“A Plant?”

Xia Xiaolan had indeed prepared planted buyers, but never got the chance to use them.

After Mr. Xu’s bold purchase of two large units created an auspicious start, it greatly excited the crowd of buyers packed in the sales office.

Soon, more red flags appeared on the model.

“Unit 203, Building 4!”

“Unit 302, Building 1…”

“Unit 404, Building 1 sold!”

Was this house buying?

The units were selling like cabbage.

Watching unit after unit get sold made potential buyers anxious.

Anxiety easily leads to poor judgment. If there were plenty of units available, buyers could take their time choosing and considering.

But Golden Sand Pool wasn’t a large development – just over a hundred units total. Look at how many people queued up on the first day!

If the community turned out as advertised in the renderings, it would be a top-tier development even by Hong Kong standards. The price made locals in Pengcheng gasp but wasn’t remarkable by Hong Kong standards.

Sales started at 8:00, and by 10:30 AM, 17 red flags dotted the model, indicating sold units.

None of these were Xia Xiaolan’s plants – all 17 units were genuine sales.

Xia Xiaolan squeezed out of the sales office. Her uncle Liu Yong was running around helping, while her mother stayed with Mao Kangshan and Madam Song.

Mao Kangshan saw her emerge and coughed twice: “It’s so noisy inside. Lots of viewers, but how many buyers?”

Mao Kangshan was worried, though the old man wouldn’t admit it.

Xia Xiaolan didn’t keep them in suspense: “Seventeen units and the eighteenth was being processed when I left.”

People were buying, not just looking!

“Good, that’s wonderful!”

Madam Song sighed in relief. “When you set the prices, this old man couldn’t sleep for nights, sighing constantly. I knew he was worrying needlessly.”

What was he worried about? That Xia Xiaolan’s prices were too high and no one would buy.

Mao Kangshan looked uncomfortable, displeased that his wife had revealed his concerns.

Liu Fen was all smiles. “Teacher Mao cares about Xiaolan. As her mother, I don’t understand construction matters. Without Teacher Mao watching over her and worrying about everything, how could she have achieved today’s success!”

Mao Kangshan didn’t see it that way.

He oversaw the construction site and guided Xia Xiaolan on the Golden Sand Pool’s planning and design.

But this ten-million-plus business was all Xia Xiaolan’s capability and courage.

With over ten units sold in just two hours, Mao Kangshan felt confident about sales. He had nothing to teach Xia Xiaolan in this area – scholarly people weren’t necessarily good at business, and Xia Xiaolan needed no guidance here, full of clever ideas as she was.

A sales consultant came running over, handing Xia Xiaolan a document folder: “Director Xia, the paperwork you requested is ready.”

“Good, carry on with your work.”

Xia Xiaolan respectfully handed the documents to Mao Kangshan:

“Teacher, my mother is right. This project’s success owes so much to your help! I’m a mundane person and can only express my gratitude to you and your wife in this mundane way. This is my heartfelt thanks, please accept it!”

Mao Kangshan opened the documents, fell silent, and passed them to his wife Madam Song.

Madam Song’s hands trembled as she looked. “This… this isn’t appropriate…”

Building 3, the first floor facing the Golden Pool, a 90-unit.

The purchase contract bore Mao Kangshan and his wife’s names, marked as fully paid.

“Madam Song, why not? This is just my small token of appreciation.”

This was the eighteenth unit just processed – Xia Xiaolan bought it to gift to the Mao couple!

Since she wholly owned the company, the property still needed proper documentation for company accounts.

Madam Song tried to return the contract, but Xia Xiaolan said earnestly, “Madam Song, I mean nothing else but to show filial respect to you and Teacher. I want you to have a place in Pengcheng. Having your property feels more dignified than living in someone else’s. Pengcheng’s weather is perfect for spending winters here, and you can still return to Hangcheng at other times.”

“Have you been planning to get us a new home since the first day you visited?”

Mao Kangshan neither accepted nor refused.

Xia Xiaolan nodded: “Yes. With your credentials, why shouldn’t you live in a villa, let alone a townhouse? If you want me to surpass Ning Yanfan’s granddaughter, I also hope your living conditions won’t be inferior to Ning Yanfan’s.”

Mao Kangshan had his wife keep the contract, expressing volumes in one phrase:

“You’re thoughtful.”

This unit was worth serious money – forget the selling price, even at the cost it was over 100,000 yuan.

Mao Kangshan and Madam Song certainly couldn’t afford this sum.

In 1985, regular working families, regardless of their technical or construction expertise, couldn’t produce 100,000 yuan.

Without Mao Kangshan, Xia Xiaolan’s project wouldn’t have gone so smoothly. Qihang’s qualification credentials were resolved through his connections – without him, would Zhou Maotong from Guangdong Construction even know who Xia Xiaolan was?

Mao Kangshan taught her wholeheartedly and even recommended her for an exchange program at Cornell University – what was wrong with giving him a house?

Old Comrade Mao deserved to enjoy life!

Xia Xiaolan had discussed this with Liu Fen, who completely agreed.

“Mom, please keep Teacher and his wife company. It’s getting busy inside again, I need to check on things.”

Xia Xiaolan hurried away, partly fearing Mao Kangshan might change his mind about accepting the house.

Madam Song’s lips quivered, unable to believe the old man had accepted a house.

“Old Mao, this is too valuable. How dare you accept it? Quick, return it to Xiaolan!”

Mao Kangshan stood silently with his hands behind his back.

Never mind – master and apprentice were already bound together. Xia Xiaolan’s sincerity toward him and his wife was genuine. Whatever wisdom his old bones could still offer, he wouldn’t hold back – he’d give it all to her!

“Let’s accept it. You’ve known her long enough – don’t you know how persistent she is?”

Refusing would be futile.

Xia Xiaolan had a hundred reasons to convince his wife.

Better to skip the formalities on both sides.

Nearby, Du Zhaohui witnessed this gift-giving scene with astonishment.

“Xia Xiaolan is this generous?”

At Golden Sand Pool’s prices, a 90㎡ unit cost over 200,000 yuan. While 200,000 yuan meant little to wealthy young men like Du Zhaohui and Tang Yuanyue who were born with silver spoons, Xia Xiaolan had built everything from nothing. Golden Sand Pool still had a 16 million yuan bank loan – this 200,000 represented at least the profit from two units.

This money-focused woman was so generous.

Tang Yuanyue, pursuing Xia Xiaolan, had naturally investigated the people around her.

“A house is nothing. Do you know who he is? In mainland China’s architectural circles, there’s the saying ‘Ning in the North, Mao in the South’ – Ning Yanfan, who designed the South Sea Hotel, shares equal fame with this old Mr. Mao Kangshan… Mao Kangshan isn’t just managing Golden Sand Pool’s affairs, he’s also her mentor. It seems Miss Xia is determined to stay in real estate.”

Was it just about real estate?

Not entirely.

Du Zhaohui suddenly recalled when he’d asked Xia Xiaolan to act in films, saying architecture had no future.