The old man, with his hands behind his back and a stern face, said, "Young lady, it's not that I'm making things difficult for you, but I've lived in this house for most of my life. If I weren't really short of money, I would never sell it. The price is non-negotiable."
Lin Li pondered for a moment and said, "Sir, I understand your feelings for this house. I can agree to your price, and I also promise you that I will take good care of this house."
After listening, the old man remained silent for a long time before finally nodding and saying, "This house is yours."
He breathed a long sigh of relief and smiled.
"Thank you!"
Lin Li entrusted all the subsequent certificate processing matters to Master Chen, and also called Chen Dashan to ask him to come over early the next morning, as there was a storefront that needed to be renovated.
Then, after returning to the agency center with Mr. Chen, just as they were about to leave, Lin Li suddenly turned around and looked at him.
"Master Chen, is there any progress on the courtyard house I asked you to find last time?"
Master Chen pushed up his reading glasses and pulled a crumpled note from the tin file box: "There is a family in this alley in Xicheng District who wants to sell their ancestral home. It has three courtyards and a hanging flower gate, but the owner is too proud and is asking for 20% more than the market price."
As he spoke, he drew a circle on the paper with a pencil, pausing the tip of the pencil over the words "severely damaged".
Lin Li leaned forward to take a closer look and nodded in understanding.
"Are there any other options?" She thought for a moment and continued, "It would be best to bring a south courtyard where I can grow flowers, I like to fuss over plants."
Master Chen took a sip of strong tea, his Adam's apple bobbing as he made a gurgling sound.
“It’s tough! These days, who doesn’t cherish their courtyard house like a treasure? Last month, a family suddenly changed their minds, saying that their relatives pooled their money to buy the house.”
He pulled a yellowed photograph from the depths of a drawer. In the faded image, vermilion pillars surrounded a blue brick screen wall.
"This house was sold six months ago. Look at the layout..."
Lin Li's fingertips gently traced the mottled door knocker in the photo. It was so beautiful.
"Master Chen, please have some more snacks."
She took out a few pieces of candy she had brought from Shenzhen from her cloth bag, saying, "I will reward you handsomely after this is done."
"Don't worry, I'll remember it!"
After asking Master Chen to keep an eye out for any remaining storefronts for sale in the vicinity, she returned to the courtyard house.
I slept without any dreams!
The next morning, she was rinsing her mouth in the courtyard when she heard a knock on the gate.
As soon as the door opened, Chen Dashan and his men were standing outside.
"Comrade Lin, I'm here. Where is the storefront you said needed to be renovated?"
"Wait for me a moment, I'll take you there right away!"
"Okay!"
Five minutes later, Lin Li locked the door and led them to the storefront in Jixiang Hutong.
They took out the key, opened the door, and the three of them went inside together.
"Comrade Lin, it's so lively here. What kind of business are you planning to do?"
"I'm going to sell clothes!"
Chen Dashan nodded, took out paper, pen, and measuring tape from his bag, and began to measure the dimensions with his subordinates.
As Lin Li listened to the measurements they gave, she also pulled up the clothing store decoration diagrams from her previous life in her mind, took out a blank piece of paper, and started to write and draw!
An hour later, Chen Dashan finished the measurements, and Lin Li also drew up the blueprints.
"This is a sketch I drew. Take a look at it first, and let me know if you have any questions!"
Chen Dashan had already collaborated with Lin Li once and knew that many of her designs were very creative, so he took the sketches without hesitation and asked her questions in detail.
Half an hour later, Chen Dashan put the sketch into his pocket.
"Comrade Lin, don't worry, the storefront renovation is very simple, we can complete it within a week!"
"That's fine!"
Lin Li handed him the keys and then took out the deposit from her bag.
"Following the old rule, we'll pay for the rest after it's finished."
"good!"
Chen Dashan neatly put the money into his bag and was about to take his men back when he suddenly remembered what Xiao Wang had asked him to do.
"Comrade Lin, there's been progress on the matter of you asking Xiao Wang to help you rent out your house last time."
Chen Dashan took out the note that Xiao Wang had written to Lin Li and handed it to her.
“An expert who was brought back from abroad is willing to rent your house for 600 yuan a month.”
Chen Dashan relayed the news Xiao Wang had told him to Lin Li, but his mind began to replay the scene from that time.
He was also present when the expert took his entire family to see the house.
When they went inside, they were immediately amazed and uttered words in English that he couldn't understand.
But the surprise and appreciation on their faces made it clear to him.
Then, without saying a word, the expert told Xiao Wang that he was willing to rent the house.
After reading the background information about the rental apartment that Xiao Wang wrote for her, she nodded and took out 100 yuan from her bag. "This is the payment I promised him after I rented out the apartment. Please give it to him for me. Also, could you please ask him if he would be willing to look after that rental apartment for me?"
Chen Dashan frowned. "Looking after the rental property? Does the property even need looking after?"
Seeing Chen Dashan's puzzled look, Lin Li took out paper and pen, wrote down the requirements, and handed them to Chen Dashan.
Chen Dashan took the paper and quickly glanced at it.
The note listed several tasks: 1. Help collect rent; 2. Help find someone to repair the house's facilities; 3. ...
After watching Chen Dashan finish reading, she said to him seriously, "Please ask him for me. If he's willing to do these jobs, I'll give him 30 yuan a month."
You get paid 30 yuan for doing such a small job?
Chen Dashan felt that Xiao Wang would definitely agree, because even he himself was tempted.
"Okay, I'll tell him about it."
Chen Dashan put the paper in his pocket and left in a hurry.
He needs to hurry today; he needs to deliver the message to the Queen and also go buy renovation materials.
After arranging things properly, Lin Li looked back at the storefront one last time.
Sigh... The renovation will take another week! Then we need to let the smell dissipate, so it will be at least another month before we can open.
During this period, she can only set up a stall in the market to sell a little bit, otherwise she really won't be able to come up with the money when Shenzhen asks for it!
I inquired around and found out that a Xiushui Street Market has been established in Chaoyang District. Stalls can be set up on both sides of Xiushui East Street there, and most of these vendors mainly sell clothing.
Moreover, Xiushui Street is close to embassies and diplomatic apartments, attracting a large customer base and allowing for higher prices.
I'll take the goods to sell tonight.
Judging by the time, Lin Laosan will arrive in Beijing this afternoon.
Now that their partners have arrived, they'll definitely set up a stall together to make money!
After making up her mind, Lin Li went directly to the supply and marketing cooperative and bought four large woven bags of big twisted dough sticks, then quickly returned home.
Just as they were taking the clothes out of the space and putting them all into woven bags, they saw Lin Laosan open the courtyard gate and walk in from outside.
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