Su Li returned to her dormitory.
She had seen those reports about students from poor mountainous areas before, and always thought they were exaggerated.
How could things like that possibly exist?
But when she saw outstanding classmates around her who had grown up like that, she was shocked speechless.
She had been in contact with those very hardworking students before, and always felt they were brooding and eager to forge ahead, and somewhat resentful of the rich, as if having money was an original sin in itself, and unwilling to accept other people's kindness.
Her dormmate Chu Yu gave off that feeling of grievance.
But Su Xiaoqi did not.
What stood out about her was that she was excellent and worked very hard with solid efforts, like right now when Su Li went to knock on her door, she really was studying in the dorm while Su Li's dormmate Chu Yu was currently listening to music, reading novels, and checking her phone.
Su Li felt moved inside but also did not know what to say. When she returned to her dorm, she opened a textbook to read, something she had never done before.
It scared her roommates Chu Yu and Lin Dongqing, who did not know what madness had come over their dormmate Su Li.
Early the next morning, Xiaoqi put on the sweater Pei'er had given her, jeans, little boots, shouldered her schoolbag, and went out.
She was going to look at houses today at quite an early scheduled time.
Xiaoqi waited for the chairman at the bridge in the old city quarter. She did not expect the car today was not the Toyota or pickup truck but a Mercedes-Benz she had not seen before with an upright sign on top that Xiaoqi always felt could be snapped off with a flick of the hand.
Xiao Shengzhou wore a suit. He already had thick brows and big eyes that made him look serious and mature. Wearing a suit made him look even more mature while Xiaoqi looked very small in comparison.
Because she had checked the weather forecast earlier saying it would be sunny today and warmer, Xiaoqi had not worn a coat.
Also, with Yunshu's coat as a contrast in the dorm, Xiaoqi always felt her own coat seemed pirated from Yunshu's. Not that she suddenly had brand awareness for clothes, just that she felt something was off and subconsciously did not wear that coat when going out on business, even if it was fine to wear on campus.
Driving out so early in the bright sunshine on the weekend was rare even for Xiao Shengzhou.
He was still a little sleepy.
Seeing the girl in the light green sweater at this time instantly invigorated him.
No matter when he saw her, she was always spirited and uplifting, infecting others easily.
After Xiaoqi got in the car, Xiao Shengzhou asked her, "Have you eaten breakfast?"
Xiaoqi nodded. There was milk and bread in the dorm that she ate some of.
Because it was so early on the weekend, the cafeteria had not opened yet and food was not ready, so she ate in the dorm.
Of course, having finished her morning run already and practiced her calligraphy homework, she had showered, eaten breakfast, and came out, inexplicably feeling like she had half a day more than those dormmates who got up late.
Xiao Shengzhou had not eaten yet.
He thought that the little girl did not seem to have any particular preferences, only seeming to be more interested in food, so he planned to take her to a good breakfast place in Alliance City.
Xiaoqi had interacted with the chairman a few times now and was relatively familiar, so she did not feel constrained getting in the car.
She even asked about how Xiao Bao'er was recently.
"She still mentions you every day. Yesterday, holding her little pony, she went to the supermarket to buy things and was photographed and videoed by many people watching, feeling especially smug about it."
Just hearing the chairman talk about it, Xiaoqi could picture that scene of the chubby little girl leading a pony, with a proud expression that made Xiaoqi want to smile.
There was a very nice fragrance in the car, like the smell of freshly harvested grass in the early morning, and also a faint minty scent. She did not know if it was sprayed on the chairman or inside the car, but it made people feel very relaxed and pleasant.
The two chatted all the way and soon arrived in Alliance City.
Xiao Shengzhou parked the car in the parking lot then took Xiaoqi to eat breakfast.
Breakfast in Alliance City was very famous. Many older uncles and aunties would meet up to eat breakfast, spending a whole morning eating snacks, drinking tea, and chatting, very fulfilling.
In the parking lot, Xiaoqi already smelled the rich fragrance of mixed foods and the aroma of tea.
Her stomach could not help but growl loudly.
Although Xiao Shengzhou's expression was stern, he laughed inside. He had seen the girl's appetite before and she could really eat a lot, so eating breakfast probably would not affect eating morning tea.
After parking, they went upstairs together. It was bustling with noise inside.
The two found a window seat. Sunshine was already shining on the table.
Xiao Shengzhou ordered a pot of red tea, then ordered quite a few snacks before passing the menu to Xiaoqi.
Xiaoqi also ordered many snacks. Lacking experience, she just picked what looked good. But this time, after giving the menu to the server, she paid first.
She had intended to treat the chairman to midnight snacks before, but he ended up paying first this time.
Unexpectedly, morning tea was very cheap. Adding up over a dozen snacks and tea between them, it was not that much money.
The overall taste inside was fragrant without any unpleasant smells. Xiaoqi looked forward to the upcoming snacks too.
At least it proved the ingredients were very fresh.
The snacks were served in small steamer baskets, with ribs, chicken feet, shrimp balls, durian puffs, mango balls, and mushroom-shaped pastries, pineapple puffs, and more.
Xiao Shengzhou skillfully brewed the tea, pouring the first steep to preheat the cups before pouring the second steep for Xiaoqi to drink.
The rich aroma of red tea spread out.
The sweet and slightly greasy snacks paired with the slightly bitter tea did taste very good indeed.
Xiaoqi ate very quickly without wasting anything, giving people appetite just watching her.
Xiao Shengzhou ate quite a lot too.
The two chatted about Xiaoqi's expectations for the house while eating. Time flew by quickly.
They ate morning tea for an hour before Xiao Shengzhou drove towards the eastern suburbs of Alliance City.
Alliance City was a very clean, small and refined city with trees and flowers everywhere, tall buildings alongside ancient small buildings coexisting interestingly and preserved very well. The streets were also very clean.
But driving to the eastern suburbs gave a different feeling, spacious, flat, and magnificent.
There was a sense of towering skyscrapers rising from flat ground, extremely broad with very tall buildings too.
There was a free trade zone here, new technology park, residential areas, shopping malls.
Xiaoqi had never been to Lujiazui in Pudong. If she had, the impression would be even deeper. This place was probably built modeled after little Lujiazui.
It was developed, built, and put into use all at the same time.
Compared to the old city quarters of Alliance City, pedestrians here walked much faster without the leisure of drinking morning tea, always holding a briefcase in one hand and food in the other, coming and going busily.
But their dress and looks still gave an impression of refinement.
The ladies almost all wore high heels, pencil skirts, and their hair and makeup were neat.
Moreover, few elderly were seen on the street, almost all young people coming and going.
This was a new emerging area, full of the sense of struggle and future.
Xiaoqi felt that perhaps her future would also become one of those coming and going here.
Wearing a smart suit, walking into one of the bright glass towers, taking the elevator as the numbers kept changing, getting off at one of them, stepping out of the elevator...
Xiao Shengzhou drove while glancing at the girl beside him from time to time, seeing her looking out the window curiously, engrossed, not knowing what she was thinking.
Seeing her curiosity, Xiao Shengzhou drove slower.
Finally, they stopped around a construction site. Xiaoqi saw the entrance said Xin Longhai Garden, probably the name of this new community under construction.
She had never bought a new house before and did not know the process, just knew that new houses seemed not to be obtained immediately. There was a difference between pre-sale and ready-to-move-in houses that Long had mentioned to her when driving.
For investment purposes, pre-sale houses were usually bought, those expected to be delivered next year or the year after, bought now would be cheaper.
She had a little over 1 million yuan in her account now but planned to buy a house for just over 900,000 yuan. She did not understand this area herself and the senior she listened to should not have been wrong.
Getting out of the car, she followed the chairman like a little attendant.
Xiao Shengzhou was acquainted with the developer here. He rarely made rash promises. For the little girl entrusting him to help look at houses, he had done preparation and investigated real estate around the eastern suburbs.
The location of this new Longhai Garden was very good, close to the CBD center here, also near a large shopping mall, very close to the subway station, definitely within 5 minutes' walk. And it was purely residential property, meeting first-time home buyers' demand. It should sell well in the future if she wanted to resell.
What's more, housing prices here were still quite reasonable, unlike the city center alliance where the highest ones had already soared to 50,000-60,000 yuan per square meter. The 10,000 yuan plus per square meter here could still be afforded.
Xiao Qi was not yet 18 years old so she did not qualify for a loan. She planned to buy with full payment, so she could still get a discount.
First, Xiao Shengzhou took Xiao Qi to see the show flats, available in 60, 70 and 80 square meters. Xiao Qi would not consider anything bigger than that, so they just looked at these three layouts.
The show flats were fully decorated in a fresh, youthful style that young people would definitely like at first glance.
However, the 60 square meter unit was truly tiny and cramped. Probably including the public area, the actual area was only 40-odd square meters. Although the interior design had maximized the use of space, Xiao Qi, who was used to more spacious living in the countryside, still felt very uncomfortable.
She felt that piling up money like that, an area as big as what used to be her living room at home could be turned into a whole apartment for a family to live in.
The 70 square meter unit was slightly better with a Mediterranean style decor. The tiles in the kitchen were colorful and there was a tiny balcony adding points, though as a two-bedroom unit one of the bedrooms was semi-open planned, still trying to make the space look bigger which might not be that practical for actual living.
In comparison, the 80 square meter unit was the most cost-effective, an authentic two-bedroom apartment.
Xiao Qi came with a clear goal this time, which was to invest. She would not come to live here herself. For rental or future resale value as an investment, practicality had to be taken into account.
The 80 square meters suited newlywed couples very well, and would still be enough after having a baby.
It was just a matter of price.
The listing price per square meter here was 13,100 yuan, and there were differences depending on the floor chosen, higher floors costing more.
Xiao Qi chose a south-facing 8th floor unit, not too high up. Higher floors would have a significant premium with an extra 1,000-2,000 yuan per square meter.
Xiao Shengzhou did not offer much opinion during the flat viewing and selection, but he negotiated the price. As Xiao Qi was paying the full amount, she got a 4% discount. Also, Xiao Shengzhou knew the regional manager here so he managed to get them an additional 8% staff discount on top of that.
Therefore, the final price calculated for this apartment was 13,100 yuan per square meter multiplied by the 80 square meters, then multiplied by 0.96 and further by 0.92, totaling 918,528 yuan. Being an acquaintance, she would also get one year of property management fees gifted after handover.
The whole process went swiftly. Once Xiao Qi decided, without viewing other developments, she signed the contract here and paid.
Xiao Shengzhou did not expect this young lady to be so swift and decisive. He thought girls would want to spend a whole day viewing, especially for such a major purchase as a home. He did not anticipate such resoluteness from her.
Looking at the money leaving her account, Xiao Qi felt refreshed.
Having bought the flat, Xiao Qi generously said: “Chairman Xiao, where do you want to eat for lunch? Anywhere under 50 yuan, your pick, my treat!”
Xiao Shengzhou: “...”
“Oh never mind, my treat, anywhere 50 yuan and above is fine!”
Su Li returned to her dormitory.
She had seen those reports about students from poor mountainous areas before, and always thought they were exaggerated.
How could things like that possibly exist?
But when she saw outstanding classmates around her who had grown up like that, she was shocked speechless.
She had been in contact with those very hardworking students before, and always felt they were brooding and eager to forge ahead, and somewhat resentful of the rich, as if having money was an original sin in itself, and unwilling to accept other people's kindness.
Her dormmate Chu Yu gave off that feeling of grievance.
But Su Xiaoqi did not.
What stood out about her was that she was excellent and worked very hard with solid efforts, like right now when Su Li went to knock on her door, she really was studying in the dorm while Su Li's dormmate Chu Yu was currently listening to music, reading novels, and checking her phone.
Su Li felt moved inside but also did not know what to say. When she returned to her dorm, she opened a textbook to read, something she had never done before.
It scared her roommates Chu Yu and Lin Dongqing, who did not know what madness had come over their dormmate Su Li.
Early the next morning, Xiaoqi put on the sweater Pei'er had given her, jeans, little boots, shouldered her schoolbag, and went out.
She was going to look at houses today at quite an early scheduled time.
Xiaoqi waited for the chairman at the bridge in the old city quarter. She did not expect the car today was not the Toyota or pickup truck but a Mercedes-Benz she had not seen before with an upright sign on top that Xiaoqi always felt could be snapped off with a flick of the hand.
Xiao Shengzhou wore a suit. He already had thick brows and big eyes that made him look serious and mature. Wearing a suit made him look even more mature while Xiaoqi looked very small in comparison.
Because she had checked the weather forecast earlier saying it would be sunny today and warmer, Xiaoqi had not worn a coat.
Also, with Yunshu's coat as a contrast in the dorm, Xiaoqi always felt her own coat seemed pirated from Yunshu's. Not that she suddenly had brand awareness for clothes, just that she felt something was off and subconsciously did not wear that coat when going out on business, even if it was fine to wear on campus.
Driving out so early in the bright sunshine on the weekend was rare even for Xiao Shengzhou.
He was still a little sleepy.
Seeing the girl in the light green sweater at this time instantly invigorated him.
No matter when he saw her, she was always spirited and uplifting, infecting others easily.
After Xiaoqi got in the car, Xiao Shengzhou asked her, "Have you eaten breakfast?"
Xiaoqi nodded. There was milk and bread in the dorm that she ate some of.
Because it was so early on the weekend, the cafeteria had not opened yet and food was not ready, so she ate in the dorm.
Of course, having finished her morning run already and practiced her calligraphy homework, she had showered, eaten breakfast, and came out, inexplicably feeling like she had half a day more than those dormmates who got up late.
Xiao Shengzhou had not eaten yet.
He thought that the little girl did not seem to have any particular preferences, only seeming to be more interested in food, so he planned to take her to a good breakfast place in Alliance City.
Xiaoqi had interacted with the chairman a few times now and was relatively familiar, so she did not feel constrained getting in the car.
She even asked about how Xiao Bao'er was recently.
"She still mentions you every day. Yesterday, holding her little pony, she went to the supermarket to buy things and was photographed and videoed by many people watching, feeling especially smug about it."
Just hearing the chairman talk about it, Xiaoqi could picture that scene of the chubby little girl leading a pony, with a proud expression that made Xiaoqi want to smile.
There was a very nice fragrance in the car, like the smell of freshly harvested grass in the early morning, and also a faint minty scent. She did not know if it was sprayed on the chairman or inside the car, but it made people feel very relaxed and pleasant.
The two chatted all the way and soon arrived in Alliance City.
Xiao Shengzhou parked the car in the parking lot then took Xiaoqi to eat breakfast.
Breakfast in Alliance City was very famous. Many older uncles and aunties would meet up to eat breakfast, spending a whole morning eating snacks, drinking tea, and chatting, very fulfilling.
In the parking lot, Xiaoqi already smelled the rich fragrance of mixed foods and the aroma of tea.
Her stomach could not help but growl loudly.
Although Xiao Shengzhou's expression was stern, he laughed inside. He had seen the girl's appetite before and she could really eat a lot, so eating breakfast probably would not affect eating morning tea.
After parking, they went upstairs together. It was bustling with noise inside.
The two found a window seat. Sunshine was already shining on the table.
Xiao Shengzhou ordered a pot of red tea, then ordered quite a few snacks before passing the menu to Xiaoqi.
Xiaoqi also ordered many snacks. Lacking experience, she just picked what looked good. But this time, after giving the menu to the server, she paid first.
She had intended to treat the chairman to midnight snacks before, but he ended up paying first this time.
Unexpectedly, morning tea was very cheap. Adding up over a dozen snacks and tea between them, it was not that much money.
The overall taste inside was fragrant without any unpleasant smells. Xiaoqi looked forward to the upcoming snacks too.
At least it proved the ingredients were very fresh.
The snacks were served in small steamer baskets, with ribs, chicken feet, shrimp balls, durian puffs, mango balls, and mushroom-shaped pastries, pineapple puffs, and more.
Xiao Shengzhou skillfully brewed the tea, pouring the first steep to preheat the cups before pouring the second steep for Xiaoqi to drink.
The rich aroma of red tea spread out.
The sweet and slightly greasy snacks paired with the slightly bitter tea did taste very good indeed.
Xiaoqi ate very quickly without wasting anything, giving people appetite just watching her.
Xiao Shengzhou ate quite a lot too.
The two chatted about Xiaoqi's expectations for the house while eating. Time flew by quickly.
They ate morning tea for an hour before Xiao Shengzhou drove towards the eastern suburbs of Alliance City.
Alliance City was a very clean, small and refined city with trees and flowers everywhere, tall buildings alongside ancient small buildings coexisting interestingly and preserved very well. The streets were also very clean.
But driving to the eastern suburbs gave a different feeling, spacious, flat, and magnificent.
There was a sense of towering skyscrapers rising from flat ground, extremely broad with very tall buildings too.
There was a free trade zone here, new technology park, residential areas, shopping malls.
Xiaoqi had never been to Lujiazui in Pudong. If she had, the impression would be even deeper. This place was probably built modeled after little Lujiazui.
It was developed, built, and put into use all at the same time.
Compared to the old city quarters of Alliance City, pedestrians here walked much faster without the leisure of drinking morning tea, always holding a briefcase in one hand and food in the other, coming and going busily.
But their dress and looks still gave an impression of refinement.
The ladies almost all wore high heels, pencil skirts, and their hair and makeup were neat.
Moreover, few elderly were seen on the street, almost all young people coming and going.
This was a new emerging area, full of the sense of struggle and future.
Xiaoqi felt that perhaps her future would also become one of those coming and going here.
Wearing a smart suit, walking into one of the bright glass towers, taking the elevator as the numbers kept changing, getting off at one of them, stepping out of the elevator...
Xiao Shengzhou drove while glancing at the girl beside him from time to time, seeing her looking out the window curiously, engrossed, not knowing what she was thinking.
Seeing her curiosity, Xiao Shengzhou drove slower.
Finally, they stopped around a construction site. Xiaoqi saw the entrance said Xin Longhai Garden, probably the name of this new community under construction.
She had never bought a new house before and did not know the process, just knew that new houses seemed not to be obtained immediately. There was a difference between pre-sale and ready-to-move-in houses that Long had mentioned to her when driving.
For investment purposes, pre-sale houses were usually bought, those expected to be delivered next year or the year after, bought now would be cheaper.
She had a little over 1 million yuan in her account now but planned to buy a house for just over 900,000 yuan. She did not understand this area herself and the senior she listened to should not have been wrong.
Getting out of the car, she followed the chairman like a little attendant.
Xiao Shengzhou was acquainted with the developer here. He rarely made rash promises. For the little girl entrusting him to help look at houses, he had done preparation and investigated real estate around the eastern suburbs.
The location of this new Longhai Garden was very good, close to the CBD center here, also near a large shopping mall, very close to the subway station, definitely within 5 minutes' walk. And it was purely residential property, meeting first-time home buyers' demand. It should sell well in the future if she wanted to resell.
What's more, housing prices here were still quite reasonable, unlike the city center alliance where the highest ones had already soared to 50,000-60,000 yuan per square meter. The 10,000 yuan plus per square meter here could still be afforded.
Xiao Qi was not yet 18 years old so she did not qualify for a loan. She planned to buy with full payment, so she could still get a discount.
First, Xiao Shengzhou took Xiao Qi to see the show flats, available in 60, 70 and 80 square meters. Xiao Qi would not consider anything bigger than that, so they just looked at these three layouts.
The show flats were fully decorated in a fresh, youthful style that young people would definitely like at first glance.
However, the 60 square meter unit was truly tiny and cramped. Probably including the public area, the actual area was only 40-odd square meters. Although the interior design had maximized the use of space, Xiao Qi, who was used to more spacious living in the countryside, still felt very uncomfortable.
She felt that piling up money like that, an area as big as what used to be her living room at home could be turned into a whole apartment for a family to live in.
The 70 square meter unit was slightly better with a Mediterranean style decor. The tiles in the kitchen were colorful and there was a tiny balcony adding points, though as a two-bedroom unit one of the bedrooms was semi-open planned, still trying to make the space look bigger which might not be that practical for actual living.
In comparison, the 80 square meter unit was the most cost-effective, an authentic two-bedroom apartment.
Xiao Qi came with a clear goal this time, which was to invest. She would not come to live here herself. For rental or future resale value as an investment, practicality had to be taken into account.
The 80 square meters suited newlywed couples very well, and would still be enough after having a baby.
It was just a matter of price.
The listing price per square meter here was 13,100 yuan, and there were differences depending on the floor chosen, higher floors costing more.
Xiao Qi chose a south-facing 8th floor unit, not too high up. Higher floors would have a significant premium with an extra 1,000-2,000 yuan per square meter.
Xiao Shengzhou did not offer much opinion during the flat viewing and selection, but he negotiated the price. As Xiao Qi was paying the full amount, she got a 4% discount. Also, Xiao Shengzhou knew the regional manager here so he managed to get them an additional 8% staff discount on top of that.
Therefore, the final price calculated for this apartment was 13,100 yuan per square meter multiplied by the 80 square meters, then multiplied by 0.96 and further by 0.92, totaling 918,528 yuan. Being an acquaintance, she would also get one year of property management fees gifted after handover.
The whole process went swiftly. Once Xiao Qi decided, without viewing other developments, she signed the contract here and paid.
Xiao Shengzhou did not expect this young lady to be so swift and decisive. He thought girls would want to spend a whole day viewing, especially for such a major purchase as a home. He did not anticipate such resoluteness from her.
Looking at the money leaving her account, Xiao Qi felt refreshed.
Having bought the flat, Xiao Qi generously said: “Chairman Xiao, where do you want to eat for lunch? Anywhere under 50 yuan, your pick, my treat!”
Xiao Shengzhou: “...”
“Oh never mind, my treat, anywhere 50 yuan and above is fine!”
