Meng Yao smiled and explained, “Auntie, I’d like to eat meals at your house for the time being, but I can’t keep eating and drinking here for free.
“You may not mind, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable. That’s why you must accept this money.”
Zhang Guilan hurriedly pushed it back.
Meng Yao had just been driven out of her home and probably had barely any money on her. How could she possibly accept it?
She frowned and said angrily, “Are you treating Auntie like an outsider?
“I already told you that since the Meng family doesn’t want you, you’ll be my biological daughter from now on.
“By doing this, are you looking down on Auntie?”
Meng Yao had already expected Zhang Guilan to say this, so she had prepared an answer.
“Auntie, had I treated you like an outsider, I wouldn’t have come back today.
“It’s precisely because I consider you family that I’m contributing to the household expenses.
“If you truly regard me as your daughter, then consider this money as something you’re keeping safe for me.
“I’ll only feel at ease if it’s with you.”
Whether she took it back in the future was another matter.
For now, she first had to persuade Zhang Guilan to accept it so she could eat there without feeling guilty.
Zhang Guilan had never been good with words. She could only speak forcefully when arguing with someone.
When it came to refusing a younger person’s request, she was softhearted and could never win.
“All right, then…
“But we have an agreement. Whenever you need money in the future, come and ask Auntie for it.
“If you don’t need it, I’ll save all of it for your future wedding.”
In Meng Yao’s previous life, when she married Qi Yunhai, Li Yuqin had given her nothing.
She had merely bought a few quilts at the last minute for Meng Yao to take with her.
Because of this, Meng Yao had been unable to hold her head high in front of the Qi family.
Every time they argued or beat her, they brought it up to humiliate her again.
Meng Yao had already hated them for it.
Now that she had something to compare it with, she hated them even more.
Her nose suddenly stung, and she threw her arms around Zhang Guilan.
“Thank you, Auntie. You treat me so well.”
That only strengthened her decision never to ask for the money back.
She also secretly decided that once her life became stable, she would bring Zhang Guilan and her son to live with her in the new house.
She could have a family again.
Meng Yao took her identification card and newly issued household registration booklet to the real estate transaction center.
Since all the procedures had already been completed, she successfully received the property ownership certificate.
Looking at the shining booklet in her hand, she smiled so widely that she could not close her mouth.
Whether in her previous life or this one, Meng Yao had always dreamed of owning a home that truly belonged to her.
In her previous life, after Qi Yunhai beat her and she escaped back to the Meng residence, the Meng family drove her away on the grounds that they had already severed ties with her.
She hid beneath a bridge but was nearly assaulted by a group of homeless men.
With nowhere else to go, she was eventually dragged back to the Qi family and placed under confinement.
In this life, she would never suffer as miserably as she had before.
Meng Yao tightly hugged the property certificate and followed the address written on it to find her new house.
The moment she saw it, she was stunned by its beauty.
It had a distinctly French architectural style, and the house looked several times newer than it had in the marketplace photos.
It seemed that she had truly found a treasure this time.
In this era, anyone capable of furnishing such a home had to be either wealthy or powerful.
The system gave a timely notification.
“This house was purchased by a foreign businessman while he was conducting business in China.
“It had been completed and renovated less than a year earlier when he suddenly withdrew his investment and returned to his country because of family circumstances.
“It was then left behind as a foreclosed property.
“When the host purchased it, the listing had only just been released, and very few people knew about it.
“Before insiders could arrange the payment, we acquired it at the highest price and fastest possible speed.”
Meng Yao’s vision darkened as she sensed something ominous.
“What was the opening bid?”
“1,780 yuan.”
“…”
So she had paid seven or eight hundred yuan more than the starting price.
That amount alone could have purchased an apartment in a high-rise building in an average location.
Meng Yao gritted her teeth and praised sarcastically, “You did an excellent job.”
The system replied, “Thank you for the compliment!”
Meng Yao was speechless.
Although she had paid a high price, she had to admit that the house was truly impressive and completely worth it.
In front of the house was a small courtyard paved with smooth pebbles. Dense plants grew along its edges, though some had withered after going without water for so long.
On the right side of the courtyard was a small terrace supported by thin iron posts.
The black table and chairs displayed a strong French style.
Unlike traditional yellow wooden doors, the house had elegant, narrow black doorframes.
Dark, solid-colored wooden flooring covered the entire interior.
The walls were green on top and black on the bottom, accompanied by a complete set of French furniture.
It was obvious that the foreign owner had invested considerable care and effort in decorating the house.
Importing the furniture and appliances from overseas alone must have required enormous effort, not to mention the cost.
Meng Yao suddenly felt that the 2,433 yuan she had spent was not unreasonable at all.
On the contrary, she had made an incredible bargain.
Her anger disappeared.
Instead, she felt fortunate that she had acted quickly. Otherwise, the house would never have fallen into her hands.
Unable to contain her excitement, she rushed upstairs.
Although the house had only two floors, the interior was extremely spacious.
At the top of the stairs, the second floor was divided into two areas.
One side contained the adult bedroom, including a large master bedroom with a walk-in wardrobe.
The other side contained a child’s bedroom and a study.
The first floor had a large open kitchen, with the living room on one side and a storage room on the other.
Behind the kitchen was another open-air courtyard. A slightly rusty barbecue grill covered in dust stood there.
Foreigners truly knew how to enjoy life.
A small fountain stood in the center, surrounded by plants.
Returning to the comfortable living room, Meng Yao saw a red genuine-leather sofa against the wall, along with a dark-green coffee table.
There were also two expensive-looking vases.
After inspecting everything carefully, she realized that apart from essential personal items, there was almost nothing else she needed to purchase.
She lay flat on the cool wooden floor and stared directly at the metal blades of the ceiling fan.
“This is wonderful. I finally have a home of my own.”
Once she brought Aunt Zhang and Xiaohu over, the house would become lively and filled with the warmth of everyday life.
However, there was still one important matter she had not resolved—employment.
In her previous life, the Meng family had prevented her from continuing her education because they were plotting against her.
They had kept her at home like a caged bird, all so she would fall into the abyss and become unable to save herself.
Although she had been reborn at this particular point in time, she still had a chance to change her fate.
After an intense internal struggle between finding work and continuing her studies, Meng Yao firmly decided to take the college entrance examination again.
The next examination would be held in July of the following year, which meant she still had more than half a year to prepare.
Although she was only twenty years old, twenty more years had passed in her previous life.
She had probably forgotten nearly everything she had learned from her textbooks.
Therefore, she would have to pursue both her career and her studies at the same time.
Meng Yao entered her spatial realm and asked the system, “I want to buy intelligence-enhancing water.”
“Searching for a suitable match. Please wait…”
Ding!
Third-Generation Qingbei Intelligence-Enhancement Potion: 500 Yuan
The good news was that such a potion truly existed.
The system was practically invincible.
The bad news was that the purchase button was gray.
She did not have the authority to buy it directly.
Meng Yao became furious.
What was the point of showing it to her if she could not buy it?
“Then I want to purchase a shop. Are there any suitable properties?
“Preferably something like this house, where I can find another incredible bargain.
“Hehe…”
The system appeared speechless and practically rolled its eyes at her.
“No.”
Meng Yao’s expression darkened.
What a petty system!
“Reward of 10,000 yuan has been credited. Please check your account.”
Meng Yao quickly pulled out her new bankbook and discovered that the money had truly been deposited.
Her mood instantly improved.
It seemed that every time she completed an act beneficial to society, she would receive a reward.
The exact amount depended on how difficult the event had been.
She immediately glanced at the newly unlocked categories in the marketplace and discovered that poultry and livestock were now available for direct purchase.
She was overjoyed.
An idea quietly formed in her mind.
She now possessed such a vast spiritual lake. If she raised some animals there, fattened them, and sold them on the black market, she could earn money while also obtaining the various grain coupons needed for daily life.
That would allow her to save a considerable amount of money.
However, selling on the black market was risky and unsuitable as a long-term business.
Ultimately, purchasing a storefront would be much safer.
Moreover, the winds of reform and opening up would soon begin blowing strongly.
She had to seize this opportunity and ride that wave toward prosperity.
Meng Yao weighed the thick stack of ten-yuan notes in her hand.
“It doesn’t matter. I have money!
“Hurry and recommend some commercial properties in good locations and at reasonable prices.
“It’s not every day I get the chance to become a capitalist again. Today, I’m going to choose carefully.”
The system was speechless.