Chapter 432 Property Purchase
When Gu Xiao returned home, the light in the entryway was still on. He placed the file folder on the cabinet and looked up to see the mother and son eating side by side.
"Why are you still eating?" He raised his eyebrows slightly, casually draping his military jacket over the back of the chair.
Gu Zhao put down his chopsticks and began to boast: "Dad! Mom and I collaborated on a masterpiece!"
Gu Xiao looked at Nan Zhiyi, his gaze softening: "What do you mean? What masterpiece?"
Nan Zhiyi briefly explained the parent-child drawing incident and then asked him, "Have you eaten yet?"
"I've already eaten at the ministry."
"Would you like some more soup?"
Gu Xiao readily agreed, washed his hands, and sat down beside her.
He ate slowly with the mother and son. When Nan Zhiyi saw him return, her appetite improved, and she ate half a bowl more rice than usual.
After the meal, she was about to clear the dishes when Gu Xiao gently pressed her hand down: "You go ahead and do your work, Gu Zhao and I will clean up."
Nan Zhiyi smiled and nodded: "Alright, I'll leave it to you two, father and son."
She turned and went back to her study. Professor Wang's suggestions for revision were indeed spot on. When she finally finished revising the last chapter, she looked up and found Gu Xiao beside her. He had changed into his pajamas, and his hair was still damp.
"Are you done with work?"
Nan Zhiyi glanced at her watch, somewhat apologetically, "It's almost ten o'clock... I'm sorry, this paper is needed at the end of the month..."
Gu Xiao reached out and gently pinched her cheek, his fingertips still warm from his recent shower: "What nonsense are you talking about? You have your own career, and I'm proud of you."
"The first draft is finished, so I'm not so busy anymore." She reached out and wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face in his chest. "Gu Xiao, you're so good to me."
"Let's go wash up and rest."
The couple returned to the master bedroom.
When Nan Zhiyi returned after taking a shower, Gu Xiao took out the file folder and handed it to her: "Wife, didn't you say before that you wanted to buy a house? Take a look."
Nan Zhiyi opened the file bag, which contained information and floor plans for several properties.
Gu Xiao stood behind her chair and dried her hair with a dry towel.
Nan Zhiyi flipped through the documents.
"Now private individuals can buy and sell real estate? Didn't everyone have to be allocated housing by their work unit before?"
Gu Xiao leaned against the desk, his fingertip lightly tapping one of the documents: "This year's new policy is to pilot commercial housing. Several cities in the south have already started, and in Beijing..."
He pulled out the information sheet labeled "Donghuashi Community" and said, "These properties have proper sales permits."
She picked up another stack of blueprints for courtyard houses: "What about these private residences?"
"We're going through the inheritance and exchange process." Gu Xiao leaned over and pointed to the property documents. "These two households were purchased by overseas Chinese through remittances, and the other household is a private property returned to the government as part of policy implementation. Both can be transferred normally."
Nan Zhiyi's gaze lingered on several land parcel documents for a moment. "Buying them in my name won't affect you, will it?"
Gu Xiao chuckled and reached out to ruffle her slightly dry hair: "Your royalties and manuscript fees are all from legitimate sources. The military has investigated three times already. My wife earns more from writing than they do in ten years."
"The Central Military Commission just issued a document encouraging military families to start their own businesses. You're contributing to cultural undertakings. Besides..."
He lifted her from the chair, sat down himself, and then let her sit on his lap.
“I want everyone to know,” he whispered in her ear, “that my wife, Gu Xiao’s wife, not only writes well, but also has a keen eye for investment.”
Nan Zhiyi looked at him and asked, "What if we lose money?"
"If we lose money, we lose money."
"snort."
"If you're worried about attracting unwanted attention, you can buy two smaller properties first. Wait until the policies become clearer..."
Nan Zhiyi's fingertip landed on a piece of land data in the south: "How about we buy this first? We won't be staying here for a while anyway."
Gu Xiao raised an eyebrow, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes: "My wife has a good eye. This place is adjacent to the planned port, and it will at least quadruple in value within three years."
"It just so happens that Gu Yan is over there; he can help us make the arrangements."
Nan Zhiyi leaned gently on his shoulder, looking at the land area and price: "Okay." In her mind, she calculated the royalties and the money her parents had left her, knowing that keeping it in the bank would only lead to devaluation.
She didn't plan to go into business, but she still needed to acquire property for Gu Zhao and also to provide more security for herself and Gu Xiao.
"but…"
Nan Zhiyi picked up the information about the courtyard house in Houhai. "We need to finalize this one as soon as possible. Professor Wang said that in two years, even if you have the money, you won't be able to buy an old courtyard house near Peking University."
Gu Xiao understood and took out a pen to mark the two contracts: "Okay, let's get these two done first. Zhou Xingzhi knows someone at the housing management office and said that the policy is indeed loosening, so now is the right time to buy." He then opened the blueprints of commercial housing in Dongcheng District, "These can also be considered. Renting them out will bring in stable income."
"good."
Nan Zhiyi sat up straight from his lap and took out a calculator from the drawer.
Fingertips flew across the keys, and numbers gradually filled the paper.
"Let's buy these properties first."
She sorted the scattered documents into three piles: those to be processed first, those that could be postponed, and those that required further investigation.
“Once we’ve settled these things,” she noticed Gu Xiao’s gaze, and took a moment to turn her head and kiss him on the lips, “Fifth Brother, we’re going to be rich!”
Gu Xiao reached out and pinched her cheek: "Looks like I married a little money-grubber."
Nan Zhiyi put down her pen, put her arms around his neck, and said in a generous manner, "Little money-grubber, I'll give you all my money from now on, okay?"
Gu Xiao leaned down and began to kiss her tenderly, starting from her forehead, then her nose, lips, chin, and neck… This sticky, gentle affection made Nan Zhiyi's body go limp in his arms, and she could only murmur his name: "Gu Xiao…"
By New Year's Day, the paperwork for all the properties had been completed.
The courtyard house in Houhai, several apartments near Peking University, and the plot of land in the south all have the three characters "Nan Zhiyi" clearly written on their property certificates.
Gu Yan helped handle the land in the south.
He deliberately added some extra money to buy the adjacent wasteland as well, and said to Gu Xiao on the phone in a casual tone: "Just consider it a gift for Xiaoman."
Gu Xiao remained silent for a moment, but ultimately did not mention repaying the money.
When Nan Zhiyi found out, she made a special call to Gu Yan: "Gu Yan, thank you for spending so much."
"Are you still being polite with me?" Gu Yan laughed on the other end of the phone. "I also bought some land. I negotiated a discount for both plots together, so it didn't cost much."
Nan Zhiyi twirled the phone line: "How are the wedding preparations with Anna going? Is there anything I can help you with?"
“A wedding planning company is handling everything. All I need to do is provide the money and the people. You three can just wait to come back to Jian’an for the wedding banquet.”
"That's good. You're usually busy with work, so please take good care of yourself." As usual, she gave a few more instructions on things like adding clothes and eating, before gently hanging up.
The receiver went dead, and Gu Yan remained holding the phone for a moment, stunned.
The twilight over Guangzhou outside the window is painting the Pearl River, and the high-rise buildings under construction in the distance look like an upright chessboard.
"Boss," the new assistant, Yun Sheng, knocked and entered, "Chen Sheng and Zhou Sheng have arranged to meet at Baietan at eight o'clock tonight. Shall we leave now?"
That place is newly opened; the crystal chandeliers have to be imported from Italy. One night's spending is equivalent to half a year's wages for the workers in his factory.
He took the suit jacket from Yun Sheng, revealing custom-made platinum cufflinks that Chen Anna had just given him last week.
"Get the car ready. And while you're at it, have the florist deliver a bouquet of white roses to Miss Chen's place."
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