CHAPTER 80: CHAPTER 80: TRADING GRAIN FOR A HOUSE

"So, have you seen the courtyard Xiao Yuan rented?" Wang Jinfeng asked further.

"I have seen it, Aunt Wang. Are you planning to sell that courtyard?" Bai Ruxue had already guessed it early on, feeling excited about it, but she still steadied her nerves before asking.

"Yes! Here’s the thing, both of us have been reassigned, and the kids aren’t there either. We thought, you two kids are quite nice, if you like it, we would sell it to you!" Wang Jinfeng probed with a question.

"Oh, Aunt Wang, I do like that courtyard quite a bit, and I do have enough money on hand. If you really want to sell it..." Bai Ruxue glanced at Zhang Yuan, her eyes calculating, "We can buy it too!"

Saying it as if it wasn’t a big deal made Wang Jinfeng’s heart pound, making it hard for her to bring up her own request.

"Aunt Wang, what’s the price for the house?" Zhang Yuan cooperated with Bai Ruxue and asked.

"The price... the price can be negotiated!" Wang Jinfeng said uneasily, wholly unlike the composed manner she had when she first entered.

"Aunt Wang, tell us the price, so we can see if we have the capability to buy..." Bai Ruxue teased playfully.

"Well... Xiao Yuan, can I exchange this house for grain?" Wang Jinfeng finally stated her intention.

Her husband was the deputy county magistrate; there were many relationships to establish and maintain. What was most valuable at this time? Wasn’t it grain? Giving grain was more effective than giving gold. If she could exchange the courtyard in Pingyang Town for grain and take it back, her husband wouldn’t know how to thank her! Then, whatever request she made would be agreed to in seconds!

"Aunt Wang, are you saying you want to exchange the house for grain?" Bai Ruxue’s heart pounded uncontrollably with excitement, so much that she could hardly contain it. She forced herself to suppress her excitement and asked.

"Yes! Yes, is it possible?" Wang Jinfeng discovered that during key moments, the decisions were always made by this young girl, and Xiao Zhang didn’t interfere at all. So Wang Jinfeng addressed Bai Ruxue directly.

"But Aunt Wang, the grain price over here is all black market rates! Fine grain is one and a half!" Bai Ruxue emphasized.

She wouldn’t want to be excited for nothing if the other party couldn’t accept her price, and the deal of exchanging grain for the house fell through, leaving her joyful in vain.

"I understand, I understand, this I am aware of, fine grain at one and a half! Could you manage to get all fine grain for me?" Wang Jinfeng asked eagerly upon seeing a potential deal.

In the end, both parties agreed to purchase the courtyard in Pingyang Town for fifteen hundred, but the other party didn’t want money, asking for fourteen hundred pounds of fine grain, rice, and white flour were acceptable, they were not picky.

"Aunt Wang, the grain can be delivered tomorrow, and this time there’s enough to give you. You can come and pick it up then, but we need to sign a contract first because it will take us about ten days to get back to Pingyang Town to complete the formalities!" Bai Ruxue settled the property purchase issue.

She decided to register this property under Bai Daliang’s name; the courtyard was big enough, even if the whole family moved in, it would be spacious enough.

But it was not easy; in this era, one couldn’t arbitrarily leave their production team, even for traveling, a letter of introduction was required, staying at a guest house also required one.

Bai Ruxue and her group were resolved to the urgent matter this time, the letter of introduction had to be supplemented.

Luckily there was Zhang Yuan, who seemed to be able to solve everything.

"Alright! No problem! Let’s sign the contract now! Tomorrow night, both families will come to collect the grain together." Wang Jinfeng happily agreed.

Bai Ruxue signed the contract with Wang Jinfeng, and after both parties reached an agreement, Wang Jinfeng left happily.

But it was tough for the remaining two.

Aside from taking care of the child, they spent the rest of the time sorting out the grain.

They removed all the packaging bags from the future, packed them into burlap sacks, and brought them out.

The supermarket had the most rice; they managed to sort out twenty bags of rice weighing a hundred pounds each, which was just enough.

Once everything was done, both were exhausted, sitting on the sofa, sweating and gasping.

"Though earning money and getting a courtyard is great. But this is too exhausting, my body still isn’t strong enough, I need to eat more! I plan to build up my body to be a sturdy one fast! I’ve decided, dinner will be something delicious!" Bai Ruxue declared, out of breath, slouched on the sofa, waving her hand.

Zhang Yuan laughed at the way the little girl waved her hand to make the decision, finding it hilarious.

Just deciding to have a good meal, like making a big decision.

She didn’t see her make such a serious decision when buying a house, just waved her hand and handed him all the money to use as he pleased.

Moreover, wasn’t it like she ate something delicious every day?

He felt that ever since he started eating with the little girl’s family, he had been eating good meals every day, even things he couldn’t find in the Capital City.

"Then I guess I’ll wait to be stuffed!" he still said cooperatively.

After speaking, he unconsciously touched his belly. Hmm, he was hungry too! Busy since the morning until eleven, and it was hard work, how could he not be hungry?

"Alright, wait..." Bai Ruxue hadn’t finished speaking when the courtyard door rang again.

"Who is it? Zhang Yuan, I’m so tired, can you go get the door?" Bai Ruxue’s first reaction was, she didn’t want to go to the door, no matter who it was!

"Alright! Don’t move! I’ll get the door," Zhang Yuan touched Bai Ruxue’s head, fondly smiling as he walked out.

The distance between the courtyard gate and the small western-style building was quite far, so the gate rang again before Zhang Yuan reached the door.

"Comrade, I’m here to give the baby an injection!" As soon as Zhang Yuan opened the door, Nurse Xiao Lan appeared at the entrance.

She initially didn’t quite believe the address when she received it, knowing this place, it was a two-story small western-style building, where the wealthiest families in Chenxi County resided.

But disbelief aside, she still followed the address and found the place. At this moment, seeing Zhang Yuan open the door, she believed.

She was utterly shocked. They were dressed and appeared quite wealthy, but she hadn’t expected them to be this wealthy. On reflection, it made sense; if someone could casually keep so much money in their pocket without concern, and with relatives in Capital City, it was possible to live in such a luxurious house.

However, once she entered the house, her state became completely off because she saw such a big courtyard, such a big small western-style building, and even the large tile house in the courtyard only had these two, with a baby.

No one else?

It didn’t make sense! If the two were the child’s sister and brother-in-law, there should also be parents present at home, but there weren’t.

Instantly considering many possibilities, though she mostly leaned towards, this child belonged to these two, but they hadn’t married, secretly giving birth to the child and rearing it.

As Nurse Xiao Lan turned on her gossip mode, various observations and proofs surged, estimating and restarting her conclusions repeatedly in her mind, resulting in her dropping the thermometer during the baby’s temperature check.

"I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it," she snapped back upon hearing the sound of breaking glass, apologizing quickly.

"How is the child? Still having a fever?" Bai Ruxue asked lightly.

She had been observing Nurse Xiao Lan, noticing her constant observations since entering, like a detective.

"No... no fever anymore!" Xiao Lan stammered, then began all kinds of examinations on Xiao Feng.