Cost Price

Meng Ke walked beside Shen Jingchuan, her fingertips lightly touching his arm, and she exclaimed in a low voice:

"Such a large yard must take a lot of effort to maintain."

Secretary Zhou overheard this and gently explained from the side:

"The area around the yard is regularly maintained by people all year round. The flowers, trees, water systems and electrical circuits are all inspected by professionals. The daily maintenance of the yard is carried out on call according to the owner's requirements."

In addition, the backyard has a separate underground garage that can park four cars, as well as a storage room, a temperature-controlled wine cellar, and a small storage room.

Shen Jingchuan pushed open the French windows of the main house, revealing a large lawn in the backyard, with a bamboo grove surrounding a bluestone path, and a viewing terrace at the end.

Standing on it, he could overlook most of the West Mountain scenery. In the distance, city buildings were hidden in a thin mist, and it was so quiet that only the rustling of bamboo leaves in the wind could be heard.

He knew perfectly well that a three-courtyard house of this location and scale couldn't be easily bought with money; Elder Yang's favor was far too great. Shen Jingchuan paused at the main house's entrance, turned to Secretary Zhou, and cut to the chase:

"Mr. Zhou, I really like this courtyard house. Name your price, and I can transfer the money today."

Secretary Zhou looked somewhat embarrassed and bowed, saying:

"Mr. Shen, Elder Yang specifically instructed that this house is a gift to you, and you will not be asked for a single penny. If you bring up money, I really won't be able to explain it to the old man when I get back."

I can't accept something for free.

Shen Jingchuan's tone left no room for negotiation:

"I appreciate Elder Yang's kindness, but one thing is one thing. The house should be priced as it is, and I don't want to owe him such a big favor for no reason."

He meant it sincerely. He could afford ten villas, let alone one. But he absolutely didn't want to owe favors—especially those in the upper echelons of society—as the entanglements were too deep, and who knew how he'd have to repay them later.

Secretary Zhou stood there, caught in a dilemma. After hesitating for a moment, he had no choice but to take out his phone.

"Please wait a moment, I'll report to Elder Wen."

Less than two minutes after the call was made, Professor Wen's voice came through the receiver. Without asking Secretary Zhou to relay the message, he directly asked him to hand the phone to Shen Jingchuan.

"Young Friend Shen, I heard from Xiao Zhou that you insist on paying?" Professor Wen's tone was a mix of amusement and helplessness. "You stubborn child, why are you so inflexible?"

Shen Jingchuan held the phone, his tone sincere:

"Elder Wen, it's precisely because Elder Yang has treated me so kindly that I can't accept it for nothing. Otherwise, I wouldn't feel at ease staying here. Don't you agree?"

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone, then Professor Wen sighed, softening his tone and speaking clearly yet with considerable tact:

"Alright, I know your temperament; you're a steady kid. Let me be frank with you. This courtyard isn't a commercial property that's been resold on the market. It was bought by the second son of the Yang Household a few years ago, and it only cost about 18 million yuan in total. It's been sitting there empty for almost ten years; it's never really been lived in. It's always been an idle house."

He paused, his tone becoming somewhat serious:

"If you insist on paying the current market price, then there's no point. In this area of West Mountain, let alone a three-courtyard detached house like this, even a decent detached house is being sold for over a hundred million, and you need connections to get one. But that's the market price, which has nothing to do with us."

Elder Yang genuinely wants to help you two find a home; he's not doing business to make a profit. If you insist on settling at the market price, that's not appreciating his kindness, it's slapping the old man in the face."

"Let's go with the original cost, eighteen million, not a penny more, not a penny less. Once you pay, the house is yours rightfully, and you can live there with peace of mind; Elder Yang isn't giving it away for nothing either. This way, both sides are comfortable, what do you think?"

Shen Jingchuan held his phone, remaining silent for a moment.

He knew perfectly well what was going on. Let alone now, even ten years ago, a detached plot of land in this location in West Mountain would definitely not have been worth 18 million. Not to mention the scale of this three-courtyard house covering two acres.

The 18 million mentioned is referred to as "capital," which is actually just a pretext to pay him, giving him face. If it were calculated at the market price, it would be like not giving him face.

If he insists on paying the market price, then he's really ungrateful, forcefully rejecting someone's good intentions.

After a few seconds of contemplation, Shen Jingchuan slowly spoke:

"Since Elder Wen has put it this way, it would be too impolite of me to refuse. Alright, it's as you said, 18 million. I'll transfer the money shortly."

"That's more like it."

Professor Wen laughed:

"Don't worry, let Xiao Zhou handle all the paperwork. You'll have the property certificate in your hands within three days. You and Xiao Meng can just relax and live here. You don't need to worry about the property management or maintenance; the Yang Household has a team that keeps an eye on things year-round."

After hanging up the phone, Shen Jingchuan handed the phone back to Secretary Zhou.

Secretary Zhou remained composed, as if the argument had never occurred, and respectfully said:

"Mr. Shen, shall I send you the account information later? I've also prepared a list of the documents needed for the transfer and will send it over as well. You can sign it when you have time."

"Okay." Shen Jingchuan nodded in agreement.

Meng Ke, who was standing to the side, finally breathed a sigh of relief. She gently tugged at his sleeve and whispered:

"Eighteen million... that's way too cheap."

Shen Jingchuan's gaze swept over the carved corridors and flowers in the courtyard, his voice kept low:

"Cheap? This price wouldn't even buy this land. They've given me a way out, allowing me to pay without embarrassing me. In truth, this favor is worth far more than the house itself."

He knew perfectly well that Elder Yang had done a brilliant job. It wasn't a forced gift to embarrass him, nor was it a transaction; rather, it used a "cost price" to hide the favor within the price. He accepted the house, paid the money, and it seemed like they were even, but in reality, he had received a tremendous favor from the old man.

Hey, I'll have to repay this kindness with ginseng sooner or later.

Secretary Zhou accompanied the two to inspect the underground parking garage and the backyard storage area, noting that everything was meticulously planned and executed. Before leaving, he specifically mentioned:

"Mr. Shen, there aren't many residents in this villa area, and the security team is composed of retired military personnel, so privacy is absolutely guaranteed."

The words were spoken cryptically, but Shen Jingchuan understood—the people living here valued tranquility; they wouldn't ask what they shouldn't ask, or see what they shouldn't see. This was exactly what he wanted.

The car drove down the winding mountain road. Meng Ke leaned back in her seat, still a little dazed.

"I was originally planning to take my time finding a place, but I ended up booking a house in West Mountain right away. It feels like a dream."

Shen Jingchuan held her hand, his fingertips gently caressing it:

"The location is perfect, and it offers good privacy, just what we need. Once the transfer of ownership is complete, we can hire a renovation team to adjust it to your preferences, and it will be our wedding home."

"Who will marry you?" Meng Ke asked, blushing.

"You can use my money to pay, and it will be registered in your name. I'll just stay here for free, okay?"

Shen Jingchuan asked with a smile.

"No, I want to write about the two of us. Why? You still want to...?" Meng Ke waved her little fists.

Wait a while, then pick two of the best quality ones and deliver them personally. I'll still pay them; it's good to have a payment record. Favors are hard to calculate, so Shen Jingchuan stopped thinking about it. Oh well, I'll just take it one step at a time.