Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 87 Choosing a Courtyard House as the Dowry
Grandma Song first turned off the tap, poured the rinsed rice into the rice cooker, turned on the control, and only after the rice started cooking did she slowly answer her grandson, her words containing a hint of inexplicable expectation.

"When are you and Shishi planning to get married on New Year's Day?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Shishi's cheeks immediately flushed slightly. Her head, which had been hanging low as she picked vegetables, sank even lower as she looked on with anticipation, her expression a mixture of joy and nervousness.

Her eyes were filled with shyness and timidity, and she kept stealing glances at her boyfriend. She was clutching the chives tightly in her hand, which showed that she was in a very turbulent mood.

Song Ci was stunned. He didn't understand why his grandmother was suddenly urging him to get married. He and Shi Ye were only eighteen years old. Even if they wanted to get a marriage certificate, they were not old enough to legally get married.

Glancing at his girlfriend who was stealing glances at him, Song Ci said helplessly, "Grandma, Shishi and I are still young. Let's wait a few more years before we get married. We're not old enough to register our marriage right now."

Grandma Song shook her head, looked at the young couple with kindness, and gently advised, "You and Shishi are both eighteen years old. Since you are adults, you can consider getting married. You can get engaged first instead of getting a marriage certificate."

Song Ci nodded slightly. Engagement was possible. She could get engaged after her and Shi Ye's careers advanced further in a couple of years.

"It's not that Grandma is urging you. You and Shishi are childhood sweethearts and in love. The Song and Liu families know each other well, so there's no need to delay."

"Get your life's important events settled as soon as possible. Seeing you married and established will put your grandfather and me at ease. If we could hold our great-grandchild soon, that would be even better."

As people get older, they tend to become more talkative. As she talked, Grandma Song began to imagine the future and the wonderful scene of four generations living together.

Song Ci listened quietly as the old woman expressed her feelings, and he understood his grandmother's thoughts.

Elders always hope that their children and grandchildren will achieve success in their careers and have a smooth and happy life. If their children and grandchildren can also be around to bring them joy, and four generations can live together, then it would be even more perfect, and they would have no regrets in life.

Seeing that her grandson understood her thoughts, Grandma Song smiled kindly and looked at Miss Liu with a gentle and warm tone: "Shishi, what do you think? After all, marriage is a matter between two people."

Liu Shishi glanced shyly at Song Ci before replying in a soft, delicate voice, "Grandma, I'm fine with anything. I'll follow Song Ci's arrangements."

The old woman was overjoyed to hear the word "Grandma." Grandma Song was excited and said, "Good girl, you've been smart since you were little. I'm always happy to see you like this. Since neither you nor Yuandan object, I'll make the decision. You two should get engaged as soon as possible."

Seeing her grandmother's overjoyed expression, Song Ci felt truly helpless, wondering why the old lady was in such a hurry for her marriage today.

"Grandma! I'm still in school. Even if we get engaged, we should wait until I graduate from university. Besides, my parents and Shishi's parents should discuss it first."

Upon hearing her grandson's words, Grandma Song seemed to awaken from a dream. Her expression darkened, and after a long sigh, she said regretfully, "Alas, I was too hasty. Life is unpredictable!"

Seeing her grandmother's sudden sadness and her unusual behavior, Song Ci's heart tightened, and she asked with concern, "Grandma, something's wrong with you. You must be hiding something from us. Is something wrong with your health?"

Seeing Song Ci and Liu Shishi looking nervous and concerned, Grandma Song knew they had misunderstood, so she quickly explained and recounted a recent event that had troubled her.

"I was just feeling a bit emotional. A good friend of mine passed away unexpectedly a few days ago. Her granddaughter was supposed to get married next month, but unfortunately she couldn't make it and couldn't see her granddaughter in her wedding dress. I imagine she must have left with a lot of regrets."

Song Ci finally breathed a sigh of relief, his tense nerves relaxing. He had been really scared, afraid that he would hear some bad news from his grandmother.

No wonder the old lady was so sentimental today. Song Ci quickly got up and hugged her dearest grandmother, offering her comforting words:
"Grandma, life is like a dream, and things are unpredictable. Just cherish the present and live happily. Go out for a walk with Grandpa to clear your mind! As for Shishi and me, don't rush things. We will be happy!"

At the same time, it serves as a reminder to myself that "the child wishes to care for his parents, but they are no longer there." I should visit and be filial to my grandparents more often in the future, and I should also talk to my parents that no matter how busy I am with work, I should still take care of the two elderly people.

"Don't worry, New Year's Day, your grandpa and I are doing just fine!"

Grandma Song hugged her grandson, feeling the care of her loved ones, and her heart was comforted, finally emerging from her recent sorrow.

The midday sun shone through the half-open curtains, casting a warm glow on the old wooden table and adding a touch of warmth to the simple meal.

The aroma of food wafted from the table. Besides a bowl of fragrant pork rib soup, there were braised fish chunks, Peking duck, and stir-fried seasonal vegetables. These were dishes that Grandma Song had specially prepared for Liu Shishi, and each dish contained the old lady's heartfelt wishes.

Today, his grandson came over, and Grandpa Song was given special permission to happily drink a few glasses of wine. Seeing that the melancholy between his wife's brows had completely disappeared, he knew that her heart was at peace.

He joked, "The magic pills from New Year's Day really work!"

Grandma Song knew she had been feeling down lately, and her husband had been looking out for her, but she still wouldn't back down. She glared at the old man and said, "Just eat your food. All this good food can't shut you up."

Song Ci and Liu Shishi listened quietly to their grandparents bickering, sometimes nodding and smiling, sometimes chiming in with a few words, as if time had slowed down at that moment.

After a warm and hearty lunch in Nanluoguxiang, Song Ci said goodbye to his grandparents because Song Xueying had something to do in the afternoon and asked him to meet her.

After a month, Song Xueying finally brought good news. She had found out that a three-courtyard siheyuan (traditional courtyard house) was for sale in Xidan and asked Song Ci to go to the site to see the property that afternoon.

The homeowner, whose entire family had moved to the United States and urgently needed money, was preparing to sell all of his assets in China.

As a native of Beiping (Beijing), Liu Shishi had seen all kinds of courtyard houses since she was a child, having wandered the streets and alleys.

She was neither interested in nor understood her boyfriend's desire to buy a courtyard house, thinking that Mr. Song was foolish and had too much money. After all, even the wisest person can make a mistake.

In Liu Shishi's opinion, the courtyard houses in Beijing are dilapidated, the alleys are narrow and parking is inconvenient, and they are not as comfortable to live in as apartment buildings.

Liu Shishi tried to persuade Song Ci to give up the idea of ​​buying the courtyard house, but unfortunately, Mr. Song was determined to do it his own way.

Liu Shishi thought that when Song Ci's courtyard house rotted and she lost money, she would change her boyfriend's nickname to Song Daidai. She, the beautiful and intelligent Liu, would say goodbye to the nickname Daidai forever!

Since her boyfriend wouldn't listen to her advice, Ms. Liu coaxed Song Ci into taking her home first.

Song Ci was well aware of his girlfriend's little secret. Recently, Miss Liu had become obsessed with the online game "World of Warcraft," and he was rushing home to play the dungeons.

Originally, Song Ci had also been eyeing World of Warcraft, coveting this legendary masterpiece in gaming history.

Unfortunately, time waits for no one. In April 2004, The4 signed an exclusive agency agreement with Blizzard Entertainment for World of Warcraft in China, and by the time Tengda Technology was established, it was too late to intervene.

However, four years later, The9 and Blizzard Entertainment had a falling out, and Tenda could snatch the prize from NetEase. World of Warcraft was a money-making machine, which would help both the company's profits and the growth of users on the TD game platform. It was worth paying a price to compete with NetEase.

Since Liu Shishi was unwilling to accompany him, Song Ci did not insist and instead sent her home as she wished.

On the way back, Song, the school heartthrob, lamented that before they were officially a couple, Shi Ye (Sister Shi) would cling to him every moment. Now that she'd won him over, her boyfriend wasn't as important as her game. It seemed the favored always took things for granted. That morning, while his grandmother was urging him to get married in the kitchen, he'd been thinking that if the courtyard house in Xidan was suitable, he'd buy it as part of the dowry for marrying Shi Ye. He'd wanted to take Liu (Miss Liu) to see it, but unfortunately, Shi Ye wasn't interested.

Xidan, an important commercial district in the western part of Beiping, is a densely populated area where land is extremely valuable. This three-courtyard house is located here.

In front of the antique vermilion gate of the courtyard house, Song Xueying, dressed in a white women's suit, was as intellectual and elegant as ever.

Pointing to a man and introducing him to Song Ci, he said, "Mr. Song, this is the homeowner's representative, Manager Gu from Yongzhou."

Upon hearing this, Song Ci looked over and saw that Manager Gu was tall, broad-shouldered, and muscular. His slicked-back hair was shiny, and he wore a black suit with a light-colored tie. His eyes were bright and piercing, which gave him a calm and capable air.

Song Xueying then introduced him to Gu Yongzhou: "Manager Gu, this is the buyer, my boss, General Manager Song."

Gu Yongzhou was also secretly observing Song Ci. He was much younger and more handsome than expected. His extraordinary and unrestrained temperament made him think that Song Ci was a young master from a high-ranking official family in the capital.

Suddenly, he felt even more excited and enthusiastic about the transaction. He stepped forward and greeted her respectfully, "Mr. Song, hello, and Ms. Song, please come with me and let's take a look at the house first."

Song Ci nodded, stepped onto the smooth, flat steps in front of the courtyard, and stood there, feeling that this three-section courtyard house was indeed magnificent and imposing.

Gu Yongzhou took out his key, pushed open the simple and heavy gate of the courtyard house, and invited the two inside.

The three of them stepped over the gate and were greeted by a lifelike blue stone screen wall, adorned with carved dragons and phoenixes.

Passing through the moon gate at the entrance to the front courtyard, the entire courtyard features a layout of blue bricks and gray tiles, adorned with saplings, trees, and rocks, exuding a grand, rustic, and vibrant atmosphere.

As Song Ci entered the courtyard, she was already quite satisfied with the courtyard house and intended to buy it, but she didn't show it on her face and quietly listened to Gu Yongzhou introduce the layout of the courtyard.

"Mr. Song, this courtyard house is extremely well preserved. It was originally the residence of a high-ranking official in the previous dynasty, and later passed to the owner. If you are really interested in buying it, I can talk to the owner and give you a great discount."

Looking at the rows of ancient buildings with their carved beams and painted rafters, Song Ci felt a surge of joy and became increasingly captivated. She asked, "How big is this courtyard?"

Gu Yongzhou quickly replied, "President Song, this is the most standard three-courtyard siheyuan in the capital, 1200 square meters."

Song Ci nodded slightly. It was about the same as his estimate. The three-courtyard houses in Beiping were basically all over 1000 square meters.

Gu Yongzhou gestured with one hand, "This way please. Let me take you to the back. The living room, side rooms, bedrooms, and study are all in the second courtyard."

At the end of the front yard is an exquisite hanging flower gate, which serves as a partition wall leading to the second courtyard.

The three of them passed through the hanging flower gate and arrived at the middle courtyard. Compared with the grand and imposing front courtyard, the middle courtyard was more warm and elegant, making it suitable for home life.

Perhaps because the house has been vacant for too long, the courtyard looks somewhat messy and chaotic.

Song Xueying looked around and frowned, saying, "Manager Gu, the central courtyard is somewhat dilapidated. If people want to live there, it will probably have to be renovated from the inside out. Such a large area will certainly cost a lot."

Gu Yongzhou dared not answer. What Song Xueying said was indeed true; a 1200-square-meter courtyard house would require a huge amount of renovation costs.

Moreover, the renovation of ancient buildings has very high requirements for construction. If the client doesn't have connections, he can introduce a decoration company and make another profit.

Seeing that Song Ci was also staring at him, Gu Yongzhou looked embarrassed and made up his mind that next time someone came to see the house, he would have to find someone to tidy up the yard in advance.

Since things had come to this, he could only bite the bullet and ask Song Ci, "Would you like to stroll around the backyard some more?"

Song Ci waved his hand, "No need to go to the backyard. I know what it's like. The back is usually full of side rooms, all pretty much the same."

Gu Yongzhou breathed a sigh of relief; the backyard probably wouldn't be much better than the middle courtyard. "Do you have any further questions about the courtyard? I'll try my best to answer them!"

Song Ci shook his head and winked at Song Xueying.

Song Xueying understood what her boss meant and asked directly, "Manager Gu, let's not beat around the bush, just give me a price."

Gu Yongzhou was overjoyed upon hearing this, knowing that Song Ci intended to buy it. After pondering for a moment, he raised his right palm, spread his five fingers, and said slyly, "This price! Fifty thousand per square meter!"

Song Ci was both angry and amused. They were treating him like a sucker. Nanluoguxiang is located within the Second Ring Road. It also has three courtyards, and depending on the layout and condition, the price is between 35,000 and 45,000 yuan per square meter.

Xidan is located on the West Second Ring Road, not as convenient as Nanluoguxiang. The courtyard houses there are only so-so in terms of preservation. Yet Gu Yongzhou dares to ask for 50,000 yuan, which is truly outrageous.

Song Xueying, who was listening nearby, was also furious. She had been inquiring about courtyard houses in Beiping recently, but there were no courtyard houses in the city at this price.

Song Xueying sneered, "Manager Gu, I don't think there's any need for us to continue talking. You're treating us like fools."

Seeing that the guests were angry, Gu Yongzhou quickly explained, "Please calm down, gentlemen. This is the homeowner's asking price. Everyone loves money. The homeowner would love to sell it for 100,000 per square meter. As the client, I naturally have to tell the homeowner's asking price to the client truthfully."

I can tell you two are knowledgeable in the industry. If Mr. Song is truly interested in buying, please name a suitable price, and I'll negotiate with the homeowner.

After a moment's thought, Song Xueying decided to take the lead in playing the black face. She mimicked Gu Yongzhou's gesture, raising three fingers and saying, "Thirty thousand."

Gu Yongzhou immediately became agitated and shouted, "You can't offer such a price. If I really want to make this deal happen, you have to offer a reasonable price."

Not wanting to waste time arguing further, Song Ci offered a relatively reasonable price: "This courtyard house is of average condition, but the location is decent. How about 36,000? Manager Gu, you can sell it to me again since there's a courtyard in the back."

Gu Yongzhou calculated that at 36,000 yuan per square meter, the total price was close to 43 million yuan. He could get a 1% commission, making 430,000 yuan from a single transaction, which was an enormous fortune for him.

He couldn't keep his commission until the deal was done, and he could tell that Song Ci really wanted to buy a house.

Gu Yongzhou gritted his teeth and promised, "Okay, I'll go and talk to the homeowner and persuade him to accept this price so he can go back to China to complete the transfer of ownership. But you'll have to pay a deposit."

“No problem with the deposit.” Song Ci readily agreed. Ten years later, the price of this courtyard house in Xidan would soar to at least 20 yuan per square meter, and there would be no market for it.

Song Ci is planning to take out a loan to buy a house. Nowadays, the increase in housing prices in Beiping far exceeds the bank interest rate. Buying a house with a loan and waiting for the property to appreciate is equivalent to using the bank's money for free. Why not do it!
Seeing that things were halfway done, Gu Yongzhou said happily, "Then wait for my good news. I will let you know as soon as the homeowner returns to Beiping."

(End of this chapter)