Maxing Out Charisma, Inheriting Game Assets

Chapter 353: The Real Big Shot

Sunday, August 6, 2023 – Cloudy with thunderstorms, 23–30°C

Early in the morning, Tang Song got up.

He put on his workout clothes and started jogging along the not-so-clean roads of the small town. Since the weather wasn’t great, the sky was still dim, and the streets were almost empty. Only the occasional electric scooter or car passed by.

After finishing his daily cardio, Tang Song took a quick cold shower before heading straight to the kitchen.

He cooked millet porridge, stir-fried some fresh vegetables, and made a few egg pancakes.

By the time Xu Feng walked out of her bedroom, she saw a steaming breakfast spread on the table and her son smiling as he called her over to eat.

She was instantly moved to tears.

During breakfast, Xu Feng pulled out her phone and started showing Tang Song the available real estate listings in town.

"The best and most popular neighborhoods in our county right now are Fengze Garden and Yun Jing Tai. Both come with premium renovations and have great environments—it’s like living in a park. Fengze Garden is near the East Ring Road, right next to the highway, so it would be convenient for you to travel back and forth from Yan City..."

Nowadays, in rural areas, owning a house in the city was a must for young couples getting married. It was a hot topic among neighbors and relatives.Xu Feng had gathered a lot of information about the county’s real estate market. On top of that, she had done extra research last night, so she spoke with authority.

Houses in small counties, especially well-located high-end school district properties, retained their value well. Buying one was considered an investment rather than a reckless expense.

After listening to his mother’s analysis, Tang Song made a decisive call:

"Fengze Garden is too remote, and the infrastructure isn’t complete. Since this house is mainly for you and Dad, let’s pick a livelier area. Yun Jing Tai is near the hospital and shopping mall, plus it's all garden-style buildings. It seems like a better fit."

"Then let’s prioritize Yun Jing Tai!" Xu Feng's face lit up with excitement.

She had attended a relative’s wedding in Yun Jing Tai before and had toured one of the apartments. The memory of its luxury and beauty was still fresh in her mind.

Once they decided on a location, Tang Jianying said, "We have a relative working in the government. He knows a lot of real estate developers. I heard we might be able to get an internal discount—it would be much cheaper than the market price. Let me make a call."

He picked up his phone, scrolled through his contacts, and dialed a number.

After a few rings, the call was answered.

Clearing his throat, Tang Jianying held the phone close to his ear and chuckled, "Hey, Maolin! Have you eaten?"

"How’s everything going? Work treating you well?"

"We’re looking to buy a house in town and wanted to see if you could help us get a discount."

"Yeah, the Yun Jing Tai complex near Hualian."

"Haha, come on, you know our financial situation. We can’t afford a place like that. It’s actually for Xiao Song. He’s been doing live-stream e-commerce in Yan City and made a bit of money, so he wants to buy a place here."

"Great, great! Thanks a lot! I’ll wait for your update."

Hanging up, Tang Jianying let out a relieved sigh and smiled at his son. "Maolin said it shouldn’t be a problem. He’ll talk to the right people and get back to us soon."

He then explained the connection.

Maolin was the son of Tang Song’s great-uncle and was a few years younger than Tang Jianying. He worked as a department head at the county’s Housing and Urban Development Bureau. In their extended family, he had the most connections.

Because of him, their branch of the family was well-respected in the village. During ancestral worship ceremonies, he was the one leading the rituals, and everyone in the clan held him in high regard.

In rural areas, relationships and connections mattered most.

People who controlled connections or could directly provide benefits to others often received the highest level of respect.

Someone like Tang Song—who was simply wealthy—would be envied, flattered, and maybe even gossiped about behind his back. But if he couldn't use his influence to help others, their attitude would remain superficial at best.

After breakfast, the family set off to visit Tang Song’s grandparents, who still lived in the village.

Their house was in the northern part of the village, an old family home that had stood for over thirty to forty years. The walls were peeling, and the interior was damp and stuffy—a terrible living environment.

But despite that, his grandparents were still in good health. They raised a dozen hens and frequently worked in the fields.

Seeing their grandson dressed sharply, stepping out of an elegant Mercedes, and carrying boxes of Maotai liquor and large bags of gifts, the two elders were overwhelmed with emotion.

As simple rural folks, they hadn’t seen much of the world. But seeing their grandson doing so well in life filled them with genuine happiness.

Tang Song’s grandmother even lit incense sticks and prayed to the family deities, saying that her New Year’s wishes had finally come true.

After chatting for a while, Tang Song spoke up, "Dad, Mom, why don’t we buy two houses? We can bring Grandpa and Grandma over too. That way, it’ll be easier for you to take care of them."

Xu Feng and Tang Jianying exchanged hesitant glances.

His grandfather immediately waved his hand, "No need, no need! Why spend so much money? We’re used to living here—raising chickens, growing vegetables, chatting with the old neighbors. It’s a good life!"

His grandmother chimed in, "That’s right, Xiao Song. You worked hard to earn your money. You should focus on finding a wife and getting married instead."

Their real concern wasn’t just the expense. Tang Jianying wasn’t an only child; he had two younger brothers. If he alone provided a new home for their parents, it would create family drama. His younger brothers might start eyeing the house, leading to endless conflicts.

They had seen plenty of similar disputes over the years.

After thinking for a moment, Tang Song said, "Then let’s renovate this house properly. You’re getting older, and for the sake of your health, you need a better living environment."

With his insistence, they finally agreed to his plan.

His grandmother held his hand, eyes brimming with tears.

At 10 a.m., the three of them got back in the car and left the old village house.

Xu Feng patted her husband’s arm and urged, "Jianying, call Maolin again about the discount. He said he’d get back to us soon, but it’s been almost two hours."

Nodding, Tang Jianying dialed again.

"Hey, Maolin."

"No rush, no rush. It’s just that the kids are home for the weekend, so we wanted to check out the place today and finalize the deal if everything looks good."

"Oh, we’re good to go? Great, great! We’ll head to the sales office now."

"By the way, Maolin, don’t cook at home for lunch. Bring Qiaoling along, and let’s go eat out. Xiao Song brought some Maotai from Yan City—we can have a few drinks!"

"Alright, see you later."

Hanging up, Tang Jianying said, "Maolin told us to check out the houses and discuss the price first. Once we settle on one, he’ll talk to the developer’s executives to get us an extra discount."

"That’s fantastic!" Xu Feng beamed. "Let’s go check out the place, son. I’ll pull up the GPS."

"Alright," Tang Song replied with a smile.

For him, with his current financial status, this discount barely mattered. But for his parents, getting a deal through their own connections gave them a sense of accomplishment.

The car turned a corner and headed towards the county.

Their small town was only about 3 kilometers from the county center, so the drive took just over ten minutes.

Soon, they arrived at the Yun Jing Tai sales office—an elegant, two-story standalone building at the northeast corner of the neighborhood.

Inside, the decor was luxurious and refined. A well-manicured lawn and a small landscaped garden added to its high-end appeal.

As they stepped through the glass revolving door, a smiling sales representative approached them enthusiastically.

After a warm welcome with hot tea and a fruit platter, they started discussing their requirements.

Under the agent’s guidance, they toured the neighborhood and inspected several available units.

Lush greenery, low building density, separated pedestrian and vehicle pathways, dedicated electric scooter parking, complete amenities, and professional property management...

The more they saw, the more Xu Feng and Tang Jianying were convinced—this place was perfect.

If they were buying a house for their son, it might have felt different.

But now that their son was buying a house for them, they couldn't help but feel uneasy and overwhelmed.

Xu Feng hesitated for a moment before lowering her voice, "Can we get a bit more discount? We’re serious buyers, and if the price is right, we can finalize the deal quickly!"

"Uh... I've already given you the best discount within my authority. I really can’t go any lower." The sales agent hesitated before offering, "How about this? I’ll check with my supervisor and see if we can waive a few years of property management fees for you."

"That works! Please check for us."

"Of course, please wait a moment." The sales agent bowed politely and quickly walked toward the office.

Tang Jianying glanced at the time. "Why isn’t Maolin here yet? I’ll give him a call."

He dialed Tang Maolin’s number, spoke in a low voice for a few seconds, then hung up.

"He said to wait a few more minutes. He’ll be here soon."

"Good." Xu Feng sighed in relief and turned to chat quietly with Tang Song, imagining their future life in the new home.

After another ten minutes, Tang Maolin was still nowhere to be seen.

Xu Feng was getting impatient. She grabbed Tang Jianying’s phone and called again.

They had already informed him early in the morning, and now they had been at the sales office for an hour, yet he still hadn't shown up.

After a few rings, the call was directly declined.

"Ugh! Why isn’t he answering? This is ridiculous!" Xu Feng was not the type to hold back, and her tone carried a trace of urgency.

Just then, a sharp female voice came from the entrance.

"Wow, sister-in-law, you sure have a temper! We rushed over to help, and now we’re the ones getting blamed?"

Tang Song frowned slightly and looked up.

A middle-aged couple was approaching them.

The man was none other than his uncle, Tang Maolin—well-dressed, in his forties, with the air of a leader.

The woman beside him was his wife, Li Qiaoling. She had a shrewd look, a head full of permed curls, and a familiar face from past village gatherings.

Xu Feng awkwardly smiled, looking a little embarrassed. "Maolin, Qiaoling, you’re here! I was just getting anxious from waiting, that’s all. I didn’t mean anything by it."

Tang Jianying quickly smoothed things over. "It’s almost lunchtime. We were actually planning to take you two to Huajing Grand Hotel for a meal. We were just worried that if we got there too late, we might not get a table."

Li Qiaoling chuckled. "Oh, you don’t need to worry about that. Maolin knows the owner of Huajing. Reserving a private room is no problem at all."

"Haha, I guess I was overthinking it." Tang Jianying laughed warmly. "Come on, let’s sit and chat."

Tang Song listened to their conversation, feeling a little uncomfortable. These two relatives were acting a bit too high and mighty.

Still, they were elders from the family, and since his parents had asked for their help, he had to be polite.

"Uncle Maolin, Aunt Qiaoling." He greeted them.

Tang Maolin raised an eyebrow, glancing at the young man sitting on the couch. "Jianying, is this your son, Tang Song? He’s really changed a lot since the last New Year. I heard he started a business and made money—young and promising!"

Hearing their son being praised, Tang Jianying beamed with pride. "Yeah, he used to be a bit chubby, but now he’s slimmed down and looks sharper."

Li Qiaoling's eyes flickered as she sized up Tang Song.

They had seen him at village gatherings before, but he had never looked this outstanding.

And now, considering that he was buying a unit in Yun Jing Tai, it was clear his financial situation was quite good.

An excellent marriage prospect!

Her eyes brightened, and she smiled. "Xiao Song, do you have a girlfriend yet? If not, I could introduce you to my niece. She works in a government office, and she’s really pretty!"

Tang Song glanced at her and immediately shook his head. "No need, but thanks for the offer, Aunt Qiaoling."

"Hehe, alright then." Li Qiaoling pursed her lips and teasingly said, "Xiao Song, you were a bit rude just now, you know? We just arrived, and you didn’t even stand up to greet us. Just because you’re a boss now doesn’t mean you should forget your family."

She had been used to receiving admiration and deference from family members. But from their brief interaction, she could tell that Tang Song was a bit distant, which rubbed her the wrong way.

She couldn’t help but take a jab at him.

Xu Feng’s expression darkened. She didn’t like how Li Qiaoling was nitpicking at her son.

"Alright, alright, let’s not argue over small things. We’re all family. Let’s get down to business." Tang Maolin pulled out his phone and gestured for the nearby sales agent. Then he called a contact.

After several rings, the call was answered.

Tang Maolin put on a warm smile. "Hello, President Wang, are you busy right now?" Google seaʀᴄh novel★fire.net

"Yes, it’s about the matter I mentioned on WeChat earlier."

"Great, thanks a lot!"

He then handed the phone to the male sales agent. "It’s your President Wang."

The sales agent took the phone respectfully. "Hello, President Wang, this is Lin from the sales department."

"Yes, I understand."

"Okay, got it, sir."

After exchanging just a few words, the call ended.

Handing the phone back, the sales agent smiled warmly. "President Wang said we can reduce the price by another 100 yuan per square meter, which means an additional discount of 15,000 yuan. This is already a great deal!"

Though the discount was smaller than expected, Tang Jianying and Xu Feng still expressed their gratitude.

"No need to thank me. We’re family." Tang Maolin waved it off. "Yun Jing Tai’s developer is Handing Group, and President Wang is from Yan City. If it were a local developer, we could have gotten an even better deal."

Hearing the words Handing Group, Tang Song’s eyebrows lifted slightly. He hadn’t paid attention to the developer’s name before.

Pulling out his phone, he quickly searched for Handing Real Estate Development Co., Ltd.

It was indeed a well-known real estate company in Yan Province, with projects in various cities—including Yun Jing Tai.

Recently, Xie Yue had been frequently discussing the short drama filming base with him, and their relationship had grown quite close.

For a minor discount, Tang Song wouldn’t normally reach out to him—favors were more valuable than money.

But he knew that in most real estate projects, developers reserved the best apartments—top floors with the best sunlight and layouts—either for executives or for networking.

If he could get a better unit for his parents, he didn’t mind pulling some strings.

Just as he was thinking, he felt a hand pat his shoulder.

Looking up, he saw Tang Maolin’s serious expression.

"Xiao Song, we’re in the middle of a conversation. Don’t just play with your phone."

Tang Maolin had spent years in government, and as a respected elder in the family, he carried a natural sense of authority.

He didn’t mean any harm—just a little scolding.

Tang Song nodded calmly. "I know, Uncle Maolin. I was just checking something. You mentioned Handing Group, so I looked them up.

"I happen to know someone there. The unit we picked isn’t ideal, so I called to see if they could switch us to a premium floor that’s not facing the street."

Tang Maolin froze, then laughed. "Really? Your network is impressive. But Handing Group is huge. Even if you know someone, they might not be able to help."

Li Qiaoling smirked. "Exactly, these things are complicated."

Tang Song simply smiled, took out his phone, and dialed Xie Yue.

Two minutes later, everything changed.