Chapter 43: He Really Looks Forward to It
With a dedicated office building now available, Zhuang Wan’s efficiency skyrocketed. By the afternoon, she had already completed the check-in procedures for six new tenants of one-bedroom apartments.
Three one-bedroom units were rented out on a seasonal basis, bringing in a total of 180,000 Federal Coins.
Su Tao’s personal savings immediately surged to 200,000 Federal Coins.
She was overjoyed. It seemed that not only could she complete the basic outline of the corridor terrace tonight, but she could also expand and build a few more rooms!
Su Tao quickly went to catch up on sleep. As soon as it got dark, she jumped up to get to work. Standing in front of the canteen, she opened the system’s 3D model panel and began to slide her fingers over it.
To build the terrace, she needed to construct a few single rooms, knocking down all four walls and keeping only the floor.
Apartment Building No. 1 extended from the back, connecting to the left side of the canteen, while Building No. 2 connected to the right side of the canteen. Transparent double-glass doors were installed at the connection points.
Marble handrails were installed on both sides of the terrace, making it both exquisite and sturdy.
Following Elder Mei’s blueprint, Su Tao specifically widened the corridor terrace on the Building No. 2 side. It was almost the size of six single rooms. She placed small round dining tables near the handrails and added parasols.
The widened area did not affect walking space or the dining experience at the outdoor tables on both sides.
In summer, people could sit on the terrace, eating and chatting.
Elder Mei had mentioned that before the apocalypse, some high-end restaurants were designed like this. If conditions allowed, they could even dig an artificial stream under the corridor, raising small fish and shrimp to flow through.
A small bridge with flowing water would create a unique charm and be quite refreshing in the summer.
Su Tao was deeply moved and sped up the construction. She laid wooden floors on the corridor, giving it a clean and textured appearance.
She planned to hire someone to dig an artificial stream by the end of the month. Just in time for summer, she could introduce some living creatures to it.
The construction of the terrace did not cost much—only a bit over 18,000 Federal Coins—but the result was surprisingly good.
Standing at the main entrance and looking into Taoyang, the three buildings were now connected, forming a large and imposing structure. The open-air corridor added a lot of charm and a sense of luxury.
Under the sparse moonlight, Su Tao sat on a chair at the edge of the corridor, gazing at Taoyang bathed in moonlight. A surge of heroism rose in her heart.
She had built this. There was likely no other place in this post-apocalyptic world as clean, comfortable, and grand as this.
Su Tao felt genuinely happy and content with her current life.
She got up to check on the rental status and discovered that due to the construction of the apartment building, the public areas that had been repurposed were now vacant, including the old grocery store and laundry room.
There were three unrenovated single rooms available for rent and one double room still unrenovated.
Rolling up her sleeves, Su Tao renovated all four empty rooms, setting them to monthly rental mode.
She also expanded and built six additional one-bedroom units, raising Building No. 2 by two more floors. All six units were fully furnished.
The total cost of the expansion and renovations was just over 120,000 Federal Coins.
Su Tao’s total number of rooms finally reached 40.
She was now only 10 rooms away from leveling up to LV4.
Excitement bubbled up within her. She paced back and forth on the corridor three or four times before calming down. Taking a deep breath, she told herself to go to sleep, lest she overexert herself.
She had a dreamless night.
*
Early the next morning, when Su Tao arrived at the office building, she surprisingly saw Qian Rongrong waiting there. It seemed she had been waiting for quite a while. When she saw Su Tao, her eyes lit up, and she jogged over, greeting shyly:
“Good morning, Sister Tao. I heard from my mom that this is our Taoyang’s office building?”
Su Tao smiled, “Yes, it is. What’s up?”
Qian Rongrong hesitated, “I wanted to ask, what are the requirements to work in this building?”
As she spoke, she looked enviously at the floor-to-ceiling windows on the second floor. Through the glass, Zhuang Wan sat inside, cleanly dressed, busy at her desk. Sunlight filtered through the window, bathing the desk and the new bookshelf in a light that felt both dignified and presentable.
Su Tao was a bit surprised, “You want to work in Taoyang? Aren’t you doing well at the plantation?”
Qian Rongrong stuttered, her voice lowering, “I’m sorry. I just think this building is so beautiful. Unlike the plantation, where every day I have to walk through muddy roads. In the management room, six of us share one desk and an old computer, taking turns to sit.”
“Sister Tao, I can read and write. I’m familiar with plants common before the apocalypse and can do math. I’m the best at recording seeds at the plantation—I’ve never made a mistake or lost a single seed. If… if possible, I’d also like to find a clerical job at Taoyang, like Sister Zhuang Wan. I’d work really, really hard. Please believe me.”
Su Tao patted her head and said with a smile, “I understand, but Taoyang doesn’t have a suitable position for you at the moment. Trust me, if an opportunity comes up, you’ll be the first I consider. For now, just keep growing up well and do your best at the plantation, okay?”
Qian Rongrong was elated, nodding like a pecking chicken, her smile radiant:
“Thank you, Sister Taozi!”
She hoisted her bag and went off to work, beaming with joy.
From upstairs, Zhuang Wan opened the window and called down with a smile, “Rongrong is a clever and attentive kid. She really is a good prospect.”
Su Tao raised an eyebrow, “Then if a suitable position opens up, I’ll leave her to you~”
The boss was blatantly offloading responsibility, ready to be a hands-off manager.
Zhuang Wan readily agreed, “No problem!”
*
Meanwhile, Gu Mingchi lit a cigarette, his amber eyes lowered, and asked in a lukewarm tone:
“Is everything ready?”
The men below him, heads bowed respectfully, replied:
“Boss Chi, everything’s set. The media has taken our bribe. They’ll make sure to spread Taoyang’s scandals far and wide, doing as much damage to their reputation and business as possible.”
Another person chimed in, “We need to teach those women a lesson. Many of our properties in Dongyang aren’t renting out well. Those fools told me Taoyang’s houses are better, and the rent isn’t much higher. They even had the nerve to haggle with me—cutting my 20,000 rent down to 10,000!”
Gu Mingchi’s smile grew colder, “Alright. At the end of April, send Boss Su an invitation, asking her to ‘visit’ the East District. I promise to give her a warm reception.”
He was really looking forward to it.
