Chapter 277: Adrian Arrived Right on Time

After lunch, Adrian arrived right on time. The adults decided not to bring the three children along—it was freezing outside, and the kids wouldn’t be much help. In the end, only the four adults set out.

Elena, worried the children might get bored, turned on the TV. A rerun of the New Year holiday Gala was playing, occasionally interrupted by drama episodes. The three kids were immediately captivated by the moving images in the small box.

Adrian drove them to their destination, which took about half an hour. Elena surveyed the surroundings—rows of single-story houses, neatly arranged like military barracks. Though modest, the close-knit buildings retained warmth surprisingly well.

Adrian pulled out a key and unlocked one of the doors. Despite the lack of heating, the interior was comfortably warm. The space consisted of three large rooms, with the middle one dimly lit but spacious. Each room could easily fit two beds and some cabinets.

"This belongs to Captain Lane’s family," Adrian explained as he showed them around. "His parents moved in with his older brother and wanted to rent it out for extra income. Fifteen dollars a month, utilities not included. The furniture comes with it—just don’t damage anything. There’s also a small kitchen outside."

Rose and Nolan exchanged glances. It wasn’t as spacious as their home in the village, but finding such a place in the city was already a stroke of luck.

"Captain Stone, about the rent..." Rose hesitated, mentally calculating. Fifteen dollars could buy a hundred eggs back in the village.

"Rose," Adrian cut in gently, "let’s check out the neighborhood first. Renting isn’t just about comfort—it’s also about whether the location suits your business plans."

Rose fell silent. She had to admit her younger sister had more experience in such matters.

Nolan nodded in agreement. His sister-in-law had lived in the city longer and had a better grasp of things.

The four of them headed to the commercial district. Despite it being mid-morning, the streets were already bustling. Elena observed the foot traffic, her mind working. This area was ideal for fast food, but a hot pot restaurant might not fit. People came here to shop—who’d want to splurge on a leisurely hot pot meal?

A thought crossed her mind: maybe her sister should start with something simpler, like spicy skewers. But one look at the icy streets made her dismiss the idea. Making money was important, but not at the expense of her sister and brother-in-law suffering in the cold.

"Not satisfied?" Adrian noticed her hesitation.

Elena voiced her concerns. "Ideally, we’d want a street-facing shop with space for ten tables and a roomy kitchen. If there’s living quarters attached, even better—it’d save us the commute."

Adrian thought for a moment. "Don’t worry, it’s only the sixth day of the new year. Many shops haven’t reopened yet. I’ll ask around these next couple of days."

Elena smiled sheepishly. "I’m being too impatient. Let’s head back—I’ll make hot pot for everyone!" They’d been out all morning and hadn’t even stopped for lunch.

Adrian’s eyes lit up. "There’s a big market up ahead—it should be open today. Let’s grab ingredients. I’m curious about this hot pot you keep mentioning."

Back at the dormitory, Elena’s sister eyed the mountain of groceries but held her tongue. She didn’t want to embarrass Elena in front of Adrian.

The three children eagerly helped carry the bags inside. Elena and her sister shed their coats and dove into the kitchen.

"Adrian," Elena called out, "could you find us an electric stove?"

Without a word, Adrian threw on his coat and left.

The sisters worked in tandem—Elena’s sister washed and prepped the vegetables while Elena stir-fried the hot pot base. The pungent, spicy aroma made them cough, and even the kids in the living room noticed. Elena hurried to open a window, letting in a gust of icy wind—still better than suffocating on chili fumes.

Once everything was ready, Elena sliced the rock-hard frozen lamb into thin pieces. The freezing weather had its perks—no need for a fridge when anything left outside turned solid in minutes, perfect for making lamb rolls.