Although his mind was full of questions, Lin Laosan immediately replied.
"Okay, I'll be right back!"
Lin Li hung up the phone and saw Uncle Fu walking over with a tray.
"Madam, would you like afternoon tea?"
On the tray were Earl Grey tea and freshly baked almond cookies. "Ah Zhen baked them, saying they were for the young masters as a snack. Mr. Yu just sent over a box of Taipan snow skin mooncakes to congratulate us on the successful collaboration, so I put them in the kitchen."
When Lin Li looked up, she saw Lin Yao lying on the carpet doing arithmetic problems, his pencil writing rapidly in his exercise book.
Lin Hu held up a Cantonese card and recited "bus" and "subway" to his reflection in the mirror.
Mr. Yu's gift was timely, expressing his goodwill while subtly reminding both parties of their cooperative relationship.
"Just leave it there."
Lin Li picked up the Earl Grey tea from the plate, took a small sip, and asked softly.
"Uncle Fu, do you remember Mr. Li who helped us take care of the garden last year? He said his nephew works for a real estate company?"
Uncle Fu placed the teacup on the coffee table and wiped his hands. "I remember, it's from Cheung Kong Holdings. I think they're in charge of the Kowloon properties. Madam, would you like to inquire about houses?"
"Um."
"Have property prices in Gangcheng risen sharply in the past two years? When we partner with Mr. Yu to open a hotel, we need to have a backup plan and not put all our money into it."
"you do not say."
Uncle Fu sighed. “I read in the newspaper the other day that apartments in Tsim Sha Tsui are selling for HK$800 per square foot now, more than double what they were three years ago.”
He lowered his voice, "I heard that many bosses are hoarding houses, saying that prices will rise further. Mr. Yu himself also bought a new villa in Mid-Levels."
Lin Li traced circles on the rim of the teacup with her fingertips.
She recalled that after 1984, the real estate market in the port city skyrocketed like a lit firecracker.
Mr. Yu was willing to offer the land in Tsim Sha Tsui for cooperation because he saw the potential for appreciation after the hotel was built. After all, the location is adjacent to the soon-to-be-completed Convention and Exhibition Centre, which will surely be bustling in the future.
"Let Mr. Li ask if there are any suitable office buildings or apartments for sale in Tsim Sha Tsui or Causeway Bay, preferably new developments."
She put down her teacup, her eyes becoming resolute. "Not too big, around 200 square feet will do. I'll buy it outright. When working with Mr. Yu, I need to have assets that can be quickly liquidated to feel secure."
Uncle Fu paused for a moment: "Madam is thinking... in case there are any changes to the hotel project, this house can be used as a backup?"
That makes sense.
Lin Li looked out the window. The ferry had already docked, and dockworkers were carrying containers onto trucks.
"Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Real estate is always a reliable investment."
She did the math: if she spent one million to buy an apartment, at the current rate of increase, it would appreciate by at least 20% by the end of the year.
It not only preserves its value but can also be readily liquidated for emergencies. If the hotel needs additional funds, it can handle the situation calmly and won't lack confidence in front of Mr. Yu.
Just then, Lin Hu ran over holding up a card: "Grandma, how do you pronounce 'building'?"
Lin Li took the card, which had a picture of a tall building printed on it.
She looked toward the Tsim Sha Tsui land plot her son had mentioned in his phone call, and softly pronounced it in Cantonese, the last syllable rising in a gentle tone characteristic of Hong Kong: "lau jyu."
Lin Yao also handed over his exercise book; his pencil writing was crooked but very earnest.
Lin Li patted his head, and suddenly an idea came to her mind.
Why not buy two properties? One can be an office building to rent out, with the rent covering the initial operation of the hotel; the other can be an apartment for the grandchildren to use in the future, providing them with some security.
Although the prospects of cooperating with Mr. Yu are good, in the business world, anything can happen, so it's always good to make more plans.
She got up, walked to the phone, and looked up a number in her contacts.
The yellowed pages contained more than a dozen names, one of which read "Wang Sheng from Chenji Real Estate." He was a real estate agent I met last year when I bought this house, and he seemed quite reliable.
When dialing, the dial makes a crisp "click-click" sound.
"Hello? Who are you looking for?"
"Mr. Wang? This is Lin Li. I'd like to ask if there are any suitable new developments recently... preferably near Tsim Sha Tsui, since the hotel project I'm working on with Mr. Yu is there, and buying a place there would make it easier to take care of it."
She specifically mentioned Mr. Yu, saying that in Hong Kong, mentioning a reputable partner will make the real estate agents more attentive.
The sunlight outside the window gradually slanted westward, casting long shadows of the buildings.
Lin Hu was still running around in the living room, muttering the new Cantonese words he had learned.
Lin Yao was drawing houses in his exercise book, the sound of his pen gliding across the paper filling the air.
Lin Li held the receiver, listening to the name of the building project announced on the other end.
"Cheung Kong Center" and "Taikoo City," which will later become landmarks of the port city, are at this moment just lines on blueprints and steel bars on construction sites.
"Then it's settled. I'll come over tomorrow."
...
After hanging up the phone, Lin Li walked to the window and looked at the scenery outside.
Feeling relaxed and happy.
Thinking back to when she first came here, she pushed a food cart and sold boxed lunches every day.
She now owns houses, businesses, and factories in several locations.
And her business will grow bigger and bigger in the future.
Your money will keep increasing!
"Grandma, I'm hungry."
Lin Hu tugged at her sleeve, interrupting her thoughts.
Lin Li snapped out of her daze, smiled, and patted his head: "Dinner will be served soon, what do you want to eat?"
I want to eat roast goose!
Lin Hu said loudly, "I want to eat Zhajiangmian (noodles with soybean paste)."
Lin Yao added in a low voice, "Me too."
Lin Li smiled and agreed, but in her mind she was already calculating the details of buying a house.
Mr. Wang said there's a 250-square-foot apartment in Taikoo Shing for a total price of 1.2 million, and it will be ready for occupancy next week.
She doesn't have enough cash on hand, so she needs to exchange some of the gold bars in her spatial storage tomorrow. Buying more houses wouldn't hurt.
"Madam, HSBC just called to say that your gold bars can be used as collateral for a loan with a very low interest rate. Mr. Yu's assistant also called tonight to ask if we would like to have dinner together to celebrate the successful cooperation."
Lin Li shook her head: "We don't need the loan anymore, let's just exchange the gold bars directly. Tell Mr. Yu for me at dinner that we just returned from Beijing and will rest for a few more days. I'll host a dinner party for him and his wife another day."
"OK."
Uncle Fu nodded and went to give his report.
Lin Hu asked, seemingly understanding but not quite, "Grandma, if we open a hotel with Uncle Yu, does that mean we can stay in the hotel every day?"
Lin Li smiled and said, "Once the hotel is built, I'll take you to stay there for a few days. But the hotel is for business, so you have to manage it well to make money, just like you and your brother have to study hard."
Lin Yao said earnestly, "Grandma, I will study hard and help you manage the hotel in the future."
Lin Li felt a warmth in her heart and patted his head: "Okay, Grandma will wait."
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