Chapter 125 Chapter 125: Eating each other's melons.
Liu Suqin and Julie walked into the bar arm in arm, talking and laughing, and found a corner seat to sit down.
Both of them were not unfamiliar with this kind of occasion. Julie took Liu Suqin to a bar for the first time in her life, so she simply flipped through two pages of the menu and quickly ordered two special cocktails and a salad platter.
There is no minimum consumption here, but seats are hard to come by, so Liu Suqin booked a spot in advance through the hotel front desk.
The young waiter in a shirt and vest closed the menu, greeted politely, and went to the bar to prepare.
There were no guests moving around the room. Everyone sat quietly in their seats, either concentrating on enjoying the wonderful performance on the stage or whispering to their companions.
In order to create this quiet and comfortable atmosphere, the waiters do not stay nearby all the time. They ring the service bell or raise their hands to remind each table of customers, and then disappear quietly into the dark corner.
So after ordering the food, with no outsiders disturbing the small, independent space around them, Liu Suqin unconsciously relaxed her sitting posture, chuckled and looked across at them. She was about to tease her friend about her recent busyness - the year was already half over, and this was only their second gathering.
Most of the communication is by phone on weekdays.
But before she could even start a joke, Julie spoke first, her eyes sparkling with excitement, trying to keep her voice down. "Aqin, I heard your house was demolished?"
Liu Suqin's lips twitched. "You've been traveling around Shanghai and other cities these past few months. I don't think you've been back to Shenzhen. How come you're so well-informed?"
"Just because I didn't go back doesn't mean others didn't go back. Such a big thing, as long as one colleague knows, basically the whole company will know." Julie also relayed the various versions she heard from her colleagues. Some said that Liu Suqin's family got a building through demolition, some said that she got more than a dozen houses at one time, and some said that she asked for it all in cash and got several million directly, and was already lying at home counting the money.
Julie, who had never seen such a scene, was stunned.
In fact, Liu Suqin had heard these versions from Afeng. They had never seen such legends about demolition households in Gangcheng, and they could not imagine that a good friend had become a hot topic. Afeng immediately ran to Liu Suqin's house to gossip, and Liu Suqin and Lin Nanjiang also carefully explained the inside story to him.
Practice makes perfect. Liu Suqin skillfully explained and clarified to Julie, "The company's version is too exaggerated. They said they'd get dozens of houses and hundreds of millions in cash from the demolition. That's because we're already a wealthy family. If we had an entire factory that was demolished, the compensation would be more than tens of millions, maybe even hundreds of millions. But we only have a small house of 80 square meters, plus a shop of over 40 square meters. At the market price of around 4,000 per square meter, we can get around 500,000 in cash, plus a new house and shop."
Julie suddenly understood. "I understand now. The more you demolish, the more you get. That's the principle. And they're paying compensation based on the market price of 4,000 yuan per square meter. But I remember the second-hand house you bought seemed very cheap. So even if it's not as exaggerated as the rumors say, it's still worth it."
It is not an exaggeration to say that he became rich overnight.
Seeing the excitement and a little envy on her friends' faces, Liu Suqin felt more at ease and continued to share, "It's worth it. The cash plus the market value of the two houses, the compensation we received this time is over one million. But when we bought these two houses, it only cost a few hundred thousand."
Julie covered her mouth and exclaimed, "Oh my god, aren't you guys making a killing? This is more profitable than robbing a bank."
Now I can understand why colleagues in Shenzhen, or in other words, all from the mainland, look so enthusiastic when talking about demolition.
But Julie didn't feel much other than envying her friends' good fortune and being happy for them. After all, she didn't own a house in the mainland, so she couldn't really relate to the situation. So after satisfying her whimsical craving, she shifted her gaze and began to instigate, "Haven't you always envied me for buying a house in Hong Kong? It just so happens that I got a large compensation this time, which is more than enough for the down payment for a house. Why don't you buy one over there and be my neighbor? Fangfang might need it for school later."
Liu Suqin really envied Julie from the bottom of her heart. That house could be described in one word: quality rather than quantity. The appreciation potential of her house might be equal to all the properties under her name. This is a real high-quality asset.
But when Julie suggested this, her first reaction was to shake her head. "I'd rather spend so much money to buy a house in Hong Kong than go to the capital. Aren't the courtyard houses in the capital so attractive?"
Then I thought that this is Shanghai. Don’t these old houses, which are limited in number and one less each time they are sold, have more investment value than the pigeon cages in Hong Kong?
By the way, Suzhou and Hangzhou, where they are about to go, are also home to many precious and rare private gardens. If one could own one, it would be a royal enjoyment. It would have a high collection value and also great emotional value.
Each and every one of them is more valuable than investing in real estate in Hong Kong.
Liu Suqin counted on her fingers like a treasure, successfully promoting her friend's reverse promotion. The two of them imagined the happy life they would have if they could own one of the gardens or old houses in the future. Finally, they both sighed, "It turns out that we still have to work hard to make money."
"Speaking of this," Liu Suqin asked with concern, "Did you successfully rent out the house in Gangcheng? Are you still under a lot of financial pressure?"
"Everything is going smoothly. After deducting annual taxes, maintenance fees, and the agent's commission, the rent I earn can offset one-third of the monthly mortgage payments. Plus, Mr. Su gave me another raise this year, so the mortgage payments are basically stress-free now." Julie sighed in a relaxed tone. "Come to think of it, since working with Mr. Su, I haven't felt broke in years. Last year, I emptied my savings to buy a house, and I had to save money to hire contractors to renovate it. Every day I wake up, I'm faced with the pressure of a huge monthly mortgage payment. It's so frustrating that my hair is falling out. I almost asked you for help."
"Actually, we should have approached Afeng first. You know, we've known each other for many years, and I was the one who introduced him to President Su. He'd definitely be happy to help. But he also needed to buy a house and renovate it at the time, and he's a big spender himself. I guess he's willing but unable to do so. It would be more reliable to approach you, a wealthy woman, directly."
"I wouldn't call you rich, but we agreed long ago that if anything were needed, I'd let you know. I've already prepared an emergency fund, but I haven't heard from you yet." Liu Suqin asked curiously, "How did you get through it in the end? Did you really save up bit by bit?"
"...Then I'm not that hard-working." Julie was speechless before laughing. "Actually, President Su signed a check for me to use as an emergency measure."
Liu Suqin was not surprised by Mr. Su's generosity. Instead, she was more interested in the check that she had never seen in her life. She pulled her friend aside and asked about many related details.
When she heard that the check from Mr. Su was only for 100,000, she widened her eyes and asked worriedly, "Isn't the amount a little small? Did you get a cold shoulder when you went to the bank to cash it?"
In novels and TV shows involving checks, aren't the amounts starting from several million? Isn't it a bit too down-to-earth to write a check for a mere 100,000?
Julie laughed and said, "Why would you think that? A check for one hundred thousand is already quite a lot. I didn't even dare to withdraw cash and asked the staff to transfer it to my account for me."
After learning about her friends' stereotypes about checkbooks, she began to explain, "Did you know that the minimum amount of a check is one hundred dollars?"
Liu Suqin: "Ah, can you write a check for a hundred dollars?"
"Sure. Mr. Su and his team use checks mainly for convenience and flexibility, and to save a lot of time. The amount doesn't really matter."
Liu Suqin was just enjoying the melon. After satisfying her curiosity, she stopped dwelling on the topic and instead asked about gossip about her former boss.
Julie was still very tight-lipped. She could share her past boyfriends with Liu Suqin, but she only started to reveal some harmless gossip about her boss's private life after Liu Suqin resigned.
For example, Mr. Su went abroad for vacation during the Spring Festival that year and met a handsome blond and blue-eyed man. He started a romantic foreign love affair. For a while, he flew abroad frequently and even bought a property there.
Of course, Ms. Su is not a love-brained person. She flew abroad to make some connections and hoped to use more advanced equipment and channels outside to open up more business sectors, such as the fashion and beauty industries, which are considered a desert in the mainland.
Liu Suqin's heart moved. She was about to start a conversation about this with her friends when a group of people suddenly passed by them and said that it was already twelve o'clock. She raised her wrist to check the time and said, "It's so late. I didn't realize it at all."
"Time flies by so fast." Julie put down her watch with a lingering feeling. "What should I do? I have to go to work tomorrow."
"Let's talk about this first. I'll go with you to get a taxi."
Julie didn't refuse her kindness, but she remained seated, reluctant to get up. "You guys are going to Suzhou and Hangzhou tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, right? I wonder when our next small gathering will be."
Liu Suqin smiled and said, "Maybe soon. We are still considering going to Hong Kong for the Spring Festival this year. Then we will have plenty of time to go shopping and chat."
"But Hong Kong is small and crowded. You can only go there for a few days to shop. Are you planning to stay for the entire New Year?" Julie was halfway through complaining when her eyes suddenly lit up. "You haven't taken Xiao Fangfang abroad yet, right? How about we go on vacation together this New Year? My English is pretty good, and I've accompanied President Su on overseas business before. I can be your guide and translator."
Of course Liu Suqin was more than happy to do so. If Julie hadn't suggested it, she might have put overseas travel on her agenda in a year or two. However, they had no experience and couldn't understand foreign languages, so they would have to travel with a tour group. How could it be as relaxing and enjoyable as traveling with friends?
But she still wanted to remind him, "When I take Fangfang and Dad with me, it will definitely not be as relaxing and comfortable as if you go out to play by yourself."
Julie didn't care. "You definitely have to take Xiao Fangfang with you. I wouldn't agree even if you didn't want to. As for your husband, let him be the one holding the baby and carrying the shopping bags. But he might be too busy to handle it all by himself. Ask Afeng if he's interested."
Having traveled together in Hong Kong before, Liu Suqin felt that the two of them would make great travel partners. She nodded happily and said, "That's great. Afeng lives nearby now and often comes to my house for meals. Nanjiang also likes to hang out at his studio at home when he's free. We'll ask him what he thinks when we get back."
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