It turned out the information broker did not actually charge Su Yan much for the introduction.
As he explained it, the property broker would already pay him a small referral fee for sending a customer their way. Su Yan's own introduction fee was similarly modest.
If Su Yan actually bought something, however, the information broker would receive a small cut of the final sale as well.
He passed Su Yan a blank sheet of paper and asked him to write down what sort of residence he was looking for.
Su Yan stared at the blank sheet for a moment.
Then he glanced at 2B.
Then at Nihilister.
After a little consideration, he wrote:
Big.
Private.
Luxurious.
The information broker stared at the sheet.
"You do have to give me more than that, you know."
He gestured at the three words.
"Budget. Expectations. Gardens. Carriage access. District. Servant quarters. Something."
He tapped the paper.
"This is far too general. If you were from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, I could work with it. Those people could look at most of the estates in Heaven Dou without worrying about the price."
He pushed the sheet back toward Su Yan.
"With this, you'll only be wasting your own time."
"That is a fair point."
Su Yan took a few more moments to consider before continuing to list his requirements. He put down what he thought was a modest budget of twenty-five thousand.
The information broker took one look at the number.
"You ain't getting what you're asking for with that."
Su Yan looked up.
"Oh, you'll get a house," the man amended. "Just not a big, private and luxurious one."
Su Yan stared at him.
"Look, kid. Hand me that."
The information broker snatched the sheet from him, pulled out a fresh one, and set it down in front of himself.
After reading through what little Su Yan had written, he started asking questions instead.
How much privacy did he want? How large a garden? Did he need carriage access? Servant quarters? A stable? Training space? Did the district matter? How much work was he willing to put into the place after buying it?
One by one, Su Yan answered while the broker transcribed everything onto the fresh sheet.
Eventually, the man leaned back and looked over what he had written.
"Alright. With these requirements, I'd say you're looking at somewhere between forty and ninety thousand gold soul coins."
Su Yan's expression stiffened slightly.
The broker continued before he could say anything.
"Forty to fifty thousand will get you something, but most places in that range are going to need work. Repairs, renovations, probably a few things the previous owner neglected."
He clicked his tongue.
"Wouldn't recommend those myself."
A pause.
"Cuts into my commission too."
He stopped, frowned at the sheet, then looked back up at Su Yan.
"Wait. You're looking to buy, right? Not rent? I probably should have checked that first."
Nihilister chimed in.
"Of course we're buying. Means we don't have to deal with annoying landlords trying to rip us off."
She crossed her arms, a smirk spreading across her face.
"As much fun as pummelling them into the ground was."
The information broker's eyes widened.
"Right…"
He straightened slightly.
"Just to be clear, I'm not trying to scam you here. Those prices are well within the normal range for properties in this city."
Nihilister's attention shifted back to the information broker.
"Look, I'm serious," he added quickly. "You can check around if you want, but I guarantee these prices aren't inflated."
She watched him for a few moments longer before turning her attention back toward the window.
The information broker let out a deep breath and refocused on Su Yan.
"Any other requirements? Or shall I get this sent off to the property broker?" he asked, sliding the now-filled sheet toward Su Yan to check.
Su Yan looked over the information and could not think of anything else to add.
"2B, Nihilister, anything else you would suggest?"
Nihilister took a quick glance before shaking her head.
2B, however, took a much closer look.
"I would suggest adding security."
She looked toward the information broker.
"High walls, controlled access points, and a layout that would make it difficult for someone to enter the property unnoticed."
The man considered it for a moment.
"I can add it, but we're talking about homes here. Most people care more about comfort than whether the place can withstand an attack."
He picked up his brush again.
"I'll put it down, but I'd temper your expectations."
She nodded.
"I understand."
He stared at her for a moment longer, his gaze settling on the visor covering her eyes.
"I know this might be rude, but… you can actually see, right?" he asked, waving a hand in front of her face.
"I can."
A look of intrigue lit up on the information broker's face.
"How…"
Su Yan cleared his throat loudly, snapping the man out of his thoughts.
"Right. Sorry. It's just not something you see every day."
He gathered the sheets together.
"I'll get this over to the property broker. Come back tomorrow morning, shortly after breakfast. I should have them here with a selection of properties for you to view."
Su Yan stood, gave the broker a nod, and left the office with Nihilister and 2B.
It was still early when they stepped back onto the street.
With nothing else demanding their attention until the next morning, Su Yan decided they might as well explore more of the city.
Maps could tell him where the streets led. They could not tell him which districts became unpleasant after dark, which shops were known for cheating outsiders, or which alleys the locals knew better than to enter.
Those were the sorts of things people learned by living somewhere.
A few hours later, Su Yan found himself in one such alley, handing several steamed buns to a group of beggars.
"Bless you, young man. Bless you too, young misses."
The oldest of them accepted the food with both hands before glancing toward the mouth of the alley.
"First time in Heaven Dou?"
Su Yan raised an eyebrow.
"That obvious?"
"You walked in here willingly."
The man had noticed them the moment they entered the street. More importantly, he had decided to warn them before they wandered any deeper.
This part of the district belonged to a local gang. They collected money from the nearby residents, harassed shopkeepers who refused to pay, and took particular interest in strangers who looked as though they might be carrying something valuable.
His gaze briefly shifted toward 2B and Nihilister.
"And walking around with two pretty misses like these? You're asking for attention."
Su Yan opened his mouth to respond.
Then paused.
"Where did Nihilister go?"
2B glanced toward the alley behind them.
"She left several minutes ago."
Su Yan stared at her.
Before he could ask anything else, familiar footsteps approached from deeper within the alley.
Nihilister emerged around the corner, rolling one shoulder as she walked.
There was a faint smear of red across her knuckles.
More importantly, she looked considerably more satisfied than she had a few minutes ago.
Su Yan sighed.
Nihilister raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
The beggar burst out laughing.
"Looks like you lot are more capable than I thought. Still, that little gang are just gutter rats."
His expression sobered slightly.
"I'd turn back if I were you. Go much farther in and you may start running into Spirit Masters. Those are a different kind of trouble."
Nihilister's grin only widened.
"Nihilister. 2B. We're leaving."
Su Yan dropped a few silver coins into the old beggar's hand.
"Thank you for the warning."
They left the area and eventually made their way back toward the more prosperous districts. After stopping for food, they spent the rest of the day simply walking, asking questions and getting a better feel for the city.
By the end of it, Su Yan had a much better grasp of Heaven Dou.
He also realised he probably should have done this before spending two days asking around about Dugu Bo.
Apparently, he had already gained something of a reputation among the locals.
Walking around with two eye-catching women while asking questions about a Titled Douluo had, in hindsight, not been the most subtle approach.
At the time, Su Yan had simply assumed it would not matter.
If he actually managed to meet Dugu Bo, whatever rumours had started would probably become irrelevant anyway.
For now, though, there was nothing he could do about it.
He could only hope the rumours did not grow too far out of proportion. The last thing he needed was an angry Titled Douluo grabbing him by the collar and demanding to know why he had been asking questions about him and his family.
Su Yan frowned.
Maybe he should come up with an excuse before that happened.
The next morning, they ate breakfast at a nearby restaurant before making their way to the information broker once again.
When they entered the office, they found the information broker talking with another man, an older gentleman dressed in simple, clean robes. His hair was cut short, and a neatly trimmed beard framed his face.
Upon seeing Su Yan enter, he stood and strode over, a bright smile on his face.
"You must be the young master my friend here recommended. I must say, the requirements you listed present something of a challenge, but one I'm happy to accept. I have several properties lined up for you to choose from."
He held out his hand.
"Li Cheng. You can trust me to provide you with the best service."
Su Yan clasped his hand, gave it a single firm shake, then released it.
"Su Yan. A pleasure to meet you."
Li Cheng motioned toward the door.
"Shall we?"
Su Yan nodded and followed, sparing the information broker one last glance as the man waved them goodbye.
Li Cheng led them to a carriage waiting outside. It was cosy and fairly roomy, and once they were underway, he began giving his thoughts on the first property they were to visit.
"The first property is perhaps one of my favourites. At around eighty-five thousand gold soul coins, it has everything you asked for. Fully furnished, with an enormous interior, extensive gardens, and tasteful decoration throughout."
He continued extolling the virtues of the property until the carriage finally came to a stop.
Su Yan had to admit, the front gate alone looked impressive.
They proceeded through the property, and Li Cheng had not been exaggerating. The place was genuinely impressive, and the slight sparkle in Nihilister's eyes told Su Yan that she also approved.
By the time the tour ended, they had made their way back to the front gate.
"So, Young Master, what do you think?"
"I do like it, but it might actually be too large."
Su Yan glanced back toward the sprawling estate.
"Just from the size of the place, this feels more like something built for a small clan. It would take a lot of servants to actually keep everything running, wouldn't it?"
Li Cheng nodded.
"It would. Though for buyers looking at estates in this price range, household staff usually aren't considered much of an issue."
Su Yan could understand that.
Unfortunately, money was not really the problem.
Filling their home with dozens of strangers was.
"I think we should see the other properties first."
"Very well. Back to the carriage, then."
The second property was a far cry from the first. At almost half the size, the tour ended far faster, although Su Yan found himself appreciating the greater privacy. The walls were taller, there were fewer entrances, and the neighbouring properties were far enough away that he would not have to worry much about curious eyes.
Unfortunately, its condition left much to be desired.
Although it was still fully furnished, signs of years of use were everywhere. Li Cheng readily admitted to the problems and made no attempt to dress them up as 'history', which Su Yan did appreciate.
Even at the considerably cheaper price of forty-five thousand gold soul coins, however, Su Yan could not bring himself to choose it. There was simply too much that needed repairing.
He had only just reached Heaven Dou. The last thing he wanted was to spend the next few months arranging repairs to the place he was supposed to be relaxing in.
That brought them to the third property.
At seventy-five thousand gold soul coins, it was a very good all-rounder, meeting almost all of Su Yan's requirements. Unfortunately, it sat right on the edge of one of the rougher areas he had learned about the day before.
That particular detail drew a more positive reaction from Nihilister.
Su Yan, however, quickly dismissed it.
The people living there were hardly a threat to him, but deliberately placing Nihilister within walking distance of them seemed like asking for trouble. He would rather not spend his time in Heaven Dou dealing with whatever local powers, large or small, decided to make themselves a nuisance.
Seeing that Su Yan remained unconvinced, Li Cheng spoke up.
"Young Master, if these properties were not quite to your tastes, there is one more I could take you to that should meet most of your requirements. It is in a somewhat unusual situation, however. The seller insists on personally giving prospective buyers the tour."
He paused.
"If you allow me some time, I can contact them and arrange it."
Su Yan looked up and realised it was already noon.
"Yes, please. Why don't we break for lunch first, then proceed afterward?"
He indicated a restaurant nearby.
"How about there? You're welcome to join us for a while before you go."
Li Cheng glanced toward the restaurant, then nodded.
"That works."
Partway through lunch, Li Cheng excused himself. By the time Su Yan and the others finished, he was already waiting outside beside the carriage with an unfamiliar man.
"Ah, Young Master. Perfect timing. Please allow me to introduce the seller—and architect—of the next property, Wei Jian."
The man gave Su Yan a small nod but said nothing more.
One word, however, caught Su Yan's attention.
"Architect? You designed the property we're going to see?"
Wei Jian merely nodded again.
Li Cheng gave a small, somewhat helpless smile.
"Please forgive him, Young Master. Wei Jian has never been much of a talker."
He glanced toward the silent architect.
"Get him talking about his work, though, and you may struggle to make him stop."
Once they were underway, however, Li Cheng's expression grew more serious.
"Before we reach the property, there is some unpleasantness surrounding its history that I should make you aware of."
Su Yan looked at him questioningly.
"The estate was originally commissioned by the young scion of the Lee family. He hired my friend here to design what he rather enthusiastically described as a love nest for himself and his future wives."
Li Cheng sighed.
"Unfortunately, the young man made one rather significant mistake."
Su Yan raised an eyebrow.
"He told Wei Jian that money was no object."
For the first time, Wei Jian's expression shifted slightly.
Li Cheng ignored him.
"More specifically, he seemed to believe that being the heir to a wealthy family meant he was free to spend the entirety of that family's wealth."
Su Yan could already see where this was going.
"Wei Jian took him at his word?"
Another silent nod.
Li Cheng rubbed at his forehead.
"Repeatedly."
A trace of embarrassment crossed Wei Jian's face.
"I told him repeatedly that what he wanted was going to cost more, but he kept approving everything. The deposit had already been paid. I had no reason to believe they would go back on their word."
Li Cheng looked at him in exasperation.
"This is why I told you to pay more attention to the social side of things. If you had, you would have known that the young scion does not actually have final say over the family's funds."
He shook his head.
"The fact that he managed to get you the deposit in the first place should have been a red flag."
"How much was the deposit?" Su Yan asked.
"Forty-five thousand," Wei Jian said plainly.
Su Yan blinked before turning a questioning gaze toward Li Cheng.
"Yes. A deposit of forty-five thousand gold soul coins."
Li Cheng sighed.
"Unfortunately, by the time the Lee family discovered what their young scion had commissioned, much of the deposit had already gone into materials and paying the craftsmen involved."
His expression soured.
"They demanded the entire forty-five thousand back anyway."
Wei Jian's expression darkened.
"Worse, they also tried to claim the estate itself."
Su Yan frowned.
"They wanted both?"
"Essentially."
Li Cheng shook his head.
"Fortunately, one of Wei Jian's previous noble clients stepped in to mediate before matters went any further. The settlement was simple enough. If the Lee family wanted the estate, they would honour the original contract. Their deposit would remain part of the payment, and they would pay the rest of what was owed."
He paused.
"If they wanted their deposit returned, they would surrender any claim to the property."
"And considering that I'm being offered the property now, I assume they chose the deposit?"
Li Cheng smirked.
"In a heartbeat."
His expression became more serious.
"Unfortunately, that leads to the unpleasant part I wanted to warn you about. For a while afterward, the Lee family used their connections to discourage other nobles from buying the estate and tried to disrupt the sale."
He sighed.
"That was several years ago, and the direct harassment has long since stopped. The problem is that by then enough nobles had already avoided the property that a reputation began to form around it."
"People assumed there had to be something wrong with it?"
"Exactly. And once enough people start avoiding something, others tend to follow without ever asking why."
His frown deepened.
"We also cannot guarantee that the Lee family won't cause further trouble. It is unlikely after all this time, but I would rather you know the possibility exists before seeing the property."
He glanced toward Wei Jian.
"Because of that, the two of us discussed matters beforehand. The estate was previously being offered at eighty thousand gold soul coins, but Wei Jian has agreed to lower the asking price to sixty-five thousand."
Su Yan took a moment to think.
"But you said a deposit of forty-five thousand was put down for it, right?"
Li Cheng nodded.
"Then why would the Lee family cause so much trouble over a difference of twenty thousand gold soul coins?"
Li Cheng stared at him for a moment.
"Ah. I see the misunderstanding."
He glanced toward Wei Jian.
"Sixty-five thousand is nowhere near the original price."
Su Yan frowned.
"How much was it?"
"One hundred and twenty thousand."
Su Yan's eyes widened.
"How much?!"
Wei Jian turned slightly away, looking distinctly uncomfortable.
"The young scion told me repeatedly that money was not an issue."
"And Wei Jian," Li Cheng continued, "decided to take that as permission to become inventive."
Wei Jian frowned.
"Everything was approved."
"I know."
Li Cheng sighed.
"And some of what you came up with was genuinely elegant. It was also absurdly expensive."
He looked back toward Su Yan.
"After the dispute, the estate was first offered for ninety thousand. When that failed to attract a buyer, the price eventually fell to eighty. Now, after several years of sitting unsold, Wei Jian is willing to accept sixty-five."
Su Yan sat back and crossed his arms, one finger tapping slowly against his sleeve.
"Sixty-five thousand is within my budget. Whether the property is worth sixty-five thousand is another matter."
"A chance is all I ask," Wei Jian said.
They travelled in silence for the rest of the way.
When they finally arrived, the first thing Su Yan noticed was the surrounding properties, each one seemingly as impressive as the next.
The streets were clean and wide, and the usual hustle and bustle of Heaven Dou felt strangely distant.
Li Cheng came up beside Su Yan.
"This district is mostly occupied by nobles and wealthy merchants. It's much safer and better maintained than some other parts of the city, and considerably quieter as well."
"I see."
Su Yan took one last look around the street before proceeding toward the front gate, where Wei Jian was already waiting.
He led them through a pair of simple red gates.
Beyond the gates lay a small enclosed courtyard. Grey stone tiles covered the ground, with some kind of pattern etched into the paving at the foot of the steps.
Two large trees stood on either side of the courtyard, while flowers and greenery lined the walls.
They continued up the steps and entered the first building proper.
Beyond it lay an even larger courtyard, though Su Yan's attention was immediately drawn toward the large metal structure dominating its centre.
Greenery filled much of the remaining space. Stone benches had been placed beneath the trees and along the covered walkways, while several shallow pools broke up the paving.
Despite the strange centrepiece, the courtyard itself felt surprisingly peaceful.
Su Yan still could not make heads or tails of the metal sculpture.
Wei Jian took a breath before stepping farther into the courtyard and turning to face them.
"Originally, this was intended to form the heart of the estate's lighting system."
His reserved expression changed almost immediately as he looked toward the structure.
"The young master of the Lee family requested that the residence rely as little as possible on candles and torches during the day. I researched several ways of accomplishing that and eventually designed a system that would redirect sunlight through different parts of the estate."
There was unmistakable pride in his voice.
Then his expression tightened slightly.
"The principle worked. The problem was scale."
He gestured toward the surrounding buildings.
"To illuminate the entire estate that way would have required far more channels, reflective surfaces and maintenance than was reasonable. By altering the placement of the windows, opening several interior spaces and changing the orientation of certain rooms, I could achieve most of the same result far more simply."
He looked back toward the metal structure.
"By that point, however, this had already been constructed."
Su Yan glanced up at it. It vaguely reminded him of some of the modern art installations from his old world.
"I ended up repurposing it instead. If you look around, you'll notice even the more sheltered parts of the courtyard remain well lit."
Wei Jian gestured to the surrounding area.
Only then did Su Yan notice that, despite the buildings enclosing the courtyard, even the areas that should have remained heavily shaded were illuminated by reflected daylight.
"It redirects sunlight into the darker portions of the courtyard and the surrounding galleries. Not what I originally intended, but useful nonetheless."
Wei Jian hurried to the side of the structure.
"And if you do not want quite so much light, you can adjust it."
He reached beneath one of the metal sections and pulled. A recessed handle slid free with a faint metallic click.
Grasping it with both hands, he began to turn.
Somewhere within the structure, gears turned.
The sculpture shifted only slightly, but the effect was immediate.
Across the courtyard, patches of light slowly slid over the paving while shadows stretched and changed direction.
Su Yan watched as one of the brighter galleries gradually dimmed, while sunlight crept across another section of the courtyard instead.
"That is certainly an interesting mechanism," Su Yan said. "But surely that is not all this place has to offer?"
"Of course not," Wei Jian replied at once. "Come. Let us continue to the main residence. This section was primarily intended for guests and servants."
He led them onward.
The main residence rose two storeys high, and even from outside Su Yan could make out small points of light glinting at regular intervals along the roof.
Once they stepped inside, Su Yan was immediately struck by the brightness.
There were windows, certainly, but not enough to account for how evenly lit the interior felt.
Then his gaze shifted upward.
White light shone softly through openings set into the ceiling.
Wei Jian stopped and turned back toward them.
"What I learned from designing the sculpture outside, I later applied here in a more practical form."
His voice had taken on a noticeably more assured tone.
"To satisfy the Lee scion's request, I commissioned several skilled jewellery artisans to cut clear crystals for me. These were then set into prepared openings along the roof to collect and direct the sunlight."
He raised a hand and pointed upward.
"From there, the light is guided through polished metal channels and redirected into the interior spaces. The upper floor receives the strongest illumination directly, while selected openings and reflective surfaces allow part of that light to reach the ground floor as well."
He led them through the rest of the main residence, and when they reached the upper floor, Wei Jian dramatically threw open the windows overlooking the rear garden.
A wall separated it completely from the front of the estate, with an entrance on either side allowing servants to come and go without having to pass through the main residence.
In the distance, Su Yan could make out a gazebo sitting on a small island in the middle of an artificial lake, connected to the shore by a narrow arched bridge. To the right, atop a low hill, stood another building that Wei Jian identified as the bathhouse.
To the left of the lake was something rather different.
A large section of ground had been cleared entirely of greenery.
Wei Jian informed them that this was the requested training area. A smaller gazebo stood nearby overlooking it, while winding paths connected everything through the colourful, well-maintained garden.
Su Yan took in the grounds.
"That is a lot of space dedicated to the garden."
"Yes, well…"
Wei Jian looked faintly embarrassed.
"I may have gotten a little carried away when we discovered a natural spring here. The water was already flowing from the ground, so I redesigned parts of the estate around it."
He paused.
"After I got permission."
Then, almost as though another thought had suddenly occurred to him, Wei Jian turned and headed back toward the stairs.
"Come on. We should take a closer look at the garden and the facilities."
He was already halfway down before Su Yan could say another word.
They quickly followed, and the tour resumed with Wei Jian now considerably more talkative as he guided them from one feature to the next. Given the size of the garden, they had covered a fair distance before Su Yan realised someone was missing.
He glanced behind him.
2B was no longer with the group.
Su Yan stopped.
After backtracking along the path, it did not take him long to find her.
She was crouched beside a patch of flowers, each with five broad white petals atop a thin green stem.
Su Yan stepped closer.
"2B, what's wrong?"
She did not answer immediately.
The silence lingered as a small breeze rustled through the leaves overhead.
2B finally sighed.
"They're not the same."
"What isn't?"
"The flowers."
She reached out and gently brushed a finger across one of the white petals.
"6O once told me about a flower very similar to these."
Her fingers lingered against the petal.
"She would have liked it here. These especially, even if they weren't the flowers she wanted to see."
Su Yan remained behind her in silence.
Her hand trembled slightly, and a faint smile softened her usually controlled expression.
"9S would have already given me some inane piece of trivia about how these were related to Lunar Tears."
She paused.
"Or why they weren't."
Her hand fell away from the flower.
2B stood and straightened her skirt before turning toward Su Yan.
"I apologise. I lost my composure."
Su Yan's hands tightened at his sides.
"You don't have to apologise for that, 2B."
He fell quiet for a moment.
Then he took a slow breath.
"I'll find a way."
2B looked at him.
"To reunite you with them. 6O, 9S… the others."
His voice remained steady.
"I don't know how long it will take, and I don't know how I'll do it yet."
He looked directly at her.
"But I promise you, one day I'll find a way to bring you all together again."
"Su Yan…"
A small, gentle smile appeared on her face.
"Thank you, Su Yan."
For a moment, Su Yan could only stare.
A breeze caught 2B's hair, sending a few white strands across her face. She raised a hand to gently brush them back into place.
In that moment, Su Yan thought she looked like the most beautiful girl in the world.
Then a loud voice shattered the moment.
"Ah! I see you've taken an interest in the Silver Star Flowers. Beautiful things, aren't they? They were rather difficult to cultivate here. Normally, you can only find them high in the mountains, but—"
Su Yan tuned Wei Jian out.
By the time he looked back at 2B, her usual composed expression had already returned.