Courtyard House: Purchasing Agents' Comeback from the Great Famine

The Qin family was excited for a while before they calmed down.

Qin's mother excitedly grabbed Wang Feng's hand, her eyes reddening, and said, "Wang Feng, I don't know what to say. You've been so good to our family."

Wang Feng smiled slightly: "Mom, my parents are gone now, and I have no brothers or sisters. You are my closest relatives. We are family, so there's no need for formalities."

Qin's father patted Wang Feng on the shoulder heavily and laughed loudly, "Hahaha, yes, yes, we are family."

"Hey Dashan, even though we're family, don't take it for granted. Dad's found out that a job in the city costs seven or eight hundred yuan. How about this, once you get a job at the steel mill, you can pay Wang Feng ten yuan a month until you've paid off the eight hundred yuan."

"become."

Qin Dashan nodded emphatically and looked at Wang Feng sincerely, saying, "Wang Feng, thank you this time. If you need anything in the future, just tell me directly. If I have any objections, I'm not human."

Wang Feng waved his hand: "Brother, pack your bags today, and wait for me at the steel mill gate at 1 p.m. tomorrow. I'll take you to complete the onboarding procedures."

"become."

Wang Feng nodded, then looked at Qin's father and said, "Dad, my older brother's salary isn't high right now, and he's just started working in the factory. He still has a lot of things to buy, which will cost a lot of money. It's fine if he pays me back ten yuan a month. Besides, I didn't pay for this job opportunity. Jingru and I will soon be a dual-income family, so we won't be short of money."

After pondering for a moment, Qin's father patted Wang Feng on the shoulder and nodded emphatically.

"Alright, since you've put it that way, then so be it."

Then, Qin's father looked at Qin Dashan and said in a deep voice, "Dashan, since Wang Feng doesn't want your money, you must remember this kindness in your heart and never forget it for the rest of your life, understand?"

"From now on in the city, you will do whatever Wang Feng tells you to do. If I find out that you dare to disobey Wang Feng, I'll break your legs."

"Hehe, Dad, don't worry, am I the kind of person who forgets kindness?"

Seeing that everything was arranged, Wang Feng was about to say goodbye when he suddenly remembered that it would soon be 59, and quickly said to Qin's father:

"Dad, I've heard some news lately that there might be a famine. We should stock up on as much food as possible. I've only heard about this, so please don't tell anyone else to avoid causing panic, okay?"

Qin's father nodded solemnly: "I understand. I noticed something was wrong a while ago. Many families in difficulty are running out of food. Wang Feng, don't worry, we will stockpile more food, and we won't tell anyone else about this."

"That's good. Mom and Dad, we still need to get back to Beijing, so we'll be going now."

Qin Jingru tugged at Wang Feng's sleeve and stammered, "Brother Wang Feng, it's only a little past twelve. Can we go back to Beijing at two o'clock? I haven't had a chance to chat with my girlfriends since we returned to Qin Family Village."

Wang Feng knew that Qin Jingru's habit of showing off had struck again, so he nodded and said, "Alright, go find your best friend, but you must be back before two o'clock."

"Hehe, Brother Wang Feng, don't worry, I'll definitely be back before 2 o'clock."

After saying that, Qin Jingru disappeared in a flash, like a cheerful little bird.

Wang Feng shook his head speechlessly, moved a stool outside, took out a cigarette, and started smoking.

Qin's mother called Qin's father and Qin Dashan over, took out the cloth that Wang Feng had brought, and couldn't stop smiling.

"Old Qin, Dashan, Jingru brought twenty feet of cloth and some cotton. I'll make a cotton-padded jacket for each of you later."

Qin's mother sighed, "My daughter really knows how to take care of people. If I had known, I would have spread my legs and given birth to more daughters."

Hearing this, Qin's father rolled his eyes. When Jingru was born, he was sad for a long time because she was a girl. Now that he sees how filial Jingru is and that she has found a capable son-in-law, he complains that he didn't have enough children. It's a pity that it's too late to have more children now.

Qin Dashan was somewhat unconvinced: "Mom, if all your daughters were as filial as Jingru and could find good husbands, that would be fine. But what if they were like Auntie, giving birth to someone like Qin Huairu?"

"Don't you know that Qin Huairu married into the city and hasn't returned to her parents' home for several years? Last time she came back empty-handed, she also took large bags of things from her parents' home, including the only two old hens her aunt owned?"

Qin's mother gave Qin Dashan a hard flick on the forehead and yelled, "Qin Dashan, I think you're asking for a beating again! Do you think the daughter I gave birth to would be an ingrate like Qin Huairu?"

"Yes, yes."

Qin Dashan rubbed the back of his head, wincing in pain.

Qin's mother took out a pack of Daqianmen cigarettes from the bag and handed it to Qin's father.

"Old Qin, this pack of cigarettes is a gift from your son-in-law. Take it and keep it safe."

Qin's father took the cigarette, then looked at Qin Dashan and beckoned, "Give it to me."

"What?" Qin Dashan asked, somewhat puzzled.

Qin's father glared at Qin Dashan: "What are you pretending to be confused about? Take out the Zhonghua cigarettes, and I'll exchange them for a pack of Daqianmen cigarettes. You're so young, why do you need to smoke such good cigarettes? Do you think you're some kind of cadre like Wang Feng? I'll keep these two packs of Zhonghua cigarettes for later use."

Qin Dashan reluctantly took out the Zhonghua cigarettes from his pocket. Last time, Wang Feng gave him a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes, which he had been showing off in the village for a month. He never expected that Wang Feng would give him a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes in front of his parents this time. Now, he had to hand them over.

......

At 2 p.m., Qin Jingru returned with a big smile on her face.

"Does this feel good now?" Wang Feng asked with a smile.

Qin Jingru smiled and nodded her head: "Hehe, Brother Wang Feng, it's almost time, let's go."

"Um."

Qin Jingru found some dried mushrooms at home, put them in the bag on the back of her bicycle, and said to her mother, "Mom, why don't you raise a few more chickens at home? I'll come home and get them when they're all grown up."

"Hey, Jingru, don't worry, Mom will go to your second uncle's house tomorrow and catch a few chicks to raise."

Qin Jingru waved to her parents, then rode her bicycle with Wang Feng away from Qin Family Village, heading towards Beijing.

Qin Jingru was very happy along the way, chattering away to Wang Feng.

"Brother Wang Feng, I went to chat with Yu Ru and the others just now and ran into Auntie. She asked me about Qin Huairu's situation again, and I didn't know what to say. Sigh."

"If you don't know how to say it, then don't say it. Just tell her to go to the city to see Qin Huairu when she has time, and she'll know then," Wang Feng said with a smile.

"Brother Wang Feng, if my aunt goes to the city and sees Qin Huairu being bullied by Jia Zhangshi every day, what do you think she'll do?"

"What else can we do? At worst, we'll just have to fight."

"Hehe, Brother Wang Feng, tell me, if my aunt and Jia Zhangshi were to fight, whose side would Qin Huairu take? Would she help Jia Zhangshi fight her mother, or help her mother fight Jia Zhangshi, or would she remain neutral?"