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Today, the guests staying at the "Winter Goes, Spring Comes" hotel are almost all unfortunate people struggling to rise from the bottom up, and they are also the most ordinary group of young people in this era.

The male protagonist, Xu Shengli, is from Yantai, Shandong. He originally had a stable job at a seafood processing plant in his hometown.

His parents both felt that this job provided a stable income regardless of circumstances, enough to support Xu Shengli in living a down-to-earth life.

But Xu Shengli refused to accept that and insisted on going to Beijing to write scripts and become a screenwriter, feeling that his screenwriting talent should not be buried by the smell of fish and shrimp.

His family couldn't stop him, and Xu Shengli came to Beijing with a tattered bag on his back.

When he arrived in Beijing, he realized that the word "screenwriter" had nothing to do with him, a clueless young man from out of town.

I once squatted outside a film studio, was used as an extra, and eventually had to lower myself and do all sorts of odd jobs.

Carrying props, moving equipment, and running errands for people, I earned a pittance a day and was so tired when I got back to the hotel that I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

After waking up, he lay back on the bed and continued writing the script that he didn't know when it would be filmed.

Cao Ye, an art student, delivers food during the day.

With an insulated box strapped to the back of that old bicycle, it was common for him to deliver boxed lunches through the streets and alleys, even climbing six floors.

In the evening, Cao Ye would set up a small stool in the hotel corridor and revise his drawings by the dim light of the corridor lamp.

The pencil in his hand was pitted and dented from his biting, the barrel was covered with teeth marks, and the eraser was worn into a small black bump.

The figures and landscapes in his paintings were from a completely different world from the life he lived in Beijing, but Cao Ye just wouldn't put down his paintbrush.

Tao Liangliang is a native of Beijing. His family lives in Beijing and is quite well-off. His family owns an old restaurant.

But this guy carried an old saxophone and spent all his time playing it under the overpass.

In order to be able to play the saxophone freely, he was willing to run away from home and stay in the dormitory every day, which was always in use during the changing seasons.

Every day he would open his saxophone case and place it in front of his feet, hoping that passersby would throw in a few coins.

But as Tao Liangliang played his tunes, changing one after another, very few people actually stopped to listen.

Most people walked by in a hurry, and occasionally someone would glance at them before moving on.

After playing a piece, Tao Liangliang squatted down, picked up a few coins from the box, counted them, sighed, put the saxophone back, and came back again the next day.

Guo Zongbao was a Henan jack-of-all-trades who could do a little bit of everything.

His main job is repairing home appliances. He can go to anyone's house and fix their radio, TV, or electric fan if it breaks down. He earns money for the parts and his labor, which is his skill money.

But Guo Zongbao also had a dream of becoming an actor, so he would go to various film crews to work as an extra whenever he had free time.

He has played a passerby, a waiter, and a Japanese soldier who was shot to death. The time he had the most lines was when he shouted "Run!" and then he was "blown up".

When he returned, Guo Zongbao gestured and boasted to the people in the hotel that he had been on camera for a full four seconds. Everyone laughed and cheered, and he laughed along with them.

These people are all struggling to stay afloat in Beijing for the sake of their dreams, each with their own hardships and struggles.

After a day of battering and bruises outside, returning to the "Winter Goes, Spring Comes" inn at night, exchanging greetings, offering cigarettes, and chatting idly is a kind of comfort.

……

Lately, Zhuangzhuang and Shen Ranran have been leaving early and returning late, leaving before dawn and not coming back until after dark.

After they returned, the two of them stopped chatting with everyone like before and instead locked themselves in their room, muttering something to themselves.

Occasionally, when someone passes by their door, they can hear people inside saying things like, "Hello, welcome to visit," "Well-ventilated from north to south," and "30% green space."

Everyone was completely confused and had no idea what the two girls were doing.

The manager of "Winter Goes and Spring Comes" is a guy named Xiao Dongbei.

Xiao Dongbei is a warm-hearted person, and he's also a chatterbox, always asking questions about everything.

That evening, several people gathered in the hotel lobby.

As soon as Zhuangzhuang and Shen Ranran entered the door, Xiao Dongbei called out to them, "Hey, Zhuangzhuang, Ranran, wait a minute."

"Little Northeast, is something the matter?"

Xiao Dongbei emerged from behind the counter, holding an account book in his hand. He fanned himself and said, "What have you two been up to these past few days? We haven't seen you anywhere. You come back and lock yourself in your room, like you're doing underground work. Everyone's quite curious, so as the store manager, I have to ask on behalf of the masses."

Xu Shengli was sitting on the old sofa eating a steamed bun when he heard this. He immediately looked up and mumbled through his mouth, "Yeah! You two have been acting really strange lately. You used to be able to chat for a bit at night, but now you can't even catch a glimpse of each other."

Cao Ye also poked half his head out from the stairwell, saying, "I never saw you guys come out when I was drawing."

Zhuangzhuang and Shen Ranran exchanged a glance, and Shen Ranran laughed first, "Alright, alright, since Xiao Dongbei is representing the masses, then we'll confess. We've both found jobs, the stable kind."

Xiao Dongbei raised an eyebrow: "What kind of job?"

Zhuangzhuang smiled and said, "We sell houses through Mingju Real Estate."

As soon as he said that, the hotel fell silent for a second or two.

The group looked at each other, clearly unfamiliar with the industry.

Xu Shengli swallowed the steamed bun in his mouth, frowned, and asked, "Selling houses? You mean... selling commercial housing?"

Shen Ranran said, "Yes, they are regular real estate saleswomen. We have been training them for many days, and their first project is about to open for sale, called Beijing No. 1."

Tao Liangliang, who was leaning against the door wiping his saxophone, stopped what he was doing. "No. 1 Beijing? I think I saw it a few days ago when I passed by there. There was a huge banner hanging on the street that said something like 'Modern life starts here.' I thought it was a furniture store."

Shen Ranran was immediately amused by Tao Liangliang's statement, "What furniture store? That's our community, an eleven-story building with an elevator. You can't find another project like that in Beijing right now."

Guo Zongbao had just returned from repairing a television set, his hands still covered in dust. Hearing them discussing selling houses, he washed his hands and said with deep emotion, "Selling houses is great! It's a proper way to make a living. It's much better than playing a dead person on a film set. Last time I played a corpse, my face was painted like a ghost, and I lay in the mud for most of the day. I had to take eight showers when I got back."

"Hahaha..." Everyone burst into laughter at Guo Zongbao's antics, and the atmosphere suddenly became lively.

Xiao Dongbei clapped his hands with a smile, "Alright, alright, this is great news. Zhuangzhuang and Ranran, you two have finally made it through. We've had a lot of good things happen to us lately during 'Winter Turns to Spring,' it's worth celebrating. Although I don't have anything fancy to offer, I'll cook a pot of dumpling soup for everyone tomorrow morning, there's plenty to go around."

Zhuangzhuang quickly waved her hand: "Little Northeast, you're too kind."

Xiao Dongbei said, "We're all on the same side! If you two ever sell the house and make a fortune, don't forget to treat us to a proper meal."

Shen Ranran patted her chest and said, "No problem. After we get our commission, we'll treat you to a nice meal at a restaurant when we get back. Lots of mutton hot pot."

Everyone offered their congratulations, and the lobby was filled with warmth and laughter, temporarily silencing the unpleasant things happening outside the hotel.

……

A few days later, Mingju Real Estate's first project, "Beijing No. 1," officially opened for pre-sale.

The pre-sale site was decorated in a festive manner, with a huge red archway standing at the entrance of the sales office. Leaders gave speeches, firecrackers were set off, and the scene was very grand.

The sales office staff, dressed in matching uniforms, stood in a row, looking energetic and beautiful. Shen Ranran and Zhuangzhuang were among them.

The two women wore light makeup and business suits, holding floor plans and price lists, with standard smiles honed through AI training.

However, when the opening price was officially announced, the entire city of Beijing was shaken to its core.

The price was 5,888 yuan per square meter. This figure exploded like a bomb among industry professionals and potential homebuyers.

People crowded in to watch the spectacle, but almost no one actually went inside to sit down and inquire about prices.

Most people glance at the huge price list, gasp, and then turn and leave.

Someone in the crowd shouted, "Five thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight? Is he buying a house or a gold brick? Elsewhere, it's only two or three thousand, and he's more than doubled it. Is this boss crazy?"

Someone nearby chimed in, "I think it's not that they're crazy, it's that they're desperate for money. They're so obsessed with money that they think we Beijingers are fools."

Some people in the crowd sneered, "High-end residential area? No matter how high-end it is, it's just a concrete shell. Do you think it can feel like a palace?"

Some people were so angry after seeing the price that they reported it, saying that Mingju Real Estate was maliciously inflating housing prices and disrupting market order, and demanded that relevant departments do something about it.

For a time, there were quite a few people at the opening of Jingcheng No. 1, but most of them were there to watch the spectacle, and there were very few potential customers who actually spent money.

Shen Ranran and Zhuangzhuang stood in the sales office all day, their throats parched as they gave presentations to several groups of people.

But as soon as they heard the price, their polite smiles froze, and they made up an excuse and left.

……

Back at the hotel that evening, Shen Ranran kicked off her high heels, sat on the edge of the bed rubbing her feet, her face filled with exhaustion and resentment.

Zhuangzhuang sat opposite her and asked in a low voice, "Ranran, do you think our price is really too high? Everyone who came today was scared away by the price."

Shen Ranran rubbed her ankle, remained silent for a few seconds, then looked up, her eyes filled with weariness but concealed by a stubbornness. "I don't think so. Have you forgotten what the teacher said during training? We're selling the best houses in Beijing right now, and good houses should have good prices. Those who are scared off by the price weren't our target customers to begin with."

Zhuangzhuang nodded, but the worry on her face hadn't completely disappeared: "That makes sense, but if things stay this cold, when will we ever get our commissions?"

Shen Ranran said, "Don't rush, it's only the first day. The boss is definitely more anxious than we are. Let's wait and see what the company does next."

"..."

……

Shen Ranran is right. Suning already has a clear idea of ​​what the company's next steps should be.

He didn't care about the ridicule and reports from the outside world, treating them all as free publicity delivered to his door.

Then, Suning did something directly:

I personally wrote an article and submitted it to several mainstream media outlets in Beijing.

The title of this article is "The Future of Beijing Housing Prices - Why 5888 is a Fair Price".

The article is written without beating around the bush; it's very direct.

Suning elaborated on this from several aspects: What is Beijing?
It is the capital of China, a unique political center, cultural center, and international exchange center.

No other place in the country can match its status.

Land in Beijing is limited, and resources in prime locations are irreplaceable.

The national housing market is still in its infancy, and many people are still looking at the problem with the old mindset of housing allocation by work units, completely failing to see the huge potential of the real estate market.

"Beijing No. 1" is not an ordinary brick-and-mortar residential building, but a truly high-end, top-tier luxury community, featuring low-rise buildings with elevators, expansive green spaces, professional property management, and well-planned parking...

This was the first of its kind in Beijing in 1994.

This price seems very high even by today's standards.

But looking at the future, it's definitely a fair price, or even severely undervalued.

Once the article was published, public opinion exploded like boiling water poured into a frying pan.

Supporters and opponents argued fiercely in newspapers and on the streets.

Some say Suning is a cheerleader for the real estate industry, while others say he has a keen eye and is speaking the truth.

……

Just when this war of words was at its most intense, something completely unexpected happened.

A large group of Hong Kong tycoons suddenly stormed into the purchase site of "Beijing No. 1".

These people didn't come to watch the spectacle; they came with money.

Speaking Mandarin with a Hong Kong accent, they went in and out of the sales office, looking at the model, picking up materials, choosing floors, and negotiating contracts. Their speed and decisiveness left those who were still observing in the audience dumbfounded.

These Hong Kong businessmen have experienced several rounds of soaring prices in Hong Kong's property market and have an extremely keen sense of the value of land and real estate.

They immediately understood that the housing prices in Beijing were still at rock bottom compared to the city's status.

In their eyes, the price of 5888 is not an exorbitant price at all, but a severely undervalued bargain.

After the news spread, those who had been watching the spectacle with amusement just a few days ago immediately began to panic.

Starting with the group buying by Hong Kong tycoons, it seemed like everyone suddenly understood overnight.

The next morning, a long queue formed outside the sales office of "Beijing No. 1".

The line stretched out from the main entrance in a winding fashion, following the sidewalk all the way to the street corner.

The people queuing up aren't just there for the spectacle; they're people who genuinely want to buy a house with their money.

Some people were holding bankbooks, some were carrying cash, and some families came together to discuss which apartment type and floor to choose.

Shen Ranran and Zhuangzhuang have been busy since they opened the door in the morning, without even having time to drink water.

Shen Ranran was simultaneously attending to three groups of clients, her mouth never stopping as she flipped through floor plans and filled out purchase agreements one after another.

Zhuangzhuang's situation is slightly better; clients find her reliable and trustworthy, resulting in a particularly high conversion rate.

Sales team leader Zhang Jie's hand ached from sticking red dots on the sales control board. After finishing one row, he turned around and shouted to another salesperson, "Are there any two-bedroom apartments left on the sixth floor of Unit 2, Building 2?"

A voice replied from afar, "I just reserved one unit; there are three left!"

"Keep it for me, my client wants it!"

The entire sales office was filled with the sounds of people making phone calls, asking about floors, and calculating monthly mortgage payments.

The previously printed floor plans were insufficient, so the logistics department had to go out and print more.

There weren't enough subscription agreements, so we rushed to deliver them from the printing factory overnight.

The buying frenzy broke out without any warning.

Suning witnessed this historic moment but remained unmoved, knowing that such scenes would become the norm in the real estate industry.

This time, however, it was Suning himself who ignited this grand occasion…

...(End of this chapter)