Chapter 77 Moving [VIP]
Chapter Summary: This just solved her immediate problem.
The apartment that Mu Zhi rented was found with the help of her agent.
The landlord claimed to be living abroad and had no plans to return to China in the next three years.
Two months ago, the one-year lease expired.
Mu Zhi thought about how she spent two-thirds of the year filming on set and staying in hotels. Plus, she was so busy filming that she didn't have time to go back to Beicheng to deal with moving.
So they renewed the lease for another year, and once again paid a year's rent.
Only two months later, the landlord suddenly said he was going back to his home country.
With only two days left until Lunar New Year's Eve, it's very difficult to find a suitable place to move to during this time of year.
Mu Zhi negotiated with the landlord to see if she could have some time to find a new place and move out after the Spring Festival holiday.
The landlord's attitude was very firm, leaving no room for negotiation.
"I will stay here after I return to China."
"You have three days to move out."
"I'll return your deposit and the remaining rent to you, and even compensate you for one month's rent, okay?"
According to the signed contract, the landlord is liable for breach of contract because he did not notify the tenant in advance, and he must pay one month's rent in compensation.
In real life, some landlords take back their properties, give you advance notice, and you both directly agree on a move-out date. Compensating the tenant? That's unheard of.
Negotiations with the landlord were unsuccessful.
Mu Zhi contacted several real estate agencies online, but half of them were on holiday.
Several real estate agents subtly indicated that the day after tomorrow is Lunar New Year's Eve, and everyone is busy preparing for the holiday. Generally, landlords are not in a hurry to rent out their properties during the Lunar New Year period, as it is considered unlucky. Therefore, they cannot arrange viewings.
I had no choice but to call my agent and explain the moving situation.
Ji Binghe, who was on the other end of the phone, was furious when she heard this.
"The landlord's decision to return to China couldn't have been made just today; he must have been planning it for at least two weeks."
But Mu Zhi was notified only two days before she was to return to China.
They chose this time of year, around the Lunar New Year.
"This landlord was introduced by a friend of a friend. I contacted my friend to ask the landlord about the specific reasons for returning to China, and to see if we could negotiate a solution. It's not easy to find a place during the Chinese New Year."
Mu Zhi: "No need, their attitude is very firm."
She contacted her agent to ask if there was anywhere she could rent, even a warehouse, as long as she could store her things.
"They need to remove all the furniture and small items I bought when I moved in, and then hire someone to clean the house and restore it to its original state before I moved in."
Hearing the agent say, "Keep your things with me for now. Are you still going on your trip as planned? If not, come stay with me for a few days."
Ji Binghe flew back to her hometown from Beicheng this morning; she is no longer in Beicheng.
I'll be back in a few days.
There are too many things like beds, sofas, tables, and chairs. If they were all moved into Ji Binghe's house, there probably wouldn't be any room for anyone to step inside.
Mu Zhi has already canceled her travel plans. Before she can get the move sorted out, her pile of furniture and luggage is still a mess and she's not in the mood to deal with it.
“I can stay in a hotel for a few days, but the main thing is to move all the furniture out of the house.”
We need to move out before the landlord steps into the house.
I don't know if it was just her imagination.
Was the landlord not very friendly to her?
She doesn't want to trend on social media because of moving during the Lunar New Year, and she doesn't want the things she bought and put in her rented apartment to be casually "inspected," photographed, or even posted online, as it would make her feel offended.
"Okay, I'll contact my friend and ask. I'll call you back later."
After ending the call.
Ji Binghe still called her friend, asking her friend to find out from her friend why the landlord was in such a hurry to return to China.
Does he harbor any hostility towards Mu Zhi?
Ji Binghe accompanied Mu Zhi throughout the entire process of renting the house. The house was newly renovated, had never been lived in, and had no furniture.
The furniture that Mu Zhi bought herself after renting the house.
The landlord has given Muzhi three days to move out without prior notice. No tenant would have a good impression of the landlord, and they would not leave their furniture behind. They would definitely hire someone to move everything out.
The landlord claimed that he was staying for the Chinese New Year, and the day after tomorrow is Lunar New Year's Eve. Even if he had prepared in advance and ordered all the furniture, he could only move the furniture in after Mu Zhi had finished moving in by tomorrow.
Is it realistic to have all the furniture delivered, installed, and ready for occupancy on New Year's Eve?
Waiting for my friend to reply.
Ji Binghe contacted several friends to inquire about rental options. The timing of the Chinese New Year was too harsh; as expected, it was almost impossible to find a satisfactory place to rent.
Some wealthy friends have vacant houses, but the relationship isn't that good. Considering that Mu Zhi is an artist, it's best to be cautious to avoid unnecessary trouble.
In a flash, Ji Binghe thought of someone.
She really had a brain fart; she went the long way around instead of the easy way.
Isn't there a super-rich second-generation heir right next to me? He owns at least several properties in Beicheng. Asking him for help is more reliable than asking anyone else.
It can also solve the housing problem once and for all.
Lanxing Media, General Manager's Office.
This is He Zhiyue's last working day before her leave.
He put on his coat, grabbed his phone, and was about to leave the office to go home early.
My phone rang.
It was a phone call from Ji Binghe.
After finishing the call, He Zhiyue took off her coat and hung it up again, then called Luke into her office.
Luke knew his boss was about to leave work, so he assumed there was some urgent matter to attend to when he was suddenly called in.
The boss then asked, "Luke, could you help me find out how much the monthly rent is for an apartment in Donghua Mansion? Prepare a rental contract."
When Luke first heard his boss's instructions, he was stunned for two seconds.
As far as he knew, the boss lived in Donghua Mansion, where the buildings had two units per floor.
The floor where the boss lives, and both apartments belong to him.
Because one person doesn't like living in such a large house, they didn't combine the two houses.
When the boss asked how much the monthly rent was, excluding the possibility that he wanted to rent another house, it seemed that he was planning to rent out another vacant house.
In the brief moment when Luke was distracted, he heard his boss continue giving instructions:
"Your flight home is tomorrow afternoon? How about you reschedule for the day after tomorrow at noon, work an extra day tomorrow, and I'll pay you triple your salary?"
I have something for you to do.
Luke's mind raced as he checked his phone to see if there were still tickets available for flights the day after tomorrow.
If I take the flight back the day after tomorrow at noon, I'll still be able to make it back in time for New Year's Eve dinner.
Earning triple pay for working an extra day is a great opportunity that shouldn't be missed.
"Mr. He, yes, no problem."
I immediately changed my flight to noon the day after tomorrow.
Ask your boss what the work schedule is for tomorrow.
He Zhiyue coughed lightly: "Help Teacher Mu move."
Luke: ? ? ?
"This matter must be kept secret from others."
During her phone call with Ji Binghe, He Zhiyue mentioned that she had a spare house that she could rent to Mu Zhi.
Ji Binghe agreed and said she would talk to Mu Zhi about the house later.
He Zhiyue wondered if Mu Zhi would have any reservations about living on the same floor as him. To dispel Mu Zhi's concerns and to show that living on the same floor would not bring any burden to Mu Zhi as her boss, he asked Lu Ke to contact Mu Zhi to push things forward.
He doesn't get involved personally and maintains a sense of boundary with Mu Zhi.
Mu Zhi received a call back from her agent.
"I asked a friend why the landlord is so eager for you to move out..."
Mu Zhi listened quietly as her agent continued speaking, while Ji Binghe on the other end of the phone remained silent for a while before continuing.
"It is true that the landlord has decided to return to China to develop his career."
"But they didn't notify you in advance, and choosing this time of year, the Lunar New Year, was intentional."
"She is one of Du Xixi's overseas fan site managers."
Mu Zhi: ? Magical, crazy, it's simply unbelievable.
"She knows that Du Qianqian and you auditioned for 'Back to 17,' but the director chose you for the role, believing that you stole Du Qianqian's film opportunity; Du Qianqian's new dramas 'Huang Quan Bi Luo' and 'Yao Ling Lu' are competing against each other, and your data and popularity on various lists have surpassed Du Qianqian's..."
Thus, Du Qianqian's fans regarded Mu Zhi's fans as their new rivals and became hostile towards Mu Zhi.
The personal ID information used by Muzhi to rent a house.
The landlord knew that the person renting his house was the celebrity Mu Zhi, and deliberately orchestrated this whole thing to make Mu Zhi unhappy and embarrassed, hoping that she would end up trending on social media because she was evicted by the landlord and had to move out during the Chinese New Year.
They're criticizing Mu Zhi for being a high-paid celebrity who's playing the victim...
Next, Ji Binghe told him about the fact that her boss, He Zhiyue, had a vacant house.
She also made it clear to Mu Zhi.
"The boss has two apartments in Donghua Mansion, on the same floor. He lives in one and plans to rent out the other one, which is vacant. Donghua Mansion is in a good location, close to the company, and he occasionally comes to stay there."
I worked with Mr. He for two years. He's a typical workaholic, has a clean personal life, and is a good person. You could consider moving in temporarily, and then move out later if you find something you like.
Ji Binghe supported Mu Zhi moving to Donghua Mansion.
"After what happened with the landlord surnamed Cen, I think it's safer and more reliable for you to rent a house from the landlord. There might not be as many messy things going on, and if you encounter any trouble in the community, you'll have someone to look after you."
Think it over carefully tonight. The boss said if you're interested in renting, contact Luke to sign the contract; you need to move in before New Year's Eve...
Mu Zhi said she would need to think about it.
After ending the call with the agent.
Mu Zhi sat on the sofa, thinking. She had actually considered asking Zhou Jingzhu for help.
Unfortunately, Zhou Jingzhu had a falling out with her family because of her relationship with her rapper boyfriend. Recently, she made a bold statement in a group chat, saying that she could make a living in the entertainment industry even without her family's support.
Therefore, Zhou Jingzhu was being defiant and wouldn't touch the property her family had given her.
Mu Zhi then decided it was inappropriate to trouble the other party.
I received a message from my agent and opened it.
It was Luke's agent who sent him a WeChat message.
[Ji Binghe] You can ask Luke for photos of the house and inquire about the rent.
[Muzhi] Okay.
Mu Zhi thought she'd take a look at the house first, so she added Luke on WeChat.
The other person seemed to be looking at their phone and accepted the friend request in a second.
Mu Zhi sent a message saying "Hello, Assistant Lu," and Lu Ke immediately sent several photos of the house.
The house is fully furnished, but there is no furniture.
Three bedrooms, one living room, two bathrooms, one kitchen, 150 square meters, well-ventilated from north to south, two balconies, tastefully decorated, large bedrooms with good natural light and a good view.
As one of the high-end residential communities in Beicheng, Donghua Mansion ranks among the top in Beicheng in terms of its green environment, property management, and security. Several well-known celebrities also live here.
Mu Zhi was somewhat tempted.
She may never find a house as satisfactory as this again.
I asked about the price.
The rent for one month is equivalent to several months' rent for the house she currently lives in.
Of course, one is a three-bedroom apartment and the other is a one-bedroom apartment. The location, community facilities, and apartment layout are also completely different.
Mu Zhi filmed three movies, but the pay wasn't much. The money she saved mainly came from endorsement income.
In her original world, after being taken back by her biological parents, her mother was a three-time Golden Horse Award-winning actress and her father was a businessman. Her family was well-off and she lived a comfortable life.
Here, after she became famous, she didn't immediately move out of her one-bedroom apartment. It wasn't that she had low material desires, but rather that she didn't have much money on hand and had many expenses, so she thought it best to move to a new place in one go.
Therefore, living in Donghua Mansion does not yet meet Mu Zhi's previous standard of living.
She can afford to live there now.
I checked online and found that the monthly rent for apartments of the same type in Donghua Mansion is about the same as the price quoted by Luke.
He Zhiyue did not lower the price because Mu Zhi was a company employee, which is good.
Mu Zhi will not feel guilty.
She could consider it as a landlord surnamed He having a house to rent, and she needed to rent a house and was satisfied with the house; this transaction was a win-win situation for both parties.
Mu Zhi made a decision and arranged to meet Lu Ke early the next morning to see the house. If it matched the pictures, they could sign the contract immediately.
The next day, Mu Zhi went to Donghuafu residential area to look at houses.
Luke accompanied them, but the boss, He Zhiyue, did not show up.
"President He entrusted me with handling the rental matter entirely on his behalf."
"Okay, thank you."
After visiting the house in person, Mu Zhi found the quality of the renovation to be even better than in the photos, and she was very satisfied.
This house is actually quite nice.
I reviewed the contract that Luke had prepared; there were no problems.
They signed the contract on the spot and paid a year's rent in one lump sum.
After putting the contract into his briefcase, Luke smiled at Mu Zhi and said, "Teacher Mu, as a collaborating artist with Lanxing Media, the rent is charged according to the market rate, without any discount."
However, Mr. He instructed me to handle your move. A friend of mine runs a moving company, and today is his last day working there.
As he spoke, he raised his hand and glanced at his watch to check the time.
“It’s 10 a.m. now. I’ll call them right away and tell them that we expect to finish moving everything by 6 p.m. today, just in time for them to get off work.”
Inquire with Muzhi whether she needs the complimentary moving service.
Mu Zhi: "...Okay, thank you."
The free moving service came just in time to solve her urgent problem.
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