“Don’t worry, we’ll be there in half an hour at most, it won’t make you miss lunch.” The driver chatted idly with Grace Bennett, “If you took the bus at this time, it’d take at least over an hour. Sure, my ride costs more than the bus, but it’s more efficient and the environment is better, right?”

“It’s just like business class on the high-speed rail. Both get you to your destination, but why is business class so expensive? What they’re selling is service and comfort. Second class is different—people hogging seats, unruly kids running around making noise, people talking loudly on the phone, it’s enough to drive you crazy. But business class is great, you can close your eyes and relax the whole way, arrive at your destination comfortably, and there are even free meals and snacks.”

Grace Bennett smiled, “You sure know a lot, sir. I’ve never taken business class before, but I’ll definitely try it if I get the chance.”

“It’s just that driving every day gets boring, so I like chatting with passengers,” the driver said. “By the way, all the houses in your area are old, right? I heard they’re going to be demolished next year. That’s really lucky for you.”

Grace Bennett was slightly taken aback. “Is that so? I haven’t heard anything about it.”

The driver smiled mysteriously. “How could they tell ordinary folks in advance? Not long ago, I gave a ride to a guy from the south, seemed like a project manager from Vanke or Country Garden. He was making a call in my car, and I overheard it.”

“The apartment buildings aren’t a big deal, but your community has dozens of two-story townhouses. If they add extra floors and turn them into four stories, the developers will lose a fortune. Don’t tell me your family lives in one of those townhouses?”

Grace Bennett frowned. “We actually do live in a townhouse. The house isn’t that big, but there’s a yard in front. There are sixty-four similar townhouses in the community.”

“Then your family’s about to hit the jackpot. Houses with yards in the city center are worth a fortune.” The driver’s eyes lit up as he spoke enviously, but Grace Bennett didn’t take it to heart.

“No wonder my uncle’s been so eager to buy our house. He probably already knows about the demolition.” Grace Bennett thought.

……

The car stopped outside the community. Grace Bennett got out with his backpack, looking around.

Over a decade ago, when his dad made some money from running a factory and bought a house here, this area was still considered the suburbs. Now, with the city’s expansion, what used to be the outskirts had become part of the city center.

There were many newly developed upscale apartment buildings nearby, their huge glass facades gleaming in the sunlight. Luxury cars came and went from the underground parking lots. In contrast, Grace Bennett’s community looked old and worn, with more than half of it made up of townhouses. It really did have a lot of development potential.

“Dad, Mom, I’m home.” Grace Bennett unlocked the door, changed his shoes after entering, tossed his backpack into his room, took off his jacket, and went to the living room.

His father was always strict. He was watching TV and frowned, “It’s not even a holiday, why are you coming home? Can you keep up with your classes?”

“I just missed you guys, that’s all,” Grace Bennett said.

“You’re already grown and still homesick? Take a break, your mom’s making lamb chops for you. Your grades aren’t great, but you sure are picky about food. These days, three jin of lamb chops cost nearly two hundred yuan. When I was young, even at seven yuan a jin, nobody wanted to buy them.”

His father grumbled, but he was all bark and no bite. Grace Bennett was used to it. If he really thought lamb chops were expensive, would he buy three jin at once? He just didn’t want his son to go hungry.

Grace Bennett walked into the kitchen.

The range hood was roaring. His mother, wearing an apron, was frying lamb chops at the stove. The lamb chops were great, but they made a lot of smoke and grease. Sweat beaded on her forehead. On the kitchen counter were a plate of preserved eggs and a plate of lotus root slices, and there was porridge cooking in the pot.

Grace Bennett lifted the lid and frowned. “Red bean and coix seed porridge again? Mom, you’ve been reading too many WeChat articles. If drinking this stuff could make you lose weight, what’s the point of the law of conservation of energy?”

“You child, red bean and coix seed porridge not only helps with weight loss, it also removes dampness. If you have too much dampness, you’ll get edema.”

“But we live in the north, where’s all this dampness coming from?” Grace Bennett was exasperated.

“Pengcheng is right next to Yunlong Lake, and the lake is full of dampness.” His mother insisted.

Grace Bennett sighed. That’s parents for you—they’re stubborn, they don’t understand science, but you still love them for no reason, afraid they’ll suffer even the slightest grievance.

“Mom, how’s that thing I talked to you about?”

Grace Bennett picked up a freshly fried lamb chop from the plate and stuffed it in his mouth. It was hot, making him wince.

“Slow down, you eat like you’ve been starving.” His mother said, “In this house, I’m in charge of what groceries to buy and what meals to cook, but when it comes to your dad’s business, I can’t do anything.”

“Your uncle called again this morning. He’s scraping together money, still short by about a hundred thousand. He’ll probably come sign the contract this afternoon. Your dad didn’t say anything, so I guess he agreed.”

His mother spoke in a low voice, glancing toward the living room, afraid Grace Bennett’s father would overhear.

Grace Bennett immediately felt upset. “How much is uncle planning to pay?”

“Ninety thousand.”