067 Buying a House in City B

After Xia queued her song, Zhao Qian immediately gave it priority. So, when Xie Xitong and Sun Xiaoxiao finished their current song, the prelude to "Hiroshima Love" began to play.

As soon as Xie Xitong recognized the song, she hurriedly shoved the microphone into Chen Zimo’s hand. “My brother knows this one.”

Sun Xiaoxiao caught Xie Xitong’s glance, exchanged a look with Zhao Qian, and the two started clapping and cheering. To hear Chen Zimo’s singing was a blessing in itself.

Male: "You should have rejected me long ago, shouldn’t have let me pursue you, gave me the story I longed for, left me with a name I can’t erase."

Female: "Time cannot rewind, space easily shatters, twenty-four hours of love is a beautiful memory I’ll never forget."

Chen Zimo’s voice was crisp, distinct from the original singer Zhang Hongliang’s, yet carried its own unique flavor. Lin Xia’s voice didn’t have Karen Mok’s lazy and comfortable charm, but fortunately, hers was transparent, clear and pure, sorrowful yet not hurtful, adding a special taste.

As the song ended, the three—Xie Xitong, Sun Xiaoxiao, and Zhao Qian—all applauded enthusiastically. “I didn’t expect you to sing so well.”

“Yeah, just like the original.”

“So beautiful, Lin Xia and Chen Zimo, what a perfect match!”

While the trio chattered excitedly, Chen Zimo handed the microphone to You Xin for “A Bit Moved.”

Male: "You and me, man and woman, neither can escape love; who is willing, who has the courage, to give their heart regardless of everything."

Female: "What you said isn’t just you, it includes me; should we continue, should we have memories, let love move closer step by step."

Jeff Chang’s low notes were gentle and moving, his high notes clear and bright, but Lin Xia always found his voice a bit effeminate—a very distinctive feeling. You Xin’s voice was gentle, with a style uniquely his own, soothing to listen to, as if softly whispering in your ear.

It felt like a confession, making your heart sink and immerse.

The song ended, earning another round of applause from Xie Xitong’s trio.

Smiling, Lin Xia handed the microphone to Zhao Qian. “It’s been a while since I sang. You all go ahead.”

The next song was a love ballad chosen by Xie Xitong. You Xin passed the microphone to Chen Zimo, and the siblings began to sing together.

Unlike Lin Xia, Xie Xitong took a comedic approach to singing. A tragic song turned into a lively one, making everyone in the room burst into laughter, the atmosphere light and cheerful.

When they left the karaoke room, the sun had already set. The streets bathed in the afterglow of the evening were serene, warming the heart.

In her ears was the clear, youthful voice of a girl; behind her, the silent footsteps of the boy she liked. Both seemed magnified in this moment, and the summer of 2004 swept in just like that.

“Hello—”

“Hello, Auntie? I’m looking for Xia Xia.”

“Oh, it’s Tong Tong. Xia Xia went to W City with her father.”

“I see, then I’ll call her mobile.”

“All right, go ahead. She has it with her.”

“Okay, goodbye, Auntie.”

“Goodbye.”

Xie Xitong hung up, pouting and clenching her small fists, clearly unwilling to accept Lin Xia’s sudden departure.

At that moment, Lin Xia was sitting on a bus with her father, heading toward W City.

It was Saturday, her cousin didn’t have work, and she and her father were headed to look at houses.

After “Secret Love” was published, although it didn’t bring a lump sum like a buyout, the royalties trickled in steadily. Over the past few months, she’d saved a considerable amount, which led Lin Xia to persuade her father to buy a house in W City.

After all, though houses in Rongcheng were convenient, their appreciation potential paled in comparison to those in a big city.

Her father had been hesitant, but Lin Xia used her cousin Lin Bing as an example, making him more tempted. So the two came to check out properties.

While Lin Jia Gui hadn’t agreed yet, Lin Xia knew her father better than anyone. Besides, since all the money was earned by Lin Xia, her words carried weight in the family. Anything she couldn’t explain, she just attributed to Sister Miao in B City.

Anyway, her parents had no idea whom she’d met online.

After getting off at the station, Lin Jia Gui called Lin Bing, who was still stuck in traffic. W City, known as the university town, was especially congested on weekends.

Knowing Lin Bing was delayed, Lin Xia, familiar with W City, subtly led her father to stroll around the area.

The two found a KFC, sat inside eating and chatting, enjoying a leisurely moment.

She knew the way to her cousin’s house, but unfortunately had never actually been to W City before, so couldn’t explain how she knew the route.

After finishing their meal, Lin Bing finally arrived in a hurry.

Lin Jia Gui hung up the phone. “Let’s go, your cousin is here.”

While he was on the call, Lin Xia had already guessed the situation, nearly finished eating, and they didn’t need to tidy up, so they headed out.

At the spot Lin Bing mentioned, Lin Xia, sharp-eyed, immediately spotted him waiting at the shop entrance.

“Dad, cousin is over there,” Lin Xia pointed to the opposite side of the street.

“Let’s go.”

The two groups met. Lin Jia Gui and Lin Bing exchanged greetings, then Lin Bing sized up Lin Xia. “Xia Xia has grown so much.”

“Cousin,” Lin Xia replied sweetly.

She wasn’t very close to this cousin—the age gap was too large. In her previous life, they hadn’t interacted much before she graduated college. This time, meeting earlier, they felt much more familiar.

Lin Bing had driven over in a silver Buick. Lin Xia was a little envious. This car must cost a hundred thousand yuan—she couldn’t afford such a car even long after graduation, let alone now, when a hundred thousand was a fortune.

If Lin Xia could appreciate the car, so could her father. He stroked the car admiringly. “Wow, this isn’t cheap, must be several hundred thousand.”

Lin Bing laughed. “With insurance and everything, it’s around a hundred thousand. Get in, there’s still lots of traffic ahead.”

W City was divided into three districts, and her cousin lived in Wuchang. “Your sister-in-law took Qingqing to Latin dance class. We’ll eat at the hotel, then go see the houses. Tonight you’ll stay at my place, and return tomorrow.”

Lin Jia Gui smiled, “Let’s look at the houses first. If there’s time and we can go back early, I’d prefer to return. I don’t feel comfortable leaving the family business to your aunt alone.”

Lin Bing chuckled, “These days, Xia Xia earns more money than us adults. No need for Uncle to work so hard!”

Lin Jia Gui replied modestly, “She’s just a kid writing for fun. Right now she can earn a bit, but who knows about the future. It’s best to save more for the little ones.”

Lin Bing nodded, a bit wistful. “That’s true—thirty years east of the river, thirty years west. Who can say what the future holds? Just like before, who’d have thought I’d one day drive a Buick and live in a high-rise?”

P:
I’ll be going to the hospital tomorrow, so there will only be one update today. Please forgive me.