HLM – Chapter 77 The First Residents

In mid-January, six modular homes were completed, and Wang Bo rode his motorcycle over to inspect and take possession of them.

These six houses were neatly aligned in the heart of the land designated for residences, all facing due south. Right in front was Highway 8, currently under maintenance—a truly prime location.

The homes were very aesthetically pleasing, resembling the prefab-style houses often seen in American dramas, with red roofs, white walls, and lightweight aluminum alloy doors and windows. They looked even better than traditional brick-and-tile houses.

Roger had specially come to hand over the houses and was straightforward with Wang Bo: “These houses will definitely be comfortable to live in, but at most, they’ll last ten to fifteen years. After that, the modules will degrade and become unusable.”

Wang Bo replied, “Then why not just replace the modules? Just swap out whichever one wears out.”

“Because in fifteen years, every single module will have aged and degraded.”

Wang Bo said nothing after that. No wonder modular homes hadn’t taken off globally—their limited lifespan was a deal-breaker.

After Roger left, a couple lingered near one of the homes. They looked to be in their thirties, dressed like typical white New Zealanders, standing together as they sized up the houses.

Wang Bo had noticed them earlier but had assumed they were with Roger. Now it seemed that wasn’t the case.

“Hi there, may I ask who you are?” Wang Bo asked cautiously.

The white woman replied, “Hello, sorry to bother you, sir. Let me introduce ourselves first. I’m Barbara Cage, and this is my husband, Anderson Cage. We came from Sky City. Are you the mayor of Sunset Town?”

“Sky City” was a nickname for Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, known for its iconic structure—the Sky Tower, the tallest tower in the country.

Wang Bo nodded and shook hands with both of them.

Barbara said, “Here’s the thing—we’d like to settle down in Sunset Town. Are there any requirements for that?”

Wang Bo was overjoyed. Strictly speaking, this was his town’s first official household. Finally, he wasn’t a mayor with an empty town!

A wave of emotion washed over him, but he didn’t dwell on it. He quickly responded with enthusiasm, “No, no, no, no special requirements. Well, maybe just one—just don’t break the law. That’s all. OK?”

Barbara smiled. “Thank you, Mayor. Of course, we won’t break the law, right, Anderson?”

Wang Bo wasn’t sure if he was imagining it, but Barbara’s tone sounded slightly stern—like a parent scolding a child.

Anderson, who was on the quiet side, nodded in agreement after his wife spoke.

Wang Bo asked, “Where are you staying now? And to be honest with you, the transportation here isn’t great yet, and we might not be able to offer much in terms of employment.”

He was being shrewd—by saying “our town,” he was reinforcing the couple’s sense of belonging.

Barbara didn’t mind and replied, “That’s not a problem. We’ll handle transportation ourselves. As for employment, that’s even easier—I’m an artist. I’ll work on my paintings here, and my agent will sell them for me.”

Wang Bo could’ve clapped in excitement. God bless! Guan Yu bless! His original vision was spot on—just build housing next to the highway, and residents would come.

Granted, he had expected merchants to arrive, but residents were just as good. And a painter, no less! Barbara’s arrival instantly gave the town an artistic flair.

The Cage couple rented the easternmost house. Wang Bo gave them the lowest rent possible—just $100 per month for an 80-square-meter two-story home.

That evening, Wang Bo specially cooked a dish of sweet-and-sour chicken and a plate of egg pancakes to take over as a welcome gift.

When he arrived on his motorcycle, there was an RV parked on the lawn beside the house. The Cage couple and two children—one older, one younger—were unpacking.

His cowboy-style motorcycle had a massive engine, and the roar of its exhaust was louder than any horn, so there was never a risk of accidentally running someone over. People could hear him coming from far away.

In fact, if someone heard the engine and exhaust but didn’t see the motorcycle, they might think Wang Bo was driving a tractor…

Wang Bo got off the bike, and Barbara—now wearing protective sleeves—walked over with a smile. “Hi, Mayor. Is there something we can help you with?”

Wang Bo lifted the food containers. “Not at all. I just brought a little homemade food. You know, Chinese cuisine is pretty good. I wanted to give you a taste.”

A boy around six or seven years old came running over, followed by a little girl even younger than Dai’er. Each clung to one of Barbara’s legs as they curiously eyed Wang Bo.

“This is Uncle Wang,” Barbara said cheerfully. “Come on, Sally, Kelvin, say hello to Uncle Wang.”

“Uncle Wang,” the little girl said shyly.

Wang Bo laughed heartily, squatted down to pat their heads, and said, “Good kids. Alright, you go rest. Uncle Wang will help your parents unpack.”

Seeing he was serious, Anderson tried to decline out of politeness, but Wang Bo insisted. “It’s no trouble at all. Now that you’re part of the town, we’re neighbors. Neighbors help each other—it’s the right thing to do.”

Wang Bo brought along Zhuang Ding and Commander. The latter seemed to have become a bit smarter lately—he still looked down on all other creatures, though. When the kids tried to play with him, he sniffed dismissively and muttered, “Your mom blew up,” before flying off.

Zhuang Ding had also grown into his own personality. Now strong and confident, he displayed the classic traits of a mastiff—loving life and adoring kids.

The little girl and the boy played happily with him. The boy had a frisbee and kept throwing it, and Zhuang Ding would fetch it every time. Commander just rolled his eyes and sneered, “Pfft, idiotic game!”

Unloading the RV’s furniture and appliances was easy. Wang Bo was strong, handling the fridge, washer, and cabinets like they were nothing.

The town’s real challenge now was utilities. Water was relatively easy to solve—the town was near the Twin Lakes, rich in groundwater, so he could just dig a well.

Electricity, however, was trickier. The substation was nearly finished, but the power lines hadn’t been connected yet.

Fortunately, the Cage couple had a solution: their RV was equipped with a diesel generator, which could meet their temporary electricity needs.

Wang Bo explained, “You probably saw this on your way in—the government is building a substation for us, and it’s nearly complete. Once the power lines are connected, you’ll have access to water and electricity.”

Barbara smiled. “That’s no problem, Mayor. Actually, we kind of like this primitive lifestyle. It’s refreshing.”

Wang Bo smiled and nodded, though he knew very well the family didn’t come for the “primitive lifestyle.” There had to be a specific reason.

But he had called Robert that afternoon and checked—they were clean. So there was no need to dig any deeper.