At the dinner party the next day, Lin Haitao mentioned to Wang Handong that he wanted to buy a house for his daughter in France and asked for his advice.
Wang Handong was very enthusiastic, and Lin Haitao had brought him another large order for medical equipment, so he was naturally very happy to help.
He patted his chest and assured him, "Leave this to me, no problem! I wonder what kind of house Xiaoxiao likes?"
Seeing Wang Handong looking at him and asking, Lin Xiao had no choice but to say, "Actually, I don't care. I'm fine with where I live now."
“How can that be?” Lin Haitao interrupted his daughter and said to Wang Handong, “Xiaoxiao is alone abroad now, there’s no need to buy a villa or anything like that, she might even be scared living there. A nice location, a safe and well-serviced upscale community will do.”
Wang Handong said that wasn't difficult; there were still good apartments in Paris. However, many of the prime locations were renovations of older apartments. He asked Lin Haitao if he could accept that.
"Of course not, do you think I'd buy a second-hand house for my daughter?" Lin Haitao refused outright.
Actually, he doesn't understand the real estate industry abroad very well. Unlike in China, there are many new housing developments, and some old buildings have stood for a century. After renovation, they can also look very high-end.
Wang Handong knew that Lin Haitao didn't understand this, so he didn't want to contradict him directly. He said, "Okay, then I'll pick one for Xiaoxiao from the newly developed properties. We'll go see them together then."
Lin Xiao had been living in France for half a year, so she naturally knew more about the situation there than her father. She explained to Lin Haitao the housing situation in France, especially in the capital, Paris. She explained that in some very good locations, if there were no available spaces, it would be impossible to develop new housing developments. Instead, new housing developments were more common in some remote or less safe areas.
Of course, there are also apartments in excellent locations that are newly built, but these buildings are easily snapped up as soon as they come out.
After all, many wealthy people around the world own property in Paris, such as some fallen nobles or even royal descendants in Europe, as well as high-caste families in India. These people often have huge inherited wealth, and their assets are incomparable to those of the Lin family.
Lin Xiao explained the situation to her father in a tactful way, and her father understood. So he asked his daughter, "Is the old house okay? I'm just worried that you'll suffer."
“It’s okay, Dad. I like old houses. Haven’t you noticed? Many old buildings in Paris have a special artistic feel.”
Lin Haitao nodded. He had been to France many times, and almost always visited Paris. He also admired the architectural style there. So he said to his daughter, "Okay, that will give you a lot more options. Tell your Uncle Wang your needs in detail, so he can help you."
Lin Xiao then told Wang Handong that she preferred a small and cozy house, preferably near the Seine River, as she loved the feeling of being able to see the gently flowing river winding past her window from her home.
"A safer area would be best. Or like near the Pompidou Library, there seem to be many small apartments for rent or sale. I thought to myself, it would be so convenient to go to the library to read books if I lived there, it's right outside my door. If I don't live in the apartment there in the future, it would be easy to rent it out." Lin Xiao had thought things through very carefully.
Wang Handong looked at Lin Xiao with admiration, then turned to look at his son Wang Wei and said to him, "Look at Xiao Xiao, he's been a top student since he was little. He even wants to choose a house next to the library. All you know is how to play."
Wang Wei's mother understood that her husband was praising Lin Xiao to Lin Haitao's face mainly to please him, but she didn't mean to belittle her son like that.
So what if he just wants to play around? His son graduated from university and is working hard instead of lying at home sponging off his parents. But she only grumbled to herself, knowing she couldn't say it out loud at the dinner table.
But what kind of person is Lin Haitao? He's a cunning old fox who's been navigating the business world for years, and he's extremely good at reading people.
He noticed that Wang Handong's wife seemed displeased with what he had said about their son, so he quickly said, "Wang Wei is such a good kid. I liked him from the first time I met him. He's magnanimous, composed, and has the air of a great general. Old Wang, your son might even be more capable than you in the future!"
No parent in the world doesn't love to hear others praise their child. When Wang Handong heard Lin Haitao praise his son for being capable of great things and having the demeanor of a great general, he couldn't help but feel proud.
Mrs. Wang beamed with joy, but said modestly, "Mr. Lin, you flatter me. Wang Wei grew up in France and is not as sensible as children in China."
"Not at all, not at all, it's excellent," Lin Haitao continued to affirm.
Wang Handong kicked his son under the table, then gestured for him to stand up and offer a toast, saying, "President Lin, please forgive my son's poor performance. I'll need your help when he takes over the company."
Lin Haitao also said politely, "Old Wang, you're being too formal. Just call me Old Lin, it's much more intimate. We're old brothers, so let's not keep calling each other 'General' and 'General.' Your son is like my nephew, who else would I take care of if not him?"
Wang Wei was indeed not very familiar with the social customs in China. Only after his father reminded him did he realize that he should stand up and toast his elders. So he picked up his wine glass, stood up, and bowed to Lin Haitao to offer a toast.
At the dinner table, Lin Haitao also asked about Wang Wei's specific information, such as which school he attended, what he studied, and what he was in charge of at his father's company.
Lin Xiao listened quietly from the side. She knew that her father was probably still evaluating Wang Wei. Even if it wasn't for her sake, he was assessing whether this future partner was reliable and whether he could support his father Wang Handong's business in the future.
Wang Handong and his wife were certainly aware of this, but Wang's mother was more concerned that Lin Haitao might be considering whether her son was a potential son-in-law, while Wang Handong was worried that he had been neglecting to discipline Wang Wei.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com