112: Rent before building

“Boss Hu, you’ve worked hard.”

Li Qinghe got out of the car and first greeted Tran Thi Bao Anh, then walked directly over to Ho Anh Tuan and shook his hand.

Ho Anh Tuan was indispensable in getting these procedures processed so quickly today.

“Boss Li, you’re too kind. I’ve already notified the workers to prepare all the tools today, and the building material supplier has also prepared the materials. They’ll be here to start work first thing tomorrow morning.”

Ho Anh Tuan still wore that honest smile.

But the fact that he helped Tran Thi Bao Anh quickly process multiple procedures today without encountering any obstacles proved his capability.

To describe it using a saying from southern Dragon Country, he had “the face of a pig, but a bright heart.”

No wonder even a county Brahmin like Nguyen Phuc Hung sought him out to build houses.

“I’m leaving the house construction to you. You’re the professional. If you need any cooperation or need to remind us of anything, just tell my Aunt Bao Anh directly. If you need money, call me.”

Li Qinghe patted Ho Anh Tuan’s shoulder and gave him a firm assurance.

“Boss Li, rest assured, I’ve already reminded Boss Tran of what needs attention.”

Ho Anh Tuan, seeing Li Qinghe come to pick up Tran Thi Bao Anh, very tactfully took his leave. He also needed to go back and prepare with his workers.

This project was almost a seamless transition. Li Qinghe, trusting him completely, signed a labor and materials contract with him, even including the interior decoration after the house was built, all contracted through him.

Because of Boss Nguyen Phuc Hung’s prior recommendation, and with the house being only two and a half stories, the budget reached 5 billion vietnamese dong. So, Ho Anh Tuan didn’t dare to be negligent and contacted his familiar building material suppliers.

Watching Ho Anh Tuan drive off quickly in his Toyota minivan, Tran Thi Bao Anh finally turned her gaze to Nguyen Thi Trinh in front of her.

“Mom, A Trinh is now Brother’s Rice Noodles. Today, Brother just returned the betrothal gift from that old man in the next town for her. From now on, A Trinh will live with us.”

Seeing Tran Thi Bao Anh’s confusion about Nguyen Thi Trinh’s current radiant appearance, Nguyen Thi Linh also directly explained the current relationship to Tran Thi Bao Anh.

And the ‘Rice Noodles’ she referred to was not the fourth wife in the household, but a general term for a lover.

Tran Thi Bao Anh was also very clear about Nguyen Thi Trinh’s family matters. Seeing the beautiful clothes on Nguyen Thi Trinh, she knew her status had been recognized by Li Qinghe.

“A Trinh, you and A Ling are sisters. From now on, you must support and help each other…”

“A-He is a good man. You two should live well with him from now on and take good care of his health…”

Tran Thi Bao Anh quickly reconciled with the situation. She knew that Nguyen Thi Linh was intentionally or unintentionally helping Li Qinghe find Rice Noodles.

Nguyen Thi Linh was inherently pure and too kind. If Nguyen Thi Trinh, who was of the same clan, could help, it would better solidify Da Mi Fan’s position.

Moreover, Nguyen Thi Trinh’s looks and figure were far from enough to threaten Nguyen Thi Linh.

So, she also showed favor to Nguyen Thi Trinh, adopting a perspective of caring for both of them as she earnestly instructed her.

Nguyen Thi Trinh had never been taught so gently by an elder at home, and for a moment, tears welled up in her eyes. She felt that Tran Thi Bao Anh, this distant aunt, was a very, very good person.

Li Qinghe listened to Tran Thi Bao Anh instructing the two girls from the side, a smile also gracing his lips. This was what it felt like to be a family.

When Tran Thi Bao Anh had finished speaking, Li Qinghe stepped forward and opened the car door: “Aunt Bao Anh, A Ling, A Trinh, let’s get in the car and go to Xiangyang County High School first.”

Although Tran Thi Bao Anh and the others didn’t know why Li Qinghe suddenly wanted to go to Xiangyang High School first, they didn’t ask why and all got into the car.

Nguyen Thi Linh sat in the passenger seat, while Tran Thi Bao Anh and Nguyen Thi Trinh sat in the back seat.

It only took a few minutes to drive near Xiangyang High School, but Li Qinghe didn’t stop at the school gate. Instead, he drove around the vicinity of the school a few times.

“Brother, you seem to be looking for something?” Nguyen Thi Linh couldn’t help but ask.

“I’m looking for a house to rent. The house is about to be built, and Aunt Bao Anh can’t live there alone. It’s perfect to come here to take care of A Ming and A Shui.”

Hearing Li Qinghe’s thorough consideration, Nguyen Thi Linh’s face was filled with emotion. If Li Qinghe wasn’t driving, she would have thrown herself into his arms and given him a fragrant kiss.

Tran Thi Bao Anh, sitting in the back seat, was also stirred with emotion. With a man in charge of the household, she felt the pressure on her shoulders lighten considerably.

At this moment, she felt that Nguyen Thi Linh’s action of bringing in Nguyen Thi Trinh was incredibly wise. This was a man one could rely on for a lifetime.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Thi Trinh sat in the back, feeling envious, but for some reason, she didn’t wish for her own family to enjoy such treatment. Perhaps her heart was truly broken.

However, her impression of Li Qinghe rose another notch. Being his woman would probably be very happy.

The car circled with Xiangyang High School as its center.

Just like in Dragon Country, houses for rent in Vietnam would also have contact numbers left on their doors or walls.

Li Qinghe drove slowly through the streets and alleys near the high school. For alleys where cars couldn’t enter, he would get out to take a look.

At the same time, he also asked Tran Thi Bao Anh and the others to pay attention to the condition of each house.

Being a bit further away didn’t really matter. Nguyen Tan Minh and Nguyen Thi Thuy both had motorcycles and could get there in just a few minutes each day.

At least the meals Tran Thi Bao Anh cooked were cleaner, more hygienic, and more nutritious than those from the noodle shops near the school.

Thinking that Nguyen Tan Minh and Nguyen Thi Thuy both had a huge sum of 5 million vietnamese dong in their hands, Li Qinghe thought he should give his mother-in-law a bit more, as it was for several months’ worth of food expenses.

With everyone’s collective attention, they spotted a relatively new three-story building in a small alley.

This location was less than 3 minutes by motorcycle from Xiangyang High School, and a two-minute walk out of the alley led to a wet market, making daily life very convenient.

After making a phone call, an old lady rode over on a motorcycle.

She said this house was built by her son and daughter-in-law, who only lived there for a few years before going to Bay Bay Island in Dragon Country to work, and this house, being empty, was intended for rent.

The asking rent was 5 million vietnamese dong a month. After Li Qinghe inspected the completeness of the facilities inside the house, he found that the first floor was the kitchen and dining/living room, and the second and third floors each had two rooms and two bathrooms, just enough for a family to live in.

The floors were all tiled, and a solar water heater was installed on the top floor.

The design of the atrium in the house was also good, allowing ample sunlight on each floor.

All these features were very suitable for living, so Li Qinghe expressed that he could sign a two-year long-term lease.

Li Qinghe also stated that he could pay two years’ rent upfront, pushing the rental price down to 4 million vietnamese dong a month.

The old lady, seeing such a long-term tenant who could also pay the rent in one lump sum, readily agreed, not even asking for a security deposit.

So, both parties printed two standard lease contracts at a print shop near the school, renting the house in Tran Thi Bao Anh’s name.

Li Qinghe took out two stacks of banknotes from his bag. The total rent for two years was ninety-six million vietnamese dong. He pulled out eight banknotes, and handed the rest to the old lady.

Looking at the two stacks of cash, the old lady also accepted them with a beaming smile. Such a large sum of money was a significant financial supplement for her family.

Nguyen Thi Linh was already immune to the appearance of so much money, and Tran Thi Bao Anh had also seen Li Qinghe transfer 1 billion vietnamese dong to Ho Anh Tuan in one go, so her reaction was not very strong either.

Nguyen Thi Trinh’s heart, however, was a little unsettled. She had almost been mercilessly sold by her father for so much money, and yet this money was just the casual rent payment from Li Qinghe.

As her heart was surging, Li Qinghe took her hand and slipped the remaining 4 million vietnamese dong from the rent payment into her hand.

“A Trinh, this is for your spending money.”

“Spending money! Spending money! Spending money!...” The phrase kept echoing in Nguyen Thi Trinh’s mind.