Chapter 16: Buying the House

While everyone curiously stared, when looking at the small car that was conspicuously out of place in front of the courtyard, a girl with a ponytail and a white dress walked out from the courtyard; perhaps she had just argued with someone, the girl's complexion was very bad.

The girl, seeing Su Ruo and the others, pointed at the not‑far‑away house and said: "My name is Zhao Qing, I am an old educated youth who originally came down to the countryside; that house was built by me for eighty yuan. Now I am returning to the city—whoever wants this house for fifty yuan, I will sell it to her together with everything inside."

Li Shirou and the others hearing Zhao Qing's words were all stunned, not understanding what was happening.

Su Ruo, however, was not at all surprised by this scene; unlike the others, she was not only not surprised or confused, at this moment her eyes flashed with excitement.

Come, come, finally here—Su Ruo looked at the house before her and silently swore in her heart that this time she would definitely buy it!

Zhao Qing was the educated youth from Da Yao Village before; her family was well‑off, but because she did not get along with the people at the educated youth point, she immediately built her own house and moved out to live alone.

In her previous life, when Su Ruo and the others arrived, it just happened to be the time Zhao Qing was leaving.

Although Zhao Qing did not get along well with the old educated youths, she thought that since she was leaving anyway, she could not take the house with her, so she wanted to sell it cheaply to the old educated youths.

Who would have thought the old educated youths were all thinking of snatching a bargain after Zhao Qing left, and had no intention of paying for it—thus the scene just now occurred.

In her previous life, that house was ultimately bought by Li Shirou for thirty yuan.

You know, this price can be said to be extremely low; not counting the cost of building the house, just the items inside—pots, bowls, utensils, furniture—added together would surely be more than thirty yuan.

But Zhao Qing wanted to sell the house, and no one was willing to buy it; she also did not want to let the old educated youths have it cheaply, so even if she was unwilling in her heart, she finally gritted her teeth and sold it.

After Li Shirou bought the house in her previous life, she moved in; the house had a bedroom and a small kitchen. After moving in, Li Shirou invited Su Ruo and her siblings to share meals.

Su Ruo had never had friends since childhood; it was rare that Li Shirou did not despise her, so naturally she would not refuse.

Although they said they were sharing meals, in fact only Su Ruo did the cooking; Li Shirou and her two siblings just ate, and they didn't even wash the bowls.

Even so, Su Ruo did not feel it was wrong; she felt that the house was bought with Li Shirou's money, and using Li Shirou's kitchen to cook was appropriate.

Now Su Ruo thinks back and feels that in her previous life her brain must have been rusted.

Later, after Li Zeyu confessed his love to her, Su Ruo even took on washing clothes, tidying the room, and all chores, serving those two siblings like a free maid—utterly foolish!

Now Su Ruo is not short of money; she immediately decided that she must buy this house before Li Shirou does.

After Zhao Qing finished speaking, seeing no one speak, she continued: "When I built this house back then, I really spent eighty yuan—buying cabinets, water tanks, iron pots, bowls, basins, etc., which cost several tens of yuan."

Now I am leaving; these things cannot be taken with me—whoever wants this house, I will give them everything inside together.

Because she was eager, Zhao Qing's tone was very unpleasant; she thought in her heart that no matter what, she could not let those old educated youths get a bargain—even if she took a loss, she had to sell the house today.

However, the newly arrived educated youths were still hesitant, after all fifty yuan is not a small sum nowadays, and not many people can come up with that much money at once.

Unlike the hesitation of the others, Su Ruo's eyes instantly gleamed with sharp light upon hearing Zhao Qing's words.

She knew Zhao Qing was not lying; rather, she was understating the facts—for just that one big iron pot alone costs more than ten yuan and also requires an industrial coupon.

In fact, if you count everything inside the room, the value of this house is absolutely over one hundred fifty yuan.

Because everything in the room is complete, buying it allows you to move in with just your luggage; and since Zhao Qing herself is well‑off, everything she bought is of the best quality.

Although these things are secondhand, Zhao Qing has lived there only two years and has protected them well, so these items and furnishings are almost indistinguishable from new.

In her previous life Su Ruo endured so much hardship, yet she had no pretentious aversion to using secondhand goods.

Most importantly, although the house is not large, it has a bedroom, a kitchen, and all necessary facilities without lacking any.

Once bought, she would not have to squeeze with those old educated youths into the leaky, rain‑letting large communal bunk.

More importantly, Zhao Qing's house is a rare blue‑brick tile‑roofed house in the village, and it is the only house at the educated youth point that did not leak during this rainstorm.

Therefore, even just to avoid getting wet, Su Ruo had to buy this house.

Li Shirou, standing nearby, felt her heart stir upon hearing Zhao Qing's words; she had always had her own room since childhood and was not used to being with others.

But she still wanted to first look at the house before deciding; the money they brought for this down‑to‑the‑countryside assignment was already limited, so if they could press the price lower, that would be even better.

Just as Li Shirou was thinking about how to haggle, Su Ruo beside her spoke first: "All right, fifty yuan—I'll buy this house."

These words shocked everyone present; no one expected Su Ruo to buy the house without even looking at it, and to say she would spend fifty yuan just like that.

You know, fifty yuan is a sum that an ordinary family cannot save up in a year.

"Deal—hand over the money, hand over the goods; from now on this house is yours."

Zhao Qing said cheerfully, then also raised her eyebrows and glanced at the old educated youth beside her, thinking: "Want to take advantage of me? No way!"

"I bought this house, but I have one condition: the purchase must be approved by the village, and I need the brigade to issue me a document."

Su Ruo raised this condition in order to completely eliminate future trouble, to avoid anyone later coming to cause her problems; after all, strictly speaking, after Zhao Qing leaves the house belongs to the village and is collective property.

She has no backing from Zhao Qing, and she does not want anyone to come looking for trouble, so getting a black‑and‑white document is the most reassuring.

"No problem!"

Zhao Qing did not mind Su Ruo's condition as troublesome; on the contrary, she looked at her with higher regard.

Because she knew Su Ruo was someone with a plan, not a foolish big spender; only such a person could live well in the village.

The village head received the news, knew the new educated youths had arrived, and came to the educated youth point, thus saving Su Ruo the trouble of making another trip.

Zhao Qing's brother, who had been standing silently beside her, walked up to the village head at this moment and told him about the house sale.

Zhao Qing's family has connections; for such a minor matter the village head naturally would not make things difficult for them.

So he immediately returned to the brigade headquarters, helped Su Ruo and Zhao Qing write the document, and stamped it with the brigade's official seal for them.

Su Ruo happily put the document into her pocket—actually into her space—and then took out fifty yuan and gave it to Zhao Qing.

Zhao Qing took the money, didn't even count it, and got into the small car and drove away.

One smooth motion after another, until the small car disappeared before her eyes, Li Shirou finally came to her senses, not understanding how this house, which she clearly wanted to buy, had been snatched away by Su Ruo.

She suddenly felt an empty loss in her heart, as if something that belonged to her had been taken away by someone else.

Thus her gaze toward Su Ruo grew increasingly resentful, as if ever since meeting Su Ruo all her affairs had begun to go badly, and Su Ruo seemed to be her nemesis.

The group of old educated youths also looked at Su Ruo with unfriendly expressions, because Su Ruo had broken their chance to pick up a bargain, but they dared not speak out—after all, Su Ruo's transaction with Zhao Qing was entirely voluntary.

Moreover, the village head was still here; even if they were deeply dissatisfied in their hearts, they could only endure it.

(End of Chapter)