Chapter 242: Securing Gong Ruxue

If we really let him support her… wouldn't that be rather improper? Gong Ruxue thought it over several times, then shook her head with difficulty.

Xu Yuexin's proposal was simply beyond what she could accept.

"Um… thank you."

After choosing her words carefully, Gong Ruxue said slowly.

But the moment the words left her mouth, she felt they were somewhat unsuitable.

Xu Yuexin says he wants to support her, and she replies with "thank you" to politely decline?

Isn't that a bit ridiculous?

"You're welcome, you agreed, right?"

Xu Yuexin quickly cut in, "Tomorrow I'll take you to see a house; you should move out of the Cultural Troupe dormitory."

"Anyway, you're going to be on unpaid leave."

?? Gong Ruxue was taken completely off guard.

She was about to refuse, but Xu Yuexin spoke so quickly.

"Tomorrow at nine in the morning, meet at the Cultural Troupe entrance."

Xu Yuexin lifted Gong Ruxue's delicate jade hand and said, "My future wife is about to arrive home; shall we have a meal together?"

"Uh, no need."

Gong Ruxue jumped in fright, quickly withdrew her hand, "I'll go back to sort my things, goodbye."

Hearing that Chen Qiaoqiao would be back soon, Gong Ruxue turned and left in a hurry, unable to even refuse Xu Yuexin.

As for the clothes she changed out of, they were left forgotten on the bed, uncollected.

…

The next morning, Xu Yuexin brought the already air‑dried clothes of Gong Ruxue and arrived at the Cultural Troupe entrance on time by car.

As the car neared, he saw Gong Ruxue's figure.

"Xiao Xue."

Xu Yuexin rolled down the car window and waved at her.

Gong Ruxue, feeling uneasy, glanced around.

Fortunately, the office was already in session, and there were few people at the entrance, so almost no one noticed.

Gong Ruxue hurried to the Mercedes, opened the door, and sat down.

"Where are my clothes?"

Gong Ruxue asked anxiously.

She had left in such a hurry yesterday that she even forgot to take her clothes.

"Clothes, huh? I forgot about them too."

Xu Yuexin glanced at the bag of clothes by his feet and pretended it was nothing.

Gong Ruxue was terrified.

If Chen Qiaoqiao saw her clothes, how could she explain that?

That was a complete set from inside to out.

"That's not it; after I left yesterday… you didn't put my clothes away?"

Gong Ruxue's face turned deathly pale, and her words stumbled.

"Look at you like that."

Xu Yuexin chuckled, picked up the bag and placed it beside her seat.

Gong Ruxue saw her own clothes in the bag, let out a sigh of relief, and then

"You're doing this on purpose to scare me, right?"

Gong Ruxue glared at him, huffing.

"Hey, just scaring you, what's the big deal."

"Heh, I'm not that easy to scare."

Gong Ruxue retorted, "Also, I'm older than you; you may not call me Xiao Xue."

"Alright, Sister Ruxue, shall we go see the house now?"

Xu Yuexin deliberately spoke in a pretentious tone.

Gong Ruxue was amused by his manner and laughed, but still shook her head.

"No, I came today just to tell you."

"I can rent a place on my own; no need to buy."

"It's not that I'm buying it for you; I just want to buy it myself, hehe."

Seeing her resistance, Xu Yuexin changed his approach, "If I buy it and leave it empty, it's just empty; why not let you live there?"

"Then you could rent it out and collect rent; after all, the current policy allows individuals to lease houses."

"I'm uneasy renting to strangers, so I'll rent it to you."

Xu Yuexin, following Gong Ruxue's words, said, "Let's go see the house."

After speaking, Xu Yuexin started the Mercedes and left the Cultural Troupe entrance together with Gong Ruxue.

Gong Ruxue, having nothing to retort to his response, had no choice but to go with him to see the house.

In the past two years, more and more people in Jingcheng have been buying and selling houses.

Walking along the roadside, one occasionally sees someone with a sign around their neck selling a house.

It's clear that those with signs are the sellers themselves. It's not yet like later times when professional agents exist.

For Xu Yuexin, this saves a lot of investigative effort.

Xu Yuexin drove slowly from Xicheng District all the way to Chaoyang, and along the way saw about six or seven people selling houses.

But those houses were really too old, most built in the 1930s and 1940s, and the layouts were too small, so Xu Yuexin wasn't very interested.

Finally, when he passed Tuanjie Lake, he saw a house that was relatively satisfactory.

According to the seller's card, it is a unit‑funded house that was just built last year and is being sold due to a personal job transfer.

The house is 92 square meters, with two bedrooms, a living room, a bathroom, facing south, and the conditions look quite attractive.

Funded houses are a new type of home these days; as the name suggests, they are built with funds raised by each unit themselves.

During the funding process, if employees pay the full price according to the house price, they obtain full ownership and can buy and sell it just like pre‑founding private houses.

Xu Yuexin stopped his car in front of the seller, opened the door, and walked up to him.

The other guy was only a few years older than him, looking under thirty.

"Bro, selling a house?"

"Hey, you want to see the house?"

"Then I need to know your price—how much is the house?"

"Ninety‑two thousand, one thousand one hundred per square meter."

The young man said.

Xu Yuexin felt a secret joy upon hearing that.

The house he previously bought for Da Yizi is nearby, with a better location, and it's in a formal residential community.

At the price level the young man quoted, Da Yizi's house would probably sell for 1,200 per square meter, a solid doubling in value.

Once house prices rise, they become this unreasonable.

Three years ago, when houses near Tuanjie Lake were sold, even 400 yuan per square meter didn't sell out.

Now ordinary people can't afford them on salary alone.

In a few years, Fang Zhuang will also be developed, and the price will be 2,000 per square meter, and you still won't be able to buy it without connections.

Of course, happy as he is, Xu Yuexin still has to bargain.

"So expensive,"

Xu Yuexin pretended to frown and said, "Forget it, I'll ask other people instead."

After Xu Yuexin finished speaking and turned to leave, the young man called him back.

"Not, brother, my place is a newly built funded community, not comparable to old bungalows."

"Besides, even if you think it's pricey, you still have to see it before drawing a conclusion."

Got it, he took the bait.

Xu Yuexin felt a secret joy, turned, and looked at the young man.

"No, you quoted such a high price; I really have no need to look."

"Let's have a look first, then talk."

The young man pleaded, and it was clear he was really eager to sell the house.

"Alright, let's have a look first."

Xu Yuexin said, "Where is your house?"

"Right across the street."

After speaking, the young man led Xu Yuexin and the just‑arrived Gong Ruxue across the street.

The young man's house indeed looked very new; the painted surface was a bit dazzling in the summer sun.

Xu Yuexin went up with him and found the interior renovation was also meticulous: the tiles were laid, wallpaper hung on the walls, and it had a gas stove, water heater, and everything.

By today's standards, this is definitely a first‑class good house.

"How is it, still satisfied?" the young man asked after Xu Yuexin finished viewing the house.

"It's okay, it'll do; give me your price."

"I already gave it, 92,000."

"No, I meant lower the price."

"Then, round it, 90,000."

"How about 88,000, a lucky number?"

Xu Yuexin asked.

Now the real‑estate market is good, and he didn't expect to bargain much.

Honestly, if they could close at 88,000, he would thank heaven.

"Fine, then the fixed price is 88,000."

The young man, also a straightforward person, thought for a moment and replied, "When shall we handle the paperwork?"

"Now works, you're not married yet, right?"

"I am married; my spouse is at work."

"Then bring her along and go to Fang Guan Ju to handle the paperwork."

Xu Yuexin said.

These days many housing‑transaction procedures are still informal; sometimes one spouse can make the final decision and sell the house, and later the other spouse causes trouble.

Xu Yuexin must eliminate all risks.

"Okay, she works nearby."

The young man nodded, and together with Xu Yuexin and Gong Ruxue walked out of the house and found her spouse.

Xu Yuexin first went with him to Yin Hang, transferred 20,000 yuan to his account, and with the remittance slip and the receipt handwritten by the young man, went to Fang Guan Ju to process the title transfer.

After the transfer, Xu Yuexin took the newly received property deed, went back to Yin Hang to pay the remaining amount, and the two agreed to take possession of the house three days later.

……

Three days later, Xu Yuexin and Gong Ruxue arrived at the newly bought house and saw that the entire house had been completely cleared out, leaving only immovable items such as the water heater and gas stove.

So the two of them went shopping for furniture again and spent two days arranging a cozy home.

"You shouldn't go to Hu Hai either."

"From now on, just live here."

Xu Yuexin said to Gong Ruxue.

"Then, how much is the rent?"

Gong Ruxue asked earnestly.

"There is rent, but it's not paid with money."

Xu Yuexin looked into Gong Ruxue's eyes, with a suggestive meaning.

Then, before Gong Ruxue could react, he grabbed her and forcefully kissed her two cherry lips.

"Hmm…"

Gong Ruxue was caught off guard by his kiss, while her mind was still on the rent.

However, as Xu Yuexin's kiss deepened, she suddenly understood his meaning.

Gong Ruxue instantly became both urgent and embarrassed, pushing Xu Yuexin outward several times.

All this was in vain; after a while, Xu Yuexin finally ended the embrace and let her go.

"Stop messing around!"

Gong Ruxue gently rebuked, "I'll pay you whatever amount is due."

"Don't be like that."

"No need, this month's has already been paid."

Xu Yuexin pinched her delicate face, slightly raising the corner of his mouth, and said, "Tomorrow this day next month, I'll come to you to continue collecting rent."

"Then I won't live here anymore."

"If you don't live here, where could you live?"

"After taking a leave of absence, the Cultural Troupe will definitely have taken back your dormitory."

Xu Yuexin said leisurely, confident that Gong Ruxue now had no other options.

"Then you don't have to worry about it, I… I'm going to rent a place!"

Gong Ruxue felt a bit cornered, and, displeased, spoke with a hint of agitation.

"Are you sure you want to go rent a place under this over‑thirty‑degree heat?"

Xu Yuexin spread his hands and said, "Fine, it's up to you; if you really want that torment, I don't mind."

"Anyway, it won't be me who gets sunburned."

……

Gong Ruxue was at a loss for words for a moment.

In this scorching summer, the sun outside was as poisonous as it could be.

Having her go out to rent a place in such weather was truly unbearable for her.

Seeing Gong Ruxue waver, Xu Yuexin took her hand.

"Stay here first; at least the conditions here aren't bad."

"If you're missing anything, tell me and I'll buy it for you."

Having said that, Xu Yuexin turned and walked away.

Watching his back, Gong Ruxue remained speechless.

Could it be... that she's really confirming a relationship with him like this?

Gong Ruxue thought anxiously, even forgetting to see Xu Yuexin off.

After settling Gong Ruxue, Xu Yuexin turned his head and continued busy with the TV drama.

Besides transferring the funds to the filming account, he also went to Zhe Sheng Dongyang and bought 50 mu of land in Hengdian for cultural tourism use.

The 50 mu of land cost him a total of 10,000 yuan.

If you look to the future, the rent from leasing these lands for just two hours would far exceed that amount.

After acquiring the land, Xu Yuexin began assembling a construction crew to build replica ancient structures on it.

That does consume a fair amount of energy.

Construction crews are easy to find, but designing and building ancient palaces requires top specialists; otherwise the result may end up looking like a mishmash.

By the time Xu Yuexin gathered all the professionals and began construction, it was already autumn.

Not only was he anxious, but Hu Hai was also urging.

"Boss Xu, how's the filming site in Hengdian coming along, and roughly when will it be ready?"

Chen Lin's tone was very calm, but Xu Yuexin could sense that he was probably impatient.

"Within two months, guaranteed to finish."

Xu Yuexin assured Chen Lin on the other end of the phone.

It's no wonder the other side is urgent; all the actors and crew at Everlight are waiting to start, and they are shouldering loans.

Putting himself in their shoes, Xu Yuexin could also understand this feeling.

But construction can't be rushed, especially since this renovation will be used for decades.

In the days that followed, Xu Yuexin stayed on site in Dongyang, personally supervising and pushing the progress.

It wasn't until a call from Gong Ruxue that this situation was broken.

"Hey, I've arrived at Shi Huo Che Zhan, where are you in Hengdian?"

"Market railway station? Which city?"

Xu Yuexin faced the telephone handset, a bewildered expression on his face, and said.

"JH Shi. Aren't you in Hengdian? I'm going to see you."

"Oh... I'm at the Si Fang Zhaodai Suo on the east side of town, come over."

"I'll go to the Zhen Ke Yun Zhan later to pick you up."

After Xu Yuexin finished speaking and hung up, he felt a little moved.

He hadn't expected that, after only a month since leaving Jingcheng, Gong Ruxue had already come looking for him.

It seemed she was thinking of him a lot.

Otherwise it wouldn't be like this.

Xu Yuexin thought to himself, took a shower, changed into fresh clothes, and after an hour rushed to the Zhen Ke Yun Zhan to wait for Gong Ruxue.

In Zhejiang Province in autumn, the weather was still somewhat warm.

Although it wasn't as frequently scorching as the "autumn tiger" weather of later times, it was still much hotter than Jingcheng's temperature.

Xu Yuexin, wearing a thin shirt, waited at the Zhen Ke Yun Zhan and didn't feel cold.

About twenty minutes later, a small passenger car drove into the station, then stopped, its doors opened, and passengers gradually got off from the upper level.

Just as the last people were getting off, Xu Yuexin saw Gong Ruxue, dressed in a black long dress with white polka dots, walking down from the upper level.

"Xiaoxue."

Xu Yuexin stepped forward to greet, "You've come from far away, you must be exhausted."

(End of chapter)