My Mister Ostrich Chapter 96.2

96 (Part 2) | Unexpected Surprise
Gu Mingxi, can you say it in a way that I can understand?

Pang Shuisheng already took a step forward. Just like the last time they’d met several years ago, he gave Gu Mingxi a great big hug. Jin Aihua stood by Pang Qian’s side and looked over Gu Mingxi. Although she’d once been very dissatisfied with him, seeing him now, she couldn’t stop the tears from flowing out of her eyes.
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Pang Shuisheng released Gu Mingxi and looked up at him. “Mingxi’s really grown up. Ah… How can we not have gotten old.”

“It’s cold out there, hurry inside.” With tears in her eyes, Jin Aihua complained, “Mingxi ah, why have you gotten so tan? You looked so nice before, clean and bright.”

Pang Qian laughed. “Mom, don’t you love watching ‘Young Justice Bao?’ You always said that a guy who was a bit tan had more character.”

“Be quiet!” Jin Aihua glared at her. Then she spoke to Gu Mingxi, “It’s nothing. Hainan is very sunny, so it’s easy to tan there. When you come back and cover up a bit, you’ll get white again.”

They hugged Gu Mingxi and entered the house. Pang Qian let out a sigh of relief inside. She was most worried about Jin Aihua’s att.i.tude toward Gu Mingxi. But, even though she couldn’t compare to her father’s enthusiasm, it seemed like her mother was doing a decent job.

After Pang Qian returned from Hainan, Jin Aihua kept nagging that she wouldn’t be able to accept Pang Qian and Gu Mingxi dating. Pang Qian thought it over and then let Jin Aihua read ‘My Miss Crab.’

When Jin Aihua finished reading it, she sat under her covers and cried. Pang Shuisheng handed her some napkins and said, “Mingxi’s a good kid. He’s always treated our Qian Qian well over the years. Although his qualifications aren’t amazing right now, but I’ve always believed that his future will be great. I’m declaring my position now. Whoever it is that Qian Qian says she likes, I’ll definitely support them all the way.”

Jin Aihua had watched Gu Mingxi grow up, and she had been good friends with Li Han. Now she felt that Gu Mingxi had had it rough in the past years. But to happily hand her daughter to him was really a hurdle she couldn’t get over.

She cried as she said, “Our Qian Qian has such good qualifications right now. She’s so pretty when she dresses up, her work is going well, and her salary is high. She could get any boyfriend she wanted! That Xiao Yu, his qualifications are so good! No matter how I see it, he’s great. How is it that he can’t win against Mingxi?”

Pang Shuisheng laughed. “Do you think that in Qian Qian’s eyes there’s anyone who can win against Mingxi? If there really were, she wouldn’t have been single for so many years.”

Jin Aihua didn’t say anything.

Before coming over for dinner, Pang Qian had warned her mother, and she’d clearly expressed her wish to be together with Gu Mingxi. She pleaded with Jin Aihua, saying that Gu Mingxi had been alone all these years and he’d suffered a lot. He was coming back for (Chinese) New Year’s. Even if Jin Aihua couldn’t accept it in the beginning, would she please at least treat him well and not humiliate him.

“Mom, just think of it as giving Auntie Li Han some face, okay?” Pang Qian asked her mother. Jin Aihua looked displeased the whole time, but she didn’t say anything.

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Unlike Jin Aihua, Pang Shuisheng was very happy. He’d prepared a table of food and pulled Gu Mingxi over to drink. Jin Aihua didn’t say much, until Pang Qian mentioned that Gu Mingxi had bought a 60 sqm house in Sanya. Then her eyes s.h.i.+ned and she started speaking excitedly.

Jin Aihua asked Gu Mingxi, “Mingxi, Qian Qian told me that you were going to move back to E City. What are you going to do with the house over there then?”

Gu Mingxi glanced at Pang Qian, and then told Jin Aihua, “I was going to sell it, but Pang Qian said she really liked it and that we could stay there when we visited Sanya. So for now, I don’t plan on selling it.”

Jin Aihua said, “If you don’t sell your house, then where are you going to live in the future? Are you going to rent a place?”

Before Gu Mingxi could respond, Pang Qian stepped in. “Mom, we’ll both earn the money for a house. You don’t have to worry about it. Even if we can’t buy a big house, we shouldn’t have a problem buying a smaller apartment.”

Gu Mingxi raised his eyes to look at her. Jin Aihua said, “Real estate prices are really high right now. You’re both going to earn money? How long is that going to take?! If you ask me, Mingxi should sell the house in Sanya. Can’t you get a more than a million back for it?”

Pang Qian picked up a few pieces of meat and placed it into Gu Mingxi’s bowl. She said, “Mom, I really like that house. It’s got a seaside view! You can’t really buy it anymore, so I’m not going to let him sell it.”

Pang Shuisheng also spoke up. “Mingxi and Qian Qian will take care of their own matters. Don’t b.u.t.t in.”

Jin Aihua glared at him. “How am I b.u.t.ting in? Aren’t I… Aren’t I just considering it for them?! Real estate is really expensive in E City right now. We bought this place for 7,000 per sqm, and now it’s risen up to 20 thousand per sqm. A house would cost more than 2 million dollars! Your colleagues who opted for the replacement property all regretted it! If Mingxi plans to move back here, whether its for work or marriage, he still has to consider a house! I’m going to say this now. I definitely won’t agree for Qian Qian to marry someone who doesn’t have a house.”

Pang Qian was speechless. “Mom…”

Pang Shuisheng quickly added some more food to Gu Mingxi’s bowl. “Mingxi, eat some more, eat. Let’s not talk about this anymore. You and Qian Qian are both still young, and you’ve just stepping into the professional world. Houses, cars, and money – you’ll have it all later. There’s no rush, no rush.”

Gu Mingxi listened to their lively conversation and silently smiled. He lowered his head and ate.

After dinner, Pang Qian pulled Gu Mingxi to her room to talk, and she was a bit depressed.

Pang Qian knew that her mother’s words weren’t pretty, but they were realistic. Pang Qian had been working for four years now and she had some savings. If they wanted to buy a small apartment, they would have to clench their teeth, but it was possible to pay the downpayment. In the beginning, Gu Mingxi wouldn’t have a job in E City, and it wasn’t known how much money he’d make from publis.h.i.+ng ill.u.s.trated books. It wasn’t that Pang Qian couldn’t take on the responsibility and pay the entire downpayment, but she felt it would give Gu Mingxi a lot of pressure.

Regarding this problem, Pang Qian couldn’t come up with any solutions presently. She didn’t want to touch Gu Mingxi’s house in Sanya. It was something that he’d worked really hard to get. They couldn’t just sell it off like that.

Pang Qian felt a bit unsettled. Gu Mingxi had just returned, and during his first meal with her parents, he was faced with such a realistic and cruel problem. But Pang Qian knew it wasn’t something they could hide from. She studied finance, and her work was full of concrete data. Her work was rather dull and based on reason. After a few years, she couldn’t avoid being more savvy, slick, and practical.

They’d already gotten rid of the innocence and inexperience of their student days, and this made Pang Qian feel extremely sad.

Gu Mingxi saw that Pang Qian had something on her mind, so he said to her, “Pang Pang.”

“Ah?” Pang Qian hugged her stuffed animal and glanced over at him. “What is it?”

Gu Mingxi moved closer to her side and said, “It’s nothing really. I just wanted to tell you, don’t worry.”

“…” Pang Qian knew that she couldn’t hide it from him, so she just pursed her lips. “Gu Mingxi, those adults are really annoying. To be honest, I have a decent amount of savings from the past year. As more time pa.s.ses, that amount will grow. It’s okay if we can’t buy a house right away. After we work for a few more years, we’ll have everything we want. Why don’t they understand that.”

Gu Mingxi smiled. “Actually, I think what Auntie said makes a lot of sense. If I’m going to move back here, having a house is definitely very important. What mother (in-law) would like a son-in-law who has nothing? Your mom’s just worried that you’ll have to suffer.”

Hearing him say ‘son-in-law’ and ‘mother-in-law,’ Pang Qian became happy again. “Gu Mingxi, who’s son-in-law are you? My parents didn’t say anything about that.”

Gu Mingxi looked at her. “Didn’t say anything? But from what I can see, their daughter is in a bit of a rush.”

“Ugh! Who’s in a rush?!”

She hit him with her stuffed animal. Gu Mingxi laughed as he dodged, and then Pang Qian just reached over to grab him. She put her hands on his shoulders, a place she was already very familiar with these days. She caressed him across his sweater and said lightly, “Gu Mingxi, don’t think about it too much. Really. We’re still young, and I’m not at all in a rush.”

There was still more than a week before New Year’s. Pang Qian really wanted to spend time with Gu Mingxi, but she couldn’t help it that work was so busy. In the end, she just let go of her hopes. She told Gu Mingxi that she’d pay him back for all the time she’s not spending with him now, over New Year’s. Until then, she would focus on working hard and ask Shark to take care of (or watch out for) Gu Mingxi.

She worked overtime nearly every day, and she even took a two day business trip to Hong Kong. When she had a bit of free time, she called Gu Mingxi and asked what he was doing. He’d say that he was at Shark’s place, watching TV or online, and he didn’t really go out.

But Pang Qian kept feeling that Gu Mingxi’s tone was a bit strange. Sometimes she would hear sounds from outside, and when she asked him where he was, he said he was taking a walk nearby the heavy machinery factory. Pang Qian knew that Gu Mingxi was hiding something from her.

Pang Qian’s suspicions came from the longtime understanding that she’d gained growing up with Gu Mingxi. When they were in school, even if she were more boorish, she’d still be able to understand what he was feeling. Even if his face looked normal, Pang Qian would know when there was something on his mind.

So when Pang Qian had some time off, she pressed Gu Mingxi for answers.

“What have you been doing lately? You’re always going out, so where do you go?” she asked anxiously. “Don’t try to lie to me. I know that there’s something on your mind! Gu Mingxi, what are you hiding from me this time?!”

Gu Mingxi couldn’t say anything. He was originally not going to admit it, but seeing how red Pang Qian’s eyes had gotten, his heart immediately softened.

“Okay, okay, I was wrong. Pang Pang, don’t cry,” he comforted her gently. Pang Qian said, “Oh! So you really are hiding something from me! Hurry and spill! What have you been up to recently?”

Gu Mingxi bit his lip and looked at her. Two round eyes, black like ink. He thought for a moment and then said with determination, “Pang Pang, let me take you somewhere.”

He actually brought her to the Prosperous North neighborhood. Pang Qian didn’t get it. Wasn’t this her home?

Then, Gu Mingxi brought Pang Qian inside a real estate agency. He found one of the brokers and said, “Xiao Zhao, can you take me to the house we went to the other day? I want to let my girlfriend see whether she likes it or not.”

Pang Qian was dumbfounded.

That house wasn’t in the same building as the Pang house, but it was pretty nearby. The place was on the 22nd floor, 138 sqm. The owner was in a rush to sell it, so the price was cheaper than other houses of the same size. But it still wasn’t cheap at 2.7 million.

It had three bedrooms and was decorated very simply. At a glance, it was obvious that it was the kind of place that got rented out. The direction, size, lighting, and price were all very good. It looked a lot bigger than the 109 sqm Pang house, and there was also an additional 8 sqm terrace.

Pang Qian looked around the place with Gu Mingxi, a bit dim-witted and completely unaware of his intent. Xiao Zhao carefully explained to her the good points about the house, and even said that now was the time to buy.

“Buying a house in the middle of the city for under 20k per sqm is a really difficult thing. There are a lot of people interested in the house, but since it’s nearly New Year’s, everyone wants to wait a bit. But in my opinion, if you really like it, it’s best to make a move first.”

Pang Qian, “…”

Gu Mingxi asked her, “Pang Pang, do you like it?”

Pang Qian’s eyes widened. “Like what?”

“This house.”

“It’s 2.7 million.” Pang Qian laughed, then she asked Xiao Zhao, “Is this available for both rental and purchase?”

Xiao Zhao shook his head, “No, it’s not available for rental. The owner really wants to sell it.”

Pang Qian looked at Gu Mingxi, “Gu Mingxi, what does this mean? I don’t understand.”

Gu Mingxi laughed and then said, “Recently, I’ve been looking at houses within a 5 km radius of your house. In the end, I still felt that living in the same neighborhood as your parents would be best. Because…”

He smiled shyly. “I was thinking that later on, for example, when we have a kid or if your parents got sick, living close by would be helpful.”

Pang Qian felt like she was listening to scripture.

“Gu Mingxi, can you say it in a way that I can understand?” She couldn’t understand. “It’s 2.7 million. Are you planning to sell your place in Sanya and put a down payment on this house?”

Gu Mingxi shook his head, a smile slowly coming onto his face. “Pang Pang, I never told you, but before coming to E City, I sold the rights to my two ill.u.s.trated books for film adaptations. One of them…” He glanced at Xiao Zhao and then quickly whispered to Pang Qian, “Our story. A drama, film, and novel adaptation, all together for 1.1 million. And there’s also the book I put out before that, and the rights went for 400 thousand. So the down payment won’t be a problem.”

He straightened up and looked at the frozen girl in front of him. He said, “There’s also another book that we’re in talks for now. My new book will hit shelves in the summer, and Qi’s been discussing the story with a production company. Basically, we’ll sign the contract at the start and give up the rights from the beginning.”

Pang Qian: ==

Gu Mingxi bit her ear again. “Pang Pang, what I’m trying to say is, if you like this house, let’s buy it. As for the money… Don’t worry about it, I’ll earn it to bring home.”