“Just handling some things, what’s up?”
The light wasn’t fully on, and Ling Xuan’s face was hidden in the dim shadows, his expression obscured.
“Come home earlier next time,” he paused for a moment, then added, “Mom will worry.”
Ling Qingzhou still gave in to his son’s request. “Mm.”
“I’m going to sleep now, you should rest early too.”
The day after signing the contract, Ling Qingzhou and Yi Hansheng began working on the purchase of the old houses on Qingtong Street.
Given their current status, this small matter didn’t require their direct involvement. They simply delegated it, and there were plenty of people eager to run errands for them.
With the price set right and rumors spreading, many property owners who had long lost faith in this area were quick to sign the contracts, eager to sell.
But there was also a group of people who hesitated:
“Why were these houses unsellable before and now they’re suddenly in demand? Doesn’t it seem strange?”
“We’ve already been holding onto these houses for more than a decade. A couple more years won’t hurt. We might even get lucky and have them demolished, which would be more profitable than selling.”
“No rush, let’s wait and see. Didn’t they say on TV to let the bullets fly for a while?”
“…”
To address this group, Jiang Fuyue, Ling Qingzhou, and Yi Hansheng had a special meeting.
Yi Hansheng said, “If you ask me, it’s just pure greed! When these houses were unsellable, they were begging to sell, practically groveling. Now that buyers are lined up, they’re hiding them, not even wanting to sell. Don’t they realize how little those houses are actually worth?”
Ling Qingzhou said, “They’re not worth much now, but who can say for sure about the future?”
Yi Hansheng frowned, “Which side are you on? Why are you speaking with such sarcasm?”
Ling Qingzhou lazily lifted an eyelid, “I’m just stating the truth, what are you so upset about?”
Jiang Fuyue shook her head. “Given Lou Mingxin’s greedy nature, plus the low property values in this area with little competition, the price Lou’s company offers might not even be as attractive as what we’re offering now.”
At this point, Ling Qingzhou stopped speaking.
Yi Hansheng glanced at him, snorting lightly, “Looking at the resident information we have, it’s clear that most of these property owners have a low level of education. Even if they all gathered together, it would just be a mob. Don’t expect them to challenge Lou’s company.”
Ling Qingzhou replied, “The problem now is that the majority of these people are hesitating, and I suspect they’ll raise their asking prices soon. Should we agree if that happens?”
At this point, the two of them stopped arguing and both turned to look at Jiang Fuyue.
“Don’t agree.”
“What if Lou’s company moves faster?”
“That’s why our ‘no agreement’ can only last for a week. If we don’t settle things within that time, we won’t be able to negotiate at all.”
“Ultimately, we might end up agreeing to their price. If that’s the case, why go through the trouble of this week?”
Jiang Fuyue shook her head. “In this week, don’t do anything.”
Both men looked surprised. “Then what will our people do?”
“Wait.”
She maintained a nonchalant attitude, waiting for the group of people to approach her voluntarily.
Jiang Fuyue: “People are strange. They may not appreciate something that’s pushed on them, but if you stop offering it, others will fight for it. Let our people lie low for now. If anyone comes to us after having been approached once, just leave their contact number. Don’t go back a second time.”
Sure enough—
After Jiang Fuyue’s instructions were followed strictly, those who had been resolute about not selling started to become restless.
The most direct sign of this was that they began calling, probing the situation with indirect questions.
The staff, well-versed in the prepared scripts, smoothly engaged in verbal fencing, with a calm tone and an arrogant attitude. If the conversation dragged on, they would subtly express some impatience, as though it truly didn’t matter whether or not they bought—”I don’t really need this set, but I could buy it if I wanted” was the attitude they conveyed.
After a single phone call, the group was thoroughly unsettled.
By the next day, they agreed to sell the properties, fearing that the buyer would change their mind and not purchase. Their words were full of flattery and desperation.
The treatment of the staff went from “serving the seller” to being treated like a VIP, and that feeling was undoubtedly very satisfying.
When Ling Qingzhou received the news, he stared out of the floor-to-ceiling window, momentarily lost in thought.
Then, a sigh escaped his lips: “Ginger is still most spicy when old…”
Yi Hansheng, also with a complicated expression, reflected on how, even after twenty years, the miss seemed to grow younger while her mind worked faster than theirs.
Whether it was Lou Mingyue or Jiang Fuyue, they both shone, making it hard to look away.
Soon enough, the houses from the stubborn sellers were gradually acquired.
But there were still a few holdouts—owners who were adamant about not selling unless they got a higher price. Fortunately, it was only two or three households.
Yi Hansheng wanted to continue ignoring them, but Jiang Fuyue shook her head.
“This method clearly isn’t working on them. If we keep waiting, the result will be the same.”
“What should we do then?”
Jiang Fuyue: “Raise the price. If they want 10,000 per square meter, give them that price and have them sign a non-disclosure agreement.”
Yi Hansheng frowned: “Isn’t that unfair to the first group of sellers?”
Jiang Fuyue smiled slightly: “In this world, there’s no such thing as absolute fairness. If they don’t want to take the risk of not selling, they won’t get the extra reward. But these three families did, so the extra 2,000 per square meter is what they deserve.”
It’s like holding stock—those who sell first can’t blame those who sell later for earning more per share.
Risk and return are always proportional.
Yi Hansheng’s gaze toward Jiang Fuyue changed once again. He was no longer looking at “Lou Mingyue,” nor the “miss” in his heart. Instead, he saw another businessman, someone colder and more powerful than he was!
