Chapter 359: Revisiting Xiangjiang

"I agree. Thirty thousand it is. Please arrange the repairs as soon as possible, and I will be buying some electrical appliances later on."

"Understood, General Manager Zhang."

Yangshilei had not only learned the knowledge of his ancestors but also kept pace with the times; naturally, he knew Zhang Ping'an wanted to bury hidden wiring.

"Hmm, the bathroom and toilet must also be arranged."

"Good."

The next morning, Zhang Ping'an, carrying thirty thousand in cash, went directly to complete the transaction with an old man under the guidance of Yangshilei.

"Master Lei, what is your going rate?"

"This..."

This time, Yang Shilei had no intention of asking Zhang Ping'an for a finder's fee; after all, the business Zhang Ping'an had sent his way during this period had already made him a fortune.

"Whatever it should be, it should be. Rules must still be followed."

"Then, please give two hundred."

"Fine."

Zhang Ping'an estimated that Yang Shilei had definitely asked for too little. According to his understanding, the agency fee at this time was not low; although there was no unified standard, it was definitely more than one-thousandth.

"Master Lei, please keep an eye out for thirteen more two-courtyard houses for me. If there are suitable ones, I will buy them too."

Zhang Ping'an prepared to provide one for each of his children. Although those born and raised in Xiangjiang like Wei Chun and Wei Xia were unlikely to return to Sijiucheng for long-term residence, it was never wrong to have them prepared; even if treated as an investment, it would not be a loss.

"You got it."

Furthermore, the Siheyuan belonging to his maternal grandparents should also be reclaimed. The relatives living inside should have enough money to buy a one-courtyard or two-courtyard house; after all, a one-courtyard house could be bought for at most three or four thousand now.

There was also the Clothing Shop, which should also be reclaimed into his own hands; even if that failed, he had to get the Siheyuan back.

However, getting it back shouldn't be difficult, as it was just a small shop under the neighborhood office.

"By the way, Master Lei, I will introduce five or six families to you. They will likely buy one-courtyard houses. Please keep an eye out for those recently, preferably ones close together."

"Done." Being able to make money, Yang Shilei naturally would not refuse.

The next day, a rest day, Zhang Ping'an arrived at his maternal grandparents' Siheyuan. Currently, three cousins were living inside: Qin Weiguo, Qin Dabao, and Uncle Zhang Laiyuan.

"Cousins, sisters-in-law, uncle, aunt, my grandparents' family is coming back after the new year when it gets warmer, so I have to reclaim this place."

"Hmm, that's fine, I will move out before the new year."

"Uncle, there's no rush. My grandparents' family will return around April. It will be in time even if you wait until you find a good house to move."

"Hmm, that works. It is indeed time to buy a house to live in."

They had lived here for over twenty years for the long-term residents, and at least ten years for the short-term ones. To say there was no emotional attachment would be a lie, but there were no "wolves" who insisted on not leaving.

"Cousins, Uncle, buying a one-courtyard house now only costs three or four thousand yuan. I'll recommend someone to you. Buying through him, although there is a small finder's fee, is absolutely reliable."

"Fine, then give me his address."

"Good. Uncle, you and the cousins should all know him; it's Yang Shilei, who is building my house."

"Oh, him." Zhang Laiyuan nodded.

They might not have known him back in the village, but having lived in Beijing for twenty years, they had heard of Yang Shilei's reputation to some extent.

After settling the grandparents' courtyard, Zhang Ping'an also stopped by the Clothing Shop on the way to ask Zhao Fangyuan about the feasibility of taking over the shop.

"This is afraid to be very difficult. After all, since '66, this has been classified as collective property."

"Brother Zhao, is there any other way?"

Zhang Ping'an frowned slightly. He hadn't paid attention to the previous dividends; they were all collected by Zhang Laohan and distributed to his sisters' families.

"Yes, just buy it back directly. After all, this is collective property, but the property rights are clear. The neighborhood office will directly assess the value, and you can just buy it back."

"Good. Does this have any impact on you, Brother Zhao?"

Although the Clothing Shop was a small operation, the two nephews had kept all the accounts well over the years, and they could apply for a repurchase just by totaling them up.

"What impact could it have on me? It's just changing to a different place to rest. But I'm still a bit reluctant; everyone has gotten along for such a long time."

"That's easy to handle. You can stay and continue as the manager."

"Haha, forget it."

Zhao Fangyuan smiled and shook his head. It was impossible for him to work for a private enterprise. Of course, Zhang Ping'an's words were mostly a joke, and he couldn't afford to hire such a big Buddha to sit in charge.

Since the procedures were clear, Zhang Ping'an went directly to the neighborhood office. The director was still Zhang Laiwang from back then; he was truly steady.

"Director Zhang."

"You are?"

Zhang Laiwang only felt the person was quite familiar, but for a moment, he couldn't remember where he had seen him.

"I am the original owner of that Clothing Shop. I want to redeem the shop."

"Oh, oh."

Once Zhang Ping'an said this, Zhang Laiwang remembered. Wasn't he the young man who was the first to join the Public-Private Partnership back then? It's just that after twenty years, his appearance didn't seem to have changed much?

"Then wait a moment, let me check." As long as the structure was clear and the history was known, it was largely possible to repurchase it.

"Good, sorry to trouble you."

Zhang Laiwang flipped through the records. All the records of the shop over the years were clear. Because he was the first to participate in the Public-Private Partnership, he had an exceptionally deep impression.

"No problem. Once the asset assessment is out, you can repurchase your ancestral property."

"You got it. Many thanks, Director Zhang."

"Not at all, not at all."

Having settled two matters of concern, Zhang Ping'an also prepared to make a trip to Xiangjiang. After the new year, it was time to lay out plans to enter the domestic real estate market.

Returning home in the evening, after the "sage time" following poker with Li Aihua.

"Aihua, I'm going to Xiangjiang in a few days. Do you want to come with me?"

"This... forget it. Handling the procedures now is very troublesome, and my status is not easy to pass through."

Zhang Ping'an was taken aback; he had only just remembered that Li Aihua was still in Public Security, and it was indeed difficult to go to Xiangjiang during this period.

As for him, he had long since obtained a travel permit through his son; in the past, it had always been smuggling, so this was his first time doing it openly and aboveboard.

"Hmm, I actually forgot that my wife is still in Public Security."

"Hmph."

That proud little look immediately piqued Zhang Ping'an's interest, and so the two of them played cat-and-mouse again, and the pair began to play poker.

Two days later, Zhang Ping'an, Weidong, and Xiaoguan went all the way to Yantai; Zhang Ping'an intended to check on the breeding farms along the way.

"Dad, big brother, sister-in-law."

"Hmm, let's head straight to Qi Family Village."

"Alrighty."

By this time, Qi Family Village had changed drastically; the four-and-a-half-meter-wide concrete road leading to Qi Family Village alone was enough to make the surrounding villages envious, not to mention the hundreds of acres of breeding farms on the saline-alkali land behind the village.

"Dad, although the pasture here has been sprayed with Nutrient Solution, its growth is not as vigorous as it is over in Pengcheng or Jinghai."

"Hmm, the soil must be a large part of the factor; increase the spraying density of the Nutrient Solution."

The pasture that Zhang Ping'an cultivated had indeed not been tested on saline-alkali land before, so naturally, it did not possess the characteristics to resist saline-alkali soil; it was already very good that it had its current growth.

Increasing the spraying of the Nutrient Solution could also allow the pasture to adapt as quickly as possible and take root in the new environment.

"Alright, Dad."

"Introduce the scale of the breeding farm to me." Zhang Ping'an cast his gaze out; this entire area was full of pigsties and cattle sheds.

"Alrighty, at present, after development, this place has 120 acres of pasture, nearly 500 acres of breeding grounds, over 20,000 pigs, nearly a thousand head of cattle and sheep each, and 3,000 chickens and ducks each."

"There are nearly 400 employees at the breeding farm, all of whom are people from Qi Family Village and the surrounding villages."

"Hmm."