After work that day, the two went searching again but unfortunately came back empty-handed.
It wasn’t until the fourth day that Xue Ling decided to rent the first apartment she had seen on Songming Road.
“The place isn’t too far from where I work. It’s a ten-minute walk or just five or six minutes by bike. The main draw is the number of restaurants nearby, the bustling neighborhood, and the safety of having our own yard.”
Cheng Tianyuan had no better options in mind but still held some reservations.
“It would be even better if it were cheaper. Forty yuan a month is nearly a quarter of your salary.”
Xue Ling was a bit pained by the expense but wasn’t worried about affording it.
Just the day before, she had picked up a foreign book sent by her friend Xiao Jiaxue at the post office. She was asked to translate it quickly, with payments made every fortnight.
After returning to the hostel and bathing, she translated a thousand words before sleeping. Though she stayed up until past midnight, the thought of earning twenty yuan made her excited and happy.
This was just the beginning. She was sure that with practice, she’d translate faster and earn more.
Cheng Tianyuan, always cautious, said, “Let’s not rush. The apartment might already be rented. Let’s go see it and ask the landlady if she can lower the price.”
Nodding, Xue Ling smiled, “Now that we’ve decided, we should definitely try to negotiate.”
They rode their bike over and asked the landlady, who informed them that the neighboring unit was still available.
The savvy old lady, having seen them return several times over a few days, guessed they hadn’t found anything better and was firm on her price.
“I’ve already said it! I can go down by five yuan, so it’s just forty a month, but you’ll have to pay three months plus a deposit all at once.”
Cheng Tianyuan tried to persuade her several times, but the old lady wouldn’t budge.
Thinking it over, Xue Ling stepped forward.
“I understand why you want payment every few months, especially since you won’t be living here anymore and we’ll have to mail the rent to you. But think about it, with the deposit, that’s a lump sum of one hundred and sixty yuan! That’s quite a lot!”
The old lady dodged her gaze, mumbling, “But I’m giving you a discount! A whole five yuan off!”
Xue Ling looked past her at the apartment, laughing, “Your place is quite new, and the area’s convenient and orderly despite being busy. Normally, many would want to rent here, but if it’s been vacant for months, it must be due to the price, right?”
In those times, earning one hundred and fifty yuan a month was considered high income.
Yet with expenses for food, housing, and family, most people lived paycheck to paycheck, lucky to have any savings at all.
For many, a few dozen or a hundred yuan was manageable, but one hundred and sixty, plus the cost of furnishings, was too much for most, especially in a small county like Rongcheng.
The old lady, hit by the truth, gave an awkward smile.
“I have no choice! As I mentioned before, I’m moving to look after my grandson next week. I’m worried about mailing the rent; it doesn’t feel secure. It’s better to collect several months’ rent in advance. I’ve asked a relative to help collect it later.”
Xue Ling shook her head, “If you’re sincere about renting, let’s make it thirty-five yuan. I can just barely afford four months’ rent upfront.”
“No way!” the old lady protested. “Five yuan less is already a lot!”
Pretending to be indifferent, Xue Ling grabbed Cheng Tianyuan’s arm and made a show of leaving.
Loudly, she said, “Let’s just rent the one at the end of the street! They only ask for thirty-five, and you can pay month by month. The place is a bit smaller, but it’s enough for us two.”
Cheng Tianyuan, momentarily stunned, quickly caught on and nodded.
“Alright, let’s rent that one.”
As they turned to leave, the old lady called out, her face red with a difficult decision, “Fine! Thirty-five a month, but with the deposit, it’s four months upfront!”
Xue Ling and Cheng Tianyuan exchanged a triumphant look.
Renting the apartment for thirty-five yuan was indeed a steal!
But Xue Ling didn’t want to show too much excitement. She casually suggested, “Let’s be formal about this and write a contract. We’ll outline everything clearly and sign it, keeping a copy for both the tenant and the landlord. What do you think?”
“Agreed!” The old lady smiled, murmuring, “You look like a scholar, and you’re tidy. As long as you keep my place clean, I have no objections.”
Knowing the elderly can change their minds easily, Xue Ling quickly drafted a simple contract in her notebook.
The old lady, literate, read it over and nodded in satisfaction.
“You’re a pretty girl and write beautifully. What do you do?”
Xue Ling replied simply, “I work at the Rongcheng Newspaper as a junior editor.”
The old lady turned to Cheng Tianyuan and laughed, “Young man, you’re lucky to have such a capable and beautiful wife!”
Caught off guard, their eyes met, and both blushed deeply.
“…Thank you,” he nodded slightly.
The old lady explained, “Actually, my son is coming to pick me up next week. I’m in a hurry to leave, but seeing how honest you both seem, I agreed. I’ve asked a relative to help rent out the next unit.”
Xue Ling quickly replied, “We’ll bring the money first thing tomorrow morning and move in by noon. Is that okay?”
“Fine!” the old lady said. “The place is yours to use. If anything’s missing, you’ll need to replace it. I can help clean up in the morning.”
With the deal done, it was already getting dark. Cheng Tianyuan rode back with her towards the small hostel.
Both were starving and stopped to eat a large bowl of Yangchun noodles, finally feeling revived.
Xue Ling said, “I don’t have much to move. I’ll just take my things when I go to work tomorrow.”
Cheng Tianyuan nodded, “I’ll go back to the dorm to shower, then I’ll help you pack. Your suitcase is a bit heavy, I’ll take you there in the morning before I go to work.”
They parted quickly.
Half an hour later, Cheng Tianyuan came with ten five-yuan notes and a few ten-yuan notes, handing her one hundred yuan.
“This is for the rent tomorrow.”
Xue Ling was stunned. Was he helping her with the rent?
“There’s no need, I… I have enough money for now.”
He insisted, pushing the money into her hand, “I’ve advanced half a month’s salary, and the rest is from odd jobs. You won’t get paid for another month, and you need money for meals. You can’t spend all your savings.”
Touched, Xue Ling looked up at him with a half-smile.
“I can’t accept this.”
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