The supervisor listened to Tong Anan's sincere request and observed her attire and usual demeanor, surmising that her insistence stemmed from poverty.
However, he felt compelled to dissuade her.
"South Africa isn't as good as you might think; otherwise, no one in the entire department would be unwilling to go. Don't say so much for now. Go back and do your homework. It won't be too late to come ask me about specific requirements once you truly understand South Africa."
Tong Anan withdrew from the office, continuing her quest to understand products.
She thought to herself that she must do more research on South Africa that evening.
Time flew by, and it was already the end of the workday. They hadn't contacted each other all day, and Tong Anan was certainly unwilling to go home in his car. Jiang Jingyu sat behind his desk, contemplating how to devise a plan for them to commute together in the future.
As he was thinking, Zhang Yang entered to find him.
"The demolition work in Shuangqiao Town has officially commenced. This is the resettlement housing allocation plan. Please review and sign it."
Jiang Jingyu took the documents and flipped through them.
Shuangqiao Town, with its considerable population, had its resettlement housing divided into a community. It housed over 140 households, including Tong Anan's family.
Tong Anan's family, with their two-story house on a small plot, was allocated only one 140-square-meter high-rise apartment.
For some reason, remembering what Tong Anan's mother had said when he dined at their home, and considering the family of four crammed into such a small space, with her elder brother still unmarried and likely to marry and have children, he felt their circumstances were a bit difficult.
Moreover, their house was a prominent property locally. Although the location wasn't valuable, it at least provided a livelihood.
After exchanging it for a new apartment, his parents lost their ability to earn money. How would they live in the future?
He suddenly missed the dishes his mother used to cook. Jiang Jingyu closed the notebook after finishing his review and instructed Zhang Yang.
"We're working overtime tonight. Come with me to Shuangqiao Town."
The two took the executive elevator directly to the underground garage and drove to Shuangqiao Town.
It was only about an hour's drive, and they arrived a little after six o'clock.
Tong Anan's home was quietly closed, devoid of any signs of life.
Jiang Jingyu couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt.
However, the demolition was already decided. They were merely a small part of the larger plan. They couldn't jeopardize the entire project out of mercy for individuals or sentimental attachments.
Therefore, despite his guilt, he had to proceed with the project.
As the car stopped in front of the house, Zhang Yang went ahead to greet them. Tong Anan's mother, wearing an apron, walked out.
He hadn't expected her to remember them after so long.
"It's you two. Long time no see, are you here on business again?"
Jiang Jingyu thought: Your eyesight and memory are much better than your daughter's. She works in the company every day and interacts with me, but I haven't seen her recall that I've been to her house before.
After the three exchanged greetings, they ordered the same dishes as last time. Tong Anan's mother went to prepare them. Jiang Jingyu wandered around the living room, observing her home.
Even without being with her, he felt a sense of happiness standing in the space where she lived.
Soon, the food was prepared and served.
Jiang Jingyu asked if she had eaten. Tong Anan's mother said she wasn't hungry.
"You eat. I'll wait for my husband to come back so we can eat together."
Jiang Jingyu chatted with her, asking what her husband did.
Tong Anan's mother sighed and said, "What can he do? Just odd jobs. When there were more people in the town, we both managed this shop, and we could barely afford to send the children to school. Now it's getting worse."
"My son is grown, and he needs to get married. We have to save money to buy a car and a house, and prepare the betrothal gifts. What if he doesn't work?"
"How much are the general requirements for a car, house, and betrothal gifts in our town?"
Tong Anan's mother replied, "The basic requirement is a car worth over 150,000 yuan. For houses, they are mostly bought in the city, the cheapest being around 700,000 to 800,000 yuan. Betrothal gifts range from 128,000 to 158,000, or 168,000, depending on negotiations. Overall, a family needs at least 1.3 million yuan to marry a daughter-in-law."
Zhang Yang grinned and asked Tong Anan's mother in a joking tone.
"Then how much have you and Uncle prepared so far?"
Tong Anan's mother didn't get angry at such a presumptuous question, only sighing.
"When the children were studying, all the money earned was given to the school. Later... anyway, we saved diligently but didn't save much."
"Moreover, we're getting old now. My health is still manageable, but her father is getting worse. I don't know when we'll be able to hold our grandson."
Her words cast a somber mood over the room, making Jiang Jingyu feel even more guilty.
He asked, "The demolition is happening soon. After you move, Auntie, what do you plan to do?"
Tong Anan's mother was quite optimistic. "A old friend from our village, after her son got married, started working as a cleaner in the city. She said the salary is decent."
"No matter what, the demolition at least solves the housing problem. At worst, I'll also become a cleaner. I may not earn a lot, but I can still earn something. As long as I don't become a burden to the children."
After a lifetime of hard work, having to clean at her age made Jiang Jingyu feel uneasy.
He discussed it with her, saying, "Actually, I'm here in your town to carry out the demolition work. I know that two rows of shops have been designated outside the resettlement community. If you and Uncle are willing to invest, why not use your savings to buy a shop?"
"Then you can sell breakfast or something similar. That way, you won't have to work and face the whims of others. I can arrange an internal price for you."
Upon hearing that he had such capabilities, Tong Anan's mother's spirits immediately lifted.
"Really? You're in charge of the demolition work? Oh my, I knew it. Looking at you, you're clearly a leader!"
"I had thought about it before; with such a large community, there must be shops outside, but the prices would surely be high. I didn't dare to think about it. Can you really secure a unit for me?"
"Of course, it's true." Zhang Yang interjected. "He's the leader responsible for the demolition."
"Oh, a leader, that's wonderful! How big are your shops? Are the prices very high? I'm just asking casually. If it's too high, even if I used all my savings, it would be useless."
Jiang Jingyu didn't state the price of the houses but told her that the largest shop was over 70 square meters.
"I'll leave you my phone number. You can go take a look when you have time, and we can discuss the price then if you like any. But you need to act fast. Many people in your town are inquiring about the shops. If they pay the money too late, even if I want to reserve one for you, it'll be useless."
When Tong Anan's mother heard this, she enthusiastically told him.
"I'm free every day. Are you free tomorrow? If I go to see them tomorrow, will you have time?"
Zhang Yang thought to himself: We made a special trip to Shuangqiao Town just for you. Of course, we have time.
"Yes, Auntie. What time tomorrow would you like to go? I'll drive to pick you up."
That evening, Tong Anan's mother shared the news with her husband and son. Both of them thought she had encountered a scammer.
How could pie fall from the sky? And land right on them.