Chapter 11: Chapter Ten: The Old Grandma

In the morning, Chen Yan went downstairs and found a noodle shop nearby to eat a bowl of Jin Ling large-bowl pi du noodles, then scanned a shared bike and set off.

He had arranged to meet a real estate agent at a nearby agency storefront.

Before arriving, he had contacted them; when Chen Yan came, the staff who greeted him was a young salesperson in his early twenties, short in stature, with many acne spots, and thinning hair.

His surname was Hu, full name Hu Shangke.

He had another identity: Chen Yan’s university classmate.

This guy had lived in the dorm next to Chen Yan’s during school, their relationship neither close nor distant; after four years of interaction, his character was decent.

Yet over those four years, Chen Yan never grew particularly close to this Hu Shangke.

He was the kind of classmate you could casually slap on the back and pretend to be intimate with.

But they had never truly opened up to each other.

Because although Hu Shangke’s character was acceptable, there was one thing Chen Yan couldn’t stand about him.

This guy was a sycophant.

The kind who scrimped and saved, took odd jobs during holidays, just to save up and treat his girlfriend to expensive meals.

Let me say this: Chen Yan despised sycophants more than anything.

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In truth, Chen Yan’s views on romance had been warped somewhat by the Old Grandma’s teachings.

Before Chen Yan left for Jin Ling to attend university, the Old Grandma gave him some heartfelt advice.

“Grandson, when you go to university and get a girlfriend, be careful.

Either find a girl who loves money—spend money to date her.

Or find a girl who doesn’t care about money at all—she’ll give you her heart and her money.

The first kind? Just date her casually, treat it like paying for fun.

The second kind? If you find one, bring her home so Old Grandma can take a look.”

Back then, Chen Yan thought: in today’s world, girls of the second kind were probably impossible to find.

If that was true, then the first kind was fine too—spending money for fun.

The problem was…

He didn’t have any money himself!

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Besides that, Chen Yan had been raised since childhood with the Old Grandma’s lesson: bowing and scraping won’t get you what you want.

The Old Grandma once took him to the entrance of a roast duck shop in town.

“Grandson, you like this shop’s roast duck—if you have no money, and you beg the owner, flatter him, bow and plead—do you think he’ll give you a whole duck for free just because you’re so nice?”

As she spoke, the Old Grandma stared into Chen Yan’s eyes, her tone serious:

“No! He doesn’t want to give you duck at all. But to put on a show for the people around him, to pretend he’s not heartless, he’ll just toss you two duck necks and duck butts—no one wants those—and shoo you away.

But remember, this isn’t the owner’s fault.

His ducks are meant to be sold for money. You can’t afford them, yet you think you can trade worthless flattery for something he sells for profit.

Why should he give it to you?

That’s your own stupidity.”

It must be said that the old lady’s education of Chen Yan was highly successful.

And Chen Yan despised Hu Shangke precisely because of this.

Over four years as classmates, Chen Yan saw clearly: Hu Shangke’s behavior was, in Chen Yan’s eyes, the most idiotic thing imaginable:

He had no money, yet he pursued girls who loved money.

He couldn’t afford to spend, yet imagined he could win them over by groveling.

That was pure self-torture.

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When they met, Hu the Sycophant showed Chen Yan overwhelming enthusiasm.

What else could he do? Working was hard.

This year’s autumn recruitment was brutal; Hu Shangke had been forced into real estate brokerage, and he still hadn’t met his monthly sales quota—he’d failed last month too, and the store manager’s glares at him had grown increasingly cold.

“Brother, if you need to rent, come to me! We’re classmates—I’ll find you the best value for sure!”

Saying this, Hu Shangke pulled out a stack of rental listings.

All were single-room apartments or shared units, with monthly rents under 1,500 yuan.

To be fair, Hu Shangke had put in real effort—Chen Yan glanced at the listings and found a few actually decent: low prices, reasonably equipped.

For a broke recent graduate with no local family—back then, Chen Yan would’ve been tempted.

But Chen Yan waved his hand: “Old Hu, I’m looking for a better place this time.”

Hu Shangke froze, then his face lit up: “Better? How much better? Tell me!”

Better meant more expensive—more expensive meant higher commission.

Chen Yan paused briefly, then stated his prepared requirements:

“Location doesn’t matter—it can be remote.

The place must be large, preferably with a big yard!

Neighbors should be far away, high privacy.

Renovation doesn’t matter—I’m easygoing. Even if it’s shabby, as long as there’s water, electricity, and internet.”

Hu Shangke listened carefully, then thought: “Big yard, distant neighbors, high privacy… Brother, you’re looking to rent a villa?”

Chen Yan smiled: “A villa’s fine too.”

Actually, his insistence on a large yard wasn’t for luxury—it was because he wanted to try practicing the array techniques recorded in his secret manual.

To set up an array, you need enough space to practice, right?

He’d never heard of anyone setting up a magical array in a two-bedroom apartment with only 60 square meters of usable space!

I’ve never heard of setting up an array in a two-bedroom apartment with eighty square meters of total area and sixty square meters of usable space!

Hu Shangke was baffled, staring at Chen Yan.

“I’m not saying this to be rude, brother—renting a villa isn’t cheap!”

Chen Yan shook his head: “My family gave me a sum of money to settle in Jin Ling—I want to live comfortably.”

“No, brother, let me be honest,” Hu Shangke, being decent enough, said: “If your family really gave you money, don’t waste it—housing prices are still falling.

Rent something cheap for now, wait until next year when prices stabilize at the bottom, then consider buying—a down payment, and now loans are easier to get.

If you’re settling in Jin Ling, buying a house is the long-term plan.

Eventually, marriage and all that…”

Chen Yan cut him off: “I have no intention of getting married.”

Hu Shangke laughed: “No intention now, but later…”

“Never,” Chen Yan shook his head.

He thought: I have a secret manual—I’ll cultivate step by step, master all kinds of strange arts, become a great power in this mortal world.

Then money won’t be a problem—I’ll enjoy life to the fullest!

Marriage? Tie myself to some woman?

Am I crazy?

Hu Shangke waved his hand: “But you still need to date—without a house, no girl will look at you.”

Chen Yan still shook his head: “I won’t date either.”

“Huh?” Hu Shangke laughed: “Brother, are you planning to become a monk?”

Chen Yan gave his classmate a strange look: “Old Hu, I remember in school…

When you were single, you ate meat every day in the cafeteria, sometimes even went to the small canteen for stir-fries.

After you got a girlfriend, you ate vegetarian five days a week, didn’t buy new clothes for a year.

After you started dating your girlfriend, you went vegetarian five days a week and didn’t buy a single new outfit all year.

Are games not fun? Is wine not tasty? Are novels not interesting?”

Hu Shangke was speechless—after all, they were classmates—he fidgeted: “Well, men, some things just… are…”

Chen Yan calmly looked at him, then glanced at a tissue box on the table, then at Hu Shangke’s hands.

Chen Yan looked at him calmly, then glanced at a tissue box on the table, then at Hu Shangke’s hand.

Chen Yan sighed, patted Hu the Sycophant on the shoulder: “Forget it. Just help me find a place that fits my requirements.”

Chen Yan sighed and patted Hu Tiangou on the shoulder: “Let’s not talk about that—just help me look for a suitable listing, as I asked.”

Chen Yan replied confidently: “Of course, the cheaper the better.”

Hu Shangke rolled his eyes: “Brother! You’ve got to give me a price range—I can’t find anything without one!”

Chen Yan thought for a moment, estimating the hundred thousand yuan in his account.

It seemed like a lot, but it wouldn’t last long—he couldn’t be too extravagant.

Setting up a simple beginner array didn’t require special materials—ordinary worldly supplies could be bought.

But… it still cost a fair amount.

After estimating a range he could accept, Chen Yan ventured: “Twenty thousand yuan per month max.”

After estimating a range he could generally accept, Chen Yan ventured, “Within twenty thousand a month.”

"Twenty thousand?!"

Hu Shangke widened his eyes: “Are you crazy? All this money for rent?! You—listen to me, you—”

Chen Yan said nothing, smiling at his classmate.

Under Chen Yan’s smiling gaze, Hu Shangke gradually fell silent: “Fine, the money’s yours—if you want it, I’ll help you find it!”

“But…”

Hu Shangke thought for a moment: “You want a large courtyard and strong privacy… normally, only standalone villas fit that.”

Those standalone villas with high privacy are all luxury homes—monthly rent runs tens of thousands.”

Chen Yan truly didn’t know; he frowned: “I checked online—some villas in our city go for just a few thousand a month, even one or two ten thousand.”

“Those few-thousand ones are townhouses—tiny, with courtyards small enough for just a few flower pots.”

“The one- or two-ten-thousand ones? You can rent a villa, but they’re all cramped, with neighbors just three or five meters away—you won’t get the privacy you want.”

“A large courtyard with strong privacy? Only real luxury mansions. The price won’t be lower than forty or fifty thousand.”

Chen Yan frowned in thought.

With a million in hand, he could afford the rent.

But if he spent it on rent, his liquid cash would dwindle.

The array techniques in the cultivation manual—starting from basic arrays—would require purchasing a large amount of materials, costing a substantial sum.

If he poured too much into rent, his budget for materials later would be tight.

Chen Yan thought it over, feeling a quiet helplessness.

Money just doesn’t last long.

(Otherwise… should I just find a rural house?)

Some remote warehouse?

He didn’t care much for material comforts—just a bed to sleep on was fine.

Hu Shangke kept urging: “With your budget, why fixate on big villas?”

“Find a decent neighborhood in the city—I can get you a fully furnished, well-renovated apartment, three bedrooms two living rooms minimum, even in the downtown core. And it won’t cost a single ten thousand!”

Chen Yan shook his head: “I won’t live in an apartment building. I need strong privacy.”

Privacy…

Hu Shangke nearly spat in his face.

We were dorm neighbors in college.

Eight guys in one room, summer nights, half-naked playing dice—who hadn’t seen who?

You’re talking about privacy now?

But…

For the sake of the commission…

He flipped through his internal network data again and again, searching through the day’s listings…

Hu Shangke’s expression turned strange; he glanced around, lowered his voice: “Brother, actually, there is one kind of place that fits your needs—cheap, huge, and extremely private!”

“Oh?”

“That…” Hu Shangke glanced around again, leaned closer to Chen Yan: “Brother, you okay with haunted houses?”

“???”

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