Chapter 48: Huge Money in Hand!

Bai Baoshan… a notorious bandit in the 1990s who made people turn pale at the mere mention.

He killed civilians, killed prison mates, killed comrades… truly a man who committed every possible evil.

The one he knocked down with a single brick was this monster? Xu Yuexin gasped, relieved that his brick had hit hard and accurately enough.

"Master, the criminal named Ma Cheng woke up, but his limbs can't move; he's become a paraplegic."

"When I interrogated him, he collapsed completely and even reported several of Bai Baoshan's overlooked crimes."

"What about Bai Baoshan?"

"We shouted at him but he never reacted; when we peeled open his eyelids, his pupils were enlarged…"

……

After a while, the interrogating officer reported to the senior police officer, and Xu Yuexin, standing nearby, heard the conversation clearly.

A generation's notorious bandit… ended early by his own hand like this?

Xu Yuexin sighed.

The senior officer walked over, patted his shoulder: "Comrade, well done, you took down two extremely vicious criminals in one go."

"Next time you walk at night, be careful and try to avoid such danger."

……

After leaving the Police Station, Xu Yuexin remained immersed in his recollection.

After sending Chen Qiaoqiao home, Xu Yuexin rode his bike back to the Faculty Building in Wudaokou, entered his house, went straight to the bedroom, and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

When he woke up, the sun was shining brightly outside the window.

Xu Yuexin struggled to get out of bed, feeling a wave of fatigue and sore muscles, more exhausted than during the double robbery in the countryside.

His adrenaline was overproduced.

Xu Yuexin sighed.

Recalling the details of encountering the two bandits last night, he realized he could not reconstruct it at all; he only remembered they charged with weapons, and he smashed them with a brick.

After thinking it over, he decided not to tell his parents, lest they worry.

After washing up, Xu Yuexin walked into the bedroom bathed in sunlight, stretched lazily, and felt much of the soreness ease.

On the dining table were steamed buns made by Wu Yan and a fried egg.

"Bring the plate to me after you finish eating."

Hearing the noise, Wu Yan said from the kitchen, continuously washing the lunch dishes, "You worked hard on the exam a few days ago; relax these two days."

"Mom, I told Qiao Qiao that tomorrow our two families will meet at Donglaishun and set the wedding date."

Xu Yuexin sat down, ate the buns, and called out to the kitchen.

Wu Yan, startled, put the dishes into the sink, wiped her hands and ran out of the kitchen: "You two have decided? Great."

"Once the wedding date is set, we get married, and after that we can have children."

Have children? Are we sure the timeline can be that fast?

Sometimes, Xu Yuexin finds himself both laughing and sighing at the generational leap in his parents' thinking.

"Mom, what are you thinking? Qiao Qiao is still in school; how can she have children?"

Xu Yuexin reminded helplessly.

"Oh, anyway, the two families meeting is a great thing."

Wu Yan realized she had missed a point earlier, hurriedly said, "When your dad comes home tonight, I'll tell him."

After breakfast, Xu Yuexin took the bowls and plates to the kitchen, then headed to the post office to see if he had any letters.

Since the reprint of 'The Flower Wreath Under High Mountain' began, Xu Yuexin, except for the three days of the College Entrance Exam, has gone to the post office daily to check whether his royalties have arrived. The morning post office was unusually busy; after he arrived, all the staff were busy sorting incoming mail.

He said he was looking for a letter, and one staff member pointed directly at a pile of mail beside him, telling him to search within.

Xu Yuexin rummaged through the pile for a long time, and finally found a letter addressed to him, sent by People's Literature.

Xu Yuexin handed the letter to the staff, registered it, then opened the envelope and saw a letter and a remittance slip inside.

"Comrade Xu Yuexin, greetings. Your book 'The Flower Wreath Under High Mountain' has entered reprint, and as agreed we are transferring your royalty calculated by the number of copies: 1800 yuan in total (written: One Thousand Eight Hundred Yuan), please check receipt."

Royalty in hand!

Xu Yuexin felt a surge of joy, kept the letter, gave the remittance slip to the post office staff, and withdrew cash.

These days, postal savings banks haven't been separated yet; the post office also serves as a bank.

The result is that even in later generations, postal savings bank branches remain the most numerous nationwide, more than twice the number of Industrial and Commercial Bank branches, because wherever the nation's land reaches, there is a post office.

One hundred eighty crisp Great Unity notes were handed to Xu Yuexin. He counted them once, placed all the money into an envelope, and left the post office in a pleasant mood.

The street was bathed in bright sunshine, flocks of sparrows perched on the power lines, occasionally leaping joyfully.

The sky was as blue as if freshly washed, with very few clouds.

Amidst the splendid scenery, even the once noisy cicada chirps sounded less harsh.

"Today the people are truly, truly happy…"

Xu Yuexin hummed a happy tune, and after returning home he placed the full 1800 yuan on the table, counting it together with his previous savings.

After receiving the manuscript payment for 'The Horse Herder', Xu Yuexin had a total of 1213 yuan 7 jiao 8 fen in savings.

During this period he stayed home studying, spent little, and the only large expense was last night's lavish meal at Xin Qiao Hotel.

The royalty received today more than doubled his savings, pushing them close to the 3000 yuan milestone! At this rate, buying a house looks hopeful!

After counting the money, Xu Yuexin thought excitedly.

At the same time, a new question surfaced in his mind.

How to preserve the value of the money? Since the late 1970s, the nation's economy entered a rapid development phase, and the price level rose accordingly.

The 3000 yuan this year won't be 3000 next year; even a bank deposit can't beat inflation.

No need to think about stocks; the Shanghai Stock Exchange is still a field, and arbitraging treasury bond spreads won't be possible until 1988.

……

Xu Yuexin thought back and forth, and finally came up with a plan.

Buy gold! In October 1979, the state first decided to adjust the gold purchase price, raising it from 262.5 yuan per liang to 390.625 yuan per liang, an increase of nearly 50%!

Converting the full 3,000 yuan into gold yields a Net Profit of 1,500 yuan!

When it comes to preserving and appreciating value, nothing in the current era can compare to gold as a symbol of wealth.

The only difficulty is that private individuals are still not allowed to purchase gold, not even gold jewelry.

Xu Yuexin's workaround is to go to gold‑producing regions and buy it directly from the locals.

At present the state's gold industry is booming, encouraging the masses to pan for gold. In some places, villagers who find gold nuggets sell the bulk to the state and privately sell a small portion.

As long as one purchases in a dispersed manner and doesn't concentrate too much buying in one place, no one will notice any trace.

Xu Yuexin pondered and decided to keep an eye on gold‑related news in the future, to stay informed about the main gold‑producing areas in the north.

Of course there's no need to rush. October is still far away, giving me a full three months to carry this out.

After finalizing the gold purchase plan, Xu Yuexin closed his eyes and rested briefly at the desk.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, pulled open the drawer, took out Manuscript Paper, and spread it on the desk.

Start typing! (End of chapter)