In the passerby’s script, there wasn’t any provision for property ownership.
Cheng Youyou remarked, “Then your role is indeed that of a resident of Chaoyang City. It’s only logical for residents to have houses.”
The passerby recalled his script, which only tasked him with spending money, without mentioning this aspect.
However, there was a directive from the production team for them to always keep in mind the characteristics of the era, common sense, and market rules while portraying their roles.
Following this principle, the passerby replied, “Yes, I have a house.”
For the residents of Chaoyang City, having a house in Chaoyang City was common knowledge.
Cheng Youyou said, “I want to see your house.”
The passerby quickly turned to the production team for help, realizing that the production team hadn’t actually arranged this for him before.
Director Wang received the signal for help. In line with the principle that the game setting should adhere to common sense, he promptly designated a row of houses, defining them as the residential area for the common people.
In order to authentically recreate the scene of the 1980s, Director Wang utilized a significant amount of manpower and resources. He didn’t want this oversight to ruin all the effort that had been put in before.
The production team was incredibly efficient. While the passerby and Cheng Youyou were chatting away, Director Wang not only arranged the residential housing but also distributed the keys to the extras.
The passerby caught by Cheng Youyou lowered his head and saw the key tossed by the production team. He picked it up and said, “Of course, I have a house. Look, this is the key to my home.”
Director Wang breathed a sigh of relief as he watched through the surveillance cameras. “Very good, this is in line with common sense,” he remarked.
The passerby pointed to a house by the roadside. “That one is my home,” he said, sounding quite pleased with himself.
Cheng Youyou glanced at the house, just a quick glance, and casually said, “Sell it to me.”
Her tone was as relaxed as if she were buying a cabbage.
The passerby was taken aback. “Are you sure you’re talking about the house? You want to buy the house?”
“Yes, the house,” Cheng Youyou replied with an expression that seemed to say, “What’s the problem?”
The passerby couldn’t keep up with Cheng Youyou’s train of thought. He was just an ordinary citizen responsible for buying things, so why was he burdened with such a dilemma?
He turned to the production team for help once again.
Director Wang was flustered. There was no mention of buying and selling houses in the program script.
He intended to put a stop to this matter. As he prepared to intervene, he happened to glance at the script for this episode.
The first line of the script was enlarged and highlighted: “Always remember the characteristics of the era, common sense of life, and market rules.”
Buying and selling houses existed in any era. Existence implies rationality, and rationality is common sense.
The line in bold in the script was personally highlighted by Director Wang himself. He couldn’t contradict his own actions, so with tears in his eyes, Director Wang reluctantly relayed to the passerby, “Fine, sell it if you want to.”
Upon hearing this, the passerby asked, “Then tell me, how much are you willing to offer?”
Cheng Youyou replied, “Three thousand.”
Having already seen the house, Cheng Youyou knew it had two rooms. Cheng Youyou had acted in period dramas before and knew the prices back then. She offered a reasonable price.
The passerby didn’t hesitate at all. “Deal,” he said.
Director Wang, watching outside on the monitor, covered his face with his hand in disbelief. “That was too fast. At least negotiate a bit,” he muttered to himself.
The passerby didn’t care much about the details. The production team had instructed him to play the role of a commoner engaging in consumption, but he had only received 40 dollars. Being a person of the 21st century, how could he possibly settle for just 40 dollars? Thus, this house became an invisible welfare. Besides selling it, he couldn’t think of any other way to utilize it.
The passerby and Cheng Youyou smoothly exchanged money and keys, the transaction going particularly well.
A few minutes later, Cheng Youyou had an extra set of keys in her hand, along with a makeshift property ownership certificate hastily prepared by the production team.
【Is Cheng Youyou for real? Did she really buy a house?】
【She’s already bought it!】
【I can’t understand her strategy anymore.】
Cheng Youyou felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction after buying the house. She had never experienced the joy of buying a house like buying vegetables in real life.
This episode of the program is just right for her.
Cheng Youyou continued to stroll around the city area, swinging her keys, when a passerby stopped her.
Cheng Youyou tightened her grip on the keys, but the person asked, “Are you still looking to buy a house?”
“…” Cheng Youyou glanced at the property ownership certificate in her hand, “Well, I suppose so.”
The passerby immediately pitched in, “My house also has two rooms, and I’m selling it for 3000.”
Cheng Youyou remained silent, contemplating the offer.
Cheng Youyou:…
As soon as the passerby finished speaking, he was promptly pushed aside by another passerby. “I also have a house. Why don’t you take a look at mine?”
Then, suddenly, four or five other passersby crowded around.
“I have one too. Take a look at mine.”
“Buy mine, I’ve got three rooms.”
“Mine is great, it’s in a prime location, right next to the state-owned store.”
Director Wang, watching outside on the monitor, was nearly losing his mind. “This is chaos, chaos! Everything’s gone haywire.”
His assistant silently handed over the script, the bold line flashing in front of Director Wang’s eyes: Always remember the characteristics of the times, common sense of life, and market rules.
Director Wang couldn’t intervene in the buying and selling process between the parties; it would disrupt market rules.
Cheng Youyou raised a finger to her lips: “Shh~”
Quiet fell over the previously noisy passersby.
Cheng Youyou asked for paper and pen, then wrote down a number: “Come and take a number. I’ll buy them one by one in order.”
Those numbers were snatched up in no time.
【Haha, Cheng Youyou unexpectedly takes the lead.】
【This is the first time I’ve seen someone buying houses like a boss.】
【Landlords also have their day.】
【Am I the only one who doesn’t understand why she’s buying so many houses?】
Cheng Youyou sat there, receiving the stream of landlords. A few minutes later, Cheng Youyou had fifteen more property ownership certificates and fifteen sets of keys in her hand.
Facing the sixteenth landlord, Cheng Youyou said, “I’m sorry, I’ve run out of money.”
She only had 320 yuan left, not enough to buy another house.
【Is it over? Is that it?】
【I didn’t even get to post my comment in the barrage before she finished buying everything?】
【Cheng Youyou is out of money for doing business.】
【I declare that Cheng Youyou has definitely lost this round.】
The businesses of other celebrity guests other celebrity guests have already taken off. Li Yiyun’s daily necessities stall has been set up, Zhao Mengran has produced quite a few finished garments, and Zhou Hao’s electronic devices have all been stocked.
Even Wang Wensheng, his pancake stall is also in business.
In the end, Wang Wensheng chose to sell pancakes. He believed that food is a necessity for the people, and no matter the era, there would always be a market for selling food.
Meanwhile, Cheng Youyou wandered aimlessly with only 320 yuan left in her pocket.
She seemed to be completely uninterested in any serious business, behaving more like a vagabond.
At this moment, quite a few snowflakes began to drift down over Chaoyang City.
The loudspeakers in Chaoyang City began to broadcast: “1982 has already drifted away from us, and the spring of 1983 is striding towards us. In the new year, all the people of Chaoyang City will join hands and work together to comprehensively build a moderately prosperous society and strive to achieve common prosperity.”
Following this announcement, amidst a background music of joy and harmony, a large group of extras flooded into the urban area.
Cheng Youyou, holding a bunch of keys, blended into the bustling crowd all by herself. At this moment, Chaoyang City was filled with harmony and celebration.
“Our factory’s profits were good this year. The factory manager gave out an extra 20 yuan. Let’s buy some good stuff.”
“We won’t be frugal for the New Year. Let’s buy more things today and start the New Year with good luck.”
“It’s the New Year; it’s time to get something new.”
Extras poured in from all directions, releasing a surge of purchasing power into the market.
The stalls of Li Yiyun and Zhao Mengran were also opening one after another. Quite a few people stood in front of their stalls respectively.
Cheng Youyou wandered over to Li Yiyun’s stall and stayed for a while.
Li Yiyun greeted her, “Youyou, are you looking to buy something?”
Cheng Youyou shook her head. She didn’t mention that she hadn’t found anything she liked.
Her face, pampered by the expensive facial creams, no longer found the bagged snow cream from the 1980s appealing.
Cheng Youyou moved on to Zhao Mengran’s stall again, but still didn’t feel any desire to buy any clothes.
However, when she arrived at Zhou Hao’s stall, Cheng Youyou stopped in her tracks.
Cheng Youyou asked, “How much is that TV of yours?”
Zhou Hao replied, “Three thousand yuan.”
Cheng Youyou immediately took a liking to the TV on Zhou Hao’s stall. Her phone had been confiscated by Director Wang before the recording, and in this makeshift simulated city, she had no desire to shop at all. She was bored to death.
She desperately needed entertainment, like a TV.
Cheng Youyou asked Zhou Hao, “Can the TV be used?”
Zhou Hao replied, “Yes, there’s cable installed in Chaoyang City. I’ll include the installation for you. Once you buy it, you can start watching TV right away.”
Cheng Youyou noticed that there were still over 9 hours left until the end of the program, and buying a TV was urgent.
Cheng Youyou asked, “Can I pay in installments?”
Zhou Hao was taken aback. In his understanding, there didn’t seem to be a concept of installment payments in this era. “We’re in the 1980s now,” he replied.
Cheng Youyou said, “I know, that’s why I’m asking if I can pay in installments.”
Zhou Hao: …It was like explaining something in vain.
Cheng Youyou asked again, “Can I pay in installments?”
After three consecutive questions, Zhou Hao began to doubt himself. He was a science and engineering genius, but that didn’t mean he was well-versed in humanities. He indeed didn’t understand the market economy situation of the 1980s very well.
And at the same time, he knew that Cheng Youyou had played the leading role in period dramas. Perhaps… there really was installment payment in that era?
Zhou Hao: “So, does this kind of payment method really exist?”
He wasn’t sure anymore. He began to ask Cheng Youyou.
Cheng Youyou replied without hesitation, “Does it?”
She asked in a questioning tone, but the “Does it?” sounded like three affirmations, landing in Zhou Hao’s ears as “Yes!”
The tone remained unchanged, but the meaning completely shifted.
Zhou Hao said, “Fine, then you can pay it on installments.”
Director Wang angrily slammed the script down. “What is all this nonsense?! It’s all gone off track, completely off track! Who said there was installment payment in the 1980s?”
The assistant picked up the script and said two sentences.
The first one was, “Just because we don’t know about installment payments doesn’t mean they don’t exist.”
Second: “Director Wang, the viewership in the live broadcast room has increased.”
【Haha, Cheng Youyou is really an ordinary but skilled negotiator.】
【Even without money, she insists on buying on installment payments.】
【Just how much does she love shopping?】
【I know this episode is about doing business, but why do I want to focus on Cheng Youyou’s progress?】
【Who knows what tricks Cheng Youyou will come up with?】
【I’m going to keep an eye on Cheng Youyou.】
Cheng Youyou’s presence caused a sharp increase in the viewership of the live broadcast, and at the same time, her personal likability soared to the top of the guest popularity list.
History repeated itself once again. While Director Wang was still angrily criticizing the deviation of the plot in one sentence, the next sentence became: “Give Cheng Youyou more screen time.”
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