National Tide 1980.

Around noon, after signing several purchase contracts and paying a deposit of 100,000 yuan, I waved goodbye to Manager Meng, who had a round head, and got into the back seat of the Mercedes-Benz.

Mi Xiaohui finally seized the opportunity to ask questions and couldn't wait to ask Luo Guangliang the many questions that had been on her mind for a long time.

"Third Brother, what exactly happened just now?"

"What's going on?"

"I mean, why did you take that courtyard house? And why did you buy several additional apartments?"

"What's so strange about that? We were here to take possession of the house anyway. Otherwise, we would have come all this way for nothing..."

"But you didn't approve of those houses, did you? You clearly said that the courtyard houses were where traitors lived, and they were so dilapidated. And those apartment buildings are so far away... If they're not good, why waste money..."

"Hey, you mean this? Have you ever heard the saying that praises and criticizes are directed at the buyer? As for me, I actually like it and sincerely want to buy it, which is why I'm picking on its flaws. As for why I'm picking on its flaws? It's nothing more than trying to lower its price."

"Trying to lower the price? You clearly spent more money, didn't you? You spent twice as much, what was originally 300,000 has become 600,000."

"You silly girl, you only see how much money I've spent, but you don't even consider that I own too many houses. To tell you the truth, if you don't count those apartments, that courtyard house was sold to me for only 300,000 yuan, almost a quarter less than what he asked for. I was only planning to haggle down to 50,000 yuan. Isn't that a bargain?"

"Then...then you've invested a lot. Everyone says business is risky. Nobody knows when the weather will turn cloudy or which cloud will bring rain. Aren't you afraid of losing money after buying it?"

Seeing how simple-minded Mi Xiaohui was, Luo Guangliang couldn't help but smile and explain it to her in detail.

"Loss? If your profit margin is big enough, that's impossible. Those few apartments, the location isn't great, but they're cheap. The construction cost alone is 1,400 yuan per square meter. I only paid 1,200 yuan per square meter. Manager Meng and his team are state-owned enterprises. They took out loans to build the houses and have to pay interest. They're in a hurry to cash out, which is why they sold them to me at such a low price. I'm not in a rush. I'll take my time finding buyers, and I'm sure I'll make a profit. The houses won't deteriorate. I can also collect rent."

"And do you know what the most valuable part of a house is? It's not whether the house is new or old, nor is it the layout; the key is the location. What I'm most proud of today is that I acquired this courtyard house. Look at the location of Nanluoguxiang! It's surrounded by Shichahai, Jingshan Park, Beihai Park, the Forbidden City, and Tiananmen Square. They're all tourist attractions. It's suitable for doing business or renting to foreigners."

"Do you know how much a place like this, a courtyard like this, would have cost ten years ago? Only thirty or forty thousand. Now that we've opened up to the world, there are more tourists and foreigners, so the price has gone up. That Manager Meng, he claims to be an expert, but he's really a novice. He didn't understand this point. He was arguing with me about the wrong things. Otherwise, he wouldn't have budged on the price. If he's not satisfied with the price, he can just hold onto it and wait. Who knows how much this courtyard will be worth in ten years? It might even increase by another 500,000..."

Although Mi Xiaohui was convinced, the amount of 500,000 still made her gasp.

"Another 500,000 increase? That's outrageous."

Luo Guangliang, however, was absolutely certain of this and had no doubt about it.

"Don't you believe me? This is what they call scarcity driving up value. I won't lie to you, but when Weimin left, he specifically asked me to buy him a house in a prime location, a historic courtyard house like this. So what if Hong Chengchou lived in this courtyard? Or even if Li Lianying lived in it? It doesn't matter. Because these kinds of houses are very rare. In the past, the renovation of private houses turned most privately owned courtyard houses into public housing, and later they became large tenements under the jurisdiction of the housing management office. Houses like this, which can still be traded privately and have no residents, are even rarer."

"Over the past few months, I haven't actually acquired many properties. Besides this one today, I bought a small two-courtyard house of similar size in Zongbu Hutong in the eastern part of the city, and a three-story house with a backyard on the north bank of Shichahai. I heard that one was once the Qingyun Building, one of the eight great mansions of the past. That's all. I've never seen a three-courtyard house before. A large garden like Grandpa Kang's is a rare find. I doubt I'll ever see one in my lifetime. So how could a house like that not be valuable? It's bound to continue rising in price. As Wei Min said, money can be printed, but houses can't just appear out of thin air."

"And you have to know, many overseas Chinese who have returned from abroad love our courtyard houses the most, just like our Seventh Aunt. They're not afraid to spend money at all. I'm not saying this to be mean, but that Manager Meng is too lazy, or he doesn't understand the principle of selling goods based on appearance. Think about it, when you buy a bicycle, you have to clean it. Now, if I spend a few hundred thousand to make the courtyard I bought today look beautiful and people will like it at first glance, and if I happen to meet an overseas Chinese who likes courtyard houses, why would I have to wait ten years? It wouldn't be surprising if it sold for a million now."

At this point, Mi Xiaohui was nodding frequently as she listened, feeling that she had learned a lot. However, upon reflection, she realized that there was still one question that puzzled her.

"Third Brother, isn't that a bit odd? Since these kinds of courtyard houses are so rare, why didn't you go check out the one that person mentioned in Guangningbo Hutong? And why did you just drop the topic altogether? Did you already know there was something wrong with that house?"

This time, Luo Guangliang genuinely showed his appreciation.

"You're quite observant, girl. You've really grown up; you've even noticed this. To tell you the truth, it's not the house that's the problem, it's the location. Before Weimin left, he circled a few places on the map for me, saying that I shouldn't buy houses in those areas because they wouldn't last. They're all within the government's old city renovation plan and will definitely be demolished, and the government won't give much compensation. Guangningbo Hutong, which Manager Meng just mentioned, happens to be one of those places. If I buy it, I'll fall into a trap."

Only then did Mi Xiaohui finally feel relieved and couldn't help but giggle.

"Oh, no wonder they say there's no business without cunning. Third Brother, I didn't expect you to be so shrewd too."

"Look at what you're saying. The business world is full of deceit and treachery, and making money is never easy. Besides, buying a house and land isn't like buying radishes and cabbages. Weimin entrusted me with such an important matter, so if I don't want to mess it up, how can I not use some strategy?"

"Yeah, that's true, Third Brother. You've really got a knack for talking now. I've always thought you were pretty amazing, but now you're practically my idol. Hey, has anyone ever told you that you're like that gangster boss in those Hong Kong gangster movies...?"

Mi Xiaohui's approval seemed to give Luo Guangliang considerable confidence.

He laughed heartily, then took out a thousand yuan from his pocket and handed it over quite happily.

"What gangster boss? Third Brother is a perfectly honest businessman now. And even if I were more capable, I wouldn't be as capable as you. You're a proper college graduate, full of knowledge, a true cultured man. Look, if it weren't for you today, how would I have known that the owner of that courtyard was a traitor? Manager Meng would have completely fooled me. Here, take this, it's your fee. Thank you for helping Third Brother so much today."

However, to everyone's surprise, Mi Xiaohui insisted on not accepting it, and she changed her mind about what had been agreed upon.

"Oh, Xiaohui, why are you being so polite with me? Didn't we agree on this?"

"But this is too much money, a thousand yuan, which is equivalent to half a year's salary for my dad. And I haven't done anything!"

"That's how business is. You saw it yourself, this deal was made with your help. It's perfectly reasonable for you to get paid for your help, there's nothing to be ashamed of. To be honest, it's just that you're young, so I can't give you too much. Otherwise, I'm afraid you'd think I'm stingy. Here you go..."

"No, Third Brother, I really don't want money, there's too much of it. How about we try another way? Look at me, I'll ask you for a favor, okay?"

“Sure, why not? Just tell me what it is.” Luo Guangliang truly treated Mi Xiaohui like a younger sister and agreed without hesitation.

And that's not all; he still stuffed the money into Mi Xiaohui's hand as usual, making particularly generous promises.

"I'll definitely get things done for you, and you'll definitely get the money."

Unexpectedly, his boastful tone backfired, and Mi Xiaohui's words put him in a difficult position.

"Third Brother, how about I work for you?"

"What? You've gone to school for so many years, and you're going to work for me?"

Luo Guangliang couldn't believe his ears and was speechless with astonishment.

Mi Xiaohui, however, wore a look of joy and longing.

"Hmm, I think it's a good idea. I'll be your secretary from now on..."

"Oh dear, I don't need a secretary. Today, I only asked you to come because the other party is a state-owned enterprise, and it's the first time I've dealt with them. There won't be many more opportunities like this in the future. If you stay with me, you'll be hindering your career."

"Hey? Third Brother, why are you like this? You just agreed so readily. I'm serious, I won't go for the assignment, I'll work for you. Forget about future prospects. I think doing business is quite interesting, much better than just going through the motions at work every day. I've learned a lot from you today. If I don't want to be a secretary, I don't want to be a secretary, I'm fine with doing something else."

Only then did Luo Guangliang truly understand what it meant to be trapped in one's own web.

"Oh dear, I'm telling you the truth, why don't you understand? You're a golden phoenix that flew out of our compound, it's normal for you to fly as high as you want. But your third brother's place is too small, it's not good enough for you to work with me. Besides, even if you're willing, it's not allowed, your parents would be furious with me."

Unexpectedly, the hidden story revealed by Mi Xiaohui was truly frustrating.

“Where? Third Brother, you have no idea what kind of jobs our school assigned us to. A children's inflatable toy factory, and we have to work in Changping. The salary is less than seventy-five yuan. Although it's a secure job, how am I supposed to support myself with such a low salary?”

"Why is there so little?"

Luo Guangliang was genuinely stunned. "You're not kidding me, are you? Xiaohui, you're a college graduate, and you're not even earning as much as an industrial worker? How is that possible? And you're going to work in Changping? Isn't that like being exiled to the army?"

"That's for sure. Who would want to go? But if you don't go, you won't get a dispatch certificate. Without a dispatch certificate, you don't have cadre status. And even so, our school says we're lucky. Because in two years the government won't guarantee job placement anymore, and we'll all have to find jobs ourselves. They even say we're lucky we graduated early."

"What? The government isn't guaranteeing job placement anymore? College graduates will have to find jobs on their own from now on?"

Now it was Luo Guangliang's turn to be curious. He never imagined that a college graduate who could be considered a pillar of the nation would also have to worry about finding a job and would also lose his secure job.

"It's true, Third Brother. Our school said they're implementing a two-way selection system now, encouraging talent mobility. If we don't want to stay in the toy car business forever, we can resign after getting our dispatch certificates and find better opportunities. You know, last year my mom was pulling a cart around in the dead of winter to sell 'patriotic vegetables,' and she injured her back, which hasn't healed yet. My dad's movie theater hasn't had any bonuses for a long time either. If it weren't for the huge success of 'Mom, Love Me Again' this year, their movie theater might not even be able to pay salaries on time..."

Nothing speaks louder than facts. After all, Luo Guangliang was still living in the same courtyard as Mi Xiaohui, and he had witnessed firsthand the Mi family's life.

It would have been better if Mi Xiaohui hadn't complained, but once she brought it up, Luo Guangliang immediately understood her worries.

Aunt Mi developed a chronic illness from selling vegetables, and now she has to take medicine, get massages, and apply plasters, which costs her a lot of extra money every month.

Even movie theaters are failing. Nowadays, young people don't even watch movies when they're dating. Without good films, the theaters are practically deserted.

But the Mi family also has an American grandson who is raised with great care and has to learn English in advance. Doesn't that cost money?
Moreover, Luo Guangliang also remembered that Ning Weimin had treated his old neighbors to a meal when he came back this time, and then he hadn't been seen much since.

He could easily guess that Mi Xiaohui was shy and couldn't find an opportunity to talk to Ning Weimin, so she delayed telling him about it until now.

"Here's what we'll do. I'll think of a way to help you. I know your situation. In that case, I'll make sure you're satisfied."

Luo Guangliang once again acted like an older brother, "However, I deal with shady characters all the time here. It's not suitable for a young lady like you to do this. How about this, you go work at Yunshang Company for a while, and then I'll think of a way to get you a job at Pierre Cardin. If you ask me, a foreign company is where someone like you should be..."

Luo Guangliang's high regard and praise made Mi Xiaohui blush. She shook her head shyly, "It's too much trouble, Third Brother. Actually, I can just work for you. I don't need a high salary..."

Luo Guangliang ignored that and waved his hand, saying, "No trouble at all, no trouble at all. Just listen to your brother. I have to find you a job that can earn you a thousand or eight hundred. After all, you're my sister."

He then took out his mobile phone and called Yin Yue.

"Hey, I'm Luo Guangliang... Boss Yin, I have a favor to ask you. I have a younger sister here who just graduated from university..."

However, he failed to notice that Mi Xiaohui was grateful, though she was.

But even in her expectant gaze, there was a hint of disappointment. (End of Chapter)