Time to pay the balance

Back at the newly purchased villas, Chi Qing found the cleaning crew waiting at the entrance, just as expected. After checking with Yue Meifen and Chi Yongliang, she took a quick look inside and out. Professional work really did call for professionals. The two homes had already been luxurious and bright, but now they positively gleamed-literally. When Chi Qing had entered the living room just now, she had actually seen her reflection in the floor tiles!

Satisfied, Chi Qing signed the acceptance form and gave them a glowing review.

"I was thinking they weren't dirty, so we could just sweep them ourselves. Why spend that money?" Yue Meifen said. "Oh my, but seeing it today, it really is different. One pass with that machine of theirs, and those floors just shine! They even sanitized and disinfected the curtains and sofas, and did that formaldehyde testing thing too. Money well spent!" The more Yue Meifen talked, the more animated her gestures became.

Chi Yongliang nodded along beside her.

"Of course. You get what you pay for." Chi Qing remembered the phones she had bought today. She had given one to Wang Xiaoyan, leaving three-just enough for one each.

"Mom, Dad, here. Your phones are old and way too slow. Switch to these." Chi Qing pressed a phone each into Yue Meifen's and Chi Yongliang's hands.

"Oh, all right. They are a little slow." Yue Meifen had been about to say something, but paused, accepted it, and offered her support instead. Chi Yongliang took his phone and happily examined it over and over.

"Well, well, Comrade Yue Meifen, have you turned over a new leaf? You're actually not calling me wasteful," Chi Qing teased.

"Hmph. I have to keep up with the times too, don't I? From now on, as long as your spending isn't too outrageous, I won't nag you about it. It's not like we don't have money." Yue Meifen sounded rather proud.

Uh... does spending over ten million on shops in one day count as outrageous? And tomorrow I might spend several more lots of ten million... Better keep that to myself. Chi Qing mentally stuck out her tongue.

Because Yue Meifen insisted that they pick an auspicious day to move and give the occasion a sense of ceremony, the three of them went back to stay in the high-rise apartment that day.

"...&*...&... Account balance: 19.68 million." The instant she opened her eyes, Chi Qing was once again greeted by her little source of bliss. 19.68 million. How could I ever have dared imagine having this much money before? Chi Qing thought. Grateful, a grateful heart.

After breakfast, Chi Qing let her parents know she was heading out, then drove her little Cayenne to yesterday's sales and leasing center. She had arranged with Zhang Jingyuan yesterday to pay the remaining 580,000 and take a look at the shops she had promised to buy up.

"Chi Qing, so this is your new car? It's so cool!" Zhang Jingyuan had been waiting at the entrance early. Watching Chi Qing get out of the car somehow gave her an added air of dominance.

Chi Qing greeted her with a smile, and the two headed inside. As she locked the car, Chi Qing caught sight of yesterday's café owner out of the corner of her eye. She was standing outside the café, directing workers as they moved things. Seeing Chi Qing get out of the Cayenne, her eyes showed surprise and regret. Meeting her gaze, Chi Qing smiled and nodded, then turned and entered the sales and leasing center.

Big shot, if you have a Cayenne, why did you drive Little White out here? Was this a sting operation? If you'd driven the Cayenne yesterday, I wouldn't have misjudged you and confronted you head-on! At that moment, the owner was practically bawling inside.

Once they were inside the sales and leasing center, sales director Xue Qi also came out especially to receive Chi Qing, their major client. After the warm greetings, Zhang Jingyuan began pointing out the locations of the remaining shops to Chi Qing one by one. In the final tally, excluding the five units Chi Qing had bought yesterday, there were thirty-two shops left, on both the first and second floors, for a final total of 57.6 million.

Seeing that figure, Chi Qing thought, This counts as spending ahead of my means, doesn't it? It shouldn't break any rules, right?

Chi Qing currently had 19.68 million in her account. After deducting the 580,000 still owed from yesterday, she would have 19.1 million left, leaving her 38.5 million short. Chi Qing did a quick calculation to herself. Another 39.36 million would come in tomorrow. Mm, that works.

So Chi Qing once again opted to pay in installments, paying part today and making up the remaining balance tomorrow.

Only after Chi Qing had paid out the entire 19.68 million did it finally feel real to Zhang Jingyuan. Oh my god, Chi Qing must have won a huge lottery prize, right? The kind worth over a hundred million. Although she had known Chi Qing intended to buy everything up, it had never truly felt real until that final step.

After respectfully helping carry all the complimentary gifts to Chi Qing's car alongside the sales director, whose grin stretched from ear to ear, Zhang Jingyuan began doing the sums in her head:

Yesterday's 10.42 million plus today's 57.6 million-oh my god, 68.02 million! Shop commissions are high, a full one percent. With this many sales, I can move up the commission tiers, to a maximum of four percent. Add in all the sales sprint bonuses-2.8 million!! I can get 2.8 million in commission! As Zhang Jingyuan worked it out, her head began to swim, and she almost passed out from excitement. This girl is on the rise!

Beside her, the sales director also sat there staring into space and grinning foolishly, presumably calculating his own bonus. In contrast to the pair's triumphant mood, the other property consultants all wore sour expressions. After all, there were only so many shops. With Chi Qing buying them all, they had nothing left to sell!

So everything had two sides. The very same thing really could bring joy to some and sorrow to others!