As soon as Sophie left, Emma Lewis couldn’t help but say, "I still worry about her walking so far alone, I’ll sneak up and check on her." Robert Reed snapped, "Haven’t you heard that overprotective mothers spoil their children? Sophie has been smart since she was little, there’s nowhere she wouldn’t dare to go! But... that driver is arranged by me." Emma Lewis rolled her eyes, you’ve already arranged everything, and you still have the nerve to criticize me. Nancy Allen watched the bickering between the younger and the older, smiling gently. Even if she weren’t awake, she believed Sophie could lead a happy life. The teacher both instructed and spoiled Sophie while Emma Lewis was diligently educating her. After Sophie left, Nancy Allen also stepped out, similarly not allowing Emma Lewis and the rest to follow her. Soon, Nancy Allen arrived near the Cloudglow Tower. She wasn’t there to secretly watch the father and daughter, but to visit a small outlet she had noticed yesterday, which was for lease and transfer. It was a small accessory shop located near the Cloudglow Tower, selling some knockoffs of major brands. The business couldn’t continue due to strict anti-piracy measures, so it was up for transfer. Nancy walked in; the young shop owner didn’t mind her, anxiously counting a handful of change, casually saying, "All accessories are fifty percent off, feel free to choose." Nancy looked around; the shop area was about 60 square meters, neither too big nor too small. The shop’s location was off the main street but still had decent foot traffic. Nancy took out a small notebook and wrote: "Is this shop for lease?" The young owner, who initially didn’t want to engage, perked up at this, promptly setting aside the handful of change and asking, "Are you looking to rent? Please, have a seat, I’ll make you some tea." Nancy intended to write ’not necessary,’ but the owner had already dashed away and was out of sight. After a while, he returned with tea, tentatively saying, "Regarding rent, although this is the backstreet, it counts as a prime location, and rent is 300,000 a year. If you take over with my stuff, I can offer 280,000 a year, and the goods transfer fee is 80,000." Realizing it might be expensive, he quickly added, "Alright, if you sincerely want to take over, I’ll make it 70,000 for the transfer fee." Nancy did not think it was overly priced; this street was worth that price. However, because it’s a backstreet, businesses here are mostly small enterprises, making it difficult to break even at such rents, which is why, though the area has good traffic, doing business is challenging. Seeing Nancy not react, the young owner gritted his teeth and said, "The rent can be reduced by at most 10,000—this really is the lowest price. You won’t find a cheaper rent on this street, but rent must be paid annually, at the very least." Nancy had already looked around and, hearing the owner continually drop the price, a glint appeared in her eyes as she wrote, "I don’t want your goods, only the rent at 250,000 a year. If it’s acceptable, we sign for five years; if not, just forget it." The owner widened his eyes, exclaiming, "Are you kidding me? This is a prime location, have you seen the foot traffic outside? 250,000, where can you possibly rent at this rate?" Nancy turned and headed for the exit. The young owner shouted and rushed to stop her, "You can’t just leave after haggling! Have some sincerity, let’s negotiate more!" In the scuffle, Nancy’s hat fell off again. Nancy thought she’d need to change to a hat with a tie next time. But since she was indoors and the small shop wasn’t well-lit, Nancy didn’t put it back on, continuing to write, "This street has several small accessory shops, bookstores, snack shops. The flow of young students here allows for small businesses only. The price stays." The young owner stared blankly at Nancy’s face for a while before coming back to his senses. Where did this fairy come from! The owner took a deep breath, determined not to be swayed by beauty: "I can give you this rate, but I urgently need money. You must pay two years’ rent at once, and for these goods, since I lack time to handle them, take them along for the cost price of 50,000; you won’t lose if you do a clearance sale." Nancy was surprised, her first attempt at haggling had actually succeeded, and the price she offered was indeed much lower than the market rate. Since he agreed, she nodded in agreement. The young owner quickly went to print the rental transfer contract, moving as if afraid Nancy would run away. Nancy evaluated the shop, pacing around. She then saw a surgery notice on the counter, along with some elders’ medical reports beneath the pile of change. Perhaps this was why the owner needed money. Life sometimes leaves one struggling. Even when struggling may lead to nothing, no one would choose to give up early. The contract was quickly printed and the young shop owner handed a copy to Nancy, "Please, check the contract. I urgently need money, and if agreeable, I’d like to settle quickly, ideally transferring the funds within three days. I understand this is demanding, but my pricing is genuinely lower than others’. He quickly took out a property deed to show trust, "Rest assured, I’m no scammer; this shop is mine. Here’s my ID and property certificate. If I could find a buyer quickly, I wouldn’t have to rush to lease." Nancy checked the property deed, unconcerned about scams. In Riverwood City, she felt probably no one could fool her. She flipped through the contract, then took out her pen and signed her name. The young owner was surprised; such a significant financial decision usually warrants deliberation, rarely signed on the spot. Receiving the contract, the young owner paused, then quickly added his signature. Amelia Wright wrote: "Where should I transfer the money?" The young owner provided an account number. The next moment, ding ding, a message alert sounded. He checked his phone—1.3 million! Wide-eyed, the young owner looked at Nancy in shock. Most people pay only a year’s rent upfront; he asked for two years and felt it was excessive. Yet she paid all five years at once! Nancy continued writing: "Five years’ rent is 1.25 million, plus 50,000 for the goods; that’s settled, this place is temporarily mine. Pack up your things and you can go." The young owner took a while to react, suddenly standing up and bowing deeply at Nancy, "Thank you, thank you! I don’t need to pack much, I’ll leave everything here, truly, thank you." After another bow, the young owner grabbed his phone and some personal items, giving Nancy another bow before hurrying away. He was so excited he forgot to take his property certificate... Nancy didn’t mind, thinking he must be in a hurry to get to the hospital, she kept the deed safe for him to collect later. Nancy began contacting renovation companies—she planned to open a shop. Not far behind Godfery Shaw’s company! When Sophie arrived at the lobby today, a few receptionists greeted her warmly with smiles. But Sophie just ran over to the security guard Thomas Carter, sweetly saying, "Mr. Security, could you call Basil Smith to come and get me? I can’t use his elevator." The president’s exclusive elevator required a password, and Sophie found herself unable to enter. Thomas Carter nodded sincerely, promptly notifying Basil Smith. The receptionists watched with envy. Basil Smith soon came down and took Sophie upstairs. Sophie walked grandly into Godfery Shaw’s office. Godfery Shaw only glanced at her, too busy to pay her any mind. Sophie didn’t disturb him, understanding that being together doesn’t mean constant conversation; doing your own thing is also a way to be together. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹✶𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲✶𝗻𝗲𝘁 So Sophie spread paper on the meeting table by the side, took out her paints, adjusted them, and started painting. Godfery Shaw, after finishing his work, expected the child to come and talk to him. Then he realized that the child was ignoring him, busier than he was!