As the sun set, the unfinished house of Wen Ying’s family was cluttered with cement and other building materials, far from beautiful. After Wen Ying’s words, the three of them fell silent, and in that quiet moment, a subtle warmth emerged.
Though not wealthy, Wen Ying’s family never lacked food or clothing. What they lacked wasn’t a house, but something else.
Thinking of her room being painted pink… well, Xie Qian was right, the color didn’t matter.
Seeing his wife still silent, Wen Dongrong quickly spoke up, “Pink walls with white furniture and matching curtains, wouldn’t that look nice? Your mom’s taste is spot-on!”
Chen Ru had been inspired by visiting Chen Li’s house.
Chen Li had painted one son’s bedroom wall light blue, the other fruit green. Since Wen Ying was a girl, pink seemed fitting.
When they made this decision, neither Chen Ru nor Wen Dongrong thought anything was off. They forgot Wen Ying was older than Deng Jie and Deng Hao.
Wen Ying had come to terms with it and didn’t object.
“You’re right, white furniture looks good, matches any wall,” she said.
Seizing the moment, Wen Ying asked about the remaining room, “Are we making it a study like Auntie’s house, or a guest room?
Wen Dongrong wanted a study but also leaned toward a guest room.
He hoped his mother could stay in Rongcheng for a while each year.
But when she wasn’t there, a guest room would sit empty, seeming wasteful. A study with a computer, like Chen Li’s, sounded nice too.
“The house is too small, we should’ve been bolder,” he said.
Both their homes were 105 square meters, three bedrooms, one bathroom. Chen Li’s was 156 square meters, with four rooms and two bathrooms.
With a four-bedroom, they wouldn’t have to choose between a guest room and a study.
Wen Dongrong’s “bolder” didn’t mean giving up two homes, but that they hadn’t anticipated Chen Ru’s salary surge, missing the chance to leverage bigger loans. They could’ve bought a 156-square-meter home for themselves and rented out the 105-square-meter one to cover the loan—perfect!
It was hindsight now, just a passing comment.
“Let’s make it a study,” he decided.
If his mother visited, she could share Wen Ying’s room. She wouldn’t stay long, so a guest room’s use was low, but a study was needed by all three.
Wen Ying’s room, the largest, was designed for a desk by the bed for her homework.
Wen Dongrong and Chen Ru’s bedroom was too small for a desk after the bed. Both were pursuing further studies and would need a study for years.
Wen Ying hadn’t cared about the renovation before, but since she was here and would live in the house, a comfortable setup would benefit her, so she shared her ideas.
For Wen Dongrong’s dilemma, she suggested combining the guest room and study. With low guest room use, a smaller bed could accommodate occasional visitors, while a long wall-mounted desk with two chairs would serve as a study for two people working or studying.
“Add more cabinets. Storage keeps things tidy, making the space feel bigger,” she said.
Wen Dongrong felt 105 square meters was limiting, but Wen Ying thought it was plenty.
In her past life, she’d lived in Shanghai for six years. Families squeezing into old lane houses or new 80-square-meter apartments—three bedrooms, two baths, 60 square meters after common areas—were common. Owners maxed out every inch.
After the housing boom, salaried workers in Shanghai were lucky to afford an 80-square-meter three-bedroom, a foothold in the city.
Wen Ying, supporting herself for six years in Shanghai, buying a 120+ square-meter river-view home, was a rare case.
Back then, she’d paid the down payment and studied countless renovation cases, eager to craft her cozy nest.
Who’d have thought she’d be reborn before living in it?
If she’d known, she’d have spent that four million!
Thinking of her lost down payment soured Wen Ying’s mood, but her 500,000 investment in Tianjiao’s drama and the publishing contract in her drawer meant her river-view home wasn’t far off. Her spirits lifted.
Life’s experiences are invaluable. Those renovation cases from her past life, unused then, could be applied now!
Once Wen Ying started on the renovation, she couldn’t stop.
Watching father and daughter discuss, measuring room dimensions with a tape, debating how to blend guest room and study, Chen Ru’s furrowed brow gradually relaxed.
She’d thought Wen Ying didn’t care about the house.
Chen Ru had vowed to stay out of Wen Ying’s affairs, and Wen Ying had drawn a line with her parents.
If she didn’t care, how could she know so much?
Maybe Wen Ying’s concession to pink walls was her olive branch, easing Chen Ru’s month-long frustration.
Or perhaps the warm scene of Wen Ying and Wen Dongrong measuring together softened her.
Plus, Wen Ying’s promise via Wen Dongrong to rank in the top 300 at finals.
All these factors meant Chen Ru wasn’t nitpicking Wen Ying now. Normally, her renovation knowledge would’ve irked Chen Ru, proof she wasn’t focused on studies.
But now, Chen Ru was pleased, too busy to fault Wen Ying, instead pondering her room’s color.
Pink, Wen Ying didn’t seem to like, she’d just compromised.
…This kid’s preferences change too fast.
After last year’s high school entrance exam, during their worst fights, Wen Ying complained her hometown room was bland, white walls lacked decor, cold and stark. She’d also griped about ill-fitting, dull clothes and changed her hairstyle.
White wasn’t good, pink wasn’t either, so what color did she like?
Don’t most girls love pink? Why was her daughter so picky?
Chen Ru sank into thought.
The sunset’s glow streamed into the room, its orange hue warm and cozy.
How about a light beige, with pale curtains and white furniture?
Chen Ru pictured it, it seemed quite warm.
