After leaving the post office, Mu Wanwan went house-hunting. She had saved up quite a bit of money by now—enough to rent a suitable place.
At the end of the month, she and Wen Lin would divorce. She certainly couldn’t continue living with him after that. She needed somewhere of her own.
For the time being, she didn’t plan to leave Beijing. It wasn’t just about doing business—more importantly, she wanted to continue her education.
The college entrance examination hadn’t yet been reinstated. Only a handful of technical secondary schools were still enrolling students, and those focused strictly on vocational skills.
But she carried memories from her previous life. She knew that in less than two years, the national college entrance exam would officially resume. When that time came, she wanted to try.
Beijing had the most schools and the best educational resources. Although she had attended high school before, it had been in the countryside, and her grades were only average.
In her previous life, she had endured plenty of mockery for being uneducated. She had always been interested in English and had even self-studied for a period. But as her relationship with Wen Lin grew increasingly strained, she lost the heart to continue.
This time, she would pick up her interests again. After the exam resumed, the importance of English would steadily rise—and talented individuals in that field would be scarce.
She wanted to earn money through business, yes—but she also wanted academic achievement.
She arrived at a residential compound in western Beijing. In her previous life, property here had continued to appreciate; even if you had money, you might not be able to buy.
The location was excellent, surrounded by hospitals, schools, and various shops—extremely convenient for daily life.
Besides small single-story houses, there were also standalone two-story homes with courtyards. From the outside, they looked impressive.
Mu Wanwan liked them very much—but she had to live within her means. She had only sixty yuan at the moment. Renting would have to do for now; buying could wait.
As for those two-story villas? She wouldn’t even dare dream of them anytime soon.
At the street corner, she spotted two middle-aged women chatting and quickly approached to ask whether anyone nearby had houses for rent.
The neighborhood aunties who gossiped daily at the corner usually knew everything. If you wanted information, they were the best source.
“Looking to rent, young lady?” asked one with short hair warmly.
“Yes. If there’s a suitable place, I’d like to rent for a while.”
“What a coincidence! There are indeed a few families wanting to rent out their homes. Why don’t I take you to have a look?”
“That would be wonderful. Thank you so much.”
Mu Wanwan could tell the woman was kindhearted.
After saying goodbye to her friend, the short-haired woman led Mu Wanwan away.
“Where’s your family from? You’re such a pretty girl. Renting alone can be dangerous.”
“I’m from Zhejiang Province. I came here to stay with relatives, but it’s inconvenient to live with them long-term, so I thought I’d rent a place.”
“That’s good you know someone here. My surname’s Liu—just call me Auntie Liu. We live near that street corner. If you end up renting here, come find me if you need anything. It’s not easy for a young girl so far from home.”
Warmth spread through Mu Wanwan’s chest.
No matter the era, there were always kind people.
“Thank you, Auntie Liu. I could tell at first glance you’re warmhearted!”
“You’ve got good judgment then!” Auntie Liu laughed heartily, pleased by the sweet-talking girl.
The two quickly grew friendly as they chatted along the way.
Auntie Liu showed her two houses, but Mu Wanwan wasn’t satisfied. She didn’t need a large space, but she wanted a small courtyard and an indoor bathroom.
“No problem. Two more families are renting. Let’s go take a look,” Auntie Liu said without the slightest impatience.
The third house was fairly spacious—two bedrooms, a courtyard, and an indoor bathroom. It was clean and fully furnished.
There was even a small patch in the yard for growing vegetables or flowers. Mu Wanwan liked it, but the rent was steep: ten yuan a month.
That wasn’t cheap. She felt a pang of reluctance.
As Auntie Liu helped her bargain with the landlord at the doorway, Mu Wanwan suddenly heard someone call her name from behind.
She turned and saw Ju Bairan standing not far away, surprise flickering in her eyes.
“What are you doing here?”
From a distance, Ju Bairan had thought the figure resembled her. Up close, it truly was.
“I’m looking to rent a house. What about you?”
“I live here. My house is just up ahead.”
He pointed toward the area with the standalone two-story villas.
Mu Wanwan wasn’t surprised. She had long known he came from a well-off family.
“Why are you suddenly renting?”
He knew she was married and where she lived. Why move here all of a sudden?
“It’s a personal matter. Renting is more convenient,” she replied vaguely.
He nodded and, recognizing the landlord, joined in the bargaining. In the end, they settled at eight yuan per month.
Delighted, Mu Wanwan paid three months upfront and signed a rental contract. She would rent for a year, paying monthly after the initial three months.
Auntie Liu knew of the Ju family—they were the wealthiest in the area. She hadn’t expected Mu Wanwan to know Ju Bairan as well.
The two stood side by side—handsome and beautiful, quite well-matched. Auntie Liu couldn’t help letting her imagination wander, a gossiping smile creeping onto her face.
Unaware of her thoughts, Mu Wanwan thanked her again.
“We’re neighbors now—no need for thanks! I’ve got to go cook dinner. I’ll head back!”
After Auntie Liu left, Ju Bairan and Mu Wanwan followed the landlord inside for another look.
When they came out, he asked, “Does the place lack anything? When you move in, I can have someone help you arrange it.”
She shook her head. “It’s fully furnished. Nothing’s missing.”
“Would you like to visit my house?”
He extended the invitation sincerely. Though he knew she came from a rural village in Zhejiang, he had never looked down on her. On the contrary, he found her remarkable.
Her business acumen alone was impressive—most girls her age were still preoccupied with looking pretty.
“Not today. Thank you for helping earlier. I’ll send a small gift tomorrow.”
He had helped lower the rent; she wouldn’t forget that favor.
“Alright, I’ll be waiting for it,” he replied with a grin.
The two walked forward chatting, neither noticing a pair of eyes watching them intently from a distance.