Chapter 39: The Thrill of a Shopping Spree

They made their way to Houhai. The massive 3,000-square-meter courtyard house that Jiang Nanning had mentioned was located on Ya'er Hutong, along the northern bank of Houhai.

Starting from the north of Yinding Bridge, they traveled all the way north along the lake. This area was a hub for traditional courtyard houses, and as they walked, they were surrounded by them. With his local knowledge, Jiang Nanning quickly guided Chen Siyuan’s family to the property.

The main gate of the courtyard faced Houhai, with the alley entrance to the east, and the compound of the China Religious Culture Exchange Association nearby. It faced south, capturing the sun and overlooking the water—it was the most scenic spot in the area.

Before even stepping inside, Chen Siyuan, Liu Xiaoli, Liu Yifei, and Chen Zehan were already captivated.

"Daddy, the environment here is wonderful!" Liu Yifei tugged on Chen Siyuan’s sleeve.

"Daddy, buy it!" Chen Zehan waved his hand with youthful spirit.

"Let’s go inside and take a look first," Liu Xiaoli said, maintaining a touch of reserve.

"Let’s head in then." Jiang Nanning stepped forward to unlock the door.

Chen Siyuan took Liu Xiaoli’s hand and walked into the courtyard. "This was previously used as office space by a government department. They have since moved to a new building, so it became vacant," Jiang Nanning explained as they walked.

Chen Siyuan nodded. The property was indeed massive, but because it had been used for offices, significant renovations would be required to make it a livable home. Unlike the property on Beichizi Street, which only needed minor adjustments, renovating this place to meet the standards for traditional courtyard restoration would be a major project. However, acquiring such a large courtyard now was definitely a sound investment.

After walking the grounds, Chen Siyuan made up his mind. He exchanged a smile with Liu Xiaoli, and the couple reached a silent consensus.

"Assistant Jiang, I want both this courtyard and the one we saw earlier," Chen Siyuan declared.

Jiang Nanning was privately stunned. "Mr. Chen, courtyard transactions require full payment."

"Understood. Please coordinate a fair price; full payment is no problem." Chen Siyuan didn't even blink. To him, the combined cost of the two properties would be under 100 million yuan, which was a bargain.

Jiang Nanning felt the weight of Chen Siyuan’s trust. "Very well. I appreciate your confidence in me, Mr. Chen. I certainly will not let you down!"

"By the way, Assistant Jiang, do you have any recommendations for a move-in-ready villa? Even if we buy these two courtyards, the renovations will take time, so we’d like to buy a villa to bridge the gap."

Chen Siyuan’s request left Jiang Nanning momentarily silent. So, for Chen Siyuan, even a villa was just a temporary stopgap. It was no wonder he could pay for two courtyards—one of them a 3,000-square-meter estate—without batting an eye.

Jiang Nanning came from a good background, but he lived under strict constraints. In his youth, he could play the part of a carefree scion, but once they entered the paths paved by their fathers, they had to be cautious in word and deed. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy for Chen Siyuan. This was what it meant to be a winner in life.

Work, however, had to continue. As a native of the capital, Jiang Nanning had many associates who were brokers, and he had the right channels for such high-value assets. He took Chen Siyuan’s family to see the Rose Garden in the northern part of the city. Land in Beijing was worth its weight in gold, so many villas were located far from the city center. It was a bit far, but the environment was truly excellent. The interior style was similar to what they had in Douglass Town, so the family fell in love with it at first sight and secured one of the best units immediately.

With Jiang Nanning from the Ministry of Commerce accompanying them, and given that they were wealthy overseas Chinese, the developers received them with great enthusiasm. They didn't just offer standard discounts; they went out of their way to include every possible perk. The villa, valued at ten million, was settled at 8.88 million for the sake of good fortune. Everyone was satisfied.

Chen Siyuan paid in US dollars, which pleased the bank. With special handling, the family moved in on the third day. The delay was only because Liu Xiaoli wasn't fond of the developer’s furniture. They negotiated, replaced the furniture overnight with pieces to her taste, spent the second day cleaning, and moved in on the third.

As for the two courtyards, Jiang Nanning reported the progress to his superiors. Some things he could handle on his own, but he couldn't do so without keeping them informed. "I have already smoothed the way. Nanning, you must coordinate everything perfectly to ensure Mr. Chen feels the warmth of the capital!" With those instructions, Jiang Nanning proceeded with full confidence.

The Beichizi Street property had a connection to Jiang Nanning; the elderly owners had moved abroad and entrusted the sale to one of his friends. It sold for 6 million. As for the Houhai courtyard, the title was held by an organization, but with the backing of Ministry of Commerce leadership, the paperwork and transfer went through without a hitch. The final transfer price was 80 million. Chen Siyuan had no objections and readily agreed.

Buying the properties was the easy part; the renovation was the real challenge. Jiang Nanning, having taken on the task, provided excellent service by introducing a team specializing in ancient building restoration—the same elite team that had worked on the Forbidden City. The Beichizi Street property was straightforward, and they quickly reached an agreement: minimal changes, focusing on plumbing, electrical, and basic repairs.

The priority was the massive Houhai courtyard. In a sense, it was practically a reconstruction. Chen Siyuan’s family spent three full days consulting with the expert team before finalizing the plan. The restoration would take nearly two years. There was no way around it; unlike modern reinforced concrete, ancient buildings had strict restoration standards. Chen Siyuan wasn't in a hurry. Since they were doing it, they would do it right.

During this time, the old man came to visit and walked through the Houhai courtyard. He made some calculations, spoke with the restoration experts, and gave them some instructions. The lead expert was suddenly struck with awe and repeatedly promised to oversee the project personally.

"Zehan, what did your grandfather say to them?" Chen Siyuan pulled his son aside to ask, baffled by the expert’s sudden shift in attitude.

"Oh, it was nothing much. Just some things about Feng Shui, and a few technical points on how to restore ancient architecture," Chen Zehan replied before running off to find his godfather.

Chen Zehan loved the courtyard, too, and he was using his godfather to implement some of his own unique ideas. The old man was wrapped around the boy's finger, leading to some minor adjustments to the final plan. Given the weight of the Feng Shui considerations, Chen Siyuan didn't dare to object. He simply let them do as they pleased.