Inside the sales office lobby,
Lu Chen watched them all helplessly as the group fell into a flurry of loud, overlapping chatter.
The conversation had completely derailed—from building a martial arts hall, it had escalated to constructing a real-life Narukami Shrine, or even rebuilding the grand Knights of Favonius Cathedral, just because Venti said the acoustics would be better for playing piano in such an open space. Ideally, a few nuns could join in a choir to make the performance rival Ode to the Sea...
So he already had the theme for his next album figured out?
Only Lu Chen was still paying attention to the saleswoman's increasingly confused expression—first puzzled, then shocked, then speechless, and finally expressionless.
From the way she pulled out her radio, he feared she might be calling security.
Yeah, they definitely looked like a group of lunatics.
"Guys... maybe let's keep it a bit more realistic?" Lu Chen finally stepped in to stop the madness.
Several faces turned toward him at once. Lu Chen sighed, "The wine cellar is doable—villas here all come with basements. But Venti, you'll have to handle it yourself. I'm not helping with that."
"Got it!" Venti grinned and gave a thumbs-up.
"As for the library..." Lu Chen glanced at Miko, who looked clearly disappointed. He added, "The study in the new house is yours. Isn't that enough space for you to play with? How many novels do you plan on hoarding?"
"I want to buy every best-selling light novel on the market!" Miko said enthusiastically. "I'll stack them all in my room so I never run out. There will always be another book waiting!"
Lu Chen groaned and looked away from her, turning to Ei instead.
"Yeah, the training area is a real issue..." He thought for a moment. "We can remodel the garden. These villas usually have both front and back yards..."
But would that really be big enough? He recalled those intense sparring sessions with Ei—hundreds of rounds. A little garden probably wouldn't cut it.
Not to mention, the lightning and explosions that came with their fights might terrify the neighbors.
"Don't worry about space!" Venti leaned in and whispered, "If it comes down to it, I'll buy the neighboring house and level it. You can have the whole plot as your personal training ground!"
"Huh?" Both Lu Chen and Ei stared at him.
Venti explained, "You guys forgot my album went viral, didn't you? My royalties are coming in soon—hehe—I'll be rolling in cash!"
Lu Chen suddenly remembered—Venti was about to hit financial freedom too.
He couldn't help but sigh. Being a celebrity really was lucrative. Lu Chen had nearly broken his back completing one challenge after another just to gain modest assets. Meanwhile, Venti was catching up with just one album.
Though to be fair, his royalties were decent, since the music was niche and Tony had secured a very favorable deal with Starlight for him.
"Well, that makes things easier." Lu Chen turned back to the sales agent, who had been frozen off to the side. He asked if there were any properties available where the surrounding lots were unoccupied.
Not for demolition, of course—but connecting the gardens could work.
Only then did the sales agent snap out of her daze and realize she might've just landed a group of insanely wealthy clients.
Her professional smile returned in full force.
"Yes! Yes, we do! Based on all your requirements, I have the perfect property in mind. Please, follow me!"
Her tone grew lighter and more excited with each word as she led them to the ideal listing.
Eccentric or not—these people were rich. That's all that mattered.
The customer is always right!
Finally, she led them to the highest point in the community, where three standalone villas sat perched with excellent views.
The one in the center was the one she had specifically chosen for Lu Chen: eight bedrooms, two living rooms, four bathrooms, two stories, front and rear gardens, a basement, and a garage.
And the best part—one of the previous owners had already fully renovated it. Move-in ready. It ticked every box on Lu Chen's list.
Looking ahead, Lu Chen saw a courtyard full of blooming purple cosmos. A bit overgrown with weeds, sure, but it was still beautiful.
He walked hand in hand with Ei through the flower-filled yard. She seemed especially relaxed, a gentle smile playing at her lips.
"You two make such a lovely couple!" the sales agent praised with a bright smile. "This home suits a young couple like you perfectly. On quiet days, you could sit together in the garden, tending flowers, enjoying the sea breeze... Isn't it romantic?"
"Isn't it?" Lu Chen said, his mood lifted. He and Ei exchanged a glance and smiled. Together, they gently stroked the fields of cosmos.
Lu Chen picked a single purple bloom and carefully tucked it into Ei's hair. It matched her perfectly.
"It really is," the sales agent added softly. Her words were part sales pitch, sure—but also heartfelt.
Watching them standing together in that garden, they looked like a scene from a painting.
The agent couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy at Lu Chen's tenderness.
She suddenly wanted to fall in love herself...
When would she meet someone gentle, handsome, and rich like this guy...?
Ugh...
Her standards weren't even that high—so why hadn't it happened yet?
...
Afterward, Lu Chen and the group went inside to explore the villa.
The interior was flawless—spacious, full of light, and most importantly, it had plenty of rooms.
There was even a storage room. Lu Chen thought it could be combined with an adjacent space and converted into Qiqi's beloved cold storage chamber.
Everyone was satisfied. Lu Chen didn't hesitate—he paid the deposit on the spot.
The total cost, including down payment and final payment, came to over 9 million yuan. After completing the "Let the Wind of Mondstadt Blow Here" challenge, Lu Chen had around 13 million left in hand. Just like that, most of it was gone.
But he didn't feel bad. That's what money was for. And seeing how happy everyone was made it all worth it.
He pictured the scene the agent had described—relaxing with Ei in the garden, tending flowers, feeling the sea breeze, inviting the whole group out for a barbecue... That life sounded perfect.
The sales agent was absolutely beaming. Lu Chen smiled and bid her farewell, and the family piled into their rental car, heading back to the four-bedroom house.
Next came moving, furnishing, yard work—tons of things still needed doing.
And of course, he couldn't forget the main task. Lu Chen was still working on another challenge.
Thanks to the power of the "Soul of a Popular Novelist," inspiration flowed non-stop. He'd already written over 100,000 words during idle moments in class.
Since he'd chosen to publish as a web serial, he didn't plan to stockpile too many chapters. Once he got home, he opened the publishing site's backend and, under the pen name "Chief Writer Chen of Yae Publishing House," released the first chapter.