Sincerity and Genuine Heart

“No, no, acting for real is completely different! Being on camera isn’t the same as just pretending in daily life. Don’t mess with me, you’ll just hold everyone up.”

“I already said, it’s hard to turn down now.”

“But I still have school, you know.”

“It’s just a commercial short, it shouldn’t be a big deal, right?”

“Well… Wait, did you say a commercial?”

Xu Lin finally breathed a sigh of relief. If it was just a commercial, that meant only a few seconds on screen—he thought he could probably handle that. After all, he was just an ordinary person. In his previous life, the only time he’d ever been on camera was during a trip, when a TV host filming on location spotted him, thought he was too good-looking, and asked him to say a few words. He’d awkwardly praised the local scenery, but when he saw himself on TV, he was so nervous his face looked distorted. The whole experience was mortifying.

“Yes, it’s a public service announcement. I’ve recently withdrawn from the entertainment scene and won’t be doing any more events, but I promised to do this PSA before I quit.”

“When will the shoot be?”

“In a month. I’ll let you know then. We’ll go to Jinling together.”

“All right. It shouldn’t be too much trouble, right?”

“It’ll only take two days, tops. Your parents will definitely approve your leave of absence. Plus, this PSA will be on national television—it’ll really help you out.”

“But I don’t want to be some kind of celebrity.”

“Once you’re famous, you won’t think like that. The feeling of being recognized is better than making money. Come on, let’s go look at that apartment.”

After saying a word to his parents, Xu Lin and Chu Qingchan headed toward Building 9. He checked the messages ahead of time—Ji Yun had already gone out. Honestly, he’d made peace with it. If things worked out, Chu Qingchan and Ji Yun would be neighbors anyway. Sooner or later, it would happen.

After all, he wasn’t in a relationship with either of them. Who knew, maybe the two girls could even become friends.

As he walked, he began to ponder. Living an ordinary life was fine, but if he really became the center of attention, would he go for it? To be honest, he was naturally lazy. Even going out with a beauty like Chu Qingchan didn’t interest him that much.

He’d always felt he wasn’t suited to being a public figure. Even if he tried being a content creator, like a video blogger or streamer, he’d probably just end up being a chronic procrastinator.

Still, being a media creator didn’t sound bad—the future prospects were pretty good.

No, no, Xu Lin, you’re supposed to be a slacker. Why are you thinking about fame and fortune? Get rid of such dangerous thoughts.

When they reached the bottom of Building 9, he called his prospective father-in-law. In less than a minute, Ji Yun’s father came over—he wasn’t fat, but his belly was quite large.

“No need to rush, we’re not in a hurry,” Xu Lin said.

“How could I possibly keep you waiting? Let’s go. I was just talking to my neighbor across the hall.”

“Great.”

When they got upstairs, Xu Lin realized that Ji Yun’s apartment was number 602, just like his own. The place across the hall was 601. As soon as they knocked, the door opened.

A middle-aged couple greeted them, a bit older than his own parents, but only in their forties. Their hands were covered in flour, and the air smelled of chives—they were clearly making dumplings or buns.

“Old Ji, and the others, come on in!”

The woman was warm and welcoming, while her husband seemed quiet and retreated back inside. As they entered, Chu Qingchan, as the potential buyer, naturally began to look around. The lady of the house immediately came over, knowing that women usually have the final say when it comes to buying an apartment.

“This layout is really nice. It’s just 103 square meters, but there are two bathrooms. The only drawback is the dining and living rooms are together, but the lighting is great. Look at the living room and bedroom—so much natural light.”

She launched straight into her pitch. Chu Qingchan nodded slightly and walked toward the master bedroom. “May I see the bedroom?”

“Of course.”

The hostess led them in. Xu Lin glanced inside—the light was indeed good, and the room spacious. That did mean the second bedroom would be much smaller.

Fortunately, Chu Qingchan didn’t care about the second bedroom; she was living alone, so as long as the master bedroom was comfortable, that was enough.

“The second bedroom isn’t big, but it’s perfect for a child in the future. Or you could turn it into a study.”

“Are you satisfied?” Xu Lin asked.

Chu Qingchan nodded. In fact, she was already thinking about how she’d decorate. As soon as she’d arrived in this complex, she’d made up her mind—the location was good, and the environment pleasant.

After touring the place, she thought a hundred square meters would be plenty for her. The main thing, as the owner had said, was the excellent lighting.

“Yes, not bad. About the price…”

“The price is negotiable. Since you came through old Ji, I won’t overcharge. We urgently need cash, so we can talk. The sooner we settle, the better.”

“No problem. You’re asking for 700,000?”

“That’s right.”

“It’s not expensive,” Chu Qingchan said, but Xu Lin quickly pulled her back—she was about to show off her wealthy ways again. Money wasn’t to be spent so carelessly.

“It’s not expensive, given the location. But you know, the new developments in Linshui are going for about five to six thousand per square meter these days.”

“A hundred square meters, plus fees, comes to about 650,000. This is an eight- or nine-year-old apartment, and you want 700,000 from us—isn’t that a bit much?”

“I said we can lower the price if you’re sincere. We need the money for a new place, but we can’t go too low. I’ll be honest—650,000, and let’s not haggle any more.”

“Six hundred and fifty, huh…”

“We’ll cover all the transaction fees on our end. How about that?” The other party considered for a few seconds, then sweetened the deal.

“Hmm.” Xu Lin nodded slightly, thinking it over. That saved a bit more, but it still wasn’t quite enough. He continued, “This complex is in the old school district, so there’s no garage, just parking spaces. How about throwing in a spot?”

“We paid for the parking space too…”

“Just let them have it, there’s no point keeping it,” the husband, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. “We’ve lived here for seven or eight years. To be honest, we don’t really want to sell.”

He looked around, his eyes turning red. Clearly, he was deeply attached to the place.

“But our child is getting married and needs a new home. We have to make it work. The price is fair—let’s both compromise.”

“Mr. Xu?”

Chu Qingchan looked at him. She thought the price was more than reasonable—she’d originally planned to spend a million on a place.

“All right, let’s check the property records and prepare the paperwork. When can you hand over the keys?”

“We’ve already contacted the movers. After signing, we’ll be out in two or three days.”

“Okay, let’s go sign the contract today. No need to drag things out—the sooner it’s done, the sooner you get your money.”

“Good.”

Not far away, Ji Datong was a little stunned. There were plenty of people who came to see the apartment, and he’d helped others before, but none had been this quick.

Barely ten minutes after coming in, they’d decided to buy, and wanted to finish everything that day. But then again, these were wealthy people—people who gave gifts worth tens of thousands just for coming over.

But this young man’s poise didn’t seem like someone under twenty. Maybe it wasn’t a case of a rich woman supporting her lover—maybe it was just two rich kids doing business as usual.

Anyway, his own daughter was attractive; finding such a good-looking guy wouldn’t be a problem. But as a father, more than looks or money, he wanted her to find someone who could make her happy.

At that moment, Xu Lin walked over, catching Ji Datong by surprise.

“What’s up, kid?”

“Thank you for your help, uncle. We couldn’t have found this place without you.”

“It was nothing. I just happened to hear about it and lent a hand.”

“But you still helped. Here’s a small token—buy yourself a pack of cigarettes.” Xu Lin pulled a red envelope from his pocket.

“No, no, that’ll make me unhappy.”

“Even agents charge a fee.”

“I can’t take it—we’ll be neighbors soon, there’s no need for all that!”

“It’s really not much.”

“I can’t accept it, no matter the amount.”

“All right, uncle. By the way, is Ji Yun home?”

“No… Wait, you know my daughter?” Ji Datong’s guard instantly shot up, but Xu Lin kept smiling.

“We’re classmates. I remembered she lived in Building 9, and when I saw your surname was Ji, I thought it was a coincidence. Plus, my sister is going to live here—you can help look out for her.”

“Sister…”

Only then did Ji Datong realize he’d misunderstood. He’d even told his wife they were a young married couple!

Seeing the change in Ji Datong’s expression, Xu Lin’s smile became even more sincere. One misunderstanding cleared up.

If Ji Yun had gotten the wrong idea, it would’ve been hard to improve her impression of him. They weren’t a couple yet, just growing feelings between them. If she thought he already had a girlfriend or was living with someone, her opinion would drop—or at least, it’d be hard to raise it. You can’t rely on the power of friendship forever.

Still, he felt he was starting to drift into the territory of a scoundrel. But as his grandmother always said, as long as you treat people with genuine sincerity, you’ll never go wrong.