"Boss Chen, do you think this courtyard is acceptable? This used to be the property of a wealthy family, and it was later converted into a street office."
"Now that the policies have changed, the house has been returned to the original family. However, they no longer want to live here and have already moved into the factory dormitories."
Hou Yong arranged for an official to guide Chen Yang to inspect the houses. This official was a local expert, well-versed in the history and stories of each property, explaining everything clearly to Chen Yang.
Chen Yang glanced at Shen Xue. The previous few houses were somewhat dilapidated, and neither he nor Shen Xue had liked them. This house, however, was quite new, not inferior to the one they bought by Xuanwu Lake in Jinling.
"I think it's okay, but we already have an old-style house. Wouldn't buying another one be a bit monotonous?"
Shen Xue had seen quite a bit in the two days she had been in Shanghai. Looking at the bustling European architectural style of the Bund, she realized for the first time that such houses existed in the world.
This snow-white building, with stairs, a balcony, and a garden, was quite impactful for someone who had never seen such a building before.
"Let's hold off on this one for now and go see the one behind it. If we're not satisfied with the one behind it, we'll decide on this one."
It wasn't just Shen Xue who wanted to buy a house of a different style; Chen Yang did too. They already owned a siheyuan-style house, so there was no need to buy another one like it.
If possible, Chen Yang also wanted to buy a small Western-style building. Living in a small villa in the 1980s would be truly wonderful.
If the yard outside were large enough to plant some flowers and grass, and even build a swimming pool, that would be perfect!
"Alright, Boss Chen. Then let's go see the house behind this one. That one is a two-story Western-style building, an apartment building sold by the concession in the 1940s."
"Many people who retired and became recluses lived in houses like these in Shanghai back then. As for which prominent figure lived in this particular house, it's hard to verify."
"The house has been uninhabited for a long time, and it was almost burned down before. The previous owner of this house donated it to the government, and it was used as a library for a while."
"Since someone set it on fire, the library also moved its books out. It's considered collective property."
The official briefly explained the house and then drove Chen Yang's family to see it. Shanghai was a big place; the Administration for Industry and Commerce had even provided a car.
The alleys here were wide enough for cars, and it wasn't far from the main road, just one alley away.
Even before entering, Chen Yang was already quite satisfied standing outside. A detached villa with its own courtyard, and in Shanghai at that!
Putting aside whether the house was good or not, as long as it didn't collapse, in thirty years, the value of this property would be in the billions.
"Mr. Chen, Mrs. Chen, please come in."
"It's a bit messy inside, as it hasn't been maintained for a long time. But with some cleaning and new furniture, this place will be excellent."
The official was enthusiastic in his introduction of the house because other houses were privately owned, making it difficult for them to intervene in any transaction.
This house was different. It was collectively owned, and if Chen Yang was truly interested, the Administration for Industry and Commerce could mediate and help him acquire the house to then transact with Chen Yang.
With three production lines costing $450,000, Chen Yang would still have $50,000 left after the purchase. With such a large sum of money, they naturally wanted to secure it.
Of course, the house itself wouldn't be worth tens of thousands of dollars, but it could serve as a condition, perhaps even allowing Chen Yang to exchange the remaining $50,000 at an equivalent value with them.
Houses were not tradable at all back then, so aside from the high cost of construction, their selling price was very low.
This was also considered a reciprocation from the Shanghai Administration for Industry and Commerce, thanking the higher ministry for their support by helping them find $50,000 in foreign exchange.
It wasn't a large sum, but at least they made an effort. It proved to the higher authorities that they weren't just passively waiting for help; they were self-sufficient and could even give back to their benefactors.
"Wow, how long has this place been empty? The plaster is falling off, there are spiderwebs everywhere, and these plants and trees have all withered."
"All these messy things need to be cleared out. This will be a huge project to manage!"
Chen Yang observed it. It was a two-and-a-half-story Western-style building, with a small platform on the third floor and tower-like decorations elsewhere, presumably for insulation.
It was old and dilapidated, likely due to years of neglect, but the main structure of the house was sound.
After all, it was reinforced concrete construction. Although the technology was inferior back then, the materials used were solid, with no cutting of corners.
With some time spent clearing the weeds in the yard and repainting the exterior walls, followed by a coat of white paint inside, this house would be a brand-new two-story villa.
"Boss Chen, you can rest assured about that. We'll arrange for a construction team to handle it for you."
"As long as you like the house, it'll only cost a little over ten thousand yuan. This amount shouldn't be much for Boss Chen."
The official still remembered Hou Yong's instructions. Finding a way to exchange the remaining $50,000 from Chen Yang would earn him a month's salary!
"Why was this place set on fire? Was it due to some injustice suffered here? And can the property rights of this house be guaranteed to be clear?"
Chen Yang quite liked the house, but honestly, Chinese people were somewhat superstitious about properties where something had happened. If someone had died here, Chen Yang would never buy it.
If he bought it, Shen Xue and the children would be moving in immediately. If there were any problems, he would never let his wife and children live there.
"Boss Chen, you can be absolutely sure about this. What kind of relationship do you have with Director Hou? How dare I deceive you? Director Hou will still be relying on Boss Chen for foreign exchange."
"You can ask anyone you want. This house has absolutely no problems. We'll handle the property rights. We are the Administration for Industry and Commerce, and we approve this transaction. The street will get money, and who would object?"
The official chuckled. He didn't believe the street would object to such a win-win situation. Even if they did, he could have Hou Yong step in.
Did they really think the leaders of the Administration for Industry and Commerce were not important? The new administration had just been established, and their "three fires" had yet to be lit.
The Shanghai No. 3 Radio Factory was the first "fire" initiated by the Administration for Industry and Commerce. No matter what, they had to get this fire started, and make it burn brightly!