Jiang Ping was a real estate agent, and this year marked his fourth year in the business.
Four years, neither long nor short, and he had met quite a few clients.
This was the first time he encountered someone specifically looking to rent a storefront where a death had occurred.
In his entire life, he had never seen anyone so daring.
He did indeed have a storefront where someone had died; it used to be a flower shop, and the couple who owned it perished in a fire.
The previous tenant had rented it for less than a week before insisting on moving out, claiming to hear a man and woman arguing at night. When he went to check, he saw no one, and this situation had occurred not just once, but frequently.
"Hello, Miss Zhao. This storefront is located in the Jianghuai District of Jiang City, which is actually a bustling area with a lot of foot traffic."
"I'm not renting this one. I want to rent the one where the death occurred. When I called earlier, you said you had one." Zhao Yan said.
If he introduced a more expensive one, her wallet wouldn't be able to handle it.
Jiang Ping gave a polite smile, "That storefront had a death in it. Several tenants left after renting it for a while."
"If you decide to rent it, we do not refund the deposit."
"No refunds!" Zhao Yan waved her hand.
Looking at her confident demeanor, it was ironic, as the previous tenant had said the same thing.
"Alright, I'll show it to you then."
"Yes, this storefront is 47 square meters. There's also a floor above, where people can live."
"It's three thousand yuan per month. We generally rent for a minimum of six months, with a deposit and three months' rent paid upfront."
"The agency fee is half of the rent, totaling..."
Zhao Yan said, "13,500."
My goodness! So expensive!
Jiang Ping smiled, "Miss Zhao calculates so quickly."
She took out 13,500 yuan, feeling a pang of pain.
She now had 16,200 yuan remaining.
Seeing Zhao Yan so readily hand over the money, Jiang Ping's face broke into a smile.
"Then I'll take you to see the property," Jiang Ping said.
Zhao Yan agreed.
Getting into Jiang Ping's car, they arrived at Huainan Street in Jiang City.
Jiang Ping found a parking spot and parked the car. Zhao Yan got out with him and followed behind as they walked forward.
"Miss Zhao, this storefront is excellent. It's a shame someone died here, otherwise, you couldn't rent it for three thousand. Before the death, it could be rented for nine thousand a month," Jiang Ping said as he walked ahead.
He pointed to the place in front of them, "It's right there. You can see the surroundings are very lively."
Zhao Yan let out a soft hum, feeling a little excited inside.
Looking in the direction Jiang Ping pointed, it seemed quite spacious.
Jiang Ping unlocked the door with the key and pushed it open. Zhao Yan walked in and sniffed, detecting no unusual odors.
"The walls have been repainted, and there are quite a few things left by the previous tenant. Everything you need is here, nothing is missing."
"See how bright and airy this place is."
Zhao Yan looked around and felt it was very good.
She extended her hand and shook Jiang Ping's, "Thank you, I really like this place."
"I'll send you the landlord's WeChat. Remember to pay the rent on time each month."
"However, Miss Zhao, I still recommend you rent somewhere else. Your money is still with me, and once the contract is signed, the deposit is non-refundable," Jiang Ping said earnestly.
The previous tenant, two grown men, couldn't handle it.
"No need, let's sign the contract," Zhao Yan said softly.
"Alright, we'll do an electronic signature. Please check if there's any damage to the cabinets or wardrobes."
"I've checked, they are all in good condition," Zhao Yan said.
"Okay, then please sign your name on the tablet."
Zhao Yan wrote her name, and Jiang Ping handed her the keys.
"I wish you a pleasant stay. If you really want to move out, call me at this number."
"Okay, bye-bye!"
She went to the door and watched Jiang Ping leave.
After Jiang Ping left, Zhao Yan took out her phone and started taking pictures.
Currently, she only had one contact on WeChat, but that didn't stop her from sharing her joy.
Just one second after posting, she noticed a red ❶ appear on her Moments.
Clicking on it, she saw that Lin Xihang had liked it.
Putting her phone in her pocket, and looking at the cleanliness of the place, Zhao Yan picked up a broom and mop to start cleaning.
Then she bought new bedsheets and quilts.
She also bought two sets of clothes, and toiletries like slippers, toothbrushes, and toothpaste.
Checking her balance, she had 15,500 yuan.
With everything mostly done, Zhao Yan took out her backpack, reached inside, and pulled out ten wind chimes.
She hung the wind chimes at the entrance of the storefront.
Behind each of the ten wind chimes was a talisman.
Feeling the room was too empty and lacked atmosphere, Zhao Yan reached into her backpack again and took out twelve clay figurines.
These twelve clay figurines were a birthday gift from an old man when she was twelve.
Placed inside the shop, the twelve clay figurines had very expressive faces, making them look alive at first glance.
Zhao Yan touched her stomach, feeling a bit hungry. She went to the opposite street and ate five bowls of lamb noodle soup. Feeling about sixty percent full, she stopped eating and returned to the shop.
Five bowls of lamb noodle soup, 12 yuan per bowl, cost her 60 yuan. She now had 15,440 yuan left.
She picked up a small stool, turned on some light music on her phone, and sat down to start drawing talismans.
Before she even finished one talisman, the third wind chime made a dinging sound.
Zhao Yan looked up and saw a girl, drenched by the rain, standing at the entrance.
The girl looked to be around twenty-three years old, shivering from the cold, her lips slightly blue.
Hugging her arms, she had a lot of bruises on her wrists.
"Can I take shelter from the rain here?" the girl said, her expression anxious, glancing back frequently.
Seeing the girl shivering, Zhao Yan nodded, "Come in."
"Thank you," the girl said, and quickly entered the shop.
As the girl entered the shop, she glanced back behind her and let out a sigh of relief.
Zhao Yan scrolled through her phone, then glanced at the girl.
She placed her phone on the table and focused on drawing talismans.
After watching outside for a while, the girl stood up and said to Zhao Yan, "Thank you, I need to go now."
With that, she walked out the door.
"You're welcome, because we will meet again," Zhao Yan said without looking up from her drawing.
The girl was stunned. She looked back at Zhao Yan, puzzled, and opened her mouth to ask why. But seeing Zhao Yan engrossed in her drawing, she didn't want to disturb her further, already feeling bad for interrupting her.
She raised her hand to her head to shield herself from the rain and ran off down the street.
Zhao Yan stopped what she was doing, looked at her phone, and turned off silent mode.
Sound came from the phone.
"On the evening of July 4th, the Jiang City Public Security Bureau issued a notice stating that the body of Wu Mouhui, 23, who had been missing for 12 days, was found by a pond."
"The victim had suffered abuse before her death, with multiple bruises on her hands and feet."
Zhao Yan sighed. Except for the third wind chime, she took down all the other chimes.
She walked out the door and looked up at the sky. The weather was truly clear today.