Chapter 77 - 077 If You Have Money, You Should Buy Land
Chapter 77: Chapter 077: If You Have Money, You Should Buy Land
Chapter 77 -077: If You Have Money, You Should Buy Land
Bai Ruozhu grinned and explained the recipe, insisting it was not complex and her mixed sour and sweet seasoning was original.
It tasted especially good during chilly weather.
The crowd nodded, showering Bai Ruozhu with compliments.
Bai Ruozhu sneakily glanced over at Wang’s Family’s crestfallen face, nearly green with envy.
Bai Ruozhu retreated, returning to the kitchen to join her mother for a meal.
With many guests visiting that day, they preferred to avoid the hustle and bustle.
Sitting on a bamboo chair, Bai Ruozhu ate very slowly, ensuring that she chewed thoroughly for good digestion.
Ignoring Wang’s Family who had followed her from the Main Hall, Bai Ruozhu carefully listened to the conversations happening inside.
Probably due to Bai Ruozhu’s unexpected news about Chang Sheng’s return, Bai’s eldest brother quieted down and stopped his sarcastic remarks.
However, he acted as the host, generously saying, “Eat as much as you wish everyone, treat this as your own home.
If we need more, I’ll have additional dishes prepared.”
Bai Ruozhu smirked, thinking was this his house?
Who would prepare the ingredients for those additional dishes?
She and her mother had prepared ample food and had none left to spare.
The most they could do was to stir-fry some Green Veggies from the backyard.
Who would she get to help with that as his wife was of little help?
Such nerve to talk like this.
Moreover, Bai Yibo’s tone was overbearing, as if he could manipulate her household with just a simple order.
The guests, who were all honest folks, insisted they had more than enough to eat, refusing to be a burden.
Bai Yibo continued to press, and the matter was only dropped after several refusals.
Lin Ping angrily spit out a fishbone onto the ground, the ‘Piak’ sound almost seeming as if it landed on Bai Yibo’s face.
Seeing her mother this irate, Bai Ruozhu didn’t want to fuel her rantings further.
She nudged her mother’s arm, signaling her that there was no need to lower themselves to that level of pettiness.
Having downed several cups of wine, the guests became chatterboxes.
“Yihong, I’m not buttering you up.
Your feast truly beats Sun Family’s.
I was just there yesterday.” In no time, the conversation in the Main Hall shifted.
A man in his thirties mentioned Sun Family.
Bai Ruozhu remembered this man was Zhou Dehai, cousin to Zhou Deshun.
He was well-known in the Village as he often helped people, hence often getting invited to such feasts.
Zhou Dehai was a steady man but the excess wine and the delicious food made him talkative.
Upon realizing he had disparaged the Sun Family, he corrected himself.
“Sun Family also hosts great feasts, it’s just that your daughter’s cooking skills are truly exceptional.” Zhou Dehai chuckled, hastily adding, “The Sun Family is really hardworking.
Just take a look, they’ve bought more land within a few years.”
Sun Family wasn’t particularly influential or wealthy in Back Mountain Village, but their two sons were hardworking and united.
They worked tirelessly in the fields and took on jobs in the Town during the slack farming season.
Even the women of the Sun Family were diligent, supplementing the family income by raising chickens and pigs, and doing embroidery work.
As a result, Sun Family managed to purchase land bit by bit over the years, becoming a rather prosperous household.
“Hmm, Sun Family is indeed hardworking, but can they manage the extra land they bought?” someone curiously asked.
Zhou Dehai laughed.
“What does it matter if they can’t?
They can always lease out the surplus land.
There will always be families looking for extra land to lease.”
A spark lit up in Bai Ruozhu’s eyes.
Maybe she should follow the Sun Family’s example: earn some silver, buy land, and then lease it out as a landlord.
The more Bai Ruozhu thought about it, the more thrilled she felt.
She decided to privately ask Zhou Dehai about the intricacies of land purchase.
If asked about the source of the money, she planned to just say it was from Chang Sheng’s friend.
Bai Ruozhu kept going over her plan, anxiously waiting to speak with Zhou Dehai right away.
By the end of the meal, both the hosts and the guests were merry.
The next day, work on the Bai family’s new house began.
Bai Ruozhu, now in charge of meals, was kept busy.
Fortunately, she didn’t have to prepare as much as for the banquet and her mother had prepared ingredients in advance, so it wasn’t too taxing.
Of course, the Bai Family questioned Bai Ruozhu, demanding to know more about the matter.
She was willing to deceive outsiders but couldn’t bear to lie to her own family, and thus she confessed all.
“You previously told us not to discuss this.
Why bring it up now?” Bai Yihong furrowed his eyebrows, finding their daughter very clever.
She must have a reason, but he couldn’t figure it out.
Bai Ruozhu giggled, “Would you believe me if I told you it was on a whim, Dad?”
Bai Yihong was stunned.
Had she just blurted it out randomly?
In reality, Bai Ruozhu knew she would have to explain someday.
She had been contemplating a plausible explanation for days and was fortunate that Bai Yibo had provided the perfect opportunity to bring up the issue.
“What if Chang Sheng does return?” Bai Yihong worriedly asked.
“If he does return, he’s one of us.
We surely know how to deal with the situation.
If he never does, it just means he’s fallen ill and can’t come back.
There’s no need to worry.”
Bai Ruozhu casually blurted out this explanation.
However, as soon as she spoke, her parents’ faces turned extremely grim.
She quickly sucked in a breath.
She actually wished Chang Sheng wouldn’t return, but her parents equated ‘fallen ill’ with her becoming a widow.
“Ruozhu, how could you say such a thing?” Lin Ping disagreed.
Bai Ruozhu quickly explained, “I spoke thoughtlessly without considering my words.
Actually, I don’t remember much about Chang Sheng and so it’s not a great loss to me if he doesn’t return.”
Bai Yihong wanted to rebut, but was nudged by his wife, as if she was saying, weren’t they worried about their daughter being too preoccupied with Chang Sheng’s absence and that it would affect her wellbeing?
Now that she was no longer bothered, they should be relieved.
With the matter resolved, the Bai Family started focusing on the construction of their new house.
Bai Ruozhu finally found an opportunity to speak with Zhou Dehai.
“Uncle Zhou, could you tell me about the intricacies of buying land?” Bai Ruozhu poured Zhou Dehai a cup of tea, then quietly asked.
Zhou Dehai instantly looked up, a surprised expression on his face, “Are you planning to buy land?
You’ve spent quite a lot on this new house, haven’t you?”
Of course, everyone in the village knew the Bai’s second house wasn’t well off.
Bai Ruozhu felt gloomy.
“I’m just asking to know, Chang Sheng told one of his friends to send me some silver.
I took a liking to the idea when you spoke about buying lands the other day, but I’m not quite sure about the current prices.” Bai Ruozhu gave her prepared story.
Zhou Dehai lowered his voice, “Don’t let your eldest uncle hear about this, else he might seize your money!”