Chapter 65

“Mom, Dad, you don’t know how good our Third Brother is at making money. Not only does he make money from the appliance repair shop, but he also earns a lot from singing and releasing records, right, Third Brother?” Song Huifang stared at Song Haowen and said.

Song Haowen smiled faintly, saying, “I’ve earned some money, but it’s not that easy. However, supporting you all is not a big problem now.”

Song Huaisheng complained, “We have hands and feet; who wants you to support us? As long as you don’t take the wrong path, and the money comes from a legitimate source, we’re satisfied.”

Li Ying asked, “Third son, your father’s words reminded me. Now that we’re in the city, what can we do? There are no fields to farm, and no place to raise chickens and ducks. Are we just going to live off the land?”

Song Haowen reassured them, “Mom, Dad, don’t worry about that. I’ll keep you busy, and you might end up complaining about being tired.”

“As long as it’s not working on a construction site or doing laborious jobs, what’s so tiring?” Song HuaiSheng said dismissively.

“I have enough money now, how can I let you do hard labor?” Song Haowen said. “Mom, Dad, let’s go and see one last courtyard.”

Song Haomin said a bit reluctantly, “Third Brother, why look at more houses? The two we’ve seen are already too beautiful, with too many rooms to live in.”

Song Huifang also chimed in, “Third Brother, I can’t walk anymore. I want to play a bit more here.”

Song Haowen teased, “Then you two stay, and we’ll go see another courtyard.”

Song Huifang pouted, “Humph, by saying that, you’re just not letting us stay.”

Li Ying shouted, “Let’s go, what are you talking about? There’s one more, finish it and then rest.”

Even though Song Huifang and Song Haomin were unwilling, they didn’t dare to say anything.

Song Haowen took the family to Guihua Hutong to visit a quadrangle courtyard with three entrances, leaving the family even more shocked.

Song Huai Sheng stammered, “Third son, did you actually buy a whole public park?”

“Goodness Gracious! What a big and beautiful house!” Li Ying exclaimed in amazement.

Song Huifang screamed, “Brother, this is too beautiful!”

Song Haomin running back and forth between entering the courtyard and the garden. “Third Brother, did the emperor live in this house before?”

“The emperor’s residence is now called the Forbidden City. I’ll take you there in a few days.” Song Haowen explained.

Song Huifang couldn’t believe it. “Third Brother, did you buy all these houses? How much money did it cost?”

Song Haowen smiled and said, “Not much, just thirty to forty thousand.”

The family, upon hearing Song Haowen’s words, was so frightened that they dared not speak. At this moment, ten thousand yuan was like an astronomical figure for ordinary people; poverty had already constrained their imagination.

“Third brother, with so many rooms, how are we going to live? Just our family, it would be too eerie and terrifying at night, don’t you think?” Song Huihua expressed her concern.

Song Haowen said to Song Huaisheng, “Dad, I want to discuss something with you. I suggest that our family lives in the last courtyard of this quadrangle. Except for the two gardens, we can rent out the rooms in the other courtyards. It not only increases income but also attracts more people. Besides, it’s not suitable to keep the rooms closed for a long time. What do you and mom think about my idea?”

“This idea is good. I agree,” Song Huaisheng said in approval.

Li Ying voiced her worries, “What if such a good house gets damaged by tenants?”

Song Huihua replied, “Whoever damages it, they will have to pay it right.”

Song Haowen added, “Except for immovable doors, windows, and pillars, move all valuable items here. Tomorrow, I’ll find a construction company to make some alterations to these three quadrangles without destroying the overall structure, adding kitchens and sanitary facilities for the convenience of tenants. Dad, mom, I’ll handle the renovation plan, and you can oversee the work.”

Li Ying agreed, “That’s a good idea. We’ve been busy, and it’s a bit uncomfortable having nothing to do. Having some work to do would be nice. Third son, is there enough money for the house renovation? If not, your dad has some savings.”

“Mom, don’t worry about the money. I’ll give you some pocket money when I go back. Buy whatever the house needs; you can rest assured. Also, when these three houses are rented out, all the rent goes to the family, and I don’t want any of it.”

“How can that be? You have social obligations outside,” Li Ying refused.

Song Huaisheng, with a bewildered expression, asked, “How much rent can these rooms fetch?”

“I think, if we rent them all out, the monthly rent won’t be less than a thousand yuan.”

“My goodness! That much!” Li Ying was astonished.

“Wife, you can be the landlady then.”

“Forget it. You’re the landlord!”

“Mom, if you become landlords, you’ll become wealthy immediately,” Song Huihua exclaimed in delight.

…

The next day, Song Haowen, accompanied by his father, approached a local construction company seeking their assistance with the renovation. The construction company showed considerable interest in the project, examined the proposed renovation plan on-site, and quickly agreed on the terms.

After signing the contract, the construction company assigned a project manager who led a team of over ten workers to collaborate with Song Haowen and his family on the house renovation.

For the renovation of the first and second courtyards, the focus was primarily on enhancing water and electric facilities and heating pipelines. However, the transformation for the third courtyard was more significant.

An underground garage capable of accommodating five or six cars was added beneath the inverted house, and a small door was opened along the courtyard wall facing the back street for convenient access.

Once the gates between the second and third courtyards were closed, the third courtyard became an independent space, ensuring the safety and tranquility of the family.

In addition, the gardens behind the east and west courtyards were sealed off from tenants. Each garden retained one pathway connecting to the third courtyard, providing the family with a spacious and secure activity space.

During the house renovation, in the initial days, Song Haowen’s parents stayed at the store. Later, for convenience, they all moved to live in the quadrangle of the third courtyard. Concerned about safety, Song Huaisheng even bought a pair of small dogs to patrol and keep watch.

Apart from house renovations, Song Haowen had another important matter to resolve quickly – the schooling of his fourth brother and youngest sister. After facing setbacks in several schools, he realized he had underestimated the complexity of the issue.

With the school start date approaching, his anxiety grew. Although he thought about seeking help from Tian Yuxi’s father, the trouble he caused him during the business license registration made him hesitant.

One afternoon, while Song Haowen was discussing this matter with Qian Youlai at the business store, unexpectedly, Tian Nana arrived. Before he could speak, she pointed to the middle-aged woman accompanying her and said, “This is my mom, named Su Yan. She’s currently on leave without pay, working as my manager.”

Song Haowen greeted with a quick “Hello, Auntie” and hurriedly invited them to sit in the pavilion in the courtyard. Observing Su Yan’s elegant and mature temperament, he couldn’t believe she was in her forties.

Standing next to her daughter, they looked more like sisters, and he silently marveled at the good genes that resulted in Tian Nana’s beauty.

After receiving green tea from Wang Li, Tian Nana thanked her and turned to Song Haowen, saying, “Brother, your idea of finding a manager for me was brilliant. With my mom helping me, I’ve saved a lot of trouble. Some things I couldn’t say, but with my mom handling it, it feels very natural. Thank you. Initially, my parents strongly opposed it, thinking they shouldn’t mix with my affairs. Now, they’ve finally come around.”

Su Yan had been quietly observing Song Haowen’s every move since entering. She hadn’t said much, focusing on confirming if the genius youth praised by her daughter was indeed living up to the reputation.

“Little Song, Auntie also wants to thank you. Without you, Nana wouldn’t be where she is today. Since becoming Nana’s manager, I’ve realized how complex the entertainment industry is. The relationships are extensive, and dealing with policies, contracts, and taxes is also a headache. If contracts aren’t properly negotiated, it may result in trouble, and unclear tax matters could lead to lawsuits in the future.”

Having witnessed many instances of celebrities ending up penniless or trapped in legal troubles in his previous life, Song Haowen, as a good friend of Tian Nana, felt it necessary to caution her.

Tian Nana was a bit skeptical. “Little brother, you’re making it sound too serious, aren’t you?”

“In a few years, you’ll know whether what I said today was right or not,” Song Haowen earnestly replied.

“Little Song makes sense,” Su Yan, with more experience, had a broader perspective. “Thank you for your reminder. Although I’ve just entered this circle, I’ve already discovered that there are indeed many traps in the business, sometimes truly hard to guard against.”

“In commercial contracts, Auntie must be vigilant. In the future, Nana will receive a lot of advertising endorsements, and you must be careful about that too. If you encounter unscrupulous companies that engage in false advertising, the endorsed celebrity will also be implicated. Moreover, never try to be clever by evading taxes through various means. Once exposed, there will be no turning back.”

“Little Song, I didn’t expect someone as young as you to think so carefully. No wonder my daughter admires you so much,” Su Yan sighed, her fondness for him increasing.

“Little brother, today my mom and I came here for two reasons. One is to see you, and the other is to ask you for a song…” Tian Nana revealed her purpose.

“Girl, let’s discuss that later. Little Song, I know creating a good song is not easy. Some songs are said to be worth millions, and it’s not an exaggeration. You’ve given so many excellent songs to Nana, and she has become famous and earned money because of it. However, as the songwriter and copyright holder, you haven’t received a penny, which is unfair.”

“Auntie, I do this willingly. I earn money from other sources, and I don’t mind not getting paid for these royalties. You don’t need to worry too much.”

“But you have no blood ties with us, yet you let us benefit from your talent for so long. How can we feel at ease with that?”