I Became an All-round Artist

The next morning, Lin Yuan called Zhao Jue to share his idea of moving out and renting a place.

Sister Zhao had a lot of connections and knew many people, so the first person Lin Yuan thought of asking for help with his rental search was her. If he relied solely on himself, it would probably take forever to find a suitable place.

“Rent an apartment?” Zhao Jue asked. “Do you have any specific requirements for the place?”

“Just that the rent is affordable,” Lin Yuan replied.

Zhao Jue was silent for two seconds. “Anything else besides being cheap?”

Lin Yuan tried to elaborate, “Good value for money.”

Zhao Jue: “...”

Did I not study enough? Isn't that just another way of saying 'cheap'?

Zhao Jue laughed. “Well, you’ve come to the right person. I actually have an apartment near your school. I’ll have someone bring you the keys in a bit. You just need to take care of the utilities. As for rent, let’s forget about it. Is that cheap enough for you?”

“That won’t do,” Lin Yuan said. “I still need to pay rent.”

Zhao Jue casually responded, “The apartment’s sitting there unused anyway. I don’t want to rent it to anyone else, and it’s not like the rent is significant. I’d rather let you stay in it. Don’t make this awkward for me, or I’ll get upset.”

“Alright,” Lin Yuan thought for a moment and agreed. “In that case, if you ever need a song, you know where to find me.”

Sister Zhao teased, “Oh? You think you can pull off another 'Summer Flower'?”

Lin Yuan fell into contemplation. Does “Red Rose” count as a summer flower?

Zhao Jue laughed out loud. “Alright, I’m just messing with you. I’ve got work to do, so you can go check out the apartment tonight. Everything’s already set up, so you can move in right away. I’ll also get a cleaner to tidy up for you.”

“A cleaner?” Lin Yuan quickly responded, “I can clean it myself.”

Zhao Jue didn’t insist. “Alright then, I’ll leave it to you.”

“Okay.”

After hanging up with Lin Yuan, Zhao Jue made another call.

Her tone shifted back to its usual firmness. “Let the client know that I’m no longer renting out the apartment in Wutong Garden.”

“What?” The person on the other end sounded panicked. “Are you unhappy with the price? They just agreed to fifteen thousand a month after viewing the place, which is a solid price even for Wutong Garden... How about this, don’t worry, I’ll talk to them and get another thousand added to the rent!”

“No need,” Zhao Jue said coolly. “I’m not renting it for any price. I’m letting my own kid stay there. When he buys his own place in the future, then you can help me rent it out.”

“...Alright then.”

What could the other party say? She wanted to leave the place for her kid, so that was the end of it.

Lin Yuan, of course, was unaware of all this.

After speaking with Zhao Jue, he went to find Xia Fan and Jian Yi to tell his two friends that he was moving out.

“Moving out?” Xia Fan asked, a bit concerned. “Are you sure you can handle it on your own?”

Jian Yi frowned. “How about I talk to my family and move out with you?”

Lin Yuan’s health wasn’t great, and if something happened with no one around to help, it could be dangerous.

“I’ll be fine. I’m not a child,” Lin Yuan reassured them. According to the system, at least until he turned 27, there was no risk of him passing away.

“Alright then,” they reluctantly agreed. “We’ll help you clean up tonight, but you need to stay in touch with us regularly once you move.”

Lin Yuan nodded.

In the afternoon, Zhao Jue’s assistant arrived with three keys, politely saying, “Teacher Xianyu, Sister Zhao mentioned that if you need help with cleaning, I can lend you a hand.”

“Thanks, but I’ll take care of it myself,” Lin Yuan replied.

The assistant nodded. “Alright, I’ll head back to the office. The address is Wutong Garden, Building 52, Unit 804. Please note it down.”

“Got it.”

Lin Yuan made a note of the address and, that evening, headed to the Wutong Garden community with Jian Yi and Xia Fan.

“Wow!” Jian Yi exclaimed as soon as they stepped into the complex. “You’re renting a place in Wutong Garden? This is the nicest community near our school—great facilities, lakeside views, and the rent here starts at ten thousand a month at least. Are you sure your salary can cover that?”

Is the rent really that expensive?

Lin Yuan was surprised but then answered honestly, “It’s one of the company leader’s properties. She’s letting me stay for free.”

Jian Yi stared at Lin Yuan. “Male or female?”

“Female,” Lin Yuan replied.

“See! I knew it!” Jian Yi said with mock disappointment. “You’re being kept by a boss! How could you do this, Lin Yuan? You’ve let me down—where are all these rich older women when I need them?”

“There may not be any rich older women for you, but I’m sure there are plenty of eccentric male bosses,” Xia Fan quipped with a smirk.

“Men?” Jian Yi shivered dramatically. “That’ll cost extra!”

Lin Yuan: “…”

Xia Fan: “…”

Laughing and joking, the three entered Unit 804 of Building 52.

The moment the door opened, Xia Fan was stunned by the interior. Looking at the stylish furnishings, she hesitated for a moment before asking, “Lin Yuan, are you sure your boss doesn’t have other intentions?”

It was a three-bedroom apartment, roughly over 140 square meters, located in the best part of the complex with a balcony view of the lake. The decor was modern and minimalist, giving off an air of simplicity, but the materials used were clearly expensive, indicating that no small amount of money had gone into it. The place also seemed barely lived in, as everything looked brand new.

“Maybe it’s because I’ve helped her out before,” Lin Yuan explained, feeling a bit emotional at that moment.

“No wonder you’re the favorite in the group,” Xia Fan teased.

Jian Yi and Xia Fan laughed and nodded, dropping the subject. They trusted Lin Yuan’s explanation, understanding that the "sugar daddy" remark was just a joke.

Although Lin Yuan had a fondness for money, he still had his principles. His easy-going nature made him well-liked, and this, combined with his good looks since childhood, naturally drew people to him. Some people are just blessed with a face that makes others instantly warm up to them. Plus, with Lin Yuan’s chronic health issues, he often received special care—though, admittedly, the level of care this time was a bit over the top.

“I’ve decided!” Jian Yi exclaimed after wandering around the apartment, full of excitement. He pointed to one of the guest rooms and announced, “This room is mine from now on! I’ll crash here whenever I feel like it!”

“Then I’ll take the other guest room,” Xia Fan said, pointing to the third room.

The master bedroom was the largest, but the two guest rooms were also quite spacious.

After updating Zhao Jue on the situation, Lin Yuan received her approval and said, “Each of us gets a key.”

Lin Yuan had three keys in total—just enough for everyone. His friends didn’t hesitate, each taking a key. After all, with years of friendship, there was no need for formalities.

“Let’s get started on cleaning,” Jian Yi said, feeling motivated by the apartment's size.

However, the downside of a large apartment is that cleaning it is exhausting. Even with the three of them working together, it took over two hours to finish.

“We’re not going back tonight. Let’s just stay here,” Xia Fan suggested. The three were drenched in sweat and too tired to return to school. Luckily, each room had fresh bedding in the wardrobes, so they could move in right away without any issues.