Chapter 630 - 611: Buying a House

But Lin Wan felt it wasn’t suitable; most people around here were small vendors. Their restaurant opening here wouldn’t be classy at all.

Moreover, most people who come here are elderly, just buying groceries and such.

The aunt mentioned the back door of Sister Xiao Yuan’s hospital, but at the moment, it was tightly shut. Not many people should come out from here.

"Mom, I don’t think it’s suitable. This area won’t elevate our status."

"Yeah, most people who come here are elderly. They typically don’t have much desire to spend," Han Yi seemed to agree.

Liang Hongmei sighed as even her inexperienced son-in-law said so, "If it’s not suitable, let’s forget it. I’ll continue looking."

Lin Wan glanced around the vicinity, then regrettably turned back home with her mom.

A few of them didn’t head straight home but wandered around the neighborhood.

Liang Hongmei wanted to show the kids places she thought were nice recently.

"This location is quite close to our house, but it’s too sparse here, hardly any people around. However, the house is relatively cheap, three thousand five hundred bucks, with a large yard. It’s similar to our yard in S City."

Lin Wan observed the location was indeed spacious, also had a storefront. Previously, it might have been a supply and marketing cooperative, now vacant.

The house inside has been used for years and is quite old.

Lin Wan noticed the area surrounded by green iron sheets, roughly one or two hundred meters in circumference, quite large, approximately as high as four to five floors. Curious, she walked closer to see.

She saw that the unfinished gate had a prominent "Bai" character, and her eyes immediately lit up. Isn’t this the old department store of future generations?

Lin Wan was thrilled at the sight. Next to the department store was a perfect spot; just uncertain when this place would be completed or go into operation.

Behind was a large textile factory, inside were apartment buildings housing quite a few residents.

The place they were evaluating was right on the main road, the city’s artery, quite bustling with pedestrians. Otherwise, they wouldn’t build a department store here.

Lin Wan felt that although there were few people now, once the old department store was established, it would be bustling with people, and business would definitely flourish.

Added to that, in the future, the old department store would be rebuilt here as a business district.

"What’s up?" Han Yijian asked as he saw Lin Wan smiling.

"Look at this building, it’s a department store, built privately. Once it’s completed, they will lease it out, without any restaurants inside. It’ll certainly attract many people."

"Department store? How do you know?" Liang Hongmei asked curiously.

"Mom, just look at that exposed character, isn’t it ’Bai’? If you don’t believe me, ask the construction workers."

Lin Wan said confidently.

Han Yi chuckled, worried his mother-in-law wouldn’t be reassured, he approached a worker to chat.

After a few minutes, he returned and nodded at the mother-daughter duo, "Indeed, they said it will be completed by the end of the year and ready for leasing at the start of next year."

"Oh, this is great, next to the department store, business won’t be bad," Liang Hongmei was glad she brought her daughter to check it out.

"Mom, there’s no rush, we can first buy the place. The house is too old, we could build a new one from scratch. Building a two-story structure would take three to four months."

"Rebuild? How much would that cost? Constructing a two-story house would cost thousands?"

"Mom, their current houses are not functional, entirely wasteful. If we rebuild, we could save some space, and we could lease it out later."

"Xiao Yi, what do you think?" Liang Hongmei found her daughter sometimes too reckless and turned to ask her son-in-law’s opinion.

To her surprise, the son-in-law agreed with her daughter, "Mom, Xiao Wan is right, if we open the restaurant, it’ll run for ten or twenty years. Keeping up with the times is better, at least it won’t fall behind too quickly. This way at least it saves costs. It’s cheaper now than in the future to build."

"That’s true," Liang Hongmei agreed hearing about saving costs, feeling her son-in-law made sense, "Let’s pick this place then. I know where the family lives."

Liang Hongmei said, taking her daughter and son-in-law to meet the homeowner. After some discussion, they secured a hundred-dollar discount and arranged to transfer ownership the next day.

Back home, Liang Hongmei shared the good news with the family.

"Mom, I’ll accompany you tomorrow," Lin Yinghui said, concerned.

"No need, discussions are settled, just going together to the property bureau. Qingqing, are you going to your parents’ home tomorrow?"

"Mom, I won’t go," Mu Qing didn’t want to return to that hypocritical home.

"If you don’t go, it’ll be a joke among residents, better go with Ah Hui. If you don’t want to eat there, just come back and eat, sitting there for a while is fine."

"Got it, Mom," Lin Yinghui replied to his mom while holding Mu Qing’s hand, easing her mind.

"Brother, you and Saozi can go tomorrow. Han Yi and I will accompany Mom."

"Aren’t you and Ah Yi taking Congnan’s car back tomorrow?"

Lin Wan shook her head, "No need to complicate with a two-day journey. Ah Yi can go back to Capital City directly in a few days, and I can return to S City then too, rather than exhausting our brief vacation on the road."

In the evening, Dad returned knowing they found a spot, feeling happy for his wife. Keeping busy, their Nannan wouldn’t feel too bored.

Brother Congnan and Brother Jianye spent a day in Z City. After a quick dinner, they headed to the room to discuss matters with the elder brother.

The three women in the family roamed with the child to digest after the meal.

Lin Guozhi invited Han Yi to his study to discuss school affairs.

"I’ve heard things aren’t going smoothly for you at school?"

"It’s okay, just some small troublemakers stirring things underneath," Han Yi didn’t expect his father-in-law to be so aware of school affairs.

Mei Shuping always talked about compensating and caring for him, but never seemed to care in any substantial way.

This biological father was not as attentive as his newly acquainted father-in-law, or even Uncle Hu at home.

"Although you’re learning at school, you’ve been assigned many tasks; the recent ones I saw lacked military accolades for you. Your colleagues Li Bangguo and Sha Jianqiang are from my military department; their military merit reports reflect insufficient capability, not outstanding at all, which is why I had Xiao Shao investigate this."

"Dad, those two are Mei Langchi’s comrades, and I recently learned about this. Only the first two tasks did they claim credit, we’ve been alert since then. Rest assured, they can’t stir much trouble."

"Being alert isn’t enough, act when necessary"

Han Yi smiled, nodding, "We’re already dealing with them."

Now it was Lin Guozhi’s turn to smile; he always knew this son-in-law was ideal in his eyes, "Yes, remember the skill when dealing; don’t let people find out, tell me your plan."

Han Yi didn’t hold back, explaining the recent matters to Lin Guozhi.

The next day, Lin Guozhi took Han Yi to the military’s camp, while Liang Hongmei prepared gifts for her son’s visit to her home, and took Lin Wan and Little Star to meet the homeowner at the property management office for the official transfer.

Unexpectedly, they needed a real measurement of the house, and one of the staff joined them to the property to remeasure it.

The hectare they acquired surprisingly showed more square meters. This put Lin Wan over the moon as things seemed to flow better after recent family challenges.

Could it be that their brother exhausted all their misfortune at once, leaving only good fortune?

With the deed in hand, mother and daughter eagerly visited the new house for a tour.

It stretched across eight bedroom widths. Behind was a small warehouse, the size of three bedrooms. In front, a two-meter wide platform where merchandise and parking could easily be set up.

Now, the road planning left vacant plots on both sides, which were tallied during measurement; they could apparently occupy them.

"Mom, let’s hire workers to demolish the house and clean it up, then redesign a new building."

"Demolish everything?" Liang Hongmei walked around the empty large house; the owner left only the house, nothing inside.

"Demolish everything," Lin Wan showed no hesitance.

She was contemplating who might help design the place.

Returning home, Liang Hongmei made a call to her sister-in-law who was familiar with the area, having previously worked in the State Construction Bureau, though she retired early to care for grandchildren as her parents aged.

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