activa-t Chapter 496 Honey Trap!
Chapter 496 Honey Trap!
Zhong Yuemin took the agreement, carefully read it through, and then spoke:
"Boss, the location of this house is great, we've got our eye on it. However, we plan to open a restaurant here, unlike a regular residence or a small shop."
The kitchen's ventilation, drainage, and fire prevention systems, as well as the layout and decoration of the front of house, all need to be done according to restaurant industry standards. The overall renovation and decoration costs are not insignificant.
He paused, then pointed to the lease term clause in the agreement:
"Your lease term is only three years, which is too short for us. Let's be cautious from the start. I've spent a lot of money on renovations, and business has just started to pick up. If you say you don't want to lease anymore or want to raise the rent significantly after three years, then all my initial investment will be wasted. I can't afford to lose that much money."
He looked at the landlord, his tone calm but his attitude clear:
"The lease term needs to be changed to at least ten years. Of course, the rent shouldn't be fixed either. We can agree on a reasonable increment based on market conditions, such as a few percent increase each year. This way, you'll have a stable long-term income and won't lose out. What do you think?"
"This one……"
The young landlord looked troubled, his eyes involuntarily darting around before he glanced quickly and subconsciously at the woman named Lin Hong standing next to Gao Cheng.
Although it was only a brief moment, Zhong Yuemin still managed to capture it.
The landlord rubbed his hands together and finally said:
"This matter... I can't make the decision on my own. I need to go back and discuss it with my family, since it's a ten-year contract... I'll give you an answer as soon as possible, okay?"
"OK, no problem."
Zhong Yuemin readily agreed.
We're waiting for your news.
The matter was left at that for the time being. The group drove back to the company building to wait for news. Gao Cheng didn't say anything more this time. He got on his brand-new motorcycle, took Lin Hong with him, and drove off like the wind.
Once the car was out of sight, Gao Yue, who had been holding back for a long time, immediately spoke up:
"Mr. Zhong, are you really planning to let my brother rent this place for ten years? The rent will increase every year, and that's no small amount!"
"Didn't you go check it out too? The location is indeed quite good."
Zhong Yuemin said unhurriedly,
"In the restaurant business, as long as you put your heart into it, the food is delicious, and the service is excellent, there's still potential, but..."
He changed the subject and looked at Gao Yue.
"Putting aside the issue of renting or not, did you notice anything just now?"
"What did you find?" Gao Yue asked, looking completely bewildered.
“There’s something wrong with your brother’s girlfriend,” Zhong Yuemin said with certainty.
You mean that Lin Hong?
Gao Yue frowned.
"I don't have a good impression of her. Look at her outfit, all flashy and gaudy, she doesn't look like a decent woman. Mr. Zhong, have you noticed anything specific?"
"No specifics,"
Zhong Yuemin shook his head.
"It was just a gut feeling, plus the landlord's look in his eyes just now... something was off."
He paused, looking at Gao Yue:
“I’m not saying anything bad about your brother, but think about it. Your brother used to be a middle school teacher. He’s not young anymore, looks average, and doesn’t have much money. He’s just a guy. Lin Hong, on the other hand, looks like she’s only 27 or 28. She’s outstanding in appearance and dresses fashionably. Why did she choose your brother? Think about it.”
"This……"
Gao Yue was stumped by the question. After thinking carefully, she said uncertainly,
"Maybe...maybe they just value my brother because he's honest, reliable, and a good person to settle down with?"
"hehe,"
Zhong Yuemin chuckled softly.
"That's possible, but the probability is low. I think it's more likely... that it's a 'honey trap,' a pre-arranged scheme just waiting for your brother to fall into it."
"Honey trap?"
Gao Yue was startled and even more confused.
"But my brother has nothing, so what are they after?"
"What are you planning?"
Zhong Yuemin looked at her,
"Your family lives in Beijing, right? Don't you still have a small courtyard house that was passed down from your ancestors? Although it's not big, with the housing prices in Beijing rising steadily, a house in a good location can easily sell for 30,000 or 40,000 yuan, right?"
Gao Yue was shocked, her face showing disbelief and lingering fear:
"You...you mean, that woman came for our house? That's...that's incredibly malicious! But my brother wouldn't be so stupid as to sell our house, would he? Besides, the house doesn't belong to my brother alone; I have a share too!"
"When you reach the point where you have to sell your house, you're usually out of options and forced into it."
Zhong Yuemin analyzed,
"Think about that landlord just now. He clearly heard that renting for ten years and the rent could increase was a sure-fire long-term deal for him. Anyone else would be eager to sign the contract immediately."
But what was he hesitating about? Why was he subconsciously glancing at Lin Hong? I suspect that the so-called 'landlord' is likely in cahoots with Lin Hong.”
He continued his derivation:
"Also, didn't that woman say she had some money invested outside and would get it back soon? Whether that's true or not, nobody knows."
When the restaurant opens, the initial investment will be huge. If the cash flow dries up later, and that woman keeps egging him on, saying things like, "We're just one step away, let's mortgage the house to tide us over, and we'll pay her back when she gets her money back..." your brother might impulsively do it.
He looked at Gao Yue, whose face had turned pale:
"I don't need to say more about what will happen next, right? Once the house is mortgaged and the loan can't be repaid, the house will belong to someone else. This step by step, link by link, is probably a pre-designed scheme to lead your brother into a trap."
Gao Yue felt a chill run down her spine, and she almost broke out in a cold sweat:
"No! I have to go tell my brother right away, I can't let him be fooled by that woman!"
Don't go now!
Zhong Yuemin stopped her.
“Look at your brother, he’s so excited right now, completely infatuated with that woman. Do you think he’ll listen to your advice? He might even think you’re ruining his ‘good thing,’ alerting her and making things worse.”
"What should I do?"
Gao Yue was extremely anxious.
"We can't just stand by and watch that woman ruin my brother, can we?"
"Don't rush,"
Zhong Yuemin gestured for her to calm down.
"First, you haven't lent him the money yet; second, you should find a way to keep the property certificate safe so your brother can't get it easily; third, the restaurant contract hasn't been signed yet either. As long as these key things don't fall into the other party's hands, nothing serious will happen."
He thought for a moment, then added, his tone slightly teasing and sly:
"Even if we take a step back and assume that something really happened between the two of them, and they slept together... from a certain perspective, your brother, being a man, isn't at too much of a loss, right?"
Gao Yue was both amused and exasperated by his last sentence; even in this situation, he was still thinking about such things.