Chapter 69: Renting a House

On Friday night, the roommates in Room 351 were all talking about the autumn outing.

Yuan Qingfeng said Nanpu Mountain was too far; the round trip would take four to five hours. He suggested it would be better to stay overnight.

Li Tie mentioned that the class funds were insufficient for accommodation unless everyone contributed more money.

Yuan Qingfeng didn't mind the extra one or two hundred yuan, but Zhang Hao quickly opposed. His family wasn't well-off, and an extra one or two hundred yuan would eat up his living expenses for the month.

Yuan Qingfeng muttered a few things but didn't seem very enthusiastic about the outing.

Li Dong, sitting far from him, couldn't hear what he said clearly. He saw Zhang Hao snort, dive into his bed, and stop speaking.

Xu Chen, like Li Dong, also said he wouldn't go. Li Tie, however, was unhappy, "Why didn't you say this earlier? The bus and tickets are already booked. Isn't this a waste?"

"Even if it's a waste, it's my own money. I didn't fail to pay the class fee," Xu Chen retorted.

Li Tie was so angry his face turned pale. He shouted, "Do you think class funds are enough? The ticket money alone has depleted the funds! The charter bus was subsidized by the college per head. Now that the bus is booked, if you don't go, it's going to be a loss. Do you expect me to cover the cost myself?"

"How would I know if you cover the cost or not? Can't I refuse to go?" Xu Chen was also dissatisfied and added, "Besides, Dongge isn't going either."

"Dongzi had said earlier he wasn't going. I didn't book tickets for him. You're only bringing this up now, what does it mean?"

"Well, Dongge's ticket money is saved. Where did that money go? Are you embezzling it?"

"..."

Li Dong felt a bit overwhelmed.

These guys arguing over trivial matters every day—was it really worth it?

He sighed. It seemed it was time for him to move out.

Originally, he hadn't planned to move out. With Qin Yuhan not around, moving out alone felt too lonely.

But now, with conflicts in the dorm becoming almost public, staying any longer was pointless. Not only was it devoid of warmth, but it was also increasingly annoying.

Ignoring the ongoing arguments, Li Dong put on his headphones and listened to music.

...

On Saturday, when Li Dong woke up, he was the only one left in the dorm.

Xu Chen, who had said he wouldn't go, had still gotten up in the morning and gone with everyone. Li Dong was puzzled by the argument from last night.

After a simple wash and getting dressed, Li Dong left the dorm.

He planned to find a suitable house today, move out as soon as possible for some peace and quiet. Staying in the dorm any longer might drive him to a nervous breakdown.

Li Dong didn't go too far. He looked at the rental ads on the school's bulletin board.

The houses for rent here were all close to the school, some even within the campus, saving the hassle of commuting.

Li Dong didn't want to rent a place too far from the school. Being in this area was ideal—not only was it convenient for classes, but it was also close to Longhua Square.

After looking around, Li Dong found a two-bedroom apartment. It was close by, located within the campus, in the teacher's dormitory building.

He noted down the phone number and made a call.

"Hello, Teacher Chen, is the apartment still available for rent?"

"..."

"Oh, I see. Thank you."

Li Dong hung up the phone and shook his head. It seemed many university students were quite wealthy these days. The apartment had been rented out so quickly.

He continued to search and found several more promising options. However, when he called, either the apartments were already rented, or they were only available for women.

Li Dong cursed inwardly. What's wrong with being a man? Why is there discrimination?

Everyone says all people are equal. He wasn't refusing to pay. Why be so picky?

After several calls, Li Dong was too frustrated to continue searching. He decided to head straight to a real estate agency outside the North Gate.

As soon as he entered, a woman in her twenties greeted him warmly.

"Hello, sir, are you here to rent a house?"

Seeing Li Dong nod, she quickly invited him to sit down.

Once Li Dong was seated, the woman poured him a glass of water, her attitude exceedingly friendly. If one didn't know better, they'd think Li Dong was a big client looking to buy a villa.

After she finished her tasks, Li Dong was about to speak when she enthusiastically asked, "Brother, can you tell me what your requirements are?"

Li Dong nearly spit out his water. What, do I look that old?

The woman looked at least twenty-five or twenty-six. He hadn't even turned twenty yet!

Feeling a bit awkward, Li Dong knew these people had a hard job. When he was in sales in his past life, he'd addressed clients as "brother" or "sister" as well, sometimes even feeling a bit cheesy.

Not giving her a chance to continue, Li Dong hurriedly said, "I need a place near Jiang University or near Longhua Square."

The woman quickly took out a notebook and noted it down. She then asked, "Brother, how many bedrooms do you need? What's your budget? Are there any requirements for the community environment?"

"Stop calling me brother. My surname is Li. Just call me Mr. Li," Li Dong corrected her, feeling uneasy.

The woman was not offended and continued to smile. "Hello, Mr. Li. My name is Wu Qian. You can call me Xiao Wu. Can you tell me more about your requirements?"

Li Dong sighed with relief and said, "I don't need a very large place, a two-bedroom apartment will do. The community should have parking spaces and a good environment. Preferably, it should be a new community with security. Also, I prefer higher floors. I don't like low floors…"

After Li Dong finished, Wu Qian looked a bit troubled and said, "Mr. Li, there are mostly older communities around Jiang University, and parking spaces are quite tight."

Seeing Li Dong frown, Wu Qian continued, "However, there's a two-bedroom apartment in Wanyuan Community near Longhua that might suit you. The environment is good, there are parking spaces, and it's a high floor. The only issue might be…"

"Price isn't a problem. If it's convenient, take me to see it."

Li Dong was familiar with Wanyuan Community. It was indeed close to Longhua Square, and being a new community, it had a good environment.

Wu Qian, seeing Li Dong's eagerness, smiled.

She liked clients who were straightforward. If only they were as willing to sign contracts!

...

Ten minutes later, Wu Qian accompanied Li Dong to Wanyuan Community.

The security guard at the entrance checked Wu Qian's work ID before letting them in. Li Dong was quite satisfied; responsible security was a good thing.

Wu Qian guided Li Dong through the community, introducing it as they walked. "I'm showing you a unit in Building 6, a high floor. The park and fitness facilities are right downstairs, so you can come down and exercise if you like."

"Look, there are still some parking spaces available. The annual management fee is just one thousand yuan."

Wu Qian continued her introduction while Li Dong listened silently.

They took the elevator to the 26th floor. Wu Qian opened the door to unit 2603, and Li Dong stepped in, revealing a satisfied smile.

The apartment was not a two-bedroom, one-living room as expected, but a two-bedroom, two-living room unit, approximately ninety square meters.

The living room had floor-to-ceiling windows with excellent natural light. Sunlight streamed into the dining area when Li Dong entered.

Looking out from the windows, a large part of the university town was visible, providing a broad view.

The room's decor was also to Li Dong's taste—simple and elegant, with minimal decorations. The furniture and flooring were all off-white, which he liked.

The apartment was well-equipped with appliances; both the air conditioner and washing machine were present, and the tags were still on them.

"This apartment hasn't been lived in before?" Li Dong asked curiously after a thorough look.

Wu Qian nodded. "The landlord originally planned it as a new home for his son, but his son developed in Beijing and refuses to return to Pingchuan. The landlord himself doesn't like high floors, so he entrusted us to rent it out."

Li Dong understood and asked, "How much is the rent?"

"Two thousand eight hundred yuan!"

Li Dong turned around and left immediately. What the hell, does she think I'm a fool?