CHAPTER 443: CHAPTER 443: THE HOUSE IS NOT SETTLED

Zhao Gang listened for a long time and only heard the voice of his own wife, lowering his voice, "Maybe our dear secretary has already gone crazy."

That’s bound to make anyone go crazy. Something they thought was worthless suddenly turned out to be so valuable. Anyone would be excited.

Gong Ruini thought further, "It’s expected that more people will start going crazy now."

No one is foolish. Everyone will think about how those families that let those herbs rot on the branches last year might regret deeply and want to slap themselves.

"They’ll definitely go crazy." Zhao Guangran sniffed, "I’m already planning to go a bit crazy myself."

Zhao Guangran regretted, "I should have bought a batch at our local purchase price first, then settled with you, Dad, after deducting some costs using the Beijing purchase price."

In this way, before even heading to Beijing, we would already have made a profit from this batch.

Zhao Guangran was annoyed and regretful, "Dad, do you think I could do that?"

Zhao Gang was really about to be driven half-mad by his money-crazed son. He never bothered with such small margins. Obviously, neither he nor his wife was that money-hungry, how could they have a son like this? Zhao Gang truly didn’t understand.

As for Zhao Guangran’s proposal, Zhao Gang had no objections, "I have no objections."

The old man of the house was being uncharacteristically generous, which made Zhao Guangran excited, though only for a short while.

"If you hadn’t come back, Dad, I might’ve gone ahead with the purchase, but now if I buy, I’d definitely get beaten up." The money looked good, but Zhao Guangran knew it wasn’t something he could handle.

"Before you came back, we shouldn’t have done that either," Gong Ruini said coolly, "otherwise we’d be asking for trouble."

A difference of twenty percent—if someone’s herb quantity is slightly more, that’s not a small income. Who can bear to watch such a sum go down the drain over a few days’ time lag?

We’re out to make big money, not ruin our reputation over such small amounts.

Alas, Zhao Guangran thought to himself too, overall he had no way of making that money, "I hope we can make big money next."

"Yes, we’ll come back in the summer to pick herbs again," Gong Ruini said excitedly, "At such good prices, it would be wrong not to sell."

"There’s no place to stay." Zhao Guangran pointed out that Gong Ruini was being silly, having overlooked such a simple matter.

Alas, Gong Ruini also realized this and let out a long sigh, "Nevermind, we’ve been collecting herbs for two years anyway."

Li Jian Country, standing at the doorway, heard Zhao Guangran and Gong Ruini’s conversation, his eyes lit up. Wasn’t he worried before that such a good thing only happened once?

If Zhao Guangran and the others could come back every summer to pick herbs, that would be good. This way, it would be more convenient for Zhao Gang to take away the herbs here.

As for the accommodation, would that even be a problem? Li Jian Country might not dare guarantee other things, but as for a place to stay, that could easily be arranged.

Regarding whether the villagers would agree to let Zhao Gang and his family stay in their houses, Li Jian Country assured absolutely no problem.

Li Jian Country figured that becoming a person welcomed in the village, his eyes suddenly lit up, "Ni Zi, do you plan to come back in the summer for herb collecting?"

Gong Ruini shrugged, "No place to stay, not coming."

Although we’re planning for a house here, we can’t show it too directly. We must hold steady, at least let Li Jian Country ask them eagerly, otherwise, it would be too demeaning.

Currently, they might be collaborating well with the villagers, but over time, the villagers wouldn’t make such offers freely, so we need them to propose it.

"What if there’s a place to stay?" Li Jian Country wasn’t in a hurry to discuss with Zhao Gang. After all, dealing with these old foxes required a strategy. If he could delight these kids, Zhao Gang couldn’t bear to say no.

Li Jian Country knew how much Zhao Gang doted on his kids, like buying them lots of books as per their wishes, even if they were second-hand but still not cheap, not to mention the snacks they bought, spending quite a bit. Although the kids earned their money, how many village kids spent grass earnings so lavishly?

Old foxes, knowing just who to target. Gong Ruini internally sneered, but did Li Jian Country not see this was a den of foxes?

No, Gong Ruini wouldn’t admit she was a fox, she just wanted a place to stay when they returned, no more no less, and anyway, it might as well belong to the Gong Family, apart from giving it to Zhao Gang, no one else would be considered.

"Ni Zi doesn’t like living in other people’s homes, it’s uncomfortable that way." Gong Ruini wouldn’t openly demand the house, lest it make Li Jian Country realize she was tricking him into agreeing to let Zhao Gang have the house.

"Why let Ni Zi stay at someone else’s place." Staying at someone’s house is okay for a day or two, but over time, would it work?

If they somehow quarreled with the host family, that would ruin things. But for now, he couldn’t reveal his plan, it needed a show of some skill.

Li Jian Country needed Zhao Gang to know that getting them a place to stay had cost him significant effort, only then would they remember the favor, "Will give you a surprise, Ni Zi."

Surprise? Gong Ruini’s eyes lit up, she kept pestering Li Jian Country asking what surprise, but no matter how much she asked, Li Jian Country wouldn’t say, "Don’t worry, Ni Zi, it will be a surprise."

Oh, what a bore, treating her like a child to coax without realizing who was coaxing whom.

After coaxing Gong Ruini, Li Jian Country chatted with Zhao Gang for a bit, and of course, collected the money for his herbs. Although he’d heard from Zhan Jing about the price and had an idea, seeing the amount still made Li Jian Country’s hand tremble.

"Is this all mine?" Li Jian Country held the thick wad of money, really unable to believe it.

"Brother, this is yours," Zhao Gang pointed to the receipt on top, "This is a receipt from the supply and marketing cooperative, take a look."

Li Jian Country’s hand trembled while counting the money. Initially, not selling the herbs promptly had upset his wife, but now looking, they were getting more money.

Even if money yields interest in a bank, how much really would that be? Could it match this windfall? "What about the cost?" Li Jian Country asked after counting the money, noticing Zhao Gang hadn’t deducted any costs.

"We took this to Beijing without costs this time, but next time we will have to account for it," Zhao Gang said. Whether the cost was incurred by them taking the train to Beijing, or counted as advertising expenses, it didn’t matter.

After all, no matter how eloquently they spoke, it didn’t match up to Li Jian Country helping out personally, and importantly, whether they could have a place to stay would require Li Jian Country’s assistance.

Of course, Zhao Gang had already decided that if they truly could stay in that house, they would absolutely pay for it, to ensure long-term stability. Otherwise, even if allowed to stay, it wouldn’t feel secure.