Chapter 54 - Alibaba President Marwin’s Condo (3)
Gun-Ho and Mae-Hyang followed the realtor to the apartment to take a look at it. The apartment was really large. There were three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The interior was a bit outdated but at least it maintained unity, by placing furniture all in white: a desk and a fitted wardrobe.
“Oh! I love this apartment. It’s large. Oh! There are two bathrooms!”
Mae-Hyang seemed to be more excited than Gun-Ho.
Gun-Ho felt like he could smell Chinese food in the apartment and he thought he would have to ventilate the apartment by keeping windows open for maybe a day. The current occupant said they could vacate the apartment within three days.
Gun-Ho decided to take it and made a lease contract. It was 120㎡ large, so 36 pyung in Korea.
“I know this is too big for myself, but I want to receive good energy from Marwin. I had been in church and a Buddhist temple—Doseon temple in Dobong Mountain to pray when I was studying for the level-9 government job exam. That didn’t work! My mom also went to see Gatbawi Buddha sitting in Palgong Mountain which was located in Daegu City to pray for me. That didn’t work either! I failed all of the government job exams I had tried: the level-9 and provincial government job exams. I want to receive Marwin’s energy, who is one of the richest men in the world! It might work this time.”
Gun-Ho asked the realtor as he was walking out of the apartment after finishing his tour.
“Where are the most expensive condos or houses in Hangzhou City?”
“The ones that have the view of West Lake are probably the most expensive properties.”
“How much are they?”
“The newly constructed houses in the Hoobinlu area are over 3,000,000 Yuan.”
3 million Yuan is 360 million won.
“Hmm… That area must be corresponding to Gangnam in Seoul!”
Gun-Ho decided to acquire a real estate in that area someday.
Gun-Ho applied for Alien Resident Certificate.
Once he submitted his business license along with his passport, they scheduled his physical exam. They also confirmed that once he completed the physical exam, he would receive an Alien Resident Certificate. Once he received his Alien Resident Certificate, he could obtain a driver’s license and acquire a real estate.
“Does this restaurant have a new owner now? You seem to be young.”
“I hope to see you often in my restaurant. I’m Gun-Ho Goo.”
“Since you are the new owner, I’d like to tell you one thing or a suggestion. The food here doesn’t quite taste like authentic Korean food. Have you thought of bringing Korean cook from Korea?”
“I will definitely consider it even though I can’t do it right away because of the labor cost. Once I get enough revenue to bring a cook from Korea, I will do that.”
Gun-Ho had always been polite and kind to customers. The Korean workers sometimes asked Gun-Ho to drink with them.”
“Let’s have a drink together, sir. We are all away from our country and feel lonely, right?”
“Maybe next time since I am at work right now.”
“One drink should be fine. Take it.”
Gun-Ho hadn’t had these types of experience when he ran the Vietnamese noodle soup restaurant in Noryangjin since he didn’t serve alcohol at that time. With alcohol, many customers asked Gun-Ho to drink together or made a joke to him.
“Sir, where do you live?”
“I live in the Hobanhwawon apartment.”
“Oh, that apartment is pricey to rent. You are living in a good place.”
Gun-Ho had never ever heard that he lived in a good place before when he lived in Korea in his entire life. He felt good. ‘Those pricks living in Gangnam must have felt this way all the time,’ Gun-Ho thought.
It had been a month since Gun-Ho came to China.
He still can’t speak Chinese but he can read most of the business signs on the street, and he became more familiarized with the road and direction since he could read. He became healthy as well since he rode a bike every day.
He made a sales statement for the month. After deducting all expenses such as ingredients, labor, maintenance fee, etc., he made 36,000 Yuan in that month. He needed to put aside 25,000 out of it for the next period rent for the restaurant. That left him with 11,000 Yuan which Gun-Ho could use. From 11,000 Yuan, he needed to pay the apartment rent of 2,500 Yuan. After subtracting the rent, Gun-Ho got 8,500 Yuan on his hand. It’s about 1 million won.
“I knew this.”
8,500 Yuan was not much at all to Gun-Ho, however, it was a significant amount of money for most Chinese people. The kitchen ladies took less than 2,000 Yuan per month.
“It’s okay as long as there is no loss.”
Gun-Ho tried to comfort himself.
During the past one month, Gun-Ho already received the Alien Resident Certificate and the driver’s license. He started collecting information for his real estate investment.