Private sales and purchases of residency quotas, while not strictly investigated, were not entirely in line with regulations, leaving both buyers and sellers with reservations.
Tang Li had spoken of the buyer's concerns, but the seller had similar anxieties.
If buyers came to them directly, they wouldn't know the buyer's purchasing ability. Even if the buyer proceeded with the long-term residency permit and then reneged, they would have no recourse, having been cheated out of their residency spot.
If they went out to sell themselves, they feared not being believed and not knowing who needed to buy. If they were reported as scammers, they would not only lose face but also find it difficult to sell residency spots in the future.
This created an opportunity for intermediaries like the cleaning lady to step in.
After all, buyers of residency spots had to acquire them within 24 hours of their temporary residency permit expiring and complete the procedures promptly. Sellers also had a limited number of residency spots, essentially making it a one-time transaction.
However, intermediaries like the cleaning lady could continuously connect buyers and sellers. Even if one party caused trouble, another could fill the gap. Furthermore, as this was an ongoing business, they would pay attention to maintaining their reputation.
This doesn't mean there weren't intermediaries with poor reputations.
But the buyers of those intermediaries were typically people living in cheaper areas.
Those living in such places didn't have abundant points and were likely to haggle over the price of residency spots, or simply couldn't afford them. Ultimately, dissatisfied with the price, they would report the intermediaries and sellers.
To those people, intermediaries would offer lower prices.
However, they couldn't guarantee the character of the sellers.
If they happened to encounter someone selling a single spot to multiple buyers, the buyer could only consider themselves unlucky, and the money paid would be irrecoverable.
The intermediary would only help them find a new seller at a similar price, not help them recover their money, nor would they compensate themselves. They couldn't even guarantee the character of the new seller.
But the intermediaries active in the expensive suites where Tang Li resided were generally those with better reputations.
Those who could afford to live in these places had no shortage of points and wouldn't quibble over prices or renege on their commitments.
To these individuals, intermediaries would offer higher prices.
Concurrently, they would carefully select sellers, choosing those with points and good standing, who wouldn't be tempted by points to sell a single spot to multiple buyers.
Even if they accidentally misjudged, the intermediary would compensate themselves to help the buyer promptly find another reliable seller.
Given the high prices, even if they helped the buyer make multiple purchases, the intermediary wouldn't necessarily incur a loss.
Maintaining a good reputation allowed them to earn more points.
Not only were buyers willing to seek out reputable intermediaries, but righteous sellers were also willing to entrust their residency spots to reputable intermediaries for sale.
This saved trouble for both buyers and sellers.
This was also why Tang Li paid 100 points to stay in this suite.
Upon hearing the price of the residency spot, Tang Guo gasped, "Three thousand points for one spot? That's so expensive!"
"If I pay these three thousand points, won't I be left with less than two hundred points in my account?"
Tang Guo's points in her material allocation voucher account had accumulated to over 3200, but she had spent some tens on the way, leaving her with less than 3200.
Spending 3000 points for a residency spot would instantly turn her from a little rich woman back into a pauper.
Hearing this, Tang Li suggested, "Sister Guo Guo, shall I pay these points for you?"
Upon hearing Tang Li's suggestion, Tang Guo shook her head firmly, "My own spot, I can't let you pay, Li Li."
After a moment of hesitation, she gritted her teeth and said, "Three thousand it is, three thousand. I'll do it for the sake of residing in Jiangcheng!"
"These 3000 points are all from the salary you paid me, Li Li. Anyway, I don't use points much, and the remaining hundred-plus points are enough."
Tang Li, however, shook her head.
These hundred-plus points wouldn't be enough.
The solar storm was coming, and a hundred-plus points would be used up buying a few protective suits.
However, she didn't say anything at the moment.
Once they reached Jiangcheng, she would let Tang Guo earn them back.
After paying the deposit, the cleaning lady quickly introduced Tang Li and Tang Guo to someone who had a spare residency spot.
It was a female doctor from City S, a renowned obstetrician and gynecologist.
Her entire family were doctors, and her husband, son, and daughter-in-law all had extra residency spots. Thus, she wanted to exchange her spot for points.
The long-term residency procedures were also processed quickly.
In a short while, Tang Li and Tang Guo obtained their long-term residency permits for Jiangcheng.