Ning Xin had always harboured the intention of buying a house of her own in this city.
But at most, she dared to daydream about a total price of two or three million yuan, located in the remote outskirts, where it would take two hours by bus and subway to reach the city centre.
This location, however, was in the city centre, with a unit price of 120,000 yuan per square meter. Even if she only bought a hundred square meters, it would still be a whopping 12 million yuan!
Was that property something she was qualified to own?
The answer was undoubtedly no, Ning Xin shook her head.
“Don’t joke about it.”
But Nie Ran was serious, “Since you have so much money on hand and nowhere to spend it, why not fulfil your dream?”
“Who said there’s nowhere to spend it? Monthly expenses for dining, your medical bills… These are not small expenses. We also need to set aside some money to prevent any of you from suddenly going crazy and leaving us homeless… You don’t know how expensive the necessities of life are when you’re not the one managing the household.”
Nie Ran chuckled.
“Yes, you’ve worked hard.”
She rolled her eyes, “So unnecessary expenses should still be avoided whenever possible.”
“But I think we should still buy it.”
“Why are you like this…”
She was starting to get impatient, but Nie Ran grabbed her hand.
“Earning money is meant to be spent. I believe our lives will definitely not stop here.”
The car was still moving, and the buildings and sky outside flickered in his eyes, rapidly alternating like flashing lights, resembling the starlight in a cold pond at midnight.
He still remembered their first meeting, his cold indifference keeping people at a distance.
Although close at hand, he seemed unreachable.
When did they become so close to each other?
She couldn’t remember, but she knew that after living for so many years, she finally had someone willing to stand by her side.
“So, shall we…”
Ning Xin wanted to suggest visiting in the afternoon, but her phone suddenly rang, sounding particularly harsh in the narrow space of the taxi.
She picked it up and saw that it was the owner of the factory calling.
She exchanged a glance with him and answered the call.
“We have already discussed it. This factory is willing to sell, but the minimum price is 12 million yuan. If you agree, we can sign the contract tomorrow.”
It was also 12 million yuan, quite a coincidence.
Ning Xin replied that they would meet at the factory tomorrow for detailed discussions and then hung up.
Nie Ran was puzzled, “We don’t have enough money.”
After buying the house, they would only have a few million yuan left. They could sell another batch of wood, but that would have to wait until next month.
Ning Xin sighed, “Let’s not buy the house. Let’s buy the factory first. You’re right, we’ve been shuttling back and forth every month, and we need a suitable base. That place is currently the best choice.”
“That dream of yours…”
She lifted her face, her smile brilliant.
“Isn’t it still there? It will come true eventually, right?”
Nie Ran was also influenced by her, his brow relaxing as he leisurely looked at the bustling city scenery outside the window.
When they returned, Lang Xiao was already awake, having skipped breakfast and rummaging through the house hungrily for something to eat.
The three of them had lunch and lounged haphazardly on the sofa in the living room, each engrossed in their own mobile phones.
Lang Xiao had a new toy and completely lost interest in the television, pestering Ning Xin to teach him how to use the phone.
Seeing him too close for comfort, Nie Ran attempted to intimidate him with a glare, but unfortunately, no one paid him any mind, so he chose to turn a blind eye and entered the bedroom feeling sulky.
The next morning, the three of them returned to the factory, meeting with the boss.
Ning Xin came prepared, immediately requesting to be shown around both inside and outside the factory, refusing to overlook any detail.
Now that they were potential buyers, the boss completely changed his previous attitude of disdain, warmly entertaining them and practically supporting her up the stairs.
Ning Xin hardly stopped talking.
“This house must have been built many years ago, right? The walls are all cracked, and it probably leaks when it rains.”
“What’s going on with the floor here? The cement is all coming apart. My goodness, looks like it needs to be redone.”
“The smell is terrible. Is there a chemical factory nearby?”
The boss kept smiling apologetically, trying to explain, until Ning Xin finally stated her purpose.
“This factory isn’t worth twelve million.”
This time, the other party’s expression changed abruptly.
“What do you mean it’s not worth it? It’s such a large area, in such a prime location, surrounded by major factories. Whether for transportation or recruitment, it’s extremely convenient. Twelve million is already the most favourable price.”
“Prime location? It’s so far from the main road. It takes half an hour just to get here, twisting and turning. Even delivering a package, people might get lost.”
“How could they get lost? There are signs.”
Ning Xin sighed, “Brother, we sincerely want to buy this factory. We’ve also looked into the prices around here. You can’t just jack up the price because you think we’re getting a good deal.”
The other party’s gaze flickered, and after a moment, they said:
“Okay, deduct five hundred thousand, but that’s the lowest.”
She shook her finger decisively, “Ten million, paid in full upfront, and you’re responsible for all the procedural fees.”
In the afternoon, both parties emerged from the housing bureau, and Ning Xin’s bank card now had twelve million left, expecting to receive all the documents by next month.
It was the first time in her life she had bought something so expensive, yet her mood was surprisingly calm.
“We won’t have to sneak around anymore.”
Lang Xiao blinked, not understanding the difference between before and now.
Nie Ran looked at the vehicles coming and going on the road ahead, then suddenly asked:
“How much do these things cost?”
“Cars? It depends on the brand. The cheap ones are tens of thousands, while the expensive ones can be tens or even hundreds of millions.”
Ning Xin was only interested in houses; she didn’t really know much about cars.
Nie Ran said, “Should we buy one too?”
Every time they went out, they had to rely on others’ cars, and there was always a stranger around when they chatted, which was inconvenient.
He had researched it, and driving wasn’t that complicated. He could definitely buy one to drive himself.
Ning Xin chuckled, “That might be a bit troublesome.”
“What’s wrong?”
“To drive, you not only need to buy a car but also have a driver’s license.”
“Don’t you have one?”
Not only did she not have one, but she had never even considered getting a driver’s license.
Transportation in big cities was still very convenient; buses, subways, and ride-sharing services were available everywhere. There was nowhere they couldn’t go. Parking spaces and licenses were also quite tricky.
“How do you get a driver’s license?”
Ning Xin’s mouth twitched. “Are you really interested? I’ll explain it to you when we get back.”
Back at home, she explained the process and requirements for getting a driver’s license to Nie Ran in detail.
Nie Ran initially thought he could get one himself, but as soon as he heard the requirements, he was doused with a bucket of cold water.
You must be a citizen who is at least 18 years old.
He wasn’t a citizen, not even a person.
Nie Ran didn’t say anything, but his demeanour visibly deflated.
Ning Xin ran her hand through her hair, “Actually, I’ve been thinking about it for a while now. It’s not good that you both don’t have proper identities. What if one day you get caught by the police? It’ll be hard to explain. Even going to the hospital would be troublesome. It would be great if we could get you some kind of legal status.”
“Who handles your household registration here?”
“Well…”
Ning Xin sighed, “I won’t lie to you. I’m just an ordinary civilian, I don’t have connections with those high-ranking officials.”
Nie Ran grunted in acknowledgment, “Then forget it.”
He picked up his phone, starting to search for something again.
Ning Xin watched their backs, still troubled by the issue of household registration.
Her own household registration was arranged by the orphanage, an independent registration.
For those without household registration, theoretically, they could apply to the government, but when applying, they would need to provide proof.
Where they were born, who their parents were, where they lived.
They had none of these.
“It’s a good thing it’s only seven days each month, otherwise it would be a lot more troublesome.”
After enjoying good food and drink for a few days in the 21st century, the seven days came to an end, and the three of them returned to the purgatory with a heap of furniture, appliances, and a Solar power generation system.
On the day of their arrival, Nie Ran began studying how to install solar panels.
He not only learned the installation methods for solar energy but also bought many books on electrical circuits, which he had been reading before coming back. He also bought several rolls of wire and the tools needed for installing circuits.
Ning Xin was completely clueless in this regard and couldn’t help at all.
She tried to pick up a book and learn, but her head started to ache within half an hour.
Seeing Nie Ran’s methodical approach, she stopped adding to the chaos and took the initiative to take care of meals and look after Lang Xiao. Occasionally, when he was too busy, she helped out.
On the tenth day after their return, the solar panels were installed on the roof, Nie Ran connected the circuits, and the generator started running.
Afterward, he began laying the wires needed for household appliances. At first, Ning Xin was worried about the appearance of the simple house and the exposed wires, which might not look good and could pose safety hazards. However, she quickly realized that Nie Ran had considered everything meticulously.
After each circuit was laid and confirmed to be usable, he covered it with wallpaper and tried to keep the wires as close to the corners and away from frequent contact areas as possible.
When the circuits were all set up, the interior of the house had changed.
The originally plain white walls were covered with wood-grain wallpaper, giving the impression of a cabin nestled in the woods, which was quite interesting.
After looking around, Ning Xin ran to Nie Ran, who was doing finishing touches, and exclaimed in surprise, “I didn’t expect you to be such a fast learner. You only read a few days’ worth of books, and now you’re already proficient at it.”
Nie Ran couldn’t help but smile at the corner of his mouth, but he poured cold water on her.
“Don’t get too excited yet. We haven’t used it yet; there might still be problems.”
“Well, let’s open it and give it a try.”
The furniture was all placed in their respective spots, and the plugs were connected.
Everything was ready; they just needed to flip the switch.
Nie Ran swiftly trimmed the wallpaper in his hand, smoothing out the corners neatly and tidying up the tools before walking to the main circuit breaker.
The circuit breaker was located in Ning Xin’s room on the second floor, covered with a plastic lid.
He gently lifted it.
With a few soft clicks, the lights came on, and the appliances started running.
Ning Xin looked up at the air conditioner for a moment, then couldn’t help but turn around and hug Nie Ran, burying her head in his chest.
“We have electricity now.”
From having no food to now having everything they needed, she couldn’t imagine the changes that had occurred during this time.
The surprise came too suddenly, and Nie Ran was momentarily stunned. After realizing, he prepared to hug her back.
Lang Xiao suddenly ran to the door, his face full of fear.
“The director, the refrigerator in the kitchen suddenly made a noise, is it broken?”
Ning Xin raised her head and let go of Nie Ran’s hand, smiling as she walked over.
“It’s not broken, it’s powered on. Come on, let’s put the food in.”
The two walked downstairs side by side. In the bedroom, Nie Ran’s hand still awkwardly hung in the air.
He smiled and put his hand in his pocket, leisurely walking downstairs.
There was still plenty of time; he wasn’t in a hurry.
With electricity in the asylum, life became quite comfortable.
They could cook a bit more and store leftovers in the refrigerator. The oven could bake sweet potatoes, egg tarts, and even a whimsical little cake.
Using the washing machine was a bit troublesome; they needed to go to the forest to fetch water beforehand. However, Nie Ran and Lang Xiao took care of this task, and she only needed to throw the clothes into the washing machine.
Their emotions were also stable under the control of medication. Except for needing to be extra careful at night, most of the time they would eat, drink, relax, or go for walks in the flower fields together.
Days passed quickly, and one day Ning Xin got up and found out that she had gained five pounds.
This made her feel uneasy. During breakfast, she solemnly announced, “We can’t continue to be so idle.”
It was time to move on to the next world.
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