Chapter 40 The Concept of a Leasing Company

In the morning, Chen Ang walked out of the Financial Center. He didn't get into his car immediately but instead dialed Jiang Shan's number.

He needed to understand more details from seven years ago, just in case Wen Huilin came up with some evidence of rape when the lawsuit started.

After communicating with Jiang Shan for half an hour and hanging up, he finally got into his car. Having just entered November, the sky over Bin City was very overcast.

He opened the car door, sat inside, started the engine, and drove out of the underground garage.

He was supposed to drive towards Sheng Huating Residential Area, but when he reached the intersection, he turned the steering wheel to the left as if guided by some unseen force.

The X5 drove east along Binjiang Road, passing through the New District and entering the Old Town. The buildings on both sides of the road became shorter and shorter, the plane trees grew denser, and in the distance was the main gate of Southern Province Finance University.

After getting into Bin University at eighteen, his first car was also an X5, and he had traveled back and forth on this road from Bin University to Finance University countless times.

Back then, a girl with a ponytail was always sitting in the passenger seat.

She liked to roll down the window to let the wind blow in, and then she would shout for him to drive slower so she could reach out and grab the falling plane tree leaves drifting past the window.

At that time, her laughter was as crisp as jade shattering on the ground; even now, if he closed his eyes, he felt as if he could still hear it.

Parking the car on the side of the road and rolling down the window, Chen Ang lit a cigarette.

He had spent four years here, and after graduation, he opened a bar nearby for another three years.

From eighteen to twenty-seven, the brightest time of his life had been spent here.

Everything was in the past.

Stubbing out the cigarette, Chen Ang figured that since he was already here, he might as well get out and take a look, just in time to check out the rental market in this area.

After parking the car, he walked into the University Town.

He walked north along the street lined with plane trees.

When he reached Xuefu Lane near the North Gate, he slowed his pace.

This alley was full of old six-story residential buildings. The outer walls had been painted several times, and "For Rent" advertisements with black characters on red paper were posted at the entrances of every building.

He glanced at a few of them casually.

A sixty-square-meter two-bedroom apartment rented for 2,200 a month.

A forty-square-meter studio apartment was 1,500.

These prices were not considered high in Bin City, but they weren't low for students either.

He took out his phone to check nearby rental platforms. Within three kilometers of Xuefu Lane, there were four universities: Bin University, Southern Province Finance University, Southern Province University of Science and Technology, and Southern Province Normal University.

Plus several vocational colleges, the total number of students exceeded 100,000, and the annual demand for rental housing was at least 8,000 to 10,000 units.

However, the available rental properties nearby were mainly old residential communities, and new supply was either under construction or just breaking ground.

After walking around the entire University Town and recording some important information in his notes, the whole morning had quietly slipped away.

This could be considered the first time Chen Ang had truly put effort into doing market research.

Back when he opened the Nightlight Bar, there was no such thing as research; once he made a decision, he just spent the money, bought the property, renovated, and started working directly.

After all, he was no longer young, and making every decision carefully was a basic quality that an adult should have.

Closing his phone's notes, he turned around, intending to go to Shen Pianran's place and ask her to help find professional talent to research it.

However, before that, he had to ask Tan Xiaolei if he had made a decision; team building should be done sooner rather than later.

He dialed Tan Xiaolei's number directly.

The phone rang twice before being answered. Tan Xiaolei's voice still had that reckless tone: "Boss, what are your instructions?"

Chen Ang chuckled: "Have you thought it through?"

"Wait two more days; I'm currently taking inventory," Tan Xiaolei said.

"You aren't planning on selling the supermarket, are you? What about your parents?"

"Don't worry, it's all been arranged. They are going to retire and stay at home," Tan Xiaolei chuckled.

Chen Ang was a bit stunned. He only wanted to help his brother out once he made it big, not make his brother abandon his family and career.

"I already said that once you make it big, I want to follow you, drive a Range Rover, and become someone successful," Tan Xiaolei's voice was very calm. "But having said that, brotherhood is brotherhood. This supermarket will sell for about three million; count that as my investment."

Chen Ang felt inexplicably moved; Tan Xiaolei's character had been verified by the transfers he had made to him time and time again.

He didn't really want to rely on himself to support him; the jokes from years ago were just jokes. He was very sensible and didn't take them seriously.

If a brother gives you a meal, you can't just open your mouth and wait to be fed.

Chen Ang's throat moved, and he gave a hum of acknowledgment.

"What do you say?" Tan Xiaolei asked.

"Fine." He said this word slowly.

"Then it's settled," Tan Xiaolei cheered up. "I'll pack up and come to join you; don't scam me."

Chen Ang laughed: "What are you afraid of? I wouldn't sell you off to Southeast Asia, would I?"

"Sell me if you want," Tan Xiaolei said nonchalantly. "But you have to remember, when you electrocute me, use electricity from the State Grid."

Chen Ang was stunned for a moment. "What?"

"I have a strong attachment to my hometown," Tan Xiaolei said seriously. "Even if I get my kidneys harvested, I'll still miss the electricity from my hometown; after all, I've been electrified by it since I was a kid."

Chen Ang was silent for two seconds, then burst into laughter.

Plane tree leaves outside the car window were blown down by the wind and landed on the hood, but he didn't bother to clear them.

"Alright, I won't mess around with you anymore." Chen Ang stopped laughing, his tone becoming serious. "By the way, is there anything happening on my family's side?"

"It's the same as always. Chen Zhuo signed the papers, so don't worry. He has his own plans. You're backing him up; if he can't toughen up, then he deserves it," Tan Xiaolei said bluntly.

Hearing that he had signed, Chen Ang let out a soft sigh. "No need. If something happens, he will call me. Are my parents doing okay?"

"Nothing different from usual. Uncle Hui didn't say anything, and your mom nagged a bit," Tan Xiaolei reported truthfully.

Chen Ang finally felt relieved. After hanging up, there was a bit of an unfathomable look in his eyes.

Regarding Chen Zhuo's marriage, he certainly shouldn't interfere, especially since his own marriage was a complete mess.

Having gotten rid of a troublemaker, the family was now developing in a good direction.

Next, it would depend on whether his father could harden his heart and cut off those unnecessary kinship ties.

Two days ago, his mother's phone call had revealed his father's feeling of discouragement. Chen Ang estimated that given his father's temper, it would take a dose of strong medicine to make him give up completely.

Moving forward, he would have more and more money, and he couldn't tolerate any unstable factors around him, not even his own father.

Putting aside these thoughts, he walked quickly towards the outside of the University Town. He had walked less than two hundred meters when a hushed argument came from ahead.

Chen Ang glanced over. On the road, a male college student wearing an Adidas hoodie was blocking a girl, seemingly confessing his feelings.

The girl, who was sideways to Chen Ang, had her hair in a high ponytail, and her shoulders were tensed tight. Judging by her body language, she was already trying hard to shrink back.

"I just want to talk to you; you have to give me a chance," the boy's tone carried a self-righteous sense of grievance. "Can't you see how I treat you? Every time you hide from me, I wait for you. You can't keep stringing me along like this."

The girl's voice was not loud, but very firm: "I've said it many times; we aren't close, and we definitely aren't compatible. Please stop pestering me. Don't I even have the right to refuse?"

"Then tell me, how are we not compatible? Where am I not good enough? I can change," the boy pressed half a step closer, with no intention of letting her pass.

Chen Ang took one look and then withdrew his gaze, not stopping his pace. Things like this were common everywhere, and he had no interest in being a bystander.

Having walked only a few steps, rapid footsteps suddenly came from behind, and then his sleeve was grabbed by a small, fair hand.

"Uncle..."