Chapter 44 – choosing a House
In the evening, the whole family gathered for a meal in a restaurant. Li Shiqiang’s parents came as well.
As they were no longer trading Treasury bonds, Li Shiqiang split the remaining money, slightly more than 110,000 RMB, equally between the two families. Li’s father had wanted Li Shiqiang to go back and work at the Post office. These few months, they had also made more than 50,000 RMB. It is enough to buy a big house. However, Li’s father does not want his son to lose his iron rice bowl.
“Uncle Li, Brother Li still have to work in the company. The company cannot do without him. Besides, he is also a shareholder and considered one of the bosses.” Feng Yu said.
“What boss? Didn’t the company belong to your family?” Li Shiqiang’s father asked curiously.
Feng Yu just realized that Li Shiqiang did not tell his family that he owns 10% of the company’s shares. In the worst-case scenario, there will still be a profit of 3 million RMB from Wind and Rain fans and Li Shiqiang’s share will be at least 300,000 RMB. Why should he go back and work at the Post office?
When Li Shiqiang’s parents heard that he will be earning at least 300,000 RMB this year, their hands trembled. It was only after a few cups of tea before they calmed down. It was a wise decision to let his son stop working at the Post office, and an even wiser decision to let his son date Feng Danying!
Feng Yu secretly observed. He noticed that the Li family were happy and were not jealous of his family. Feng Yu is relieved. The Li family seems to treat the Feng family as one of them.
Li’s parents heard that Feng Xingtai and his wife will be going to buy house tomorrow, they also wanted to go together. They wanted to buy a big and spacious new house.
Everyone understood what this means. Li Shiqiang sat there grinning like a Cheshire cat. On the other hand, Feng Danying’s face turned red and bowed her head down shyly.
……
“Move aside! You know how to drive?” Feng Yu was just about to sit on the driver’s seat when he was dragged aside by his dad.
“Dad, I have been driving for more than half a month. You can ask Brother Li about my driving skills.” Feng Yu said.
“When did you learn how to drive?” Feng Xingtai is shocked. He did not know that his son can drive.
“Your son is a genius. Name me something I don’t know.” Feng Yu replied.
“Really? The soybean in our field needs to be fertilized. I will see how you do the farm work in two days’ time.” Feng Xingtai said.
“Dad, you are joking with me, right?” Feng Yu said and shut his mouth. He obediently moved to the backseat with his sister.
Li Shiqiang drove his family in front, leading the way while Feng Xingtai followed.
“Hey, this car is very comfortable. It is not loud nor shaky.” Feng Xingtai had wanted to drive this car yesterday but Li Shiqiang had booked the hotel next to the company. They can just walk over to the hotel from the company.
“Dad, if you like it, drive it away! Or we can just buy new cars. Your son is not short of money!” Feng Yu said proudly.
“Nonsense. Didn’t you say yesterday, this is the only time you can get such high profits. In future, the profits will not be so high.” Zhang Muhua said.
“Don’t worry, your son still has lots of ideas for making money!” Feng Yu replied. His real specialty is investment, and a great bull market is coming.
Along the way, everyone chatted happily. Half an hour later, the car pulled to stop.
“Uncle, Auntie, Mom, Dad, this building was built last year and had just finished renovation this year. Look at this floor plan, it is quite spacious.” Li Shiqiang said.
Li Shiqiang had chosen this place as it is close to Feng Yu’s future High School, and Feng Danying’s workplace. It only takes 10 minutes to walk to the school or the hospital. From here to the shopping street is also about 10 minutes’ walk. It is located in the city center and the property prices will soar in future.
“This way is to Xiao Yu‘s school. That way is to Danying’s workplace. That direction is to the shopping street. The First Department store is over there. And this place is not far from the train station. It takes less than 20 minutes to reach there by foot. There are also two bus stops nearby. Even though this house is slightly expensive, but I think it is worth it.” Li Shiqiang said.
“How expensive? 30,000 RMB a unit? 50,000 a unit?” Feng Xingtai asked.
“An unrenovated unit is about 1,000 RMB per square meter. One unit will cost over 100,000 RMB!” Li Shiqiang replied.
“What? A square metre is more than 1,000 RMB? And it is for an unrenovated unit? These evil property developers. Who will buy such expensive houses?” Feng Xingtai shouted.
“I will buy!” Feng Yu interrupted. “This is too cheap. I will buy two units!”
Slapped！
Feng Yu was slapped on the back of his head by Feng Xingtai again: “What are you shouting? You think you can make the decision?”
Looking at Feng Yu’s arrogant expression, Feng Xingtai is about to blow his top. It is over 100,000 RMB for a unit and you want to buy two? Why do you need two units?
Feng Yu looked at his dad and said: “Dad, didn’t you said you are going to buy a house for me to live? Why can’t I give my opinions? You look at Sister. She also wants to live here.”
The Li family was more straightforward. They wanted to buy a new house for their son and don’t mind the price. It was also because their in-laws were presence. They don’t want to lose face.
“Son, let’s go and view the units?” Li Shiqiang’s father said.
What the saleswoman said was similar to what Li Shiqiang just said. But the saleswoman was able to articulate better. He talked about the lightings, Feng Shui, elevator, convenience and so on.
What interest most to Feng Yu was that this building is a high-rised building and there is an elevator! Feng Yu is not willing to climb stairs. Even if it was the second floor, he felt tired! In essence, he is a lazy person who will absolutely not stand if he can sit. His goal is to retire leisurely before 30 years old!
At the lobby, Feng Yu pressed the elevator’s button casually and stepped inside the elevator. The saleswoman looked at Feng Yu curiously. From the dressing of this family, they don’t look like they are rich. How come the way they speak were so arrogant? Want to buy two units? I will thank the gods if you all are able to afford one.
And also, this young man seems to be even more familiar with elevators than her. Does he take the elevator often?
“I am afraid of this elevator? Will it fall?” Zhang Muhua whispered.
Feng Yu gave his mom a relaxed expression. The elevator quality was still considered good in that era. It is not like the quality of the elevators in future where the elevators were installed even when it had not passed the safety tests.
The unit was a bare room. There was no renovation yet. Feng Yu walked around and planned how to renovate and decorate the house in his mind. The unit only have a few rooms but it doesn’t matter. Feng Yu can always buy two units and breakdown the wall in between. This way, two units will become one and there will be more rooms. He got to plan and asked people to renovate. Finally, he can live in a high-rise building!
“How do you feel about this unit?” The saleswoman looked at Li Shiqiang’s father. It was very obvious that the couple were getting married and their families were buying this unit for them. She wondered: “What does this man do? He can afford to drive a car and wanted to buy this unit.”
“We want all four units on this floor!” Feng Yu said while waving his arms.
“Two units. We will get these two units.” Feng Xingtai said while pulling Feng Yu to one side. The good-for-nothing son. What’s the use for getting so many units? Feng Xingtai had discussed with Li Shiqiang’s father. They will buy a unit each on the same floor. It will be easier to look out for each other.
Feng Yu looked up the sky and wondered: “I am the one who earned this money, why I can’t express my opinions? Three rooms and one hall are not enough. When mom and dad come over, isn’t he going to be thrown into the study?”
“You want two units? Please wait a moment, I will prepare the contract for you!” The saleswoman said excitedly. She did not expect this family to agree so fast. A unit costed more than a hundred thousand RMB and they bought two without batting an eyelid.
It is always a pleasure serving rich people!
Author’s notes: Some people said that 1988, the state-owned enterprises were not so poor. In fact, in 1988, there was an over production of goods and a large number of state-owned enterprises can only give out partial wages. It was also this time, China started selling their resources to other countries. Of which, Japan benefited the most.