The poor college girl who had been working part-time in the production team just last night found herself this morning being driven in Assistant Wu's car, worth fifty or sixty thousand yuan, to a decent residential area in the capital. If someone else heard about this, they probably wouldn't believe it.
At first, the sales agent who received Assistant Wu and Qin Ran thought they were sisters, until Assistant Wu addressed Qin Ran as "Boss." The sales agent looked at Qin Ran with astonishment in her eyes. She could hardly believe that such a young student could be a boss.
If one were to say she was a second-generation rich kid, it really didn't seem convincing. Standing in the room, Qin Ran looked completely out of place with the luxurious decor.
She was wearing an oversized jacket, jeans, and sneakers, and she carried a backpack on her back. The sales agent, with her sharp eyes, quickly estimated that her entire outfit cost at most one or two hundred yuan—and that was being generous. If she haggled, she might even get it for 100 yuan.
Though she knew that some rich second-generation heirs deliberately dressed down to appear modest, this level of modesty was a bit too much—it almost made her look poor.
All she could say was... you can't fathom the thoughts of the rich. It's impossible to guess what she was thinking.
Despite the internal monologue, the sales agent maintained a warm and enthusiastic smile. After all, these were important clients, and if they bought a property, her commission would be enough for a good year. She wasn't worried about whether the two had money. After all, in her line of work, it was all about casting a wide net and seeing what you could catch. Looking down on potential clients? That was a surefire way not to make any money.
The sales agent gave a detailed introduction to the property's decor and the brands of the furniture inside. The apartment was on the 28th floor, with a broad view and a commercial area nearby. The price was twenty million yuan, right within the budget Qin Ran had given Assistant Wu. Of course, it wasn't located in the heart of the commercial area; if it were, it wouldn't have been affordable given the capital's real estate prices. Qin Ran was fortunate that her school and the filming base were located in the outer rings of the city, so choosing a place between them wasn't in the best commercial zone.
As the saying goes, "The capital is big, but it's hard to find a place to live," and this couldn't be truer. Qin Ran had almost achieved a goal by squeezing as much out of the system as she could. Over the past two months, 99 Entertainment had helped her earn 80 out of her 100 little goals, which allowed her to save up this much money... but since the money wasn't really hers, Qin Ran felt a bit detached when spending it.
But now, to suddenly see her account shrink by one-fifth, Qin Ran felt a bit of heartache. If it had been in her previous life, she wouldn't have batted an eye, but things were different now. Perhaps she felt the pain because she was so used to being poor.
The sales agent was very persuasive, and Qin Ran indeed found the apartment quite good. Among the two-million-yuan apartments in the capital, it was a decent one. Qin Ran also looked at a few other properties recommended by Assistant Wu but ultimately chose this one because of its rabbit-themed elements.
The rabbit-themed handkerchief that Yu Shuman had given Qin Ran in high school was still with her. She knew that the one she had given Yu Shuman was also still kept by her, as she had seen it before. This realization brought a moment of joy to her heart, and she grinned foolishly to herself for half a day.
Having decided on this apartment, Qin Ran signed the contract with the sales agent and was about to pay in full when the system spoke in her mind, "Detected that the host intends to purchase property for the bound target, Yu Shuman. Allocating twenty million yuan, cashback..." Before it could finish, Qin Ran interrupted it in her mind.
"No need, I'm buying this for myself, not for Yu Shuman." Even if she thought about how nice it would be if one day they could live together, she couldn't justify buying a house for herself under the guise of doing it for Yu Shuman. Such behavior was too despicable, and Qin Ran couldn't bring herself to do it.
The system felt a bit defeated and silently withdrew its offer.
Qin Ran couldn't help but wonder if the system ever regretted choosing her as its host. It had gone nearly 17 years without binding to anyone else, and now that it had finally done so, three years had passed with little progress. Now, just as the wool was finally getting thicker, her resistance had thwarted its plans again. It must feel quite frustrated.
To be honest, this cash-back tycoon system was pretty decent—no mandatory requirements, no threats of death or punishment if tasks weren't completed, and all it wanted to do was transfer money. Strictly speaking, it was a "feel-good" system.
No sooner had Qin Ran completed the payment than the keys were handed over to her. The sales agent was beaming with enthusiasm, knowing that the apartment came with high-end decor and had undergone special formaldehyde treatment. It had been vacant for a long time, allowing the odors to dissipate, so Qin Ran could move in immediately if she wished.
However, Qin Ran planned to return and pack her things, intending to move in the next day.
While she was packing her belongings in the dormitory, one of her roommates asked why she was moving out. Qin Ran hadn't yet answered when another roommate chimed in, "What other reason could there be? You know Qin Ran's situation—she probably has to work late sometimes, and it's inconvenient to come back, so she's moving out."
"But renting outside is expensive. Qin Ran, maybe you could talk to the teacher and see if you can be allowed to enter the dorm late?"
Her roommates were sincerely concerned about her, but explaining would be too troublesome. Qin Ran thought for a moment and then replied, "I'm staying in the employee dormitory."
In a certain sense, she could indeed call it an employee dormitory.
Hearing this, her roommates felt reassured. "Then make sure to come back and stay with us from time to time, and don't skip evening self-study. Last time, the teacher did a check, and it was the class monitor who pleaded for you. The teacher almost recorded your name."
Qin Ran nodded, indicating she understood. She then turned around and brought some snacks to the class monitor in the neighboring dormitory. Even though she was socially anxious, Qin Ran knew how to navigate human relationships. Sometimes, she even felt she was too worldly—like a dirty adult compared to these pure students.
The class monitor initially refused the snacks, but after some pushing, finally accepted them. When he heard that she would be moving to the employee dormitory, he assured her that he would cover for her. Qin Ran was touched by the kindness of people in this world.
She packed everything she owned, just like when she had arrived at school two months ago—one rolling suitcase and one backpack with her computer. Nothing more.
She got into the car and headed to the newly acquired apartment.
Twenty million yuan could only get a small apartment in the golden commercial district of the capital, but in the area Qin Ran had chosen, it could buy a nice property.
The apartment was on the 28th floor, with a total area of 360 square meters, excluding the gift area. Even the security door at the entrance was twelve centimeters thick. The apartment had been handed over with her fingerprint registered, a new password set, and keys provided. Qin Ran unlocked the door with her fingerprint and entered.
Upon entering, there was a foyer with a smooth cabinet behind which was a wall of natural mineral stone, green with stone veins. It had been polished smooth and coated with a layer of film, giving it a pleasing texture. But what Qin Ran liked most was a small ornament on the cabinet's surface.
It was a pink, Q-version rabbit holding a white porcelain tray, where she could place her keys after entering. Qin Ran, who didn't usually carry many keys, deliberately took the house key out of her pocket and placed it on the tray. The metal key made a crisp sound as it touched the porcelain.
Qin Ran reached out and patted the rabbit's head, then walked further inside. Beyond the foyer, there was a turn, and around the corner, she saw the full view of the living room. This was one of the main selling points of the apartment—a 270-degree panoramic window. It was evening, and from the window, she could see the bustling cityscape and nearby tall buildings.
Qin Ran liked this vantage point; it made her feel that the view was expansive. However, the capital had so many high-rises that her place was just one of many. Truly wealthy people wouldn't live in an apartment like this; they could afford estates in the capital. And an estate would require at least ten or more "little goals."
She knew that people outside were curious about the mysterious owner of 99 Entertainment, especially since the company had suddenly mobilized at least five billion yuan in liquid assets over the past month. Such cash flow implied an enormous underlying wealth. The big shots in the capital kept guessing at Qin Ran's identity, but they would never imagine that she had just spent a fifth of her fortune on a two-million-yuan apartment.
She was still poor, very poor.
With a sigh, Qin Ran casually placed her suitcase on the living room floor and then sank into the large sofa. Qin Ran had spent twenty million yuan, so of course, she hadn't opted for the old display furniture, especially since things like beds and sofas were touched by others when viewing the property. After the contract was signed yesterday, the real estate company had replaced everything with new items.
She lay on the sofa for a long time, unexpectedly finding herself reminiscent of her previous life. She got up from the sofa, gazed at the spacious room, and felt a moment of disorientation. Then she hugged herself tightly, feeling a sense of loneliness seep out from her very bones. Perhaps she had spent too long in small, cramped places in this life, and now such a vast, empty space felt somewhat daunting.
As she reflected on her own sentimentality, Qin Ran considered what she should do. The apartment was equipped with a full set of smart home devices, and when she called out, a large TV slowly descended from the ceiling, automatically turned on, and displayed the home screen. Qin Ran found a gaming console in a hidden drawer under the sofa, connected it, logged in, and entered her account.