Early the next morning, Song Xinran got up. She changed into relatively new clothes, wore freshly washed white shoes, and tied her shoulder-length hair into a ponytail, making her look very energetic.
Song Xinwen noticed and couldn't help asking: "Xinran, are you going to town again today?"
Song Xinran: "Yes, I should be able to finish everything today."
Song Xinwen looked her over several times and nodded affirmatively: "You look good dressed like this, pretty. It's like you've become a different person compared to when you first came back a few days ago."
Song Xinran smiled: "I've been eating well and sleeping well at home, plus Sister is here, of course I'm in good spirits. I'll head to town first."
Watching her younger sister's retreating figure, Song Xinwen's smile was evident. She had originally worried that Song Xinran's introverted nature and poor communication skills might make her vulnerable to bullying outside, but this time upon returning, she felt her sister had changed significantly – not only had she become more talkative, but she also spoke pleasantly, with completely different energy and spirit.
Even if she couldn't return to the glass factory, she might still find other work.
When Song Xinran arrived in town and got off the motorcycle, she went straight to the Third Middle School. She had only walked a few steps when a voice called out to her:
"Young lady!"
Song Xinran turned to look. The person calling her was a woman in her sixties or seventies, wearing a navy blue top, carrying a basket on her back, with mud all over her rubber shoes.
"Young lady, do you know how to get to Mingxiang Restaurant?"
Having explored every corner of the small town over the past couple of days, Song Xinran nodded: "Auntie, follow this road until you reach a place called Xinlv Stationery Shop, turn left there, then turn right when you see the Rural Credit Cooperative, and you'll arrive after walking a few more steps."
The woman looked somewhat embarrassed: "What does this Xinlv Stationery Shop look like? I can't read."
Song Xinran thought that even with description, the woman might still get lost. She glanced at her watch – there was still plenty of time before her appointment – and said: "Auntie, come with me. I'm heading that way too."
The woman quickly thanked her: "Thank you, young lady. I'm going to my niece's house. The last time I came was several years ago, and I've forgotten how to get to her place. I only remember it's next to Mingxiang Restaurant."
Song Xinran smiled: "No problem, auntie. It's on my way anyway."
After walking for about ten minutes, they reached the restaurant entrance. Song Xinran asked concerned: "Auntie, do you know where your niece's house is now?"
The woman nodded, pointing to the residential area next to it: "As soon as I saw the restaurant, it came back to me. It's right next door. Thank you, young lady. Come up for some water."
Song Xinran glanced at the residential area. This was the best housing in town – renting here would cost at least five hundred per month. Song Xinran had no money and had never been inside to see the houses. She politely declined: "No need, auntie. I have other matters to attend to."
After seeing the woman off, Song Xinran first went to a fruit shop and bought two jin of apples, specifically choosing the best-looking Red Fuji apples, spending five yuan in total.
Carrying the apples, when she reached the building opposite the middle school, she saw Huang Yun chatting with someone. Song Xinran called out: "Sister Yun, sorry I'm late. Have you been waiting long?"
Yesterday, Huang Yun had said she would help inquire about rentals and they had agreed to meet here at nine o'clock today. It was still a few minutes before nine.
Huang Yun said: "You're not late. There's no market today, and I had nothing to do at home anyway. I just like going out for walks."
Song Xinran handed over the apples: "Sister Yun, I saw these apples on my way here and they looked pretty good. Please try them."
Huang Yun, who lived in the town, could tell at a glance that the apples weren't cheap and quickly tried to decline them.
Song Xinran said, "It's nothing expensive, Sister Yun. Please take them. If I hadn't run into you yesterday, I'd still be running around like a headless fly."
After several rounds of polite refusals, Huang Yun finally accepted the apples and said with a smile, "You're just too polite. It was nothing—I only asked around for you and didn't really do much."
Then she noticed Song Xinran's outfit and added, "You look very sharp today."
Song Xinran smiled. "I thought if I dressed neatly to meet the landlord, they'd see me as someone tidy and feel more comfortable renting to me."
Huang Yun praised, "That's a good idea. Many landlords are picky about tenants these days. Come on in, have some water, and I'll tell you about the available rooms. You can decide which one to see first."
Huang Yun brought the apples home, placed them on the coffee table, and began explaining to Song Xinran.
"One is next to the market, on the second floor. It has only one bedroom, but the kitchen is spacious. However, the toilet is out in the hallway. It's for your exclusive use—the other units on that floor have their own bathrooms. This one is cheap, just 120 a month."
"The other place is also nice—spacious, on the third floor, with two bedrooms, plus its own kitchen and bathroom. It was originally the landlord's own home, so the interior is well-decorated. The only downside is it's farther from here, near the post office, and costs 220 a month."
Huang Yun continued, "There are quite a few places available now, but not many have both a kitchen and bathroom inside. Floors that are too high make going up and down inconvenient every day. These two are the most suitable options. Which one would you like to see first?"
Song Xinran observed Huang Yun's expression. "Sister Yun, thank you so much. Just from your description, I can tell these are much better than the ones I saw before."
"But…" she said, "Sister Yun, it seems like there's something else you want to say. Please, just tell me directly. I'm already so grateful for all the help you've given me."
When speaking with others, Song Xinran liked to watch their face closely, and she hadn't missed the fleeting hesitation on Huang Yun's expression earlier.
Sure enough, upon hearing this, Huang Yun replied, "Alright, dear, I'll be straightforward. Actually, I know of another place that meets all your requirements. It's on the first floor of the building right next to mine. It's just… the landlord is difficult to deal with."
"I knew the previous tenant. She said the landlord has a strange temper—always demanding rent before it's due, never fixing anything that breaks, and she didn't even return their security deposit when they moved out!"
Huang Yun added, "The place itself is good. I'm just worried you might get taken advantage of by the landlord."
Song Xinran asked, "Do you know the landlord, Sister Yun?"
Huang Yun replied, "Not well. I only met her when she first bought the place. She's a woman in her thirties or forties—I've never seen her husband or children. She moved elsewhere later and has been renting it out since. The previous tenant moved out almost two months ago."
Song Xinran thanked Huang Yun first, then tactfully expressed that no matter which place she rented or what happened afterward, she wouldn't blame Huang Yun, since Huang Yun was only providing information and the final decision was her own.
Hearing this, Huang Yun understood and smiled. "Alright then, I'll take you to see the landlord."
As they walked and talked along the way, they soon arrived at Mingxiang Restaurant. Huang Yun entered the adjacent residential area: "The landlord lives here now. This is the only apartment complex in town, and the prices are quite high."
Song Xinran followed Huang Yun up to the third floor, where Huang Yun knocked on the green-painted security door.
After a short while, the door opened, revealing a woman in a white blouse standing at the entrance.
Huang Yun smiled and said, "Xiaomei, didn't you want to rent out your house near No. 3 Middle School? My younger sister here is interested in renting it."
Before Song Xinran could speak, Wan Mei said, "Sister, I'm not renting out that house anymore."
Huang Yun was taken aback: "Has someone already rented it, or are you planning to move in yourself?"
Wan Mei frowned slightly: "Renting it out is too troublesome. I've decided not to do it."
Taking in the interior decor of the home and the woman's expression, Song Xinran understood immediately that she genuinely didn't want to rent out the property and wasn't in need of money.
She said, "I'm sorry to have disturbed you."
Then turning to Huang Yun, she added, "Sister Yun, let's go for now and look at other options."
"Xiaomei, who's there?" At that moment, an elderly woman's voice came from inside the house.
Wan Mei turned to look: "Aunt, it's nothing. You should rest."
A middle-aged woman with short hair, wearing a navy blue top, came into the living room and immediately spotted Song Xinran. She exclaimed, "Young lady!"
She turned to Wan Mei and said, "Xiaomei, this is the young lady I told you about who gave me directions and even personally brought me to Mingxiang Restaurant!"
Wan Mei looked surprised.
Huang Yun also glanced at Song Xinran, not expecting her to have had such an encounter.
Song Xinran didn't appear overly flattered but simply smiled and greeted, "Auntie."
Wan Mei then took a closer look at Song Xinran, a smile appearing on her face: "Please come in and sit for a while. My aunt has been talking nonstop since she arrived about meeting a kind person who brought her right to the building, though she regretted not inviting you up for some water."
Naturally, Song Xinran and Huang Yun didn't refuse.
After they entered, Wan Mei observed Song Xinran carefully. Noting that she was dressed neatly and even her shoes were spotlessly clean, she couldn't help but feel a bit of goodwill toward her.
Wan Mei was somewhat particular about cleanliness. The last time she rented out the house, the tenant left it in a mess when moving out, and she had to hire someone to clean it. Since it was difficult to find help in town, the whole process had been especially troublesome.
However, being well-dressed and clean was one thing; she still needed to ask questions on the other hand. She couldn't rent the house to someone just because they had helped her aunt.
"Young lady," Wan Mei asked, "how many people are in your family?"
Song Xinran understood that she was asking how many people would be living in the rented house. She replied, "If I rent the place, it will just be me and my son. He's four years old this year and very well-behaved. He never scribbles on the walls or makes a mess."
Wan Mei gave Song Xinran another look. Before she had even stated her requirements, the other party had already addressed them. She seemed like a clean and intelligent person, and Wan Mei preferred talking to smart people—it made further conversation less need for beating around the bush. "Young lady, I'll be straightforward," she said. "I don't work around here usually and don't come back to Lingde Town often. If anything in the house breaks, you'll have to find someone to fix it yourself. Keep the receipts, and the repair costs will be deducted from the rent."
"I'm quite particular. The condition of the house when you move in must be the same when you move out, otherwise, I won't return the security deposit. By the way, you do know that nowadays renting requires not only paying rent but also a security deposit, right?"
The aunt standing nearby found the remark a bit sharp and quickly tried to smooth things over: "Xiaomei, this young lady is a good one."
Song Xinran smiled warmly and said, "Auntie, it's better for Xiaomei to clarify things now to avoid future misunderstandings. I'm just glad she's willing to show me the house. The things she mentioned are basic expectations, and I understand them all—I'll make sure to follow them."
A glimmer of satisfaction appeared in Wan Mei's eyes. She disliked vague arrangements that could lead to disputes later. Seeing that Song Xinran was sensible, she said directly, "Then I'll take you to see the house now. If you like it, you can rent it."
On the way there, Huang Yun had told Song Xinran how excellent the house was—spacious, bright, well-proportioned, with a great surrounding environment, and located on the first floor.
By then, Song Xinran was already looking forward to it. She knew Huang Yun wasn't one to exaggerate.
When the door opened, Song Xinran saw that the house was even better than Huang Yun had described. The windows were clear, the rooms spotless, and the white walls were completely free of stains.
The main room was furnished with tables, chairs, stools, and a cool recliner. Both bedrooms had good natural light, and the bed frames even had mattresses on them. The windows were fitted with curtains, and as the breeze blew in, it carried with it a roomful of bright sunlight.
Huang Yun was astonished and murmured, "How is it even better than when I saw it last?"
Huang Yun had been on good terms with the previous tenant and had visited before. Back then, the main room was cluttered with belongings, and the walls were covered with decorative flowers, making it feel crowded. Now, with everything cleared out, she realized how spacious it actually was.
Hearing Huang Yun's comment, Wan Mei lifted the corner of her lips slightly. "After the last tenant moved out, I hired someone to clean thoroughly. It took a lot of effort to remove the wall stickers—they even damaged the walls when peeled off, so I had to hire someone to repair them."
Song Xinran looked around and said, "You have great taste, Mei. The plain white walls look beautiful—simple and elegant. They go well with any furniture or color scheme. It's a timeless style."
With that, Wan Mei didn't need to remind Song Xinran not to stick things randomly on the walls. Instead, she felt that Song Xinran shared her aesthetic sense and had good taste.
After touring the house, Song Xinran was genuinely impressed—it far exceeded her expectations. She assumed the rent wouldn't be cheap.
But having seen such a nice place, she felt that the others she'd viewed before couldn't compare. Even if it was a bit more expensive, she decided to rent this one.
"Mei, this house is truly wonderful—great lighting, good airflow, a practical layout, and the interior is clean and tastefully decorated. I really love this style. If I rent it, I'll take good care of everything. How much is the monthly rent?"
Wan Mei thought for a moment and quoted a price: "One hundred and eighty per month."
Author's note: