254: Chapter 250: Taking Over the Land 254: Chapter 250: Taking Over the Land Listening to Dong Dahai’s narrative, Chen Hai remained silent for quite a long time.
Because of a woman, he had squandered his fortune, his later years were bleak, and his luck with wealth completely vanished—such was the countenance of Dong Dahai.
Relying on face-reading, when Chen Hai had first analyzed him, he had already roughly discerned some situations.
And now, because of Zhong Fang’s matter, his business was on the brink of collapse, nearly at the point of losing everything—didn’t this exactly confirm the prediction Chen Hai had made for him earlier?
“Brother Dong, you’ve come to me; what exactly do you want me to help you with?”
After Dong Dahai had finished speaking, Chen Hai pondered for a moment before he finally let out a light sigh and voiced his inquiry.
When he had agreed to let Dong Dahai come to West Mountain Villa to meet him, he had already decided in his heart.
If the matter Dong Dahai needed help with was straightforward and not too difficult, he wouldn’t mind lending a hand.
But if the situation was truly challenging and too much of a hassle for him, he could only apologize to Dong Dahai.
“Brother Chen, Treasure House—I’ve run it for so many years; this business is my foundation.”
“My plan is to sacrifice the pawn to save the king; to give up that plot of land, and keep Treasure House.”
“On that plot, I’ve already invested five hundred thousand yuan, and there’s still an outstanding payment of one million three hundred thousand yuan to be made.”
“I came here to ask you, Brother Chen, if you’re interested in taking over those dozen or so acres of land I’ve bought.”
Stammering for a while, Dong Dahai cautiously broached the subject to Chen Hai.
As he said this, he also hurriedly opened the briefcase he carried, taking out several documents and a stack of blueprints all at once.
“The plot I bought totals twelve acres!”
“For now, that place is still somewhat remote, but the transportation is convenient enough with a highway that leads directly there!”
“Additionally, there is a small hill behind this plot, and a lake to the west.”
“If positioned correctly, if it could be developed, this place definitely has unlimited potential…”
Chen Hai had not yet spoken, but Dong Dahai had already picked up the blueprints and began to introduce some details about the plot.
The base price of real estate in Capital City was still soaring.
Such a sizable plot, if it were in the city center, couldn’t possibly be secured for one million eight hundred thousand yuan.
Not long ago, Chen Hai had spent three hundred thousand yuan to buy that courtyard house, which was built on it was practically worthless; what he valued was merely the residential plot of land.
Yet even that plot, in terms of area, was only about two to three hundred square meters, far less than half an acre.
Based on this price calculation, that plot of his courtyard could be worth at least six to seven hundred thousand yuan per acre.
Moreover, he had gotten quite a bargain by spending three hundred thousand yuan on that courtyard house.
Had the tenants living there not been so troublesome, Aunt Wang, the original property owner, would never have sold the place to Chen Hai at that price.
Picking up the documents and blueprints handed over by Dong Dahai, Chen Hai carefully examined them.
That plot of land, for the time being, indeed had a somewhat remote location.
However, building a vacation resort or setting up a private club could still have some prospects.
Initially, when Chen Hai planned to establish some properties in Capital City, what his subordinate Xiang Dong had suggested—Heaven and Earth—remained vaguely in his mind.
This plot, totaling more than a dozen acres, was surely more than enough to build a private club.
Internally drawn to Dong Dahai’s proposal, he still remained composed on the surface.
“Brother Dong, you want me to take over that plot; what exactly have you planned for the handover?” Without showing joy or surprise, Chen Hai asked indifferently.
Hearing Chen Hai ask this question, Dong Dahai felt delighted inside.
Because, in his view, if Chen Hai had no interest in this plot, he wouldn’t at all have bothered to ask about it.
“Brother Chen, one million five hundred thousand yuan—to transfer this plot to you.
What do you think?”
Seeming worried that Chen Hai might not be satisfied with this price, he quickly explained, “Out of this one million five hundred thousand yuan, after clearing my debts, I’ll still have twenty thousand yuan left.”
“With this money in hand, the business at Treasure House should just manage to keep going!”
While speaking, Dong Dahai occasionally glanced at Chen Hai, checking to see his reaction to these words!
Regrettably, Chen Hai always maintained a calm demeanor, and with Dong Dahai’s level of observing others, he simply couldn’t determine what was going on in his mind at the moment!
Before approaching Chen Hai, he had already asked several friends about taking over the plot.
But those friends of his, some said the location of that plot wasn’t good, others said the area lacked popularity…
In any case, all were nitpicking, all believed Dong Dahai’s plot wasn’t worth that much money—it was all talk, and they were just trying to drive down the price during a crisis!
Those guys offered a maximum of only eight hundred eighty thousand yuan.
They even said it was a “get-rich” number and weren’t willing to raise their offer by even a single cent.
That amount of money was not enough for Dong Dahai even to clear his debts, so naturally, he had no reason to agree.
In front of Chen Hai, he priced the land at 1.5 million yuan, but it was really just a test.
If Chen Hai truly wanted to take over, Dong Dahai could accept even a 100,000 or 80,000 yuan cheaper price.
“1.5 million yuan, you say?
That works for me; I can accept that!”
“Of course, before the payment is made to you, I need to send someone over to inspect the site.”
“If the actual condition of the land does not differ much from what is described in the documents, I will transfer the 1.5 million yuan to Brother Dong’s bank account immediately!”
Seeing that Chen Hai was silent, Dong Dahai wondered whether he should make some more concessions on the price.
However, at that moment, Chen Hai suddenly nodded and spoke.
Before saying this, he had calculated his financial status.
When he returned to Capital City from Hao River, the cash he could come up with was around six million yuan.
Due to his engagement, he had spent over one million yuan.
Now the cash he could draw upon, though not quite five million yuan, was not too far off.
Considering this, taking out 1.5 million yuan to take over Dong Dahai’s land did not put much financial pressure on him.
As for the issues concerning the development of the land?
It might not be feasible to build a skyscraper, but constructing a few buildings seven or eight floors high was not a big problem for Chen Hai.
After all, labor costs were low nowadays, and the prices of various construction materials were also not high.
Back in their hometown, Liuyuan County, spending ten or twenty thousand yuan to build a two-story western-style building was not a big issue.
“Brother Chen, are you really willing to take over?” Dong Dahai, startled, took a moment to react.
“Do you think I’m someone who likes to joke around?” Chen Hai replied with a chuckle.
“I can’t thank you enough, Brother Chen!” Dong Dahai, overjoyed, said hastily.
Chen Hai’s character, he knew somewhat.
However, his long-time friends, who did not want to help him but only sought to profit from his misfortune.
Coming to Chen Hai, Dong Dahai was not too certain whether he would help.
Now, the idea of building a holiday villa on that land had already become a pipe dream.
Just being able to keep Treasure House and continue his antique business was already the best outcome.
“By the way, Brother Dong, about those who deceived Zhong Fang and nearly bankrupted you, how are you going to deal with them?
Just let it go?”
After talking with Dong Dahai about the land for a while, Chen Hai changed the topic and suddenly raised this issue.
“I don’t know much about that group of people.”
“I asked Zhong Fang, but she couldn’t provide a clear explanation.
She only knows that the leader has a mustache and seems to be called Brother Hu or something!”
“At the police station, both Zhong Fang and I have already filed a report.”
“Whether the case can be solved or the money recovered depends on luck and fate!”
Whenever that group was mentioned, Dong Dahai felt a surge of anger.
In the antique industry of Capital City, he had mingled for a decade or two, but this time, he had been deceived so tragically that he had almost lost all his dignity!
If it were not for his preoccupation with the land and his excessive trust in Zhong Fang, allowing her to manage the shop fully.
Such deception would never have fooled him!
As for Zhong Fang, being able to enter Capital Political and Legal University, she surely was not foolish, just that her life experience was too limited!
“Women, all hair and no wit.
If I had known she was talented but foolish to this extent, I would never have gotten involved with her.”
“Initially, I planned to make her compensate for all my losses, but considering the brief connection we had, my heart softened, and I only had her write an IOU for twenty thousand yuan.”
“I’ll bear all other losses myself, no matter how unlucky I am.”
“I know she can’t pay the twenty thousand yuan now as a student.”
“But after she graduates, whether she cheats, deceives, or even resorts to selling herself, I must get that money back no matter what!”
“In regards to Zhong Fang, I really have done all that is morally right…”
With a stern face and an air of righteousness, Dong Dahai spoke again.
“This guy is quite ruthless.
The expression ‘blood doesn’t recognize water when it’s drawn’ must be about someone like him…”
Hearing this, Chen Hai looked at Dong Dahai a few more times with a strange expression.
However, he did not say much about it nor did he bother to meddle further.
Truly speaking, he somewhat despised women like Zhong Fang.
Knowing full well that Dong Dahai had a family and was nothing substantial besides having some money,
Zhong Fang still threw herself at him and got involved with him!
Such a woman did not deserve pity.
Landing in this predicament was entirely her own fault.