Age of Legends

Chapter 368 Each Strives for the Right Path, Yet Across a Thousand Miles, We Share the Same Wind (Part 5)
The celebration for her graduation was a joyous occasion for all the guests and hosts. Towards the end, Liu Shuzhen privately spoke to Huang Huifen, saying, "Huifen, look at Weiwei, she's already in university. When she comes home, she thinks our house is outdated and the decor is terrible. Now that she sees something nicer outside, she keeps insisting we move. That's just how kids are. But I was thinking, once she graduates and starts working, she can't just live with us anymore. So I'm planning to get her a place. I just mentioned it to her; her aunt is developing a housing project, and there are bound to be some unsold units that she's holding back. She'll save some for her own family."

Liu Shuzhen laughed again: "Look, do you have any of this..."

Huang Huifen had received instructions from Zhang Chen beforehand and knew how to handle this situation, so for now she could only pretend to be confused: "I can't say for sure. I haven't been involved with Lanyuan for a long time. Right now, I'm overwhelmed with the land on the east bank. I'll ask about it for you later. Are you planning to take it?"

Liu Shuzhen chuckled and said, "I was just saying, it's a housing development you built yourself, so aren't those houses yours? You should keep some for yourself. I already told Weiwei that she's your aunt, so of course she'd keep one or two good ones for you."

Even though Zhang Chen had already warned Huang Huifen beforehand, Huang Huifen was still shocked by her cousin's shamelessness.

Huang Huifen blushed and said, "Sister, although I am a developer, I also have partners, I am subject to audits, and I have loans from banks. The houses belong to the company's assets, not my personal property. Every house has a registered price, a sales contract, taxes, and accounting procedures. If I give you a house and it gets found out, I could be accused of tax evasion, debt irregularities, or even transferring assets!"

“Even if I wanted it myself, I would have to go through the company’s sales process to get the house registered in my name,” Huang Huifen said. “If I were to give it to you, I would have to pay for it first, and then pay the taxes, deed tax, and gift tax before I could transfer it to someone else. I did keep one for myself, but in the end, I had to use my dividend income to pay for it.”

Liu Shuzhen was a little embarrassed. Of course she wanted to get something for free, but after realizing she couldn't, she revealed her true intentions: "I was just joking. I know it's not easy for you to start a business. Your brother-in-law's family actually has some savings. So give me an insider price. Don't let outsiders pay more than me. Save me a good one!"

Huang Huifen nodded: "I'll have Guan Li contact you later and have her tell the sales department to give you the best internal price, which I'll sign off on. But sister, this is the lowest price. I set it myself, and only my signature can give this price. No one else will get it except our own people."

Liu Shuzhen smiled and said, "Okay, as long as it's the most affordable, I'll look at the available rooms and choose the best one."

"This one is fine, you choose." Huang Huifen was both amused and exasperated.

Zhang Chen watched as Liu Shuzhen privately pulled Huang Huifen aside and talked, and from the information she revealed, he roughly understood what was going on.

Fortunately, Huang Huifen will not cross the line and will not give Liu Shuzhen a house, although judging from Liu Shuzhen's attitude and Zhang Chen's prediction of her, she will most likely ask for it directly.

It's very simple. People think that since you've developed so many houses, what's the big deal if you give away one? It's just a drop in the ocean.

Moreover, the house being given away cannot be an unsold property, nor can it be a poorly located house. The first thing they'll probably ask for is the house with the best orientation, the best layout, and the least waste.

However, Huang Huifen would definitely refuse such a situation. The only other option is to get an internal price. Xuhui Real Estate currently has several internal prices. One is the internal purchase price for employee welfare. In fact, it is a way for the developer to incentivize the team so that employees can buy houses at a price slightly lower than the market price, usually 10% to 15% cheaper. In the years when housing prices were soaring, there were many people who applied for sales jobs to buy houses for speculation, making money while buying houses at the most favorable employee price.

The second type is the "favor price" for those with connections. These are discounted apartments for relatives or business partners, typically 10% to 20% lower than the market price. However, if the price is too low, it can cause both tax and financial problems.

If the internal price is lower than the registered price, the tax authorities will consider it as "hidden dividends" and "inflated transfer," resulting in back taxes and fines, neither of which is worth the loss.

Undoubtedly, the only property that could persuade Huang Huifen to sign and take possession was the one with the maximum discount of 20%. The average market price for Huang Huifen's Lanyuan project is 3000 yuan per square meter, while the project cost is 2400 yuan per square meter. The profit per unit is 600 yuan per square meter. The maximum discount of 20% essentially covers cost, but in reality, after factoring in financing interest and taxes, she would actually be operating at a loss.

Therefore, the number of houses that Huang Huifen can get approved is indeed limited, mainly because this channel must be tightened. And judging from the current situation, Liu Shuzhen will most likely get one too.

But there's nothing we can do about it.

Even if it's a relative you dislike, Huang Huifen still can't bring herself to not let them take advantage of her.

"Let them take advantage," Liu Shuzhen said, still holding Huang Huifen's hand, glancing at Zhuang Yanyue over there. "What's going on here? That girl is Zhuang Yanyue, the one who wrote love letters to Zhang Chen and you found them? This girl is so pretty, Zhang Chen is lucky!"

Huang Huifen was in an awkward position. She couldn't very well say that things were different now. Back then, with Zhang Chen's grades and behavior, if he dared to chase after girls with such a carefree attitude, she would have given him a thorough dressing-down. But things were different now; times had changed. Even she, the shrew at home, didn't have much say in front of Zhang Chen anymore. Hadn't she just strictly followed Zhang Chen's instructions—to absolutely not let him take advantage of her—?

Liu Shuzhen, with a strong sense of curiosity, asked, "What, are the two of you dating?"

"No, at least Zhang Chen didn't tell us. And it doesn't seem like it to me. The two companies are business partners, and they are classmates. They're just close friends."

Liu Shuzhen clicked her tongue twice: "I think this girl is good at bearing children."

Huang Huifen was too embarrassed to say it aloud, but she wholeheartedly agreed. When the dinner ended, Zhuang Yanyue and Zhang Chen walked out together. Her hair had grown long again, and she had permed it into waves. At this moment, she looked like a porcelain doll, dressed in a trendy and exquisite style.

As the two walked out of the restaurant side by side, they attracted frequent glances from the guests dining at the hotel.

Zhuang Yanyue stared straight ahead as her voice came over: "When I was talking about you with everyone just now, I lied about something."

Zhang Chen looked at her, puzzled, unable to figure out which of Zhuang Yanyue's words was a lie, but still said, "If you're saying that I often explain problems to you at night, that's definitely an exaggeration."

"That..." she said with a slight smile, "It's not an exaggeration. Anyway, the only thing I can remember now is you explaining problems to me in the middle of the night."

Passersby looked at the two high school students with surprise, and stared intently at the girl.

Zhang Chen, this is giving me a headache. Listen to what you're saying.

Zhuang Yanyue herself revealed: "I was lying about me following you to take the entrance exam for Sichuan University. I didn't take the exam with you. It was just the best option I could have right now. I don't want to go to other cities, so it's good to be close to home. Otherwise, why wouldn't I go abroad?"

Zhang Chen said, "That's not right. You told me back then that you didn't want to miss the last days of the college entrance exam together, that you didn't want to have any regrets about your youth."

"That's right. I have no regrets now. Besides, it was just about going through the college entrance exam with you. It didn't mean I had to go to the same university as you."

Zhang Chen smiled enigmatically: "Well, I'm sorry to say you're in the same school again."

"I've thought it through." Zhuang Yanyue looked at him for the first time, her eyes shining: "In college, I can't let you hold me captive."

Zhang Chen smiled and asked, "What do you intend to do?"

Zhuang Yanyue smiled and said, "I'm about to embark on my wonderful college life. Don't be envious then."

Zhang Chen nodded: "It's good that you've figured it out."

Zhuang Yanyue tilted her head and stared at him: "So just now... were you even a little bit disappointed?"

"Would you be disappointed if I said no?"

"No, that won't happen, because you've always been one to say one thing and mean another," Zhuang Yanyue said coquettishly.

"Ah... well," Zhang Chen said helplessly, "Whatever makes you happy."

Seeing Zhang Chen's helplessness in the face of her made Zhuang Yanyue feel good. She waved to him gently and said, "Well then, bye-bye. If you see that I'm very popular, don't be too jealous."

"You're overthinking it," Zhang Chen said, waving his hand dismissively.

Zhuang Yanyue then put her hands behind her back, smiling sweetly as she approached her parents' car.

This left Zhang Chen somewhat puzzled. Was she truly convinced that there was plenty of opportunities for her in college, or was it just another form of playing hard to get?

Zhuang Xuefeng's car started moving, and the family waved goodbye to Zhang Chen's family through the car window. Just as the car window slowly rose to shut out the outside world, Zhuang Yanyue's eyes left Zhang Chen, who was standing there dumbfounded, and a very faint smile appeared on her lips.

(End of this chapter)