A Home for a Fortune

To set a ‘small goal’ of buying a house sounded utterly outlandish, yet when the words came from Li Jia, it was as if she were merely discussing the purchase of an everyday household item.

“Hold on, that figure was just for the living room’s damages. To purchase the entire residence, we’d have to double it.”

“Agreed.” Li Jia consented without even a blink.

“Wait, are you actually serious?”

Now it was Fire Finch’s turn to be utterly bewildered. She had doubled the price, fully intending for Li Jia to back down, not genuinely considering selling the place. Who in their right mind would spend two hundred million to acquire a mere apartment? Wouldn’t that sum be better invested in a luxurious villa or mansion?

Fire Finch sighed. “You truly are a spendthrift.” Yet, with someone practically handing her money, how could she possibly refuse? It was two small fortunes, after all.

Li Jia offered a sweet smile, her hand instinctively slipping into her pocket, ready to retrieve her phone and initiate the transfer. With the funds already secured, how could she possibly back out now?

‘Hmm? Where’s my phone?’ Her hand fumbled in her pocket for a moment, finding it utterly empty. She had forgotten that her clothes had long since been reduced to ashes, returned to nature. And her phone…

“We’ll just make a trip to the bank later to finalize the transfer.” Li Jia calmly withdrew her hand, betraying no hint of her momentary forgetfulness. The absence of her phone was merely a minor inconvenience; a direct bank transfer would suffice. It might be slightly more troublesome, but there was always a solution for every problem.

“What do you mean ‘later’? Now!”

Before Li Jia could even protest, Fire Finch’s fiery orange wings unfurled abruptly, and the world around them dissolved into a blur of towering cityscapes. The fierce winds whipped past her ears, yet as they grazed her cheeks, the silvery scales seemed to possess an arcane magic, effortlessly dissipating the high-altitude gales. The hurricane, once a roaring force, now settled upon her face like a playful, affectionate pup, cautiously and excitedly swirling around her. Li Jia, captivated by the phenomenon, reached out a curious hand to touch it. A voice within her seemed to whisper, ‘Go on, the wind will carry you to soar.’

“I feel like I could fly. Why don’t you let go and let me try?”

“Try and you’ll die? No way. You’re my personal god of wealth right now.”

Noticing that Li Jia wasn’t joking—that she genuinely intended to leap—Fire Finch tightened her grip around her. It wasn’t just Li Jia who would plummet; it was two small fortunes. She couldn’t afford to lose those. If Li Jia insisted on trying, it would have to wait until they were safely back.

Li Jia was speechless. ‘How had she never noticed her best friend harbored such a hidden, avaricious side?’ Having undergone agonizing treatment, she could now wield her spatial abilities once more. A mere thousand meters high was hardly enough to kill her.

“Silence.” Noticing Li Jia about to speak again in her arms, Fire Finch cut her off with extreme impatience. The economy had been sluggish lately, and she was counting on these two small fortunes to significantly improve her quality of life. With a powerful beat of her fiery wings, their speed surged, leaving a vibrant orange-red streak across the sky before they descended back to earth.

****

That evening.

“Who is it?”

Aya Tone, curious, rose to her feet and headed towards the door, wondering who could be calling at this hour. Big White had taken Aya Jiu out to buy some things, and they certainly had their own key.

He opened the door. There stood Fire Finch, laden with numerous bags and bundles, looking utterly forlorn at the doorstep, much like an abandoned kitten.

“My house was sold. Can you give me a room to sleep in?”

Aya Tone stared, bewildered. His gaze drifted to the array of bags on the ground, and he was struck by a thought: ‘This attire doesn’t suggest a joke.’ After a swift 2.5 seconds of deliberation, he smiled. “Absolutely not!” With a decisive *thud*, the door slammed shut.

Moments later, the distinct sound of a key turning in the lock echoed from outside, and before long, the door swung open from the exterior.

Fire Finch’s lips curved into a playful grin as she gazed at him, showing not a trace of anger despite having been locked out.

“Don’t be so hasty.”

“Rent will be halved, and I’ll even provide food.”

Aya Tone was speechless. His brow furrowed, and he clenched his fists, remaining silent. To stand at his door in the middle of the night with luggage, then force her way in after his clear refusal! And now she dared to insult him with money? Fire Finch, Fire Finch, he had to admit!

‘You truly are! Spot on with your judgment of people!’

Aya Tone’s face instantly lit up with a broad smile. He eagerly took Fire Finch’s luggage. “Oh, President, why are you being so polite? It’s just moving in, after all.” “Come, come, make yourself at home—” “No! This *is* your home! Please, have a seat, I’ll go prepare your room right away.”

Watching Aya Tone’s complete one-eighty in attitude, Fire Finch covered her mouth, stifling a soft laugh. She walked over to the sofa, settled down, and delicately plucked a grape, popping it into her mouth. ‘Did Li Jia truly believe she was unaware of her intentions when she bought her house? Hmph! It was merely a case of playing along with her scheme. Little Li Jia, thinking she had gained an advantage? Amusing.’

After moving all her belongings into the side bedroom, Aya Tone approached Fire Finch. “President, you’ll be sleeping in the side bedroom, is that alright?”

Fire Finch teased, a glint of amusement in her eyes. “And what would you do if I said no?” She was curious to see if Aya Tone would acquiesce to her unreasonable demands.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Aya Tone flatly refused. “No way! The master bedroom is mine and Aya Jiu’s. I can’t give it to you.” ‘He had slept in that bed for three years; there was no way he’d compromise! Unless… she paid more!’

Fire Finch chuckled softly. ‘She was already moved in; what was the rush for one or two days?’ So, under Aya Tone’s disappointed gaze, she finally spoke. “Is that so? Well, if that’s the case, sleeping in the side bedroom isn’t out of the question.”

‘That’s not right,’ Aya Tone blinked. ‘President, aren’t you usually the type to get what you want? Just add a little more, and I’d agree!’ But having already spoken his mind, he felt too embarrassed to shamelessly ask for more money. A long moment passed.

Big White returned from outside with little Aya Jiu, finding Fire Finch beaming on the sofa and Aya Tone looking utterly distraught beside her.

“Fire Finch-jiejie~”

Aya Jiu eagerly crashed into Fire Finch’s embrace, rubbing against her like a small cat. ‘Sister’s chest is so soft, much more comfortable than Daddy’s.’

Big White, meanwhile, approached Aya Tone, whispering, “Master, you weren’t… coerced, were you?”

“Don’t speak. Just let me be.” Having lost several hundred thousand, Aya Tone felt utterly devoid of purpose.

Fire Finch lowered her head, looking at the little one in her arms. “Aya Jiu, Big Sister will be living here starting today, alright? Aren’t you happy?”

Aya Jiu abruptly looked up, blinking her big eyes. She glanced at Fire Finch, then turned to look at her daddy, her gaze flitting back and forth between the two.

“Master, you *were* really… that, weren’t you!” Big White exclaimed in surprise. ‘She had only been thinking it, and it turned out to be true.’

“What are you thinking? The… the boss is here to co-rent, and she’ll be sleeping in the side bedroom.”

“Side bedroom?” Big White pointed to the first room on the left down the corridor. “That one?”

“Yes.”

“Isn’t that *my* room?” Big White, who had been enjoying the show, hadn’t expected to become part of it. She pouted, glaring fiercely at Aya Tone. ‘That was *her* room! How could he give it to the President?’

“Big White…” Aya Tone patted her shoulder meaningfully. “Those who aspire to great things should not be bothered by trivial matters.” He then lowered his voice. “The President cut our rent in half and is providing food. Next time you buy ingredients, remember to *cough, cough, cough*, you know.” “The three of us will just have to make do. The bed in the room is quite big.”

The apartment had three rooms: two used as bedrooms and one as a study. The luggage Aya Tone had taken to the side bedroom was, in fact, Big White’s room—one of only two bedrooms.

Big White angrily turned her head away, refusing to acknowledge her ‘bad master.’ She’d gone out for a few minutes, and her home was gone. What kind of situation was this?