Cheng Su was completely unaware that Zhang Jisheng had his eyes on her procurement position. Given that there was an expansion plan, she decided to inquire about the ownership of the land behind Joy Soon Loy.
It was quite a coincidence; the land belonged to a Chinese immigrant from Taiwan. The entire family had emigrated there years ago, and after the owner passed away last year, the family returned the land to the government, receiving a small compensation for it.
Since the land was not very large, only about forty square meters, it hadn’t been sold or traded yet, and was only registered with housing management.
Cheng Suxin was delighted and went to the Ying family, carrying bags of gifts. She expressed her intention to Ying Jian that she wanted to buy the land.
Ying Jian, upon hearing that she had already bought the house from Joy Soon Loy and now wanted this additional piece of land to connect and rebuild, realized it wasn’t a difficult task for him. Especially since she was a close friend of his daughter, who affectionately called him uncle in private.
So, he made a call, gave a few instructions, and told Cheng Su who to contact in which department the next day to handle it.
The next day, Cheng Su followed Ying Jian’s instructions to find the relevant people. Somehow, maybe because of Ying Jian’s prior notice, the price of the land turned out to be surprisingly low, only ten thousand yuan.
To buy land for ten thousand in this era was not bad at all. Ten thousand equaled one hundred thousand in value, and this land would be hers. Combined with Joy Soon Loy, it amounted to over a hundred square meters, enough to build a new restaurant.
Nevertheless, Cheng Su wrapped an additional hundred yuan as a red envelope for the person assisting the transaction and another five hundred yuan for Ying Jian.
She was generous and knew how to maintain relationships. Those helping the process were glad to assist and wrapped up all related paperwork in just three days. The land at the back of the house officially belonged to Cheng Su.
Cheng Su was thrilled. Even if there wasn’t an immediate reconstruction, there were no worries. As long as there was money, she could rebuild anytime. Moreover, Ying Jian assured her that for building approvals, she could reach out to him anytime.
So, the only remaining issue was the money.
Cheng Su first consulted Dazhi about the market for building houses.
"Currently, labor costs are low, only a third of the materials cost. One or two yuan a day is considered very high. As for materials, buying them yourself is better than handing it all to a construction team. After all, they tend to take a cut, and the materials purchased might not be as good as those you choose yourself. But doing it yourself can be tiring and exhausting," Dazhi said, "President Cheng, if you want to purchase materials yourself, I know a few reliable suppliers who can definitely provide you with the best prices."
"Let me thank you in advance," Cheng Su said with a smile. "When I need that, I’ll surely come to you and give you a big red envelope then."
Dazhi scratched his head and said with a shy laugh, "No need for the red envelope. But if President Cheng, you plan to deconstruct and rebuild, I hope you’ll let me handle the future renovation. I promise to satisfy you."
Cheng Su raised an eyebrow and said, "You’re quite good at drumming up business, aren’t you?"
Dazhi, unfazed, said, "As long as you contact me, I know I’ll have business coming in. You’re my great benefactor!"
"Alright, stop the flattery. It’s better to work with acquaintances than strangers. When I need renovation, it’ll definitely be you, who else could it be?" Cheng Su laughed, "Leaving it to you puts me at ease."
Not to mention, her own uncle is involved, ensuring everything would be well looked after.