Shao Guangrong’s house was cool.

Xia Xiaolan’s design plan somehow transformed this small house, which originally had no living room or dining room, into a space with clearly defined living areas. Using an entire wall to separate the living room and bedroom wasn’t feasible, as it would have turned the originally well-lit large room into a dark chamber.

The 4-square-meter balcony outside the room was preserved. Though it originally had no windows, now glass windows were installed outside the balcony that could be freely opened and closed, not affecting ventilation while significantly improving the room’s insulation and warmth. Between the bedroom and living room, and between the bedroom and balcony, there were waist-high brick walls topped with full glass panels. With steel frames as the skeleton and half-square-meter transparent glass panels, when all curtains were opened, sunlight could penetrate through all living spaces.

This was how the living room was sectioned off.

Between the choices of placing a small sofa or increasing storage space, since Shao Guangrong said it was a marriage home, Xia Xiaolan made several small cabinets arranged against the wall, topped with thick cushions that served just like small sofas while providing much more storage space.

The 4-square-meter balcony certainly couldn’t be used just for drying clothes; it could fit a small washing machine.

Shao Guangrong’s bed was interesting, with an entire row of wardrobes behind it.

The carpenter said he’d never done such work before and simply couldn’t understand why anyone would give up carved three-door wardrobes for a row of cabinets behind the bed. Liu Yong insisted the carpenter do it this way and even rejected his suggestion to paint the wardrobes reddish-brown, much to the carpenter’s dissatisfaction!

However, those who pay are the boss, so the carpenter still built the cabinets according to the design.

The carpenter’s dissatisfaction didn’t matter – when the entire renovation was complete, Shao Guangrong was very satisfied. Few men enjoy tidying up rooms, and this row of cabinets was perfect – not only could it store clothes, but it could also contain all sorts of miscellaneous items.

Shao Guangrong was as pleased with this feature as he was with the open bar that could serve drinks!

When Xia Xiaolan had said the bar counter could serve as a dining table for five or six people, Shao Guangrong thought about gatherings with five or six friends, with drinks pulled out from under the bar… This kind of comfortable, free design would make his group of friends look particularly unsophisticated in comparison.

Shao Guangrong had never thought the popular red furniture was ugly before, but after seeing his own house, his previously muddled aesthetic sense found a new standard. This was exactly the house he wanted – no eye-piercing colors, and curtains that weren’t those small floral prints but solid colors: thick dark blue fabric and white gauze, a combination that Shao Guangrong found pleasing no matter how he looked at it.

The windows were only half-person height, but the curtains hung from ceiling to floor, stopping just 10 centimeters above the ground.

His house was very “trendy.” Although limited by contemporary renovation materials, making some details impossible to match future styles, Xia Xiaolan hadn’t chosen any ready-made furniture. Everything from the wardrobes to the bed, the storage cabinets serving as sofa chairs, and even the semi-open kitchen bar counter was custom-made.

Crystal lamps were expensive and would exceed the budget, and they wouldn’t match Shao Guangrong’s style anyway, so Xia Xiaolan designed light strips and spotlights instead. Light strips were cheap, and small bulbs hidden in the suspended ceiling didn’t cost much either, yet created an excellent effect when lit.

The only downside was that while the glass walls provided excellent lighting, the semi-open kitchen allowed cooking fumes to escape easily, making glass cleaning a challenging household chore – but Shao Guangrong didn’t mind at all. He rarely cooked himself, and if this was to be his future marriage home, his wife would handle both cooking and glass cleaning.

After seeing the new house, Shao Guangrong patted Kang Wei’s shoulder:

“I’ll pay you back half the money next week.”

He should have brought his family to see this – if not paying the entire renovation fee, paying half wouldn’t be a problem!

Kang Wei, however, wasn’t inspecting the house alone; he had to bring his mother home to see it.

When Grandmother Kang heard the house renovation was complete, although she knew her precious eldest grandson wouldn’t move in for several months, she was still reluctant to let go. During the inspection, Kang Wei’s mother showed little interest, which didn’t surprise Grandmother Kang – her daughter-in-law wore that expression for everything.

But Grandmother Kang was interested.

When the mother-in-law spoke, Kang Wei’s mother had to at least make a show of interest.

If Shao Guangrong’s house was “minimalist cool,” then Kang Wei, with sufficient funds, had his house decorated in a stylish yet cozy manner. European luxury could be installed, but that would be more like a hotel, lacking the warmth of home, and Kang Wei’s family particularly needed that sense of domestic life.

The slightly Japanese-style warmth, with very light overall tones and extensive use of natural wood colors.

Bright, clean color schemes were the core highlight of Kang Wei’s home, complemented by Gong Yang’s paintings and visible greenery everywhere.

The old clumsy furniture had been thoroughly cleared out. This was a new home with no traces of the past, yet it looked bright and warm – Kang Wei’s mother simply couldn’t reject it. Her initial lack of interest seemed to change somewhat. The master bedroom’s large balcony had been enclosed, altering the structure between the master bedroom and balcony, and now the house had a piano room.

The forgotten piano sat in the new piano room.

Kang Wei’s mother could play the piano; she had always been a refined person.

She had always been a woman who lived an exquisite life. Even though the term “petite bourgeois” didn’t exist yet, Kang Wei’s mother truly embodied that style.

That piano, after Kang Wei’s father’s sacrifice, she had never touched it.

The balcony-turned-piano room had excellent lighting, filled with green plants, with hanging orchids above the piano. Everything seemed to emit a silent invitation for Kang Wei’s mother to notice the piano – she couldn’t help but lift the piano cover, her fingers brushing across the keys, releasing flowing music.

Grandmother Kang and Kang Wei didn’t interrupt.

After finishing a piece, Kang Wei’s mother complained slightly:

“My piano skills are rusty, and the piano needs maintenance!”

Kang Wei immediately approached with a grin, “I’ll find someone to maintain the piano tomorrow, Mom, take a look at this kitchen.”

The kitchen looked great too!

Kang Wei thought if his mother would someday cook him a meal in the new kitchen – it didn’t need to be complicated, just dumplings would do… it would be like a dream, one that would make him smile even in his sleep!

Grandmother Kang walked around everywhere; with such a renovation, the entire home’s atmosphere had changed. Kang Wei’s father had been gone for so many years, that being constantly remembered might not let the deceased rest peacefully either.

“Who did you find to renovate Little Wei’s house so well?”

Grandmother Kang asked casually, but Kang Wei looked vigilant. Unlike Shao Guangrong, he was very cautious. His mother was close friends with Auntie Guan, and if his mother knew, wouldn’t Auntie Guan find out too?

“Why are you asking about this? You wouldn’t know them anyway. Isn’t the house renovation beautiful enough?”

Grandmother Kang couldn’t argue – it was indeed very beautiful.

The renovation money came from Kang Wei himself. Her grandson had grown up and could earn money now – Grandmother Kang felt both pride and a sense of loss, like a young eagle about to leave the nest. After inspecting the kitchen, Kang Wei’s mother suddenly asked: “Your Auntie Guan said Zhou Cheng is dating someone, and she dislikes it… Kang Wei, if you find a girlfriend, please bring her home for Mom to see first, okay?”