Following Lin Yixian around, the group was introduced to the flats at length.

  Xiang Ning had heard outside earlier that Ning Garden cost around 8000 yuan per square metre on average. As this figure was confirmed by Lin Yixian, Mr and Mrs Xiang’s moods were already sort of completely spoilt……

  It just so happened that eldest uncle Shi Youshu asked about the size of the flats now.

  Lin Yixian introduced, “For our flats, the current smallest are 120 square metres. For the big ones, they go up to 220……there are also 140, 180 etcetera in between……if you want something which is bigger or smaller, you may have to wait for the project’s second or third phase of flats.”


  Mr Xiang made a quick calculation of this and was left sorely disappointed. They didn’t have enough money. Even for the smallest flat that was 120 square metres, they would still lack money for the down payment somewhat.

  Seeing the tightness in her husband’s expression, Mrs Xiang hesitated for a moment before venturing, “When would your second phase of flats be ready then? Your company’s predicted completion date for the building of the first phase flats will be very soon, right? In that case, the second phase shouldn’t be too far behind?”


  “Well……” This was the first time Lin Yixian was receiving enquiries from her targets, the two of them having been comparatively silent earlier.

  Lin Yixian hesitated for a moment, thinking: Why are the two of you even asking about the second phase of flats? This slice of the pie is just waiting to be stuffed into your pockets!

  She immediately said firmly, “I’m very sorry, but the company has yet to decide on the schedule for the second phase. There’s probably still quite some time before it’s set to begin……”


  “Oh, I see……” Mrs Xiang shook her head rather helplessly before sighing softly.

  Eldest uncle’s wife expressed her stance, “Well, it isn’t that big. Any smaller and we wouldn’t even consider it.”


  “That’s right,” Mrs Xiang’s cousin said rather derisively, “I was still thinking that it’d be best if there was a bigger one.”


  It was really more like she was scrambling for words. She already knew that the biggest one here was just 220 square metres anyway. Actually, her family wasn’t really that wealthy. If she were really offered a bigger flat, she too would not be able to come up with that down payment.

  Still, whatever the case, Mr Xiang was made to feel tragically despondent today. Ning Garden’s price and scale caused him to feel frustrated yet also helpless……those barbed insinuations made him feel even more stifled……he had never felt so stifled in his life before……

  Mrs Xiang too could only helplessly remain silent……

  Seeing how discouraged her two targets were looking, Lin Yixian feared that they might just turn and stalk off at any moment.

  She hurriedly said, “Well, that’s more or less everything there is to see. Would you be interested in registering your purchase inclinations with me?”


  “Purchase inclination? What’s that?”


  “Oh, this isn’t any form of agreement in itself,” Lin Yixian hurriedly explained, “It’s simply doing a survey for our company for us to understand the needs of our potential customers. You’ll fill up a form expressing your preferences, after which we will give away some little gifts. There will even be a lucky draw in a bit.”


  “Lucky draw? What are the prizes?” Hearing that there would be a lucky draw, the kids who had come along all asked enthusiastically.

  “We’ll announce the specifics later on when the lucky draw begins,” Lin Yixian explained.

  The group followed her excitedly, with Mr and Mrs Xiang walking at the very back.

  Mrs Xiang’s eldest sister and second sister came over, telling her, “Youmei, we’ve talked with Mum about this already. How about this? Aren’t the flats here hard to buy? Here’s what we’re thinking. If we can’t get a flat, we’ll gather some money to help you. If we truly manage to get one but you don’t, though, we might even need you to help us out a little. Then, whichever of our families manages to buy a flat here, we’ll let you live there for a year when Little Ning’s in twelfth grade……what do you think?”


  Mrs Xiang looked at Mr Xiang, seeking for his opinion with her gaze. The proposal of her two older sisters actually wasn’t about somebody helping somebody else in the first place. Instead, they would all be helping one another out in a fair manner. Still, it was precisely because of how perfectly reasonable this was that they could really find no fault with it. Also, it seemed to be the only feasible solution that they could think of, dissatisfying though it might still be.

  Mr Xiang nodded.

  Mrs Xiang said, “That’s fine too. Thank you, Big Sis, Second Sis.”


  Little Xiang Ning was blankly holding onto Mr Xiang’s sleeve as she followed along.

  As she walked, it was just crowded and jostling throughout, so much so that she felt all dizzy as the heart of Xu Tingsheng who was sitting behind the surveillance monitors ached incomparably greatly. Also, he noticed from her expression that she didn’t understand what was being said at all, also not being in the mood to listen as she was just glancing randomly around everywhere.

  The group followed Lin Yixian in passing through the hall, circling past the model of Ning Garden.

  Now, someone just happened to be pointing at that modern tower there and asking one of Zhicheng’s employees, “What’s this tower?”


  “It’s a modern European-style tower. We believe that it will become one of Yanzhou’s iconic landmarks in the future.”


  After saying so, the employee introduced in a slightly more awkward manner, “Its name, well, is Little Pert Waist.”


  Coincidentally hearing it as she walked by, Little Xiang Ning did not think too much at first as she just thought that it was pretty interesting.

  “Why is it named like that?!” One of the onlookers wondered aloud, laughing as he asked.

  “It’s very interesting. Little Pert Waist. I like it, anyway. Hey, this wouldn’t be your boss making use of this chance to confess by praising his girlfriend, right? Your boss’s a real romantic. Just look at what was written on the advertisement,” A young woman exclaimed rather interestedly.

  Next, she turned towards that man whose arm was linked with hers, calling to him in a delicate tone, “Hubby, let’s just buy this! I really love it.”


  Little Xiang Ning stopped in her tracks, unconsciously loosening her grip on her Dad’s collar as she was rendered dazed.

  “Ning Garden……Little Pert Waist……confess by praising his girlfriend……advertisement, find a person find a place, release your tender love……”


  “Actually, to be honest, the best-looking parts of your body are actually your legs, as well as your waist……then, do you want to touch? Black bear……”


  “I’ll definitely make it into a first-tier senior high……The old school district for the first-tier senior high is just across the bridge, and the new one’s even nearer. It’s right there; just look and you can already see it……”


  Little Xiang Ning felt that she understood it all now……she hurriedly raised a hand and covered her mouth for fear that she might cry out in astonishment.

  “Little Ning……Little Ning? Why are you standing there? Come on,” Discovering that her daughter was missing, Mrs Xiang turned back and called for her.

  “Huh? Mum, I, I feel a little dizzy inside here……can I go stand by the entrance for a while? You can look for me when we’re gonna go back……if you can’t find me, you can just call my phone.”


  Mrs Xiang considered it for a moment, deciding that it really was too crowded inside the sales building as she said, “Wait by the entrance then. Don’t go too far away.”


  “Yep, okay.”


  As there was no sound from the surveillance, all Xu Tingsheng could see was that Lin Yixian had successfully brought Mr and Mrs Xiang over to register. Yet, Little Xiang Ning suddenly stopped next to that large model of Ning Garden and said something to her mother before leaving the hall of the sales building……

  Just as Xu Tingsheng was puzzling over what might be going on with her, his handphone rang.

  He answered the call.

  “Xu Tingsheng……hey, you……where are you, you dirty ruffian?” Little Xiang Ning sounded as though she had caught Xu Tingsheng up to some mischief as she immediately exclaimed furiously whilst also triumphantly over the phone.

  “I……”


  “Here, upstairs? Which office is that?”


  “.……The rightmost one upstairs, 2011.”


  “Just wait right there.”


  “Be careful that your Mum and Dad don’t see you!”


  “Yeah, I’ll get up there sneakily……”