Epiphanies of Rebirth Chapter 49 (Part 1)
Translated by Pure
Edited by Qing and Alkonost
Aftermath snusnuu warning
Chapter 49.1 The Obnoxious Dog Can Not Be Allowed to Continue Barking Like This (Part 1)
The passing lights illuminated the darkness of the night.
A car drove at a constant speed on the road in the direction of the city. The night wind entered through the gap of the window, striking Lin Jingzhe who was lying on the passenger seat. His neatly ironed shirt was crumpled, and his trousers were disheveled. Lin Jingzhe leaned back languidly, his eyes half-closed, not in the mood to speak at all. His entire body continued to enjoy the comfortable sensation following his release.
Xiao Chi gave him a sideways glance, saw that he was drowsy, and raised the car window for him.
Lin Jingzhe closed his eyes and lifted his leg to kick the dashboard, expressing his dissatisfaction.
Xiao Chi just laughed softly.
A lo-fi song drifted from the stereo. The hoarse female voice was like a set of fingers quietly snapping above one’s head during a nap. Lin Jingzhe’s body was covered in sweat and his insides still felt sticky and hot, constantly reminding him of the vigorous exercise they had engaged in just moments ago. Lin Jingzhe stretched his body and rested one hand under his face. With his eyes slightly closed, he secretly peeked at Xiao Chi through the gap between his eyelids.
Xiao Chi was driving at the moment. His face was occasionally illuminated by the flickering traffic lights that sometimes crossed their path. He had returned to his usual self and was particularly law-abiding. Driving below the speed limit and using the correct signals while driving, he seemed like a completely different person from the madman who had driven into the cornstalks and smashed half of his headlights earlier.
His clothes were no better than Lin Jingzhe's. His white shirt was wrinkled like a shriveled up balloon. An unknown dried liquid stained it, but his face remained solemn, as if he had just finished an important meeting.
Xiao Chi suddenly turned his head while Lin Jingzhe was sizing him up and met his gaze.
Lin Jingzhe noticed that his face had visibly softened, and there was even a hint of a smile in his eyes.
At that moment, a strange feeling arose in his heart. Lin Jingzhe recalled the unreasonable anger in his chest just now. He sighed, still confused by his own reaction. While he felt comfortable, he was also a little tired. He felt like an exhausted bird seeing a resting spot mid-flight, but also like a piece of ice exposed to the harsh sunlight. He stretched out his hand to rub his face, then pondered and reflected on his abnormal behavior.
Unbidden, the urge to toss aside his reasoning and do something wholly unreasonable emerged.
He lifted his foot and rested it against Xiao Chi's arm, which was holding the steering wheel. Lin Jingzhe opened his mouth and complained, "My legs are numb. Why aren’t we back yet? What kind of broken car is this?"
Xiao Chi let him bully him with a good temper. It was only when Lin Jingzhe’s nimble foot stepped on his shoulder that Xiao Chi slowed down and pulled over.
Lin Jingzhe received a comforting kiss on his eyelids.
After Xiao Chi leaned over and kissed Lin Jingzhe’s lips, he gently stroked his cheek. The soft affection hidden behind the instinctive sharpness in his eyes almost took shape and flowed out.
He replied, "Be patient, I'll find a house for you."
*******
Deng Mai asked him, "Brother Lin, why do you suddenly want to buy a house?"
There wasn’t much societal pressure at the moment, and with generally lower incomes, people's attachment to housing was far less intense than in later generations.
Deng Mai was really not picky about his living conditions. Even though he had seen a lot of the real estate market outside through various social niceties, he could still live in the old house that Lin Jingzhe had rented for him when he first arrived in Yan City without complaint. He found it strange that Lin Jingzhe would suddenly propose to buy a house without any prior warning. He even asked him to gather information on every reputable commercial property in Yan City, saying that he would personally look through them.
Commercial housing was still in the early stages of development. Almost all of the real estate industry in Yan City was focused on the north side of the city.
Lin Jingzhe flipped through the information Deng Mai had gathered on the available high-end real estate in Yan City. It was a pitifully small selection compared to what the future generation had to offer. When he heard Deng Mai’s question, he couldn't help but blush, but he still insisted on putting on a serious face and bluffed. "Have you read the real estate report from the last ten years like I asked you to?"
Deng Mai was frightened by his stern expression and nodded repeatedly.
Lin Jingzhe frowned at him and reprimanded sharply, "In the next ten or twenty years, our country's social development will enter a stage of rapid growth. Especially in first-tier cities like Yan City, the future demand for housing will be unimaginable[1]! The benefits of buying houses may not be less than running a business. We, as real estate professionals, must have a long-term vision and a keen sense of touch! We must discover the potential before the market matures. This is my basic request for you!"
It was rare for Deng Mai to see him so serious, so he was immediately stupefied. He nodded again and again, feeling ashamed of himself. "Brother Lin, you are right, I have become too complacent. I have been busy with socializing recently, smoking and drinking every day. I didn't study hard enough and failed to comprehend the spirit of the real estate report you asked me to read."
Lin Jingzhe nodded solemnly.
Deng Mai paused for a moment and then continued, "However, a few days ago, I also heard from Aunt Zhou that she was planning to buy a house. She had the same thought as you."
Lin Jingzhe was taken aback. "There was such a thing?"
Although the houses in Yan City were far less expensive than later generations, compared to the average national income, the prices were still considered very high. It had only been a few months since Mother Zhou's new store opened. Other than his visit on its opening day, Lin Jingzhe seldom paid attention to the progress of the Zhou couple. He thought that the cost of opening the store would at least keep Mother Zhou occupied for a while. He hadn’t expected that she would have the ability to purchase a house so soon.
"Yes." Deng Mai had obviously been keeping in touch as he smoothly talked about the other party's recent situation. "Remember the housing allocation conflict that came up when they still worked for Liyun Theromos Factory? Aunt Zhou and the others all live in the house that you had initially rented for me. She said it wasn’t right to keep living in a rented house all the time. She said it would be better to buy a big one near the university so that everyone could move in together. This way, you and Zhou Haitang would not have to squeeze in the dormitory at the school."
This proposal made Lin Jingzhe smile.
"Aunt Zhou is still the same." He closed the documents folder and didn’t forget to lecture Deng Mai. "She is still so astute at her age. Even she knows it’s important to buy a house. Take another look at yourself."
Deng Mai agreed. He was now the general manager of New Beginnings Real Estate. Although he hasn't managed anything substantial, Lin Jingzhe paid him regular monthly wages, and the amount was not low. Although Deng Mai had a knack for interpersonal communication, he was still a young man. He liked to dress up and keep up with the trends. Except for a part of his salary that was saved for his family, the rest was all spent on food, drinks, and clothing.
Although he was tan, Deng Mai was an extremely good looking youth. He was tall and had a good figure; his fashionable attire also helped him during social activities.
His combo of black-framed glasses and shoulder pads added an extra ten centimeters to his normal shoulder width. The loose suit jacket looked as if it would fall off in the next second, the trousers were deliberately made too long so the hem bunched up, and his hair was getting longer and longer. All of this, in Lin Jingzhe’s opinion, looked very flamboyant, but it was said that many older men in Yan City admired his appearance very much.
Deng Mai fiddled with his slanted bangs, which had been permed by a famous stylist in Yan City. It was said to be a very popular style in Hong Kong Island. He silently crossed off a pair of pointed-toed leather shoes from his mental shopping list. Since Brother Lin put so much importance on this matter, he should also start saving for a house.
The house that had caught Mother Zhou’s eyes was not far from their shop. Completed in 1990, it was considered a relatively modern, high-end, high-rise neighborhood district in Yan City at present. With an elevator installed, these condominiums flaunted exquisite high ceilings. The one she was interested in measured over 170 square meters, with four rooms, and the total price exceeded 200,000 yuan.
The snack bar must have made a lot of money, because she was going to pay 200,000 yuan in one lump sum.
Stepping into the bright and spacious display home which they would consider a ‘luxury residence’, the Zhou couple found it hard to believe that they would one day be in such a situation.
Once upon a time, they were ordinary workers who were content to work hard all their lives for the chance to be given an allocated house. When they were laid off by the Liyun Theromos Factory, they had almost given up on life and hope for any future. But now, without that stable job and after being driven out of the place where they had spent half their lives in, they were actually living an even more prosperous life than before.
Owning their own business was far simpler and had more potential than they had ever imagined. Although opening a store from dusk till dawn was hard and tiring, every penny they earned was their own, so they happily endured this hardship!
The serious Father Zhou opened the window and looked at the vibrant greenery of the community downstairs, trying to hide his reddened eyes.
Lin Jingzhe, who was initially worried, also came along to check out the house. He had been concerned about the big expense, but ultimately was satisfied with the couple's choice. This place was not far from Yan University, and any area near Yan University would be highly sought after in the future. Moreover, this area was adjacent to Sun Street. Although the value of that area could not compare to the other commercial districts that have not yet entered development, it was not much less. If he remembered correctly, at least three subway routes would pass here in future. This was the central area where citizens lived in the south of the city.
Knowing that his family was going to buy a house, Zhou Haitang was equally elated. He even discussed and decided on Lin Jingzhe's future room’s location and layout after inspecting the layout of the house with his mother.
Translated by pure, hosted on puretl.com / do not repost!
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Footnote:
[1] The cities in China are categorized into different tiers. You can read more HERE
