Time-Travel: The Tragic Cannon Fodder Female Supporting Character Makes a Comeback

CHAPTER 36: The 1970s Naive Supporting Girl (36)

　　Song Susu went back to the Li family’s house to get her passbook and documents and happened to run into Uncle Li and Auntie Wang.

　　She didn’t treat them like strangers and casually told them about her decision to buy the storefront.

　　The couple worried she might be taken advantage of. After all, in their eyes, she was still just a young girl. But they didn’t stop her. Instead, they went along to the Housing Bureau to help make sure everything went smoothly.

　　The older woman and her whole family were already waiting at the Housing Bureau. Seeing Song Susu arrive with the Li couple, they immediately felt a bit nervous. The way the couple carried themselves gave off a strong sense of authority, and the family worried the deal might fall through.

　　Uncle Li, noticing their anxious expressions and simple attire, said, “First, show me the floor plan of the property.”

　　Xiao Wang from the Housing Bureau had already prepared all the documents. He flipped to the back of the property certificate where the floor plan was and handed it over with a smile. “Please take a look.”

　　Wang Yanli and Li Yanlong examined it together. The layout was decent, and the plot was in the city center.

　　Song Susu planned to buy it as a storefront, but technically the property was a residential building, just a street-facing one.

　　Uncle Li, having access to information earlier than ordinary people, knew that policies had already started to loosen in the first half of the year during the early reform period.

　　It was expected that by next year the new policies would be fully implemented. The location right next to the department store was excellent. Later, the building could be reconstructed into a proper storefront, and even if left as-is, it would make a good rental property.

　　Even though Li Yanlong was satisfied, he didn’t show it on his face. He called over the Housing Bureau staff and added a few extra clauses to the contract.

　　The deal had to be entirely voluntary, with a price fair and reasonable for the time. Once signed and stamped, it was binding for life. No backing out or deliberately causing trouble was allowed, and any violation could result in criminal liability for the entire family.

　　Back then, contracts weren’t as detailed as they are now. Some sellers would still try to argue afterward, and the police couldn’t intervene in these little disputes, leaving buyers frustrated.

　　The older woman and her family naturally cooperated. “We’re selling, so of course we won’t cause trouble or regret it. Don’t worry. We’re buyers in other situations too, and nobody likes to argue.”

　　Even though they said that, Li Yanlong still made them write a written pledge.

　　From the day of the sale, the property would have nothing to do with their family. They promised never to stir up trouble or argue later, and if they violated it, they would pay a hundred times the current market value.

　　In the presence of the Housing Bureau staff, both sides signed the contract and pressed their fingerprints.

　　“Oh, and everything in the courtyard has to be cleared out. As for the tenant, make sure they understand too. Don’t let any trouble come up later,” Song Susu added.

　　“Don’t worry. The tenant’s lease ends at the end of the month. I’ll compensate him two yuan and he can move out tomorrow. As for the stuff, we’ll sort it out soon and get it all moved,” the older woman’s son promised.

　　Song Susu went to a nearby bank to withdraw the money. After the property transfer was completed, she handed the payment over.

　　The older woman and her family were overjoyed, grinning from ear to ear.

　　The next day, Song Susu used the same method to sign for the department store shops. She even added a clause specifying that the pillar at the entrance would fall under her ownership because of the less-than-ideal location.

　　The developer didn’t mind at all. A single corner pillar wasn’t an obvious spot for posters anyway, so it really didn’t count as a proper ad space. They agreed it could be hers.

　　Both sides signed the contract and pressed their fingerprints. Payment was exchanged at the same time as receiving the property certificates.

　　Song Susu handed over the promised 150-yuan commission to Xiao Wang from the Housing Bureau privately.

　　Xiao Wang was over the moon, treating her like a charitable goddess who handed out money freely. He made sure to say that if she ever needed anything in the future, she should come to him.

　　Song Susu actually planned to. She wanted to get on good terms with him.

　　Back at home, Li Yanlong couldn’t stop praising her courage and intelligence. The shops she bought had real potential for appreciation. Compared to residential buildings, commercial properties clearly had better earning power.

　　Wang Yanli was also tempted, and Song Susu explained the potential future value of the properties, suggesting that they, too, should own a few shops.

　　The next day, through Song Susu's introduction, Wang Yanli used her family's savings to purchase a shop from Xiao Wang.

　　By the afternoon, they had already closed the deal.

　　It was lucky timing, because the listing had just appeared that very noon.

　　Xiao Wang wasted no time and led them to view the properties. The location was on the edge of the city center, but the price was reasonable. A large shop went for only 1,500 yuan, and it was near a school, ready to be rented out immediately.

　　Wang Yanli bit the bullet and bought four shops, spending six thousand yuan.

　　Even though Li Yanlong was a high-ranking official and got housing and some allowances, his salary was fixed. The family’s savings weren’t as plentiful as people imagined.

　　The shops, being near the school, would hold their value. The money invested could earn rental income like interest, and later it would make a respectable dowry for their daughter.

　　A total of twelve shops were for sale. Since the listing was fresh, no one else knew about them yet. Xiao Wang from the Housing Bureau remembered Song Susu and gave her a call to check.

　　The deal was really tempting. The shops were big, and the price was good.

　　Song Susu listened to his description and couldn’t help feeling a little tempted. She went to take a look.

　　To her surprise, the area seemed like it was destined to become a university town. The potential for appreciation was pretty high.

　　Each shop was over sixty square meters. The neighborhood wasn’t bustling yet, but with a school nearby, there was still a steady flow of people.

　　As for why the owner was selling, it was because he had ambition. He’d heard that policies in the south were going to loosen, so he wanted to cash out and try his luck elsewhere. Smart move. Once policies fully opened up, anyone standing in the right spot could make it big, and he might even become a major player.

　　Song Susu quickly secured the remaining eight shops. The shops and the courtyard property were all in her name. She put the eight extra shops under her brother’s name since the money was left for the two of them by their parents.

　　Back home, Li Yanlong sighed, half laughing, half exasperated. “You never do anything small, do you? When you act, you go all out. Buying so many shops at once.”

　　Song Susu just smiled. “Think of it as saving money.”

　　Wang Yanli covered her mouth, giggling. “It’s not wasted at all. These shops belong to you, and they’ll bring in rent every year. Susu, you’re officially a little landlord now.”

　　Song Susu planned to renovate the department store shops first so they could be rented out right away.

　　The five courtyard houses would have to wait. Once the winter policies were implemented, she could renovate them into storefronts, and renting them out next year would still be on time.   

　　The shops near the university town had just been renovated six months ago, so they were basically move-in ready. Renting them out would be simple.

　　In this era, renovation costs were still pretty reasonable. Take the two contractors Wang Yanli hired, for example. They spent two days sprucing up the Song family’s old house. Labor cost fifteen yuan, plus odds and ends for materials, and the total barely hit fifty yuan.

　　The department store shops were already newly finished, so they didn’t need much. A few partitions upstairs and downstairs, a fresh coat of atmospheric paint, and some new lighting fixtures would do the trick.

　　Song Susu planned to oversee the work herself and even draft a design plan.

　　She wanted the shops to have a high-end, stylish vibe. Most of the department store’s tenants were clothing shops, and once the southern economy opened up, plenty of clothing businesses were sure to pop up next year.

　　Good renovations would attract customers, keep tenants happy, and naturally allow for higher rent. It was a win-win.

　　Any leftover money from the renovation could be saved for later. Life in this era didn’t cost much anyway. With their own homes, the two siblings’ expenses were simple. School meals were cheap, and aside from some clothes and snacks, there wasn’t much else to spend on.

　　Even just the rental income would be enough to cover their needs, leaving them worry-free.

    

    

    

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