Chapter 56: Shop Till You Drop

The next afternoon, he arrived in the city of magic. After depositing his luggage in the Hilton’s presidential suite—for three nights, to savor the distinctions between hotels—he headed straight to the Rolls-Royce flagship store. In the capital, one must keep a low profile, but here, flamboyance was the order of the day. He decided on a limited edition Rolls-Royce Phantom, a nine-million-yuan purchase without hesitation.

“Three bays and three entrances, making nine rooms. That’s the origin of our Nine Chambers Hall’s name, and one of the most concise expressions of the traditional Chinese architectural layout.”

“A natural wood sunshade system, an aluminum-alloy structure forming the largest upper-level virtual roof, modern-style doors and windows. Only the white walls, dense lattice fences, bamboo shadows, and lotus ponds preserve traditional elements in perfect harmony…”

“The interior layout is infused with Confucian elegance, progressing in measured steps; the private gardens and interiors are laid out in a courtyard style. Corridors, courtyards, overhanging eaves, and waterside pavilions form that distinctively Chinese concept: partitioned, yet not enclosed—if enclosed, then never fully so…”

“Notice how the semi-transparent courtyard walls and fences echo the landscaping outside, creating interconnected courtyards: a garden for guests at the front, a private rear garden for the owner, and a small courtyard for the guest rooms—each with its own character, yet all in communication with one another…”

“Outside, there’s a 3.5-meter-high enclosing wall, which not only ensures privacy in the layout but also creates the impression of a grand, secluded residence…”

The sales manager enthusiastically guided Johnson through the tour. The city’s top luxury residences were few in number; this one distinguished itself with a Chinese style—courtyard villas.

Seeing Johnson’s satisfaction, the manager leaned in, lowering his voice: “This is the last one—covers two acres, with 732 square meters indoors, and a 250-square-meter basement not even counted in the total. There’s a 200-square-meter private garden, and a rooftop terrace of over 500 square meters.”

“Just nearby live Jack Ma, Ye Lipei, and Zhang Jiuyang—they’re all our residents, and senior members of the Decadent Ten Club!”

Johnson nodded, quite pleased. It was rare to encounter a residence with such pure Chinese styling and he found himself truly fond of it. There were abundant covered walkways, horse-head walls, a black-and-white palette, and other distinctly Chinese details. The entryway, living room, and master suite formed the central axis, horizontally dividing the villa into three zones: reception, shared entertainment, and the owner's private quarters.

Vertically, it was split into residential, activity, and utility areas. With three separate passages through two entrances, master, guests, and servants could all access their spaces without disturbing one another—privacy far superior to that of Mansion Seven.

The single-level floor plan was clear and well-defined, never cluttered. Two courtyards, one in the northwest and one in the southeast, featured ponds. The furnishings were all solid redwood, exuding an antique scholarly atmosphere.

Most importantly, space abounded; he could hire someone to plant more flowers and greenery, allowing spring to flourish throughout the house and garden—a riot of color impossible to confine, like the bough of a red apricot…

Climbing in, he made his decision.

He would buy it in full, for 120 million yuan, and process the paperwork immediately. The monthly property management fee alone was over 80,000 yuan, and he’d heard there were seven or eight other residences of this caliber—truly, the city was swarming with the ultra-wealthy.

He entrusted a villa management company with a thorough cleaning, especially the pond—he intended to keep koi in future. He would also hire two gardeners, solely responsible for flowers and foliage.

On the drive back to the city, Xia Long remarked with lingering appreciation, “Boss, you’ve got a good eye. The villa is truly remarkable!”

Even Xia Hu couldn’t help but sigh, “I never imagined there were such spacious homes in this city. It’s just a shame it’s so far from downtown…”

Johnson was taken aback, glancing at the nearly hour-long drive—how had he overlooked that?

Never mind. Tomorrow he’d buy a city-center apartment as well, shuttling between the two. Now that he had a country retreat, he needed a place in the liveliest district.

There was a place called Cogo Seaview One, famed for having the city’s best river views, the first development with prices exceeding 200,000 yuan per square meter, with the most expensive unit selling for 200 million. Or there was Overseas Chinese Town Suhewan, near People’s Square and East Nanjing Road, home to the country’s first Bulgari hotel; the stand-alone villas there were also around 200 million. Everything else was outside the city center—oh, and the legendary Tomson Riviera; he’d check it out tomorrow.

The Hilton presidential suite would suffice for now—after all, it was a five-star hotel. Pity there was no private butler, and it was much cheaper than the State Guesthouse. Still, it was the perfect place for a casual rendezvous—safe, discreet, and worry-free.

The next morning, he set out. The city’s weather was better than the capital’s. He visited Suhewan first—an excellent location, right in the commercial heart, with bustling streets at the doorstep. Unfortunately, the décor was excessively lavish, almost ostentatious, and Johnson was dissatisfied, especially since the available units were all on lower floors—guaranteed to be noisy at night. He decided to look elsewhere.

He moved on to Seaview One, in the heart of the CBD, occupying a rare stretch of prime riverfront. Facing the river directly, it offered unobstructed views. On the sixteenth-floor open-air terrace, the scenery was breathtaking.

“Our community features two clubhouses at the center, with both indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a multifunction hall, fitness and massage facilities, and entertainment amenities—everything one could need…”

“Designed by a world-renowned master, fitted with top luxury brands throughout. In 2012, a rare unit sold for a record 216,000 yuan per square meter, surpassing even Tomson Riviera’s highest price.”

Seeing Johnson’s interest in the view, the sales manager pressed his advantage: “Just stand by your window and you can take in the century-old Bund, gazing down on the river. The open, transparent layout and top-tier residential concept allow you to enjoy a panoramic vista of both riverbanks in all their historic splendor!”

“In all of Lujiazui, only three buildings are truly on the riverfront: Tomson Riviera’s Towers A and D, and our own Skyview Residence…”

“Five bedrooms, two living rooms, a total area of 390 square meters—64 million yuan, including three parking spaces. Pay in full and you’ll get five years of free property management. Only two units left—don’t miss out!”

Johnson nodded. Everything else was as expected, though property prices here surpassed even those in the capital. He was particularly taken with the scenic balcony—imagining himself lying there in the glow of the city’s lights, watching the traffic flow along the Bund, the river ablaze with illumination, a glass of red wine in hand…

This was the one.

After three or four hours of procedures, he secured his second home in the city. He instructed the housekeepers to give it a thorough cleaning and planned to move in within a few days.

Climbing into the car, Johnson ordered, “Set the navigation for the World Trade Center.”

The Rolls-Royce Phantom merged into traffic. Whether here or in the capital, congestion was equally maddening. It took over forty minutes to reach their destination, where he strode straight into the imported goods store.

“Is this vinegar?”

Xia Long and Xia Hu stared at the small black bottle before them, which held no more than two hundred milliliters, yet was priced at an astonishing twenty-eight thousand yuan.

Johnson picked up the bottle, scrutinizing it. “Leonardi 1850—balsamic vinegar from the top estate in Modena. Its quality rivals the finest wines, like the Screaming Eagle of 1997 or the 1990 Penfolds Grange.”

“It was originally a private delicacy passed down in the kitchens of the local lords, a secret recipe never shared, reserved only for personal enjoyment or to entertain foreign kings and imperial nobility—hence its other name, the Duke’s Vinegar.”

“The grapes must be specific varieties from Modena: the white Trebbiano and the red Lambrusco. Their exceptionally high sugar content yields a light, pure flavor—ideal for the lengthy concentration process required for this vinegar.”

“It is aged for at least twelve years; the grape must transitions through several types of wooden barrels—first oak, then cherry, then juniper. Each type of wood imparts its own nuance, and only through this constant transfer do the flavors become layered and profound.”

“In the final stage, professional vinegar tasters conduct blind evaluations, rigorously assessing color, viscosity, aroma, palate, taste, lingering scent, and aftertaste. Only those that pass are eligible to be bottled in these distinctive little black bottles, with global certification and strict limits on quantity.”