When they first met, Li Sisi had brought a lot of candy, pastries, and juice to entertain Yi Xinyi. She had also talked and played with her, which was why Yi Xinyi still remembered her so fondly. After all, kids like anyone who is nice to them.
"Xin Yi! You still remember me!" Li Sisi squatted down to hug Yi Xinyi, chuckling. "I thought you'd forgotten all about me by now!"
"Not at all! I even asked my dad where you were," Yi Xinyi said earnestly, her expression adorable.
"Really! You miss me that much? Does that mean you like me?" Li Sisi asked, delighted.
"I do! You give me candy! And you play with me," Yi Xinyi said with a nod.
"Then I'll come to see you often. I'll buy you candy, lots of delicious snacks, and toys, okay?" Li Sisi said with a smile.
"Children shouldn't eat too much sugar. It causes cavities, and if your teeth go bad, you won't be able to eat yummy things anymore," Yi Anguo warned from the side.
"Dad! How about I just eat a little bit each time, okay?" Although a little scared of getting cavities, Yi Xinyi still couldn't resist the allure of candy and pleaded pitifully.
"It's fine, just remember to brush your teeth after eating," Li Sisi said with a smile. "But your dad is right. You really can't eat too much candy in the future. If you eat too much, your teeth will genuinely go bad."
…
"Brother Yi, are you hiring someone to help you rent out your properties?" Li Sisi asked after seeing Yi Anguo's help-wanted ad.
"I am! I have 1,000 units. What else can I do but rent them out? I have a mortgage payment of over 2.6 million to the bank every month," Yi Anguo said with a nod.
"Then let me help you! I still have over a month of summer vacation left, anyway," Li Sisi said, smiling.
"You're still a student? I had a feeling you were young, but I didn't realize you were still in school." Yi Anguo looked at her. "But you already have 300,000 yuan, and you're still studying. You don't have to work so hard. Besides, the salary here isn't very high. It's only 2,000 yuan a month, not including room and board. Besides greeting prospective tenants and showing them apartments, the job also involves cleaning sometimes."
"That's okay! I just want to thank you and help you. You don't have to pay me. If it weren't for you, how would I ever have earned that 300,000 yuan?" Li Sisi said hastily.
"That 300,000 yuan was rightfully yours, to begin with. You don't have to thank me at all. Your boss should have given you 1.5 million. Giving you only 300,000 was incredibly stingy of him," Yi Anguo said, displeased.
These capitalists are all the same, absolutely shameless! They even skimp on promised commissions for their workers.
Of course, Yi Anguo had no intention of not paying Li Sisi. He had a banner made that read: "Blue Coast Phase II: Numerous Apartments for Rent. Direct from Landlord, No Agent Fees."
As Yi Anguo and Li Sisi were chatting, a young couple walked in. "Hello! Is this the right place to inquire about renting an apartment?"
"Yes! Are you looking to rent?" Yi Anguo replied.
"We are. How much is the monthly rent here?" the man asked.
"We have cheaper and more expensive options. It mainly depends on the size you want. We specialize in larger units. The cheapest is a two-bedroom, one-living room apartment, over seventy square meters, for 2,200 yuan a month. It comes with a balcony, bathroom, and kitchen, and is quite spacious," Yi Anguo explained.
"Can we see the apartment first?" the woman asked.
"Of course. You have to see a place before you rent it. If you're satisfied, you rent; if not, you don't," Yi Anguo said. "However, I'm still in the process of hiring staff. If you want to see an apartment, please come back tomorrow. I don't have anyone to show you around right now."
"Brother Yi! Why don't I take them?" Li Sisi chimed in.
"If you have the time, that works. Consider today your first day on the job," Yi Anguo said with a nod.
Just then, a few more people walked in, also asking about rentals. Yi Anguo had them join Li Sisi's tour as well.
Over half an hour later, Li Sisi returned to the office with the group. They had seen the apartments and the complex's environment and were all very satisfied. Now, it was time to talk numbers.
Yi Anguo asked which units they were interested in. He took out a pre-marked price list, found the corresponding building, floor, and unit numbers for the apartments they had selected, and pointed out the monthly rent.
The terms were a two-month security deposit and one month's rent upfront. The price was fixed and non-negotiable, and it already included the management fee.
Anyone looking to rent in the area had basically done their homework on market prices. They had made numerous comparisons and had certainly looked at more than one property. After a comprehensive comparison, it was clear that Yi Anguo's apartments were a better deal. For starters, they were brand-new units that had never been occupied. The furniture and appliances were all new, and the rent wasn't any higher than in comparable complexes—in fact, it was slightly cheaper.
This was a high-end residential complex with an excellent environment and complete facilities. Transportation was convenient, and amenities like schools, supermarkets, and banks were all nearby. Given that the apartments were exquisitely furnished and had never been lived in, with all-new furniture and appliances, a slightly higher rent was to be expected.
The people who could afford to live in the city and chose to rent in such a high-end complex were clearly not ordinary; their incomes were certainly not low. If the cost was too much for one person, they could always find friends to room with, making it much more affordable.
Therefore, most people who toured the apartments decided to rent one on the spot after returning to the office.
In one fell swoop, three apartments were rented out: a two-bedroom, one-living room unit; a three-bedroom, two-living room unit; and a large four-bedroom, two-living room unit. The rent and deposits collected totaled 30,000 yuan.
The four-bedroom, two-living room unit was 155 square meters with a monthly rent of 4,600 yuan. The three-bedroom, two-living room unit was 108 square meters at 3,200 yuan per month. The two-bedroom, one-living room was 73 square meters for 2,200 yuan per month. The pricing formula was simple, calculated at 30 yuan per square meter. This rate was comparable to, if not slightly lower than, the government's suggested rental prices.
At that moment, several more prospective tenants arrived, so Li Sisi got busy again leading another tour.
When she returned, a few of the people from the new group also expressed their satisfaction and willingness to rent. This time, one more apartment was rented out immediately, while the others said they needed more time to consider. This was perfectly normal, however, as anyone looking for an apartment would naturally shop around to find the best, cheapest, and most suitable option.
By now, it was nearly noon. Yi Anguo called a nearby restaurant for delivery, and the three of them had lunch together.
After lunch, Li Sisi continued helping by showing apartments to tenants.
That evening, the three of them had dinner together again. After the meal, Yi Anguo spoke up. "If you're willing, you can live with us."
His primary motive was practical: having Li Sisi around would make it easier to care for his daughter, Yi Xinyi. Plus, his daughter was clearly very fond of her. The spare room in his apartment was empty anyway. While Li Sisi could live in her school dormitory, Yi Anguo felt it would be inconvenient for work, not to mention less safe for a young woman living alone.
And so, Li Sisi became Yi Anguo's first employee and moved into his home. Later, Yi Anguo hired two more young women, named Su Meili and Wang Bing.