My Virtual Girlfriend-Chapter 38 Caught Red-Handed (Seeking Monthly Tickets on Monday!)

Chapter 38: Chapter 38 Caught Red-Handed (Seeking Monthly Tickets on Monday!)

Apartment-hunting is a rather metaphysical affair.

Because it’s all about finding the right vibe.

Sometimes, you look at an apartment and there doesn’t seem to be anything particularly wrong with it, but you just don’t like it.

Then, there are times when the apartment doesn’t seem that great, but you inexplicably want to move in.

Chen Yan and Yu Qiao Qiao just experienced the former scenario.

Having looked around various office spaces, though they felt all were pretty decent, for some reason, both sensed they were missing something...

Real estate agents are well accustomed to this. It’s normal for customers to take a week before deciding on a place.

So, patience is a virtue a good agent must have.

Soon, they had viewed a number of places.

Chen Yan and Yu Qiao Qiao exchanged looks and both shook their heads.

The real estate agent smiled, "No worries. We still have one last option."

"If this one doesn’t work out, then I’ll go back tonight and pick out some more for us. I’ll send you a WeChat message—let’s continue looking tomorrow."

Chen Yan nodded, "Sounds good. Thanks for your hard work."

Shortly, the trio arrived at the last office building on foot.

The final stop was Jinmao Building, only an eight-minute walk from Qin Island University and where Chen Yan lived, which made for convenient travel.

The only issue was that this was a high-end office building, and due to the landlord’s extensive renovations, the price was steep.

Other office spaces were typically 2 to 3 yuan per square meter per day, but this one demanded 6 yuan.

With the office being 150 square meters, that came to a monthly rent of twenty-seven thousand yuan.

Small companies couldn’t afford it, and larger companies wouldn’t bother with such a small office space, hence it had remained vacant, unable to be leased.

Arriving at Jinmao Building, Chen Yan looked up at the towering skyscraper, nodded slightly, finding it rather impressive.

Observing the office workers coming and going, dressed in their suits, he felt that the overall working atmosphere was also quite good.

Stepping into the building, its luxurious decor and the six elevators for ascent and descent suddenly accentuated its prestige.

They entered the elevator, pressed the 18th floor, and the three made it to the office area.

Turning right out of the elevator and walking 20 meters, they arrived at the office space.

After ringing the doorbell, a man’s voice came from inside, "Coming, coming."

As he spoke, a short-haired, jolly-looking middle-aged man, slightly plump, came jogging out.

He opened the glass door and greeted them with a smile, "Here to view the office, right? Please, this way..."

Mid-sentence, he suddenly froze.

Chen Yan, who had been whispering with Yu Qiao Qiao about the pros and cons of the various office spaces, looked up upon hearing the landlord’s invitation, and... also froze.

After a pause, two cries of surprise echoed in the corridor.

"Chen, my boy?"

"Uncle Liu?!"

Yu Qiao Qiao and the real estate agent curiously looked at the two men.

Did they know each other?

Why such astonishment in their voices?

As their curiosity piqued, the man addressed as Uncle Liu finally snapped out of his daze. He looked at Chen Yan with a smile and said, "Chen, my boy, so you’re the one looking to rent?"

After that, his gaze shifted to Yu Qiao Qiao, sizing her up and down.

Then quickly back to Chen Yan, his face revealing a smirk that seemed to say, "Ah-hah, you’re up to something."

Chen Yan said awkwardly, "Yes, Uncle Liu, we’re looking to rent."

The real estate agent asked, "Um... Uncle Liu, you guys..."

Uncle Liu walked over with a laugh, clapped Chen Yan heartily on the shoulder, and told the agent, "This is my nephew. From the same village. His dad is my childhood friend. I’ve watched this kid grow from running around butt-naked to all grown up."

Yu Qiao Qiao: ...

Real Estate Agent: ...

Having said that, Uncle Liu turned to Chen Yan with squinted eyes, smiling, "Well, well, you’re quite the lad. Your dad keeps telling me you’re idling at home, not doing anything of substance. Never thought you’d be eyeing an apartment."

"My place isn’t cheap, and you seem pretty confident in checking it out."

Chen Yan: ...

Faced with familiar elders who had watched him grow up, Chen Yan genuinely didn’t have the heart to argue.

After all...

They were the type who could recount, with uncanny accuracy, all the embarrassing moments of your life—from wetting the bed at the age of two, falling into a pit at three, nearly drowning in a river at four, to running away from home at five with the neighbor’s daughter.

So Chen Yan chuckled awkwardly, "No, not really. Just looking around."

But Uncle Liu slapped his shoulder again, "Don’t put on airs. We’re family."

"I’ve watched you grow up. Don’t you think I know what you’re like?

"You wouldn’t dare rent such an expensive place if you hadn’t made seven or eight solid plans, am I right?"

After this, he said, "All right, go on in and take a look."

"We’re family. If you like it, I’ll give you a fifty percent discount."

Upon hearing Uncle Liu’s words, Chen Yan’s eyes lit up, "Are you serious?"

Uncle Liu grinned and replied, "What would I lie about? Just don’t forget to bring me a couple of bottles of good liquor as a token of gratitude when you strike it rich."

Chen Yan’s smile stretched ear to ear, "Definitely no problem!"

With that, he was eager to pull Yu Qiao Qiao and the rest to check out the office space.

However, just as he reached the door, Chen Yan hurriedly turned back.

He ran up to Uncle Liu and whispered, "Uncle Liu, please don’t tell my dad I’m looking at your property."

Uncle Liu chuckled and said, "Relax, relax. I won’t. That old coot, your dad, doesn’t know jack. I’m definitely on your side!"

Reassured, Chen Yan then confidently went with Yu Qiao Qiao to view the space.

However...

What he didn’t know was...

The moment he stepped through the door, Uncle Liu sneakily pulled out his phone and with his chubby finger tapped for a while before sending a WeChat message, "Swoosh!"

[Old Chen. Send over that bottle of Moutai you’ve had stashed away for years. Otherwise, I won’t tell you what I’ve just seen!!]

Momentarily, Old Chen replied, [Eat shit.]

Uncle Liu: ...

...

I must say, Uncle Liu’s office space was genuinely great. Whether it was the location, the decor, or the size, everything was exactly what Chen Yan wanted.

150 square meters, with two offices, a conference room, and over a dozen workstations. Overall spacious, bright, and impressive.

The only drawback was the price, but that wasn’t a concern anymore with Uncle Liu offering a fifty percent discount.

So, Chen Yan promptly rented the office space.

Uncle Liu wasn’t surprised by Chen Yan’s decision. The kid had always been sharp since he was young. If Chen Yan didn’t choose this place even with a friendly discount, that would have been suspicious.

With the deal agreed upon and everyone involved being close family, there shouldn’t have been any issues, right?

Unexpectedly, before signing the contract, Chen Yan actually took out his phone and photographed the entire office area.

This move not only stunned Uncle Liu but the real estate agent as well.