C5 Those Who Are Goodlooking Are Not Bad at All
Su Lang was not one to oversleep, so as the day's first light touched his face, he woke up. A business card lay on his nightstand, reading: Lin Xiaoxiao, Manager at Haicang Finance Company. He had the nagging feeling that he'd missed something important yesterday.
"Please park the car in the shed..."
"Don't you have anything to say?"
With that, Lin Xiaoxiao turned and walked away...
A twinge of regret passed through Su Lang, but he quickly shook it off. After freshening up and dressing, he grabbed a bag full of property deeds and headed to the bustling commercial pedestrian street.
His intention was to assess the prime locations of his shops before leasing them out. It made no sense to let them sit idle. The pedestrian street was among the most thriving in Beishan City, though it hadn't always been so. Just a few years prior, it was an aging wholesale market. The city's redevelopment plans transformed it into a commercial hub, causing property values to skyrocket, making the shops there worth their weight in gold.
Su Lang reviewed the property deeds. His ten shops were strategically located: on the left side of the street were Numbers 65, 67, 69, 73, and 75; on the right were Numbers 54, 56, 58, 64, and 66. Positioned near the center of the pedestrian street, they benefited from both excellent locations and heavy foot traffic. Some were even sequentially numbered, enhancing their value significantly.
"Zhang, did you hear? All the vacant shops down the street have been snapped up?"
"Yeah, I heard."
"The rich really flaunt it. Just think, each shop valued at five million—that's a total of fifty million for all ten!"
"The joys of the wealthy are beyond our grasp."
Before Su Lang could even reach his shops, he caught the sound of astonished voices. Approaching a middle-aged man, he asked with a friendly smile, "Hey there, what's the buzz about?"
The man turned to see a dapper, handsome fellow in a suit, and his sour expression softened.
These days, it seemed that attractive people rarely fared poorly in life.
"Hey, who might you be?"
"I came to check out the shop..."
"Little brother, you're a tad late. Just two days ago, someone bought up all the shops on this street."
"Big brother, do you know who that person is?"
"I'm not sure. I'd guess he's probably some seasoned big shot."
"What if he's a young guy?"
Su Lang pondered this and had to agree. True, shops are valuable, but they're not exactly a flashy status symbol.
"Perhaps someone begs to differ?"
He watched as Su Lang pulled a key from his pocket.
Then he swung open the shop's large door!
The middle-aged man was at a loss for words.
The area fell silent, and the middle-aged man's face turned as red as a monkey's behind.
Just a moment ago, he was boasting about the presumed age of the shop buyer...
And what was the reality?
The actual owner was standing right in front of him.
He was what, in his twenties?
He touched his balding head and mumbled to himself, clearly bewildered.
Su Lang didn't catch what the middle-aged man was saying.
Had he heard, Su Lang would have certainly set the record straight.
He had a fondness for sports cars.
Given the opportunity, he would choose a sports car without a second thought.
Su Lang took a tour of the shop and noticed it had already been refurbished. It was spotless, with every facility you could need.
For a prime location like this, bustling with foot traffic and fully equipped, the rent would be no less than fifty thousand yuan.
That's half a million yuan a month.
Six million yuan a year!
He needed to lease this shop out as quickly as possible!
"Are you planning to run your own business here, or are you looking to rent it out?"
At that moment, a familiar male voice echoed from behind Su Lang.
He turned around to find the middle-aged man he had recently encountered.
"How should I address you?" Su Lang asked with a warm smile, extending his right hand.
Lee Xueqian returned the smile and the handshake. "I'm Lee Xueqian, owner of the Hundred Flavorings House next door."
"I'm looking to expand my business. If you're interested in leasing, I'd like to rent your shop."
Honestly, Lee Xueqian had his eye on the adjacent shop for quite some time. He had always wanted to rent it, but the previous owner was adamant about selling, not renting.
Lee Xueqian had all but given up hope, yet now, he glimpsed the first light of dawn.
Su Lang's eyes sparkled upon hearing Lee Xueqian's proposal. He had just considered leasing out his shop when, as if by fate, a customer appeared on his doorstep. It seemed that those blessed with good looks received favor from the heavens as well.
"Absolutely, I'm looking to lease this shop," Su Lang affirmed.
"A shop that isn't leased is pointless," Su Lang said with a chuckle. "What's the rent you're offering?"
"Sixty thousand!"
"Per year?"
"Per month!"
"It's a deal!"
Su Lang didn't hesitate for a second before accepting the offer. His target had been fifty thousand, but Lee Xueqian's offer had pleasantly surpassed his expectations. So, he readily agreed.
"Should we sign the contract now?"
"Yes," Lee Xueqian nodded, adding, "But before we do, if it's alright with you, I'd like to see the property certificate."
Lee Xueqian quickly clarified, as if to prevent any misunderstanding, "Don't take it the wrong way, it's just a precaution."
Su Lang understood Lee Xueqian's concern. It was only natural for him to worry about the legitimacy of the shop's ownership. It's not every day you see a man in his twenties owning ten shops; it's bound to raise eyebrows.
Without further ado, Su Lang pulled out the property certificate from his pocket and handed it to Lee Xueqian.
Property Owner: Su Lang.
Lee Xueqian scrutinized the document carefully, then his face broke into a radiant smile. "Let's proceed with the signing."
"Sounds good."
Once the contract was signed, Lee Xueqian promptly transferred the funds into Su Lang's account.
"Your account balance: 727,555.20 yuan."
Lee Xueqian was indeed generous, paying the 720,000 yuan rent in one fell swoop.
