Siheyuan, Shazhu: I have both parents in this life

Chapter 336 Is this a shopping spree?

They called on Chu and Guan, and the four of them drove to Liulichang again.

On the way, He Yuxin said that there were two things to do today: look at houses and buy furniture. So when they arrived, the four of them went to the state-run antique shop again. Manager Li had said that although it was more expensive to buy things from state-run shops, it was the safest option, and state-run shops had enough resources and could provide a complete selection of items.

Today is Manager Li's shift again. They were in such a hurry to resign because they haven't even found a store location on the Yellow River side yet. If he resigns now, it's like he'll just stay at home.

"Mr. He, what else do you want to see today?" He pretended not to know He Yuxin that well and still treated him as a major client.

"Manager Li, I wonder if your store has many complete sets of furniture? Last time I was so busy looking at the decorative items that I forgot about the furniture."

"Yes, yes, but they're not displayed outside. Would you kind ladies please come with me to the warehouse to take a look?"

“Okay,” He Yuxin said.

"Xiao Song, keep an eye on things outside. I'm taking a few guests to look at the furniture," Manager Li called out towards the counter.

"Understood, Manager."

"Please, everyone!" Manager Li gestured for them to enter.

The furniture warehouse was much larger than the antique shop, filled with all kinds of furniture, and the air was filled with a faint aroma of wood and lacquer.

An old craftsman, wearing reading glasses, was repairing a table with upturned ends by the light from the window.

"Master Liu! Are you busy? I'm bringing a friend to look at some furniture."

Master Liu looked up and saw it was Manager Li. He quickly stood up and said, "Manager, why did you bring him here personally?"

"This is a big client."

"Oh, what would you like to see? The living room? The study? Or the bedroom?"

“I want to see everything, and I want the best.” He Yuxin looked around the warehouse and replied, “My home is a newly renovated three-courtyard house, but there’s nothing there.”

Master Liu put down his tools and said, "Well, there are some options. This way, please."

He led the group to another warehouse, and Manager Li explained with a smile, "That's where the high-quality goods are; these are all mass-produced items."

"Oh, I see!" He Yuxin said with a smile.

Although it's called a small warehouse, it's actually quite large, about five or six hundred square meters. Inside, various kinds of furniture are neatly arranged: huanghuali armchairs, zitan square tables, chicken wing wood bookshelves, beech wood couches. There are many kinds, and they are all in very good condition.

"These are all collected over the past few years," said Mr. Liu with pride.

Manager Li said, "Some of them come from wealthy families in the past, and some are from families whose property was confiscated and returned, and whose descendants are eager to cash in. These are sold in sets, and many people can't afford them, so there are more and more of them, and the prices are still acceptable."

He Yuxin glanced around and nodded. He didn't understand the profound knowledge of woodwork, but he could still distinguish between good and bad wood and different styles of furniture.

These pieces of furniture are made of solid materials, have exquisite craftsmanship, delicate carvings, and exude a warm luster from the passage of time.

"How much is this carved rosewood daybed?" he asked, pointing to a large couch.

"You have a good eye!" Master Liu praised. "This is from the mid-Qing Dynasty, made of genuine Southeast Asian rosewood. Fixed price: 1,200 foreign exchange certificates."

He Yuxin nodded, didn't haggle, and pointed to a set of huanghuali wood table and chairs: "How about this set?"

"A set of huanghuali wood table and chairs from the late Ming Dynasty, with one table and four chairs. 1,800 foreign exchange certificates."

"Why do I feel like this wooden thing is more expensive than those porcelain items outside?" Li Chengru couldn't help but ask.

Manager Li smiled and said, "This comrade may not know this, but wooden furniture, especially hardwood furniture like this, is all about 'one piece of wood, one piece of furniture.' Large, solid pieces of wood are extremely rare. Look at the grain of this huanghuali wood and the density of this zitan wood; these are the result of hundreds of years of refinement. Fine porcelain is certainly precious, but the growth cycle of these top-grade woods is extremely long, and their reserves are limited. Moreover, furniture making is time-consuming, and it's not easy to pass them down. Complete sets of exquisite pieces that have been preserved intact are naturally very valuable. This price is really not expensive."

"I see, but it's really expensive." Li Chengru clicked his tongue in amazement.

"Compared to those made of pine, they're definitely more expensive," Manager Li said with a smile.

"The reason this furniture has been preserved for so long is because of the wood; otherwise, it would have rotted away long ago," Mr. Liu added.

He Yuxin nodded and said, "Since you're experts, could you give us a brief introduction to my house?"

He gave a brief introduction to the three-courtyard house, and then Master Liu asked about the condition of each room, mainly its size and what style He Yuxin wanted.

He Yuxin didn't understand either. Master Liu said, "It's basically impossible to have a completely uniform style. We can't even put together a complete set. We can consider using one style for each courtyard. That would give us a rough idea."

"Then let's do as Master Liu said. You guys recommend some styles for me, and I'll take a look at them first."

"it is good."

Afterwards, with Mr. Liu's recommendation and Manager Li's introduction, they carefully examined all kinds of furniture in the warehouse.

In the end, He Yuxin selected a set of Ming-style living room table and chairs made of huanghuali wood, a set of study furniture made of zitan wood (including a desk, bookshelves, and official's hat chair), a zitan wood luohan bed, and multiple sets of rosewood and beech wood tables, chairs, cabinets, and shelves for different rooms. She even selected a long table for the hall, a canopy bed for the bedroom, and a chaise lounge.

"That's all." He Yuxin roughly selected the items he needed. All in all, they were enough to fully equip the main rooms of his three-courtyard house. The style of each courtyard was consistent, and all the items were of high quality.

Master Liu's eyes lit up with joy. No wonder Manager Li said it was a big client. This was definitely a big deal. He would get a bonus this time because a lot of the items were repaired and maintained by him after they were taken back.

"Mr. He, your taste is truly impeccable! These things, when placed in a house, will completely change the atmosphere!" Manager Li said.

"I'll have to trouble you to arrange vehicles and personnel to help me get to my destination," He Yuxin said.

"Mr. He, shall we deliver the goods now?" Manager Li asked.

"You can load the goods first. I'm going to wander around Liulichang for a while. When I come back, I'll lead the way."

"Oh, that's good. There's too much furniture for the contractor to move on his own. I'll call and arrange for a truck," Manager Li said.

"You decide what to do. My only requirement is that these pieces of furniture cannot be bumped or scratched."

"No problem, we're professionals at this. Master Liu will be overseeing the whole process."

“Yes, I’ll go with you too, otherwise those big items won’t be able to get into the house,” said Master Liu.

"Okay, Manager Li, shall we go to the front to settle the bill?"

"please!"

When the bill came, the total price was naturally an astonishing figure, exceeding the sum of the porcelain and paintings purchased the previous day.

The clerk who was issuing the invoice was stunned. Could furniture really be bought like this? He probably never imagined that a few years later, when furniture became popular, resellers would come and sweep up all the stock, emptying the store.

He Yuxin confirmed the amount and went to the bank with Manager Li again to complete the transfer.

After leaving the bank, He Yuxin said to Manager Li, "Manager Li, are you free now? Could you take us to see some shops nearby?"

"Yes, I'm free!" Manager Li quickly replied. "I've looked at a few places these past few days, but I don't know what kind Mr. He is specifically looking for."

"It needs to be bigger, preferably with a backyard, two or three stories are fine," He Yuxin said after thinking for a moment.

Manager Li thought for a moment and said, "Then there is only one suitable one I have in mind. It used to be a framing shop, but due to the loss of many of its collections in the past few years, and the lack of successors in framing, it now wants to sell it off."

"How big?" He Yuxin asked.

"The place is quite large, about an acre (666 square meters) in total. The storefront facing the street is quite impressive, a three-story building with a sizable backyard that can be used as a warehouse or for living. It's just that the location isn't in the busiest part."

"Is it a bit out of the way? Why don't we go take a look first?" He Yuxin said.

"Alright! I'll take you there right away."

The shop was only two alleys away from the main street of the antique shops. It was indeed less noisy than the main road, but the environment was more tranquil.

The building, with its blue bricks and gray tiles, looked quite old. It had a wide facade, but there wasn't a single employee inside; instead, an old man was sitting there dozing.

When I went inside, it was quite clean, but there wasn't much there.

"Master Wu, Master Wu!"

"Manager Li, you're a rare guest! What would you like to frame today?" The old man woke up with a start when he heard someone calling him. He saw it was Manager Li and quickly got up with a smile.

"I'm not here to frame anything today. I brought someone to take a look at your shop since you want to have it framed."

Master Wu glanced at He Yuxin and his group, noting they were all quite young, and said, "Them? My shop may not be on the main street, but it's not cheap either. Can they afford the price?"

“If I can’t afford it, I can’t lead you here. This is Mr. He, he’s the one who needs to watch the shop,” Manager Li said, pointing to He Yuxin.

"What are you planning to do?" Master Wu asked He Yuxin.

"Do business similar to that of antique shops."

"Young man, you've got quite the nerve," Master Wu said irritably.

“We’re here to take over the shop, so let’s only talk about the shop itself,” He Yuxin said, unperturbed.

“That won’t do. This shop has been passed down for generations. I need to know what the buyer will use it for.”

He Yuxin didn't reply but looked at Manager Li, who shook his head helplessly.

“I’m telling the truth, we’re doing the same business as antique shops,” He Yuxin said again.

"Manager Li, is what he said true?"

"Yes, he has the ability."

"Hey, you old folks, you've managed to get ripped off. I won't set a price for this shop right away. Take a look first, and we'll talk later."

"Okay, can we walk around by ourselves?"

"Sure, we don't have much left anyway." Master Wu gestured for them to proceed. After looking around, He Yuxin said to Manager Li, "This place is alright. What do you think about opening our shop here?"

“There shouldn’t be any problems in the early stages. I still have some old clients. If we expand further, we should consider opening on the main street, since outsiders can’t find this place,” Manager Li said.

"Then let's take it first, and keep an eye on the main street as well."

"Row."

"This price?"

"I didn't ask either."

"Then let's talk about it."

The group returned to the front hall, and He Yuxin said, "Master Wu, I think the shop is pretty good. Could you name a price?"

Master Wu stretched out one hand and turned it back and forth.

Manager Li explained in a low voice, "One hundred thousand."

"What's the market like?" He Yuxin asked.

"Too expensive!" Manager Li whispered.

"Would you sell it for 80,000?" He Yuxin asked.

"This young man is quite the bargainer," said Master Wu.

"It's a transaction, can't I even negotiate a price?"

"A lump sum?"

“I can pay in full at once and transfer the money right away,” He Yuxin said.

Master Wu squinted and looked He Yuxin up and down again. He had actually asked for a high price, and his real price was only fifty or sixty thousand. He was afraid that this young man would waste that amount.

"The younger generation is truly formidable. Alright, then it'll be 80,000."

"When can we complete the formalities?" He Yuxin asked.

"It can be done today, but you'll have to give me a few days to move."

"no problem."

After arranging to meet with Master Wu at the housing management office in the afternoon, the group and Manager Li returned to the antique shop. The truck was already loaded, and Li Chengru led the way to the He family residence.

When Master Liu went inside, he was full of praise, saying that this was the best house he had seen restored in recent years.

He was also very skilled at his work; all the furniture was in the house before noon.

He Yuxin had Li Chengru take Master Liu and the furniture movers to lunch, while he and the two women ate alone. In the afternoon, He Yuxin and the others first went to the bank to open an account and transferred 80,000 yuan.

Then, taking the passbook, they went to find Master Wu. After Master Wu looked at the passbook, he happily went to the housing management office with He Yuxin and the others. Manager Li didn't go. The procedures were completed quickly. The name used was He Yuzhu's. This was the passbook that He Yuzhu had given to He Yuxin last time, just in case something like this happened. This would save a lot of trouble.

Li Chengru and the others didn't say anything more, for fear of ruining things. However, Li Chengru was now truly certain that the person was from the old city of Beijing, since the address on the household registration was right next to the He family's new house.

The next day, He Yuxin found out where to register the company. He and Li Chengru went there and came back with a business license for "Yellow River Culture Development Company". The legal representative was still He Yuzhu.

After Mr. Wu moved out, the shop began to be renovated, also in an antique style. The people were introduced by Wang Hongxia through He Yuzhu; they were the same people who renovated his courtyard house.

Half a month later, the "Journey to the West" crew set off again, and Rosamund Kwan and Cherie Chung's trip in China was also coming to an end. Because TVB was urging them, Xiaoman called He Yuxin.

Both women were reluctant to leave, but they had contracts to fulfill in Hong Kong and had to return.

He Yuxin hosted a farewell dinner for them. During the dinner, Rosamund Kwan said to He Yuxin, "Brother He, thank you for bringing us to the mainland this time. I have learned a lot from you."

Cherie Chung laughed and said, "Yes, it felt like I was learning how to act all over again. If my acting skills don't improve when I get back, I'll have wasted this trip."

He Yuxin smiled and said, "I'll come again if I have the chance. It's much more convenient now than before."

"Hey, why hasn't Huang He ventured into film and television?" Chung Chu-hung asked.

"What, thinking of switching sides?" He Yuxin said with a smile.

"If you want to do it on the Yellow River, I'll definitely switch."

“I’ll change too,” Rosamund Kwan said.

"Well, that depends on what my brother thinks. There aren't any conditions for that in mainland China."

"Can't you just ask?" Chung Chu-hung said.

"You can go back and have Yuyao ask her. Of course, you can also talk to my sister-in-law."

"Mrs. Ho?" Rosamund Kwan asked, somewhat surprised.

"Yes, my sister-in-law manages the investments."

"Wow, Mrs. Ho is so amazing?" Rosamund Kwan exclaimed.

"That's right, my sister-in-law is no ordinary person."

"Ah Lin, you have to introduce me to her when you get back," Chung Chu-hung said. She was a little envious that Rosamund Kwan had met and talked with Xiao Man.

"I...I don't want to, but we can go find Miss Xue Ning first."

"Xue Ning?"

“My eldest brother’s youngest daughter, He Xuening,” He Yuxin said.

"Oh, you're very familiar with her?" Cherie Chung asked Rosamund Kwan.

"We're good friends, I guess. We sometimes go shopping together."

"Oh, I always invite you when I go shopping or something, but you never do," Chung Chu-hung said reproachfully.

"That's not it, that's not fear."

"It's alright, Xue Ning won't hold it against you," He Yuxin said.

“Take me with you when you go back!” Chung Chu-hung said.

"it is good!"

"."

After seeing the two women off, He Yuxin didn't devote himself fully to the shop preparation and house decoration, because he was waiting for people from the North American Grand Hyatt. It wasn't Chen Sheng who came, but Alan Sheffield.

They didn't need He Yuxin to pick them up at all; someone from the government department picked them up themselves. However, they chose to stay at the same hotel as He Yuxin.

After meeting, He Yuxin joked, "You guys get much better treatment than I do."

Alan Sheffield and his group were extremely embarrassed; he was the boss, and they were just employees.

"Have you finalized your itinerary?"

“It’s all arranged. They’re taking this very seriously and have offered many options,” Alan Sheffield said.

“Then you’ll have to choose carefully. But we absolutely have to get the one at the train station. I think it will become a new landmark, just like the Grand Hyatt in New York.”

"Understood, Mr. He. Anything else?"

“I’m not very clear about what’s under the Junyue brand. Allen, could you tell me about it?”

"Currently, we only have high-end and mid-range hotels. The high-end one is in New York, and the mid-range one is two hotels in Los Angeles that we are currently renovating."

"Oh, then you all take a look. The boss didn't say he'd only take one piece of land. Of course, we'll skip the really remote ones. The transportation in Beijing isn't great right now; there aren't enough cars."

“Understood, we’ll contact you again after we’ve reviewed it,” Alan Sheffield said.

"We can communicate anytime. You can also ask me for help if you need it. I know a few people here."

“That’s great,” Alan Sheffield said.

After Alan Sheffield and his group began their inspection of Beijing, He Yuxin told Manager Li about the renovation, and then he drove to Jidong.

Upon arriving in eastern Hebei, he went directly to Zhao Fengnian.

"Yuxin, why didn't you say hello before you came?"

"Uncle Zhao, this was a last-minute decision. I mainly came to check on the progress of the factory here."

"I have a few meetings today. Do you want me to go with you tomorrow, or should I let you go with me today?"

"You don't need to go yourself. Just find someone to come with me. Otherwise, it's inconvenient for me to go by myself," He Yuxin said.

"Okay, wait a moment." Zhao Fengnian then made a phone call.

A middle-aged man entered Zhao Fengnian's office shortly after. "Secretary Zhao!"

"Put everything else aside today and take General Manager He from Huanghe to visit the various factories."

"Okay, Secretary Zhao."

(End of this chapter)