Chapter 100: Proprietor Lu's Lavish Purchase

"Huh? Oh! Director Lu is truly an expert, haha."

Xu Kai, shedding his previous professional, business-like image, finally warmed up, acting like a high-minded intellectual forced into the role of a real estate agent.

Liu Yifei was likely the person least convinced that Lu Kuan could divine the future, and her life experience in the United States left her skeptical of his claims.

Xu Kai had originally intended to just muddle through and return to his studio to draw, but seeing that the client was genuinely knowledgeable and sensing that this deal might actually close, he began to take it seriously.

"Director Lu is interpreting this from the perspective of Feng Shui; in fact, from our professional architectural design standpoint, these are all the wisdom of our ancestors."

"Our Beijing is located on the North China Plain, and the overall terrain is high in the northwest and low in the southeast, so the drainage in the courtyard flows from the southeast corner gate into the alley."

"The southeast is also the wind vent for warm, humid air currents; having the gate here is beneficial for ventilation."

Liu Yifei nodded repeatedly as she listened. She walked to the middle of the courtyard, looked left and right, and asked curiously, "Why do the roofs in this courtyard all slope inward? Wouldn't the courtyard get flooded when it rains?"

Xu Kai smiled and said, "This is precisely for better drainage—first gathering it, then letting it out through the southeast corner."

After speaking, he adjusted his glasses and smiled at Lu Kuan: "Does Director Lu have research in this area as well?"

"Haha, is Designer Xu testing me?"

He paced a few steps around, pointing at the windows and eaves: "The outer walls of a Sihe Academy have no windows; the windows all face inward. This serves to gather wealth and prevent theft."

"As for what you mentioned, Little Liu, about the four roofs sloping toward the courtyard, for those who practice cultivation, sunlight and flowing water are elements that conform to the Dao."

"When it is sunny, the pouring sunlight is called 'scattering gold'; when it rains, the wind and rain are called 'flowing silver'."

"Scattering gold and flowing silver are both auspicious signs."

The little immortal was online for a limited time, and both Liu Yifei and her mother, Liu Xiao, listened with bright eyes as he rambled on.

Regardless of age, women are always interested in buying houses and personally handling renovation and design.

"Mom, why don't we buy a Sihe Academy to live in too? It feels really comfortable. What was that word Little Lu used? 'Down-to-earth'!"

Liu Xiao looked around and nodded slowly; it wasn't entirely out of the question.

When the time came, she could ask Lu Kuan to lay out the Feng Shui for her, protecting her daughter’s brilliant career path!

Lu Kuan had no time to waste chatting with Xu Kai and got straight to the point: "Designer Xu, I am sincere about buying. If you have any treasures, don't hold back; just take me to see them. Money is no object."

He added at the end: "The subsequent repairs, renovations, and the business of running errands at the Cultural Relics Bureau and the Housing Management Bureau will all be left to you. You handle it all."

Xu Kai gritted his teeth. He did indeed have a courtyard in mind, but based on his own financial strength, he had no idea when he would ever be able to afford it.

He decided to just see if this deal could go through first; whether it was the agency fee or the subsequent business, he could make a significant profit.

"Alright, let's go take a look at Gongjian Alley."

The group got out of the car and entered from Jingshan Back Street. On the left was a high Ming Dynasty brick wall, and on the right were ordinary residences. It was very narrow at first, just enough for a person to pass through.

They arrived at the courtyard he mentioned, the second one, known as the legendary "Ice Cellar Prince's Mansion."

"This courtyard was originally the residence of Wang Deshan, who was specifically responsible for supplying ice to Empress Dowager Cixi. Every year, he had to retrieve ice from the moat at least four times to store for use, supplying the Empress Dowager for the preservation of seasonal fruits like lychees."

Proprietor Lu followed him inside. The main gate opened to the west, and facing them was a two-meter-high gray screen wall.

Xu Kai pointed at the screen wall: "The carving right in the middle is called 'Five Blessings Holding Longevity.' Everyone, look at the pavilion to the front left and the deeper kitchen; this follows the rule of 'kitchen on the left, bathroom on the right'."

"Also, this courtyard has no 'inverted' room; the original inverted room was occupied by the ice cellar."

"Adjacent to the kitchen is the east wing, and opposite is the west wing. You can all take a look in the courtyard. There are still residents inside; I greeted them before I came."

Lu Kuan held a map, checking the location, and his interest in this Ice Cellar Prince's Mansion increased greatly!

It was next to Beihai Park, 5 kilometers south to Tiananmen Square and Wangfujing, and north through Gulou West Street and Xinjiekou Outer Street, then a left turn to reach Jimen Bridge, where the Beijing Film Academy was located.

There is a saying that describes life in a Sihe Academy: "Sky canopy, fish tank, pomegranate tree, Mr. fat dog, chubby girl."

Imagining the quiet night, wandering freely in such a small courtyard, it was quite atmospheric.

Looking around the courtyard again, besides the carved beams and painted rafters of the side wings, kitchen, bathroom, and pavilion, the furnishings within the courtyard were also unique and ingenious.

Lu Kuan pointed to the front and said to Xu Kai: "This main room is rare; it has as many as five steps."

Liu Yifei followed his lead and walked to the front of the main room, examining the lintel, which was a full seven or eight meters high. The blue bricks and gray tiles supported by large red pillars contrasted with the tall poplar trees behind the house, creating a scene of prosperity and flourishing growth.

She suddenly felt that her own big villa with a dog run wasn't quite as appealing anymore!

Xu Kai had been secretly observing their expressions, using all his powers of flattery: "Director Lu has a discerning eye. These steps are indeed extraordinary; this kind of stepping stone must be a single piece, symbolizing the unity of heaven and earth."

"Everyone, look up and examine the main beam and the second beam directly above the steps. Other places have standard ink-line gold-painted patterns, but here, they are painted with four-clawed dragons that only existed before the mid-Qing Dynasty, and the double-dragon imperial seal paintings are exclusively for royalty—all very precious!"

"Look, look! How many times do you have to come in a month? No money, don't enter the house!"

A sharp-mouthed, monkey-cheeked woman walked out of the main room and, without a word, splashed a basin of water.

Lu Kuan was quick-witted and pulled Liu Yifei, who was still stunned looking at the four-clawed dragon on the beam, out of the way, barely avoiding it.

Xu Kai's pant legs were splashed, and he awkwardly ushered everyone out of the courtyard gate first.

The intellectual wore a bitter smile: "I've embarrassed myself today, Director Lu."

"What's the matter?"

"There are 10 households living in this courtyard, all descendants of the Ice Cellar Prince. They have shared property rights."

"I've brought clients here several times, but we were all kicked out because we couldn't agree on terms. Over time, these people haven't been very welcoming to me."

Because of many historical legacy issues, complex property rights in Beijing's Sihe Academy are the norm, which is also one of the important factors for the low transaction volume of Sihe Academy.

Proprietor Lu checked his watch and took everyone to a restaurant first to see how to go about acquiring this courtyard.

Xu Kai politely invited Lu Kuan and the others to take their seats before leisurely introducing the market situation for this courtyard.

"The Ice Cellar Prince's Mansion covers about 627 square meters, and the current market price is about 7,000 to 10,000 per square meter."

He finished speaking and stared at Lu Kuan's expression, feeling disappointed to see him looking surprised.

Xu Kai gritted his teeth: "Director Lu, I can still... on this price..."

"You need to work on the people inside as soon as possible and resolve the shared property rights issue as quickly as you can. My household registration can be transferred to Beijing in August."

"Also, ask about the price of the two courtyards on either side of the Ice Cellar Prince's Mansion; I want to buy them together."

To be honest, a 600-square-meter Sihe Academy isn't that big. He might as well take advantage of the low price to acquire the two 300-square-meter ones next door and renovate them together.

Xu Kai was choked by the rich man's words, deeply feeling the disparity in life.

Lu Kuan's surprised expression was just because he thought it was too much of a bargain.

In fact, before 2004, Sihe Academy transactions were always just like that.

In the 90s, Jackie Chan was talked into buying 8 Sihe Academy for 500,000 each by an agent, including one that was the old residence of Kang Youwei.

It wasn't until the successful Olympic bid in 2001 that the Beijing real estate market gradually became hot.

Coupled with the city's determination of more than 40 historical and cultural districts, Sihe Academy transactions began to gradually increase, becoming increasingly hot after 2004.

If Proprietor Lu had bought them before the successful Olympic bid, he could have saved quite a bit.

Xu Kai was stunned for a while before he started calculating the total investment for the rich man. Buying the Sihe Academy was just the beginning; the money spent to actually move in would be much more than the purchase price.

"Director Lu, the purchase cost will definitely be under 6 million. If you want to expedite the relocation of the residents, you have to accept that these residents will raise the price. They are used to being stubborn and love to ask for exorbitant prices."

"Then there are the repair and renovation costs. I can only estimate the budget for this part after I make a plan based on your requirements. But based on past experience, for even a slight modernization, the starting point won't be lower than the purchase price."

Proprietor Lu peeled a shrimp and smiled: "As soon as possible. I will have my company's assistant coordinate with you, and you should negotiate as quickly as possible."

"Also, make a plan as soon as possible. Doesn't it still need to be reported to the Cultural Relics Bureau and the Housing Management Bureau for approval?"

Xu Kai's face flushed with excitement, and he said somewhat hesitantly: "Director Lu, there is one more fee, which is... which is..."

"Your agency fee will be whatever it should be. I don't have much free time to watch over this, and there will be times when I need to trouble you later."

"Little Xu, just remember, we will have many opportunities to deal with each other in the future. Just let me know the first time you have a good property."

"Yes! Director Lu! I'll go check the prices of the two next door. How do you plan to renovate them?"

"Connect them together. As for how to renovate them reasonably and in compliance, you come up with a plan first."

Liu Xiao and her daughter watched as Lu Kuan decided to close the deal as if he were buying vegetables, and they were somewhat dumbfounded.

Liu Yifei nudged her mother with her elbow. Liu Xiao then reacted and smiled at Xu Kai: "Little Xu, we want to buy too. See if you can find us a few, just the same quality as today's will do."

Xu Kai said in surprise: "Ah? Isn't your daughter with Director Lu..."

As he spoke, he gently slapped his own mouth and apologized repeatedly: "Sorry, sorry, I misunderstood. This matter is on me. Let's exchange phone numbers in a bit."

The young girl was thin-skinned. She stole a glance at Lu Kuan, who was eating shrimp calmly, and seeing him not refute it, she cursed him silently for being shameless!

Xu Kai's mood was agitated. He went back to run the paperwork halfway through the meal. He hadn't had a deal in a year, and this one was enough to feed him for several years.

Liu Xiao looked at the young director who didn't even blink after spending 10 million, and today her perception of him was refreshed once again.

Watching him and Liu Yifei joking and laughing, the two were so well-matched in both appearance and age. If they were on a university campus, they would really look like a young couple...

Sigh, this child is good at everything, except he doesn't keep himself clean enough...

She didn't want her daughter to find a boyfriend in a high-risk industry like a director later; there were too many temptations, and few could hold their ground.

"Little Lu, do you have any work arrangements recently? Xixi is also starting to prepare for her role in 'Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils'."

Since being slapped in the face by Lu Kuan at lightning speed last time, now inside Red Star Dock, his arrangements and plans were implicitly the priority.

Although he didn't have the most shares, Lu Kuan had considerable say in Liu Yifei's acting path and career arrangements.

The reason was also very simple: whoever controls the resources controls the right to speak.

Whether it was the production of the EP or the project initiation of 'Chinese Paladin', it all relied on him alone.

Proprietor Lu glanced at the young girl who was focused on eating: "Don't stop your morning practice. Every day, in addition to basic acting skills, I have contacted Zhang Yadong's studio for you to practice your singing skills properly."

The beef in Liu Yifei's mouth instantly lost its flavor, and she said with a bitter face: "Little Lu, I'm really not good at singing..."

"This child, call him Director Lu!"

Liu Xiao gently slapped her daughter. Although she knew Lu Kuan wouldn't be angry, she had to maintain her posture.

"Don't worry, the songs chosen for you are very low in difficulty, and the themes fit your youthful girl temperament. You just perform naturally and act cute."

Proprietor Lu chose five songs for her, still at Xiao Jin's studio, one humming and one composing.

"You are still in the starting stage, you should try every route. We'll talk about the future later."

Being a triple-threat artist is like being a distributor; once a distributor has channels, they make money selling anything.

Once an artist has popularity, there will be people paying for all three areas. Lu Kuan was right to let Liu Yifei focus on improving her acting skills and loving performance, and it was also right to let her try multi-faceted development.

One is the ideal, the other is the reality; after all, a talent agency needs to make money, and behind her is the entire Red Star Dock team.

"Lu Kuan, I'm not too confident about the role of Wang Yuyan; could you give me some acting pointers?"

Liu Yifei has now developed a psychological dependence on Lu Kuan; Boss Lu has become her oversized power bank, the kind you can plug in and use immediately.

"Just read more of the original work by Jin Yong, and when it comes time to film, there will naturally be a director to guide you."

Lu Kuan slapped his forehead, remembering another matter: "I've hired an intern assistant; in a few days, I'll have her accompany Liu Yifei. She'll start as an assistant, and later gradually take on the work of image design and persona building for her."

Liu Xiaoli was stunned; although she was ten thousand times unwilling in her heart, it was for her daughter's future development after all, so she did not rashly object.

Boss Lu glanced at the young girl who was still feasting away: "Eat a little less recently; as long as the nutrition is sufficient, it's fine, so you don't turn into a little pig when walking the red carpet."

"Lu Kuan, are you saying...?!"

Liu Xiaoli was grinning from ear to ear!

"The schedule this time is quite tight; the submission deadline for Venice is the end of June, so we could only rough-cut a sample reel first and sent it to Marco Müller through the connections of Teacher Tian at the Beijing Film Academy."

"He personally highly approved of the film's quality, and the jury also promised that we could submit the film after the festival's deadline; entering the main competition section should not be a problem."

The blank expression of Liu Yifei herself formed a sharp contrast with the wild joy of her mother, Liu Xiaoli.

She didn't care at all about whether she walked the red carpet or not, nor did she want to go sing.

Ever since the trip to Xiangjiang, her only goal has been to constantly hone herself, improve her acting skills, and become a true actor.

Liu Xiaoli, however, had already started planning to prepare a gown for her daughter; after all, it was her first time walking the red carpet, and at Venice, the head of the three major European film festivals at that.

This prince's mansion was acquired in the early 2000s by a person surnamed Zhang, a Sihe Academy agent, to be used as a private residence; it is quite private. You can't find image resources for it online, haha.

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(End of this chapter)