Chapter 206: Who's the Rich Guy?
Chapter 206: Who's the Rich Guy?
Jiang Xia and Zhou Chenglei followed them to the unfinished seafood market, which was still under construction.
The couple rode a motorcycle, while Li Zhihua drove a new small car.
After a brief conversation with the security guard, Li Zhihua led them inside.
Zhou Chenglei walked around the market and whispered to Jiang Xia, "I'm thinking of buying ten stalls near the East Gate exit, and another five shops with warehouses. What do you think?"
Jiang Xia's heart skipped a beat.
According to Li Zhihua, the stalls near the South Gate exit had already been sold, but none at the East Gate. He believed that both the East and South Gates would prosper equally. As for the North Gate, Jiang Xia recalled that it would be for selling vegetables and would also be bustling.
The West Gate's location wasn't as desirable as the other three, and thus less valuable, but the market was large and famous enough that buying there wouldn't be a loss; it would still be a profitable investment.
Of course, the East and South Gates were the most expensive!
Jiang Xia wondered how Zhou Chenglei had figured this out.
Currently, the area surrounding the market was indeed quite desolate.
Jiang Xia did the math; excluding the cost of building, they had a total savings of 170,000 yuan. After purchasing ten stalls and five shops, they would have around 90,000 yuan left.
They also planned to pay an additional 50,000 yuan deposit at the shipyard, leaving them with over 40,000 yuan. Having cash on hand was crucial for the high-risk deep-sea ventures.
Furthermore, if the employee housing at the shipyard became available for purchase, 40,000 yuan should be sufficient.
"Okay, I'll leave it to you."
Zhou Chenglei then informed Li Zhihua of his intention to purchase ten stalls at the East Gate exit and five shops with warehouses at the outermost part.
Li Zhihua was so shocked that his jaw almost dropped, "How much?"
He couldn't help but take another look at Zhou Chenglei and Jiang Xia, wondering about their background. Were they wealthy? Did they return from overseas?
Jiang Xia repeated herself.
Li Zhihua was so excited that his hands trembled. After only meeting twice, he couldn't believe the trust these two had in him!
"Great! I'll take you to meet my brother-in-law. He's just returned, and I'll help negotiate a better price for you. Buying in bulk might get you an even better deal."
Jiang Xia and Zhou Chenglei followed him to meet his brother-in-law.
The brother-in-law was much older, likely over forty, and his accent suggested he wasn't a local but a fellow countryman.
The man was quite straightforward and knocked off another 500 yuan from the total price.
Jiang Xia then asked if they could pay 50,000 yuan upfront and settle the remaining 27,500 yuan upon taking possession of the shops.
The man agreed.
The transaction was formal, with contracts, receipts, official seals, and fingerprints.
As Jiang Xia and Zhou Chenglei left the office with a thick stack of shop purchase contracts, they ran into Li Zhihua's sister.
She was young and beautiful, appearing to be around twenty-five or twenty-six years old. Despite her pregnancy, she was stylish and had a well-proportioned figure, indicating that she must have had an excellent physique before pregnancy, as she still looked attractive while expecting.
With Li Zhihua's introduction, Jiang Xia smiled and greeted her before leaving.
It was already noon, so Jiang Xia and Zhou Chenglei returned to the Jiang family home for lunch, as they had planned to have lunch there before heading back to the village.
Jiang Fu wasn't home, likely still inspecting the typhoon's aftermath.
Jiang Mu saw their motorcycle parked downstairs and smiled, "It looks good. I've seen quite a few people driving this type of motorcycle on the road."
Jiang Xia smiled and shared the news of their purchase of ten stalls and five shops.
Jiang Mu was familiar with the seafood market, which was one of the city's significant projects. However, she had concerns, "Isn't it still under construction? How can you buy it so quickly? Are you sure you're not being scammed? Why didn't you discuss it with your father before making such a decision?"
Zhou Chenglei: "It's unlikely we're being scammed."
Jiang Xia showed the contract documents to Jiang Mu, "It's not fully constructed yet, but we happened to meet the developer's brother-in-law..."
Jiang Xia briefly explained the situation.
Jiang Mu flipped through the documents, looking at the signature. She recalled that the name sounded familiar, as Jiang Fu had mentioned an investor with the same name, rumored to be a wealthy businessman returning from Hong Kong.
A thought struck her, and she decided to purchase a stall and a shop in the seafood market. Perhaps she could also buy one for Jiang Dong.
Jiang Mu resolved to discuss it with Jiang Fu that evening.
After their meal, Jiang Xia and Zhou Chenglei left and headed straight to the shipyard. They paid a deposit of 50,000 yuan and also inquired about the employee housing.
Seeing their prompt payment, Factory Director Zhou felt slightly relieved; this couple was reliable!
But it was only a slight relief.
After all, the other bulk cargo ship they had ordered was incredibly expensive!
When Director Zhou heard that Jiang Xia was interested in employee housing, he said, "I'll keep one for you. Do you want a three-bedroom or a two-bedroom?"
Jiang Xia asked, "Are there only three-bedroom and two-bedroom options?"
"Yes."
"Can I have two units then? Even a three-bedroom won't be enough!"
Director Zhou was so angry that he blew his top and glared at her, "No way!"
Jiang Xia said, "Then give me a three-bedroom. Ideally, it should be on the middle floor, preferably on the second or third floor, not too high up. We have elderly family members, and I'm worried they won't be able to climb stairs when they get older."
Director Zhou couldn't help but laugh at her request. The second and third floors were the most popular choices. He waved his hand, "Get out! Get out! Don't come back!"
Jiang Xia smiled, "Director Zhou, you can allocate me just one unit, but could you help me find out if any colleagues who bought units want to sell? It would be best if the two units are on the same floor."
Director Zhou didn't want to talk to Jiang Xia anymore, "Just leave! On the eighth of next month, the city will hold a meeting for all units attending the Canton Fair. You can come then."
"Okay, is the Kent Ring ready?"
Director Zhou's spirits lifted, "It's ready! Come with me, and I'll show it to you!"
So, Jiang Xia and Zhou Chenglei went to see the newly completed Kent Ring.
Director Zhou proudly announced, "This Kent Ring has passed inspections and can carry a load of 340 tons, exceeding the standard by over 70 tons!"
Jiang Xia was delighted that it was completed just in time for the Canton Fair. She reminded him, "Remember to apply for the patent. We should apply for both domestic and international patents."
Director Zhou was surprised that Jiang Xia even knew about patents, as it wasn't common knowledge. He wondered if the National Patent Office had just been established. But then he remembered Jiang Xia's background, and it didn't seem strange anymore.
This girl was truly a hidden gem!
If it weren't for the higher-ups questioning him, he wouldn't have known about her.
He clearly remembered the astonished expression on the interrogator's face after he finished speaking.
Director Zhou asked again, "Do you also know how to apply for international patents?"
Jiang Xia mentioned the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PTC), which allows patent applicants to file international patent applications through the PTC route, enabling them to seek patents in multiple countries.
However, this process should also be possible in this era, right?
After leaving the shipyard, Jiang Xia and Zhou Chenglei rode their motorcycle back to the village, arriving at around 4 o'clock. It would have taken them until 6 o'clock if they had cycled.
The road back was muddy, and they saw numerous trees along the roadside that had been blown over by the wind and moved to the side.
Apparently, the typhoon had a more significant impact on the village than on the city.
The village pier was unusually bustling, and Jiang Xia vaguely heard people talking about how all the fish cages had been blown away, and the fish inside had died.
Jiang Xia's heart skipped a beat. Could it be her family's fish cage?
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(End of Chapter)
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