Tag: Retiring From the Circle to Collect Rent Everyday

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

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Little 6: The host is really so understanding it’s heartbreaking.

Xu Yao slowly finished the pastries and drinks, telling Lu Ye, “It’s about time to go home, we’ll come back tomorrow.”

It was clearly unrealistic to collect all the rent in one day; the tenants had different free times, and some tenants hadn’t come to pay rent yet.

As a landlord, there are always a few days in a month when collecting rent is a bit harder; she needed to learn to adapt to her new profession.

Lu Ye was very efficient, arranging for people to take away the sunshade and long table, watching Xu Yao get into the car with her bulging tote bag.

Some tenants in the urban village were middle-aged and elderly who didn’t use smart devices; they paid their rent in cash, filling Xu Yao’s oversized tote bag to the brim.

In the car, Xu Yao asked Lu Ye for his opinion, “Do you think it would be more convenient if I brought a snake-skin bag?”

Lu Ye: “…As long as you’re happy.”

Xu Yao thought her idea was good and took out her new phone to scroll through Weibo, finally having a chance to play with her phone after a busy day.

Aside from the trending topic about Xu Yao having a house, she also saw #FuhuiSupermarket#, creating a wave of publicity as she single-handedly promoted her own supermarket by giving tenants no-threshold coupons.

[The chain supermarket under the richest family is indeed better than others, good quality and low prices, and the customer service is also great.]

[Ah, I saw this trending topic and realised I haven’t been to the supermarket in a long time, I’m going to Fuhui Supermarket tonight to stock up.]

[The steak at Fuhui Supermarket tastes super good, and the large bottles of milk are very fresh, highly recommend!]

[@FuhuiSupermarket, you’re trending! Is the gold master not giving Xu Yao any money?]

[Curious about where Xu Yao got so many no-threshold coupons for Fuhui Supermarket?]

Xu Yao thought it was standard practice to advertise her own supermarket, but she soon received a transfer from Xu Jing.

[Xu Jing: Yao Yao knows how to promote her own supermarket, that’s great!]

Xu Yao paused for a moment. If she told Xu Jing that she learned 1+1=2 today, this doting brother would probably praise her with a loving smile, saying, “Our Yao Yao is amazing!”

To show her gratitude for Xu Yao renting a place to her, Qu Xi had just messaged her to come over for a barbecue at home. As Xu Yao returned to Haicheng Bay No. 1 and was about to enter the elevator, Qu Xi, drenched in sweat, came back carrying a large bag from Fuhui Supermarket, and Lu Ye stepped forward to lift it with one hand.

Since moving into the luxurious apartment rented from her landlord friend, Qu Xi had been eager to barbecue on the spacious balcony that was over six meters high, as she had never experienced anything like it before!

Lu Ye arranged for someone to come over and skewer the food, while Xu Yao and Qu Xi sat in front of the grill, enthusiastically barbecuing, the meat skewers sizzling under the high heat.

As night fell, the enormous balcony without windows lit up with LED ambient lights, which Qu Xi had bought online for decoration. Although her salary wasn’t much, Qu Xi was still a girl who loved life.

Qu Xi sighed inwardly, feeling pleased for her landlord, as she didn’t even have to prepare the ingredients for the barbecue herself.

Qu Xi first handed Xu Yao a skewer of lamb, then took one for herself, looking at the river view and saying to Xu Yao with great satisfaction, “Yao Yao, I never even dreamed that one day I could eat barbecue while enjoying the night view in the most expensive flat in Haicheng. It’s just too blissful. If I become famous, I’ll save up for a few years and buy one too!”

From here, overlooking the entire Haicheng, it truly felt different; one could have both the warmth of human life and the luxury of wealth.

Xu Yao completely agreed with Qu Xi’s viewpoint and, while eating the skewers, asked her, “So how did your audition go?”

Qu Xi’s shoulders slumped, but she quickly turned her frustration into appetite, biting into the meat skewer and said, “Not successful. The assistant director said I look too much like a little girl to play the lead role, but I never even thought about being the lead! I coudln’t even get cast as the third female lead.”

Just as expected.

In the original text, Qu Xi never landed any notable roles until she died at thirty in a basement in Jing City, but in the book, her acting skills were quite good, easily surpassing her own wooden acting.

Qu Xi didn’t want to pass on her negative energy to Xu Yao, so she quickly perked up and changed the subject, saying, “Yao Yao, I saw your trending topic today. Even as a regular person, there are still so many videos of you collecting rent. Why don’t you just start a live stream yourself?”

Xu Yao thought the same; starting her own live stream would give her control, which was much better than being overshadowed by other internet celebrities. She heard that the food blogger who happened to meet her today gained over a hundred thousand followers, making them the biggest winner of the day. Plus, she had many former fans crying and begging her to live stream so they could see more of her.

Xu Yao nodded, seeing Lu Ye coming over with the skewers he had prepared.

She tucked her hair behind her ear, which had been blown by the wind, and said, “Come on, let’s keep barbecuing. Lu Ye, you should join us too.”

Lu Ye paused for a moment and replied, “Okay.”

*

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

The mornings in the urban village start earlier than in other places. As the first light of dawn broke, the breakfast stalls downstairs were already set up, including one selling jianbing guozi.

Li Xiaoli smelled the delicious aroma of jianbing guozi from the stall across the street, and her biological clock woke her up. She had two interviews today.

After washing up, she looked at the walls of her room plastered with posters of Sheng Zhou, encouraging herself, “Come on, I must find a job today.”

Having left her hometown, Sheng Zhou, as an idol, had always been her spiritual support.

As Li Xiaoli opened the door with her bag, she saw a black rat darting away as if fleeing for its life, with someone chasing after it.

The urban village had a poor environment, and encountering rats was too common; exterminating them was something they often did.

But soon, Li Xiaoli noticed something unusual—the corridor… was much cleaner! The puddles on the floor had vanished without a trace, making it feel very refreshing!

Li Xiaoli went down the stairs, running her fingers along the handrail, and found no dust on her fingertips, clearly indicating it had been cleaned.

The entire building looked as if it had been thoroughly cleaned, which lifted her spirits considerably.

When Li Xiaoli reached the first floor, she was shocked to see a pile of rat corpses stacked together like a small mountain, including some weighing two pounds. It frightened her quite a bit.

A group of people in matching uniforms was there, and the cleaning team leader explained to them, “We are a professional cleaning team and also provide extermination services.” As long as the payment is sufficient.

Clearly, Xu Yao had paid very well.

The tenants in the urban village also paid sanitation fees, but this fee was for the removal of their household waste; there was no cleaning of the corridors or wiping of the handrails.

With a dirty and chaotic living environment, it was naturally easy for rats and cockroaches to thrive.

Xu Yao said matter-of-factly, “I want a good environment for collecting rent; is that a problem?”

She couldn’t possibly be a top landlord with over a hundred buildings and end up stepping on garbage, right?

Collecting rent was her profession; what was wrong with creating a good working environment for herself?

Of course, there was no problem!

Many tenants wore smiles on their faces; in fact, everyone loved cleanliness, but since the public areas were not cleaned, they felt it was a loss to do it themselves, so they could only turn a blind eye to the mess.

They actually disliked the second landlord, Li Qiang, because every time he came to check the rooms, he not only nagged but also always tried to deduct some money. However, they found Xu Yao much more pleasant to look at.

The old lady didn’t understand the internet and didn’t know that Xu Yao was a target of online criticism; she only felt that Xu Yao was rich and beautiful, which made her feel very pleased.

Grandma Huang was doing exercises at the door, constantly praising, “This environment is clean now, and the air is better. I can do my exercises much more smoothly.”

They were indeed benefiting from it.

Xu Yao’s people had already set up the stall in the same spot yesterday, and her payment code was placed on the table.

Today, she arranged for one group to collect rent and another to re-sign rental contracts with the tenants.

After finishing her exercises, Grandma Huang couldn’t help but come over and ask, “Landlady, are you still giving out supermarket coupons when you collect rent today?”

Xu Yao nodded, “Yes, I’ve sent for it.”

Grandma Huang was instantly delighted, “Then I need to hurry and call Zuo Ning to collect it. This young man is quite a nice lad! I wonder what he was busy with yesterday. My grandson asked him to come, but he seemed to be delayed by something.”

When Xu Yao heard that name, her eyes brightened slightly, and she noticed Li Xiaoli was planning to head to the subway.

“Miss Li, I heard that the leg of your bed is broken? I’ve arranged for a repairman to come by,” Xu Yao called out to Li Xiaoli, seeing her expression tense for a moment, and added, “Don’t worry, the bed leg was already broken when you rented the place, so you won’t have to pay for the repair.”

Collecting rent wasn’t as easy as it seemed; aside from receiving the rent, she also had to address the tenants’ needs.

If the furniture in the house was broken, it was her obligation to handle it.

Little 6 began to feel heartache for Xu Yao, thinking she worked too hard.

Li Xiaoli’s face showed gratitude, but she also felt a bit complicated looking at Xu Yao.

Because of Sheng Zhou, she had a poor impression of Xu Yao; however, Xu Yao didn’t seem as terrible as the online rumors suggested. At least in terms of renting out properties, she was quite a competent landlord.

Li Xiaoli immediately took the carpenter upstairs to fix the bed leg. She couldn’t help but think that if she weren’t a fan of Sheng Zhou, she might have been completely charmed by Xu Yao.

Xu Yao was enjoying the morning breeze when, just a few minutes later, the repairman she had called came down, clicking his tongue and complaining, “What kind of furniture is that? Just a rotten wooden frame. If a heavier person sleeps on it, they’ll fall sooner or later. Miss Xu, do you really want to fix it? It’s not worth it at all.”

Li Xiaoli, who followed him down, felt a bit disappointed but said, “I can sleep just fine with a red brick under it, no need to trouble yourself.”

“From Li Xiaoli’s social experience, it was best to avoid getting involved in money matters with the landlord. As long as she didn’t deduct money from her, she would be grateful.

The worst rental conditions in the urban village were having only a bed, without even a mattress!

Xu Yao understood the principle of “to let the horse run, you must feed it grass¹.” Her two buildings in the urban village could provide decent furniture, which would increase her rental income.

Moreover, according to the carpenter, that bed frame was so rotten it couldn’t support the weight of a slightly heavier person. If a tenant fell and got hurt in her property, she would be responsible.

After considering for a moment, Xu Yao cheerfully invited Li Xiaoli to go to the furniture city together, planning to buy some furniture and conveniently take her for an interview afterward.

Because Xu Yao noticed that Li Xiaoli had a resume tucked under her arm.”

Li Xiaoli’s interview wasn’t time-sensitive, and taking a car would definitely be more comfortable than squeezing onto the subway. She also saw Xu Yao’s luxury car parked at the entrance of the urban village and couldn’t help but nod.

Beside them, Lu Ye clumsily helped Xu Yao open the live streaming room on her social media account. Miss Yao Yao suddenly announced this morning that she would start live streaming herself.

Before she withdrew from the scene, Xu Yao was being criticized all over the internet, but she had accumulated over a million fans.

Although she started the live stream without any prior notice, nearly ten thousand viewers quickly flooded in, including many fans of Sheng Zhou among the haters.

[Wow, Yao Yao is live streaming! Did we hear the prayers of us beauty fans? That’s great! Yao Yao is so beautiful!]

[Xu Yao looks so much better after leaving the entertainment scene, with fair skin and beauty. Her withdrawal is a huge loss for the entertainment industry.]

[Is this the urban village in Haicheng?? I rented a place there when I was broke, and the environment was a total mess! How did it become so clean?]

[Xu Yao, this vicious woman, oh my god, I’m so scared! Why are you showing me a mountain of dead rats? I almost threw up my breakfast.]

[So yesterday’s rent collection and supermarket coupons were just to become an internet celebrity and start live streaming, huh? I knew it. Being an internet celebrity is not as good as staying in the industry as an artist.]

The live stream chat was noisy, with only a small number of Xu Yao’s beauty enthusitasts, while Sheng Zhou’s fans were jumping around in the chat.

They got into the car heading to the furniture city, while another group continued to stay at the flowerbed stalls in the urban village to collect rent.

Li Xiaoli looked at Xu Yao’s profile. As a fan of Sheng Zhou, she felt a bit guilty and didn’t dare to talk much with Xu Yao, while Lu Ye, holding the live streaming phone, was even quieter.

So during this not-so-long car ride, it was filled with—’Alipay received XX yuan,’ ‘WeChat received XX yuan’…

It just kept ringing all the way!

[The office workers shed tears of envy, suddenly understanding why Xu Yao wanted to withdraw! Even in the entertainment industry, you have to work; where’s the joy in being a landlord?]

[The two buildings in Haicheng’s urban village can earn three to four hundred thousand, just lying down and making money.]

[If I were Xu Yao, you wouldn’t see me on screen; I wouldn’t even go into the entertainment industry!]

The car slowly entered the outdoor parking lot of Yisen Home Furnishings. Li Xiaoli’s mind was still trying to catch up as she followed Xu Yao and the others out of the car.

Li Xiaoli thought the new landlord was kind enough to buy some furniture, at most taking her to a second-hand furniture market, but instead, they arrived at… Yisen Home Furnishings?!

Although Yisen Home Furnishings wasn’t a luxurious high-end brand, the furniture inside wasn’t cheap either; it was a popular choice for many ordinary renovations.

Xu Yao was collecting rent, not doing charity, so the furniture for the rental properties wouldn’t be too good. Moreover, using overly high-end furniture in the urban village buildings would make tenants afraid of damaging it and having to compensate, which would be counterproductive.

Li Xiaoli looked at Xu Yao’s figure, and the salespeople’s pitches, which were simply unbearable. She couldn’t help but quietly tell her idol Sheng Zhou, whom she regarded as her spiritual support, that she would slightly betray him for just a moment, but after this, she would still be his most loyal fan!

Li Xiaoli began to introduce to Xu Yao, “Miss Xu, I used to work in a related field. If you’re looking to buy furniture for the rental property, I actually recommend this type of furniture. It’s not only cheap but also very durable.”

“Since it’s for immediate occupancy, it’s best to choose furniture that has been in stock for a long time to avoid formaldehyde exposure and also to lower the price further.”

“Xu Yao looked at Li Xiaoli a few more times and suddenly smiled, “Then let’s get a hundred bed frames first, a hundred sets of dining tables and chairs, and oh, also sofas…”

Xu Yao came here purely to stock up!

Although the prices were very cheap, Xu Yao bought in bulk, enough to fill her up!

The furniture store owner was all smiles, assuring Xu Yao that he could deliver everything to her destination today, even up the stairs!

[@my landlord, come learn what a good landlord looks like.]

[Although I don’t like Xu Yao, I can’t criticize her for this. I also want to rent a furnished place; an empty apartment is very inconvenient.]

[Don’t be too naive, there are no good landlords in this world. You get what you pay for. The moment I saw Xu Yao buying furniture, my heart sank.]

[Just wait, the rent is about to go up. All landlords are the same shade of black!]

After buying the furniture, they got back in the car. Li Xiaoli sat next to Xu Yao, and through the car window, she could see a large truck following them, loaded with furniture. Like other netizens, her initial joy of new rental furnishings was gradually replaced by a sense of unease. She realised one thing—

Is the rent going to increase?

She had just heard that Xu Yao had terminated her contract with the second landlord, Li Qiang, and was going to sign a rental contract directly with them? This seemed like a prelude to a rent increase.

However, Li Xiaoli could also understand Xu Yao wanting to raise the rent; buying all that rental furniture costs money, after all. The landlord can’t just invest without return. But from her personal perspective, she didn’t want the rent to go up, and if she had to move out, she might not find such a cheap place in a good location again…

Li Xiaoli was almost at her wit’s end when Lu Ye, sitting in the passenger seat, suddenly turned to her and handed over some documents.

Lu Ye: “Miss Li, please sign here if the two contracts are correct.”

Li Xiaoli took the rental contract, her eyes scanning the document, and immediately saw the monthly rent amount—1500 yuan, with the words written out in full, stating that water, electricity, and gas fees would be calculated separately according to national standards.

Li Xiaoli was instantly stunned. “The rent hasn’t changed?”

How is it still 1500?

There are so many more pieces of furniture now; how could the rent not go up? Li Xiaoli was a bit confused. Is Xu Yao really running a charity as a landlord?

Xu Yao sipped her milk tea, bit into the pearls inside, and simply said, “I’m not the second landlord; I don’t profit from the difference.”

So even though Xu Yao had actually increased the rent, the amount they were paying was exactly the same as what they had given to Li Qiang, and they even got a lot more furniture! Li Xiaoli and the others were very accepting of this.

[Hahaha, those who said Xu Yao would definitely raise the rent can come and get hit; the written contract shows it hasn’t changed.]

[Oh my, is there really such a conscientious landlord in this world? Is it true? I’ve never encountered one before.]

[So the second landlord is truly detestable!!]

[Giving out no-threshold supermarket vouchers, buying furniture, and not raising the rent—what kind of divine landlord is this?]

[Don’t celebrate too early; didn’t you hear that handsome bodyguard say? Two contracts, who knows if there are any hidden clauses that could trap you. I fell for that before when renting, and I really regretted it.]

[Let’s see the second contract before celebrating +1]

Li Xiaoli was a cautious girl. She suppressed her excitement and quickly checked the second contract, fearing there might be a trap inside.

However, the second one seemed… not to be a rental contract.

But rather… rather…

Li Xiaoli looked at the clearly written labour contract above. This was what she had longed to see since looking for a job. Li Xiaoli could hardly believe her eyes.

At the same time, Xu Yao’s gentle voice came from beside her: “Miss Li, are you interested in working for me? The monthly salary is 15,000, with five insurances and one fund.”

A monthly salary of 15,000? Li Xiaoli felt a twinge of shame for doubting the new contract earlier. She felt as if she had just won a huge lottery, and her head was spinning. At this moment, she didn’t care that Xu Yao was the rival of her idol, Sheng Zhou.

What Li Xiaoli craved most now was a job; she needed a job to sustain her life!

Originally, she had planned to apply for a waitress position today. She didn’t look down on waitressing; she just knew that a waitress’s monthly salary could never be as high as 15,000!

Even in the economically developed Hai City, a monthly salary of 15,000 was not something just anyone could easily obtain.

Li Xiaoli hadn’t even asked about the specific job details. She watched as the furniture was carried into the building in the urban village, with workers hauling it up since there was no elevator. She could use this furniture too. Li Xiaoli’s mental defenses were gradually being broken down by Xu Yao, and she thought to herself:

Oh my, it seems like she really has encountered a female bodhisattva.

No matter how great a spiritual support is, it doesn’t compare to the actual bodhisattva who saves her from the fire and water!

The workers carried the bed frame to Li Xiaoli’s room, and she rushed to open the door. The room didn’t have much in it, but it was quite clean.

Xu Yao, who followed behind, noticed the decorations in the room were all related to Sheng Zhou—posters, photos, merchandise, and little trinkets. She curiously asked Li Xiaoli, “Are you a fan of Sheng Zhou?”

Li Xiaoli stood in the middle of the wall covered with Sheng Zhou posters, her expression filled with confusion and disbelief, as if she had never heard that name before. She asked, “Who is Sheng Zhou?”

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SOMEONE GIVE HER THE OSCAR NEOWWWW

1. you can’t expect to reap benefits without giving something in return ↩︎

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

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The harsh reality: No middle-aged woman can refuse a supermarket coupon! Especially a no-minimum coupon! None!

One hundred yuan may not seem like much, but it can buy quite a few daily necessities.

The news spread quickly, and before long, many tenants from the two buildings in the urban village came down to join the excitement.

An elderly lady who collected cardboard for money looked at the line of people and curiously asked, “Is this for real?”

Just then, a middle-aged woman returned, waving a large bag of daily necessities in her hand, and enthusiastically said, “Aunt Huang, how could it be fake? I just came back from that new supermarket. Guess how much I spent on this bag of stuff?”

The elderly lady glanced at the items in the bag—fruits, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and various seasonings—all things that most people could use.

The middle-aged woman continued, her tone quite cheerful, “It only cost five yuan.”

It felt like finding a hundred-yuan bill on the street, something that could make a person happy for the whole day.

As soon as the middle-aged woman finished speaking, another young girl came back, huffing and puffing, carrying a durian weighing about four pounds. The bag had the logo of Fuhui Supermarket, and the pungent smell of the durian immediately invaded the noses of those around.

The young girl was very pleased, saying, “It really is a no-threshold coupon! This durian was discounted to 102 yuan for four pounds, and I only spent two yuan to buy it! The shape is perfect; it should have a lot of flesh.”

Durian is not a cheap fruit for an ordinary working-class young girl, but its delicious taste makes it very popular.

Who doesn’t know Xu Yao? The one who is hated all over the internet. This girl couldn’t help but want to be her fan! The first durian of the year was given to her by Xu Yao!

Hearing this, the elderly lady was also tempted. She temporarily set aside the cardboard she was collecting and thought about asking a young neighbour for help to take a photo since she didn’t have a smartphone.

The line of people paying rent grew longer, and the young people, showing good manners, formed an orderly queue.

There were many delicious little shops in the urban village, and some internet celebrities often came here to explore food, just in time to stumble upon this scene!

[Wow, is that Xu Yao! Didn’t she retire? Wow, she’s really beautiful; her skin is so fair in the sunlight!]

[I’m out, I just came to watch a food exploration, and I ended up seeing this woman. I’m leaving, I’m leaving.]

The comments in the live stream were filled with criticism, but the data was quite honest. The moment Xu Yao appeared on camera, the viewership of this food blogger’s live stream skyrocketed, increasing by tens of thousands.

[What’s going on? Are they really collecting rent? Is Xu Yao really a second-generation landlord?]

[This is the urban village of Haicheng; landlords have to come to collect rent and check the water, electricity, and gas meters. Do you think just setting up a stall lets tenants pay by themselves? Wanting money without working, how beautiful!]

“Actually… I can, wuwuwu, I can really get a two-yuan durian! Xu Yao, the woman who made me fall in love with a durian.]

Soon, the viewers in the live stream discovered that they could bring their latest water, electricity, and gas meter photos to pay rent and receive a one-hundred-yuan no-threshold shopping coupon.

[If that’s the case… I can too! Why doesn’t my landlord do this kind of activity? I want to participate.]

[What’s the point of a one-hundred-yuan no-threshold coupon? Xu Yao spreading rumours about Brother Zhou and Liu Yingxia dating is bad character; I wouldn’t want that coupon even if you gave it to me for free!]

[Give it to me, I want it, I have thick skin.]

[Xu Yao’s flip-flops are studded with diamonds; I want to sneakily take one off.]

The live stream became increasingly lively, not needing to generate topics.

The line grew longer, and even Li Xiaoli showed up. When she saw Xu Yao, her face turned bright red because her idol was Sheng Zhou. Previously, when there were rumours about Sheng Zhou and Xu Yao, she didn’t have a good impression of Xu Yao! Now, she felt a bit embarrassed to come and get a no-threshold coupon.

“That’ll be 1620 yuan in total.”

Li Xiaoli was still staring at Xu Yao’s face, momentarily not reacting. She only knew that the tall bodyguard next to her announced a number that was different from what she had calculated before coming down. She blurted out, “You calculated it wrong!”

The afternoon sun was just right, and Xu Yao was feeling a bit drowsy. Hearing Li Xiaoli’s words, she opened her half-closed eyes and looked at Lu Ye.

Lu Ye affirmed, “It’s not wrong.”

The tenants behind couldn’t help but lean in to listen.

Li Xiaoli recalculated, muttering, “The rent is fifteen hundred, and the water, electricity, and gas fees total eighteen hundred…”

As she calculated, Li Xiaoli’s voice grew softer; her calculation of eighteen hundred was clearly too high!

Li Xiaoli quickly checked the ledger in front of Lu Ye and was shocked to exclaim, “You calculated the electricity fee at fifty-two cents?”

Not only was the electricity fee correct, but the water and gas fees were also at the standard rates set by the government!

Xu Yao elegantly yawned and said to Li Xiaoli, “Miss Li, you’ve been PUA¹‘d in your rental situation. We all charge normal water and electricity prices,” Xu Yao said earnestly, “I’m just collecting rent, not a bandit.”

Nearby, the second landlord, Li Qiang, felt awkward standing there. The second landlords made profits by charging high rents and skimming off the water and electricity fees, and Xu Yao’s words seemed to be aimed directly at him.

Li Xiaoli had been having a terrible time lately, facing setbacks everywhere. She had almost gotten into a fight with the second landlord earlier. Looking at Xu Yao’s righteous and charming face, her nose suddenly felt a bit sour.

She must have really been PUA’d; clearly, this was the normal price for civilian water, electricity, and gas, yet she felt unusually happy. Saving on living costs was also great.

Li Xiaoli sniffled lightly, scanned the QR code with WeChat to pay the rent, and tremblingly took the one-hundred-yuan no-threshold coupon.

Then she heard Xu Yao’s clear voice say, “I apologise for the inconvenience caused to all the tenants. Thank you for choosing to rent my house. From now on, I will personally handle all matters related to the house.”

Xu Yao glanced at the one-hundred-yuan no-threshold coupon in front of her and smiled, “Just a small gift; I hope you all won’t dislike it.”

Gaining favour, Xu Yao was quite skilled at it.

Little 6 praised: [The host is indeed an excellent employee of the quick-transmigration bureau.]

Xu Yao: Mhm~

Xu Yao signalled for Li Xiaoli to leave the line, “Next.”

Li Qiang stood there, listening to the “Payment received—”, “WeChat received—”, “XX Bank received—” notification sounds that rang out every minute. He gradually realised… that he, the second landlord, might really be unemployed now.

Xu Yao didn’t go to read the meter and let the tenants do it instead, but everyone was very happy…

[What to do, I suddenly have a bit of a crush on Xu Yao, the beautiful landlord sister is quite likeable.]

[Wuwuwuwu why isn’t Xu Yao my landlord? My landlord only refuses to return the deposit!!]

[I’m dying of laughter, is this how you buy people off? A bunch of people being PUA’d, it’s illegal for the second landlord to charge high prices, if there’s trouble, just call the police or even sue directly!]

[The people upstairs clearly haven’t suffered from society’s harshness, the second landlord is really the norm, everywhere you look. No matter Xu Yao’s intentions, I still hope my landlord is someone like Xu Yao, shedding tears of hardship from being beaten by life.]

[Uh… am I still in the state of ‘Xu Yao really has a house’??]

After Xu Yao officially announced her retirement, she once again made it to the trending topics on Weibo, but this time it wasn’t for negative reasons.

#XuYaoReallyHasAHouse#

#XuYaoCollectingRent#

These two topics trended one after the other.

[Wow, so her retirement declaration wasn’t just bravado? Xu Yao really is a second-generation landlord?]

[Yes, both buildings in the urban village belong to her, not just a unit, but entire buildings!]

[Two buildings, and they’re in the best location in the urban village in Haicheng… My goodness, if it were me, I would just lie flat.]

An ID named “Xu Yao Yao Yao Yao” commented: [Wuwuwu I’m crying, I saw Yao Yao again, I was so sad for too long after she retired, the entertainment industry really lacks a goddess like her! I beg Yao Yao to go live, I really want to see her QAQ I’m just a humble fan of her looks.]

This Weibo post received a lot of likes from Xu Yao’s fans who are obsessed with her looks. Not to mention her retirement, it’s a huge loss for the entertainment industry!

Nothing else, just wanting to see the fairy Yao Yao again~

Sheng Zhou also saw the trending topics while filming. Upon seeing a fan’s skeptical comment, [If Xu Yao’s retirement and going home to collect rent is true, then is what she said about Sheng Zhou and Liu Yingxia dating also true?], Sheng Zhou felt a bit unhappy and directly reported it.

*

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

The line of tenants coming to pay rent was getting longer, and after Grandma Huang happily received a hundred yuan no-threshold coupon, she seemed to remember something and patted her grandson’s shoulder, saying, “Good grandson, go tell your Uncle Zuo Ning at the alley entrance to stop taking pictures there, come here to pay rent and get the coupon.”

Grandma Huang was missing some teeth and kept mumbling, “I’ve never seen a camera that can take pictures like a TV drama, I really don’t understand these young people.”

Grandma Huang is a straightforward person who likes practical things, like the coupon in her hand!

Today was a small but happy day in the urban village.

Xu Yao was really tired; the repetitive sounds of ‘Alipay/WeChat payment received’ were too hypnotic. The weather was neither too hot nor too cold, and the afternoon sun was warm and not glaring.

Under the large sunshade, Xu Yao leaned back on a beautiful lounge chair, her face covered by a hat that had been deliberately lowered, her eyes gradually closing.

Nearby, Lu Ye and the others were diligently collecting rent, while Xu Yao’s phone, set to a lower volume, kept chiming with payment notifications.

Xu Yao didn’t know how long she had slept; she only felt that this lounge chair was not as comfortable as her million-dollar mattress at home. Someone was calling her name beside her, and she slowly woke up.

Little 6 was heartbroken: [Host, you clearly came to retire and enjoy life, and now you can’t even take a proper nap, it’s really too hard!!]

Xu Yao took off the hat from her face. Her eyes, which hadn’t opened for a long time, were slightly stung by the sunlight, and she blinked a few times to adjust.

She saw a middle-aged man in a suit getting out of a luxury car not far away. The man was holding a delicate box of pastries and high-end tea drinks, placing them on Xu Yao’s table, and spoke respectfully, “Miss Xu Yao, I am the manager of Pinxian Pavilion. This is afternoon tea sent by Mr. Xu for you. I hope you enjoy it.”

Pinxian Pavilion, a five-star restaurant in Haicheng, with the manager personally delivering it!

Xu Yao thanked him and opened the afternoon tea and pastries in front of her, casually asking Lu Ye beside her, “How much have we collected so far?”

Lu Ye looked at the bill and wiped out the zeros: “The two buildings in the urban village have received a total of 273,600.”

Oh, that was pretty quick, all that in the duration of just a nap.

Xu Yao took a bite of the exquisite pastry, feeling a bit of soreness in her neck. She agreed with Little 6’s concern for her current state but seriously told Little 6, “I’m used to hardship, it’s no big deal.”

---

Little 6 was heartbroken: [Host, you clearly came to retire and enjoy life, and now you can’t even take a proper nap, it’s really too hard!!]

i’m about to spit blood, are those even human words ?! i want that problem !!!

1. pua is derived from ‘pickup artist’ and normally refers to somebody being gaslighted, abused, hypnotised into doing something or thinking something is normal ↩︎

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

They had seen RVs before, but they were all in TV dramas; in reality, it’s rare to see one.

On the roadside, a girl checked online and exaggeratedly elbowed her friend beside her, mouthing, “Two million.”

A two-million RV, just used to store clothes and accessories for outings!

Xu Yao also felt that her outfit was fine for collecting rent in a high-end community, but she needed to change for the elevator-less urban village.

Xu Yao climbed into the RV and pulled the curtains, while Lu Ye helped her close the door, turning around like a guardian, standing with his back to the door.

Xu Yao changed into a short-sleeved shirt and shorts, swapping her high heels for rhinestone flip-flops. After considering for a moment, she chose a simple white oversized tote bag from a row of bags.

After changing her outfit, Xu Yao walked into the urban village with Lu Ye, who briefly explained the situation as they walked: “The rental situation in the urban village is quite complicated, so we haven’t collected rent in person before. Instead, we rented to a second landlord, who then sublets it to the tenants. This month, our contract with the second landlord happens to expire.”

The so-called second landlord is when the landlord rents the house to a second landlord, who then rents it out at a higher price to ordinary tenants, profiting from the price difference.

In fact, many tenants have long suffered under second landlords!

Not only are the rents high, but the second landlords also raise the utility fees. For ordinary residential electricity, which costs over fifty cents per kilowatt-hour, unscrupulous second landlords can charge up to one and a half yuan per kilowatt-hour.

As Xu Yao listened to Lu Ye’s explanation, she suddenly noticed several delivery guys not far away watching the commotion, and one delivery guy who had already left came back.

Clearly, there was gossip to be had!

In the crowd, a pale young girl was desperately clutching a middle-aged man’s shirt, hysterically shouting, “The bed leg was already broken! You didn’t fix it when I moved in, so why should I pay for it? Why!”

Li Xiaoli was about to break down. She had been working in Haicheng for almost a month but had not found a job. Her expenses were piling up with no income, and today was the time to pay next month’s rent. When the second landlord came to check, he found that the only piece of furniture in the room—the wooden bed frame—had a broken leg, which Li Xiaoli had propped up with a red brick for balance, and he demanded she pay to fix it.

The pressure of recent days exploded in an instant, and with red eyes, Li Xiaoli was unwilling to pay for the repairs.

The man angrily shook off Li Xiaoli’s hand, saying, “If you don’t want to rent, pack your things and leave. There are plenty of people who want to rent.”

The implication was clear: if she damaged the furniture, she could forget about getting her deposit back.

Although the urban village environment was poor, it was close to the subway, had a good location, and low rent, making it a top choice for students who had just graduated and were short on funds.

Hearing this, Li Xiaoli was on the verge of a breakdown; the deposit was one month’s rent of fifteen hundred yuan, which was no small amount for her!

As it looked like the two were about to get into a scuffle, Xu Yao looked at Lu Ye, who immediately stepped forward and easily pulled the two apart.

The man felt a bit angry when pulled away, but noticing Lu Ye’s shoulder, he saw the scar running from his brow to his eye and immediately felt intimidated.

Lu Ye said directly, “You must be Li Qiang, right? Our rental contract with you expires this month, and we do not plan to renew it. From now on, our lady will collect rent directly from the tenants.”

Since their contract with Li Qiang was expiring, it naturally meant that the second landlord would no longer collect rent.

Li Qiang was initially taken aback, then his gaze fell on Xu Yao a few meters away. Standing in the crowd, she shone like a star, exuding the aura of a wealthy young lady.

Li Qiang made his money through being a second landlord; if the landlord was unwilling to renew the lease with him, he would have no right to sublet to other tenants, thus losing the opportunity to profit from the price difference, and he certainly had no right to demand Li Xiaoli pay for the bed leg repairs.

However, when Li Qiang saw Xu Yao, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Collecting rent in the urban village was not as easy as he had imagined; in the end, this lady would still find it troublesome and tiring, and would hand the work over to second landlords like him!

Li Qiang first showed a look of regret and readily agreed.

Only Li Xiaoli, with wide eyes, instantly recognised Xu Yao!

The Xu Yao who had recently been rumoured to be involved with her idol, Sheng Zhou!

In person, she was even more beautiful than online; if it weren’t for Li Xiaoli being a fan of Sheng Zhou, as a beauty enthusiast, she couldn’t help but want to become a fan of Xu Yao’s looks.

Xu Yao couldn’t be bothered to look at Li Qiang and said to Lu Ye, “Let’s go, time to collect rent.”

Li Xiaoli looked up at the six-story building in front of her, then at Xu Yao’s retreating figure, feeling somewhat stunned.

Xu Yao said on Weibo that she was going to withdraw from the circle and go home to collect rent, and she really had a property to collect rent from?

*

The urban village environment was poor; a single room in a nearby community could rent for three thousand, while here it could be solved for just over a thousand.

The building was somewhat dimly lit, with piles of garbage at the entrance, and some liquid spilled on the concrete floor. Li Qiang, seemingly oblivious to Xu Yao’s frown, enthusiastically said, “Miss Landlord, the water meter box is up ahead, the electricity meter box is every two floors, and the gas meter is in each room.”

After speaking, Li Qiang handed them the water, electricity, and gas meter readings for the two buildings in the urban village from last month.

Xu Yao approached the water meter box, but the dim environment made it hard to see the meter. Lu Ye took out a flashlight from his bag: “Miss Yao Yao, let me do it.”

“No need, I’ll try it myself.”

Xu Yao began to read the water meters one by one, bending over to see better, and soon felt a bit sore.

Xu Yao suddenly realised that collecting rent seemed quite hard…

Just then, a pair of unusually bright eyes appeared under the flashlight, and the next second, a dark rat darted out from the water meter box.

Lu Ye rushed forward, stepping on the rat’s tail, causing it to squeak in pain. Not only did Lu Ye show no mercy, but he also brought his other foot down, nearly crushing the rat’s skull, the sound of cracking bones clear and crisp, blood pooling beneath his leather shoes.

Lu Ye, realising what he had done, instinctively glanced over at Xu Yao.

Xu Yao, stroking her chin as she surveyed the “crime scene,” remarked, “This must weigh at least two pounds, right? Quite fat.”

Rats in the south are as astonishingly large as cockroaches.

After finishing the water meter readings, they walked up the stairs to the second floor to read the electricity meter, and then they had to knock on each door to read the gas meter.

Little 6 felt heartbroken: [Host, isn’t this too hard for you? Retiring to be a landlord is exhausting too.]

Xu Yao felt the same way.

Li Qiang looked at Xu Yao, who was holding her waist, and immediately said, “Miss Landlord, why not do it like before? Just rent everything to me, and I’ll transfer the money directly to you.”

He wasn’t afraid of the hard work of reading the meters! Let him do it!

Unlike high-end residential areas, where you just inform the property manager and let the tenants transfer the money via WeChat without even meeting, in urban villages, you have to personally read the water, electricity, and gas meters.

Li Qiang was sure Xu Yao wouldn’t be able to go door to door reading the meters!

Xu Yao looked at Lu Ye and tentatively asked, “How about you do it?”

Lu Ye: “…”

Xu Yao suddenly felt she was being too much of a taskmaster to her bodyguard and thought, “Let those tenants take pictures of the water, electricity, and gas meters and send them to us.”

Even in slippers, Xu Yao felt tired climbing up to the sixth floor to read the meters.

Lu Ye replied straightforwardly, “That might be a bit difficult.”

Many tenants had a good attitude; as soon as they heard about paying rent, they would transfer the money without a second thought, but getting someone to read the meters was something few would be willing to do.

Li Qiang stifled a laugh and didn’t chime in.

Xu Yao smiled, “Isn’t it simple?”

*

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

In front of a flower bed in the urban village, a long table was set up with a large sunshade overhead, and Xu Yao was sitting underneath, enjoying the comfortable breeze.

On the long table was a payment QR code.

A passerby excitedly uploaded a video online: “I met Xu Yao, she’s really collecting rent.”

Although Xu Yao had become an ordinary person now, she couldn’t escape the widespread negativity online and that explosive announcement about her withdrawal from the scene, as well as her effortless way of resolving contract issues. Discussions about Xu Yao were still very hot online.

Just then, a middle-aged woman with an empty bag, planning to go to the supermarket, walked out of the building and headed towards Xu Yao and the others. After all, with supermarkets now charging for plastic bags, bringing your own could save some money.

The middle-aged aunt looked them over for a moment, somewhat uncertain, and asked, “Was that young man who knocked on the door just now saying we should come pay the rent and that he could give us coupons for Fuhui supermarket?”

Landlords were all quite crafty; it was already good enough that they hadn’t raised the rent, who would give out supermarket coupons?

However, she had heard that Fuhui supermarket was a large national chain opened by the richest man, the Xu family, and a new branch had recently opened nearby with discounts. She thought she’d come here to try her luck.

Seeing Lu Ye nod, the middle-aged woman cautiously confirmed that they were indeed the landlords, then took out her smartphone, somewhat clumsily opened her photo gallery, and showed the meter reading she had just taken before leaving.

Xu Yao pushed the payment QR code in front of her and said,

“The total for rent and water, electricity, and gas plus sanitation fee is 1730 yuan. If everything looks correct, please scan this code.”

The middle-aged woman calculated it herself using her phone’s calculator and found that Xu Yao had even kindly rounded down by five yuan, instantly lifting her spirits as she quickly scanned the code to pay.

At the same time, Xu Yao’s phone chimed—”Alipay received 1730 yuan.”

Xu Yao thought this was the sweetest sound in the world; even the smallest mosquito is still meat, and when accumulated, it becomes a fortune!”

Lu Ye handed a red coupon to the middle-aged woman, who looked at it in surprise, “No minimum spend of 100 yuan?”

Who gives out coupons like this? Aren’t they usually conditional discounts or percentages off? Those are the supermarket’s usual tricks.

The middle-aged woman was skeptical but thought since she was already planning to shop at the supermarket, she might as well go. After buying her goods, she nervously handed the coupon to the cashier and asked, “Excuse me, can this be used?”

The cashier scanned the code on it and smiled, “Yes, you just need to pay me the extra five yuan.”

The middle-aged woman glanced at the customer next to her, who was paying for similar items and had rung up over a hundred yuan, while the cashier only charged her five.

When the middle-aged woman came out of the supermarket with her bag full of groceries, she looked at her haul and realized she had only spent five yuan! It was truly a great deal!

It was as if this middle-aged aunt suddenly woke up; she immediately called her neighbour, who enjoyed dancing in the square, and said urgently, “Sister Zhou, right? Are you home? Hurry, hurry, you need to come downstairs to pay the rent now!”

“Oh, and remember to take a picture of the water, electricity, and gas meters before you go! The young landlord is giving out a 100 yuan no-minimum coupon, you can buy anything at the supermarket without restrictions!”

---

anything can be solved with the right incentive HAHAHAHA

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

In response to Xu Yao’s sincere request for safety, Lu Ye readily agreed to arrange it for her.

Xu Jing mentioned that Ji Zhengqing was on a business trip abroad that morning and that they would have to wait for him to return before they could hold the engagement banquet. He reassured Xu Yao not to worry about the online matters and suggested she take some time to rest.

Xu Yao planned to move into Haicheng Bay No. 1 herself. Xu Jing arranged for a driver to take her back. While the car was still on the road, Xu Yao’s phone vibrated again; it was another roommate, Qu Xi.

Seeing that name, Xu Yao’s eyes filled with pity.

In the book, Qu Xi was an ordinary working-class individual who had been rejected by a black-hearted entertainment company, wasting ten years of her youth. At thirty, she finally got a precious audition opportunity and decided to head north to Jing City for one last pursuit of her dreams, only to die in the basement she rented.

“Yao Yao, what’s going on? I just got back from the audition and saw your retirement post on Weibo! Don’t act on impulse!” Qu Xi said cautiously, fearing Xu Yao was having a mental breakdown. “How about we travel around for a couple of days to clear our minds?”

Xu Yao didn’t respond but instead recounted how Zhao Rumei had moved out that morning and asked Qu Xi to pack her things and come pick her up.

“Okay, got it,” Qu Xi replied readily, also advising Xu Yao not to take Zhao Rumei’s lease termination to heart.

With Zhao Rumei moving out, the rent for this three-bedroom apartment was a bit burdensome for Xu Yao and Qu Xi to share, so Qu Xi guessed that Xu Yao had already found a new place.

It would be nice for the two of them to rent a small two-bedroom apartment together.

Xu Yao instructed the driver to head to the shared apartment complex to pick up Qu Xi. Qu Xi had a pure, doll-like face and wore her bangs neatly, looking quite obedient. She was slightly nearsighted and stood at the entrance of the complex with her suitcase. It wasn’t until the black luxury car approached that she squinted to see the logo, instantly frightened into immobility.

Xu Yao hadn’t even given the driver a signal when the very perceptive driver had already opened the car door, kindly helping Qu Xi lift her suitcase into the trunk.

Qu Xi was taken aback by the attention. She got into the car and sat beside Xu Yao, noticing a tall, handsome man sitting in the front passenger seat, thinking he was a fellow carpooler.

Qu Xi gently and quietly touched the genuine leather seat cushion beneath her, her hands trembling.

Fearing that her excitement might lead to embarrassment, Qu Xi took out her phone and sent Xu Yao a WeChat message.

[Qu Xi: Ah ah ah ah my Yao Yao, what kind of divine luck do we have? We carpooled into a top-tier luxury car! I’ve seen this car online, it starts at eight digits!]

[Qu Xi: How could my behind be worthy of sitting in an eight-digit luxury car?! It doesn’t deserve it ah ah.]

[Qu Xi: No wonder the uncle can afford a luxury car, his personality is really nice, and he even helped me with my suitcase!]

[Qu Xi: Wuwuwu so cool, so this is how sweet the wind outside a fancy car is!]

Sitting beside her, Qu Xi frantically sent her a flurry of messages, so fast that Xu Yao could barely keep up. When words could no longer express her excitement, Qu Xi began bombarding Xu Yao with emojis.

She was so happy she could faint!

Xu Yao thought she would need to buy a car in a few days to make it easier to collect rent.

After a while, Qu Xi finally calmed down, rubbed her sore cheeks, and asked Xu Yao, “Yao Yao, where are we renting this time? It doesn’t have to be too big; actually, a small house has its advantages.”

“We’ll be there soon.” Xu Yao glanced at Qu Xi’s cheeks, and despite being a twenty one year old adult, she looked more like a fifteen or sixteen year old high school girl, smiling.

Qu Xi gazed blankly through the car window at the extremely grand entrance of the community ahead—Haicheng Bay No. 1.

The top residential area in Haicheng, with towering camphor trees lining the road and tall black iron railings in European style, the car drove right in.

Qu Xi felt a bit flustered, but seeing the back of the man in the passenger seat eased her nerves considerably.

This should be the destination of the carpool, right? Today was her lucky day.

Thinking this way, Qu Xi’s tension dissipated, and she excitedly sent another text to Xu Yao.

[Qu Xi: Hahaha Yao Yao, we hit the jackpot! We actually get to see inside Haicheng Bay No. 1! I wonder when we can live in such a luxury apartment ourselves.]

Xu Yao smiled and said, “Right now.”

Qu Xi was stunned for a moment: “Huh?”

The car stopped in front of a building’s lobby, the driver parked the car and got out to open the doors for Xu Yao and Qu Xi, while the property manager helped them swipe the entry door open.

Lu Ye pressed the elevator button first, letting the two of them in, and then asked Xu Yao, “Miss Yao, which floor will Miss Qu be living on?”

Qu Xi, who was secretly observing the elevator handrails made of genuine crocodile leather, was confused: “…………??” Which floor? Can we even choose?

Xu Yao thought for a moment: “Eighth floor, ‘8’ is prosperous.”

By the time Qu Xi followed her into 801, everyone was bewildered. What greeted them was an ultra-large living room of over a hundred square meters, with various high-end furniture in sight, and the bright decor style was very suitable for girls.

Qu Xi took half an hour to digest the fact that Xu Yao had taken on the ‘if I’m not popular, I’ll retire and collect rent’ top landlord script.

“You won’t be living here for free; you’ll still pay me rent,” Xu Yao never forgot her identity as a landlord, “The monthly rent is three thousand.”

“Qu Xi: “!!”

Xu Bodhisattva! Living Bodhisattva!”

The housing prices in Haicheng were extremely high; the small room in the three-bedroom apartment they had previously shared was already three thousand a month.

For a luxurious flat like Haicheng Bay No. 1, three thousand wouldn’t even be enough, even if you added a zero!

Xu Yao glanced at the time and walked towards the hallway:

“It’s getting late; you should rest well. I’ll go back and take a bath first.”

Qu Xi was stunned; she had thought this was Xu Yao’s home, and she would be satisfied if her friend let her stay in a guest room for three thousand at such a low price. But now… Xu Yao was leaving? This huge apartment was solely for her to live in?

Qu Xi was dazed for a long time until the sky gradually darkened, and she finally came to her senses. She decisively took out her phone and opened the camera to record: “Hey guys, what’s it like to be taken flying by a landlord friend? I know now!”

That night, a five-minute sharing video went viral on Red Note, with likes skyrocketing to tens of thousands!

In the video, Qu Xi frantically showcased Haicheng’s number one luxury community, the super large master bedroom, the high-end bathtub in the bathroom, and the six-meter high balcony with a view of the river just outside the glass door. Qu Xi thought it would be perfect for a barbecue night with a few friends!

[Wow, I’ve got material for dreaming tonight! Are there any more friends like this amazing landlord? I want one too.]

[Three thousand to rent a flat in Haicheng Bay No. 1, I wouldn’t even dare to dream this, wuwuwu. This isn’t collecting rent; it’s clearly just to avoid making the landlord feel awkward!]

[Emergency help needed! I beat up my best friend, and she still won’t admit she’s a landlord. What should I do?]

[Emmmm this blogger seems to be a little artist, and it seems like Xu Yao is her roommate. Could this landlord be Xu Yao?]

[Hahaha, is there really someone who believes Xu Yao’s nonsense about retiring to collect rent?]

Li Xiaoli, an ordinary girl who had just come to Haicheng to work, was sitting in a small house in the urban village eating instant noodles, enviously watching the video. She wouldn’t dare to dream like that; she just hoped to earn enough money to rent a better place, as the environment in the urban village was really too poor.

After the landlord friend video went viral on Red Note, Li Xiaoli continued to eat her instant noodles while clicking into Sheng Zhou’s Weibo, as she was a fan of Sheng Zhou and wanted to see if there was any response.

It seemed that Sheng Zhou had discussed it with Liu Yingxia, as they both responded together on Weibo.

[Sheng Zhou: Single.]

[Liu Yingxia: Single.]

Countless fans were moved to tears; they knew their brother/sister was single, and Xu Yao, that drama queen, was clearly spreading rumours!”

Xu Yao lived in the building opposite Qu Xi, in the best location of Haicheng Bay No. 1. The top-floor duplex villa was incredibly comfortable, complete with an extravagant open-air swimming pool.

Xu Yao contentedly soaked in a bath, leisurely applying skincare oil all over her body. Lu Ye was still on the phone, asking if she wanted him to arrange for a massage therapist to help relieve her fatigue, especially since she had been under immense stress from online harassment lately.

That evening, her fiancé, Ji Zhengqing, who was merely a tool for her inheritance, added her on WeChat but remained silent after the addition.

Xu Yao spent a few days in a state of dejection, but when she finally woke up naturally, the top chef Lu Ye had arranged had already prepared exquisite meals. She cozied up at home, playing games, and happily indulged as a spendthrift player for a few days.

Lu Ye appeared before her: “Miss Yao Yao, your issues with your former management company have been resolved, and you can now use your social media accounts freely.”

Great!

Having successfully terminated her contract with the trash company, she was now a bona fide ordinary person.

Many sharp-eyed netizens had clearly noticed this as well. Xu Yao’s reckless Weibo post announcing her withdrawal from the industry had not only gone unremoved by her company, but even her personal profile, which previously stated ‘Artist of Mars Entertainment,’ had vanished.

[Xu Yao’s company officially announced the termination! Wow, does Xu Yao really have the capital to terminate? Is she really going to use the script of ‘If I’m not famous, I’ll go home to inherit billions’?]

[Insider news: Mars Entertainment didn’t even dare to ask Xu Yao for compensation, and all her social media accounts have been returned to her! Suddenly, I kind of believe what she said; Sheng Zhou and Liu Yingxia can’t really be in a relationship, right?]

[Sheng Zhou and Liu Yingxia have already clarified, okay?? Who would believe a former eighteen-line now ordinary person over the parties involved? That’s just funny.]

Fans were genuinely naive; their older brothers and sisters were being slandered by Xu Yao. Why didn’t they dare to sue her for defamation? Go ahead and sue her! If they dare to sue Xu Yao, I’ll believe they’re fine!

Sheng Zhou and Liu Yingxia were indeed in a dire situation lately. Their relationship had suddenly been exposed by that foolish woman Xu Yao, and public opinion was very unfavorable for them. Several projects that were about to be finalized had suddenly been put on hold.

Fortunately, the variety show he valued the most, “My Home Life,” had no intention of replacing him. This show took place entirely in the residences of the guests, and many viewers loved to see the luxurious lives of celebrities, so the show had always been popular.

“Brother Sheng, the house you rented just informed us that the owner has changed, and they want you to add the new owner’s WeChat for rent payment,” the assistant reminded Sheng Zhou.

“Don’t add!” Sheng Zhou replied sharply, “Can’t you see I’m already annoyed?”

This luxurious apartment was the one Sheng Zhou intended to use for the show. He had forgotten to pay rent for a month in his previous rental, and it seemed the landlord had also forgotten about it. Since the landlord didn’t bring it up, he didn’t ask either, and it had dragged on for nearly half a year.

He decided to just pretend he didn’t know about it.

From this perspective, the wealthy landlord seemed very easygoing, so filming the show in this luxurious apartment would allow him to showcase his lavish lifestyle to fans without worrying about the production team damaging the place, since it was rented, he wouldn’t feel heartbroken.

*

Xu Yao was shopping in a high-end mall in Haicheng, followed closely by Lu Ye and the smiling, wrinkled mall manager, with bodyguards carrying large bags behind them.

Every time they passed a luxury store, the sales assistants looked at them with the eager eyes of someone witnessing the arrival of a god of wealth.

Lu Ye silently watched Xu Yao, who was strutting confidently in her newly bought eight-centimeter high heels. He approached her and whispered, “Miss Yao Yao, the gentleman called to ask if you have enough money to spend. If not, he can transfer some to you.”

Xu Yao had indeed spent quite a bit recently, so it was no wonder her brother was checking in on her. After all, he had finally found his sister, whom he had been waiting for twenty years.

However, Xu Yao shook her head: “No need.”

She was here to retire and enjoy life; she couldn’t always be her brother’s little parasite. She had her own sources of income; those hundred-plus properties were not just for show.

Xu Yao immediately turned to Lu Ye and asked, “Where can I collect rent now?”

Lu Ye took out his tablet to check and replied, “The village in the city is just about to reach the rent payment period, while the other rental properties in the school district will have to wait a couple more days.”

“Then let’s start with the village in the city.”

Lu Ye watched Xu Yao walk out in her high heels, thought for a moment, and waved to the mall manager: “Please arrange a luxury van for us.”

The two properties Xu Yao held in the village had excellent locations, but due to inferior infrastructure compared to nearby communities, the rent was much more affordable, making them a top choice for newly graduated college students.

Xu Yao knew that these two buildings in the village would eventually be demolished, causing their value to skyrocket, which was why she had secured them.

The roads in the village were narrow, and there was no underground parking, so when a luxury car drove in, it immediately caught the attention of passersby. Young girls excitedly took out their phones to snap pictures, encouraged by friends to ask for WeChat IDs.

A delicate, slender leg stepped down from the high heels, making those around realize that the wealthy also had daughters; a rich girl had arrived!

Xu Yao, dressed in the latest season’s long dress and wearing sunglasses, looked up at the two six-story buildings in the village, which had no elevators.

Collecting rent was no longer like before; now, payments could be made directly via WeChat transfer, except for a few tenants who might not know how to use smartphones and would need to be visited in person.

But the new landlord Xu Yao suddenly remembered that aside from the fixed rent, she also needed to go upstairs to check the electricity, water, and gas meters to confirm the costs!

Behind her, Lu Ye suddenly asked, “Miss Yao Yao, do you want to change your outfit first?”

Xu Yao turned her head in surprise, just in time to see a black luxury van driving towards them, stopping directly in front of them.

Lu Ye stepped forward and opened the car door with a flourish.

Inside the van, there were bright, refreshing short-sleeved T-shirts and shorts from various luxury brands hanging, a large bunch of keys on the left side, and a row of high-end slippers at the bottom, the most eye-catching pair even adorned with rhinestones!

Rent collection outfit for the landlady!

Xu Yao couldn’t help but give Lu Ye a thumbs up, praising his exceptional ability to take action.

Truly a leader of a professional rent collection team.

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

---

going out to collect money would be a dream

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

Following closely was #Sheng Zhou Liu Yingxia Relationship#, also trending high, with a ‘BREAKING’ tag trailing behind!

Xu Yao and Sheng Zhou’s scandal had been exposed for five days. During these five days, Xu Yao had logged into Weibo multiple times but had not responded at all. Yet today, her response was such explosive news.

Netizens munching on the gossip jumped back and forth between the two trending topics, the discussion heating up, making the entire Weibo lively as if it were New Year’s.

[Oh my god, just now a bunch of marketing accounts analyzed that Xu Yao couldn’t possibly retire and might even take ads to make big money, and then she suddenly announces her retirement!]

[Although I really dislike Xu Yao, this girl is brave to say she’s retiring and actually does it… pretty gutsy.]

[I genuinely worry about Xu Yao’s mental state; she’s been attacked by Sheng Zhou’s fans for five days, and suddenly she can’t hold it in anymore and posts about retiring. Does she know she has a contract?! I bet five cents this Weibo post will be deleted by her company.]

[Xu Yao retiring to collect rent? What a joke! According to our digging, she came from an orphanage and has no property at all! She’s currently sharing a rental with two 28th-tier small artists.]

Of course, some haters were overjoyed: [Hahaha, she’s retiring! Xu Yao is finally out of the entertainment industry; we’ve won!]

Sheng Zhou’s fans were ecstatic; in the past, those stars who caused trouble would never retire, shamelessly continuing to appear in public, making the industry a mess.

Forcing Xu Yao to retire, they felt like little police officers, defending the environment of the entertainment industry!

But just as they were celebrating, they noticed the latter half of Xu Yao’s statement and could no longer smile—

Sheng Zhou and Liu Yingxia are dating??

[Zhouzhou is dating Liu Yingxia? This is impossible! I can’t accept it! Sheng Zhou and Lingling are the real deal!] This clearly comes from a heartbroken fan of the Sheng Zhou and a certain female star’s CP.

Liu Yingxia’s male fan also finds it hard to accept: [Yingxia isn’t single? She said in an interview that she wouldn’t date before 35!]

Other netizens are also excitedly speculating: [Xu Yao and Liu Yingxia co-starred in ‘Seeking Immortals,’ meaning Sheng Zhou wasn’t secretly visiting Xu Yao, but seeing his girlfriend Liu Yingxia?]

[Emmmm… If what Xu Yao said is true, SZ and LYX are going too far, right? Using an innocent actress as a shield. Poor Xu Yao!]

Neither Sheng Zhou nor Liu Yingxia’s fans can accept the fact that the two are dating. They’re jumping up and down on Weibo, threatening to sue Xu Yao for spreading rumors!

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

“Miss Yao, your flower tea.”

Xu Yao, nestled in a soft, oversized sofa, was playing on her phone. A maid brought over expensive flower tea, along with cut fruit and pastries, placing them on the table.

Xu Yao happily munched on the pastries. This is the life!

Her phone vibrated. It was a call from her agent, Sister Fan, who immediately started yelling, “Xu Yao, have you lost your mind? What was that Weibo post? Quitting the industry? Can you afford the five million yuan in breach of contract?”

Sister Fan was pacing frantically. She felt that Xu Yao had been acting strangely for the past two days, speaking and acting unlike herself.

Posting that idiotic Weibo about quitting was bad enough, but dragging Sheng Zhou and Liu Yingxia into it? She’d offended two celebrities in one fell swoop!

Xu Yao leisurely blew on the surface of her teacup, calmly saying, “Talk to my legal team about that. Oh, and remember to return my social media accounts.”

Celebrities’ social media accounts, like Weibo and Red Note¹ don’t actually belong to the celebrities themselves but to the company. Even if they terminate their contract, the accounts must be returned to the company.

She wants her accounts back. Sharing her retirement life shouldn’t be a problem, right?

Little 6: [That’s right, host. Happy retirement is most important.]

Ignoring Sister Fan’s furious ranting on the other end, Xu Yao hung up.

Holding a pillow, her delicate chin resting on it, Xu Yao asked Little 6 if, according to the plot, she was about to completely offend the female lead?

In the original plot, the male lead was actually someone else; Sheng Zhou was at most a supporting male character. In the future, Liu Yingxia would meet the original male lead. The original male lead, with his strong sense of possessiveness, would be jealous many times because of Liu Yingxia’s past. Liu Yingxia never told the original male lead that Sheng Zhou was her ex-boyfriend, only vaguely referring to him as a pursuer.

Now that she’s confirmed it, who knows if the male and female leads will still end up together.

But this doesn’t affect Xu Yao’s current happy mood. Even if the sky falls, it has nothing to do with her. Xu Yao excitedly opened Taobao², clicked on her shopping cart, selected all items, proceeded to checkout, and entered her fingerprint password.

The actions were smooth and decisive, without a moment’s hesitation!

Then her phone received a message confirming the purchase.

Xu Yao held up her phone, sighing, “An empty shopping cart is so much cleaner.”

Little 6 chimed in: [Host, the perfect retirement life should include shopping, indulging in shopping!]

Xu Yao thought for a moment, “Little 6, I can’t indulge yet.”

Xu Yao wasn’t in a hurry. She had just reunited with Xu Jing today, and there would likely be some busy days ahead, with many things to handle. She had plenty of time in the future.

Little 6 thought the host was complaining about only having five million yuan, and quickly explained: [Host, your first retirement payment is only five million, but it will increase every month.]

Little 6 explained: [As long as the host is in a retired state and hasn’t passed away, it will be continuously paid until your death.]

In other words, no retirement payment if you work.

Xu Yao immediately swore she would never go back to work.

Working is impossible, never in this life!

Little 6 continued painting a rosy picture: [Host, if you live to eighty, your monthly retirement payment could be tens of billions.]

Xu Yao, however, became cautious. If she were to die today, would the Quick Transmigration Bureau still pay next month’s retirement payment? Xu Yao immediately felt that her personal safety was the top priority.

And… the Quick Transmigration Bureau’s retirement payment increases monthly? In the normal world, retirement payments only increase annually!

Xu Yao suddenly felt that all those years working for the Quick Transmigration Bureau hadn’t been in vain.

At that moment, a handsome young man appeared at the entrance of the double European-style doors. A long, old scar ran from his eyebrow to the corner of his eye on his cold, stern face. Xu Yao estimated him to be nearly six feet tall, his tall figure encased in a black suit, walking towards her with several employees carrying stacks of documents.

The man stepped forward, his tone calm and respectful, “Hello Miss Yao. I’m Lu Ye, mainly responsible for family property matters. These are your property documents. Please take a look.”

Xu Yao’s eyes lit up. Lu Ye!

In the original story, Lu Ye’s combat prowess was almost maxed out, making him the most powerful character in the book!

Lu Ye didn’t come from a good background, growing up in a harsh environment. At sixteen, he was severely beaten by a group of thugs, the scar on his face a reminder of that time. He was rescued when he was near death by her grandfather, Xu Guoxiong, and has been working for the Xu family ever since.

Later, when Xu Jing took over the company, he didn’t approve of Lu Ye’s ruthless and unorthodox methods, so he only assigned him to manage the family’s property rentals, not letting him work for the Xu Group.

In the later part of the book, Xu Jing offended the female lead and became the slapped-in-the-face richest boss. Lu Ye physically protected Xu Jing, taking bullets and knives for him, and lived to the end, his combat prowess off the charts!

Most importantly, he was an all-rounder. Besides his maxed-out combat ability, he was also excellent in other areas, managing rentals perfectly despite Xu Jing only assigning him to that role later on.

Xu Yao looked at Lu Ye, her eyes sparkling. In the book, he had saved Xu Jing and said, “I just work for the Xu family.”

Xu Yao slightly restrained her gaze and eagerly flipped through the property documents of her more than a hundred buildings. This was all her future retirement capital!

Soon, Xu Yao was surprised to discover a phenomenon. She asked, “Most of my more than a hundred buildings are not rented out?”

Lu Ye nodded and said, “Yes, apart from two office buildings, two urban village properties, and some luxury residences in school districts that are currently being rented out, the majority are vacant. Moreover, the gentleman has not paid much attention to the rental income of these properties.”

In fact, in terms of occupancy rates, ordinary residential complexes near subway stations have much higher occupancy rates than luxury high-end complexes. Many luxury complexes have only one-third occupancy after three or four years of being handed over.

Xu Yao thought for a moment and immediately said, “Except for a few properties in Haicheng Bay No. 1 and the properties in my hometown Jiangnan, list the rest all for rent.”

She wanted to be a landlord, lying back and collecting money!

Unless there were special circumstances, she wouldn’t sell her properties for cash.

Lu Ye nodded in acknowledgment, and Xu Yao eagerly asked, “What about my two office buildings in Haicheng and Jing City? When is the rent due?”

Office buildings are different from luxury apartment complexes; these top-tier Grade A office buildings are rarely vacant, as they are leased by large companies and well-known foreign enterprises. Moreover, they are not easy to rent, so the rent should be quite considerable!

“Miss Yao Yao, the rent for the office buildings was due at the end of last month, paid every six months. They just made the payment at the end of last month,” an employee behind Lu Ye said shyly.

So that’s how it is. Therefore, the major rental income from the A grade office buildings won’t be available until at least six months later.

Xu Yao felt a bit disappointed but then remembered she had other properties, some with monthly payments and others with quarterly payments. Just the pure rental income should still be quite good.

Lu Ye continued, “Miss Yao Yao, we have already started notifying the landlords of the rental properties to change the ownership. As for the monthly rental income…”

Xu Yao cut straight to the point: “Have them pay me directly.”

There was no other reason; she just wanted to experience the joy of being a landlord collecting rent!

Having traversed 999 worlds, Xu Yao had never done such a enjoyable job!

Lu Ye was first surprised, then understood that Miss Yao Yao simply wanted to personally collect rent and experience life.

When she no longer wanted to do it herself, he would bring someone to take over.

“Yao Yao, you’ve been waiting for a long time. Come have lunch with me,” Xu Jing said as he came out of the study near noon, noticing Lu Ye was coordinating with Xu Yao about the properties. He added, “You come along too.”

Xu Jing walked down the spiral staircase, holding a luxurious gift bag, and smilingly handed it to Xu Yao: “A small gift.”

Xu Yao took out a beautifully packaged decorative box from the bag and gently opened it to reveal a sparkling diamond necklace, embedded with blue gemstones.

At a glance, Xu Yao recognized that this necklace was worth at least a million. A three-bedroom apartment in an ordinary second-tier city costs about a million; her billionaire brother had essentially gifted her a house to wear around her neck!

Xu Yao placed the necklace back into the high-end box and smiled, saying, “Thank you, brother. I really like it.”

The three of them walked towards the dining room. Xu Jing recalled that he had briefly checked social media in the study earlier and saw some netizens were quite harsh in their comments about Xu Yao. His brows furrowed with concern for the safety of this sister he had finally found.

Xu Jing glanced at Lu Ye, who was quietly following behind, and suddenly said to Xu Yao, “Yao Yao, let Lu Ye protect your safety from now on. I trust his skills.”

Xu Jing was also worried that Xu Yao might not be used to having someone follow her, so he reassured her, “Yao Yao, Lu Ye knows how to keep his distance; you don’t need to mind him following you.”

What a timely offer!

Great!

Xu Yao looked at Lu Ye, who stood at nearly 1.9 meters tall, a few centimeters taller than Xu Jing, and felt a strong sense of security. No wonder he was the top in martial prowess in the entire book. However, she wasn’t the type to squeeze every bit of work out of someone without giving them time off, right?

“No, no, no, I don’t mind!” Not only did she not mind, but Xu Yao also eagerly asked Lu Ye, “Do you know where I can hire a top-notch bodyguard team? Help me hire a few dozen first.”

Lu Ye’s face stiffened as if he had received a great shock

Xu Jing was no better off, his mind racing with thoughts—

Hire a few dozen? Is my sister more afraid of death than I am as a billionaire?

---

the entertainment circle in novels always seems so surreal — it feels like all the netizens have way too much time on their hands

1. weibo is the chinese equivalent of twitter while red note (little red book) is a mix of both pinterest and instagram ↩︎
2. taobao is a chinese shopping app, like aliexpress or amazon ↩︎

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

Xu Jing stared at Xu Yao, who had just relaxed, his mind filled with questions—

What does she mean by just one??

How many partners does she want?

Xu Yao thought it was some extremely harsh inheritance condition, but it turned out only to be this?

Inheriting over a hundred buildings from her tycoon grandfather only required one partner? This requirement was simply too easy!

Not even having a dozen partners, she wouldn’t feel at ease holding onto that money.

Xu Yao smiled at the shocked Xu Jing, unashamedly saying, “I mean, the fiancé Grandpa chose must be a good one. I’m very reassured and I agree.”

“You’ve met him; he was the one who dined with me last night,” Xu Jing had just recognized Xu Yao, and he still wasn’t sure about her personality. He worried she might be the type to keep her thoughts hidden, so he added, “Yao Yao, don’t feel like you have to compromise yourself because of Grandpa’s will.”

Xu Yao replied firmly, “No, I’m not compromising.”

She didn’t feel compromised at all; in fact, she felt like laughing a bit.

Last night, when Xu Yao met her wealthy brother Xu Jing at the fourth floor of Pinxian Pavilion, she indeed saw the young man who dined with them, dressed in a suit and looking handsome. He seemed to have introduced himself as… Ji Zhengqing?

However, at that time, Xu Yao’s attention was entirely on recognizing her brother, so she hadn’t paid much attention to this brother’s friend.

Just a tool for inheriting the fortune.

The comfortable black luxury car smoothly drove into a small villa with a river view. The assistant, who had been silent in the passenger seat, turned and smiled, saying, “Young Master, Miss, we have arrived.”

The two got out of the car, and Xu Yao followed Xu Jing inside. The villa had three floors above ground and one basement, estimated to be around a thousand square meters, with small gardens in the front and back, where workers were trimming the lawn.

As they walked, Xu Jing explained, “Our family’s old residence is in Jing City. This villa is my temporary place to stay when I come to Haicheng for business.”

However, Xu Jing usually preferred to stay in hotel suites and rarely came here more than once or twice a year.

Upon entering the main hall, Xu Yao immediately spotted a family photo on the solid wood long table. In it, a young and elegant looking noblewoman was smiling gently while holding a little girl, with Xu Yao’s features bearing some resemblance to hers.

Xu Jing picked up the frame and spoke softly, as if reminiscing, “You went missing when you were very young. I remember my parents arguing constantly. They passed away early, so this is the only family photo we have.”

Xu Yao remembered that the original character’s parents had perished in a plane crash many years ago while searching for her. She felt a pang in her heart and handed Xu Jing a transparent file folder she had prepared earlier.

Xu Jing took out several old photographs from inside, among them were Xu Yao’s elementary, middle, and high school graduation photos, as well as a few candid shots.

Perhaps because she was too beautiful, Xu Yao always stood in the center position in her graduation photos, wearing a blue and white school uniform with a high ponytail, perfectly positioned behind the teachers, youthful and radiant.

The graduation photo clearly displayed the name of the school, and looking at the environment in the photo, it was evident that the school Xu Yao attended in her youth was not prestigious, possibly just a rural school, which made Xu Jing’s heart ache even more for his sister.

The personal assistant noticed Xu Jing’s pained expression and immediately said, “Sir, the notary, lawyer, and agent appointed by the old man during his lifetime have all arrived.”

A crowd of people filled the hall, bringing with them complete credentials and a large stack of contracts.

After greeting them, the private lawyer appointed by the wealthy grandfather, Lawyer Li, smiled and said, “Miss Xu Yao, according to the will of Mr. Xu Guoxiong, Mr. Xu Jing will inherit the Xu family group, while you will inherit the hundreds of buildings he left behind.”

This novel is essentially a satisfying story of face-slapping in the entertainment industry, where the final boss, the wealthy Xu family, has its assets exaggerated to an incredible extent—century-old aristocracy, hundreds of billions in wealth, with industries spread across the country and abroad!

Yes, the female lead, a little star in the entertainment industry, can indeed slap the wealthy boss in the face, and that’s exactly how it’s written in the original novel.

Xu Jing knew that some of these inheritances were a bit unfair to Xu Yao, so he suggested, “Yao Yao, I can help arrange a position for you in the company.”

Xu Yao had been wandering outside since she was young and was not like Xu Jing, who was recognised by the old man as the future heir of the family, receiving elite education to inherit the family business from a young age. If Xu Yao wanted to manage the company with him, she would have to start from scratch.

In Xu Jing’s mind, no matter how many houses there were, they couldn’t compare to the company; the vast Xu family group was the true money-making machine that continuously generated wealth!

Xu Jing looked at Xu Yao with increasingly gentle and expectant eyes: “Yao Yao is very smart; she will definitely learn quickly at the company.”

Xu Yao immediately shook her head, her head shaking like a rattle drum: “No need, I won’t go to the company.”

What a joke! She came to this world to retire and collect rent; who would want to work a nine-to-five job? Isn’t it better to sleep until she wakes up naturally?

The faster Xu Yao refused, the more Xu Jing felt sorry for her; what a silly sister.

Seeing this, the agent plugged a USB drive into the touch screen TV and smiled, “Then please confirm the locations of the hundreds of buildings and sign the respective contracts.”

The agent operated the map: “The properties marked on the map are all assets of the Xu family. According to Mr. Xu Guoxiong’s will, Miss Yao Yao can choose freely.”

Perhaps out of guilt for not intending to let Xu Yao inherit the family business, the old man did not specify the properties but allowed Xu Yao to choose at will.

Even the agents who were used to handling the estates of the wealthy showed envy in their eyes.

Becoming rich overnight is just like this!

Xu Yao moved the map on the computer, and as she saw the marked properties, she could no longer contain herself. She knew the wealth of the Xu family was exaggerated, but she never expected it to be to this extent.

Xu Yao looked at the iconic office buildings marked in the center of Haicheng on the map, the well-known river-view residential buildings worth over a hundred million, as well as other villas, mansions, and apartment buildings… all of which were assets of the Xu family!

Xu Yao raised her eyes to Xu Jing, utterly shocked: “Brother… this is almost half of Haicheng’s properties, right…?”

Xu Jing had a look that said, ‘This is just the beginning’: “There are also properties in other places and abroad, you know?”

Xu Yao: “…”

The author of this novel really dares to write…

Xu Yao picked up a red pen and directly circled the properties she was interested in on the map, while an agent beside her immediately followed up to record.

One building is mine, two buildings are mine, three buildings are still mine.

Xu Yao looked at the map of the Xu family’s properties in Haicheng, her gaze focused on two buildings in the urban village. In the original text, Haicheng was about to undergo a major renovation and demolition of urban villages, and the value of these two buildings would definitely double!

Urban village, she wanted them!

Xu Yao decisively circled the two buildings, determining their ownership!

Xu Jing stood by, watching Xu Yao’s actions, his handsome brows furrowing deeper with each of her moves. Until he saw Xu Yao circle the two urban village buildings, he could no longer sit still. He reached out, took the red pen from Xu Yao’s hand without blinking, and circled two iconic office buildings in Haicheng and Jing City, saying, “Silly Yao Yao, take these.”

In just a few seconds, a red circle easily determined the ownership of the office buildings.

Look! Look at how her brother’s every move exuded the unique aura of a wealthy person!

Xu Yao was stunned by Xu Jing’s bold actions; she realized she had been too petty and needed to learn more from Xu Jing.

This scene was too shocking for everyone present. The lawyer recording nearby was so envious that his eyes turned red, and the pen in his hand trembled uncontrollably. Those were two Grade A office buildings located in the city centre of Haicheng and Jing City!

Not only was the location excellent, but the accompanying renovations and facilities were also complete, with daily rents reaching up to twenty-five yuan per square meter! The key was that it wasn’t something that could be owned just by having money; it was that exaggerated.

Xu Jing flipped through the Xu family’s property map, seemingly feeling it wasn’t enough. The newly appointed good brother pondered for a moment and then kindly said, “How about a few more buildings abroad? Do you like island villas?”

Wherever it was valuable, he circled it!

Look at Xu Jing’s relaxed posture, as if he were picking cabbage for her at a market! Xu Yao learned again.

After picking and choosing, they finalized the properties in just half an hour.

Two iconic office buildings in Haicheng and Jing City, two urban village buildings in Haicheng, a villa in every province, and dozens of school districts, apartment buildings, and luxury flats…

Oh, and a few estates abroad as well.

Xu Yao confirmed repeatedly, afraid of missing any details that would leave her regretting for life. After a long time, Xu Yao finally made the last confirmation, taking the black pen from the agent’s hand and solemnly signing her name on each contract.

The agent smiled and said, “Miss Xu Yao, congratulations on inheriting the estate left to you by Mr. Xu Guoxiong. We will handle all the subsequent procedures, and as for the inheritance tax, Mr. Xu Jing will pay it on your behalf.”

Xu Yao immediately looked at Xu Jing, who just smiled and patted her head.

Xu Jing smiled indulgently: “I only hope that Yao Yao’s future is smooth sailing.”

Smooth sailing? Xu Yao felt that her future was nothing short of a broad avenue! An avenue so wide it seemed endless!

Xu Jing seemed to think of something and suddenly asked nonchalantly, “By the way, the matter about Sheng Zhou…”

He laughed again: “If you really like him, you can be a ‘close’ friend with a ‘special relationship.’ I’ll keep it from Qingqing for you.”

Xu Yao looked at the infinite seriousness in Xu Jing’s gentle gaze, feeling a bit choked by her brother.

What did he mean by ‘close friends with a special relationship’? Didn’t he just say that inheriting the will required being with a designated person?! And that designated person seemed to be his friend…

In the original plot, although the wealth of the Xu family was mentioned multiple times, Xu Jing only formally appeared in the latter half of the story. He was definitely a typical representative of helping family over reason, appearing to help a relative secure endorsement resources from a world-renowned brand, ultimately offending the female lead, and ending up being ruthlessly trampled and slapped in the face, leading to the downfall of the Xu family.

Xu Yao looked at the people present; they were all bowing their heads, tidying up their things as if they had temporarily gone deaf. She immediately said, “No, brother, I have nothing to do with Sheng Zhou. It’s just a rumor spread by the paparazzi.”

According to the plot, she indeed had some feelings for the top star Sheng Zhou, but before she could act on it, she was pulled away to take the heat.

Xu Jing frowned and said, “The entertainment industry is indeed dirty. Yao Yao, do you plan to continue in the entertainment industry? If that’s the case, I’ll support you to become a top-tier star.”

Xu Yao replied decisively, “I plan to retire from the industry, but I have a compensation agreement with the company.”

Who would still work hard in the entertainment industry if they had money? Xu Yao always remembered that she was here to retire and enjoy life!

Xu Jing didn’t care and said, “I’ll arrange a legal team to handle it. Don’t worry about the compensation.”

The Xu Group has a dedicated team of top lawyers, humorously referred to in the industry as ‘Pizza Hut¹.’ As long as they find a loophole, it’s easy to make the other party suffer, and they often send people to jail.

Xu Jing glanced at his watch, indicating he had some matters to attend to and told her to enjoy herself for now.

Once Xu Jing left for the study, Xu Yao sat on the high-end sofa worth hundreds of thousands, almost bursting with excitement—

Over a hundred buildings!

She inherited over a hundred buildings!

The voice of Little 6 echoed in her mind: [Congratulations, host, on completing the initial task – ‘Acquire Inheritance,’ officially activating the first pension from the Quick Transmigration Bureau. Please rest assured that the pension will be deposited into your account through legitimate channels.]

As soon as Little 6 finished speaking, Xu Yao’s phone vibrated.

She picked it up to see a bank text message.

[Your savings account ending in 4445 received an income of 5,000,000 RMB on XX month XX day at 08:11, with a current balance of 5,003,241.3 RMB.]

The first pension was five million; one could only imagine how substantial it would be in the future.

Double happiness!

Retirement! Right now!

*

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

#Did Xu Yao retire from the industry today# was still trending high, and the comments under her super topic were simply unbearable, with Sheng Zhou’s fervent fans patrolling like little police officers on Weibo.

[Why hasn’t Xu Yao responded yet? She’s clearly a scheming b*tch; everyone knows her intentions! A nobody trying to ride on my brother Zhou’s coattails!]

[If ‘Seeking Immortality’ doesn’t replace Xu Yao, I will firmly boycott this drama. Liu Yingxia is really unlucky to be in the same crew as her.]

[Did Xu Yao retire from the industry today? No.]

Many haters were checking in under Xu Yao’s Weibo, claiming they wouldn’t rest until she retired.

Some bystanders laughed at the spectacle: [Smart people know Xu Yao can’t possibly retire; her online popularity is exploding right now. How could she retire? Plus, she probably still has a contract.]

[+1, who doesn’t know the entertainment industry is lucrative? Black red stars are still red²; Xu Yao is going to make a fortune right now!]

Some haters set Xu Yao as “special attention,” so they would be notified whenever she posted on Weibo.

Just a minute ago—

[Xu Yao v: I, Xu Yao, am retiring from the entertainment industry to go home and collect rent starting today. Bye, everyone. By the way, @Sheng Zhou @Liu Yingxia, don’t bring me into your relationship.]

#Xu Yao officially announces retirement# instantly exploded on the trending topics!”

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how does it feel… to live my dream xu yao !!! ORZ

1. chinese name for pizza hut is 必胜客. characters separately read translate to ‘must win’ or ‘surely succeed’ ↩︎
2. the 红 ‘red’ refers to the popularity of someone. black refers to negative press, antis, etc. ↩︎

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

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The warm morning light spilled over the bustling Haicheng, as the landmark buildings extinguished their vibrant neon lights under the early sun, marking the temporary end of the city’s nightlife.

The morning sun filtered through the gaps in the sheer curtains, gently stirring Xu Yao’s biological clock, waking her up promptly at six.

Xu Yao instinctively sat up from her small bed, then remembered that she had retired from the quick transmigration bureau. However, now that she was awake, she reached for her phone beside the pillow.

There were several missed calls and unread messages on WeChat. Leaning against the headboard, Xu Yao first opened the WeChat interface.

[Brother: Yao Yao, the paternity test report is out. I’ll come to pick you up early in the morning.]

This message was sent at three-thirty in the morning.

Xu Yao happily replied with an “okay,” feeling that her retirement life was finally on the right track.

She planned to get up and change clothes. In her less than ten-square-meter small bedroom, the single bed was pressed against the white wall, with only a narrow passage of less than half a meter left between the bed and the wardrobe.

The folding makeup table was cluttered with some cheap cosmetics, and the plastic shoe rack standing at the door exuded a sense of cheapness.

Seeing this messy living environment again, Xu Yao’s beautiful face couldn’t help but show a hint of displeasure.

Wasn’t it promised that after completing 999 quick transmigration tasks, she would be sent to enjoy retirement? Is this what you call retirement? Here? Did they send her to the wrong place?

A somewhat ingratiating mechanical voice immediately echoed in her mind: [Dear host, we did not send you to the wrong place. We brought you back to your original body.]

Xu Yao felt a bit confused. Since she could remember, she had always been working at the quick transmigration bureau, and she didn’t even know why she was working there. All she knew was that after completing 999 quick transmigration tasks, she could gloriously retire, and every retiree would be matched with a retirement assistant spirit to help them live a perfect retirement life.

The voice in her mind continued: [It’s possible that the host’s memory was somewhat damaged while being taken to various worlds for tasks, but don’t worry, I will send you the original plot soon.]

According to the retirement assistant spirit, this world is from a novel called <The Goddess Dominates the Entertainment Circle>, which tells the story of Liu Yingxia, the female lead who grows from a small newcomer to an award-winning actress while finding love.

And Xu Yao, of course, is not the female lead, but merely a small cannon fodder character who appears a few times before meeting her end.

She was discovered by a talent scout due to her stunning looks and entered the entertainment industry by accident, where a trash company arranged a black-red¹ route for her, leading her to various self-destructive acts in the entertainment circle, resulting in extremely poor public relations.

Although Xu Yao’s acting skills were terrible and she had a penchant for self-sabotage, she had landed a few supporting roles in online dramas and gained some fans.

Recently, Xu Yao co-starred with the original female lead in a new drama titled <Seeking Immortality>, and the entire crew gathered for a meal at a restaurant.

At that moment, the popular top star Sheng Zhou was in a passionate relationship with the original female lead. Unable to contain his longing, Sheng Zhou secretly went to the underground parking lot of the restaurant to meet the original female lead. Unfortunately, Xu Yao, the unfortunate one, happened to get out of her car and was caught by paparazzi, leading to an immediate exposure.

Sheng Zhou’s fans were known for their overwhelming fighting power across the internet. Within just five days of the scandal breaking, Xu Yao’s follower count surged by over a million, though, of course, they were mostly haters.

Xu Yao picked up her phone to check Weibo and saw that she had gained another two hundred thousand haters today, along with several thousand comments and private messages telling her to get out of the entertainment industry.

Liu Yingxia, now a rising star, had many male fans who found it hard to accept her relationship, while Sheng Zhou was currently involved in a heated CP hype with another female star, making it clear that he didn’t want to expose their relationship at this time for fear of affecting his career.

Thus, only Xu Yao was left to bear the brunt of the world’s hurt.

In the end, she couldn’t withstand the online abuse, feeling hopeless, and two months later, she despairingly jumped from a high building. Just the day after her leap off the building, her wealthy brother, who had just inherited the family business, came looking for her.

Xu Yao looked at this surreal beginning and couldn’t imagine that in the original story, she was supposed to die from jumping off a building. How could she ever do something like that?

Xu Yao was speechless and gently asked, “Are you called Little 6?”

A mechanical voice immediately echoed in her mind: [Yes, I am your retirement assistance spirit, Little 6.]

Xu Yao seriously suggested it change its name to Old 6.

Little 6: [……]

The retirement assistance spirit Xiao 6 didn’t want to be renamed by Xu Yao and quietly remedied, [Dear host, although the original plot may indeed be a bit tragic, if you complete the initial task of receiving your inheritance, you can activate the first pension from the Quick Transmigration Bureau.]

Xu Yao suddenly remembered the inheritance left to her by the wealthy brother in the original text—

Hundreds of buildings!

Dozens of villas in various styles, dozens of commercial properties, two landmark office buildings in Haicheng and Jing City, and dozens of apartment residences and school district houses…

Even just in words, Xu Yao could feel the overwhelming aura of a rich person!

Landlord! The ultimate ideal profession for retirement!

At that moment, Xu Yao finally felt like she was indeed here for retirement.

Xu Yao changed into a new outfit, a simple white crop top that exposed her waist, paired with casual jeans. Xu Yao’s face was the ultimate pursuit for beauty lovers, and her casual outfit was enough to catch attention.

She was about to head out to freshen up when several voice messages popped up on WeChat from the original character’s manager. Xu Yao skilfully converted the voice messages into text.”

[Sister Fan: Xu Yao, where have you run off to? Didn’t you go to Pinxian Pavilion last night? President Zhou waited for you in the private room all night!]

[Sister Fan: I finally managed to get you this opportunity, and I ended up apologising to President Zhou like a fool!]

Even through the text, one could sense Sister Fan’s anger.

Xu Yao was here to retire and had no intention of continuing in the entertainment industry, so she wasn’t afraid of offending her manager.
Xu Yao’s voice was filled with envy: [Sister Fan, at your age, having your grandfather still around is a blessing.]

[Sister Fan: ?]

[Sister Fan: Xu Yao, what are you talking about?]

Xu Yao had just crossed over into this body two days ago, during which she was under attack from the entire internet, with countless haters launching a large-scale campaign to #BoycottXuYaoForPlayingTheSecondFemaleLeadInSeekingImmortality#. The unscrupulous company’s solution for her was to accompany the investor of <Seeking Immortality>, President Zhou, for dinner at Pinxian Pavilion.

In the plot, upon hearing that the wealthy brother Xu Jing was also dining at Pinxian Pavilion, President Zhou let her go to toast Xu Jing, allowing Xu Yao to escape and quickly leave the restaurant.

She wanted to recognise her wealthy brother in advance, and going to the police station for a blood test was indeed a good method, but the timing was uncertain, as both storage and testing would take time. So after some thought, Xu Yao directly agreed to Sister Fan’s arrangement.

Last night, Xu Yao did go to Pinxian Pavilion, but she didn’t go to the private room 203 where President Zhou was; instead, she smoothly went to the fourth floor and met her wealthy brother Xu Jing in advance.

Xu Yao ignored the angry phone calls from her manager and left the bedroom.

Housing prices in Haicheng were extraordinarily high, and rent was exorbitant as well. Xu Yao was arranged to share an apartment with two other eighteen-line actresses, and she was in a small secondary bedroom, which was relatively cheaper.

Xu Yao’s contract with the management company was absurdly unfavourable; she hadn’t earned much since entering the entertainment industry, and her monthly take-home pay was low. With the high cost of living in Haicheng, there wasn’t much left after living expenses.

Xu Yao glanced at her previous bank account, which still had over three thousand yuan² left.

Wearing flip-flops, Xu Yao walked into the living room and bumped into her roommate Zhao Rumei, who was quietly dragging a suitcase out of the master bedroom. The two immediately made eye contact.

Xu Yao looked at Zhao Rumei’s large bags and asked if she was moving out.

Zhao Rumei’s face was full of embarrassment; it was one thing for adults to part ways without saying a word, but being caught was another matter. She awkwardly tucked her hair behind her ear and said, “I’ve already looked at some places and plan to move out.”

Zhao Rumei had intended to quietly terminate her lease, but who knew Xu Yao would wake up so early today? Perhaps it was because she had been under attack online recently, making it hard for her to sleep.

Not only was there a boycott against Xu Yao for taking the second female lead in <Seeking Immortality>, but Sheng Zhou’s fervent fans claimed they wouldn’t watch any online drama featuring Xu Yao!

This was clearly forcing Xu Yao out of the industry!

In the entertainment industry, it was common to lift someone up only to bring them down later; many would act like brothers today and unfollow each other tomorrow, pretending not to know one another. In Xu Yao’s current situation, anyone who got close would suffer the consequences.

Last night, Zhao Rumei was also exposed as Xu Yao’s roommate, causing her to lose quite a few fans, and she had very few to begin with!

Zhao Rumei pouted and stopped talking to Xu Yao. She put on her sunglasses and quickly left the rental apartment, pushing her suitcase.

Zhao Rumei took the elevator down and was surprised to see a black luxury car parked outside the entrance hall. The sleek lines of the car were visibly elegant, and Zhao Rumei stared at the logo, confirming it was worth at least eight figures. She wondered if she would ever get to sit in one during her lifetime.

The residential community that the brokerage company found for them was hardly notable in Haicheng. Most of the residents here were young professionals, and there were few who could afford a luxury car worth tens of millions.

Nearby residents passing by frequently glanced over, their expressions a mix of excitement and surprise.

The driver respectfully opened the car door, and a young man stepped out from the back of the luxury car, clad in a silver trench coat that draped over his tall frame. His profile was sharply defined as he strode towards the elevator.

At that moment, Xu Yao was brushing her teeth, rinsing and spitting out the toothpaste foam when the doorbell rang.

Her wealthy brother, Xu Jing, had arrived.

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

Xu Yao opened the door to see Xu Jing surrounded by bodyguards. His refined face looked at her with warmth, and the redness under his eyes suggested he had been up all night, excited after receiving the expedited paternity test results.

Xu Jing looked at Xu Yao, who he had been separated from for many years. His grandfather had always mentioned his sister before passing away, and now he had finally found her. He felt a bit dazed and murmured, “Yao Yao, I finally found you.”

Xu Jing’s parents had passed away early, and his grandfather had died two months ago. Xu Yao was his only living relative, a bond of blood that could not be severed.

He wanted to take her away.

Xu Yao had long been prepared. She followed Xu Jing out of the rental apartment and got into the black luxury car parked at the entrance. Sitting comfortably in the car seat, she took the paternity test report from Xu Jing’s hands, not surprised by the results.

The speed limit was enforced in the community, and the luxury car slowly drove out, the morning breeze wafting in through the half-open window.

Zhao Rumei planned to push her suitcase to the community entrance to take a ride-hailing service to the company, but when she noticed a car behind her, she pouted and stepped aside.

At the moment the black luxury car brushed past her, Zhao Rumei’s beautiful eyes widened in shock. Wait—did she just see Xu Yao inside?

But by the time Zhao Rumei tried to get a better look, the car had already exited the community.

Inside the car, Xu Jing chattered on about many things, mentioning how his grandfather had still been calling Xu Yao’s name before he passed away, urging him to find her in his lifetime.

Then Xu Jing remembered the key point of the day, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he said, “Yao Yao, Grandpa left a will before he passed away. If I find you, over a hundred buildings will be given to you.”

Xu Yao felt her breath tighten; it was happening!

Her beautiful, happy retirement life was finally about to begin!

The retirement assistant spirit, Little 6, also became excited: [Host, you will soon be able to activate your first pension!]

Xu Jing glanced sideways, looking at Xu Yao’s profile, which resembled his mother’s from photos, and hesitated slightly, saying, “But there’s a condition.” It was a stipulation from his grandfather’s will that had to be followed.

Xu Yao’s heart sank slightly. Inheriting the tycoon’s fortune came with conditions? The original character in the text was merely a minor character, and the inheritance conditions were not detailed. Was inheriting not going to be easy?

Xu Jing thought carefully about his wording and cautiously said, “Actually, Grandpa chose a partner for you before he passed away and arranged a marriage.”

Xu Jing observed Xu Yao’s expression. At her age, a girl would be dreaming of love, and it seemed that Yao Yao had a fondness for a top celebrity named Sheng Zhou. He feared she might find it hard to accept this inheritance condition, and indeed, he saw shock and surprise written all over Xu Yao’s face.

Then Xu Jing saw Xu Yao let out a long sigh of relief and heard her lightly ask with a clear voice, “Just one?”

---

NATIONALISM WARNING NATIONALISM WARNING NATIONALISM WARNING
with chinese wish fulfilment ultra wealthy novels comes an overt nationalistic tone. if this bothers you, i’d recommend for you not to read this ◡̈ this is ur psa right now ◡̈

very mary sue novel, i’d suggest avoiding it if you don’t want a funny comedic brainless read. typical golden finger wherein this case, xu yao throws so much money at certain projects it’s impossible it doesn’t take off. the lead never becomes too out of touch because of her golden finger though, which i really like. it’s a nice brainless read, super funny (i also rlly love all the novels this author has written so i might be a bit biased) and the romance between the ml and fl is super cute as well. be warned once again, there’s defs strong tones of nationalism and some subtle shade at other countries

here’s a vip review from the official website to help u see if you want to read this:

“After completing 999 tasks, Xu Yao gloriously retires, inheriting over a hundred buildings left by her grandfather, and begins a joyful life as a landlord. Xu Yao dismisses the second landlord of the urban village and personally collects rent, helping struggling tenants achieve their dreams, aspiring to become the best landlord in the country. While possessing immense wealth from real estate, Xu Yao remains true to her original intention, partnering with her like-minded fiancé Ji Zhengqing to give back to society.

This story features a tight plot, smooth writing, and distinct character personalities, narrating the exciting tale of the female lead Xu Yao, who initially only wished to retire and enjoy life but gradually grows into a socially responsible and patriotic wealthy individual while helping her tenants. The narrative is both refreshing and warm, with ups and downs, making it a worthy read.”

when will my billionaire grandpa give me 100 buildings QAQ
tbh lying down to collect rent money sounds like the dream job, but in this economy, if you had that many houses with the ongoing rental crisis, you’d be drowned in spit if you said you had that many houses — so just a reminder this is only fiction ^^

1. black red stars refer to those that are always in negative news headlines. they promote according to the saying, negative popularity is still popularity ↩︎
2. approx 400 usd ↩︎