborate as mine. The process is the same; it's just the materials and the extent of the finish that differ."

Han Tao naturally understood this, but the sticking point was, "Even that kind of renovation costs quite a bit, right? It’ll take a lot of money." This was what concerned Han Tao most. Although he didn't want to appear constrained in front of Wang Qiqi, the reality was that a lack of funds could stump anyone, and besides, Qiqi knew their situation; there was no need to pretend to be wealthy.

Money would indeed be necessary. "If you don't mind, we could visit a tile store. I recall those places often have used or slightly imperfect tiles for cheap." Not many people were renovating at that time, and those who were renovating weren't short on cash, so these tiles were often sold at a discount. If they were lucky, they might even get them for free. "But it depends on luck."

There was such a thing? Han Tao was surprised. "Oh, you’ve bought them before?" Han Tao couldn't picture Wang Qiqi engaging in such thriftiness, especially since she wasn't short of money.

Wang Qiqi squinted and smiled, nodding. "It’s not obvious, is it? Actually, I bought some with my own money, and some were seconds. But if you tidy them up a bit at home—for instance, placing the flawed ones in a corner—they are perfectly fine. What do you think?" Wang Qiqi had casually inquired when buying tiles and unexpectedly found a shop clearing out some display stock, which turned into a massive stroke of luck for her.

Han Tao certainly had no objections. "Great, but that means I'll have to trouble you again." He had no experience with this matter and naturally relied on Wang Qiqi.

"No problem, but remember to buy me drinks." Wang Qiqi had anticipated Han Tao asking for her help the moment she suggested the idea. "That’s all from me. I’m going back for a nap. Wake me up tomorrow morning."

"Can we do eight o'clock?" Han Tao had wanted to make it earlier, as it would be hot, and the elderly vendors might pack up early if the weather was too severe.

Eight o'clock? For Wang Qiqi, who had gotten used to sleeping in recently, this was a significant challenge. But she countered, "Wake me up at six tomorrow, and let’s go early. Maybe we’ll be lucky enough to get some useful information from those people." However, Wang Qiqi didn't expect a windfall of luck on the first day. The complex was huge, and sellers would be few, making it like looking for a needle in a haystack, especially for the pre-decorated property Han Tao desired.

Thinking this over, Wang Qiqi suddenly had an idea. "I’ll make some cards for you this afternoon so we can leave contact information, and write down your requirements too." Wang Qiqi realized she was putting in substantial effort; just writing out small notes would be time-consuming enough. She had considered using carbon paper but felt that doing so would signal a lack of seriousness. Plus, she had nothing planned during the day, so she might as well practice her calligraphy.

Han Tao hadn't anticipated Wang Qiqi coming up with such a clever solution. Frankly, he was worried about how to establish contact if a potential seller remembered them afterward, especially since the complex was vast and they might not run into the same people again. He wouldn't have been so bold asking just anyone, but with Wang Qiqi, he felt no need to stand on ceremony. "Done. I'll rely on you for this. Once this is sorted, I'll treat you to a big meal."

"Just one meal?" Wang Qiqi thought to herself that if she weren't trying to build a good relationship and secure a powerful connection, she certainly wouldn't exert herself so much.

"Isn't one enough?" Han Tao asked, surprised. "Don't worry, when it’s time to go to Beijing, I’ll drive you to report for registration."

Although Wang Qiqi had never mentioned reporting for university, Han Tao knew that considering no one saw her off for the college entrance exams, her so-called relatives would be even less likely to pay their own way to take her for registration. Nor would Wang Qiqi pay them to escort her.

Wang Qiqi gave Han Tao a look of disdain regarding his method of offering a ride. "Never mind that. Quickly write down your requirements; I need to go back to sleep."