Chapter 529: Inland Commodity Housing
Chapter 529: Inland Commodity Housing
The following week, Lu Jiaxin paid a visit to Wufu Jewelry, just as she had mentioned to Yu Meotong. She met with several mid-level managers to understand the company's operations and financial situation. However, she only discussed the company's development and areas for improvement with Liang Weibo.
After concluding their business discussion, Lu Jiaxin handed Liang Weibo a design manuscript, "These are some of the latest designs I've been working on. Take a look and see if they might be of use."
Liang Weibo eagerly flipped through the manuscript, admiring the unique jewelry designs. He praised Lu Jiaxin's innate design talent and subtly inquired about when Wanjia Film would be producing a fashion-themed movie.
Lu Jiaxin instantly understood his implication and smiled, "We'll produce a fashion film if we come across a good script. There's no point in filming something that won't attract an audience."
She didn't want to overwhelm herself, so she left the management of Wanjia Film primarily to Tian Pengyu. Given the popularity of wuxia and action films in Hong Kong, he was currently riding on that trend. Thanks to their careful selection of scripts and renowned directors, their films were assured of quality, and the film company was managing to break even.
Liang Weibo cut straight to the point, "Boss, the last movie we sponsored saw a surge in our sales and greatly increased our brand's exposure. If we could have a few more such collaborations, Wufu Jewelry would experience another boom, and our brand recognition would soar once more."
Lu Jiaxin glanced at him and smiled, "I'll think about it."
She only stayed at Wufu Jewelry for the morning and headed out for lunch before returning home. But as soon as she arrived, she received a call from Su Heyuan, who excitedly informed her that he had acquired an ancient painting and a ceramic vase that he wanted her to come and see.
Intrigued, Lu Jiaxin set off for Su's residence without even considering a nap. Upon her arrival, she was pleased to find that the items were well worth the trip—a painting of ladies by Tang Bohu and a Yuhuchun vase. The vase, with its slender neck and round body, exuded elegance. Its smooth lines were adorned with a pattern of fruits and flowers, and the white porcelain with blue painting gave it a simple yet refined appearance.
"This vase is identical to the one in the New Year picture of Guanyin Bodhisattva," Su Heyuan remarked. "You can put willow branches in it, and it's said to bring good fortune."
Lu Jiaxin, now well-versed in ceramics, explained, "This is a Yuhuchun vase. Its design originated from the purification vases used in temples during the Tang Dynasty and took its final form in the Northern Song Dynasty. Initially, it was used as a wine vessel, but over time, it transformed into an ornamental piece."
Due to the emergence of numerous precious varieties, it is considered one of the classic designs in Chinese ceramics. She had a similar piece in her collection, though not as exquisite as this one.
Su Heyuan couldn't help but express his admiration, "You sure know a lot."
Lu Jiaxin smiled, "I have a fondness for ceramics, all kinds of exquisite pieces. So, I've taken the time to learn about them. This vase is indeed beautiful, but since we can't be sure if it was intended for burial, it might be safer to keep it out of sight."
Burial goods were considered inauspicious, so it was best to lock them away in a bank safe deposit box. Lu Jiaxin didn't bother examining the ladies' painting, as it was already hers to take home and appreciate at her leisure. She sat down and enjoyed a cup of jasmine tea, a smile playing on her lips as she asked, "Why did you specifically call me over? If it was just about these two antiques, you could have just sent them over with your bodyguard."
"Jiaxin," Su Heyuan began, "you mentioned that Shengyuan Real Estate intends to focus on the mainland market in the future. I've received news that there are plans to construct another batch of commodity houses inland, and I want to bid for the project."
Lu Jiaxin smiled, "This is a great opportunity to expand your network, so of course, you should bid. However, there will likely be a lot of interested parties, and you might not be able to secure the bid on your own. To play it safe, I think you should partner with Wansheng Real Estate."
Su Heyuan hesitated, "But if we partner with Wansheng Real Estate, they'll be the primary contractor, and we'll play a secondary role."
Lu Jiaxin didn't see the need to dwell on this: "You should know that the inland market lacks both experience and funding in this regard. Wansheng Real Estate has been in the industry for twenty-eight years. They have their own dedicated construction company, abundant capital, and extensive experience—your Yuan Sheng pales in comparison. If Yuan Sheng were to bid, the likelihood of losing is high."
Although Su Heyuan had the backing of the Xie family, the country's current focus was on economic development. Under similar conditions, they might choose him; but if Yuan Sheng were vastly outperformed by other bidders, they would undoubtedly select a well-known, reputable company.
Su Heyuan nodded in agreement.
Lu Jiaxin continued, "A few years ago, the first batch of commodity houses was released in Tuanjiehu, Kyoto, at 400 yuan per square meter, but they barely sold any units over half a year. So, you need to consider carefully who your target customer base is for these commodity houses."
Although a small portion of people in the mainland had become wealthy, they were still a minority, and this minority might not be inclined to live in commodity housing. Take herself, for example; she preferred living in a spacious and quiet traditional compound house. Meanwhile, the average price for commodity housing within the Second Ring Road had already surpassed 1,000 yuan per square meter, with each unit costing over a hundred thousand yuan. How many families could afford that?
Su Heyuan smiled and said, "You don't have to worry about that. When the time comes, I'll get my buddies to buy them. Those guys love to keep up appearances, and they'll follow suit when they see me making a purchase."
He paused before adding, "There are also many investors from Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and foreign countries in the capital right now, and they are all potential customers."
Seeing that he had a good grasp of the situation, Lu Jiaxin didn't say anything more.
Su Heyuan asked when Lu Jiaxin planned to get engaged: "The last time I spoke with Nie Zhan, he mentioned that you would get engaged after your graduation. Now that it's already March, you should ask a master to choose an auspicious date."
Lu Jiaxin smiled and replied, "We initially planned to get engaged this year, but the actions of the Nie family have made me uncomfortable, so I've changed my mind."
Su Heyuan was startled: "Has the Nie family been making moves on your property?"
Lu Jiaxin let out a soft laugh: "I think it was just a test. If I had known about it and not reacted, who knows what their next step would have been. I told Nie Zhan that we'll discuss the engagement later, and they've backed off for now."
Su Heyuan was not surprised, and he said, "You've invested nearly 5 billion yuan in Xin Xin Property. You're buying high-quality properties and land, and the external valuation is over 10 billion yuan. This is all pre-IPO and completely yours. Who wouldn't be envious? I'm envious and jealous too."
He now had assets worth over 400 million yuan, which was impressive for someone his age, but compared to Lu Jiaxin, it was like comparing a grain of sand to the vast ocean.
Lu Jiaxin smiled and said, "What's there to be envious or jealous about? I'm short on money right now. There's another luxury house for sale in Repulse Bay, but I don't have the funds for it."
Su Heyuan rolled his eyes at her, saying, "You're saying this because you know I'm going to lend you money, and you're trying to shut me up?"
Lu Jiaxin laughed heartily: "I'm not a worm in your belly—how would I know you want to borrow money from me? To be honest, I don't have much cash on hand either. The rent collected by Xin Xin Property isn't even enough to cover the bank interest. I want to acquire more high-quality properties, but I don't have the funds, so I'm planning to raise more money."
Su Heyuan immediately became interested: "Then what are you planning to do?"
"Buy the Nikkei Index," Lu Jiaxin said. This was something she remembered clearly, and it would be a waste not to make money from it. After all, buying in small amounts wouldn't attract attention.
Su Heyuan immediately said, "Then I'll buy it with you."
Lu Jiaxin said, "Don't let a third person know about this. Nie Zhan doesn't like me trading foreign exchange and index futures. He's afraid that I'll gamble too much."
"Okay."
(End of Chapter)
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