trct_51

Chapter 51: Viewing the House

As luck would have it, the light rain that had been falling without end on the way over stopped just as they got out of the car at their destination.

Though the small Western-style house under Jie Yu'an's name faced the street, it wasn't like those storefronts pressed right up against the road, where stepping out the door put you directly on the tram tracks.

His house seemed to be a street-facing building within a wealthy villa district, sitting right at the corner where Avenue Joffre met another small road.

Being a standalone villa, it also had a small garden enclosed by a wall and iron railings.

After getting out at the roadside, one had to climb more than a dozen stone steps and pass through an iron gate before reaching the house.

That garden was small enough to be negligible compared to the Jie residence, but for an ordinary home, the size was just right.

It was just enough to plant some pleasing greenery, set up a small sunshade outside, and take leisurely afternoon strolls—small enough to be easy to maintain.

Since the house hadn't been put to use since its completion, the yard was for now still bare dirt, but because the street trees surrounding the house on both sides of the corner were tall and lush, it still gave an impression of shaded greenery.

Before entering, Ji Qingzhou took particular note of the house number plate hanging on the garden gate, it wasn't such-and-such number on Avenue Joffre, but "No. 6 Baojian Road," which was likely the name of that small side road.

Passing through the carved iron gate and walking several dozen steps along the red-brick path led to the front entrance of the house.

The moment Ji Qingzhou stepped onto the stone stairs, he had already caught sight of the house through the not-quite-solid garden railings, and was captivated by the building's appearance at first glance.

He had no idea which architect the Jie family had hired, but they had designed this house to be so romantic, elegant, and full of charm—utterly unlike the grand, imposing style of the Jie residence.

It seemed to be French in style, blended with some rustic Italian elements. The house wasn't tall, just a two-story building.

The roof tiles were terracotta red, and the arched window frames of various sizes were all painted ivory white. The walls were likewise painted an ivory color, but not done with particular refinement or delicacy—instead, natural materials had been used to deliberately create a rustic, pastoral wall texture.

The first floor had connecting arched colonnaded corridors on the southwest side, and on the exterior of the east wall was a staircase leading up to a small balcony on the second floor.

All in all, it was a beautiful little Western-style house that gave off a sense of relaxed comfort.

Ji Qingzhou personally found the house's surroundings, location, and appearance all quite satisfying—not being directly on the street meant it would be relatively quiet, which suited it well as a studio.

But he felt this really didn't seem like the architectural style Jie Yu'an would like. Walking over beside the east staircase, he peered inside through the four-paneled lattice window and found that the walls and doors inside were likewise pure white, set off by the window's bronze-gold handles, carrying a gentle, romantic air.

He couldn't help but ask Shen Nanqi, "Why did you and Mr. Jie give him a house in this style?"

This didn't match Jie Yu'an's stiff, rigid manner and conduct at all!

Shen Nanqi understood his confusion the moment she heard it, and smiled. "Originally his father was going to give him an apartment, but I felt we should consider his life after marriage. This child has an independent temperament, not like his brother, who's quite willing to live close together with the whole family. I thought that after he came back and got married, he'd most likely want to move out on his own.

"And three years ago, when he was still studying in America, I heard from friends of mine abroad that he was quite popular with the girls in his social circle. I thought he might well bring back a foreign wife, so I specially picked out this house in a style that ladies tend to like. As for whether he'd like it himself, that didn't matter so much... Who would have thought this child would come back the way he did..."

Poor Jie Yu'an still had no idea what kind of house his parents had given him. Hearing his mother's explanation now, he couldn't help but feel a bit curious, and turned his head toward where Ji Qingzhou stood to ask, "What, is this house strange somehow?"

"Not strange, quite pretty," Ji Qingzhou said with a light laugh, walking over to Jie Yu'an's side and pulling him by the arm toward the corridor.

They passed through the corridor with its off-white floor tiles and reached the front entrance, where he found the largest key among the bunch of brass keys Shen Nanqi had just handed him, and unlocked the door.

Pushing open the white-lacquered arched door inlaid with wave-pattern glass, one entered into a small foyer.

To the right of the foyer was a carved wooden staircase leading up to the second floor, with a door on each side of the wall leading to different spaces.

For now the house was still empty; besides the pure white walls decorated with plaster molding, the only things worth a closer look were the original-wood-colored herringbone flooring and the three-headed brass chandelier hanging overhead, there was no furniture of any other kind.

But that didn't matter. Though buying furniture would cost money, it would actually be more convenient to plan and arrange the studio himself, sparing him the trouble of having to move and relocate existing furniture.

"Take a look around yourself. Originally I planned to buy some large furniture to decorate it for Yuanyuan, but thinking it was being given as a wedding house, I figured it'd be better to let the two of them furnish it themselves as a couple. Who would have thought it'd turn out like this... But it's good that it can be used as a studio for you now. If a house sits empty too long without anyone living in it, it gets old too. Better to put it to use than not."

Every time Ji Qingzhou heard the words "wedding house," he felt somewhat strange about it, as if he were occupying something that didn't originally belong to him, a faint sense of unease.

But those were only plans that existed in Shen Nanqi's mind after all, unrealized plans didn't really need to be minded.

In any case, judging by how composed Jie Yu'an looked, he didn't seem to care in the slightest what the house had originally been meant for.

"Then I'll just take a look around." Seeing that Shen Nanqi didn't seem to intend to go upstairs, Ji Qingzhou left mother and son there and began wandering up and down through the house.

After he disappeared around the staircase landing, Shen Nanqi turned her head to look at her son, who stood leaning against the stair railing looking calm and at ease, and asked, "What made you think of letting him use this house?"

"He's looking for a place on Avenue Joffre. I happen to have one anyway, sitting empty and unused." Jie Yu'an answered simply, his head slightly lowered.

"Is that lending it to him, or renting it out?"

"Renting."

"And the rent, how much are you planning to charge? Given the property prices around here, with his current income he definitely couldn't afford it."

Shen Nanqi thought for a moment, then said, "Just charge a token amount, then. But the contract still needs to be signed, using the house is one thing, but it needs to be properly maintained."

"Mm."

"Do you want me to lend you Assistant Song, to have him draft up a contract?"

Jie Yu'an stayed silent, saying nothing.

Seeing him play deaf and dumb like this, Shen Nanqi understood at once that he didn't want her getting further involved, and simply said, "Fine, you two work it out yourselves."

With that, Shen Nanqi walked out the front door and leaned against the wall column of the arched doorway, gazing out at the hazy, rain-veiled scenery.

After waiting twenty minutes, Ji Qingzhou came back down to the foyer to rejoin them.

In those twenty minutes, he had not only gone through the layout of the entire house, but had also used the paper and pen he carried with him to sketch a rough diagram of the rooms in his sketchbook, roughly planning out the intended use of each room's space in his mind.

If, when he'd first arrived, he'd only held a measure of appreciation for the house's beautiful exterior, then after walking through the entire building inside and out, he was even more satisfied with this little Western-style house.

Especially the space in the northeast corner of the second floor, which had floor-to-ceiling arched windows on two sides, with street trees wrapped in greenery outside—beautiful scenery, and an excellent view.

And because it was in the northeast corner, it would only get a moderate amount of sun in the mornings, and wouldn't feel stuffy even in summer.

Also, being on the side farther from the street, it would certainly be much quieter than the other spaces. Hanging a short lace curtain in that corner, and placing a dark-wood long table there to use as his design work desk, would be just perfect.

Thinking of all this, Ji Qingzhou's desire to rent this Western-style house grew even stronger.

But along with that came a mix of joy and, at the same time, a fair bit of worry and anxiety.

Finding a studio that suited his aesthetic sense was certainly a happy thing, but what he feared was that Jie Yu'an might tack on some harsh conditions to the contract, leaving him unable to bring himself to sign, yet unwilling to give it up either, that would truly be torment.

"Had a good look? Do you like it?" Seeing him lead Jie Yu'an back out, Shen Nanqi asked.

"Not bad," Ji Qingzhou answered with a faint smile, not showing himself to be especially pleased, so as to avoid a certain someone tacking on extra clauses at the last minute.

"Do you need to look around the surrounding area some more?"

Ji Qingzhou did in fact want to take a further look at the surroundings, but he felt it would be rude to make Shen Nanqi wait on him any longer. Thinking that it wouldn't take much effort to come by himself another day, he said, "No need, let's head back."

"Then lock the door, and let's go."

"Alright."

Once back in the car, Ji Qingzhou had just taken the whole bunch of brass keys out of his pocket to return them to Shen Nanqi, when she said, "No need. There are two sets made for the door keys, one set is with Yuanyuan, and the other with me. Since you'll be living there, my set can stay with you for now; no need to give it back to me."

"All right then." Ji Qingzhou answered and put the keys back in his bag, thinking to himself that he hadn't even confirmed he'd rent the place yet, and here Shen Nanqi was already so at ease about it.

Still, there really wasn't much of anything in the house, so it made no difference where the key ring was kept.

Shen Nanqi then went on to arrange, "To set up a studio there, furniture would be essential, wouldn't it? When the time comes, if you want any custom-made furniture of a particular sort, that'll be on your own coin. But things like sofas, tables, and chairs that can be bought from an ordinary shop, just remember to pick good quality ones. As for the money for that part, I can approve a thousand in funds for you up front, and if it's not enough, you can come to me for however much more you need."

Ji Qingzhou was puzzled at first, but then it dawned on him—Shen Nanqi was worried he might be short on money and make do with buying some inferior furniture, which would both lower the place's quality and, later on, if he stopped renting the house, the Jie family surely wouldn't want that ordinary furniture back either, so it would just have to be thrown out or sold secondhand, which would be a hassle either way.

Better, then, to simply buy good pieces from the start. If he ever had to move again in the future, he could take the furniture he'd had custom-made with him, while the ordinary furniture could still be left behind for continued use, sparing them the trouble of finding someone to refurnish the place again.

Once he'd worked this out, Ji Qingzhou was just about to agree, when Jie Yu'an spoke up: "I'll cover that money."

"You will?" Shen Nanqi turned to look at him in surprise for a moment, then nodded. "That works too, I suppose. It is your house after all."

Hearing this, Ji Qingzhou felt a bit uneasy instead. Jie Yu'an was being far too proactive about all this—taking him to view the house, and now paying for furniture for him too. Just what sort of strange conditions was he cooking up and waiting to spring on him...

.

They'd set out early, and viewing the house had taken less than half an hour, so it was only just past ten when they got back to the Jie residence.

Once home, Shen Nanqi heard that Old Madam Jie was arranging flowers in the small parlor, and set her things down to go keep the old madam company.

Ji Qingzhou, eager to find out what terms Jie Yu'an had drawn up for his rental contract, took him up to the second-floor study instead.

The room, full of books, was dim and dark; only after turning on the light did it feel comfortably bright.

"Come, let's talk about the rent." Sitting down in his usual spot, Ji Qingzhou rapped his knuckle against the desk the way Jie Yu'an habitually did, and said, "

Jie Yu'an seemed to have anticipated this. At his words, he opened the desk drawer and took out two handwritten contracts, laying them on the desktop.

Ji Qingzhou caught sight of the neat rows of clauses on the pages and asked, somewhat puzzled, "When did you write this? How can you write this neatly without being able to see?"

"Last night," Jie Yu'an answered. "A' You helped me write it."

"Oh, I remember now, that must've been while I was off changing and bathing, right? So that's what you went to the study for..."

As he spoke, Ji Qingzhou picked up the papers and began reading through them carefully.

The clauses at the start were all reasonable enough—no damaging the house, no subletting, no large gatherings held on the premises, keeping a pet required the landlord's consent, and so on. Though rather overbearing, it was understandable.

Rent was ten silver dollars a month, with a minimum lease term of three years, but rent could be paid monthly...

The furniture was to be chosen by the tenant, with the landlord covering the cost; water, electricity, heating fees, and equipment repair costs arising during the tenancy would all be borne by the landlord...

For someone as financially strapped as him, just starting out on his own, these terms were generous to the point of being practically a handout.

There were only two clauses that left Ji Qingzhou thoroughly puzzled.

"During the tenancy, the tenant may not terminate the lease midway. Should termination be necessary, the tenant must compensate the landlord twelve months' rent as a penalty for breach of contract..."

As Ji Qingzhou read this clause aloud, he couldn't help raising an eyebrow. "Why's the penalty so high? You've got a three-year minimum lease on this, doesn't that mean I'm stuck renting from you for the full three years no matter what?"

Jie Yu'an said, calm and composed, "I'm not taking a deposit from you, and the rent is cheap. Is there a problem with the penalty being a bit high, to guard against you terminating the lease partway through?"

That was true enough, actually—given how cheap the monthly rent was, even if something really did come up and he had to break the lease, the penalty would only come to a hundred and twenty yuan... whereas normally, the deposit alone for a house in that area would already amount to that much.

Ji Qingzhou had nothing to say to that and nodded, then went on to read the next clause aloud: "Then this one... the tenant must lock up and leave by seven in the evening; no one is permitted to stay overnight in the house. One violation raises the following month's rent by five yuan. What kind of bizarre clause is this? Am I only renting the right to use the place during the daytime?"

Jie Yu'an's answer to this was two breezy words: "Saves electricity."

"Saves electricity?" Ji Qingzhou looked at him in disbelief. "Even if you're the one paying the electric bill, that reason is way too far-fetched."

"It's far from the French Concession. Coming back too late isn't safe. From now on you have to leave work by seven and be home before half past seven," Jie Yu'an said, his voice dropping slightly lower.

"Is it far? It's not bad, really. It's only about half an hour back by tram."

Ji Qingzhou hadn't expected him to be concerned about his safety, and his tone softened considerably at that. He reasoned with him, "Besides, I'm bound to have busy stretches at work sometimes—say, if a customer shows up right around closing time, I can hardly send them away for nothing, right?"

Jie Yu'an thought it over, seemed to find this reasonable, and gave a little ground: "I can allow you two exceptions for working late without penalty, but you still have to be home before eight."

"And what if I'm not?"

"Then don't expect to get into the bedroom anymore."

"Oh, so you're already scheming up new ways to kick me out of the bedroom, huh?" Ji Qingzhou gave an indifferent little snort. "What if by then I don't even want to go back, and it's your family begging me to come home instead?"

Hearing that he wasn't rising to the bait, Jie Yu'an switched tactics: "If you're not home by half past seven, I'll send a car to pick you up."

"Sending a car now too? Whose curfew is this early? I'm not exactly underage..."

Ji Qingzhou grumbled a bit, but seeing that Jie Yu'an wasn't budging and staying stubbornly silent, he had no choice but to accept the clause, which wasn't all that harsh to him after all.

Though there were a point or two that didn't quite sit right with him, the rent terms were simply too generous. Ji Qingzhou felt that if he were to refuse the contract over those one or two not-entirely-reasonable clauses, that would be truly ungrateful.

He promptly uncapped his fountain pen, ready to fill in the contract, and asked, "When should the lease start? Next month?"

Jie Yu'an's tone was even. "Whatever you like."

"Then I'll write Republic Year 7, July 1st." Ji Qingzhou said this and filled in the start and end dates of the lease term in the date column respectively.

Once he'd finished filling it out and double-checked everything, he looked across at Jie Yu'an, who sat leisurely in the armchair, and said, "Alright, sign now? Or do we need to find a witness?"

Jie Yu'an said, in a tone of complete trust, "Go ahead and sign."

"That trusting of me, huh..." Ji Qingzhou gave a faint smile, gave his pen a light flick, and signed his name in a bold, flowing hand under the tenant line.

He then got up, walked over beside Jie Yu'an, turned both copies of the contract around, set them in front of Jie Yu'an, pressed the pen into his hand, and adjusted the position of the pen tip for him, saying, "Sign here."

Without hesitation, Jie Yu'an took hold of the pen and signed his own name beneath the landlord line.

Watching him set down his signature in neat, upright strokes, Ji Qingzhou then noticed a small problem.

Probably because Jie Yu'an couldn't see, the spacing between where "Tenant" and "Landlord" were written had ended up too close together, so their two signatures sat pressed right up against each other.

And because his own signature was so boldly flourished, quite a few of the strokes overlapped with Jie Yu'an's name, making it look unusually intimate.

Almost like signing a marriage certificate.

The thought flitted through Ji Qingzhou's mind, and he gave a tug at the corner of his mouth and shook his head.

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