21. The Fated Maiden?

After paying the rent, the landlord handed the keys to Chen Ling and left. Only then did Liu Xinyue unleash her curiosity, firing questions like a barrage: “What kind of company are you opening?”
“There aren’t any other shops nearby—why did you choose this place?”
“Can I join you in your venture?”
“Whatever you do, I’ll…”
Chen Ling quickly raised his hand to stop Liu Xinyue, smiling as he said, “Let’s not rush. We still have another place to visit. I’ll explain everything to you on the way.”
“Another place?” Liu Xinyue exclaimed in surprise. “You’re renting another storefront?”
Chen Ling nodded. “Step one of the plan—two locations are enough to reach full capacity. There’s no way around it!”
“Come on, tell me—what company are you opening?” Liu Xinyue pressed.
“An agency,” Chen Ling replied. “Unfortunately, agencies need scale to break through, but right now I have no staff, no foundation, no resources. I can’t open up the business, so I’ll start with just two stores and make a bit of money.”
Liu Xinyue listened, furrowing her brow in thought. After a while, she cautiously asked, “Ling, can I offer some advice?”
“Of course!” Chen Ling looked at her, genuinely curious about what she might say.
Liu Xinyue breathed a sigh of relief, carefully choosing her words before continuing, “Recently, my father has been coming home very late. From the calls he’s made, I can tell that this year the real estate market in Linjiang is really bleak. Many stalled projects need official mediation to find new developers; the market is cold, and developers are seeking government connections to apply for loans and such.”
She spoke while carefully observing Chen Ling’s expression. Seeing nothing unusual, she continued, “In this environment, jumping into real estate so abruptly… Well, of course I believe you can handle it. So, why don’t you let me join in? That way, I’ll have a justified reason to ask my father for help.”
So that’s how it is. Chen Ling smiled. “Aren’t you studying fashion design? How do you know so much about real estate?”
“Hmph~” Liu Xinyue shot him a look. “For the past six months, people come to our house every day asking my dad for favors… Plus, I often help organize his meeting notes. I’ve seen enough to understand everything…”
“Haha~” Chen Ling laughed heartily. “That’s all the more reason you shouldn’t invest!”
Liu Xinyue was displeased and pressed him, “Why? I just want to help you! If… if things don’t work out, all your hard work will be wasted. Are you afraid I’ll take a share of the profits? I don’t need a single cent!”
“Silly girl!” Chen Ling shook his head. “Why would I be afraid of sharing profits? I wish I could hand out all the money!”
“But, with your father in that position, if you invest, first there’s a chance business could implicate him in the future. Second… I don’t want my first meeting with your father to be as someone asking him for favors. What kind of person would that make me?”
“Trust me—I don’t need any help. I can make this work on my own!”

Hearing Chen Ling’s reasoning from this angle, Liu Xinyue felt a surge of warmth in her heart. She was deeply moved, though she remained a bit worried. “But the market really is bad this year…”
“It’ll get better!” Chen Ling was utterly confident. “I promise, if I can’t break through in six months, I’ll shut things down and humbly seek your connections!”
“Alright!” Liu Xinyue nodded seriously. She thought simply: giving Chen Ling six months to try and fail was good. If he succeeded, all the better; if not, there was still time to fix things.
She wasn’t naïve—if Chen Ling wished, she was confident she could help him build a business.
But they were both still young, with plenty of time for trial and error. Besides, Chen Ling was clearly determined to see this through. If she pressed too hard, she might inadvertently push him away… Liu Xinyue would never do that.
Chen Ling, seeing her expression, was quietly amused… He could roughly guess her thoughts, but he suspected that in the future, it might be his “future father-in-law” who would need to rely on his daughter’s connections.
Still, optimism aside, there was work to do. So Chen Ling led Liu Xinyue to their next destination.
On the way, he reflected on Liu Xinyue’s demeanor…
Though she seemed so innocent and humble in their relationship, outside of it she was thorough and possessed rare resources.
Don’t underestimate a district bureau in Linjiang—a provincial capital with over ten million residents. The GDP of a single district could exceed that of a smaller city!
Especially as Binhu District was the most populous area, with the most tech parks and innovation zones, and the largest area of land for redevelopment.
By Chen Ling’s reckoning, as long as Liu Xuefeng didn’t stumble, he was sure to advance further, and with real achievements, he’d make great strides.
So the question returned to the beginning… Liu Xinyue was a naturally privileged connection, utterly devoted to him!
To indulge, or to restrain? The answer to this dilemma was no longer so hard to choose.
…
Chen Ling’s second store location was Binhu Huacheng, about ten kilometers from Qingfeng Community.
Both developments had been chosen after careful investigation and study.
First, the developers of Qingfeng Community and Binhu Huacheng were both top-tier local firms—Taihe Group and Binhu Group respectively. Both communities were in Binhu District, under Liu Xuefeng’s jurisdiction.
Second, both projects followed a pay-first, deliver-later model and enjoyed excellent reputations.
Phases one and two of Qingfeng Community had been sold and delivered between 2003 and 2007, with a strong market response. After delivery, feedback on the layout, environment, and property management was consistently positive.

Binhu Huacheng was similar. Its first phase was delivered in 2006; the second phase added amenities like a gym, swimming pool, and concierge center, raising its status.
Compared to Qingfeng Community, Binhu Huacheng was closer to downtown, with a higher overall standard and price.
Chen Ling’s confidence in these projects came not only from their quality and reputation, but also from the imminent launch of the Four Trillion Plan…
With just over a month until November, the timing was perfect—enough to renovate the stores, draft plans, and gather resources.
So, near noon, he sent Liu Xinyue back to school and hurried to his dorm.
Preparations were almost complete; it was time to present the overall plan to his team…
But as he approached the dormitory, he heard a heated argument inside.
“Baozi, stop being stubborn. We have serious business to take care of,” said Zhang Peng.
Bao Zhenhai replied irritably, “I’ll go out tonight. I promise it won’t interfere with anything.”
“Are you letting hormones rule your head?” Zhang Peng was annoyed. “These are the last days of the peak period. Why not just organize the orders tonight? Do you have to go out chasing girls? She might just be playing with you.”
“I don’t care. She called me ‘baby’—she means it!” Bao Zhenhai insisted, “What’s the point of earning money if you never spend it?”
Chen Ling frowned and pushed open the door. “What’s going on? I could hear you arguing from the hallway…”
Zhang Peng said, exasperated, “Ask this tadpole-filled bun yourself. He’s like a man possessed—I can’t talk him out of it!”
“Tadpole bun~?” Chen Ling chuckled, walking over to Bao Zhenhai and clapping his shoulder. “What’s up, Tadpole Bun?”
Bao Zhenhai didn’t mind; instead, he boasted excitedly, “Old Chen, look—my destined girl has appeared…”
“Destined girl?” Chen Ling looked curiously at Bao Zhenhai’s screen…