Soldiers Assault: Starting from the 7th Steel Company

Chapter 241 When something goes wrong, there must be a monster

Since there was no "social circle" at that time, if you wanted to buy a house, you either had to look for new properties at the sales center or buy a second-hand house through a real estate agent.

Chen Jiang was rather averse to secondhand homes for a simple reason: the brokerage fees were not cheap, and he couldn't enjoy many of the preferential policies for new developments. Therefore, Chen Jiang went directly to the Infrastructure Department and asked Hou Jun, the department director, for information.

This Director Hou Jun is quite remarkable. He is very familiar with all the civil engineering companies in the market. Because Chen Jiang shone brightly at the previous meeting, Hou Jun had a high opinion of him. Such a talent will be promoted sooner or later, so it's better to do him a favor now.

Therefore, he asked his subordinates to send him a list of newly opened or soon-to-be-opened real estate projects throughout the city, and made several recommendations from it.

“Brother Chen Jiang, since your child needs to go to school, you should definitely choose a location within the Third Ring Road. Otherwise, this location is too bad, wouldn’t that be embarrassing for me?” Hou Jun said arrogantly.

In the capital, the Third Ring Road came first, followed by the Second Ring Road.

The Third Ring Road was first built in the 50s. The name "Third Ring" comes from the fact that only the three sections of the ring road were built at the beginning, which were named East Ring Road, South Ring Road and North Ring Road respectively. Therefore, it was commonly known as the Third Ring Road.

In the 80s, the western section of the West Ring Road was finally completed, and the name "Third Ring Road" was officially recognized and became the official name of this ring road.

The Second Ring Road and the Fourth Ring Road were both built after the Third Ring Road, and were named sequentially from the inside out, based on the name of the Third Ring Road.

Now, the Fourth and Fifth Ring Roads are fully open, but relatively speaking, the Fourth and Fifth Ring Roads are quite remote.

Therefore, housing prices within the Third Ring Road are the most expensive.

"How about this Kunlun Apartment? It's a small townhouse with an elevator," Hou Jun pointed heavily at one of the building names, his tone tinged with pride. "This is a hot commodity. The property rights and school district are excellent, the sunlight and greenery are great, and the apartment layout is good too. The key point is—it's zoned for Experimental No. 2 Primary School and the High School Affiliated to the Normal University, which are very scarce educational resources."

When Chen Jiang heard "Experimental No. 2 Primary School," his heart skipped a beat. This was the school his wife always talked about.

He leaned closer, looking at the simplified floor plan and plot ratio printed on the internal document, his eyes becoming noticeably more intense.

Hou Jun was satisfied with Chen Jiang's reaction and continued to lower his voice, as if revealing some secret: "Moreover, the boss of this development is a close friend of mine, so in terms of price," he paused, giving Chen Jiang a meaningful look, "it will definitely have a much greater 'advantage' than the public sale. If you're interested, I can put in a good word for you?"

If it were anyone else, they would have been moved to tears by Hou Jun's enthusiasm and would have definitely considered him their elder brother.

But Chen Jiang, having lived two lives, knew all too well that there's no such thing as a free lunch. He and Hou Jun were complete strangers before, and now that he'd come to inquire about something, the other party was being so enthusiastic.

"If something goes wrong, there must be a demon!"

This is an eternal truth.

“That wouldn’t be very kind of you,” Chen Jiang said, his face showing just the right amount of gratitude and a hint of embarrassment. “Director Hou, you’re so busy, how could I trouble you to use your personal connections for such a small matter? I’m already extremely grateful that you gave me this information and pointed me in the right direction.”

His words were perfectly tactful, expressing gratitude while politely declining the other party's suggestion to "say hello," all while maintaining a humble attitude so as not to offend the other party in the slightest.

Hou Jun's smile faltered slightly, seemingly surprised by Chen Jiang's response. The expected gratitude and eager agreement did not materialize. He glanced at Chen Jiang; the man's eyes were clear, his attitude respectful, and there was nothing wrong with him, but the subtle aloofness and calmness made Hou Jun's heart skip a beat.

"Hey, Brother Chen, you're being too polite!" Hou Jun quickly adjusted his expression, his tone becoming even warmer, even carrying a hint of reproach. "We're all 'family,' so what's all this trouble? It's just a matter of a word from me. Helping you save some money and get your child into a good school, isn't that a good thing? Don't feel guilty!"

He tried to disarm Chen Jiang by using emotionally manipulative phrases like "one of our own" and "for the good of the child."

Chen Jiang's nerves were on edge even more.

The more enthusiastic and proactive the other party is, and the more eager they seem to be to make this happen, the more suspicious their motives become.

He smiled, his tone more sincere, but his refusal even clearer:
"Director Hou, I really appreciate your kindness and thank you so much. But the closer we are as friends, the less I want to put you in a difficult position. There are definitely limited spots available at this internal price. If I get it, it might take away an opportunity that belongs to someone else, putting your friend in a difficult position and breaking the rules. That would be a huge mistake on my part."

He paused, and seeing that Hou Jun was about to interject, he quickly continued, "Well then, Director Hou, the Kunlun Apartments you recommended must be excellent. I'll go to the sales office as an ordinary customer first to check out the publicly available market information and prices. If it's really suitable, and if, by any chance, I really need your help, I'll shamelessly come back to beg you. Is that alright?"

Chen Jiang's words placed him in a completely subservient position, entirely considering the interests of Hou Jun and his "ironclad friend," and openly stated his "unwillingness to break the rules," leaving Hou Jun with no stronger reason to pressure him. Further insistence would appear too deliberate and impatient.

A barely perceptible shadow crossed Hou Jun's eyes, but his smile remained, though it had faded slightly and taken on a more scrutinizing quality. He chuckled dryly twice and patted Chen Jiang on the shoulder: "Haha, good! Brother Chen is a straightforward and principled man! Alright, we'll do it your way. Go and take a look yourself first, and call me anytime if you have any questions."

"Of course, of course! Thank you so much, Director Hou." Chen Jiang thanked him sincerely again, then took the document with the recommended properties and politely said goodbye.

Back at his office, he happened to pass by He Yuanchao's office. After thinking for a moment, he decided to push open the door and go in to report the situation to him.

Unexpectedly, He Yuanchao immediately praised Chen Jiang for doing the right thing!

"Chen Jiang, you're absolutely right to do this. If you accept his 'good intentions,' what will you do if he asks you for help in the future? As far as I know, he has a younger brother who's been trying to take advantage of our quartermaster department. You have to be careful!"

Upon hearing He Yuanchao's words, Chen Jiang suddenly realized what was going on.

“It’s not easy for you to resist the temptation! Besides, you’re one of my quartermasters. If you have any problems, you can come to me for help!” He Yuanchao said with a laugh. “However, I don’t have any ‘close friends’ with developers, but if you want to solve your child’s schooling problem, I can give you another way.”

"Huh?" Chen Jiang looked at him in confusion.

"Haha, I know an older gentleman whose children took him abroad and asked me to sell his house in China. He just happened to be back to handle some paperwork. If you don't mind a second-hand house, you can consider it."

Perhaps sensing Chen Jiang's concerns, he added, "This house is in a great location, near the Second Ring Road, and the school district is better than that Kunlun Apartment."

He Yuanchao's words stirred something within him. He had originally been somewhat averse to secondhand houses, since they were houses that had been lived in before, and he didn't know their condition or how old they were.

Furthermore, there are issues with the intermediary's practices and additional fees, as well as legacy issues related to property rights and management. However, the situation is completely different if it's a private listing introduced by He Yuanchao.

The keywords "near the Second Ring Road" and "better school district" held an indescribable attraction for him.

Chen Jiang immediately showed genuine interest: "Director He, how could I mind? Anything you recommend is bound to be reliable. It's just...this house is in such a great location, the price must be..."

"Don't worry about that," He Yuanchao waved his hand, his tone resolute. "This senior is a reasonable person. They're not in a hurry for the money. The price is negotiable. If you're really having financial difficulties, you can write an IOU and pay in installments later."

He leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice: "The house is right next to the main campus of Experimental Primary School No. 1. It's a real school you can walk to, not a branch campus. The affiliated middle school is Peking University High School. The house is very well maintained. If his children hadn't insisted on taking him away, he really wouldn't have been willing to sell it."

Experimental Primary School Main Campus!
Peking University High School?

These two schools are several levels higher than the schools affiliated with Kunlun Apartment!
"Director He, thank you so much!" Chen Jiang's tone was full of gratitude. "Then could you arrange for my wife and me to go and take a look at this house? You know, we can't afford to delay when it comes to our child's schooling."

"I knew you were in a hurry," He Yuanchao laughed. "I'll call that senior right now to schedule a time."

After a phone call, the other party replied cheerfully that they were currently there and welcomed them to come over.
"Look, isn't this better than begging that Hou Jun and having to put up with his attitude? We can handle this internally, why owe outsiders such a huge favor? Come on, call your sister-in-law, let's go now!"

"Yes, yes, Director He, you're right." Chen Jiang nodded repeatedly, feeling completely at ease.

Compared to Hou Jun's calculating enthusiasm, Director He's care, which came from his direct superior and carried a hint of protectiveness, was much more reassuring.

The road took an unexpected turn; a new path opened up before us.

He secretly rejoiced that he had resisted Hou Jun's temptation and stuck to his principles; otherwise, he might not only have gotten into trouble in the future, but he would have also missed the more reliable and higher-quality channel that Director He had introduced.

Two hours later, under He Yuanchao's arrangement, Chen Jiang and Chu Ning met the kind old senior and saw the house, which, although somewhat old-fashioned, was full of scholarly atmosphere and well-maintained.

The location, school district, and surrounding environment are all impeccable.

What appealed to the couple most was that the price offered was significantly lower than the market price.
“Since you are Xiao He’s friends, that’s fate. I’m an old friend of Xiao He’s father, so I’ll sell this house to you at a discount!” The old man was very cheerful. Not only was the price low, but the payment method was also quite flexible, which greatly reduced Chen Jiang’s down payment pressure.

Chu Ning was very satisfied with the house. Although it wasn't a new house, it was clear that the owner had high taste. Many of the furniture pieces were made of high-quality materials, and the appliances were from well-known brands, which would save a lot of effort in later renovations.

She has already thought it through. Apart from the bathroom fixtures needing to be replaced, almost nothing else needs to be changed. She can move in immediately with just her bags!

Everyone was a straightforward person, and with He Yuanchao's connection, things progressed surprisingly smoothly, and the transfer of the house and loan procedures were completed on the same day.

The next morning, Chen Jiang made a special trip to He Yuanchao's office to express his gratitude.

He Yuanchao laughed heartily: "It's nothing! I'm happy to help you solve your practical difficulties. The old senior just called me and said he has a very good impression of you two and he's relieved to leave the house to you."

Chen Jiang felt a warm glow in his heart after hearing this.

“However,” He Yuanchao’s tone shifted, his expression becoming slightly more serious, “what are your plans regarding Hou Jun? He hasn’t contacted you since yesterday?”

"Not yet," Chen Jiang answered truthfully.

He Yuanchao pondered for a moment, then tapped his finger on the table: "He's a proud man, and he's also quite shrewd. If you refuse him directly, he'll definitely be unhappy. Here's what you should do: wait until he asks, or find an opportunity to bring it up yourself and say that the house belongs to your wife's relative, giving him a way out."

Chen Jiangxin understood immediately.

Sure enough, Hou Jun called around noon.

"Brother Chen, how's it going? Did you go back and discuss the Kunlun Apartments with your wife yesterday? How did it go? I've already spoken with my buddy, and we're just waiting for your word so we can reserve a good floor for you!" Hou Jun's tone was still enthusiastic, but if you listened carefully, there seemed to be a hint of urgency that was more noticeable than yesterday.

Chen Jiang was already prepared. Following He Yuanchao's instructions, he spoke with just the right amount of regret and gratitude: "Oh, Director Hou, I was just about to find an opportunity to report to you! Thank you so much for being so concerned about our matter! But alas, the situation at home has suddenly changed a bit."

He paused, lowered his voice, and spoke sincerely: "My wife has a relative who happened to have a house for sale, so they sold it to us cheaply. I'm so sorry to have disappointed you!"

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone, followed by Hou Jun's still-cheerful but slightly less enthusiastic laughter: "Oh? Is that so? No problem, no problem, you're really lucky! Okay, then let me know if you need anything in the future!"

"Definitely! Thank you so much, Director Hou! I'm so sorry to have troubled you!" Chen Jiang thanked him repeatedly.

"Don't mention it, it's nothing." Hou Jun exchanged a few more pleasantries and then hung up the phone.

After hanging up the phone, Chen Jiang let out a soft sigh of relief.

Hou Jun's final words, "We'll talk about it later if you need anything," essentially closed the door, but at least maintained a facade of harmony.

This matter has been resolved smoothly.

(End of this chapter)