Chapter 235: Chapter 235: The Whole Building is Mine
"I feel like I’m losing IQ points just talking to you. I’ll have security handle you."
As he spoke, the young man pulled out his phone and started to make a call.
Just then, several property management staff and security guards ran to the elevator entrance, panting for breath.
"Mister Xia, you’re here! Why didn’t you let us know in advance so we could prepare?"
At these words, everyone in the elevator was dumbfounded.
What the hell is going on here?
All eyes focused on Xia Liang once again. Could it be that what this delivery guy said was true? The property managers and security guards who had just arrived were speechless. If it hadn’t been for the facial recognition system alerting them that the building’s new owner had arrived, they would never in a million years have believed that this young man in a delivery uniform was their new, as-yet-unseen boss.
Xia Liang’s expression remained calm and indifferent. "I just came to take a look, nothing else."
The property manager’s face was plastered with an obsequious smile. "Mister Xia, today happens to be the annual rent collection day. I thought you came to collect the rent."
Xia Liang ignored the manager’s line of conversation and instead asked an unrelated question. "Tell me, does this building have a rule that delivery guys aren’t allowed to use the elevator?"
Hearing Xia Liang’s inquiry, the few office workers who had just been mocking him were stupefied. From the behavior of the property manager and security, it was obvious that Xia Liang was a powerful figure they couldn’t afford to offend. As this realization dawned, a stampede of ten thousand alpacas charged through their minds.
To think we’d pick on a random delivery guy and end up kicking a steel plate? Who even knows if this is good luck or bad luck anymore.
The property manager, though momentarily stunned and unsure of Xia Liang’s meaning, answered truthfully. "Mister Xia, our building has no such regulation."
Xia Liang nodded and then continued, "Now, tell them who owns this building."
The property manager replied with firm conviction, "Mister Xia, does that even need to be asked? This building, from top to bottom, inside and out, belongs entirely to you, of course."
Hearing the manager’s response, a faint smile touched Xia Liang’s lips as he turned his gaze back to the people who had just mocked him.
"So, am I qualified to ride this elevator now?"
The group who had mocked Xia Liang lowered their heads and said nothing.
The entire damn building is yours, what the hell can we say? Meanwhile, several of the infatuated women gazed at the incredibly handsome Xia Liang, their hearts pounding. A domineering CEO disguised as a delivery guy? We’re so in love!
Xia Liang had no desire to waste time on these small-fry. Pointing at the ones who had ridiculed him, he gave an order. "Get a good look at these people. From now on, whenever they come to this building, they must take the stairs."
The people who had just mocked Xia Liang nearly fainted. This building was over eighty stories tall, and their companies were on the upper floors. Given their physical stamina, taking the stairs every day...
That would add at least half an hour to our commute, one way. We’d have to leave for work thirty minutes earlier, only to be late because of the stairs. After work, when everyone else is already home, we’d still be climbing. And when the boss asks every day why we’re late? ’I was climbing the stairs.’ This is just too tragic!
The property staff and security guards couldn’t care less what these people were thinking, nor how these idiots had managed to offend the big boss. They were on Xia Liang’s payroll, so of course, they would follow his orders.
"You few, out. From now on, you are forbidden from riding the elevators here ever again."
The mockers shuffled out of the elevator with their tails between their legs. They were already considering a job change, but nearly all of the impressive financial companies in Qingyun City were located in this building. If they left, where could they possibly find jobs this good?
Xia Liang was very satisfied with this outcome. Didn’t they say delivery guys weren’t worthy of riding the elevator? Then he’d let them have a taste of climbing the stairs. Give them a taste of their own medicine. He didn’t like to show off, but that didn’t mean just anyone could provoke him. Those who did had to pay the price.
The property manager spoke respectfully. "Mister Xia, let’s not take this elevator. It’s slow and crowded. Over there is your private elevator, which can take you directly to any floor."
Glancing at the people packed around him, Xia Liang figured if he didn’t leave, they’d never feel comfortable enough to move. He nodded and followed the property manager out of the public elevator. As they watched Xia Liang leave, a fervent discussion erupted in the elevator car where everyone had previously been holding their breath.
"I heard a few days ago that our building changed owners. Was it that handsome delivery guy just now?"
"This building is supposedly worth twenty thousand Yuan! To think the owner is so young, so handsome, and works as a delivery guy—it’s unbelievable!"
"He’s way more handsome than any of those pretty-boy celebrities. From now on, he’s my Oppa for life!"
"That handsome guy looks so familiar. I think he came by yesterday, too! I just can’t remember which floor."
「Inside the private elevator.」
Xia Liang, recalling the matter of rent collection, asked, "How much rent does this building generate each year? Did the previous owner always collect it personally?"
The property manager explained with a smile, "Yes, the previous owner would personally come to collect the rent every year."
"The building has over 150,000 square meters, divided into eighty-eight floors. The annual rent for each floor is about one hundred Yuan." As he spoke, the property manager handed a detailed list to Xia Liang. "Mister Xia, this is a list of all the companies renting in our building, along with their rent details."
Xia Liang’s expression didn’t change. One hundred Yuan per floor per year, for eighty-eight floors, came out to eight thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight Yuan annually. Hmm, that’s not even as much as my monthly salary.
Ever since acquiring the System, Xia Liang had become increasingly desensitized to money. Even compared to before, a sum of over a hundred million wouldn’t have fazed him much.
Flipping through the report, Xia Liang voiced his confusion. "Why did the previous owner collect the rent himself? Isn’t that tiring?"
If anyone else heard this thought, they would probably want to kill him. For an annual rent of eight thousand Yuan, his main concern was that collecting it sounded tiring. His priorities were clearly skewed. It was like someone saying, "I just fought my way through three city blocks without blinking," and you ask, "Are your eyes dry?" Of course, the property manager would never dare to think such a thing. Facing the boss who could fire him at any moment, he answered every question put to him.
"Mister Xia, my personal guess is that the previous owner collected the rent himself because he wanted to observe the development of these companies. For instance, if a company was doing well, he could consider investing in it. Plus, it allowed him to build a network among these financial firms."
Xia Liang nodded thoughtfully. What the property manager said made a certain amount of sense.