Married but Untouched! Her Soldier Husband Came Home Dumbfounded! - Chapter 23

After parting ways with Chen Qian, Ye Fangfei wandered through a few nearby streets, casually browsing potential shops.

She found a few places that met her basic requirements, though one stood out on the main street of the industrial park. The location was ideal—but the rent was slightly steep.

The property consisted of two storefronts, three main rooms, and a tiny courtyard, with a monthly rent of thirty yuan—roughly equal to a worker’s monthly wage. On top of that, the landlord required a full year’s rent to be paid upfront.

By the standards of the time, it was quite expensive.

Ye Fangfei hadn’t yet checked with Old Lady Li, so she tried negotiating with the landlord. They went back and forth for a long while, but in the end, the landlord only agreed to lower the price by two yuan.

Feeling slightly disappointed, Ye Fangfei didn’t immediately reject the offer. She simply said she needed to discuss it with her family and asked the landlord to wait for two days. If Old Lady Li’s place didn’t work out, and she couldn’t find a suitable alternative quickly, she would consider this one.

By late morning, Ye Fangfei headed to the spot where Old Lady Li was selling her goods.

“Hello, Aunt Li, are you busy?” She parked her bicycle and lifted a small half-bag of beans and eggplants tied to the back.

“Aunt Li, these are vegetables from our family plot. My mother asked me to bring some for you.”

“Oh, you shouldn’t have! You worked so hard growing these, and I can’t just take them for free!” Aunt Li quickly brought out a small stool and gestured for her to sit, her tone warm and affectionate.

“You’re too kind, Aunt Li. It’s just a few vegetables, nothing special. Don’t mind them.”

Ye Fangfei handed over the bag and added sweetly, “It’s so hot today, and you’ve been running around for me about the rental—I really feel bad. I don’t have anything else to thank you with right now, but once my little pastry shop opens, I promise you’ll be the first to try the first batch of my egg cakes.”

“Oh, Fangfei, you little thing, your mouth sure knows how to flatter. You’re making me spoiled already,” Aunt Li said, beaming. She handed Ye Fangfei a milk ice cream from the cooler.

Ye Fangfei declined politely but didn’t fuss, picking a simple orange popsicle instead. “Aunt Li, I don’t really like ice cream. I prefer these orange popsicles—they’re refreshing in this heat.”

“Alright, alright, take whichever you like.”

Sitting beside her, Aunt Li began discussing the rental. “Yesterday afternoon, after I packed up my stall, I went to ask my sister and brother-in-law. They weren’t keen on renting at first, but I persuaded them a bit, and my brother-in-law finally agreed.”

Ye Fangfei didn’t press to know if the brother-in-law truly had objections. With genuine gratitude, she said, “Aunt Li, thank you so much for worrying about me and handling this.”

“No need to thank me, it’s nothing,” Aunt Li replied with a smile. “Fangfei, I can’t leave today, but my grandson didn’t go to school. I’ll have him take you there.”

“That’s really kind of your nephew. When my shop opens, I’ll make sure he gets to try some egg cakes.”

Although the house wasn’t secured yet, Ye Fangfei’s little savings were already dwindling.

Aunt Li’s grandson, Li Jie, looked about fifteen. Shy and quiet, he rode his bicycle fast. Ye Fangfei had to pedal hard to keep up.

Li Jie stopped in front of a street-facing courtyard. “Here it is,” he said, knocking on the gate and calling out, “Auntie, someone’s here to see the house.”

The door creaked open, revealing a woman in her fifties. She bore a slight resemblance to Aunt Li but had a stern, less approachable expression.

“Li Jie, you’re here,” she greeted, then turned her gaze to Ye Fangfei. “Come in.”

Li Jie had completed his mission and now turned his bike around. “Auntie, this is the one renting the house. I have to go do homework now,” and with a push of the pedals, he was gone in a flash.

“This kid, always in such a hurry,” Aunt Li’s sister shook her head and led Ye Fangfei into the courtyard.

“So, I hear from my sister you’re renting a place to sell pastries?”

“Yes, Auntie,” Ye Fangfei replied with a smile, recounting what she had told Aunt Li the other day.

“How long are you planning to rent? My house is on the main street and well-maintained. The rent is low already; I won’t go any lower.”

Before Ye Fangfei could answer, she added, “Also, if you’re making pastries, you’ll need to install an oven. I plan to live here eventually, so nothing can damage the structure.”

Ye Fangfei had been pleased with the house, the storefronts were wide, the courtyard spacious, and the location prime. But hearing the multiple conditions slightly dampened her excitement. Still, she remained polite, explaining:

“Auntie, about the rental period… it’s hard for me to say. If business goes well, I’d love to rent long-term. But anything can happen, so I can’t give a definite period now.”

“I’ll need an oven for baking, but don’t worry—I’ll ensure the house structure remains intact. And when I move out, it will be restored. We can even include that in the contract.”

Thinking further, she added, “If you want extra assurance, we can have a photographer document the house. Each of us keeps a copy, and we can verify it when I leave. That way, it avoids unnecessary disputes later.”

Li Qiuping, the landlady, looked at her in surprise. She had initially doubted this young girl could be trusted with her property. Now, it seemed she had underestimated her—despite her youth, the girl was careful and thorough.

“You’ve thought this through quite thoroughly,” Li Bihua said, leading Ye Fangfei to the back courtyard and opening all the doors. “I have no other requirements. I’ll rent it to you, but you must promise to restore the house and clean it when you leave.”

Ye Fangfei nodded. “Of course. We’ll write that into the contract.”

She inspected the house carefully. The west side had a main room with basic furniture—move-in ready. Three side rooms included a kitchen and two storage spaces. The front had three storefronts—two connected, one separate.

The more she looked, the more satisfied she became. Finally, it has come time to discuss the rent. Nervous inside, she maintained a calm exterior.

“Auntie, how much is the rent per month? And how is it paid—monthly or quarterly?”

Li Qiuping replied, “Forty yuan a month, paid yearly in advance.”

Ye Fangfei’s heart sank. With only seven hundred yuan in hand, paying a year’s rent would leave her with nothing.

“That’s too expensive,” she said. “Actually, my brother found a couple of other places—smaller than yours—renting for twenty-six yuan a month, paid every three months.” She added, feigning embarrassment, “Auntie, I only have a few hundred yuan saved. Paying a year upfront would leave me no capital to start my shop.”

Li Qiuping listened silently, unmoved. “Young lady, forty yuan a month is not expensive for a property in this location. I’m giving you this price only because of my sister. For anyone else, it would be at least fifty yuan per month.”