Chapter 30 A New Beginning

No. 2, No. 4 and No. 6 Daffodil Street are row buildings with polygonal sloping roofs, with an overall gray-blue appearance and three prominent chimneys.

There are of course no lawns and gardens, no porches, and the entrance faces the street directly.

With a set of copper keys, Scarter from the "City of Tingen Housing Improvement Company" introduced the door while opening the door:

"None of our townhouses have a foyer, the entrance is the living room, and there is an oriel window facing Daffodil Street, and the lighting is quite good..."

What caught the eyes of Klein, Benson and Melissa was a set of cloth sofas bathed in golden sunlight and a spacious space comparable to their previous two-bedroom.

"This living room can also be used as a living room. The right side of it is the dining room, and the left wall has a large fireplace for you to warm in winter." Scarter pointed out familiarly.

Klein glanced at it and confirmed that it was a rough open-plan layout. There was no partition between the dining room and the living room.

There was a small red rectangular wooden table surrounded by six upholstered hardwood back chairs, and the fireplace on the left wall was the same as the foreign movies and TV shows that Klein had seen before.

"The kitchen is behind the dining room, but we don't provide any utensils. Opposite the living room is the small guest room and the bathroom..." Scarter took a step and introduced the rest of the layout on the first floor in detail.

The bathroom is divided into an inner and outer room. The outside is the washing area, and the inside is the toilet. It is separated by a folding door. The guest room is said to be very small, but it is also as big as the one that Melissa is currently living in, which makes her a little dazed.

After reading the first floor, Scarter led the three brothers and sisters to the stairway next to the bathroom:

"Down below is an underground storage room. The air in it is very dull. Remember to ventilate before entering each time."

Benson nodded calmly and followed Scarter up the stairs to the second floor.

"On my left is a bathroom, and there are two bedrooms on the same side as it. The same layout is on my right, but the bathroom is near the small balcony."

While speaking, Scarter opened the bathroom door and turned his body sideways, allowing Klein, Benson, and Melissa to look at him without hindrance.

This bathroom has more bathtubs than the one on the first floor, and there is also a folding door next to the toilet. Although there is some dust accumulated, there is no other dirty place, and it is not foul and not crowded.

Melissa stared here in a daze, until Scarter walked to the bedroom next to her, then she narrowed her eyes and followed slowly.

After a few steps, she looked back again.

Klein, who has seen the world, is also very happy and looking forward to this, because even if the landlord often supervises everyone to clean up, the public bathroom is still not clean enough, and people often have the urge to vomit, not to mention that it is easy to encounter some impatience. queue.

The other bathroom is the same as this one. Only one of the four bedrooms is slightly larger and has bookshelves. The rest are about the same size, with beds, tables and wardrobes.

"The balcony is very small, and you can't dry too many clothes at a time." Scarter stood at the end of the corridor, pointing to the place separated by doors and locks, "There are also complete facilities such as sewers, gas pipes, and metering devices. Perfect for gentlemen and ladies like you, only 13 soules a week for rent and 5p for the use of furniture, plus a four-week bond."

Before Benson could speak, Klein looked around curiously and said:

"How much would the house cost if you wanted to buy it?"

As a traveler in a big food country, the desire to buy a house has always existed in his heart.

Hearing this question, Benson and Melissa were both startled and looked at Klein with the eyes of a monster. Scarter replied firmly:

"Buy? No, we're not selling properties, we're only offering leases."

"I just want to know, understand? Understand." Klein explained awkwardly.

Skate hesitated for a few seconds and said:

"last month,

The owner of No. 11 Daffodil Street just happened to sell a similar house. The lease term is 300 pounds for 15 years, which is much cheaper than direct rent, but not everyone can afford such a large sum of money at once. If To buy it outright, the owner's list price is £850. "

850 pounds? Klein quickly started mental arithmetic:

My weekly salary is 3 pounds, Benson is 1 pounds 10 soli... The rent is 13 soli, plus I eat well every day, about 2 pounds a week, as well as clothing, transportation, interpersonal expenses, Wait, wait, you can save more than a dozen soli a week, a year, about 35 pounds a year, and 850 pounds will take about twenty years... Even if it's just 300 pounds in the tenure of the land, it's at least eight Nine years... This doesn't even consider things like getting married, splitting up, having children, going out to travel, etc...

In this world without personal housing loans, most people should only choose to rent...

With a clear understanding, he took a step back, glanced at his brother Benson, and motioned him to negotiate the rent price.

As for Melissa's wishes, you can understand just by looking at her bright eyes!

At this moment, Klein had the illusion of "close the door and let Benson go".

Benson nodded with his cane without silver inlaid, glanced left and right and said:

"We should go and look at other houses. The lighting in the dining room is too poor and the balcony is very small. You see, only that bedroom has a fireplace, and the furniture is too old. We have to change more than half of it when we move in..."

He picked up a bunch of problems at a slow pace, and spent ten minutes successfully "persuading" Scart to reduce the price to 12 soules for rent, 3p for furniture usage, and rounded up the deposit to 2 pounds

Without wasting any more time, the three brothers and sisters followed Skart back to the "Housing Improvement Company of Tingen City", signed the contract in duplicate, and went to the Tingen City Notary Office to find a notary for notarization.

After paying the deposit and the first week's rent, Klein and Benson still have 9 pounds 2 soll and 8 pence left over.

Standing at the door of No. 2 Daffodil Street, they each held a set of copper keys. They couldn't move their eyes for a while, and they rolled with various emotions.

"It feels like a dream..." After a while, Melissa raised her head, looked at the "Moretti's house" afterward, and said in a low voice.

Benson sighed and smiled:

"Then don't wake up."

Klein didn't feel as much as they did, nodded and said:

"We need to change the locks on the main and balcony doors as soon as possible."

"Don't worry about it, the Tingen City Improvement Housing Company has a very good reputation. The rest is your dress cost, but before that, we have to go to Mr. French." Benson pointed to the apartment.

…………

After going home and nibbling on rye bread, the three brothers and sisters went to the townhouse on Iron Cross Street and knocked on the door of the landlord.

"You should know my principles and never allow rent arrears!" Mr. French, a short stature, declared imposingly while sitting on the sofa.

Benson leaned forward, smiled and said:

"Mr. French, we're here to quit the lease."

so direct? Is it really good to negotiate like this? Klein was surprised when he heard it beside him.

On the way over, Benson said that his bottom line is to compensate 12 soles.

"Cancellation? No! We have a contract, and we have half a year left!" Frankie glared at Benson and waved his arms.

Benson looked at him seriously, and said calmly after he calmed down:

"Mr. French, you should be well aware that you should earn more."

"Earn more?" Franky touched his thin face and asked back with interest.

Benson sat up straight and explained with a smile:

"A two-bedroom for the three of us is 5 soli and 6p, but if you rent it to a family of five, six, and two or even three working and paying families, I would I think they'd be willing to pay more for it than to go to a very bad place like Lower Street, 5 soli for 10p, or 6 soli, which I think is a reasonable price."

Seeing Franky's eyes light up and his throat wriggling, he continued:

“And, you know for sure, rents have been trending up in recent years, and the longer we live, the more you lose.”

"But... I need time to find a new tenant." Mr. French, who inherited the property and got the apartment, was obviously moved.

"I believe you will find it soon, you have the ability and resources, maybe two days, maybe three days... We will compensate you for the loss during this period, just use the deposit we paid, 3 soules, this is very fair !" Benson immediately "clinched".

Franky nodded in satisfaction:

"Benson, you're such a conscientious, honest young man, well, we'll sign the 'suspend contract'."

Klein looked at him in a daze, and completely understood Mr. French's easy "persuasion".

This is too convincing...

After solving the problem of the previous contract, the three brothers and sisters went to buy formal clothes for Klein first, and then began to busy moving.

They didn't have any heavy and bulky items. Those belonged to Mr. Landlord. Therefore, Benson and Melissa jointly "rejected" Klein's idea of ​​hiring a carriage, and they went back and forth between Daffodil Street and Iron Cross Street. again and again.

The scorching sun outside the window slanted to the west, and the golden yellow that smelled of burning passed through the orifice window and sprinkled on the surface of the desk. Klein glanced at the books and notes neatly arranged on the shelf, and placed the ink and pen lightly on it. The table has been wiped clean.

Finally finished... He let out a breath, felt the rumbling in his stomach, and walked towards the door as he lowered his rolled up cuffs.

He had a bed that belonged only to him, the sheets and quilt were white, old but clean,

Klein twisted the handle and walked out of the bedroom. Just as he was about to speak, he saw two doors on the opposite side open, revealing Benson and Melissa.

Looking at the gray dust and smudges on each other's faces, Klein and Benson suddenly laughed, laughing very happily.

Melissa bit her lip lightly, gradually infected by them, and whispered a smile.

…………

The next morning.

Klein stood in front of the full-length mirror without cracks, carefully tidying up the collar and cuffs of his shirt.

This included a set of white shirt, black tuxedo, half-high silk top hat, black vest and trousers, leather boots, and a bow tie. It cost him a total of 8 pounds, which made him extremely distressed.

However, the effect is also very good. Klein only felt that the temperament of his book in the mirror was stronger, and he seemed to be a little more handsome.

pat!

He closed the pocket watch, put it in the inside pocket, then took the walking stick, hid the revolver, and arrived at Zoetland Street in the track stagecoach.

When he was about to enter the "Black Thorn Security Company", he realized that he was used to the previous way of life. He didn't give Melissa extra money this morning and let her continue to walk to school.

Shaking his head and writing down this matter, Klein walked into the "Black Thorn Security Company" and saw the brown-haired girl Roshan was brewing coffee there, making the coffee fragrant.

"Good morning, Klein, the weather is good today." Roshan greeted with a smile, "To be honest, I've always been wondering, in such weather, wouldn't you guys feel hot in formal clothes? I know, summer in Tingen. It can’t be compared to the south, it’s not hot enough, but it’s still summer.”

"This is the price of grace." Klein replied humorously, "Good morning, Miss Roseanne, what about Mr. Captain?"

"Old place." Roshan pointed to the inside.

Klein nodded invisibly, and knocked on the door of Dunn Smith's office through the partition.

"Come in." Dunn's voice and tone were as low and gentle as ever.

Seeing that Klein really changed into a good suit, he nodded slightly, and said with a smile in his gray eyes:

"Have you considered it?"

Klein took a deep breath and replied solemnly:

"Yes, I have made a choice."

Dunn sat up slowly, his expression quickly became serious, his gray eyes were deep and unchanged:

"Tell me your answer."

Klein answered without hesitation:

"Fortuneteller!"