Huo Yuhao thought for a moment, then reported the specifications and dimensions of the grill, as well as the matching iron racks, one by one. The middle-aged man listening was taken aback.
"That's about it, just make sure the quality is good."
After explaining his requirements, Huo Yuhao pulled out a gold soul coin from his pocket. "Is this enough?"
"More than enough. Actually, just a deposit would suffice. The grill you want isn't that difficult to make. You can pick it up tomorrow."
The middle-aged man's face lit up with joy as he quickly wrote out a receipt and handed it to Huo Yuhao before accepting the gold soul coin.
Standing nearby, Huo Yun'er had originally intended to negotiate the price, but seeing how generous Huo Yuhao was, she swallowed her words.
With the grill matter settled, the two began looking for a suitable place to live. After visiting several houses, each time hearing the high prices from the brokers, Huo Yun'er would gently tug on Huo Yuhao's hand, barely noticeable, but it made Huo Yuhao chuckle inwardly.
"Mom, what are you doing?"
Huo Yun'er couldn't help but roll her eyes and said in a slightly exasperated tone, "Of course, I'm trying to stop you from wasting money. Those houses didn't seem that special, yet the rent is so expensive, and you still keep looking around."
"Hmm..."
Huo Yuhao thoughtfully pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement. "Mom, you're right. Let's go look at villas instead!"
Huo Yun'er, who had just been feeling proud that her son was listening to reason, suddenly turned dark, giving Huo Yuhao a light smack on the head.
"You little rascal, are you trying to make me angry?"
Cough cough "Mom, don't worry, your son has money now."
Huo Yuhao hadn't told Huo Yun'er too much about the bracelet Zhu Lu had given him, only mentioning that someone had secretly handed it to him after his martial soul awakened, urging him to leave the Duke's Mansion as soon as possible.
Although Huo Yun'er was curious, she didn't think too deeply about it, assuming that some kind-hearted person, aware of Dai Hao's plans, had secretly helped them. She had even instructed Huo Yuhao to repay that person in the future.
"Even so, you can't just waste money! There are many things we'll need to spend on in the future. The place we live doesn't need to be extravagant."
"Mom, don't forget about the grilled fish I make. With that grill, we won't have to worry about money. Plus, where we live is essential. Cheap places often don't have good security. We have to think about safety too."
Upon hearing the word "safety," Huo Yun'er's mind instantly flashed back to the time when Huo Yuhao was nearly kidnapped at the Duke's Mansion. She couldn't refute any further and nodded helplessly.
Seeing his mother finally agree, Huo Yuhao's face lit up, and he immediately pulled her along to continue searching.
Of course, talk of villas was just that — talk. At the moment, Huo Yuhao couldn't afford one. Besides, it was just him and his mother; a large house would be difficult to maintain.
"This house is a duplex with two floors. There's also a small attic that can be used as a storage room. The first floor has a living room, kitchen, dining area, and two empty rooms that can serve as workspaces. There are also four bedrooms upstairs. It's perfect for hosting friends or relatives."
"Honestly, the location and layout of this house are excellent. The view from the windows is nice, too. The previous tenants just moved out, so it's available. The rent is 15 gold soul coins a year, with a two-year deposit. If you sign a long-term lease of more than five years, I can waive the deposit."
After hearing the landlord's introduction, Huo Yuhao glanced at Huo Yun'er, noticing her eyes brightening as she admired the room's decor. Nodding, he pulled out a bag of gold soul coins.
"We'll take this one. Six-year lease."
The landlord's eyes lit up — landlords always favored long-term tenants since it saved them the trouble of constantly finding new ones.
"If it's a long-term lease, I can lower the rent to 12 gold soul coins a year."
When Huo Yun'er signed the contract and received the keys, they finally had a new home in Heaven Dou City.
Although Huo Yun'er still felt a bit pained over the cost, the joy of moving into their new home washed much of that away. She hadn't expected that after escaping the Duke's Mansion, life would turn out far better than she had imagined, rather than the hardship she had anticipated.
She subconsciously glanced at Huo Yuhao, who was busy arranging their new home, and silently reflected on all he had done over the past month.
After placing the bedding, pots, and other household items they'd purchased, Huo Yuhao stood up and let out a long breath, feeling incredibly refreshed. Despite running around all day, he didn't feel tired at all.
Not only had he changed his own fate, but he was also altering the destinies of his mother and others he cared about, leading them toward a new future.
Maybe that was the true meaning of his rebirth.
"Yuhao."
His mother's gentle voice called, and Huo Yuhao instinctively turned around, seeing her sitting on the bed, her eyes filled with a complex emotion as she quietly watched him. His heart tightened.
"What's wrong, Mom?"
Huo Yun'er patted the spot next to her, motioning for him to sit down. "I just feel like it's been a while since we had a good talk. Let's chat."
Once Huo Yuhao sat down, Huo Yun'er gazed intently at his youthful and innocent face.
"Yuhao."
"Hm?"
Huo Yuhao responded reflexively, only to see Huo Yun'er gently raise her hand, softly brushing his eyebrows over and over. Gradually, Huo Yuhao began to relax in the quiet atmosphere, but her next words made his body tense up.
"You must have gone through a lot of hardship in the future, haven't you?"
Thunder roared, and sudden rain poured down with the night.
The moonlight was shattered by dark clouds, falling obliquely onto the floor of the room. Outside the window, the neon lights of the street became the melody of the night, and the sound of people outside, softened by the rain, brought a sense of calm.
But at this moment, Huo Yuhao's heart pounded, beating furiously.
"After all we've been through, even a mother as slow as me should be able to notice the changes in her son."
A gentle smile appeared on Huo Yun'er's face, her bright eyes reflecting his image.
"Though I don't know what you've experienced, I can tell — you're still my little Yuhao."
Huo Yuhao lowered his head, unable to hold back his tears any longer.
Memories of his mother's body growing frailer in his past life, bedridden until the end, surfaced in his mind. Now that he had regained what he had once lost, he trembled as he reached out, hugging Huo Yun'er tightly, crying uncontrollably.
"Mom, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..."
Just like when he was a child, Huo Yun'er gently stroked his hair, her voice soft and comforting, as if telling a story.
"No matter how much I've suffered, it can't compare to the joy of having you by my side, Yuhao —"
Huo Yun'er paused, then smiled warmly.
"— thank you for becoming my child."
(Chapter End)