The Sea Queen of 1985

Chapter 303: Chapter 303: Taking the Initiative to Cooperate

After Ye Feng learned about Han Xiaorui’s plan, he told his aunt, Xu Yingying, all about it.

Xu Yingying went to Han Xiaorui right away. ”I think the architecture at Jinsha Bay is very distinctive. The white walls and blue-green tiles have a classic Chinese style, and the quality of the surrounding beaches is quite good. It’s an area that falls within our future development plans.”

Han Xiaorui was surprised by Xu Yingying’s interest. She smiled and replied, ”Right now, that land is collectively owned and isn’t up for auction. Our village plans to use it as a capital contribution to establish a development company.”

”Trying to buy the land directly and build the hotel yourself probably won’t be possible. There are a lot of complexities involved, and it would be difficult to manage later on. After all, we’re not just building a hotel there; we’ll also be constructing various entertainment facilities.”

”However, we can build the hotel according to your specifications. Of course, you would need to provide a deposit for the construction. Once it’s finished, we can sign a contract giving you priority to lease it from us.”

”Even after the contract expires, we would give you the first option to renew at the market rate to protect your interests. I’m not sure if this type of partnership still interests you, Aunt?”

Xu Yingying considered this carefully. It was, indeed, different from what she had initially envisioned.

However, according to Han Xiaorui’s plan, the area would be developed into an excellent tourist destination, which would be highly beneficial for her company’s operations.

”This would certainly increase our operational risk. But from the sound of it, you’ll be the one in charge of this investment company, or at least its controlling shareholder. Since we’re family, giving us the right of first refusal on renewal at the same price shouldn’t be a problem.”

Han Xiaorui’s eyes lit up when she heard this. She hadn’t expected Xu Yingying to agree. ”Aunt, from the way you’re talking, it sounds like you have a lot of confidence in my project.”

Xu Yingying smiled and nodded. ”Of course. Ever since you started dating Ye Feng, I’ve been paying close attention to Jinshan Bay and the surrounding area. Other villages have made some moves, but they’re nothing compared to what’s happening at Jinshan Bay, and that’s all because of an outstanding and visionary person like you.”

”I’ve seen the development plans Ye Feng brought over. This is a grand undertaking. Someone else might not be able to pull it off, but if it’s you, Han Xiaorui, I have complete faith that you’ll succeed.”

Han Xiaorui looked surprised. ”I didn’t expect such high praise from you, Aunt! Since you’re being so proactive and are my first client for this project, I can give you priority in selecting a plot of land in this area for your hotel.”

”Even if it conflicts with other parts of the plan, I’ll do my best to have Director Xu’s team revise the design. Of course, we should try to avoid major changes, because the coastal geography and topography are unique. We non-professionals have to respect the professional surveys to ensure the safety and stability of the buildings.”

Hearing this, Xu Yingying nodded and pointed to the location for the hotel on the map. ”Director Xu’s team is very impressive; this is indeed an excellent location for a hotel. I’d just like to request that we double the area.”

Han Xiaorui was taken aback. ”Is such a large area really necessary? If we don’t get as many tourists as we expect, operating the hotel will be very difficult.”

Xu Yingying shook her head. ”I’ve scouted the surrounding area thoroughly. I believe its development potential is huge. Shencheng is a city that has thrived since the economic reforms, and it’s growing rapidly. In the future, as people’s living standards improve, they’ll inevitably seek more fulfilling leisure activities.”

”Shencheng is a famous city both within China and internationally. A lot of people travel here. As a coastal tourist area, Jinshan Bay is bound to attract a large number of visitors. You must preserve the local architecture; don’t change the style. It can become a unique feature of our Shencheng.”

Han Xiaorui thought for a moment. ”Alright. In that case, you can discuss with Director Xu what kind of design you’d like. However, this means our investment will be much larger. Aunt, could your deposit be a little higher?”

Xu Yingying smiled faintly. ”Of course. I can give you thirty percent of the construction cost. We can offset it against the rent later, does that work?”

Han Xiaorui’s eyes lit up. She put her arm around Xu Yingying’s shoulder. ”That would be perfect! Thank you, Aunt.”

”We’re family; I should support your work. Besides, once you have the funds, you can push forward with the surrounding development. The sooner it’s finished, the sooner we can start operating.” Xu Yingying had her own motives; she wasn’t just helping Han Xiaorui out of pure altruism.

With Xu Yingying on board, Han Xiaorui felt much more confident.

Han Xiaorui had just seen Xu Yingying off when Zhang Guangnan’s car pulled up in front of her house.

”Well, well, what brings Boss Zhang over here?” Han Xiaorui said with a laugh, greeting him warmly. ’He’s my main buyer!’

Boss Zhang chuckled and got a brightly colored basket of gifts for Pingping and An’an out of his car. ”Heh, what else? The smell of money, of course!”

Han Xiaorui was momentarily stunned, then it hit her: the district’s approval must have come through. ’Anyone with an eye for opportunity will be coming to inquire,’ she thought.

”Boss Zhang, are you interested in the coastal development project too?” Han Xiaorui asked with a smile, her mind immediately going to Zhang Guangnan’s family business: seafood restaurants.

Zhang Guangnan nodded. ”I am. Wherever there’s foot traffic, I can do business. I’ve seen your plans. You can’t have a seaside resort without seafood, can you? We could transport it directly from the docks to the restaurant’s cold storage in just half an hour.”

Han Xiaorui explained the same deal she had just offered Xu Yingying, letting Zhang Guangnan consider it. ”...The restaurant plots are for lease only, not for sale.”

Zhang Guangnan was a little disappointed, but he also understood how crucial this decision was for Jinshan Bay.

This was the only way to get all the villagers to agree; otherwise, things could easily get messy.

”Fine! My restaurant in the city is also a lease,” Zhang Guangnan replied. He could accept those terms.

Seeing that Zhang Guangnan had agreed, Han Xiaorui moved on to the next step. ”If you can provide 30% of the construction cost upfront, you’ll get priority signing rights.”

”This...” Zhang Guangnan blinked, then recovered with a smile. ”Ms. Han, you sure know how to drive a hard bargain, don’t you? Usually, I lease a place that’s already built, then I handle the renovations. Now you’re telling me I not only have to pay rent, but I also have to pay you to build the restaurant in the first place?”

Han Xiaorui smiled. ”That’s one way to put it. You’d be fronting the money for me, but I’m not asking you to do it for free. The rent will be deducted from the construction costs. If you don’t want to provide the capital, I don’t have to lease the restaurant space to you. I’m confident other people see the potential here and would be willing to pay a high price to lease it.”

Zhang Guangnan chuckled. ”If you’re short on funds, just say so. No need to beat around the bush. That’s not what friends do!”

Han Xiaorui gave an awkward smile. ”Desperate times call for desperate measures. I don’t really have a choice.”

Zhang Guangnan thought about how Han Xiaorui had helped him in the past and trusted her vision. ”Alright, I’m in. Once your investment company is officially established, I’ll come over to sign the contract.”