Chapter 131: Beverly Hills

Du Zhong helped with the driving, but with the city streets so congested, it was less convenient than taking the subway. Despite his "effeminate" demeanor, he had quite a temper and suffered from severe road rage, cursing his way through the entire drive. A few minutes earlier, after being teased like a girl by a burly white man in another car, "Du Niang" had completely exploded, pointing at his Adam's apple to tell the man to shut up, and even claiming he was better endowed than the guy. Su Mu was left speechless.

The car traveled from Sunset Boulevard directly into Beverly Hills. This was the most high-end residential area in all of Los Angeles. The hills were low, with houses built into the slopes, offering views of the city below. The architecture consisted mainly of villas, most with beautiful gardens. Since it was winter in the Northern Hemisphere, the lawns in front of many homes had withered.

The surrounding area was commercially developed, home to the world-famous shopping destination, Rodeo Drive. The wide roads were filled with luxury cars, and because Los Angeles was nearby, many actors loved living here, turning the area into a tourist attraction in its own right. Although Beverly Hills sounded like the name of a single community, it was actually a city. Within its borders, there were both ordinary neighborhoods and affluent districts, with the most expensive homes typically perched on the gentle slopes of the hills.

Most residents lived in the relatively flat areas south of Sunset Boulevard, while homes north of the boulevard commanded much higher prices than elsewhere. Therefore, living in Beverly Hills did not necessarily mean one was wealthy; only those homes north of the boulevard, spanning hundreds or even thousands of square meters, were truly valuable.

Driving all the way from Chinatown in the east to Beverly Hills in the west, Du Zhong was so nervous his hands were sweating. His driver's license was more of a decorative item, as he had rarely driven since passing his test. Unfamiliar with the Jaguar, he stalled the engine several times before finally managing to park.

Su Mu had made a hasty decision to buy a new house without much of a plan. He hadn't carefully considered what kind of house to buy, where to buy it, or how much to spend. Coming to Beverly Hills for the first time, he found that the houses in the north were much like the mansions in the Menlo Park area. The streets were busy with people and cars, the freshly paved asphalt was wide and clean, and tall palm trees lined the roads. It felt quite pleasant, and he decided to take it one step at a time; if he found something he liked, the price wouldn't be an issue.

Tossing the car keys to Su Mu, Du Zhong stretched and asked, "I need to find a restroom; I can't hold it anymore. Where do you want to look for houses? Should we find an agent to help us?"

"Sure, let's find a restroom first, then go to an agency to ask about listings. I'm just not sure if my parents will be able to adapt to this place."

Li Ping'an said with an envious tone, "What's there to adapt to? If I bought my parents a house like this, they’d be over the moon."

"But it looks so expensive. Du Niang, are you sure I can get a loan?"

Su Mu looked around as he walked, finding nothing to complain about. Compared to the dilapidated living conditions in Chinatown, Beverly Hills was infinitely better. One felt like an old movie from the 1930s, while the other felt like the 1980s. With that contrast, everything looked appealing.

Banks, cafes, clothing boutiques, and jewelry stores were everywhere. Having developed for half a century, the area was a mature community. Many women walked by in stylish clothes, carrying bags full of shopping, and the Jaguar parked on the street looked completely unremarkable.

At this point, Du Zhong didn't dare to boast. After some thought, he told him, "With the income from your two companies, getting a million-dollar loan won't be a problem. I hear my dad talk about this all the time; take my word for it. I'm more worried that the three of us look like country bumpkins; the agents might not even pay us any mind. These hillside houses must be incredibly expensive. Doesn't the newspaper always talk about some celebrity buying a multi-million dollar mansion here?"

Su Mu hadn't looked into the local land prices in detail and began to fret. Even if it were four or five hundred thousand dollars, he could grit his teeth and buy it now. Buying a house wasn't just squandering money; it was converting cash into fixed assets. For half a century, U.S. housing prices hadn't fluctuated drastically, making it a stable investment. Even if it depreciated, it wouldn't be a massive loss, which was acceptable.

But if it were any higher, he worried he wouldn't be able to handle it. His money was tied up in his companies, and he didn't have much cash on hand. Having just started his business, no one could say for sure what the future held. He estimated he could scrape together about six hundred thousand dollars at most.

Deciding not to dwell on it for now, he said, "Let's ask first. Even if we can't afford the big ones, surely the small ones don't cost millions? If I do need a loan, help me ask your old man—I don't know how to go about it."

"You got it... Oh, I'm heading to the KFC restroom!"

...

Beverly Hills was famous for a reason; aside from being a bit noisy during the day, there wasn't much to complain about. Walking along the road, Su Mu had seen many houses, but none were as satisfying as this. The prestige of being "one of the most prestigious residential areas in the world" was what truly excited him.

After asking a passerby, they found the nearest real estate agency. The person who greeted them was an elderly woman. She had reddish-tinted hair, looked to be over fifty, and was thin. Dressed in a low-cut top at her age, it was quite an eyesore and had nothing to do with being "trendy."

She poured water for the three of them with a beaming smile. The situation Du Zhong feared didn't happen; Mrs. Harper was very enthusiastic. The Jaguar key hanging from Su Mu's waist had done the heavy lifting. In those days, a British Jaguar was a luxury vehicle, more famous than Mercedes, BMW, or Audi, and on par with the British Aston Martin. As soon as the three entered, Mrs. Harper spotted the key. An excellent real estate agent would never let a potential buyer slip away; this wasn't an arcade, and kids didn't just wander in for no reason.

Leaning against the table, she asked, "Are your parents planning to buy a house? You've come to the right person! Everyone knows that in all of Beverly Hills, my asking prices are the most fair. I have never sold a house with issues, and even if there were minor flaws, I would disclose them to the buyer in advance."

Her smile looked strange, like an old fox eyeing a rabbit. Su Mu replied, "I'm the one buying. These two are my friends. I want a house with a garden and a pool, three or four bedrooms, preferably somewhere quiet north of Sunset Boulevard. Do you have any suitable recommendations?"

Mrs. Harper keenly grasped the key point: it wasn't a massive deal, but looking for a home in the wealthy northern district meant he had some money.

Having roughly understood his requirements, she smiled and said, "Yes! I have several in my portfolio. Take a look at these brochures and price tags. The pros and cons are listed right there. Whichever one catches your eye, I'll take you to visit it right now!"

Su Mu opened the folder to look at the photos of the main structures, rooms, and gardens. A house with a garden totaling over 300 square meters was priced at $330,000, though the actual building area was only 110 square meters. A second French-style property had a building area of over 160 square meters and was priced at $410,000, complete with a garden, garage, and pool.

The prices were cheaper than he had expected. While the price per square foot was higher than in Menlo Park, it wasn't by much. Realizing he could afford a smaller house, he immediately felt relieved.

A third property was priced as high as $5.7 million, but it sat on over a thousand square meters of land. Seeing Su Mu's relaxed expression, as if he wasn't intimidated by the price, Mrs. Harper instantly understood that this young man was truly wealthy.