The Xi family naturally refused to believe it and insisted that the Shen family repay the money. The result was a brawl between the two families, with heads broken and blood spilled. They were once again sent to the police station, and both Shen Qiang and Shen Ming were detained for beating Zhang Jingui into the ICU.
It was only then that both families realized they had been played by Shen Jiaojiao.
“Wang Jianjun is dead. He drowned after jumping into the river.”
Someone said this, and both families fell silent, a chill running down their spines.
Some were dead, some were in the ICU, Xi Zihua was still missing and acting insane, Xi Shuhua’s engagement had fallen through, Xi Yuhua’s husband and the Shen brothers were all in detention, and both families had lost money.
All of this was Shen Jiaojiao’s doing.
Yet now, she was nowhere to be found.
They had all underestimated Shen Jiaojiao.
Shen Jiaojiao was unaware of these dramatic events. She and Xiao Yueyue slept until noon, after which she planned to move to the city center, find a house, and arrange a school for Xiao Yueyue.
In 1980, the eastern part of the city was just beginning to develop, while the west was the downtown area. Houses in the east were cheaper, costing less than 2,000 yuan, while those in the west ranged from 2,000 to 3,000 yuan per square meter. With the money she had, she could afford to buy a decent house outright in the west.
Shen Jiaojiao intended to buy a fully furnished second-hand house that she could move into immediately, preferably in a good neighborhood.
By 1997, Shanghai was already quite prosperous. Shen Jiaojiao hailed a taxi and asked the driver to take her to the west side to find a real estate agency.
The driver was a man in his forties with a northern Jiangsu accent. He was quite friendly and asked if she was looking to buy a house.
“My husband was a businessman. He died in a car accident last year, and we received some compensation. He also left some money for us. Altogether, it’s quite a sum. His relatives said I gave birth to a daughter and forced me to hand over the money. When I refused, they came to cause trouble every day. I couldn’t stay in my hometown any longer.”
Shen Jiaojiao put on an emotional performance, her beautiful and delicate face filled with sorrow as she casually fabricated a reason for having to buy a house in Shanghai.
The driver didn’t doubt her at all. Such relatives who prey on widows and orphans were all too common. He felt great sympathy for Shen Jiaojiao and her daughter and said warmly, “My brother-in-law is a real estate agent. Don’t worry, I’ll have him find you a suitable house. Take your time. Shanghai is definitely better than your hometown. You and your daughter can settle down here peacefully. Those relatives won’t dare to come cause trouble.”
“Thank you, big brother.”
“No need to thank me. I’m just helping my brother-in-law get business. But rest assured, sister, my brother-in-law is an honest man. While other agents might cheat and deceive, he absolutely won’t.”
“Yes, big brother, you’re kind-hearted. The person you recommend must be good too. I trust you.”
Shen Jiaojiao had no specific requirements for the agent. At that time, buying a house didn’t require careful consideration of the property or location—wherever you bought, you’d profit. She just wanted to complete the procedures quickly and move in as soon as possible.
The driver took them to a real estate agency and called over his brother-in-law, a young man in his early twenties wearing glasses. He was gentle and well-mannered, blushing when he spoke, clearly new to society.
“Jiang Liang, my brother-in-law.”
The driver introduced Shen Jiaojiao and her daughter, adding specifically, “Pick a good house for them, and make sure the price is reasonable. I’ve already vouched for you.”He even specifically pulled his brother-in-law aside and quietly told him about the tragic situation of Shen Jiaojiao and her daughter. “It’s really pitiful—they ran into relatives trying to take advantage of their family’s misfortune. The money they have is from the man’s compensation. You must do your best and not earn any dishonest money.”
“Brother-in-law, don’t worry. I’ll definitely find them a good house.”
Jiang Liang also sympathized with Shen Jiaojiao and her daughter’s plight. Moreover, he had been working as a real estate agent for almost three months without closing a single deal because he couldn’t talk smoothly and always told the blunt truth.
There was one property that was very cheap and in a good location. The landlord claimed he was selling it because his business was struggling, and many people were interested. However, Jiang Liang knew the real reason—the house was haunted.
The landlord had rented it to a young couple. The husband was a gambler who lost all their possessions. During an argument with his wife, he killed her and dismembered her body right inside the house.
Other agents wouldn’t tell the truth, but Jiang Liang did. He had to act according to his conscience and couldn’t earn money dishonestly. Naturally, the house didn’t sell, and he was scolded by his boss, who gave him one last month to make a sale or be fired.
Jiang Liang had already prepared himself mentally. He felt certain he wouldn’t sell anything within the month and thought it might be better to return to his hometown and raise pigs. Raising pigs wasn’t a bad idea.
The driver gave a few more reminders before leaving. Jiang Liang invited Shen Jiaojiao and her daughter into the agency for tea and to look at properties.
“If I may ask, what price range are you looking for, Miss Shen? Are you planning to pay in full or take out a loan?”
“I have around 200,000 yuan. I want to buy a house in a good school district for my daughter to attend school.”
Jiang Liang now had an idea. He selected three properties and enthusiastically introduced them.
“This one is 95 square meters, on the fourth floor. The decor is a bit outdated, but the location is excellent, and it’s in the best school district. Many teachers live in this building. The landlord is asking for 858,000 yuan.”
“This one is 120 square meters, a newlywed apartment renovated last year. The husband is a university professor, and the wife is a white-collar worker at a foreign company. Their family conditions are very good, and the renovation materials are top quality. The apartment is on the top floor and has a large terrace for gardening. The school district is also excellent. The asking price is 250,000 yuan, but there’s room for negotiation.”
Jiang Liang had photos of the properties. Shen Jiaojiao really liked this one—the Japanese-style decor appealed to her, and the building was in a new residential area with a great location. There were several universities nearby, and the high school, middle school, and elementary schools were all quite good. It was also an east-facing unit, oriented north-south, with excellent natural light.
The price wasn’t too high, but she didn’t have that much cash on hand. As for a loan, she was worried it might be difficult since she didn’t have a job.
“Why are they selling a newlywed apartment?” Shen Jiaojiao asked curiously.
“They got divorced. The house is joint property, so they’re selling it to split the money,” Jiang Liang explained with a smile. “They’re in a hurry to sell, so the price is negotiable. Are you interested in this one, Miss Shen?”
“I really like it, but I don’t have enough money—only 350,000 yuan,” Shen Jiaojiao said regretfully.
Even if the sellers were in a hurry, they wouldn’t likely drop the price by 50,000 yuan. In a location and school district like this, it would be impossible to buy at this price in a couple of years. When she had traveled back in time, housing prices had already risen to nearly 20,000 yuan per square meter.
Plus, there were agent fees and taxes to consider. She simply didn’t have enough money.
“You could take out a loan,” Jiang Liang suggested.
“I don’t have a job. Wouldn’t it be difficult to get a loan?”
“Don’t worry, our company can help with that. As long as you make your repayments on time, it should be fine,” Jiang Liang said with a smile.”Let’s take a look at the house first. If it’s suitable, I’ll buy it.”
Shen Jiaojiao breathed a sigh of relief. Once settled, she would need to find a way to earn money and repay the loan as soon as possible.
Jiang Liang took her to see the house. The actual scene was similar to the photos, and the previous owner was a person with great taste. The rooftop was filled with many flowers and plants, along with a coffee table and chairs, and a swing.
“I’ll take this one. How much can the landlord lower the price?”
“Miss Shen, would you like to reconsider?”
“No need, I’ll take this one. Once you’ve discussed it with the landlord, we can proceed with the formalities.”
“Alright, I’ll call the landlord.”
Understanding her urgency, Jiang Liang called the landlord, who agreed to lower the price to 270,000. Shen Jiaojiao accepted.