Courtyard House: Purchasing Agents' Comeback from the Great Famine

When Wang Feng returned to Courtyard No. 95, he brought out a deck chair, brewed a pot of tea, and smoked a Zhonghua cigarette, feeling extremely relaxed.

He really likes this slow-paced era; as long as the problem of food is solved, other problems are not a big deal.

He Yushui was just about to go to the sink to wash the dishes when she saw Wang Feng sitting in the doorway sunbathing. She jogged over and said with a smile:

"Brother Wang Feng, you really know how to enjoy yourself, basking in the sun and drinking tea."

Wang Feng smiled slightly and said, "Rain, there are melon seeds on the table, help yourself."

"Okay, thank you, Brother Wang Feng."

He Yushui didn't stand on ceremony and grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds to eat.

"Brother Wang Feng, why haven't I seen Sister Jingru?" He Yushui asked curiously.

"She probably went out to buy something."

Wang Feng casually brushed it off, saying he didn't want to tell anyone in the compound about Qin Jingru learning to cook.

"oh."

"Brother Wang Feng, every time I come back to the hospital, you seem so relaxed. Are you all this free during the purchasing process?"

"Hehe, Rainwater, you've guessed wrong. Purchasing is hard work. You basically have to go to the countryside every day to complete your purchasing tasks, and you might even encounter robbers, which is very dangerous."

"Of course, if you are capable and can complete the task in less than a month, it will be much easier, and you won't need to go to the factory every day," Wang Feng explained with a smile.

"Hehe, Brother Wang Feng, you're really amazing. You're so free, you must have already finished your tasks for this month, right?"

Wang Feng waved his hand and tentatively asked, "Yushui, your dad has been away from home for so long, do you still miss him?"

Hearing this, He Yushui became somewhat depressed and shook her head, saying, "I used to think about it, but I don't anymore. He abandoned us; he has his own home in Baoding now."

"Hehe, Rain Water, you can't judge things by appearances alone. Think about it, you were only 6 years old when your dad left home. Even if your dad was heartless, he couldn't really just abandon you, right?"

At this point, Wang Feng stared into He Yushui's big eyes and tentatively asked:

"Rain, if—and I mean if—your dad kept sending you money and letters, but they kept getting intercepted, what would you do with that person? Would you choose to have them jailed, or make them pay more money in return? With that money, your life would be much better in the future."

He Yushui didn't take it seriously and smiled, saying, "Hehe, Brother Wang Feng, you're really joking. How could that be?"

Wang Feng chuckled: "Rain, didn't you hear what I said? I said 'if'."

He Yushui was silent for a moment, then said, "If that's really the case, I don't want to pay compensation. I just want what's rightfully mine back. But I have to report that despicable person to the police so they can be arrested."

Wang Feng was somewhat surprised: "Rain, if that person is willing to compensate you several thousand yuan, with such a large sum of money, you'll never have to go hungry again. Would you still report it to the police?"

He Yushui nodded her head firmly: "Brother Wang Feng, I understand what you're saying, but this person is too hateful. If my dad has been sending me money and letters, it means that my dad has not abandoned me. It is this hateful person who made me misunderstand my dad for so long. I would rather not get compensation than let this person be punished."

Hearing He Yushui's words, Wang Feng smiled and nodded, but he still didn't plan to tell her the truth for the time being. The reason was that Sha Zhu was still injured and he wanted to see the scene of Sha Zhu beating up Yi Zhonghai.

He Yushui looked at Wang Feng in surprise and asked, "Brother Wang Feng, why are you suddenly asking me this? It can't be true, right?"

Wang Feng smiled and waved his hand: "Yushui, it was just a hypothetical situation. By the way, Yushui, how are your grades? Are you confident you can get into a vocational school?"

He Yushui sighed: "I'm not sure, but I'm confident I'll get into high school."

"Okay, Rain Water, keep it up and try to get into a vocational school. If you ever get hungry or encounter any difficulties in the future, just come find your brother Wang Feng."

"Brother Wang Feng, thank you."

After chatting with He Yushui for a while, it was almost time for dinner, so He Yushui went back home, and Wang Feng also went back to his room to eat.

There was still a lot of food in his space, all prepared by Qin Jingru beforehand, which he could take out and eat immediately.

Wang Feng estimated that Sha Zhu's injuries would be almost healed in about a week, and then there would be a good show to watch.

Now that He Yushui has been told, Sha Zhu can't actually hit anyone, so it's no fun. He's waiting to see the show.

......

The front yard, the Yan family's house.

Yan Fugui was given two steamed buns and four shredded pickled vegetables, emphasizing fairness and impartiality.

"Jiecheng, you've been talking to Yu Li for so long, is that girl willing or not?"

Yan Jiecheng sighed and said, "Dad, to be honest, I really like Yu Li, but she looks down on me because I don't have a job, and says she'll think about it."

While eating her cornbread, the three women sighed and said, "Old Yan, why don't you think of a way to find Jiecheng a job? This can't go on like this. Jiecheng is already 20 years old, almost 21."

Yan Fugui put down the cornbread in his hand and said in a deep voice, "What can I do? I'm just a primary school teacher, what can I possibly do?"

"Old Yan, if all else fails, you could try to find Wang Feng. He's a deputy section chief, after all. If all else fails, you could just buy a job. You can always pay back the money later once you're officially employed," the third aunt suggested.

After hearing the three women's suggestion, Yan Fugui thought about it and decided it was feasible.

He looked at Yan Jiecheng and said, "Jiecheng, I can lend you the money to buy a job first. When you first start working at the steel rolling mill, your salary will be 18 yuan. You can pay me back 15 yuan every month until you have paid back 1,000 yuan. Do you agree?"

Yan Jiecheng put down his bowl, somewhat angrily saying, "Dad, I earn 18 yuan a month, and you're giving me 15 back. What can I do with the remaining 3 yuan? I won't be living alone anymore. If Yu Li marries into our family, we'll be a couple. Are you expecting us to spend only 3 yuan a month? Besides, even if we buy a job, it won't cost a thousand yuan, right?"

Yan Fugui gestured for her to stop: "Jiecheng, let me finish. Here's what I'm thinking: I paid for your job, and after Yu Li marries into the family, besides paying me back 15 yuan a month, you and your husband will have to give me 6 yuan a month for living expenses."

Upon hearing this, Yan Jiecheng was about to get angry when Yan Fugui added:

"Jiecheng, Yu Li can't just do nothing after she marries into this family, can she? She takes on odd jobs and can easily earn a few yuan a month. Besides, your salary isn't always 18 yuan. Once you get a raise, life will be much more comfortable, won't it?"

"I inquired beforehand, and the current quota for a full-time employee at the steel rolling mill is about 800 yuan. Consider the remaining 200 yuan as interest for you."