Courtyard House: Purchasing Agents' Comeback from the Great Famine

Now the Yan family's money has been completely emptied by him. All that's left for the whole family is a few dollars in Yan Fugui's and his third aunt's pockets. If Liu Yuhua, a level-three fitter, is introduced to Yan Jiecheng, then Old Man Yan will surely be very satisfied this time.

The thought of Liu Yuhua feasting and beating up Yan Jiecheng at the Yan family home made Wang Feng laugh.

Seeing Wang Feng eating noodles with a smile on his face, Qin Jingru couldn't help but ask curiously:

"Brother Wang Feng, what's making you so happy? Tell me so I can share in your joy."

"Cough cough."

Wang Feng coughed lightly: "It's nothing. I was just wondering, when you get back to Qin Family Village, are you going to go home and brag about it again?"

"Hehe, Brother Wang Feng, you understand me best. You know, I'm living such a good life now, if I don't go back to Qin Family Village to show off, it would be so unsatisfying. It feels like I passed the imperial examination and returned home in glory." Qin Jingru said with a smile.

Wang Feng laughed heartily: "Jingru, you're quite something, you even know the idiom 'returning home in glory' now."

"However, Jingru, you are right. Returning home in glory is like wearing fine clothes at night."

Qin Jingru nodded repeatedly: "Yes, Brother Wang Feng, that's exactly right. Returning home in glory is like wearing fine clothes at night."

After breakfast, Qin Jingru picked up the cornmeal and the old hen that had been strangled, and went out with Wang Feng.

"Hey, Wang Feng, Jingru, where are you going with all those bags and packages?" the three aunties asked enviously.

"Hehe, it's nothing much. It's just that Jingru's family is almost out of food, so we're sending them some cornmeal," Wang Feng said with a smile.

The three women looked on with envy and said with a fawning expression, "Jingru, your Wang Feng is so good to you."

"Okay, thank you, Auntie. We're in a hurry to get back to Changping, so we won't chat with you any longer."

Qin Jingru smiled sweetly, and she and Wang Feng each pushed a bicycle and walked out of the front yard.

Arriving at courtyard number 28, they greeted Lou Xiao'e, handed her the old hen, took five jin of rice from the kitchen, and also brought the wild boar trotters that Wang Feng had brought back a couple of days ago. The two then left courtyard number 28 and headed towards Changping.

Passing by the supply and marketing cooperative, Wang Feng bought a pack of Daqianmen cigarettes and two bottles of Lotus liquor. Thinking that the weather was already very cold, he also bought twenty feet of cloth and some cotton.

When visiting your father-in-law's house, cigarettes and alcohol are still essential, since he'll be drinking too, and you can't expect your father-in-law to buy the alcohol to entertain him.

Qin Jingru witnessed this whole scene and felt incredibly sweet inside. Wang Feng was so good to her, so generous to her family, and he even thought of her cotton-padded coat.

This twenty feet of cloth and cotton is enough to make several cotton-padded coats.

It took me three and a half hours to cycle to reach Qinjiazhuang in Changping.

As soon as the two arrived at the entrance of Qinjiazhuang Village, the village women saw them; bicycles were a rare sight in Qinjiazhuang.

"Look, aren't those two people riding bicycles Jingru and Wang Feng?"

"It seems so. Jingru is such a filial child. Look at all the bags and packages on her bicycle. Qin Laosan's family is really living a life of luxury."

"That's right. Ever since my Huairu married and moved to the city, she hasn't come back to her parents' home for several years. Even when she does come back, she leaves empty-handed, carrying big bags and small packages with her. She even took our only two old hens. Sigh, it's true that different people have different fates."

"Huai Ru's mother, don't sigh. Jing Ru is so beautiful, and she can marry a cadre in the city. We can't find another one like her in the whole area."

Qin Jingru suddenly accelerated on her bicycle, stopped in front of the group of middle-aged women, and smiled exceptionally brightly:

"Aunt, Sixth Aunt, Seventh Aunt, what are you talking about? It's so cold, why aren't you staying home?"

"It's Jingru. We just came back from the fields. Jingru, what are all these bags and packages you have?" Aunt Liu asked curiously.

Qin Jingru waved her hand and smiled, "It's nothing, just some cornmeal, twenty feet of cloth, and some cotton. It's getting cold, so I'm making some cotton-padded coats for my parents."

"Oh my, Jingru, you are so filial. Qin Laosan is so lucky to have such a filial daughter."

"Yes, Jingru is so filial. I wish my Huairu was half as filial as Jingru," Huairu's mother sighed.

Just as Qin Jingru was about to speak, Wang Feng rode over on his bicycle.

Wang Feng took out a few White Rabbit milk candies from his pocket, handed two to each person, and greeted them with a smile.

"Aunt, Sixth Aunt, Seventh Aunt, please have some candy."

Upon seeing the White Rabbit milk candy, the women immediately burst into laughter.

"Oh dear, it's our son-in-law from Qin Family Village back! Look, he's here, no need to be so polite."

The women were polite in words, but quick in action, taking the two White Rabbit milk candies and stuffing them into their pockets.

"Aunt, Sixth Aunt, Seventh Aunt, you can continue chatting, we'll head home now," Qin Jingru said with a smile.

"Go ahead, Jingru. Remember to come over and chat with us this afternoon if you have time."

"understood."

Huairu's mother wanted to ask Jingru how her daughter Huairu was doing in the city, but Jingru disappeared on her bicycle in no time. It seems she'll have to go find Jingru again this afternoon to ask.

The two arrived at Qin Jingru's parents' house. As soon as they reached the door, Qin Jingru shouted into the house:

"Dad, Mom, I'm home."

Mother Qin walked out of the room with a rolling pin in her hand. When she saw that it was her daughter and son-in-law, she quickly greeted them with a smile.

"Jingru, Wang Feng, you're here! Come in and have a seat."

Qin Jingru took the rice, noodles, meat, cloth, and cotton off the back of the bicycle and waved to her mother proudly.

"Mom, please help me lift this, it's incredibly heavy."

When Qin's mother opened one bag, she found a bag of rice. When she opened another bag, she found a bag of cornmeal.

They opened another bag, which contained a wild boar's trotter, weighing at least four pounds.

She opened the last bag with trembling hands; inside were a pack of cigarettes, two bottles of liquor, and several dozen feet of cloth and cotton.

Qin's mother swallowed hard, stammering, "That Jingru, Wang Feng... isn't that too many?"

Qin Jingru waved her hand dismissively, haughtily raising her snow-white neck.

"Mom, just accept it. My brother Wang Feng is a cadre, he doesn't lack these things to eat or use."

Wang Feng nodded: "Mom, please accept it without worry. Jingru and I don't need much food, and my salary is enough. Besides, Jingru will be starting work at the factory soon, which will give her an extra source of income."

Qin's mother asked in shock, "Wang Feng, are you serious? Jingru can get a job in the factory now?"

Wang Feng was about to speak when Qin Jingru interrupted him.

"Mom, what's this? Come on, let's go inside and talk. I want to tell you..."