Shi Man and Wang Qiqi were moving back and forth between the two apartments on the same floor, emitting continuous little tsk sounds. Wang Qiqi was completely satisfied with both units and strongly desired to acquire them both, yet she knew she lacked the necessary capital. Furthermore, committing to these apartments meant foregoing the possibility of buying others.

Shi Man was equally pleased but hesitant. She had initially believed the money her parents provided was ample, only to find that the funds they suggested could cover two apartments now only sufficed for one. Shi Man wavered, unsure whether to proceed, yet certain she would regret it if she didn't.

Han Tao observed the two women grappling with their indecision. Honestly, he too was quite satisfied with the properties, but money was still money.

Agent Auntie Cui watched the three look at each other. The expressions on their faces immediately after entering the units betrayed their high satisfaction. "How about this," she offered, feigning a look of tearful clearance, "if you decide to book them today, I'll include all the furniture and appliances inside." In truth, these items were already factored into the initial asking price—four thousand per square meter when she acquired them. Having held them for a year, she had already profited a thousand per square meter.

Undeniably, her offer stirred deep longing in both Wang Qiqi and Shi Man, though it remained just longing, considering the fifty thousand deposit required. "Auntie, we need to go back and discuss it," Wang Qiqi said. She knew Shi Man first needed to consult her parents, and she herself needed time to strategize.

Though they could continue viewing other properties, Wang Qiqi suspected it was highly unlikely they would find anything better than these two. Moreover, given the agent's proactive stance, it was clear she was eager to offload these units quickly. If they hadn't displayed such obvious satisfaction earlier, they might have held an advantage, but now that the agent knew their interest level, any subsequent listings were bound to be inferior. Therefore, wasting more time seemed pointless.

On the way back, Han Tao shared his assessment in response to their questions. "The apartments are good. While the price is high, unfurnished new builds nearby still run four thousand per square meter. Never mind that these are well-renovated and come fully furnished with appliances. If we secure them, we can rent them out immediately."

That was certainly a plus. Wang Qiqi pondered for a moment, then decided. Since she loved them, she would buy them. "Manman, I want to buy these apartments." Wang Qiqi favored the eastern unit, thinking she could partition off a room later to create an extra bedroom—a consideration for future renovations. For now, this well-decorated unit could reliably fetch two thousand a month in rent. Furthermore, the location was near a university district, perfect for graduate students or junior faculty. Higher quality tenants might treat the property better.

Shi Man couldn't reach a decision so quickly. After considerable thought, she ultimately decided to hand the final say to her parents for their consideration.

Wang Qiqi had anticipated Shi Man’s decision. "That's fine too. Buying a house is a huge expense. If these don't work out, we can keep looking." Wang Qiqi wondered about the current complexity of securing a bank loan. She had already decided: if Shi Man ultimately passed on these two, Wang Qiqi intended to buy them herself, securing a bank loan for the remainder. She wasn't worried about income verification; if necessary, she could ask Li Xiangdong to issue a proof of income using his company's letterhead.

Shi Man hummed in response and walked toward her room once back inside. She needed to call home to discuss the viewing, and also needed some rest. While coffee helped keep her awake, it wasn't as restorative as sleep.

Wang Qiqi, meanwhile, prepared to return to her own room to seriously focus on earning money. She had initially thought that since she had funds available, there was no need to work herself ragged; resting when possible was the way to go. However, spending half a day house hunting had severely dampened her spirits. Although she knew current housing prices were fluctuating wildly, the reality was that her liquid assets only covered the cost of one apartment. This reality left Qiqi deeply frustrated. As a reincarnated person, she saw so many others thriving, yet she found herself either manipulating family assets or earning money with excessive caution.

If only she could recall the results of the last four World Cups starting in '98 and the top thirty-two teams from four European Championships, she could have made a fortune through betting. Unfortunately, in her previous life, Wang Qiqi’s only interest in soccer, besides handsome David Beckham, was superficial. Ninety-nine percent of the football stars she could name were good-looking men; it was hardly an area where she invested much mental energy.

Given the current situation, it seemed she had to rely on banking and translation work to accumulate wealth. Withdrawing money from the stock market was never an option; the difference between pulling money out six months early versus six months late was staggering.

The two walked toward their respective rooms, each lost in thought, when Shi Man suddenly spoke up. "Qiqi, if I decide not to buy the other apartment..."

"If you don't buy it, I will," Wang Qiqi stated firmly. "I plan to split the fifty thousand deposit in two, and finance the rest through a bank loan." If the properties rented out successfully, bringing in a combined four thousand per month, Wang Qiqi estimated that if she took a ten-year loan and applied all the rent toward the payments, she wouldn't need to contribute much more of her own money. Her manuscript fees alone should cover the loan plus living expenses. Of course, if the apartments remained vacant, the pressure would become substantial.

Shi Man wasn't surprised by Wang Qiqi’s resolve, but she was curious if Qiqi planned to use all her family savings. She hadn't expected her to opt for a loan. This revelation signaled to Shi Man just how satisfied Wang Qiqi was with these properties—Qiqi hadn't previously considered buying such large dwellings. "It won't be easy for you to buy it," Shi Man commented.

After calling her mother to discuss the apartments, Shi Man received an unsurprising veto. However, when she mentioned that if their family passed, Qiqi would definitely take both units, Shi Man’s mother hesitated. After a moment, she told Shi Man they would discuss it that evening before giving a final answer.

Shi Man was highly confident her parents would agree, leaning over eighty percent likelihood. Her parents held great trust in Wang Qiqi, especially after Qiqi had helped them make money trading stocks. The recurring issue, however, was her parents chiding her for failing to share such lucrative opportunities with the family initially, which left Shi Man feeling conflicted. She often wondered if informing them at the very beginning of her freshman year, when she first entered the stock market, would have lessened the pressure to afford this apartment. But such thoughts were just fleeting daydreams.

Having reported the property review to the family matriarch, Shi Man yawned and dove into bed to sleep. As for the purchase decision, Shi Man felt no immediate stress; her parents would deliver the verdict, and she would simply follow their instructions.

Back in her room, Wang Qiqi completed and proofread all the manuscripts she had received the previous day, then emailed them to Li Xiangdong. About ten minutes later, assuming Li Xiangdong had received them, Wang Qiqi called him to discuss her need for an income verification letter.

Li Xiangdong found it strange but offered no objection. To him, issuing a simple letter involved no personal liability should Qiqi default on the mortgage—the bank would simply foreclose on the property. Moreover, this provided an excellent opportunity for Qiqi to remember his goodwill. As a businessman, Li Xiangdong quickly weighed the pros and cons and agreed. He even offered a backup plan: if she was short on funds, he could lend her a few tens of thousands.

Wang Qiqi appreciated Li Xiangdong’s kindness but politely declined the loan. Although borrowing from him carried no interest, accepting money from him carried a different kind of weight. Even after repaying it, it would remain a significant favor. She figured that a few extra translated manuscripts could easily cover the cost of a standard bank loan with interest.

With the income verification sorted, Wang Qiqi felt some relief. Yet, she knew acquiring both apartments would be difficult. If Shi Man revealed her genuine interest, the Shi family would almost certainly agree to buy their unit, forcing Wang Qiqi to restart her search. "The total price might exceed one million," Wang Qiqi mused, realizing her total debt could surpass half a million. "So much debt, yet so much motivation."

Zhu Lina casually inquired about the house viewing when she returned home that evening. She had expected them to have an unsuccessful day. If Shi Man had found something she liked, she would have surely shared the good news. The fact that she was silent made Zhu Lina assume they hadn't found anything appealing. Only when she heard Wang Qiqi and Shi Man's report did she understand.

"A fifty-thousand deposit on these properties is a bit steep. Qiqi, do you have enough money?" Zhu Lina knew the Shi family wouldn't fret over the amount, but Qiqi was different. She knew Qiqi’s funds were limited to her inheritance and rent income from the last couple of years. As for the compensation she received previously, Zhu Lina knew that was money Wang Qiqi would never touch.

"A loan," Wang Qiqi replied. She understood that even though Zhu Lina hadn't offered directly, she knew Zhu Lina would lend the money if asked. "I plan to keep looking tomorrow."

Shi Man moved her lips but ultimately held her tongue. She sensed that Qiqi probably realized they wouldn't be able to secure both apartments.