65. Behind the Scenes Manipulation? (Requesting Votes for This Period)

Zhao Xi looked helplessly at Fan Lin, convinced she must have lost her mind!

Another apartment? The pressure would be unimaginable. There was still six hundred thousand left on their current mortgage, with monthly payments over three thousand. Together, their salaries barely exceeded six thousand. After the mortgage was paid, they had to count coins to get by, living tightly from month to month.

He tried to reason with his wife, “Linlin, even if your parents are willing to pay the down payment, we still can’t afford the loan!”

“Oh, just leave it to me!” Fan Lin, clutching her phone, was visibly anxious. “Where could they be in the middle of the night? Why aren’t they answering?”

“Did you consider they might be asleep?” Zhao Xi ventured.

Fan Lin pursed her lips, disappointedly set the phone aside, and sighed deeply.

Zhao Xi felt relieved, thinking her fit was finally over.

But then Fan Lin declared, “I’m going to their house to find them!”

“Are you crazy? When will this end?” Zhao Xi was genuinely angry now. “Buying a house! Such a big decision, and you’re so reckless?”

Fan Lin raised her brows, “Why are you yelling? I’m not buying the house for myself—it's for our future!”

“If you insist on buying, fine!” Zhao Xi replied coldly. “You buy it yourself; I won’t help with the mortgage. When you’ve squandered your parents’ pension, you’ll see how comfortable you are. What a fool!”

“I’m done talking to you.” Fan Lin turned away and began dressing to leave.

In the end, Zhao Xi couldn’t resist his wife and got dressed to accompany her. Together, they drove through the night to Liangzhu Town, just outside Linjiang City, to her parents’ home.

Fan Lin dragged her parents out of bed, and the two elders, still half asleep, listened as their daughter explained. They discussed quietly among themselves for a long while.

Finally, her father sighed, “Nannan, do you really want to buy?”

“We must! Dad, Mom, there are people lining up at the sales office in the middle of the night. There must be some insider information we don’t know about. Let’s buy first and figure it out later. If it doesn’t work, we can always sell it.”

Fan Lin was unusually resolute.

After another quiet discussion, her parents nodded and said, “Alright, we both have pensions. The money isn’t doing much sitting around. Helping you buy a house is good.”

With her parents’ support, Fan Lin wasted no time and dragged her husband back to Binhu Flower City, heading straight for the sales office.

By then, it was four in the morning!

When the couple finally joined the line, they discovered it stretched over a hundred meters, winding around two corners before reaching its end.

The people in the queue looked ordinary, some even a bit down-and-out.

“See? No matter if people have money or not, everyone is here to buy. If we don’t buy now, we won’t afford it in the future,” Fan Lin lectured Zhao Xi.

Meanwhile, more lights flickered on in Binhu Flower City’s first phase.

Even their neighbor from the same building hurried out to join the queue.

Familiar faces passed each other without greeting, only exchanging cold glances.

Fan Lin understood perfectly—in times like these, everyone in line was an opponent, an enemy.

Around six o’clock, Yan Ji arrived at the sales office.

As Director of Sales for Binhu Group, he had to attend in person for the group’s most important project of the second half of the year.

Not only him, but Lin Yi also came. Although Binhu Group’s project wasn’t his business, he was curious to see just how far Chen Ling’s so-called “hype” would go.

Though Chen Ling had already shared his plan, when they reached the scene…

“If you’re a buyer and see hundreds of people lining up overnight, fighting for the scarce apartments…” Once you put yourself in that position, you immediately feel, “If I don’t buy now, I’ll miss my chance.”

At the end of the queue, Yan Ji and Lin Yi met.

“Yan, this is quite the spectacle!” Lin Yi smiled and offered a cigarette. The two walked to the roadside to chat.

Yan Ji shook his head, “I’m still uneasy. Most of these are scalpers arranged by Chen Ling. Even if we get lots of deposits, if the units don’t sell, it’s useless.”

“I saw plenty of first-phase owners here too!” Lin Yi disagreed. “Regardless, you’ve made a big impression with this first wave. Within a day, this scene will spread across Linjiang City… The market always follows the crowd. It’ll be hard not to go viral!”

“Then I’ll take your good wishes!” Yan Ji smiled, saw that the sky was brightening, and noticed breakfast vendors setting up stalls along the street. He said goodbye to Lin Yi and headed inside the sales office.

Fan Lin stood in the queue, impatient, exhausted, and hungry, but she gritted her teeth and held on.

Some others in line began pulling steamed buns and biscuits from their bags, eating quietly.

Seeing his wife swallow hard, Zhao Xi said, “There are some stalls out. I’ll get you a bowl of tofu pudding.”

“Make it sweet,” Fan Lin reminded.

“Who eats tofu pudding sweet?” Zhao Xi grumbled, but dared not go against her wishes. Soon, he returned with several buns and fried dough sticks.

“Brother,” Fan Lin tapped the person ahead, “How much longer will we have to wait?”

The man glanced back at her, expressionless, and said nothing.

Fan Lin was irritated. She thought for a moment, pulled Zhao Xi into the line, then dashed out, running toward the sales office door.

She saw a sign by the entrance: Business hours 9:00–18:00.

“So long to wait?” Fan Lin checked the time. It was only seven.

Just as she sank into disappointment, the electric shutter inside the sales office began to rise with a clatter, and a roll-up banner was placed inside.

The message was simple: “Business hours temporarily changed to 7:00–18:00; number of units: 180!”

Amid the commotion, the doors opened and the crowd surged inside!

Fan Lin turned to look—she couldn’t even see her place in line. With so many people, would there be anything left by the time she got in?

She acted on impulse and plunged into the melee, squeezing herself inside.

Once in the sales office, Fan Lin felt a bit steadier. She intended to find a sales consultant for details but saw others, as if by agreement, ignore the model display and head straight for the contract area!

Even more outrageous, the sales consultants seemed prepared, carrying stacks of contracts out.

“Under-the-table deals!”

Fan Lin instantly understood!

So many people queued overnight because they were insiders, had already picked their units, and were just waiting for the launch!

She couldn’t help but admire her own foresight and the courage to rush in.

Such a good opportunity—she nearly missed it!

Without further hesitation, Fan Lin followed the crowd straight to the contract area…