28: Chapter 28 The First House

After a night of tenderness, the morning light was gentle.

Su Wanqing woke up first, the warmth of each other still lingering on her skin.

As she moved slightly, Jiang Chen, by her side, subconsciously tightened his arms, pulling her closer, his chin resting gently on the crown of her head in his sleep.

Her heart softened. Afraid of disturbing him, she pulled away from his embrace with extremely light movements, carefully lifting the quilt to get out of bed, her bare feet stepping onto the soft carpet.

The morning light filtered through the sheer curtains, casting a layer of warm gold on the floor. She tidied her slightly messy hair and first changed into a comfortable cream-colored loungewear set.

Then she crouched down and meticulously cleaned up the fragments of black stockings scattered on the floor.

Recalling last night's passion, Su Wanqing's eyes shimmered with desire, and she couldn't help but press her legs tightly together.

Finally, she padded quietly into the kitchen.

She remembered that Jiang Chen's stomach felt uncomfortable in the morning and that he preferred light food.

Su Wanqing skillfully took out Northeast rice from the refrigerator. After washing it twice, she put it in the pot to simmer slowly. The rice grains gradually bloomed in the boiling water, cooking into a thick, smooth porridge base.

She also took two eggs and fried them until both sides were golden brown and the edges were crispy, yet the centers still held tender, runny yolks.

Finally, she blanched a handful of baby bok choy and set out a plate of refreshing pickles. These few simple breakfast items were prepared by her until they were steaming hot.

Before long, a faint aroma of porridge wafted from the kitchen, mixed with the savory scent of fried eggs, warm and healing.

After setting the breakfast items on the table one by one, she turned back to the bedroom. Leaning over, she gently shook Jiang Chen's arm. Her voice was as soft as cotton, carrying the lazy sweetness of someone who had just woken up, completely devoid of her cool and efficient office persona.

"Don't sleep anymore. I've made some porridge. Get up and eat something."

Jiang Chen slowly opened his eyes, a layer of lingering sleepiness still in them. Seeing it was her, he stretched out a long arm and pulled her directly back into his embrace. With his chin resting on the top of her head, his voice was husky and seductive, with a hint of acting spoiled.

"Teacher Su is so virtuous. Won't you lie down with me for a bit longer?"

"Stop it. I have classes this morning. If I don't leave now, I'll be late."

Su Wanqing gave him a gentle push, her cheeks burning, yet she couldn't bring herself to use much force.

"Hurry up and get up. The porridge won't taste good once it gets cold. I've already served a bowl for you."

She struggled to get up and changed back into her sharp professional suit.

The small black blazer hugged her graceful figure, the collar of her white shirt was exquisite, and with a silk scarf tied around her neck, she instantly reverted to the image of a cool, efficient university lecturer whom people wouldn't dare approach lightly.

Yet even so, the look she gave Jiang Chen was so tender it could melt.

"I'm going to class. You don't have classes this morning, so remember to eat breakfast. Don't lie there on an empty stomach; it's bad for your digestion."

Jiang Chen reached out and gently squeezed her cool fingertips, his eyes full of smiles as his voice softened. "I know, Teacher Su. See you this afternoon."

Su Wanqing's earlobes turned red. She didn't reply, only giving a soft "Mhm."

She picked up her bag, tidied her scarf and skirt, took one last deep look at the person on the bed, and quietly closed the door. Her footsteps gradually faded in the hallway as she hurried to the university.

Quiet returned to the apartment. Jiang Chen lay there for a moment, the lingering scent of porridge in the living room drifting to his nose, and his sleepiness vanished completely.

With a gentle curve at the corners of his mouth, he got up and walked to the dining table. Looking at the warm white porridge and the perfectly fried eggs, his heart felt warm.

After eating a few bites, he took out his phone. With a thought, the exclusive daily wealth intelligence interface automatically popped up, and clear text lit up on the screen.

[Ding! daily wealth intelligence has been updated]

[Today's Intelligence: Jiangcheng · Yujiangwan Garden, 176㎡ River-View Luxury Flat (Judicial Auction at 10:00)]

Market Valuation: 6 million yuan

Judicial Auction Starting Price: 1.7 million yuan

Property Status: Full court-supervised clearance and delivery, 70-year residential property rights, no mortgages, no disputes, no hidden arrears, no lease/household registration occupancy, zero risk.

Recommended Purchase Price: 2.1 million yuan (Safety line for lowest cost and maximum profit)

Funding Requirements: Full payment preferred, balance to be paid within 7 days]

Jiang Chen felt reassured and quickly did the math.

His current total available assets were 3.8 million yuan, and the system recommended a ceiling price of 2.1 million yuan.

Even if he paid in full, he would still have a solid 1.7 million yuan in liquid capital left, which was enough for his future life and planning, with absolutely no financial pressure.

He without the slightest delay, he immediately logged onto the official judicial auction platform and precisely searched for the 176㎡ river-view apartment in Yujiangwan Garden.

The page details, on-site VR, and court public documents were all available, matching the intelligence description perfectly.

The spacious horizontal living room had excellent natural lighting, with floor-to-ceiling glass windows facing the surging river. The interior was exquisitely decorated in a modern style, and it came fully furnished with appliances and furniture, requiring absolutely no secondary renovation.

Following the platform's requirements, he completed the real-name authentication and qualification review, then paid a 170,000 yuan deposit (10% of the starting price), successfully securing his bidding eligibility and waiting for the 10:00 AM start time.

At exactly 10:00 AM, the auction countdown started on time.

At first, there were only scattered bids from individual investors, 1.7 million, 1.75 million, 1.8 million—the pace was slow, like testing the waters.

The various bidders behind their screens each had their own calculations.

Some stared at this river-view luxury flat with greed, but at the thought of the potential disputes, eviction difficulties, and hidden debts often associated with judicial auctions, their fingers hovered over the bid button, not daring to press it, fearing that one wrong move would send millions down the drain.

Some families looking to upgrade their living situation gritted their teeth and bid up to 1.85 million, but the more they bid, the more panicked they felt, repeatedly worrying about what if they couldn't take possession smoothly or what if there was a long-term tenant who refused to leave. In the end, they gave up on further bidding.

There were also professional bargain hunters calculating profit margins, but seeing the starting price was unusually low, they instinctively felt there must be a trap behind it. They didn't dare to go all-in, only making small exploratory bids, afraid to commit fully.

Everyone was watching, hesitating, and wary; no one dared to be the first to take the plunge.

Jiang Chen stared at the bidding screen with a calm expression. When the bidding reached 1.9 million, he directly placed a bid of 2.1 million yuan with one click, perfectly hitting the minimum cost safety line provided by the system.

This bid was crisp and decisive, effectively shutting down any further room for price increases.

The bidders on the other side of the screen, seeing such decisive action, mistakenly thought a powerful "all-cash" big shot had entered the fray. Combined with their concerns over judicial auction disputes, they all gave up on following.

At 10:15 AM, the auction countdown hit zero.

A striking red notification popped up on the platform: [Congratulations! You have successfully won the bid for this property.]

Transaction Price: 2,100,000 yuan (Two million one hundred thousand yuan exactly)

Jiang Chen let out a long sigh of relief, his fingertips lightly tapping the desk, unable to hide the excitement in his heart.

A full-payment transaction of 2.1 million, landing precisely on the budget line, with the profit margin maximized.

After the successful bid, he immediately transferred the remaining balance to the court-designated account, and the bank processed the payment in seconds.

After verifying the payment, the court staff issued the "Execution Ruling," "Notice of Assistance in Execution," and "Auction Transaction Confirmation" that very same day.

All three documents clearly stated: the property rights are clear, there are no disputes or hidden debts, the court is responsible for clearing and delivering the property, and the transfer of real estate ownership can be processed directly.

Jiang Chen did not delay and took the complete set of documents directly to the Jiangcheng Real Estate Registration Center.

Taking a number, window review, tax payment, title registration, and certificate issuance—the entire process went smoothly. After verifying the information, the staff completed the certificate issuance without any obstacles.

Half an hour later, a brand-new Real Estate Title Certificate was handed to him. The red cover with gold embossing and its heavy weight represented his newfound confidence.

Right Holder: Jiang Chen

Location: Unit 2, Building 5, Room 2101, Yujiangwan Garden, Binjiang District

Floor Area: 176.2㎡

Nature of Rights: Transfer / Market-oriented Commercial Housing

After receiving the certificate, Jiang Chen went directly to Yujiangwan Garden.

The court staff had already completed the clearance and handover. The door code, keys, and water, electricity, and gas accounts were all transferred together. The windows and doors were intact, the decoration was tidy, and the appliances and furniture were complete, truly achieving a "move-in ready" state.

He stood before the panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows. Beneath him was the surging eastward-flowing river, and outside was the bustling scenery of the Binjiang New Area.

Yujiangwan Garden

Clenching that red-and-gold property certificate in his hand, a thousand thoughts flooded his mind.

"The first house of my life! A new milestone."