Chapter 19: Upgrade! One-Bedroom Apartment
Since joining the army at 18, Zhuang Hu had dedicated his entire life to humanity’s cause, passing away at just 30 years old.
He never married and left behind no children.
At his funeral, the only family present was his widowed sister, Zhuang Wan, and her two children.
Zhuang Wan nearly fainted from crying, clutching Shi Zijin as if he were her lifeline, repeatedly asking what she and her kids would do now that Zhuang Hu was gone.
Zhuang Hu had never started a family. All the money he earned through life-and-death missions had gone to Zhuang Wan, providing well for her and her two children.
Cen Tianjiao and the others quickly stepped forward to support her, offering comfort:
“The base will provide you with a monthly subsidy and relief funds. You’ll definitely be able to live comfortably. Rest assured, the base will never abandon any fallen soldier or their family.”
It was unclear whether Zhuang Wan truly listened; she continued to cry bitterly.
Watching this, Su Tao couldn’t help but feel that her tears were more from the fear of losing her support system than from grief over her brother’s death.
Su Tao sighed deeply, unsure whether to pity or resent her.
Perhaps the only thing to blame was this era.
*
On the way back, Su Tao asked Shi Zijin:
“Where did Zhuang Wan live before? Why does she suddenly need a new place?”
Shi Zijin explained:
“She used to live in government-subsidized housing. It was quite decent, but she had to share the bathroom with other residents. She wasn’t too happy about that and wanted a change. When she saw how nice Taoyang was, where Huzi had moved, she mentioned it to us.”
Su Tao understood.
Now that Zhuang Hu was gone, his only sister wanted to move in. Of course, Shi Zijin and the others would try to help.
If she wanted to live there, so be it—as long as she paid rent and didn’t cause trouble.
What Su Tao didn’t expect was that after looking so devastated in the morning, Zhuang Wan showed up at Taoyang in the afternoon, all neat and composed.
Though she had children, Zhuang Wan still maintained a good appearance and figure, exuding a mature charm. Her voice was soft and gentle, and when she cried, she looked pitiful and delicate.
She hadn’t brought her children along. As soon as she arrived, she held Su Tao’s hand, wiping her tears:
“Boss Su, my brother always spoke highly of you, saying you were capable and kind-hearted, providing such a wonderful environment. I truly thank you on his behalf.”
Su Tao waved her hand dismissively:
“Not at all. Major Shi already told me about your situation. I’ll let you know when there’s a suitable unit available, but there isn’t one at the moment.”
Hearing this confirmation, Zhuang Wan finally seemed to relax. She wiped her tears and said:
“Boss Su, please don’t think I’m being pushy. It’s just that I’ve heard how hard it is to find a place here. I’m all alone with my two kids. Every day I spend outside, I’m filled with anxiety. I hope you can understand.”
“I understand. Since I’ve agreed, I won’t go back on my word. I have some things to take care of, so I’ll leave you to explore and get familiar with the place.”
With that, Su Tao hurried off—there was a whole new batch of tenants waiting to check in.
*
There were six new tenants this time. Su Tao followed the usual process, distributing the rental agreement, giving a tour, and answering questions like a tour guide.
As she spoke, Su Tao thought to herself: This is exhausting. I need to hire an assistant soon to handle new tenant orientations.
Finally, after completing the entire process, Su Tao received the rent from this batch—55,000 federal credits in total.
Adding what she had left from before, her total assets had reached 103,000 federal credits!
Her first six-figure savings!
Su Tao spun around excitedly in her room, counting the zeros over and over.
A month ago, she wouldn’t have dared to dream of earning 100,000 credits.
After a while of enjoying the moment, Su Tao gritted her teeth and made the decision to upgrade.
[Total assets – 50,000 federal credits]
[Congratulations to the host! The Landlady System has been upgraded to Level 3. One new one-bedroom unit unlocked. Life Essentials Store unlocked. Please check your new assets.]
The floor beneath her feet trembled slightly, giving Su Tao a start. Hopefully, the tenants weren’t woken up.
Luckily, it seemed she had worried for nothing. The hallway remained quiet, and it appeared no one noticed the minor shake.
Su Tao entered Unit 001, the newly unlocked one-bedroom apartment. It covered 55 square meters, with a small but spacious living room of about 20 square meters right as you entered.
She searched online for pre-apocalypse one-bedroom apartment designs, combining them with her own ideas.
She placed a tall storage cabinet by the entrance for coats, bags, and shoes, maximizing storage space.
A minimalist sofa, coffee table, and a small rug decorated the main area. To the right was an open kitchen equipped with a fridge, stove, sink, and range hood.
Turning right led to the bedroom, about 15 square meters. Considering Zhuang Wan needed space for her two kids, Su Tao divided the bedroom into two sections.
The left side was the children’s area, with a bunk bed for the kids and a double study desk against the wall.
On the right, she placed a single adult bed, with a narrow wardrobe at the foot for storage.
She used screens to separate the children’s and adult areas, maintaining privacy.
To the right of the bedroom was a balcony with a washing machine and a drying rack.
At the very back was a private bathroom, complete with a bathtub, shower, sink, and toilet.
The entire renovation cost 8,500 federal credits, making it one of the most expensive rooms in Taoyang.
Su Tao checked the rental options: monthly, quarterly (three months), or yearly, with discounts increasing for longer rental terms.
Let’s go with the quarterly rental for now.
[Unit 001 is now available for quarterly rental. Based on the interior design evaluation, the rent is set at 60,000 federal credits per quarter. To increase the rent, the host may consider purchasing higher-quality home furnishings.]
Breaking it down, that’s 20,000 federal credits per month. Considering a double room costs 15,000, this is quite a fair deal.
Su Tao walked around the apartment, thoroughly pleased with the design. She almost didn’t want to leave.
This was by far the room she was most satisfied with. It closely resembled the pre-apocalypse living environment she knew about.
She especially loved the small kitchen. She wanted one for herself too—even if she wasn’t great at cooking, it didn’t stop her from wanting to own one.
The system offered her a nice perk: if she opened a room for personal use, she didn’t need to pay extra.
So, Su Tao decided to add a one-bedroom apartment to her own living space.
Now, she had a living room, two bedrooms, two balconies, and two bathrooms.
She converted one bedroom into a kitchen, connecting it to the living room to create an open-plan kitchen and living area.
She even hung a TV on the living room wall—now she could enjoy the simple pleasure of mindlessly channel surfing on her own.
The bedroom’s original balcony remained unchanged, but she did upgrade to a 1.8-meter-wide double bed, perfect for rolling around freely.
She turned the other balcony into a study.
Even at night, the moonlight would stream through the glass, casting a soft glow on her desk. She could lean back in her chair, reading by the moonlight while enjoying the serene night view. It was wonderfully cozy.
