The cannon fodder in the substitute story tries hard to rewrite his life (9 chapters). Please add to your favorites...
In the third year of the mission, Chen Xia finally saved enough money to buy a house, thanks to the encouragement of the money-saving system.
Unfortunately, the apartment she had her eye on had already been sold last year.
The real estate agent was very helpful, searching everywhere for suitable properties for her, and finally found two apartments for sale in two nearby neighborhoods.
One of them is a penthouse duplex, priced at over 20 million, so we'll skip that.
However, the 95-square-meter apartment priced at 9.3 million yuan is in the same complex as the apartment Chen Xia looked at before, and the layout is also the kind that Chen Xia likes—a north-south facing apartment.
The owner was in a hurry to sell the house, so Chen Xia dragged Ling Yi along and they bargained down to 8.8 million.
Chen Xia ultimately chose to buy the property in full. Her previous plan was to make a down payment of five million yuan and then use a combination of housing provident fund and commercial loan to cover the remaining three million yuan.
With monthly repayments of around 17,000 yuan, plus the housing provident fund offset, you only need to repay around 8,000 yuan per month to get the loan.
But just as she was about to sign the purchase contract and apply for a loan, the money-saving cashback system popped up with a beep, rewarding her with a home-buying gift package - double cashback on full payment for the house.
Chen Xia immediately perked up and said to the real estate agent, "I've been thinking about it, and the mortgage application process is quite troublesome. How about we just buy it in full?"
Ask the seller if they're willing to lower the price; if they are, I'll buy it in full.
The homeowner was really anxious. As soon as she heard that she was willing to pay the full amount, he immediately agreed. He first took the initiative to lower the price by 50,000, and after some back and forth, the final transaction price was 8.7 million.
The moment the house was transferred and she received the property certificate, the money-saving system gave her a string of lottery numbers.
Chen Xia was amused by the stinginess of the money-saving system: "You're giving me a string of numbers and telling me to buy lottery tickets myself? I asked you before, and you said it yourself, that the lottery is a matter of probability, and you don't know what the winning numbers are. How come you suddenly know now?"
The money-saving system pretended to be dead, so Chen Xia poked it: "Now that I know the lottery numbers, can I buy a few more tickets? I'll definitely try to save money in the future. In that case, you can manage the money I earn from my part-time job, and you can give me a living allowance every month, okay?"
The money-saving system immediately came back to life: "No more than five bets. If you exceed that, I can't guarantee the winning numbers won't change."
Chen Xia readily agreed: "No problem, I'll buy five tickets."
Each bet has a prize of five million, and five bets will have a prize of 25 million, after deducting 20% personal income tax.
After all the formalities were completed, Chen Xia took the check to the bank next to the lottery center. That afternoon, Chen Xia found an extra 20 million in her bank account.
They bought the house, but Chen Xia didn't like the original decoration; their home looked like a hodgepodge.
The original homeowner said that he had previously delegated the renovation to his parents for a period of time to save trouble, resulting in the style going completely astray.
He tried to change it later, but the final result was a mix of his favorite French romantic style and his parents' favorite Chinese style, which was hard to describe.
As a result, he rarely comes to stay in the new house here, and he doesn't dare to bring friends home for gatherings, for fear that people will see him and say that he has bad taste.
Chen Xia comforted him: "The 'Blooming Flowers and Wealth' background wall in your house is actually quite luxurious. And your study is actually quite grand, really. With it decorated like that, I wouldn't dare to go in without formal attire."
The original homeowner said that he was not comforted at all. Thinking back to the battle of wits he had with his parents over the renovation, he couldn't help but shed a tear for himself.
Since she had plenty of money, Chen Xia simply hired renovation workers to restore the house to its bare state and renovate it in her preferred style.
With the house settled, the original owner's wish was basically fulfilled.
Why is it considered basic? Because there's another condition: hoping to find a suitable partner and have a lovely baby.
However, the understanding original owner probably also realized that getting married now is like a high-stakes gamble.
Just like when you try on shoes to buy them, they may fit perfectly, but once you bring them home and wear them for a long time, you'll know whether they rub or not. That's why she said she wouldn't force it.
Chen Xia felt that if she met someone who was so understanding and had given her a five-star review beforehand, she would fulfill that wish for her.
With this mindset, Chen Xia would actively go on dates whenever someone introduced her to a potential partner.
Although those blind dates were all just one meeting and nothing came of it, she was very positive and proper in her attitude.
Yu Tian's husband works at a game company in the science park, and he introduced Chen Xia to a young man from the company.
Two years older than Chen Xia, according to Yu's brother-in-law, the young man is very thrifty and hardworking, with no bad habits. He felt that he and Chen Xia were quite compatible, so he wanted them to arrange a meeting.
The meeting was scheduled for Saturday, a day when neither Chen Xia nor the young man named Yang Ye would be at work.
Chen Xia thought about meeting him on Saturday, having a meal, and if things went well, going to see a movie together. If not, she figured she could just split the bill and go to the movie by herself, so she agreed.
Yu Tian arranged to meet her at 11:30, thinking that since it was their first time meeting, it would be boring to just chat. They could eat lunch together and talk, which would at least ease the awkwardness of their first meeting.
Chen Xia arrived at 11:20, only to find that she was the first one there. Although she didn't believe that "the woman must be late for a blind date," she was still a little annoyed, after all, who likes a guy who isn't punctual?
She sat there waiting for twenty minutes when her blind date, a fair-skinned and thin young man, finally arrived late.
He gave Chen Xia a very bad first impression. If the maximum score is 100, he would score 20 in Chen Xia's mind.
First of all, if a guy is late for a blind date, it either shows he doesn't take it seriously or he's not punctual. Either way, it makes people uncomfortable.
Secondly, if the matchmaker, Brother-in-law Yu, had said that he looked like a greyhound, Chen Xia probably wouldn't have come at all.
Although she wanted to try her best to fulfill the original owner's wish, she wasn't really hungry, so she wouldn't be so desperate as to eat anything.
He was 1.75 meters tall and weighed only about 100 kilograms; he was so thin that a gust of wind could blow him away.
It's not that boys can't be thin, but he's not only thin, his complexion and overall condition are unhealthy, his steps are unsteady, and he walks with a weak and feeble gait. He looks like the kind of person who has irregular eating habits, often stays up late, and has extremely bad lifestyle habits.
Although Chen Xia is also this kind of person, she looks healthy and energetic. What is she looking for a suitable partner for? To get married and have children, to fulfill a mission, not to become someone else's nanny.
Yang Ye's eyes lit up when he saw Chen Xia. He quickly sat down and apologized, looking very sincere: "I'm sorry, something came up at the company and I'm late."
As you know, in our line of work, we might be called back to work overtime at any time.
Chen Xia smiled but didn't speak. To expect her to say it was alright was wishful thinking. At the same time, she mentally crossed him out; he was a liar.
Yang Ye thought Chen Xia would be understanding and help him out of the awkward situation, but she just smiled and didn't say anything, making the scene instantly awkward.
He chuckled twice and first gave a brief self-introduction. Yu Tian's partner said that Yang Ye was not good with words, but Chen Xia thought he was quite talkative.
He starts talking non-stop as soon as he sits down, and even eating can't shut him up.
The two of them met at a long-established Western restaurant that retained its 1980s style and had a nice atmosphere.
As for the food, the potato salad costing 32 yuan was... well, it felt like something left over that had been sitting in the fridge for a day or two.
The fried pork chop for 62 yuan was just average, not as crispy and fragrant as the ones Lingyi fried at home.
Imported Wagyu M9 ribeye costs 3 yuan per gram, and the taste is just so-so. Of course, this may also be because Chen Xia ordered it well-done.
Judging from Yang Ye's expression, he seemed to think she was a bit unsophisticated, since who would order a well-done steak at a Western restaurant?
Yang Ye, thinking himself very knowledgeable, told Chen Xia, "I think medium-rare is the best way to eat steak, as it preserves the tender texture and juiciness of the meat to the greatest extent."
Wagyu beef is too dry if eaten well-done; it's a waste of such a top-quality ingredient.
Chen Xia remained unmoved and calmly told the waiter, "Excuse me, I have a typical Chinese stomach and can't eat meat that's undercooked. Please tell the chef I want it well-done, is that possible?"
The waiter bowed slightly and said, "Of course I can serve you, lady. Don't worry, I will tell the kitchen to make sure you get your steak well-done."
Chen Xia's attitude clearly displeased Yang Ye, but considering that this was their first meeting, he wisely chose to change the subject in order to leave a good impression on Chen Xia.
"I heard Lei Ge tell me about Xiaxia's situation. I feel that your company must be quite busy. Is it like our company, where we often have to work overtime?"
Have you ever thought about changing to a less demanding job after getting married? After all, women still need to take care of their families more after marriage.
Of course, I'm the kind of open-minded person who would support my partner in continuing to develop their career. My parents were the same; for the first few years after we got married, they didn't come to Shanghai to live with us.
But I think it's important to strike a good balance between work and family, because as the eldest son, it will definitely be our responsibility to support our parents in the future.
Chen Xia put down her knife and fork: "Excuse me, it's you, not us. First of all, this is only our first blind date, whether it works out or not is another matter. Also, since it's a blind date, I think it's better to ask about many things directly."
Excuse me, how much is your monthly salary? I'm asking about your after-tax salary, the actual take-home pay.
"I actually received 28,000 yuan, but I also got a generous year-end bonus and stock options..."
Chen Xia nodded: "Okay, next question, do you own a house and a car? If not, when and how do you plan to buy one?"
Or let me put it another way: If you want to buy a house, how much down payment can your family help you with? Or how much down payment have you saved?
Is your salary enough to cover the mortgage payments? Should I help you save for a down payment on a house? Should I help you with the mortgage payments? If so, will you add my name to the property deed?
Yang Ye looked at Chen Xia with a complicated expression: "I never expected that such a beautiful girl like you would be so materialistic and care so much about material possessions. I thought you were different from others!"
Chen Xia said coldly, "What do you mean by material possessions? Having a house and a car is the basic requirement for marriage and a stable life, right? Are you trying to say I'm materialistic?"
If you consider this materialistic, then sorry, it's just how I am, I was born that way and can't change it.
Yang Ye wanted to storm off, but seeing Chen Xia's delicate face and thinking about how much higher her salary was than his, he forced himself to explain, suppressing his annoyance.
"Although I'm currently renting, I'm already planning to buy a house. My thinking is that if we're together, our combined salaries will help us save for a down payment faster."
Once we've saved enough for a down payment, with both of us contributing our housing provident fund and taking out a commercial loan, buying a house won't be difficult. Of course, if you insist, I'll add your name to the property deed.
As for a car, I usually commute by subway, and you know how bad the traffic is in Shanghai. It's not that I can't afford one, it's just that I don't think it's necessary..."
"So you don't own a house or a car right now, right?" Chen Xia interrupted his rambling.
"I don't own a house in Shanghai, but I do own a house and a car in my hometown. I've saved some money over the years since I started working, and last year I spent 500,000 yuan to buy a new house for my parents in the county town."
The main reason is that my younger brother is about to start primary school, and the educational resources in the county town are definitely better than in the town. As the eldest son in the family, I need to think more about my family.
Moreover, buying a house in the county town would allow my younger sister, who is in high school, to commute to school. My mother found a job as a cashier at a supermarket near the school.
Although the salary isn't high, it allows me to balance work and family, which I think is actually quite good.
My dad used to work in a steel factory. The work was too tiring, so I bought him a BYD hybrid car so he could drive for ride-hailing services in the county and pick up my younger brother and sister from school.
This family lived a harmonious and happy life in the county town. I sent five thousand yuan home every month. The cost of living was low in the small county town…
You may not understand how I feel, after all, you've never experienced the warmth of family.
"But it's okay, from now on my home is your home, you can treat my parents as your own parents and be filial to them..."
Perhaps because Chen Xia gave him a good first impression, Yang Ye rarely opened up and started talking, revealing everything he had on his mind.
The girl next to him on the blind date looked on with a gossipy expression, listening intently as Yang Ye talked about how filial he was.
Yang Ye glanced at Chen Xia with pity from time to time. After Chen Xia finished speaking, she called over a waiter, paid half of the bill, and said, "We're not familiar with each other, so we'll split the bill. You can ask this gentleman for the rest."
Then he said to Yang Ye, "I'm sorry, I have to go first. I'm a lazy person who doesn't have a sense of responsibility or dedication."
They don't have the habit of adopting parents halfway through life, so they probably can't share the responsibility of supporting the family with you. You should take your time and look for someone more suitable. Goodbye!
Yang Ye never expected that Chen Xia would turn on him so suddenly after they had been having a good chat.
He wanted to chase after him, but seeing the half-eaten fried pork chop and steak on his plate, he angrily sat down and picked up the phone to call his senior colleague, Wang Lei, in the office.
The girl next to me, forced by her family to go on a blind date, frantically typed on her screen. She complained to her friend about the weirdos she'd encountered on her blind dates, and the overly filial son the pretty lady at the next table had met.
As soon as Chen Xia stepped out of the Western restaurant, she received a call from Sister Yu Tian: "Hey, Sister Tian, this isn't suitable at all. Your husband's colleague is better suited to marry a hardworking, devoted woman who can work alongside him to support the family."
He's a very filial son, but he's not really suited for starting a family. After all, his sister is only in high school, and his brother is about to start elementary school..."
Yu Tian was displeased upon hearing this: "Your brother-in-law is so unreliable! What kind of people did he introduce? You're not some poverty alleviation ambassador. This is too much! Wait until he gets back, and I'll teach him a lesson!"
Chen Xia was amused by her words, "Poverty Alleviation Ambassador?" That's quite an apt description.
Back at the rented apartment, Ling Yi thoughtfully served her a bowl of homemade fruit ice cream.
"Didn't succeed on your blind date again? Judging from your expression, you ran into another unpleasant guy?"
Chen Xia washed her hands and took a bite of ice cream: "The boy I met this time is the kind of family-oriented, filial son."
He said I had never experienced the warmth of a family, and that I could work with him to support the family in the future, treat his parents as my own, and feel the warmth of a family.
Forget about him. His after-tax salary is 28,000 yuan, and he sends 5,000 yuan home every month, leaving him with 23,000 yuan. He used his savings to buy a house for his parents back in his hometown. I'm going to save up with him for the down payment and then pay off the mortgage.
His monthly salary isn't even enough to cover the mortgage payments. Did I marry him just to experience the warmth of a family?
Ling Yi brought her a glass of juice: "Calm down. Anyway, the original owner said she wouldn't force it. If you can't find it, then don't look for it."
Chen Xia sighed, "Alright, I'll try again. If it really doesn't work, then I'll just have to apologize to the original owner."
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