After talking to Ziqi, they realized that they had both been hoodwinked by the landlord.
Auntie Tang thought that the house was rented as one unit; however, when Chen Fan was away, the landlord had subleased a room in the house to the girl.
The Lakeside Community was mid range development in the Chu Zhou City. It was fully furnished and therefore was highly sought after by renters.
To rent the entire house would cost over two thousand yuan; however, renting a single room would be much more affordable. So affordable that even Ziqi had risen to the bait.
“Where is the landlord?” Chen Fan asked.
“She had immigrated to the US. Her son is a permanent residence in the US. She is back only once or twice a year to collect rent.” Ziqi said as she looked at Chen Fan cautiously.
Although it had been three months since the last time she saw him, Ziqi didn’t forget who Chen Fan was.
He had kicked Boss Yang out of the Coco bar with only one word and brought Brother Dong to his knees.
Rumor had it that he was friends with Zhou Tianhao, the magnet of the Chu Zhou City.
Zhou Tianhao had heard many stories about Zhou Tianhao. Therefore she knew that Zhou Tianhao was a very influential figure in the city. Although she knew from common sense that elements in some of the stories were exaggerated, she could still feel the hefty clout of Zhou Tianhao in the Chu Zhou City.
After Chen Fan had claimed the bar was under his protection, she had ceased to see any unsavory characters at the bar. Even Brother Dong had changed his attitude toward Sister Yin on his occasional visits. With business booming, Ziqi got a raise and therefore could afford to live somewhere more expensive.
Otherwise, she could never afford to live in a mid tier community with her previous salary.
“She is gone to the US?” Chen Fan grunted.
He conceded that it was impossible for him to tack down the landlord.
If the landlord were still in Jiang Bei, Chu Fan should be able to locate her in no time thanks to his newly acquired resources.
“Xiao Fan, are you going to kick me out?” Ziqi plastered on a sad face while glancing at Chen Fan’s face surreptitiously.
“Waah! I have paid a year worth of rent ahead of time. Five thousand of those came from Sister Yin. If you kick me out of here, I won’t even have enough for tuition.”
“Fine, fine.” Chen Fan was amused by the girl’s distress. “I won’t kick you out.”
No one would care if she paid rent or not. She didn’t have the official leasing contract, and therefore it was illegal for her to stay in there.
Chen Fan stood up and said, “I have other places to stay; I am just here to pack up some of my stuff.”
“Have you eaten? It’s on me. We have lots to catch up.”
“Really?” A smile broke over Ziqi’s face. She shouted excitedly:”Awesome! Why don’t we invite Sister Yin as well?”
“Sure.” Chen Fan said.
Since Chen Fan had already acquired the Yin Crystals, he should be able to complete Misty Mountain Array. Therefore, he would give away this ordinary house to someone in need of accommodation in a heartbeat.
When they arrived at the entrance to Chen Fan’s mansion at the top of the mountain, surprise started to flicker in Sister Yin’s eyes.
She always had very complicated feelings toward Chen Fan.
Chen Yin first befriended Chen Fan and helped him because she felt in debt to him for his rescue. After getting to know the boy, the boy started to grow on her, and she decided to take him under her wings.
However, what had happened at the Coco Bar revealed that Chen Fan didn’t need any protection at all.
“I was convinced that Chen Fan was a rich kid who is bored of his bubble and seeked some thrill in the real world.”
Sister Yin thought to herself many times.
From then on, she cut off from Chen Fan completely.
She believed that since the two of them belonged to two different worlds, there was no reason to force friendship upon each other.
The more she saw of the real world, the more disillusioned she was about befriending someone who was out of her league. The more she forced to become a friends, the more hurtful it would be in the end when reality sunk in.
They found a mom and pop restaurant near the community and ordered food.
Chen Fan had ordered many dishes, and most of them were Ziqi’s favorites. However, he barely moved his chopsticks during the entire time.
Ever since he had used the Essence Gathering Pill, eating was unnecessary for Chen Fan. He only sampled a couple of dishes for their flavors.
“Xiao Fan, when are you going to come back to Coco? Li Li, Nan Nan and the rest of them miss you a lot.” Chen Yin said casually.
She had spent enough time with Chen Fan to know that despite his wealthy background, he was very down to earth. Other than his slightly reserved personality, no one would know he was a blue-blooded teenager from a rich family.
“No kidding! I miss you too.” Ziqi grabbed another crayfish and started working on it.
“Sure, I can go visit you guys.” Chen Fan said gently.
After the meal, the three bid farewell to each other and parted their ways.
In the afternoon, Chen Fan returned the Ivy League High School.
After reporting to Miss. Xiao, Chen Fan arrived at his classroom.
The classroom didn’t change at all, and neither did his classmates. Despite a few brief surprised glances, no one seemed to have taken notice of him.
Everyone, except for Jiang Tanqiu.
“Oh-Shit, Man, You are finally back! I thought you were dead!
“They told us that you were sent to Qingang Middle School as an exchange student. How was it?” Jiang Tanqiu asked as he squeezed his face. “I have heard that school is hell! It’s like a prison in there.”
“About right.” Chen Fan said despite the fact that he had never been to the high school.
It wasn’t until the teacher came into the classroom did Chen Fan finally realize that the final exams were on their way. The first semester of his grade twelve was almost over.
Chen Fan also found out that Jiang Tanqiu had spent most of his time on his cellphone during breaks.
“Who are you talking to, new girlfriend?”
Chen Fan asked surprisingly.
“You bet! It’s that girl you met at the Coco Bar. She finally agreed to see me.” Jiang Tanqiu said with a smug smile; she was his dream girl.
“Xiao Qian?” Chen Fan was shocked.
In Chen Fan’s past life, Jiang Tanqiu had got himself into trouble because of her. In the end, Jiang Taniu was thrown behind the bar for seven years and ruined his otherwise promising life. Xiao Qian, on the other hand, had a new boyfriend as soon as Jiang Tanxiu went to jail. She didn’t visit Jiang Tanqiu even once during the seven years of incarceration.
During their last encounter, it was obvious to Chen Fan that the girl was all over Brother Qi. He had never expected that she would eventually get together with Jiang Tanqiu.
“As fate would have it…”
Chen Fan lamented quietly in his mind.
He wondered if this meant that without his interference, Jiang Tanqiu would meet the same miserable end as he did during Chen Fan’s last life.
He hurt people for Xiao Qian and was sent to jail because of it. However, he had to watch the girl he cared so much about betraying him and marry someone else. Even in his thirties, he would have achieved nothing in his life and waste his time with his equally deadbeat high school friend.
“Jiang Churan will take the same path and so will Jiang Churan. To alter the course of their lives was never my intention.
“Does that mean that I would end up meeting the same fate as well? In a few years, my life will crumble, and I will again leave this world to follow Cangqin?”
The thought amused Chen Fan; he chuckled.
“What’s so funny?” Jiang Tanqiu looked up at him curiously.
“Ah, nothing. I am just laughing at myself for being so sentimental.” Chen Fan shook his head and then murmured, “It must be my teenage hormones that are given me these false signals.”
He ignored the confused look on Jiang Tanqiu’s face and continued: “Fate is a bitch.”
“I, Chen Beixuan had traveled the Universe for over five hundred years, and every time my life was hanging on a thread, I was able to turn the situation around using my power and abilities. I was at the apex of any form of existence in the universe and was destined to lord over the world.
“The very concept of Cultivation was to fight against one’s fate. The end goal of any cultivator was to reach the Tribulation and become an immortal that defies any law of physics that bind them to their fate.
“Fate is not final; it is dependent on choices.
“I could have killed Xiao Qian and Li Yichen, and if I do that, I would have altered their fate.”
Chen Fan pondered on as his eyes start to glint like sharp steel.
“Therefore, fate is not predetermined; it can be changed with enough power.”
“In this Universe, strength is the only currency. If I was powerful enough, I could have already finished the Tribulation Transcendence instead of being reborn into the mortal world.
“Xiao Qiu, do you know what is the most important thing in the world?” Chen Fan turned around and asked Jiang Tanqiu.
“What is it?” Jiang Tanqiu asked with a confused face.
“Power and nothing else matters.” Chen Fan said slowly but firmly.
“In the entire Universe, only power can make me strong, and only power can make me immortal.”