Wang Qiqi hadn't expected Gong Hong to know about available properties, and soon realized why: she had completely entrusted the housing search to Gong Hong to get her up to speed, likely overhearing something when she was last over there. "Auntie Gong, did you go look at it?"

Gong Hong shook her head. "I didn't actually go see it, I just overheard the homeowner's mother complaining about it once. Should I go ask about it tomorrow for you?" Gong Hong hadn't paid close attention to the specifics; for her family, just being able to eat and afford to send a few children to school was a stretch, let alone dreaming of buying a home and settling down here.

"That would be great, thank you, Auntie Gong." Wang Qiqi thanked her. When it came to buying a house, having one more person helping was the best possible scenario.

Even though Auntie Gong provided a lead, it wasn't a sure thing. After all, this was meant to be a marital home—a seventy-plus square meter apartment that, including the price and renovation, would easily cost over one hundred and ten thousand. Wang Qiqi couldn't figure out why Han Tao would agree to such a price, so she hadn't mentioned it.

Han Tao and Wang Qiqi walked about halfway around before a chill settled in Han Tao’s heart. "I thought having sixty thousand as a base would give me a lot more confidence in buying, but I didn't expect houses to be this expensive." Bare units were already thirteen hundred per square meter. Even sixty square meters would be over seventy thousand, and that was just the shell. Including renovations, you couldn't manage it for under a hundred thousand. Han Tao then started thinking maybe buying a house wasn't necessary after all.

"I know, right? I bought mine last year for eight hundred, and now it's already thirteen hundred," Wang Qiqi sighed. Even though the increase was five hundred, the percentage jump was astonishing, well over fifty percent.

Eight hundred last year? Han Tao looked at Wang Qiqi in surprise. "Are you sure? I thought the housing price last year was one thousand?" Han Tao had done his homework. He couldn't believe he'd misremembered; the difference was two hundred—a full two hundred!

Wang Qiqi nodded. "No mistake. The listed price was one thousand, but if you knew someone, it was eight hundred per square meter. If you didn't know anyone, you could haggle it down to nine hundred."

Han Tao knew you could bargain for groceries, but he never imagined that something as seemingly fixed-price as a house could have a discount. "Huh? Houses can be discounted too?"

"What's so strange about that?" Wang Qiqi thought, isn't a house just a commodity? "You can haggle for clothes at the mall, though it depends on your skill." Not many people haggled at department stores back then, and the sales assistants always carried an air of superiority.

Han Tao was speechless. He had never realized Wang Qiqi had this side to her. "You haven't done this before, have you?"

Wang Qiqi nodded. "Yeah, I haggled over a price when I went shopping with Zhu Lina and the others earlier this year." Wang Qiqi had just asked casually, but she was surprised they actually agreed to lower the price. Then again, some counters were just rented spaces by the brand owners, and with so many clothing brands around, if you didn't buy from them, you could always go to another counter.

"Looks like there's a chance to haggle," Han Tao said, not holding a strong opinion on bargaining—every penny saved was a penny earned. "I hope the price isn't too high." Han Tao had initially hoped to buy a place that was already renovated, but now that dream looked precarious.

While the current prices seemed high, compared to what was coming, they were actually quite reasonable. "If it’s not enough, I have some money. I can lend you some, based on the bank's current deposit interest rate." Wang Qiqi didn't mind the small interest; if it helped solidify her relationship with Han Tao, she could even waive the interest and give him the principal, though she knew Han Tao would never accept that.

Han Tao's immediate reaction to Wang Qiqi’s offer was to refuse, but upon further thought, her suggestion wasn't entirely unacceptable. "I'll think about it. I’ll treat you to a meal." He looked at her; she had been up since early morning, walking constantly, inquiring everywhere, and had already finished the two bottles of water they brought from home.

Han Tao glanced around and spotted a small shop nearby. "I’ll buy you a Coke."

Wang Qiqi shook her head. "A bottle of mineral water will be fine, Nongfu Spring, not cold." A Coke? After sweating so much in this heat, drinking something sugary, Wang Qiqi felt she would only get thirstier.

Han Tao was surprised she asked for mineral water. Although he didn't interact much with girls at school, he knew many of them loved Cokes, especially ice-cold beverages in the summer. He hadn't expected Wang Qiqi to be different. "You're not trying to save money for me, are you? Don't worry, I can afford one Coke."

"Coke is too sweet, and it makes you gain weight easily. I prefer mineral water; it's more hydrating." Wang Qiqi thought, why would I need to save money on a cheap drink like that? "When I go out with Zhu Lina and the others, I drink Nongfu too."

Han Tao nodded, quickly (ran over) to buy two bottles of mineral water. Before handing it to Wang Qiqi, he unscrewed the cap for her. She took it immediately and started gulping it down. Honestly, Wang Qiqi had been incredibly thirsty; she hadn't seen a small shop along the way. Well, not many people had opened businesses by tearing down walls yet, which was partly due to the low occupancy in this complex, meaning poor foot traffic.

Wang Qiqi wasn't concerned with what others thought; she was thirsty and didn't see the need to be reserved. In no time, Wang Qiqi finished the first bottle. Han Tao just watched her rapidly down the water, contemplating whether he should have offered her the bottle he held or gone back for another one.

Wang Qiqi found a trash can and tossed the empty bottle in. "Let’s go eat noodles, and then head home." She had thought practicing yoga with the windows open at home was hot, but walking around for over four hours today had nearly exhausted her. Wang Qiqi decided that on the way back, she'd stop to buy some bananas, make a banana milk face mask, and take a bath.

Eat noodles? "You really don't need to save money for me." Han Tao had brought two hundred yuan today. He couldn't afford a fancy place, but he could certainly treat her to two dishes at a clean little restaurant. Yet, Wang Qiqi only drank mineral water and suggested noodles for lunch—it was incredibly simple.

"It's hot, and I don't feel like eating much." Wang Qiqi naturally had a poorer appetite in the summer, let alone after being so busy today; she had no appetite at all. "Don't worry, I’m not trying to save you money. Once Zhu Lina gets back, you’ll see how fast our knives are."

Wang Qiqi thought that once they started eating out properly, she wouldn't be able to save anyone, even if she wanted to. Shi Man had mentioned yesterday that with such a large bonus, they needed to seriously consider where to dine.

Han Tao watched Wang Qiqi walk ahead toward the exit of the complex and sighed. He truly didn't understand her. She was picky about many things, yet watching her drink water just now, she was also someone unconcerned with trivialities. "How about beef noodles then?"

"I want pork rib noodles. I think there’s a noodle shop around here that makes them quite well." Wang Qiqi hadn't remembered this shop initially; it just popped into her head that there was a specialized noodle place nearby. Shi Man and Zhu Lina had both eaten there and rated it highly.

Han Tao knew that shop. "Lao Mian Guan?" He wasn't sure if it was the one Wang Qiqi meant.

Lao Mian Guan? Wang Qiqi paused to think. "Maybe. I don't know the exact name, but they said their pork rib noodles, vegetarian medley noodles, and eel noodles are quite good." Too bad she could only eat one bowl, and it was far from home; she wasn't sure when she’d get the chance to come again, and she wasn't the type to go out of her way just for noodles.

Han Tao was now certain it was the shop Wang Qiqi mentioned. "Follow me. You have the pork rib noodles, and I’ll have the eel noodles." Han Tao noticed a flicker of indecision on Wang Qiqi's face, recalling the types of noodles she had listed, realizing she was frustrated about not being able to try several kinds. "Should we share them then?"

Wang Qiqi hadn't expected Han Tao to suggest that, but it was a good idea. "Okay. Next time we come, we'll switch flavors, provided their noodles are actually good." Wang Qiqi wasn't crazy about noodles, but having them occasionally as a change of pace was nice.

For the next few days, the two continued their grueling search for a house. Although they received calls from potential sellers, the prices were more than Han Tao could handle.

After thanking the homeowner again, Han Tao and Wang Qiqi walked back in silence. "Buying a house really isn't easy. I never expected housing prices to climb this fast." Just one year, and the interest earned in the bank wasn't this much. If he hadn't listened to Qiqi's advice, plus the small scholarship fund, he wouldn't have had the courage to look at houses, and he certainly wouldn't have known that prices were quietly escalating while everyone else wasn't paying attention.

"How about we look for houses in a different area? This side is near the development zone, so the prices will be..." Wang Qiqi mused that in a few years, with shuttle buses, their house-hunting radius would expand. However, this complex remained the top choice for white-collar renters; even with factory shuttles, these stops were often among the last, allowing residents to get home earlier than those living further away, or wake up later.

Han Tao shook his head. "After hearing about our house-hunting experiences these past few days, my mom said either we buy here, or we don't buy at all." Han Tao had expected his mother to tell him not to buy; she had been against it initially. Unexpectedly, right when he was about to back down, his mother supported the idea.

Wang Qiqi was stunned. She hadn't expected Luo Hongjuan to support Han Tao's purchase. But it wasn't surprising, considering her reasoning: an increase of five hundred in one year was quite steep. Furthermore, Luo Hongjuan, who managed to keep the family afloat and raise a high-achieving son despite difficult circumstances—her husband getting sick and then passing away—was fundamentally strong at her core.