Chapter 127: Chapter 126: Placing an Order

"Feng, let me go!" Tom said, finally calming down after a brief struggle.

Feng Shan let go, but he kept his eyes fixed on Tom, ever vigilant in case he made another rash move.

Tom took a few deep breaths, trying to compose himself. He looked at the young pilot sitting in the snow and, in a fresh wave of anger, raised his foot again.

"Bullshit! Show some of that courage you had flying at night and stand up like a man."

The young pilot scrambled to his feet. "Uncle, I know I was wrong!"

Judging by his tone and form of address, the pilot was likely Tom’s nephew or a relative of the younger generation.

Feng Shan patted Tom’s shoulder. "The kid dared to fly over the Tundra at night," he advised. "Teach him a lesson, but it’s not a good idea with everyone watching."

"Don’t you worry!" Tom cracked his knuckles, a vicious grin spreading across his face. He grabbed the young pilot by the neck, and the two disappeared into the darkness, the pilot’s cries for help fading away.

Feng Shan met the crowd’s reproachful gazes and simply shrugged.

"Jenny, Miss Jennifer probably hasn’t had dinner yet. Is there still food at home?"

"How about some French-style pan-seared cod?" Jenny asked with a smile, her arm around Tammy.

Everyone returned to the bus. With seven or eight people piling into the small living room, the space was a bit cramped, but the atmosphere was lively.

They were all squeezed in together, shoulder to shoulder, yet no one complained.

Jennifer now understood the situation Feng Shan was facing. Like any competent and responsible salesperson, she didn’t even have a sip of water after sitting down, getting right down to business.

She opened her suitcase and took out several catalogs and miniature house models.

"Mr. Feng, our Wind-Rolling Grass Mini House Company is dedicated to providing people with living spaces that are both practical and high-quality, ensuring comfort and functionality even within a limited footprint."

"These are models of our current best-selling designs. I believe they would be perfect for your location."

"Thank you. Everyone, take a look and tell me what you think," Feng Shan said, nodding as he accepted a catalog and gesturing for the others to look too.

According to the catalog, these mini houses were more like tiny homes on wheels than traditional houses. They were built on a chassis with tires for towing, which eliminated the hassle of moving.

The houses ranged from 6 to 12 square meters, and customers could choose the style and design to suit their needs.

Feng Shan picked up a model of a 6-square-meter house. The roof was removable.

Although the interior was only six square meters, it was a classic case of "small but complete." From the kitchen to the bathroom, it had all the essential furnishings.

After looking through the catalogs and at the models, the others looked delighted. Who wouldn’t want a private space to call their own?

Seeing everyone’s reactions, Jennifer breathed a quiet sigh of relief. She took a sip of hot water to soothe her throat before continuing.

"Our founder, Jay Shafu of Wind-Rolling Grass, believes life is about quality, not quantity. He sees external possessions as superfluous—an encumbrance, a burden. We ensure that not a single square meter of our tiny houses is wasted, maximizing the space to its absolute potential."

"These little houses, some of which look smaller than a walk-in closet, can accommodate a full range of living amenities. Once hooked up to water, electricity, and gas, most are completely move-in ready."

"Wind-Rolling Grass Mini House offers three purchase options. First, you can buy a fully assembled house. Second, the company can provide the raw materials for buyers to assemble themselves, for those who enjoy the fun of construction. The third option is to simply purchase the blueprints and build it yourself."

"For a 6-square-meter house, the fully assembled price is 40,000 US Dollars, the self-assembly kit is 16,000 US Dollars, and the blueprints are 99 US Dollars."

"For a 12-square-meter house, the fully assembled price is 50,000 US Dollars, the self-assembly kit is 21,150 US Dollars, and the blueprints are 120 US Dollars."

Having said her piece, Jennifer’s pitch seemed complete. She leaned back in her chair, relaxed, and quietly awaited her client’s response.

"So, do you like them?" Feng Shan asked, turning to Maria, who was staring blankly at a model of a traditional A-frame house she was holding.

"I love it!" Maria nodded, but then she caught herself. After all, one of the houses cost 50,000 US Dollars; there was no way she could afford that.

"And the rest of you?" Feng Shan asked, turning to the others.

For Nash, having a house didn’t matter; as long as he could be by Khilla’s side, he was content. If there was nowhere else to live, he could always guard the fire pit.

As for the others, some wore expressions of longing, while some remained silent.

To have one of these houses meant having a real home, a place they could call "mine."

But the price was so high.

They simply couldn’t afford it.

Seeing their reactions, Feng Shan guessed what they were thinking. He smiled. "Don’t worry about the money. Since you’ve all come to work in the Crown Territory, I’m not just going to pay you a salary; I’m also providing housing. Think of these mini houses as your employee dorms."

He then put on a deliberately serious expression and added,

"If you don’t like them, then you’ll have to live in the work sheds and sleep on bunk beds!"

"I want one! I want the one with the garden!" Erica quickly raised her hand, her face flushed with excitement.

Feng Shan ignored the excitable girl and asked Tammy in a gentle voice, "Do you like them?"

Tammy timidly raised her head and glanced at Jennifer. Then, like a startled rabbit, she lowered her head and mumbled, "I want to live with Jenny."

"Yves, David, what about you two?" Feng Shan asked, looking at them.

Yves nodded firmly. "Khilla, I’ll work hard. Once I’m settled, I’ll bring Little Rose to the Crown Territory."

David chimed in as well, "I’ll work hard, too."

"Why aren’t you asking me? Why aren’t you asking me!" Erica stomped her foot in frustration, her hand going to the zipper on her jacket again.

Seeing that she was about to have one of her fits, Feng Shan stopped teasing her and turned to Jennifer.

"If I order a large number of these mini houses, is there a discount?"

"Yes, there is." Jennifer immediately sat up straight and pulled out a price sheet. "If Mr. Feng orders 10 or more houses at once, I can offer a 10% discount on the total price."

Ten or more houses.

Feng Shan narrowed his eyes, lost in thought.

’The price isn’t an issue.’

’There was still over ten million of the twenty-million-dollar loan sitting in the bank. Not using it was just letting those capitalists get rich for free.’

’The problem was, the houses looked a bit flimsy. He wondered if they could withstand the extreme cold of the Arctic Circle. The temperature on the Tundra could drop to fifty degrees below zero. He didn’t want to buy them only to find they couldn’t handle the frost and be stuck with a bad investment.’

Seeing her client frown, Jennifer felt a pang of anxiety, but she kept her composure and asked calmly,

"Mr. Feng, do you have any particular concerns? Perhaps I can address them for you."

"Can these houses withstand the extreme cold of the Tundra?" Feng Shan asked, voicing his main concern.

Jennifer nodded eagerly. "Our company has upgraded the houses specifically to handle the harsh weather in Alaska."

"The walls use three layers of insulation. The exterior wall uses EPS panels, which have excellent insulation properties and effectively prevent heat loss. The middle layer is a sheet of organic fiber polymer, and the interior wall uses a dual-layer system of rock wool panels and wood boards. When used with a fireplace, the house can withstand extreme temperatures as low as sixty degrees below zero."

As for what EPS, organic fiber polymer, or rock wool panels were, it was all Greek to Feng Shan.

’I don’t get it, but someone here does!’

"David, are there any issues with that?"

David glanced at the house specs in the catalog and nodded. "Khilla, the insulation materials are solid."

’If there’s no problem, then we’re good to go!’

Feng Shan put down the catalog and looked at the members of the Crown Territory. "Well, what are you all waiting for? Go tell Ms. Jennifer which mini house you want and what your requirements are. If you don’t do it by tonight, you’re forfeiting the offer."

With a cry of excitement, Erica was the first to squeeze up beside Jennifer, pointing to a 12-square-meter house with a fenced-in garden in the catalog. "I don’t want a kitchen. Turn that extra space into a bathroom, preferably with a big floor-to-ceiling window. I want to be able to see the garden while I’m taking a bath."

"No problem. Our company can even add a large bathtub for you," Jennifer said, diligently noting Erica’s requests.

Yves also chose a 12-square-meter house, but he picked one with a small loft that could be converted into a bedroom, preparing for when his daughter came to visit.

David chose a 6-square-meter cabin. As far as he was concerned, all he needed was a place to sleep.

Maria chose a 12-square-meter house designed for two, planning to bring her grandmother to live in the Crown Territory once she was settled.

Jenny and Tammy decided to share a house and requested modifications to the kitchen.

As for Nash, he hadn’t even given Jennifer a proper look.

After she finished noting down their requests, the total came to only four houses—far short of the expected number.

Jennifer looked toward Feng Shan just as Jenny emerged from the kitchen carrying a plate of freshly prepared, French-style pan-seared cod.

"You have to try Jenny’s cooking. She used to be a two-star Michelin chef," Feng Shan said, still not stating his own requirements. To Jennifer, it felt like he was deliberately keeping her in suspense.

But in reality,

Feng Shan had no idea which house to choose for himself.

’To be honest, the mini houses were just too small.’

’He needed separate spaces for a gun cabinet, a bedroom, a living room, and a kitchen. Twelve square meters simply wasn’t enough room to work with.’

The French-style pan-seared cod was delicious.

But Jennifer was in no mood to eat. Her eyes remained fixed on Feng Shan’s face, trying to read his expression.

Feng Shan could feel her staring at him. He chuckled to himself. ’If I don’t say something, she probably won’t even be able to enjoy her food.’

"Jennifer, I have some rather specific requirements for my own space. The size of these mini houses might not meet my needs."

’So he thinks they’re too small.’

’Now that I know what you’re thinking, I can solve this.’

Jennifer immediately put down her knife and fork and pulled another catalog from her suitcase. "Mr. Feng, for our premium clients, the Wind-Rolling Grass Company also offers custom design services."

"Take a look. This is our newly developed line of heavy-timber log villas. The entire process, from design to fabrication, is completed in our factory. On-site assembly only takes a week."

Oh?

Feng Shan’s interest was piqued.

He took the catalog and opened it. The first thing he saw was a picture of a log cabin nestled in deep snow.

The cabin in the picture had a rustic yet grand design. Thick log pillars solidly supported the frame, giving it a sturdy and reliable feel.

The slope of the roof was pitched just right to effectively shed heavy rain and snow.

Inside, logs of varying diameters formed the walls, ceiling, and floors. Though the surfaces were treated, they still retained their original texture. The natural grain and knots in the wood created a feeling that was both rugged and warm.

’Now *this* is the kind of cabin I had in mind.’

"I’ll take this one!" Feng Shan said, pointing to a large, high-roofed log villa in the catalog.

...