hotmtlnovel Chapter 1474 Jing
Chapter 1474 Jing
The following afternoon, sunlight streamed through the office's blinds, casting dappled shadows on the walls. Qin Hao was working on a document when the phone on his desk suddenly rang.
The crisp sound of a bell broke the afternoon's tranquility.
Qin Hao put down his pen and picked up the microphone:
"Hey?"
"President Qin!" Long Ke's cheerful voice came from the other end of the phone: "It's all settled! Prepare your materials and meet at the Planning Bureau at 10 a.m. tomorrow. Go directly to the deputy director's office on the third floor. I'll be there too."
Qin Hao's eyes lit up, but his tone remained calm:
"Alright, then I'll leave it to Long Ke."
"Sure, sure." Long Ke paused, then lowered his voice slightly: "By the way, Mr. Qin, when will that movie we're making be released?"
His tone was both expectant and tentative.
Qin Hao looked up and met Zhao Yajing's gaze. They both saw a knowing smile in each other's eyes.
"It will be released during the Spring Festival," Qin Hao said into the microphone. "The specific date hasn't been set yet, but it will definitely be during the Spring Festival. The box office revenue sharing should be available in April. Don't worry, Longke, you will definitely get your share."
Longke laughed on the other end of the phone:
"That's good! I trust Mr. Qin to get things done! See you tomorrow!"
"See you tomorrow."
Qin Hao hung up the phone, placed the receiver back on the landline with a crisp "click".
After Long Ke hung up the phone, Zhao Yajing could no longer contain her excitement and jumped onto Qin Hao, wrapping her legs tightly around his waist...
After a passionate kiss, she wrapped her arms around Qin Hao's neck, her eyes filled with adoration.
"You're a genius! Your rhetoric last night completely baffled Long Ke."
Qin Hao said calmly, "I didn't lie to him. From the beginning, I never planned to build a building with little technical content. If I'm going to do it, I'll build a landmark community in Shenzhen, so that people will think of our community when they think of Shenzhen!"
Looking at his confident demeanor, Zhao Yajing felt a strange sense of peace.
She came to Guangzhou from the north with her father when she was very young to make a living. The business environment in the south is relatively relaxed, but also more ruthless. She has seen too many people who will do anything for money, and too many people who become rich overnight and then go bankrupt overnight. These experiences have shaped her "money-oriented" personality—realistic, shrewd, and with an almost instinctive sensitivity and desire for money.
But since she co-founded Burger King with Qin Hao, she has found herself becoming increasingly dependent on the man.
It wasn't just because of feelings—although she did like him—but because of his abilities, his vision, and his character.
All of Qin Hao's ideas, all his seemingly far-fetched thoughts, have ultimately come true. Burger King has grown from a small shop to a hundred branches throughout Hong Kong; Chayan Yuese has gone from nothing to opening dozens of stores in just a few months; and now he's venturing into real estate.
What reassured her even more was that Qin Hao always seemed to know the next step. She didn't need to spend any extra effort thinking about it, because Qin Hao had already planned out the next three or five steps when he took the first one. She only needed to be responsible for execution and turning the blueprint into reality.
This feeling of being guided and controlled made her feel both at ease and admiring.
"I'll do whatever you say." Zhao Yajing rested her head on his shoulder and whispered, "I believe you."
Qin Hao held her in his arms, saying nothing, only gently stroking her hair.
The sunlight outside the window gradually slanted westward, casting long shadows of the two people.
……
The next day, at 9:30 a.m.
Qin Hao and Zhao Yajing arrived at the Shenzhen Municipal Planning Bureau on time. It was an old five-story office building with a beige paint finish on the exterior walls, some of which was peeling and faded.
The two were dressed formally—Qin Hao wore a dark gray suit, a white shirt, and no tie, but looked very smart; Zhao Yajing wore a light blue business suit, looking capable and professional.
They were carrying briefcases filled with various documents—company registration documents, credit certificates, project feasibility reports, planning drawings…a thick stack.
Upon entering the office building, the lobby was bustling with people, mostly there to conduct business. A sign on the wall indicated that the deputy director's office was on the third floor.
The two walked up the stairs. The stairs were made of cement and were quite steep; much of the paint on the handrails had been worn away. Some propaganda slogans were pasted on the walls—"Emancipate the mind, reform and open up," and "Time is money, efficiency is life."
The third-floor corridor was quiet, with only a few office doors open. Following Long Ke's directions, they found the deputy director's office.
The door was ajar. Qin Hao knocked on the door.
"Please come in."
A middle-aged man's voice came from inside, with a slight Cantonese accent.
Qin Hao pushed open the door and went in.
The office was small, about twenty square meters, and simply furnished—a desk, two chairs, a filing cabinet, and a map and planning map of Shenzhen hanging on the wall. Behind the desk sat a man in his fifties, wearing a Zhongshan suit, glasses, and with neatly combed hair; he looked very serious.
Long Ke was sitting on the sofa next to them, legs crossed, drinking tea. Seeing Qin Hao and the others enter, he immediately stood up, a smile plastered on his face.
"Director Liu, these are General Manager Qin and General Manager Zhao whom I mentioned to you. General Manager Qin, General Manager Zhao, this is Director Liu, who is in charge of land use planning."
"Hello, Director Liu." Qin Hao stepped forward and politely extended his hand.
"Have a seat," he said, gesturing to the chair opposite him.
Qin Hao and Zhao Yajing sat down. Long Ke also sat down, but didn't speak again, just quietly drinking his tea, as if to say, "I'm just the introducer."
Director Liu picked up his glasses from the table, put them on, and opened a document—it must have been materials sent by Longke in advance. He examined it carefully, glancing at Qin Hao and Zhao Yajing every now and then, his eyes scrutinizing them.
The office was quiet, with only the sound of papers being turned.
About ten minutes later, Director Liu took off his glasses and looked at Qin Hao:
"President Qin, I've reviewed your materials. Could you elaborate on what kind of residential community you're planning to build?"
His tone was flat, revealing no emotion.
Qin Hao nodded, took out a planning map from his briefcase, and spread it out on the table: "Director Liu, this is our preliminary planning map. Please take a look—"
He pointed to the blueprints and explained in detail:
"We plan to create a comprehensive community integrating residential, commercial, educational, medical, and leisure facilities. This is the residential area, where we plan to build ten high-rise residential buildings, each twenty stories high, providing approximately two thousand housing units in total. This is the commercial area, where we plan to build a five-story shopping mall with a supermarket, department store, restaurants, and a cinema. This is the educational facility, where we plan to introduce a primary school and a kindergarten. This is the medical facility, where we plan to build a community hospital. And here—a green park, covering approximately twenty acres, with fitness facilities, a children's playground…"
He explained things very thoroughly and professionally. Director Liu listened attentively, nodding occasionally or asking a question or two.
"Where do your funds come from?" Director Liu asked.
“There are three main sources,” Qin Hao replied calmly. “First, we have our own funds. Second, one of our companies will be listed in Hong Kong next year, which will raise a large amount of capital. Third, we have reached strategic cooperation agreements with HSBC and the Shi Group, which can provide financial support.”
A flicker of surprise crossed Director Liu's eyes. He looked Qin Hao over a few more times, then nodded.
"A listed company, and a young man like him, he's quite something."
He looked at the planning map for a few more minutes, then took out a map of Shenzhen from the drawer and spread it out on the table. Several areas were already marked on the map in red.
"Mr. Qin, I have a few options for the land you're looking for," Director Liu said, pointing to the map. "This is Luohu, near the train station, a good location, but small in size; the largest is only fifty acres. This is Futian, also a good location, but the land is irregular, making development difficult. And here—"
His finger moved to an area:
“This is Nanshan, right next to Futian, but it’s a bit out of the way. The surrounding area is still under construction and quite desolate. However, it’s the largest area, with a 130-acre plot of land that’s very well-organized and suitable for a large community like yours.”
Qin Hao leaned closer to take a look. The land was indeed in Nanshan, right next to Futian, but some distance from the city center. The surrounding area was indeed full of construction sites, marked "under planning" on the map.
"Director Liu, may I see the detailed information about this land?" Qin Hao asked.
Director Liu took a file out of the filing cabinet and handed it to Qin Hao.
Qin Hao opened the file and began to examine it carefully. The file contained the land's coordinates, area, topographic map, planning conditions, and so on. He looked at it intently, occasionally exchanging glances with Zhao Yajing.
Zhao Yajing leaned closer to look, her brows furrowing slightly. She was clearly not satisfied with the location of the land—it was too remote, surrounded by nothing but construction sites. Such a plot of land would be difficult to develop, and it might not fetch a good price in the short term.
She wanted to say something, but Qin Hao stopped her with a look.
After reviewing the documents, Qin Hao closed the file and looked up at Director Liu:
"Director Liu, we want this piece of land, 130 mu."
His tone was firm, without any hesitation.
Director Liu was somewhat surprised:
"Mr. Qin, have you thought this through? This plot of land isn't in a great location. The other plots, though smaller, are in better locations and have faster return on investment."
"I've thought it through." Qin Hao nodded. "What we're going to do isn't an ordinary housing development, but a large community. A small area won't achieve the desired effect. Besides, I believe in Shenzhen's rapid development. What may seem remote now could become the new center in two years."
Director Liu looked at him, a hint of appreciation in his eyes. He nodded:
"Alright, since President Qin has such vision and courage, then this land is yours."
He paused, his tone becoming serious:
"However, there is one condition that must be made clear. Construction must begin on this land within two years. That is to say, you must start construction by the end of 1986 at the latest. If construction does not begin by the deadline, it will be considered a breach of contract, the land will be nationalized, and the 350 million yuan land use fee will not be refunded."
“350 million?” Zhao Yajing blurted out.
This number is higher than they expected.
Qin Hao, however, remained unfazed. He nodded:
“We accept these conditions. We are sincerely committed to contributing to Shenzhen’s development and are absolutely not the kind of speculators who speculate on land. I assure you that construction will definitely begin before the end of next year.”
Upon hearing this, a rare smile appeared on Director Liu's usually serious face. He nodded.
"Okay, I'm relieved to hear Mr. Qin say that."
As he spoke, he turned to look at Long Ke, his eyes filled with approval—the meaning was clear: at least the person he introduced this time was reliable.
"The approval document probably won't be issued before the New Year," Director Liu added. "The procedures need to be followed, and it needs to be discussed in a meeting. You can come to pick up the approval document after the New Year. Bring your company seal, sign the contract, and pay the money."
"Ok, no problem."
Director Liu picked up his teacup—this was a gesture to see the guest out.
Qin Hao tactfully took his leave. The three of them walked out of the office and quietly closed the door behind them.
In the corridor, Zhao Yajing finally couldn't hold back any longer and asked in a low voice:
"Old Qin, isn't this piece of land a bit out of the way? And 350 million... isn't that a bit too expensive?"
Qin Hao remained calm. As he descended the stairs, he said:
"Don't worry. This plot of land is right next to Hongling Road. Although it's not as bustling as Shennan Avenue, it still has great development potential."
He paused, then continued:
"As for the other plots of land, they are all too small. Fifty acres is enough to build at most seven or eight buildings, which is not enough to create a residential community. If we are going to do it, we must do it on a large scale, make it a benchmark, and establish ourselves as the leading real estate developer in mainland China."
Zhao Yajing listened, and although she still had doubts, she didn't say anything more when she saw how confident Qin Hao was.
Long Ke walked beside him and shrugged.
"I don't understand any of what you're saying. Anyway, I've got the land, so my mission is complete. Now it's up to you."
As he spoke, he patted Qin Hao on the shoulder:
"I'll be leaving now. Remember to invite me to the premiere when the movie is released."
"Definitely." Qin Hao nodded with a smile. "Then see you next year."
See you next year!
Long Ke waved and turned to leave.
Qin Hao and Zhao Yajing stood at the entrance of the planning bureau, watching his figure disappear around the street corner.
The sun was shining brightly, and it felt warm and cozy on my skin.
……
After securing the land, Qin Hao and Zhao Yajing began to review Burger King's business performance in Guangzhou and Shenzhen over the past year.
In the office, a thick stack of ledgers stood. Zhao Yajing sat behind her desk, a calculator in her hand, typing away rapidly. Qin Hao sat opposite her, flipping through reports.
"With 18 branches in Guangzhou, the total annual turnover was... 2160 million yuan, with a profit of 864 million yuan and a profit margin of 40%." Zhao Yajing reported the figures with a satisfied smile on her face: "It's a significant increase compared to last year."
"In Shenzhen, there are 10 branches, with a total annual turnover of 1200 million yuan and a profit of 420 million yuan, resulting in a profit margin of 35%. This is slightly lower than expected, mainly due to the large number of new stores and the high initial investment. In addition, two stores have incurred losses."
She pointed to two store names on the report:
"These two stores are located in somewhat remote areas, surrounded by factories where workers have limited spending power. Although the customer traffic is considerable, the average transaction value is low, resulting in low profit margins."
Qin Hao nodded, took the report, and looked at it:
"Although these two stores are currently operating at a loss, it's okay. We just need to secure the locations. Once these areas develop, their value will increase. Besides, the losses for these two stores aren't significant, only a few thousand yuan a month, which is manageable."
He paused, then continued:
"Overall, things are going well in Shenzhen. Of the ten stores, eight are profitable and two are slightly losing money. It's quite remarkable that Yang Shumo was able to expand so quickly and make most of them profitable."
Zhao Yajing agrees:
“Indeed. Although Sha Mao can be silly at times, he works incredibly hard. This year, he's hardly taken a break, running between stores every day, solving problems and training employees. If Xie Laozhuan in Guangzhou had worked half as hard as him, I wouldn't have to worry so much.”
Speaking of year-end bonuses, Zhao Yajing asked:
"How about we stick to last year's rules? Regular employees get a year-end bonus of 300 yuan, the store manager gets 2,000 yuan, and Xie Laozhuan and Yang Shumo each get 10,000 yuan. What do you think?"
Qin Hao thought for a moment and nodded:
"Sure. You can decide on these. Also, give the managers of those loss-making stores two thousand each, but make it clear to them privately—if they're still losing money next year, they'll have to be replaced. Give them some pressure, but also some motivation."
"Okay." Zhao Yajing wrote it down.
……
Soon, it was the last working day before the new year.
The conference room at Burger King's Hong Kong headquarters was packed with people again. This time, not only store managers and regional managers, but all the employees from the Hong Kong branches were there—of course, they came in batches, otherwise there wouldn't have been enough room.
A long table sat in the meeting room, piled high with stacks of cash wrapped in red paper. The bright red color gave it a festive look.
Zhao Yajing stood in front of the table, holding a list in her hand, calling out names one by one.
"Zhang Jianguo!"
"To!"
A man in his thirties stepped forward and accepted a thick red envelope. He squeezed it, a delighted smile spreading across his face—it contained a full two thousand yuan!
"Thank you, Mr. Zhao! Thank you, Mr. Qin!"
"Li Xiuying!"
"To!"
A girl in her early twenties jogged forward, took the red envelope, and smiled so broadly that her eyes narrowed.
"Wang Dahai!"
"To!"
……
One name after another was called out, and one red envelope after another was sent out. Everyone who received a red envelope smiled broadly and thanked them repeatedly.
This is especially true for new employees and the newly promoted store managers. For them, this is a huge sum of money. Three hundred yuan—how much can you buy? How many New Year's goods can you purchase? How many things can you add to your home?
Yang Shumo also received his red envelope—a thick wad of cash containing ten thousand yuan. He held the envelope, his hands trembling slightly. Although he had been mentally prepared, actually receiving so much money still thrilled him.
He started thinking about what to buy for the New Year—new clothes for his parents, gifts for his older siblings, candy and toys for his nephews and nieces… Ten thousand yuan could buy so many good things.
Old Xie also received 10,000 yuan. He appeared calm on the surface, but secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
That year, Qin Hao paid him a decent salary of two thousand yuan a month, but he was used to spending money lavishly and had also started dating Hua Mei. The two of them ate well, dressed well, and had fun every day, so he basically squandered his salary and didn't save any money.
This year-end bonus of ten thousand yuan really saved him from his immediate crisis. Otherwise, he wouldn't even have money to buy New Year's goods when he got home, how embarrassing would that be?
After distributing the year-end bonuses, Qin Hao said a few words, encouraging everyone to continue their efforts next year, and then announced that everyone would be on holiday.
The employees cheered as they left, each with a smile on their face, clutching a red envelope in their hand, their steps light and quick.
The festive atmosphere of the Lunar New Year is getting stronger and stronger.
……
As Lunar New Year's Eve approached, Qin Hao, Zhao Yajing, Xie Laozhuan, and Yang Shumao took a plane back to Beijing together.
When the plane landed at the Capital Airport, it was snowing in Beijing.
The snowflakes fell thick and fast, not large, but dense, like salt being sprinkled. A thin layer of white had already covered the ground, and the rooftops, treetops, and streets had all turned silvery-white.
As soon as they stepped out of the airport, a gust of cold wind made all four of them instinctively shrink their necks.
"It's still warmer in the south," Old Xie muttered. "Beijing is too cold."
"Stop talking nonsense and hurry up and call a taxi." Zhao Yajing rolled her eyes at him.
The four hailed two taxis and headed straight for Jiudaowan Hutong.
The snow was still falling on the road. The trees on both sides of the street were bare, their branches laden with snow, like pear blossoms in full bloom. There weren't many pedestrians, but everyone seemed to be in a hurry, carrying large and small bags of New Year's goods.
Occasionally, you can hear sporadic firecracker sounds—although it's not yet New Year's Eve, some children have already started setting off firecrackers.
The festive atmosphere was especially strong in the snow in Beijing.
In Jiudaowan Hutong, every household began preparing for the New Year. Long queues formed outside the supply and marketing cooperative, with people clutching all sorts of coupons—grain coupons, oil coupons, cloth coupons, sugar coupons… All the coupons accumulated throughout the year were brought out to exchange for New Year's goods.
The children were the happiest. They could eat the candies, cookies, and melon seeds that they usually couldn't afford. They wore new clothes—though they might have been hand-me-downs from their older siblings—but they were spotless. They chased and played in the snow, setting off firecrackers, their laughter echoing through the alley.
Two taxis slowly came to a stop at the intersection of Jiudaowan Hutong.
The car door opened, and Xie Laozhuan and Yang Shuma got off first. Both of them were carrying large bags and small bags, their bodies were full of them—Xie Laozhuan had three bags in his left hand, two bags in his right hand, and one hanging around his neck; Yang Shuma was not much better off, both of his hands were full, and he had a large bag on his back.
Qin Hao and Zhao Yajing then got out of the car. Qin Hao traveled light, carrying only a suitcase. Having learned her lesson from last year, Zhao Yajing also made a wise choice, bringing only a suitcase and a small handbag.
As soon as she got out of the car, she naturally took Qin Hao's arm, and the two walked side by side into the alley.
"You two, lend a hand!" Old Xie called out from behind, panting heavily. "Are we still brothers? How can I carry all this stuff by myself?"
Qin Hao and Zhao Yajing turned around, exchanged a glance, and almost simultaneously said:
"Who told you to buy so much stuff? You deserve it."
After saying that, the two smiled at each other and turned to continue walking forward.
"Hey!" Old Xie glared angrily, "You two are already acting like a married couple? When are you going to invite me to your wedding banquet? I'd like to prepare a red envelope."
"None of your business," Zhao Yajing said without turning her head.
Old Xie turned and muttered sullenly at their retreating figures:
"See? That's what you call forgetting your friends for a pretty face. Silly Mao, you're not allowed to follow their example, understand? Brotherhood is the most important thing."
Yang Shumo rolled his eyes at him:
"Come on, you. I don't know who it is that's always all lovey-dovey with Hua Mei, and has the nerve to say that others value romance over friendship?"
Old Xie was speechless, only able to stare blankly.
Qin Hao and Zhao Yajing listened from the front, exchanged a smile, and then abandoned their two unfortunate companions, heading home through the winding alleys.
The snow was still falling, landing on their hair and shoulders, and quickly melting into tiny water droplets.
The alley was bustling with activity. Neighbors greeted them warmly as they returned.
"Little Qin is back!"
"Ya Jing is back too!"
"Wow, you look even more energetic after a year!"
Qin Hao and Zhao Yajing responded with smiles, greeting each other as they walked. Zhao Yajing held onto Qin Hao's arm the whole time, a smile on her face, as if asserting her ownership—look, this is my man.
Soon, they arrived at Qin Hao's house.
Li Yuxiang has moved from her previous side room to the courtyard house that Qin Hao acquired last year. It's a standard courtyard house with three main rooms, two rooms each in the east and west wings, and a large courtyard. There's a jujube tree in the courtyard, which is currently bare, with snow clinging to its branches.
The large courtyard house was deserted, with only Li Yuxiang living there.
But the wisps of smoke rising from the kitchen added a touch of warmth to the otherwise quiet place.
Qin Hao pushed open the courtyard gate and, following the smoke from the chimney, soon saw the busy figure.
Li Yuxiang was kneading dough in the kitchen, preparing to make dumplings. She was wearing an apron, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, and her hands were covered in flour. A pot of meat was simmering on the stove, its aroma filling the entire yard.
"mom."
Qin Hao stood at the kitchen door and called out softly.
Li Yuxiang was stunned for a moment, turned her head, saw her son, and the rolling pin in her hand fell to the cutting board with a "thud".
She froze for a few seconds, then dropped the rolling pin, rushed out of the kitchen, and hugged Qin Hao tightly.
"Xiao Hao is back?" Her voice was a little choked up. She patted her son's back, then let go, and looked him up and down. "Yes, he's back. It's good that he's back."
Her eyes were red, but she had a smile on her face.
Qin Hao patted his mother on the back:
"Yes, I'm back to spend the New Year with you."
"Okay, that's good." Li Yuxiang wiped away her tears, then looked Qin Hao up and down carefully, saying with concern, "Why have you lost weight again? Did you not eat well while you were out? No matter how busy you are with work, you must eat on time..."
Qin Hao was helpless. There's a kind of thinness that only your mother thinks you're thin. He eats and sleeps well outside, and his weight hasn't decreased at all, but in his mother's eyes, he's always too thin.
"Ya Jing is back too?" Li Yuxiang let go of Qin Hao, then took Zhao Ya Jing's hand and looked her up and down. "Good, that's great."
Looking at Zhao Yajing, she felt that she was a perfect match for her son—beautiful, capable, and good at handling things. Last year during the Spring Festival, Zhao Yajing often came to her house to help, chat with her, buy her gifts, and make her happy.
Zhao Yajing has a sweet tongue and knows how to get things done:
"Auntie, I've missed you so much. Look, this is the wool sweater I bought for you, it's so warm. And this face cream, it's made in France, if you use a little every day, it won't wrinkle anymore in autumn and winter."
She took the gifts out of her suitcase and handed them to Li Yuxiang one by one.
Li Yuxiang smiled broadly, holding Zhao Yajing's hand tightly.
"You silly child, you're back now, why did you buy anything? It's such a waste of money."
"It's no trouble at all, it's my pleasure," Zhao Yajing said with a smile.
Hearing this, Li Yuxiang was even happier. Looking at the two of them, she was almost ready to start calling them "daughter-in-law."
After chatting for a while, Li Yuxiang suddenly slapped her forehead:
"Look at me, I've been so busy talking. You haven't eaten yet, have you? You must be starving after such a long journey. I'll make you some noodles to tide you over. Tonight I'll also make you some braised pork ribs and dumplings."
She started to walk towards the kitchen as she spoke.
Zhao Yajing quickly grabbed her:
“Auntie, don’t bother. I haven’t gone home yet. I need to go home and see my mom first. She only sees me a few times a year. She must miss me. I’ll go back and see her first, and then I’ll come see you again.”
Li Yuxiang paused for a moment, then nodded:
"Oh, I see. Then I won't keep you any longer. Go back now, your mother must miss you. Since you're back, spend some more time with her."
"Okay, I'll be going now." Zhao Yajing said, then winked at Qin Hao, "I'll come back later."
"Go ahead," Qin Hao nodded.
Zhao Yajing left with her suitcase. Li Yuxiang saw her to the door and watched her walk away before turning back into the house.
In the kitchen, Li Yuxiang put her apron back on and started kneading dough and boiling water to prepare noodles.
Qin Hao followed him inside and sat on a small stool in front of the stove, adding fuel to the fire. The firewood crackled in the firebox, and the firelight warmed his face.
While kneading the dough, Li Yuxiang chatted with her son, asking him about his situation outside, whether his work was going well, and how his health was.
Qin Hao answered each question, only reporting good news and not bad.
Just as the noodles were almost cooked, Li Yuxiang suddenly said something, her tone casual, but the meaning was clear:
"Ya Jing is a good girl. She's sensible, capable, and good to you. You mustn't let her down."
Qin Hao was blowing on the stove with a bamboo tube when he heard this, and he almost choked, inhaling a whole stove full of ashes. He coughed twice and mumbled:
"Mom, who can say for sure about matters of the heart? Let's wait and see."
"What are you looking at?" Li Yuxiang glared at him. "Where can you find such a good girl?"
She paused, her tone becoming earnest:
"I don't understand the affairs of you young people. But remember this—as the ancients said, 'Cultivate oneself, regulate one's family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world.' If one's family is not at peace, one cannot accomplish great things. You should think about this carefully."
Qin Hao knew his mother meant well, but matters of the heart couldn't be explained in a few words. He could only feign a humble and receptive demeanor and nod.
"Okay, Mom, I'll think about it carefully."
Li Yuxiang was finally satisfied and continued making noodles.
After a while, Qin Hao remembered something and said:
"By the way, Mom, I'll find someone to renovate these two courtyard houses after the New Year. It'll be more comfortable to live in them then."
Li Yuxiang hesitated for a moment:
"Renovation? Where will I live then?"
"How about I buy you another apartment?" Qin Hao suggested. "Let's buy a two-bedroom apartment nearby for you to live in for now. Once the courtyard house is renovated, you can move back in."
Li Yuxiang waved her hands repeatedly:
"Why buy an apartment? It's a waste of money. I'm used to living in a bungalow, and I'm not used to living in an apartment."
She thought for a moment and said:
"How about this, let's tidy up Ye Fei's little courtyard and I'll move there. Once this place is renovated, I'll move back."
Qin Hao frowned upon hearing this.
Ye Fei's small courtyard is right next to Yang Shumao's. Last year, he had a complete falling out with Yang's parents, and things were very unpleasant. If his mother were to move in, he might not be able to guarantee she wouldn't be harassed by them.
Seemingly sensing her son's thoughts, Li Yuxiang comforted him:
"Don't worry. Everyone in the alley knows my son is successful. If they dare to go too far, the neighbors will stand up for me. Besides, I don't provoke them. We keep to ourselves, so what could possibly happen?"
Qin Hao didn't think so.
Mr. and Mrs. Yang are narrow-minded and vindictive. They must be holding a grudge because the house-changing incident last year made them lose face.
Unless it involves their own personal interests, which neighbor would offend that notoriously difficult couple for the sake of an old lady?
"Mom, how about this?" Qin Hao thought for a moment and said, "I'll have the renovations done in two phases, one in the first half of the year and the other in the second. We'll renovate this courtyard first, and you can stay in the small courtyard house. Then we'll renovate the smaller one in the second half of the year, and you can move back in."
Seeing her son's resolute attitude, Li Yuxiang had no choice but to nod in agreement:
"Okay, it's up to you."
As the mother and son were chatting, neighbors started coming over to visit—actually, they came to watch TV. Ever since Qin Hao bought Li Yuxiang a TV, every evening, the neighbors loved to come over and watch it for free.
When Qin Hao returned, everyone greeted him warmly and chatted about everyday matters.
As the conversation went on, someone suddenly brought up:
"By the way, Xiao Hao, do you remember that beef was quite expensive?"
Is beef expensive?
Qin Hao paused for a moment, then nodded:
"I remember. What's wrong?"
"He went to Guangzhou right after the New Year," the man said. "He was so cocky when he left, patting his chest and saying he was going to make something of himself and teach you a lesson. Guess what happened?"
He kept everyone in suspense until they looked over before continuing:
"My bag was picked on the train, and I lost all my money and food coupons. As soon as I got off the train in Guangzhou, I was scammed by a local. He carried my bag, but he had no money. They took me to a secluded place, beat me up, and stripped me of my clothes."
"Huh?" Everyone exclaimed in surprise.
"Luckily it's warm in Guangzhou. If it were here, he would have frozen to death." The man shook his head. "In the end, a fellow villager who was doing business in Guangzhou took pity on him, treated him to a meal, and bought him a train ticket back. That's how he slunk back."
“That’s right,” another person chimed in. “But although he’s back, he’s lost his job—he quit when he left. His parents were furious; they chased him for miles. Now he’s lying at home every day, too afraid to even leave the house.”
"Serves him right!" someone spat. "Who told him to pat his chest and say that he would definitely make a fortune in Guangzhou? Otherwise, would his parents have agreed to let him resign? He's all talk and no action, he doesn't know his own limitations."
The crowd chattered amongst themselves, their tone a mixture of mockery and sighs. (End of Chapter)