Chapter 166: Chapter 166: Selected
The stone houses were picturesquely scattered across a corner of the village. Built from sturdy stone, they had weathered the passage of time and still stood firm. Oyster shells and moss clung to the walls, giving the structures a quaint, rustic charm. Each house featured a small courtyard that, despite being overgrown with weeds, brought a touch of life to the area.
While the clan leader and village chief were still gesturing around, Ling Qianjun quickly locked his sights on a particular house with a small courtyard. It sat on slightly higher ground compared to the others and was surrounded by shade trees. A stone wall encircled the yard, though more than half of it had collapsed from years of neglect. However, clusters of pinkish-purple and indigo wildflowers grew right by the house, creating a rather pretty sight. Additionally, a small window near the top of the house clearly indicated the presence of a loft.
Their family consisted of four people. While sharing two to a room was doable, having more rooms would be much better. He wasn’t particularly used to sleeping with Ling Qianfan. Qianfan was always a restless sleeper—mid-slumber, he would inevitably wrap his arms around him and throw a leg over his body, or end up sleeping completely sideways.
Ling Qianjun had observed the other houses in the area. Their basic structures were largely the same; some were situated on lower ground, while others were huddled tightly together. Naturally, there were larger houses available, but with only four people in their family, they didn’t need that much space. Choosing a larger house would undoubtedly attract envy and resentment. Besides, the bigger houses were located on lower ground and were in a much more dilapidated state, requiring extensive repairs. Their roofs were already covered in thick piles of weeds. It was better to pick something suitable and let everyone else fight over the big houses.
The house Ling Qianjun selected stood apart from the rest, with a solid ten-meter gap before the next neighbor. Everyone had their own perimeter walls, so once the doors were closed, no one would know what was happening in anyone else’s home. This suited him perfectly.
Ling Qianfan, on the other hand, was still overwhelmed by the choices. He liked this house, and he liked that house. His favorite was the one situated right by the sea; it felt like opening the door would offer an unobstructed view of the ocean. How beautiful would that be! Dashing forward, he pointed at the house and shouted, "Qianjun, Qianjun, how about we pick this one?"
Ling Qianjun followed Ling Qianfan’s finger, but after a single glance, he looked away. Confused, Ling Qianfan stared at his older brother’s back. He wondered why Qianjun wasn’t reacting. Whether he wanted it or not, he could at least say a word! Furthermore, they were already walking past the house, yet Qianjun showed absolutely no intention of stopping.
Once they had completely passed the house, Ling Qianfan realized that Qianjun wasn’t going to choose it. He felt a bit regretful but continued to run closely behind his brother. The very next second, he watched helplessly as someone else claimed that exact house. He cried internally, his heart aching at the loss.
Upon arriving at their chosen house, Ling Qianjun immediately opened the door to inspect the interior. Earlier, while the clan leader and village chief were speaking, they had instructed someone to go ahead and unlock all the available houses, leaving the keys right on the windowsills. Seeing the keys confirmed that these houses were open for selection.
The moment the door opened, a cloud of dust rushed out. Ling Qianjun hastily dodged to the side. Seeing this, Ling Qianfan smartly covered his mouth and nose, jogging out of the way.
"COUGH COUGH! COUGH COUGH COUGH!" Neither could hold back their coughing.
They waited for the musty smell to dissipate a bit before stepping inside. Without hesitation, Ling Qianjun pushed open all the windows to let the place air out.