Volume One, Chapter 11: Buying Land

Soon, Li Yan found out who owned the piece of land he had taken a liking to earlier. However, he didn’t rush to make contact—he needed to prepare first.

As the old saying goes, “Respect the clothes before respecting the person” when going out. Li Yan was still a high school student, dressed somewhat immaturely. A young boy approaching someone to discuss buying land would not only be taken lightly but might also be heavily overcharged.

So, in the afternoon, he took Luo Jiashuang to the commercial street of Lin City.

Nanping Street remained just as he remembered: tall evergreen and maple trees lined both sides of the road, their branches interlacing to cast dappled sunlight. Perhaps because it was the weekend, the street bustled with people; vendors' calls mingled with laughter, exuding the unique charm and liveliness of a small town, hiding countless quietly unfolding stories.

Luo Jiashuang was a bit puzzled, unsure why Li Yan suddenly wanted to stroll the street, but a quiet joy stirred in her heart. In her previous life, she had imagined countless times walking arm in arm with Li Yan along this very street, yet back then, other women already surrounded him—and not just one.

“Li Yan, what do you want to buy?” Her eyes landed on his wrist, and she couldn’t help but remark, “And that watch of yours is so odd! A grown man wearing a pink Hello Kitty watch—it looks really strange.”

She had noticed it since morning but hadn’t found the chance to say anything. Walking side by side now, she mentally planned to give him a new watch as her first gift.

Li Yan’s mouth twitched. Did he want to wear this watch? No. But it was his time-space locator, the strap seemingly welded shut, impossible to remove.

Helpless, he made an excuse: “My mom gave it to me. It’s the thought that counts, you know?”

Luo Jiashuang burst out laughing. “How funny! Auntie thought of giving you pink? That’s so amusing.”

Li Yan shook his head without responding further, pointing ahead: “Come on, let’s check out this store.”

They entered the Jack & Jones shop. A few customers were already inside, and the clerk, seeing two young students, barely acknowledged them before turning to assist others. To them, these two were probably just a young couple casually browsing on the weekend. Jack & Jones leaned toward a mature style, usually not favored by high schoolers, so they expected the pair to leave after a quick look, merely boosting foot traffic.

Li Yan paid no mind to the clerk’s neglect and began selecting clothes directly. The brand was mid-range with good quality—just what he wanted.

“Don’t you think these clothes look a bit too old-fashioned?” Luo Jiashuang glanced at the business-casual pieces he picked up and couldn’t help but remark, “We’re still in high school; wouldn’t this feel weird?”

Li Yan ignored her concerns and soon assembled an outfit that avoided looking overly mature or too childish. It had to instantly convey “a refined wealthy heir” — only then would others instinctively treat him as a young scion from a wealthy family out to gain experience.

After buying the clothes, Li Yan took Luo Jiashuang to a mobile phone store to pick out a new phone and get a SIM card, then headed straight to a car rental agency.

Since Li Yan didn’t have a driver’s license, he was rejected by several places. Fortunately, Luo Jiashuang had a relative running a rental business. After some persistent pleading and repeated assurances that “it was for helping an elder in the family,” they finally slipped through the back door and rented an Audi A4.

With these three “essentials” in hand, Li Yan had effectively transformed his image. At that moment, he truly looked like a young man from a wealthy family.

Luo Jiashuang vaguely guessed his plan and inwardly wondered: she hadn’t expected Li Yan to be so thoughtful now. Could she still hold sway over him in the future? Thinking of the many women who had surrounded him in her past life, she felt a pang of insecurity. After all, her thoughts still carried the innocence of a college student. In her previous life, Li Yan had married immediately after graduating university; she had been reborn on the very day of his wedding, with many ideas frozen in the past.

“Let’s go handle the business,” Li Yan said, opening the car door and adjusting the seat with practiced ease.

Luo Jiashuang’s eyes flickered with surprise. “You can drive?”

“Of course,” Li Yan replied casually. “I used to drive my dad’s tractor at home. After a while, you just get the hang of it.”

Luo Jiashuang twitched at the thought—how could driving a tractor be the same as driving a car? But seeing how smoothly he started the car, she chose to believe him.

The car soon entered a village near Lin City No. 1 High School and stopped in front of a farmhouse. Several idle elders cast curious glances, whispering among themselves in hushed tones that were hard to catch.

Li Yan knocked on the door, and a somewhat disheveled middle-aged man appeared, hair unkempt, sleeves stained with dirt.

“Who are you? What do you want?” The man looked at the two young visitors warily, first fixing his gaze on Li Yan—this boy was well-dressed, unlike the idle youths of the village, clearly the child of a wealthy family.

Li Yan smiled faintly, his tone confident yet polite. “Hello, my name is Li Yan. I’d like to discuss something with you. Would it be convenient to talk inside?”

He deliberately projected an air of courteous detachment, like a worldly young man.

Though puzzled, the man did not dare to be rude and quickly smiled. “Ah, come in, come in.”

Inside, the house was modest: the living room cluttered with miscellaneous items, an old-fashioned CRT television, no sofa, just a bamboo bench. After seating the two, the man rubbed his hands. “So... what exactly do you want from me?”

Li Yan casually scanned the surroundings and asked, “What’s your name, brother? Is your wife at home?”

The man paused, then replied, “I’m Chen Qing’an. No wife—just a bachelor.” He laughed self-mockingly. “The girls don’t want me because I have nothing. I’m planning to work at a factory soon; I heard there are plenty of girls there—maybe I’ll find one.”

Once he started talking, he couldn’t stop, showing little suspicion toward these strangers.

Li Yan caught a crucial detail: Chen Qing’an was single, likely the head of the household or at least the main decision-maker, which meant fewer complications when negotiating land purchase.

After some casual conversation to ease the atmosphere, Li Yan seized the moment to get to the point. “Brother Chen, those two fish ponds by the ring road—are they yours?”

Chen Qing’an was taken aback but nodded. “Yes, those fish ponds have been half-abandoned for a long time, barely making two thousand yuan a year. Brother Li, you’re thinking...”

“To be honest, I want to open a farm here. I think the location is good,” Li Yan said frankly. “So I came to ask if you’d be willing to sell the land to me?”

Upon hearing “buy land,” Chen Qing’an’s eyes lit up. He had been worrying about money—recently lost several tens of thousands gambling. Living off farming and fishery, when could he ever repay his debts? Relatives refused to lend, viewing him as a gambling bachelor.

“Brother Li, how much do you want to buy? How much will you pay?” he asked eagerly, hope shining in his eyes.

“I want the fields beside the fish ponds too, about ten acres in total,” Li Yan was well prepared.

“That land is all mine! Want to go see it? You pick the plots, and then we can talk details,” Chen Qing’an perked up, getting to his feet to lead him.

They quickly settled on the specific parcels in the fields.

Li Yan said, “Brother, since fate has brought us together, I want all of these ten acres. Transfer the land use rights to me, and I’ll pay thirty thousand yuan per acre.”

Thirty thousand per acre? This exceeded Chen Qing’an’s expectations. But seeing Li Yan drive an Audi, he assumed the young man came from a wealthy family and tried to negotiate upward. “Brother Li, that price is a bit low. See, my place is by the road—perfect for a farm. Could you add a little more?”

Li Yan looked troubled, pulled out a cigarette pack, and handed one to Chen Qing’an. They lit up and stood on the ridge, watching white egrets occasionally take flight over the fields, falling into a brief silence.

After finishing their cigarettes, Li Yan spoke, “I’ll add five thousand more—thirty-five thousand per acre. But I have a condition.”

Adding five thousand per acre meant over fifty thousand yuan extra, totaling three hundred fifty thousand. Chen Qing’an had never seen so much money in his life—it could clear his debts, build a new house, and easily afford a bride.

“Alright! Tell me!” he agreed without hesitation.

“I’ll pay forty thousand yuan as a deposit now, and we sign the contract today. The balance will be paid by the end of this month at the latest,” Li Yan paused, then added, “If I can’t pay the full balance by then, the forty thousand deposit is yours as compensation, no refund. How about that?”

A deal like this? Win or lose, Chen Qing’an would not lose. His heart leapt with joy. Why would he refuse?

“Ha ha ha! Great! It’s settled!”

He beamed with satisfaction and readily shook on it.