A leisurely life starting in a bar after being reborn

Xu Wenshu didn't sleep well all night.

It wasn't the bed that was the problem; she spent a month's salary on it, and it was quite comfortable.

She thought it was a problem with her brain.

After leaving the bank, her mind was filled with those numbers. $10.3 billion had arrived. And more was still in the process of being processed.

She had been a host on the financial channel for three years. What kind of numbers hadn't she seen? Listed company annual reports, fund sizes, GDP growth rates... she had long since become desensitized to numbers.

But today is different.

The numbers today are alive, the person sitting next to her is alive, and the mouth that casually said "a second visit is fine" is alive.

She thought about her rented one-bedroom apartment, where she gave a third of her monthly salary to the landlord, and had to be very careful with the rest. The salary of a CCTV host sounds impressive, but in reality, it's just so-so.

She didn't think it was a big deal before.

I suddenly realized it today.

-

The next day at work, Xu Wenshu sensed something was off as soon as she entered the office.

Normally, everyone is busy with their own things and at most exchanged greetings. But today, as soon as I opened the door, everyone's eyes turned to me, and then all looked away.

She pretended not to notice and went to sit down at her workstation.

Xiao He from the next table, carrying a thermos, leaned closer to her desk and whispered, "Wen Shu, are you in love?"

Xu Wenshu was turning on the computer when she paused, "What?"

"You have a boyfriend? How come I've never heard you mention it?"

I don't have a boyfriend.

"Really? Director Zhou saw it all. Yesterday at the airport, you picked up a man and even hugged him."

Xu Wenshu's mind went blank for a moment.

Zhou Lihua.

She took a deep breath, her voice still steady: "That's a friend of mine, he just came back from abroad. I went to pick him up, it was just a polite hug. You're overthinking it."

"Friends?" Xiao He's expression clearly showed disbelief. "Sister Wenshu, tell me the truth, are they...the kind of friends who are extremely wealthy?"

Who said he's rich?

"That's what Director Zhou said; he's well-dressed and tall."

"Does dressing well mean you're rich?"

Xiao He wanted to ask something, but Xu Wenshu silenced him with a look, and he awkwardly took his thermos and returned to his seat.

But gossip can't be stopped.

Throughout the morning, at least five or six people passed by her workstation for various reasons, some to borrow pens, some to ask about programs, and some to chat about weekend plans. Their eyes all seemed to say the same thing: Have you talked to her or not?

Xu Wenshu was so annoyed that she didn't even go to the cafeteria for lunch, and just ate a piece of bread at her workstation.

She took out her phone, found Fu Yan's number, and wanted to send him a text message to scold him—even though this had nothing to do with him, she just wanted to scold him.

I typed a few words, then deleted them, then typed them again, but in the end, I still couldn't send it.

Forget it.

What's the point of talking to him? He's the kind of person who wouldn't care about these things at all.

But she herself cares.

It's not about what others think of her, it's about how she sees Fu Yan.

She used to think that the two of them were friends, the kind of equals. You would interview me, I would ask you for advice, and we would occasionally have a meal and chat. Neither of us owed the other anything.

But yesterday at the bank, the scales shattered.

It's not Fu Yan's problem, it's hers.

She couldn't stand that disparity.

It wasn't the difference in the amount of money itself, but the difference in their attitudes towards it. He was so casual, so indifferent, so...light. And she sat beside him, as light as a piece of paper, as if she could be blown away at any moment.

Xu Wenshu crumpled the bread bag into a ball and threw it into the trash can.

"So annoying," she muttered under her breath.

-

At 3 p.m., Fu Yan received a call from Yang Yi.

"Mr. Fu, we have a preliminary plan for the real estate. Would it be convenient for you to come and take a look?"

"Now?"

"If it's convenient for you, I'll arrive at your hotel in half an hour."

"No need to go to the hotel, let's go straight to see the apartments." Fu Yan thought for a moment, "How many are there in Houhai?"

"We've shortlisted three properties: two courtyard houses and one street-front shop. All are near Yinding Bridge, and in good locations."

"Okay, I'll be at Yinding Bridge in half an hour."

After hanging up the phone, Fu Yan changed into her coat and went out.

I hailed a taxi outside the hotel and gave them my address. The driver, a chatterbox, glanced at me in the rearview mirror and said, "Young man, going to Houhai? To see the bars or the girls?"

"Looking at houses."

"Wow, houses in Houhai are really expensive; they're not something ordinary people can afford."

Fu Yan smiled but didn't reply. He was afraid that if he said too much, the driver would think he was bragging.

-

Yang Yi, dressed in a black business suit, stood waiting by the Yinding Bridge. She held a folder in her hand, and a black minivan was parked next to her.

"Mr. Fu, this way please." She opened the car door. "The first apartment isn't far from here; you can walk there."

The two walked along the north bank of Houhai Lake for a while and then turned into a hutong (alleyway).

The first set is a three-courtyard house with an imposing facade, a vermilion gate, and a pair of stone lions at the entrance.

"This apartment is quite large, and the price is also relatively high, at twenty-two million," Yang Yi explained. "But to be honest, it's not really suitable for your living needs; it's too big, and it would feel empty for one person."

Fu Yan stood at the doorway, glanced inside, and shook his head. "You're right, it's too big. And the yard is too new; it looks like it's been renovated, it lacks a certain charm."

"Then let's look at the second set."

The second house is located inside Yandai Xiejie (Yandai Slanting Street). It's a two-courtyard house with gray bricks and tiles, and the old brick carvings are still visible on the lintel. Pushing open the courtyard gate, you'll find three main rooms and two wing rooms on the east and west sides. There's an old locust tree in the courtyard, its bare branches pointing towards the sky.

"This property is priced at 18 million. The courtyard is relatively well-preserved, only the interior needs some basic renovation," Yang Yi handed over the documents. "The location is also excellent; it's right next to Yandai Xiejie, and Yinding Bridge is just a short walk away."

Fu Yan stood in the middle of the courtyard and looked up at the sky.

In winter, the sky over Yanjing is very high, a cold, blue expanse. The shadow of the old locust tree is cast on the gray brick ground, its bare branches resembling a traditional Chinese ink painting.

"This is the one," he said.

Yang Yi paused for a moment: "Aren't you going to look at anything else?"

"No need," Fu Yan said, patting the tree trunk. "A courtyard with an old locust tree is a true siheyuan (traditional courtyard house)." "This tree must be quite old, right?"

"According to the housing management department's records, it's been at least seventy or eighty years."

"Then we definitely can't cut it." Fu Yan turned and walked out. "Let's go, let's look at the houses where bars are located."

Yang Yi followed, secretly noting down this in her mind—this client doesn't play by the rules.

-

The street-facing shops are also located on the north bank of Houhai Lake, about 200 meters from Yinding Bridge. They have two floors, a small courtyard in front, and a lakeside promenade outside the courtyard wall.

"This property is priced at 24 million, with clear property rights, and can be used for commercial purposes." Yang Yi flipped through the documents. "It was formerly a bar, which operated for three years before closing last year. It's not large, but its location is its strength; in the Houhai area, this is one of the best locations."

Fu Yan stood at the second-floor window, looking out.

The lake was frozen over, and the white pagoda of Shichahai in the distance gleamed in the winter sun. Some of the bars along the lake were open, while others were closed, and occasionally someone would walk by, wrapped in a scarf and hunched over.

He imagined a summer day: the lake shimmering, the windows open, a breeze blowing in, a singer performing downstairs, and guests drinking in the courtyard…

"I'll take this set too."

Yang Yi took a deep breath and closed the folder.

Two apartments, 42 million yuan, from the moment they saw them to the moment they made the decision, it took less than half an hour.

"Mr. Fu, I need to confirm the payment method for these two properties with you..."

"Full payment."

"Okay." Yang Yi quickly jotted down a few notes on the document. "I can produce the contract tomorrow. After signing, we'll go through the procedures, and the transfer of ownership can be completed in as little as a week."

"Okay, you arrange it."

The two left the shop and walked back along the lake.

Yang Yi, walking half a step behind Fu Yan, suddenly spoke up: "Mr. Fu, if I may ask, did you previously work in the internet industry in the United States?"

"Um."

"I previously conducted a research project on the repatriation of funds among Chinese entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley. Your scale of investment is extremely rare in China."

Fu Yan glanced at her: "Consultant Yang, are you just curious or doing research?"

Yang Yi adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses and answered earnestly, "Both. But as your personal consultant, understanding your background helps me serve you better."

"Then let's provide the service; we can discuss the research later."

Yang Yi nodded and didn't ask any more questions.