Peach Buys a House

This summer, the sun hung in the sky like a blazing firework, mercilessly scorching the earth.

At this time, the streets were nearly empty, with only the occasional passerby hurrying by, faces etched with exhaustion and irritation. Everyone kept their heads down, walking briskly, trying to reach their destinations as quickly as possible. Even the roadside trees looked listless, their branches drooping as if the scorching sun had drained them of all vitality.

“Tap, tap, tap.” Yet one person walked with a light step. Despite the sweltering heat, her face wore a faint, excited smile.

“Sis, are we there yet? It's so far,” came a voice from behind. Peach turned around, glanced at her younger sister starting to complain, and pursed her lips. “Almost there. Today’s a good day, so cheer up.”

“Okay—” the other sisters replied in unison.

Soon, leading her younger sisters, Peach walked into a building. The sign outside read, in big letters, 【Sales Office】.

…

“Just sign here and swipe your card. The rest of the paperwork will be done shortly. And here are the keys.”

Peach took the keys with both hands, held them tight for a moment, and couldn't help but smile. “Great.”

That's right—Peach had bought a house. The location was a bit out of the way, but fortunately there was a direct bus that made getting to school easy, and if she drove, she could take the city expressway. It was still pretty convenient.

Arriving at a certain floor, Peach unlocked the door. As the faint smell of cement reached her nose, she turned to look at her younger sisters behind her and said,

“From now on, this is our home.”

“Wow—”

The house was currently in rough-in condition, with the concrete floor covered in pebbles. But since it came with complimentary fine finishing, there was no need to worry about renovation costs or the process.

“This is where we’ll put down roots from now on,” Peach said.

Getting the mortgage had been a bit troublesome, but she’d asked Ye Shuang for help. Even though she still had a lot to pay off, Peach felt optimistic about the future—after all, at least she now had her own little corner in this city.

These days, Peach had only two wishes: to manage her mother's estate well, and to watch her sisters grow up, becoming capable and independent.

“Let me take a few photos.” Peach took out her phone. Even though it was still a bare shell, she snapped picture after picture.

After a moment of hesitation, she finally sent the photos to a group chat.

She wanted to share this joy with her friends.

Peach: Finally bought a house, so happy!

The group chat was silent for a moment. Peach set down her phone and started inspecting the corners and edges for any quality issues.

“Ding.” Her phone rang. Peach glanced at it—

Bai Yuyou: (。・`ω´・) That's awesome! Where is it?

Keke: Wow, you actually bought a house?! I can only afford a tiny hut in Stardew Valley.

Ducky: Shocked.jpg

…

Peach couldn't help but laugh. Seeing Bai Yuyou and the others genuinely happy for her made her feel a warm glow in her heart.

Then she sent a message to Ye Shuang.

She'd assumed he might not see it right away because work kept him busy, but the moment she put her phone down, the notification bell rang.

Ye Shuang: That’s wonderful. Congratulations, Little Peach.

Ye Shuang: If you ever run into any trouble, you can tell me… though with Fuguí around, seems like you wouldn’t need to?

Ye Shuang: Laugh.jpg

Peach looked at the replies, and thinking of the kindness she’d received in the past, her heart was full of gratitude toward Ye Shuang.

Although saying thanks directly might feel a bit formal, Peach still said sincerely, “Brother Ye, I'm really so grateful to you.”

Ye Shuang: It’s nothing. Aren’t we friends?

Peach: Yeah!

Peach: Although the place is a bit out of the way.

Ye Shuang: That area of yours is going to be developed soon. Shh, that’s insider info—don’t spread it around.

Peach was taken aback for a moment, then suddenly understood why Ye Shuang had supported her choice of location.

It seemed she owed him again.

Peach couldn't help but think.

“Sis, we’ll help pay off the mortgage together.”

“No need for that. Just study hard and become someone,” Peach said. With the three jobs she currently had, she could handle the mortgage payments without a problem, and still cover her sisters’ tuition.

“Huh?”

…

…

“Mm… Peach is still pushing herself too hard.” Inside the corporate building, Ye Shuang looked at the messages on his phone and couldn't help but sigh.

If she really needed money, it wasn’t a big deal to mention it to Fuguí—actually, a lot of assets were technically under Peach’s management. But she insisted on not taking more than her due. There was a stubbornness about her that was hard to describe. Maybe the reason she'd managed to get into the academy from a family like hers was exactly that kind of tenacity—otherwise, her family would have already arranged a marriage for her.

Still, Ye Shuang understood Peach’s reasoning. Once she could get past that mental hurdle, her life would be able to move into its next phase.

Several days had passed in summer vacation. During this time, Yuyou and Keke hadn’t gone out at all—they'd stayed cooped up at home, playing games, writing songs, and making music.

Ye Shuang did consider taking the two girls out for a trip, but everywhere was crowded now, whether domestic or international tourist spots. That thought quickly faded, and besides, if he was being honest about his schedule, there weren’t enough hours in the day for himself alone.

Honestly, Ye Shuang wished he could split himself in two. It really made him appreciate how hard Chen Qin must have worked back then—having more on her plate, yet still squeezing out every spare minute just to come see him, with every hour rigorously planned, sacrificing her own rest time.

“So boring—shouldn't summer vacation be for going on a trip?” As Ye Shuang's thoughts wandered, a fishy voice came from beside him. “Ah~ ah~ ah~ ah~.”

“I don't have time for a trip,” Ye Shuang said, glancing at Hypermnesia Fish.

“No trip means no emotional breakthrough, no moving the plot forward, no making little fish. Right?” Anshi Yi said.

Are you playing some kind of game?

“That ground's never gonna be taken. If the big guy gets pushed down, he’ll just cry,” An Shiyu said flatly, her expression deadpan.

“Though, crying while also getting worked up—that sounds kind of hot?” Anshi Yi mused.

Ye Shuang: “…”

As used as Ye Shuang was to the two fishes’ cheeky banter, sometimes it really left him speechless.

“No trip, but—if the two of you really want to do something…” Ye Shuang thought for a few seconds. “Actually, we’ve got plenty of islands here in Haizhu city.”

“Go to an island and get ripped off by the locals as easy marks?”

“We can bring our own food and camping gear, play around for a day or two—that should be manageable,” Ye Shuang said casually. But as soon as Anshi Yi heard the word "tent," she suddenly said,

“That's it!”

Ye Shuang: “?”