The first time Zhou Qiang went to see the marital home Li Lanxiang had picked out, he thought it was excellent. She had a good eye. It was in a bustling downtown area with convenient transport, top primary and secondary schools, a hospital, and a small park.
She had chosen the apartment. Zhou Qiang went along for a look. It had a regular layout, was on a good floor, and got plenty of light. He booked it that very day without hesitation.
Once the money was paid, Li Lanxiang stayed out of it to avoid any appearance of impropriety.
Zhou Qiang handled all the paperwork himself.
When Zhou Qiang discovered that the apartment across the hall was still unsold, he immediately decided to buy it.
He put that apartment under the company's name, which would allow some tax deductions. His thinking at the time was simple. A restaurant chain had long been part of his plans. This was downtown, so finding a storefront and opening a restaurant here would be quite good. The apartment could serve as staff accommodation, making management convenient.
The restaurant never opened. He never found a suitable storefront, and the apartment remained empty.
Back then, he had his own calculations, which he had never fully disclosed to Li Lanxiang.
He had a principle.
He would wait until the child was born before revealing exactly how much money he had. Li Lanxiang had only just graduated, and her personality was not yet settled. She was beautiful too, which added too much uncertainty. If she demanded a divorce one day, the losses could be unmanageable.
Was he reluctant to part with his money? Yes. Just as with his love of making money, he never denied it.
Later, he discovered that he had been deceived.
That apartment became a