"Eleven thousand yuan, if we agree, we'll pay. I don't like to waste time. Buying a house by Xuanwu Lake in Jinling only cost me a few thousand yuan."
Over ten thousand yuan could buy a two-story Western-style house on the Bund in Shanghai; by any measure, it wouldn't be a loss. Amounts even over twenty thousand yuan were normal.
As for the price he paid for the house by Xuanwu Lake, it was entirely because the owner had gone to Southeast Asia. The old man managing the property had been so frightened in previous years that he'd sold it at a low price. Otherwise, that house would likely have cost at least eight thousand more.
"Director Zheng, this house is just sitting here idle. It's only two floors. It's not like a lane house where you can divide it up and give each person a few rooms. Otherwise, you would have already allocated it to nearby residents."
"If we can get eleven thousand yuan, the neighborhood committee can put it to good use for construction. At the very least, we could replace the old pipes and water lines, right?"
"Don't you want everyone to have clean and hygienic tap water when they turn on the faucet? If you handle this properly, the nearby residents will definitely thank you, Director Zheng."
The clerk sent by Hou Yong was quite persuasive, leaving Director Zheng momentarily stunned.
She had been somewhat hesitant, but seeing Chen Yang preparing to leave, she couldn't hold back any longer.
"Boss Chen, Boss Chen, wait! I agree, I agree, but we'll need to call a neighborhood committee meeting and have a few representatives vote to approve it."
"Please wait a moment, I'll notify them. We'll give you a reply by this afternoon at the latest, at this price."
Chen Yang looked at Director Zheng, who was smiling broadly, and inwardly sighed. People in Shanghai were so calculating. They wanted good reputation but were afraid of taking risks.
This "vote" was simply to have more people share the blame if anything went wrong. If it succeeded, the credit for improving the neighborhood would be hers alone.
As for whether the vote would pass, it entirely depended on Director Zheng's wishes. If she didn't want it to pass, she could simply not invite certain people to the voting meeting.
"Alright, Director Zheng, I'll await your good news."
Chen Yang wasn't in a hurry; buying a house was never an instant process.
"Boss Chen, regarding the renovation, I'll be responsible for contacting workers from the building materials factory. Don't worry, we'll definitely paint the walls beautifully for you. And the floor, we'll also paint it with a layer of paint..."
The clerk enthusiastically took on the tasks. He still hadn't mentioned exchanging the fifty thousand US dollars with Chen Yang. Without investment, there was no return.
Based on what he had done so far, Chen Yang was far from willing to exchange fifty thousand US dollars for the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Commerce and Industry.
"Whitewashing is fine, but painting the floor is unnecessary. Also, some of the furniture needs to be redone. The beds, cabinets, and all these doors, replace them all. And put a large iron gate outside."
"Clear the weeds in the yard and arrange to plant some flowers and plants. Ask my wife for the specifics; whatever she wants is fine. Just don't paint the floor."
Nowadays, Chinese people had no concept of environmental protection. Many people liked to paint their homes, which looked much better than bare cement.
The most common was painting the walls and floors green, a color that made Chen Yang's head ache.
Not only was it unsightly, but more importantly, Chen Yang worried about harmful gases. If there was any formaldehyde, how could he be at ease with Shen Xue and the children living there?
If it was just whitewashing, there was generally no formaldehyde. A lot of formaldehyde came from using latex paint and various adhesives in home decoration. These adhesives contained formaldehyde, which was a highly toxic substance that could cause cancer.
Most of the furniture nowadays used mortise and tenon joints, and many didn't even use nails, let alone adhesives.
"Boss Chen, rest assured, everything will be done according to your requirements."
Chen Yang nodded and didn't say much more. He was quite satisfied with the clerk sent by Hou Yong.
Initially, Chen Yang thought he would spend a lot of time buying and renovating the house. But now, he saw it was much easier than when he bought the house by Xuanwu Lake.
Back then, Chen Yang's family had spent several days cleaning up that house, exhausting themselves.
Now, everything was arranged by this clerk; he only needed to pay.
"Da Biao, you go with Xiao Zhou. If there's anything that needs to be spent on, you handle it."
"Xiao Zhou, don't worry, once the house is done, I'll arrange that fifty thousand US dollars for you."
"I'll also be going to Hong Kong later. If there's any foreign exchange, I'll prioritize the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Commerce and Industry."
"I also hope that Director Hou and I can have a pleasant cooperation. For future matters, I hope Director Hou can provide strong support."
If you want a horse to run, you have to feed it. Chen Yang was not a stingy person.
Of course, if things weren't done well, he wouldn't care about anyone's face. As a businessman, he was driven by profit. He wouldn't engage in losing ventures.
"Boss Chen, thank you. With your words, I will definitely handle the house matter properly. If you're not satisfied, I'll slap myself."
The clerk, Xiao Zhou, was overjoyed to hear that Chen Yang not only agreed to the fifty thousand US dollars but also offered to prioritize the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Commerce and Industry for future foreign exchange from Hong Kong.
He had exceeded Director Hou Yong's expectations. Upon returning, he would not only receive a bonus equal to a month's salary but also be treated to a meal by Director Hou.
Chen Yang didn't concern himself with the subsequent matters. The house was almost settled; all that remained was to pay. He left these matters to Zhang Da Biao.
The house would be transferred to Shen Xue's name. A businessman shouldn't have all his assets in his own name. Chen Yang felt more at ease with the house under Shen Xue's name.
Although he knew about future developments, unexpected events could still occur. A cunning rabbit has three burrows; he needed to make more preparations. If anything happened to him, Shen Xue and the children's lives should not be affected.
"Are you going back to school?"
Shen Xue saw how hurried Chen Yang was and knew he had been away from school for a long time.
But after being together for such a short period, having to part ways made Shen Xue very reluctant.
Most importantly, they had just arrived in an unfamiliar environment and knew no one except Chen Yang.
"I've written to my sister and brother-in-law. In a few days, my brother-in-law will be bringing my sister and child back, and we can have a meal together then."
"Mom and Dad might also come. My younger sister is studying in Beijing now, so they'll be free at home. With them accompanying you, you can also relax."
Chen Yang hugged Shen Xue. His eldest sister and brother-in-law occasionally returned to Shanghai. Their child was still young; otherwise, with Jinling and Shanghai so close, returning would be very convenient.