Auction Hunting

| September 27, 2023 - 6:15 PM

Lin parked outside Sunrise Auction House, a local estate and surplus auction specializing in liquidated business assets, farm equipment, and bulk goods.

A perfect place to grab useful supplies at dirt-cheap prices.

| September 27, 2023 - 6:30 PM

She walked into the warehouse, scanning the floor. Rows of pallets, crates, and furniture stretched across the space, each tagged with a lot number.

The auctioneer's voice echoed through the speakers, fast and steady.

Lin grabbed a catalog and pen, quickly marking what she needed.

✔ Commercial kitchen appliances – Industrial-grade ovens, freezers, and cookware. (For the farm and glamping site.)

✔ Bulk storage containers – Metal and plastic, airtight, perfect for long-term food storage.

✔ High-quality tools – Drills, saws, heavy-duty wrenches, the kind that would last decades.

✔ Fencing materials – Wood, wire mesh, steel posts—perfect for livestock enclosures.

✔ Old furniture and décor – Rustic tables, chairs, and shelving, all easily restored.

| September 27, 2023 - 7:00 PM

The auction began, and Lin bid strategically—never overpaying, waiting until the right moment.

One by one, she secured everything she needed.

By the end of the night?

She had enough supplies to outfit a farm, a guest business, and a future.

All for a fraction of the retail cost.

She smirked as she signed the final paperwork.

| September 27, 2023 - 8:15 PM

Lin pulled up to a small food stall, the scent of grilled skewers and fried dumplings filling the night air.

After a long day of buying out half an auction house, all she wanted was something hot, greasy, and uncomplicated.

She stepped up to the counter, eyes already scanning the menu.

And then—

A voice.

A familiar voice.

Lin's fingers stilled.

| September 27, 2023 - 8:16 PM

"…I'm just saying, she's acting weird lately."

Lin's jaw tightened.

She didn't even have to turn around.

Nathan Liu.

And next to him?

Olivia Chen.

Her ex-best friend.

Lin exhaled slowly, deliberately. Her expression remained blank, her heartbeat steady.

She turned her head—just enough to confirm what she already knew.

There they were.

Nathan looked frustrated, arms crossed. Olivia was picking through a takeout box, her perfectly manicured nails holding chopsticks like she was royalty dining among peasants.

Neither of them had noticed her.

Lin stayed silent. Listening.

| September 27, 2023 - 8:17 PM

Nathan sighed, rubbing a hand down his face. "She broke up with me over text. Who does that?"

Olivia didn't even look up. "You weren't that great of a boyfriend."

Nathan scowled. "Gee, thanks."

Olivia smirked, popping a dumpling into her mouth. "Just calling it like I see it, babe."

Nathan groaned. "I don't get it. She just—cut me off. Like I never even mattered."

Olivia finally looked at him, head tilted, eyes sharp. "You didn't."

Lin's lips curled.

There she was.

The real Olivia Chen.

Nathan looked offended, but Olivia just rolled her eyes, stirring the contents of her takeout box. "Relax, Nate. She's probably just going through something. Maybe she lost her job."

Lin almost laughed.

Oh, they had no idea.

| September 27, 2023 - 8:18 PM

Nathan scoffed. "Please. Lin's too much of a control freak to get fired."

Olivia hummed, feigning thoughtfulness. "Then maybe she found someone else."

Nathan stiffened.

Lin? Dating again? So soon?

Lin smirked. Oh, this was too easy.

She took a slow, deliberate step forward.

"Funny," she said smoothly. "You two seem real invested in my life."

Nathan whipped around, eyes wide.

Olivia choked on her food. "Lin?!"

Lin tilted her head, her voice calm, controlled, lethal. "Don't stop on my account. I'd love to hear more about what's going on with me."

Nathan looked like he wanted to sink into the pavement. Olivia, to her credit, recovered quickly—fake smile already in place.

"Lin! We were just—"

Lin held up a hand. "Don't care."

Then, turning to the vendor, she said, "One order of skewers. Extra spicy."

And, just to drive it home—just because she could— she pulled out a crisp hundred-dollar bill and handed it over without a word.

Nathan's eyes flicked to the cash.

Olivia's did too.

Lin didn't explain.

Didn't acknowledge them further.

She just took her food, smirked, and walked away.

| September 27, 2023 - 8:20 PM

She tucked the steaming bag under her arm, turned her back on them, and never looked back.

She could feel their stares.

The tension.

The unspoken questions hanging in the air.

She didn't care.

They weren't worth a single second more of her attention.

| September 27, 2023 - 8:25 PM

Lin reached her truck, the distant hum of the food stall fading behind her.

Sliding into the driver's seat, she placed the bag beside her, started the engine, and pulled onto the main road.

She didn't eat outside.

She didn't linger.

She had a home to go to.

A real one.

Not this city.

Not this old, useless life.

And certainly not the people who had already betrayed her once.

| September 27, 2023 - 9:00 PM

By the time she parked, the apartment was quiet, the lights from inside casting a familiar glow.

She grabbed her food, stepped inside, and locked the door behind her.

| September 27, 2023 - 9:05 PM

Lin sat at the dining table, alone but unbothered, the warm glow of the overhead light casting long shadows across the polished wood.

She unwrapped her skewers, the scent of spices, smoke, and charred meat filling the air, rich and intoxicating.

She took a slow, deliberate bite—letting the heat settle on her tongue, the spice burn just enough to remind her she was still here, still moving, still winning.

Nathan and Olivia?

A passing inconvenience. Footnotes in a story she wasn't even reading anymore.

She took another bite, chewing lazily, eyes drifting toward the clock.

Her parents wouldn't be back for a while. Out with friends. Enjoying the kind of social life Lin had never cared for.

That was fine. She liked the quiet.

| September 27, 2023 - 9:30 PM

By the time the front door clicked open, Lin had already finished eating, the takeout container neatly folded and set aside.

Helen and Richard walked in, laughing over some inside joke, the kind of relaxed, easy joy that came with decades of marriage.

Lin raised an eyebrow. "Good night?"

Helen hung up her coat, shaking her head. "Your father thinks he's still thirty."

Richard smirked, loosening his watch. "I only said I could still outdrink Tom. I didn't say I'd actually do it."

Helen rolled her eyes. "Same thing."

Lin chuckled, reaching for the teapot. "Tea?"

Richard sighed, dropping into a chair. "God, yes."

Helen sat across from Lin, studying her carefully.

Then—"You have that look again."

Richard shot Lin a knowing glance. "The 'I'm about to do something big' look."

Lin grinned, pouring the tea. "Good guess. Here's the plan—I'm moving to the farm full-time for the next two weeks."

| September 27, 2023 - 9:35 PM

Helen raised an eyebrow. "And doing what, exactly?"

Lin took a sip of tea, unbothered. "Renovating and cleaning up. The deed transfers to me tomorrow. After that, I'm making sure everything is structurally sound, fixing up the old hotel, and setting up the land properly."

Richard hummed, thoughtful. "You're bringing in contractors?"

Lin set her cup down. "Already contacted a firm. They'll handle the big projects—walls, repairs, new construction. I'll oversee everything."

Helen exhaled, leaning back. "You're really diving in headfirst."

Lin smirked. "If I wait around, nothing gets done."

| September 27, 2023 - 9:40 PM

She tapped her fingers against the table, gaze sharp. "Now, my question—what's your plan?"

Richard raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

Lin arched a brow. "For the next phase. You're both coming with me eventually. Are we setting up your auto shop first? Or Mom's vet clinic?"

Helen and Richard exchanged a look, considering.

Lin just smiled, waiting.

| September 27, 2023 - 9:42 PM

Helen tapped her fingers against her teacup, pensive. "The clinic would take longer to set up. We need the right equipment, licensing, and a good supply network."

Richard nodded. "Meanwhile, the auto shop just needs a proper workspace and tools."

Lin smirked. Exactly what she expected.

| September 27, 2023 - 9:45 PM

"So, Dad's auto shop goes up first," Lin confirmed. "I'll have the contractors clear out a section of land for it."

Richard crossed his arms. "And while I'm getting that up and running, your mother can take her time planning the vet clinic properly."

Helen sighed but nodded in agreement. "No point rushing if we want it done right."

Lin leaned back, satisfied.

| September 27, 2023 - 9:50 PM

"Alright," she said, setting her empty teacup down. "Tomorrow, the deed gets transferred. After that, I'll be at the farm full-time. You two can come and check in whenever you want."

Helen exhaled, shaking her head. "You're really doing this."

Richard chuckled, nudging his wife. "She already did it."

Lin grinned, lifting her teacup in a quiet toast.

"Here's to the next chapter."