Chapter 417 - 412: Buying a House

Chapter 417: Chapter 412: Buying a House

At the end of June, exam week at Tsinghua University came to a smooth end. Having passed all their tests, Jiang Xia and Lin Yanwan finally welcomed the start of summer vacation.

By now, the hit show *Pokemon* had been on the air for two weeks and had reached its fourth episode. Ash had caught a Caterpie and a Pidgey in succession, and the audience witnessed Pokemon evolution for the very first time as the Caterpie evolved into a Metapod, which then transformed into a Butterfree.

Its abilities changed from the single-target String Shot to the group-affecting Sleep Powder, a transformation that the audience found incredibly novel.

Meanwhile, Team Rocket—who appeared in every episode, vowing to catch Pikachu only to be repeatedly tormented and sent blasting off—provided nearly all of the show’s comic relief.

Online buzz for *Pokemon* grew with each passing day. Fans eagerly discussed the evolved forms and potential abilities of the Pokemon that had appeared so far. The most frequently used meme, however, had to be Team Rocket’s opening motto.

No matter the question, someone was likely to reply with a line from it: "Since you’ve asked so sincerely, I will graciously tell you."

Team Rocket was truly indispensable for providing such a meme-worthy catchphrase.

Amidst this excitement, Gaoyuan Toys began officially selling its line of *Pokemon* merchandise, produced under exclusive license.

Pikachu-related products were a massive hit.

At the same time, Qitian Animation launched another new series: *Four-wheel Brothers*.

It was an anime centered on four-wheel drive mini car racing, with a target demographic of primarily junior high school students and younger.

To put it bluntly, Jiang Xia had produced this anime for the primary purpose of selling toys.

When the passionate, catchy theme song played, countless children would surely pull up their little stools to sit in front of the TV, point at the high-speed mini race cars on screen, and say to their parents, "Mom, I want one."

Sure enough, while *Four-wheel Brothers* didn’t generate as much heat as *Cat and Mouse* or *Pokemon* after its debut, its unique angle still won over many fans.

After all, the quality of a Qitian Animation production was practically guaranteed. Watching Xiao Lie and Xiao Hao compete with their cars, their never-say-die attitude was thrilling and full of passion.

Thus, after an initially cool reception, *Four-wheel Brothers* gradually found a wider audience. Even some older viewers found themselves wanting to own a mini four-wheel drive car of their own.

And with that, the anime’s original purpose was achieved.

People soon realized that Qitian Animation now had four series running concurrently: *Cat and Mouse*, *Slam Dunk*, *Pokemon*, and the newly released *Four-wheel Brothers*.

*Cat and Mouse* was a bimonthly release, dropping 12 new episodes every two months—a generous portion that was sure to satisfy fans.

*Slam Dunk* aired on Saturdays and *Pokemon* on Sundays. *Four-wheel Brothers* had been moved up to Fridays, and each show dominated the ratings on its designated day.

Fans mused that with Qitian Animation’s current output, if the company were to run seven series simultaneously in the future, it would completely dominate the animation schedule from Monday to Sunday.

In fact, that was precisely Jiang Xia’s plan: to use high-quality works across different genres to fill the weekly schedule, thereby maintaining the company’s high level of public interest.

Of course, for anime fans, this was the ultimate treat. Having a great show to watch every day was pure bliss.

Meanwhile, Gaoyuan Toys was ramping up production of the four-wheel drive race cars so beloved by children. The plan was to officially launch a toy replica of the race car from the anime to coincide with the highlight episode featuring the Charging War God.

This would mark their entry into the toy race car market and establish the Gaoyuan "Double Diamond" brand.

***

By early July, just as she always did, Shen Ying impatiently flew to the Imperial Capital the very day her school let out for vacation, eager to reunite with the man she loved.

Jiang Xia and Lin Yanwan, meanwhile, finally carved out some time to deal with the matter of buying a house—something they had been discussing since the previous year.

Their families were coming to the Imperial Capital for a visit during the summer vacation, and their current rental was far too small to accommodate everyone. They couldn’t just have them stay in a hotel the entire time, could they? That would be too inconvenient.

As for the house, Jiang Xia had been keeping an eye out for some time. He’d tentatively chosen a location in the Haidian District, which was relatively close to Tsinghua Science Park.

A new development of villas had just been completed there. The surrounding environment was quiet and serene, the infrastructure was well-developed, and most importantly, it was convenient for both school and work. At only a ten-minute drive away, it was Jiang Xia’s top choice.

These villas weren’t yet on the public market. However, as the owner of Qitian Animation, Jiang Xia was considered a top-tier member of the elite—even in the Imperial Capital, a city teeming with dignitaries and influential figures. Naturally, the real estate company was more than willing to open a private, internal channel for him to have the first pick.

"Honey, should we go look at houses today?" he asked when he woke up that morning, holding his soft, fragrant wife in his arms. His voice was slightly hoarse, thick with adoration.

"Okay," she agreed. "My parents and Xiao Man are probably coming around the middle of the month. Once we move, they’ll be able to stay with us."

Lin Yanwan snuggled against him, half-draped over his chest. A smile spread across her face involuntarily at the thought of living in a nicer home.

"The middle of the month? Hmm, that should be enough time."

The villas were generally move-in ready, and some even came fully furnished with expensive pieces. You could pick one out and move in the very same day with just your suitcases.

Of course, unfinished units were also available, but renovating one from scratch would take the better part of a year, from design to construction to airing out the space for a few months. Jiang Xia didn’t have that kind of time to wait, and Lin Yanwan wasn’t particular about it.

Compared to the sub-100-square-meter apartment they had lived in during their previous life, any of these villas was an immense upgrade.

Their "morning exercise" left them feeling refreshed. The two lingered in bed for a while before taking a quick shower and changing into cooler clothes. It was around eight o’clock, while they were enjoying soy milk and fried dough sticks at a breakfast stall downstairs, that Jiang Xia received a call from a real estate agent specializing in high-end villas.

"President Jiang, I’ve arrived. Where are you at the moment?" The voice on the other end was mature and confident, very pleasant to the ear.

"We’re having breakfast. Give me a few minutes," Jiang Xia said calmly.

"Of course, President Jiang. I’ll wait for you at the entrance to your complex."

After finishing their meal, the couple returned to their residential complex. At the main gate, they saw a young woman dressed in professional attire. She had slightly curled, shoulder-length hair and a warm smile. She wore a light blue, short-sleeved blouse with a form-fitting pencil skirt and high heels. In her hands, she held a folder with information on various villas. She looked every bit the professional.