Eli set the phone down, letting Jin's words sink in.
"The one Mian goes to."
There was a quiet kind of certainty in his voice. Not excitement—Jin wasn't that kind of kid—but something steadier, like he'd finally found a direction that didn't feel like running away.
Eli nodded slowly."Greatheight it is."
He didn't say it out loud, but they both knew what that meant.
Their current apartment was in henxhi , very affordable, but rundown and far from Briggon. The daily commute would be rough, especially with Jin still trying to get used to school routines again. Eli could already picture the sleepy mornings, the late bus transfers, the cold winter rides on his scooter. No, if this was going to work, they had to move closer. This will also help them be closer to the pocket corner store
Eli picked up his phone again.
Search: 2-bedroom apartment , Briggon District for rent [High rent].
A loading icon spun. He could already feel his wallet flinching.
The results popped up, each thumbnail image paired with a cheerful tagline that tried too hard to hide the cracks.
1. Wenxi Flats – South Briggon
A weathered, five-story walk-up tucked between a florist and a shuttered bookstore. The hallways are narrow, paint peeling in corners, but the tenants keep to themselves. No elevator. No flash. But it feels safe.
Rent: 10,800 yuan/month"could feel like home… might be worth a call."
2. The Copperwalk Residences – East Briggon
An upscale complex wrapped in steel and glass. Every unit has automated blinds, voice-controlled lighting, and imported countertops. The gym is spotless. So are the neighbors most of them are new money professionals who treat silence like a religion. Complaints can be filed directly to the agency. Looks fancy, but tenants complains about the cold .
Rent: 27,000 yuan/month"Yeah, not happening."
3. Lantern Row Complex – North Briggon
Brick-faced mid-rise buildings surrounding a weedy courtyard with a broken fountain that someone still tries to fill with koi every spring. It's rough around the edges but the landlord is known to fix things within a week, which counts for something in this city. Dogs bark. Kids scream. But there's heart.
Rent: 12,400 yuan/month"Maybe doable if we talk to him to reduce the rent a bit..."
4. Blue Fern Apartments – Central briggon
Peeling turquoise paint. Iron gates that stick. The lobby looks shiny and polished but some part of the walls are crumbling, but it's ten minutes from the school on foot. Rent was increased because the place used to be public housing before it went private and it was heavily renovated. You get what you pay for but there's a small convenience store next door and the night noodle vendor outside knows everyone by name.
Rent: 11,000 yuan/month"Cheap, close, and maybe safe. Probably smells like fried onion noodles year-round."
5. Bridgecrest Tower – West Briggon
Gated high-rise with security guards in sharp uniforms and a lobby that looks like a hotel. Everything is polished marble, brushed tiles and very clean to touch. The kind of place where you don't see your neighbors unless you're about to take your car from the parking lot. Beautiful view, soulless atmosphere.
Rent: 25,000 yuan/month"seems expensive. But pretty."
Eli bookmarked three : Blue Fern, Wenxi Flats and Bridgecrest tower.Not ideal. Not perfect. But they weren't chasing luxury they were chasing stability. Something safe, close to school, and within reach.
He glanced toward Jin's room, where the sound of low, off-key humming drifted through the cracked door.
"Let's find you a place to grow, and feel comfortable" he muttered.
"We might have to move, you know. Briggon's not exactly next door."
Jin didn't react much, just kept chewing his dumpling. Then, after a pause:
"That's fine. "He looked up. "as long as It's closer to the store."
Eli smiled faintly. "Closer to school too. And maybe fewer exploding science labs in the building."
Jin raised an eyebrow."...No promises."
He leaned back on the couch and rubbed his eyes. The day had been long—school research, budget worries, apartment listings. And still, the mental math kept running.
Groceries. Utilities. School supplies. Rent.Every number came with a little head ache.
As he scrolled through the apartment map again, his thumb hovered over a detail he hadn't paid much attention to before—transit lines.
Briggon's metro and bus network was decent, but getting from the northern edge to the western edge? That could take over an hour on a bad day. If he was going to juggle jobs, hospital visits, Jin's new school, and still make supply runs for The Corner Pocket...
His eyes drifted to a small ad at the bottom of the screen.
"Certified Used Vehicles – Starting at 35,000 yuan. Financing Options Available."
Eli exhaled slowly.
"Yeah... probably going to need a car," he murmured.
Not now.But eventually. Especially if things stayed this busy.
A cheap scooter had worked so far but Dragon City was big, and life was only getting more complicated.
He bookmarked the ad, more out of habit than hope, and tossed the phone onto the couch.
From the kitchen, Jin's voice floated out:
"Hey, Eli? We're out of soy sauce!"
Eli stood with a groan. Back to now.
One thing at a time.
Eli flicked off the kitchen light, leaving only the dull glow of the hallway bulb behind him. Jin had already retreated to the couch.
He stepped into his bedroom, closed the door with a soft click, and sat heavily on the edge of the mattress. His shoulders sagged. The day had been a quiet storm of decisions some big, some small, but all weighing on him just the same.
Rent. School. Soy sauce.
He lay back, staring up at the ceiling, where a faint water stain curved like a question mark above his head.
Things were changing. Fast. And he was tired.
But for once, it didn't feel like he was waiting for everything to fall apart.
He closed his eyes.
Outside, the city hummed, a distant siren, a barking dog, the rumble of a late-night delivery truck.Inside, the apartment was quiet. Small. Imperfect.
But not broken.
And for tonight, that was enough.