Outside an office a long line of people has formed. The people waiting in line are anxious, waiting for the office to open.
Two neighbours walk by and want to know what is going on. So they join the line and ask the woman standing directly in front of them why she joined the line. She says that the people are waiting to purchase units of the latest development project, which goes on sale today.
Shortly after, the office door opens and the people waiting in line begin to hear about the goings-on in the sales office. The two neighbours at the back of the line are shocked by what they heard.
"Can you believe what the developers are charging for one unit?" asks one neighbour.
"Ten thousand dollars for a square foot of real estate in this district? I never knew land prices nearby has gotten so high," replies the other.
"It's the same for practically every neighbourhood in town. There's little we can do to stop it."
As the neighbours move forward, more details are being passed down the line.
"It seems that the unit numbers are not in sequence. All the numbers considered unauspicious are skipped. That's not all, it appears that units whose unit numbers have auspicious meanings are being sold at even higher prices," remarks one neighbour.
"How high?" asks the other.
"I'm not sure. If what the people in front of us say is correct, the most expensive units may cost five or six times the price of a regular unit."
"All that money just for a room associated with a lucky number?"
"And, as usual, the units with view of a garden, sea, or mountain cost more."
"This must mean there is a lot of demand for real estate in this district."
"Well. It stands to reason. With so much population growth lately it is natural that there is a large demand for residential units here."
Then the neighbours hear that, due to the high level of demand, the people can only state their preferences in units today. The units will be awarded by random draw after the close of the application period.
Upon hearing this, one neighbour quips by saying "no wonder the developer can charge such sky high prices."
"With such high demand, even the government can do little to stop the price increase," laments the other
"The government is already building more housing units, but the waiting list for those units are even longer."
"It is sad to see how hard it is for someone to find a home in this city."
"The developers must be making a killing from this real estate development."
Suddenly the two realize that they have yet to know what is being sold there.
"Wait a minute," the two neighbours ask each other "what kind of real estate are they selling anyways?"
The woman in front of the two neighbours, who has overheard the entire conversation between the two, answers the question by saying "don't you know? The developers are selling columbarium spaces. You know, housing units for the dead."