Stepping out of the car, Liu Yifeng saw many elderly women sitting on both sides of the street, chatting animatedly.
He paid them no mind. Driving a beat-up van, they weren't worth their chatter.
After all, most of the residents here were tenants, accustomed to seeing strangers.
Liu Yifeng approached a group engrossed in conversation and asked, "Excuse me, I'd like to know if anyone here is selling a house?"
His question successfully drew the attention of all the women.
They all seemed to think he had a screw loose, asking about buying a house here.
Everyone knew the houses here were run-down, some with walls so cracked that rain would seep inside.
Many, unable to bear the environment and unwilling to spend money on renovations, had moved out, renting elsewhere and in turn renting their old homes to others.
They had considered selling their houses and putting a down payment on new ones.
However, even after listing their properties at the lowest price in the city, there were no takers, not even a single viewing.
But then again, why would anyone with money choose to buy these old, dilapidated houses?
They had long given up hope of selling, resigning themselves to living there until they died.
Now, a young man suddenly appears, inquiring about selling houses, making them wonder if he was eccentric or just messing with them.
A woman in a red T-shirt asked, "Young man, do you really want to buy a house here?"
"I have that idea!" Liu Yifeng nodded.
"You have an idea, so it's not a definite purchase? If you're just asking, you can leave. Don't interrupt our chat!" another woman said impatiently.
She didn't believe for a second that Liu Yifeng would actually buy a house here, and his beat-up car suggested he couldn't afford one.
Despite the poor environment and old houses, the location was decent, only seven or eight kilometers from the city center, a few minutes' drive away.
Even at the lowest price, these houses could fetch hundreds of thousands.
Not many people could afford hundreds of thousands these days, and Liu Yifeng certainly didn't look like he could.
The women then stopped paying attention to Liu Yifeng, resuming their previous conversation.
"Let me tell you, the daughter of the Wen family gave birth to a child for an old man. That old man is wealthy and directly gifted her a house over a hundred square meters. She's always chauffeured in luxury cars."
"What's there to envy? A young unmarried woman giving birth to a child for a man old enough to be her father, isn't that embarrassing? If that were my daughter, I'd disown her." The woman in red looked disgusted.
Seeing them get more animated, Liu Yifeng felt it was rude to interrupt.
No wonder people say that the grandmas gathered on street corners and at village entrances are the most knowledgeable and formidable informants. It seemed true.
They even knew private details like someone's daughter having a child for an old man and receiving a house.
So, they must also know who wants to sell their property. Liu Yifeng stood aside, waiting for them to finish their topic.
This annoyed the woman in red. She eyed Liu Yifeng suspiciously, "Hey young man, why haven't you left yet? Are you trying to scam us old ladies?"
Seeing her misunderstanding, Liu Yifeng quickly explained, "Please don't misunderstand, Auntie. I have no other intentions. I genuinely want to buy a house here."
"You really want to buy?" the woman asked, her gaze still skeptical.
Liu Yifeng nodded emphatically, "Yes, otherwise I wouldn't have traveled so far to ask about houses."
"Then why not buy a new development and instead buy our old, run-down houses?" another woman asked, voicing everyone's curiosity.
Could it be that their houses were slated for demolition, and this kid got wind of it beforehand, hence his interest?
This possibility crossed everyone's minds. If not, his behavior wouldn't make sense.
But upon reflection, the likelihood was slim. Chen Xiufeng's son worked at the urban management bureau. If there were demolition plans, she would surely know in advance.
Given their relationship, she would have told them and wouldn't keep it a secret.
Just a couple of days ago, she was complaining about wanting to sell her house to afford a down payment in the city for her son's marital home.
This suggested there was no such plan.
Chen Xiufeng, the woman in red, seeing that Liu Yifeng didn't seem to be joking, changed her demeanor to a friendly smile. "Young man, you've come to the right person.
If you want to buy a house, come to me! I have several myself. Some are near the road, some are in quieter spots inside. It all depends on which one you fancy."
As she spoke, her eyes darted around again, and she pulled Liu Yifeng aside to ask in a low voice, "Young man, tell Auntie, do you know something about demolition plans here?"
Liu Yifeng couldn't tell her the truth. He smiled and said, "I'm just an ordinary person, how could I possibly know about any demolition plans?
I'm buying here simply because it's cheaper than other places. You can see my situation; I can't afford more expensive houses.
Besides, I've looked around, and your houses here all have their own entrances and independent courtyards. They're great for gardening and planting, perfect for living in.
The only drawback is that the houses are indeed old." As he said this, he put on a hesitant expression about buying.
This successfully made Chen Xiufeng anxious. "Young man, what does it matter if the houses are old? Even the newest and best houses will age.
Our Delta, though not as bustling as the city center, is one of the earliest established areas. This means there's great potential for appreciation in the future.
And we have direct bus service to the city center, so it's very convenient if you want to go out.
If not, there's a large farmers' market nearby where you can buy anything edible.
If you're buying to live here, this is the most suitable place.
And most importantly, most of the people living here are well-known and united.
Unlike outsiders, you never know their true intentions. What are you still hesitating about?"
Seeing the woman trying so hard to persuade him to sell his house, Liu Yifeng outwardly appeared undecided, but inwardly, he was overjoyed.
He feigned hesitation to avoid making the woman suspect his true intentions for buying here.
This area hadn't yet received demolition notices. If he were to openly buy properties, it might attract the attention of higher authorities.
If the matter escalated, and officials inquired, it would be difficult for him to explain why he was buying property here.
Because if he were to buy, he wouldn't just buy one house; he intended to use all his liquid capital to purchase properties.
After all, his daily income from selling vegetables, watermelons, and crayfish was enough to keep the construction sites running smoothly.
"Auntie, why don't you let me consider it a bit longer? Several of my friends are also planning to buy houses.
We've arranged to buy together, so we can visit each other often when we're old."
Hearing that Liu Yifeng had friends who also wanted to buy, the woman was even more reluctant to let go of this lucrative opportunity.
She urged, "Young people should be decisive, not indecisive like a girl. How can you achieve great things like this?
Let me tell you, houses here are in high demand. If you miss this chance, you won't find another."
Originally, she was ambivalent about selling her house. Having lived there for most of her life, she would have been reluctant to move.
However, her son's girlfriend insisted on buying a house in the city center before agreeing to marry him.
Even with a mortgage, houses in the city center cost over two hundred thousand. They were just ordinary working people and couldn't afford such a property.
But her son was almost thirty, and she had been worried about his marriage.