Chapter 479: The Old Item at Cheng Xin's Home

East Li Village

More than a dozen burlap sacks were already piled up at the brigade, most of them containing salted fish, mushrooms, and wild chickens and ducks.

Because several waves of purchasing agents had already come, the villagers didn't have much left in their hands.

After entrusting the village head to send the goods to Changshui Village, Cao Cao Weiguo prepared to head to other villages to have a look around.

Just at that moment, Cheng Xin came over with the little firewood dog.

Cheng Xin was wearing patched-up clothes, her hair dry, yellow, and split-ended, her face carrying a pallid, malnourished look.

"Director Cao!"

Cheng Xin asked shyly, "Director Cao, is Ah Fu doing well?"

Cao Cao Weiguo laughed and said, "Ah Fu is doing great! Don't worry! He eats well and sleeps well! He's put on quite a bit of weight recently!"

"That's good!"

"Comrade Cheng Xin, is there anything else you wanted to see me about?"

Looking at Cheng Xin, who seemed to want to say something but held back, Cao Cao Weiguo asked gently with a smile.

Cheng Xin pulled an IOU from her pocket: "This is my IOU! Please, you must take it!"

Looking at that firm, stubborn gaze, Cao Cao Weiguo didn't want to hurt Cheng Xin's pride.

"You! I'll accept the IOU!"

"However, you must not be in any rush to pay me back."

"Even if you pay me back before you're twenty, I absolutely will not accept it."

Cao Cao Weiguo accepted the IOU and said to Cheng Xin with a solemn expression.

Cheng Xin's home now only had her and her younger brother left.

Their only income was the pitifully few work points they earned.

If Cheng Xin were allowed to save up money to repay the debt,

Cao Cao Weiguo was truly afraid Cheng Xin would starve herself into poor health.

Cheng Xin was so moved her eyes welled up, and she asked in a very faint voice:

"Director Cao!"

"I heard Sister-in-law Xiu Xia say you like old things with some age to them."

"There's something at my home that looks very old."

"Would you like to take a look?"

Cao Cao Weiguo was instantly interested: "Of course! Take me to see it!"

"Please follow me!"

Cheng Xin brought Cao Cao Weiguo to her home.

A shabby, simple country courtyard.

In the courtyard, a boy of thirteen or fourteen was splitting firewood.

The boy looked thin and tall, like a telegraph pole.

"Xiao Yong!"

"This is Director Cao, the one who helped our family repay the debt!"

"Quick, greet him."

Cheng Yong heard this, dropped his guard, and greeted Cao Cao Weiguo with some awkwardness:

"Director Cao!"

Cao Cao Weiguo laughed heartily and said, "Hello, young comrade Cheng Yong!"

Cheng Xin invited Cao Cao Weiguo inside: "Director Cao, the thing is in the room, please follow me."

Cao Cao Weiguo followed Cheng Xin into the room, and Cheng Yong followed as well.

After a short while, Cheng Xin brought out the old item.

Cao Cao Weiguo was stunned on the spot.

This old item wasn't exactly old in terms of years.

But it truly startled Cao Cao Weiguo.

It was two Hanyang-made Mauser pistols, along with several dozen gleaming yellow bullets.

The gun was stamped with the inscription "Made in the Han Factory, Year Twelve."

Cheng Xin said timidly, "This was left behind by my grandfather. If you like it, you can take it."

What man doesn't like this sort of thing?

Cao Cao Weiguo offered a price on the spot: "Cheng Xin, I really like this. Would it be alright if I traded you forty yuan for it?"

Cao Cao Weiguo truly didn't know the market price for such a thing.

So he tried giving a tentative price.

Hearing Cao Cao Weiguo's words, Cheng Xin and her brother both widened their eyes in surprise.

Forty yuan!

That was far too much!

Even when their father was alive, at the family's most prosperous time, they couldn't scrape together forty yuan!

With forty yuan, they might not have to worry about food for an entire year!

But after the surprise passed, Cheng Xin shook her head repeatedly:

"It's too much! I can't accept it!"

"Just take this thing and return the IOU to me."

Cheng Yong looked anxiously at his older sister; he wanted those forty yuan.

Cao Cao Weiguo smiled, pulled an IOU from his pocket, then pulled out money from another pocket.

He took out exactly forty yuan, in a mix of bills and coins, and slapped them down on the table:

"Cheng Xin!"

"Here's the IOU!"

"Take these forty yuan as well!"

"Don't go thinking you got the better of me."

"Because I have no idea how much this thing ought to be worth."

"Maybe I'm the one getting the better of you."

"If you don't take the money, I won't feel right about taking these things."

Cheng Yong stared at the money with burning excitement; Cheng Xin wiped the corner of her eye:

"Thank you, Director Cao!"

"I know you're helping me."

Cao Cao Weiguo laughed and said, "I didn't help you at all — maybe I'm the one getting the better of you. Just don't curse me out in the future."

Cheng Xin wrapped the things up and handed them to Cao Cao Weiguo: "I will be grateful to you forever!"

Cao Cao Weiguo took the things: "Cheng Xin, this thing isn't ordinary. Don't tell anyone about this matter."

Cheng Xin nodded solemnly: "We absolutely won't tell anyone."

Carrying a bundle wrapped in a rag, Cao Cao Weiguo rode his bicycle away.