Chapter 131 Chapter 131 Brother Liu’s Thoughts.

Qian Juxiang took the time to clean up yesterday, and the whole house was clean and spacious. It was indeed a bit too luxurious for Liu Ping to live alone in a house with three bedrooms, two living rooms and two people. Most of the tables, chairs and cabinets were empty, and it looked empty everywhere.

Elder Brother Liu and Second Uncle and Second Aunt, who came for the first time, had no mood to comment on the decoration of his house, which was far inferior to Liu Suqin's, and was empty, looking too simple and even shabby.

After all, they were in a big city where every inch of land was valuable. They had noticed carefully on the way here that the nearby streets were very busy with traffic and bustling. It must be in the city center. To be able to own such a large house in such a good location, their eyes and hearts were filled with envy and amazement.

What's more, Liu Ping's house is much more upscale than their old adobe house, so it's really not their turn to comment on the shabby decoration.

So from the moment he changed his shoes and walked in, he could hear the constant exclamations of admiration from Brother Liu, Second Uncle and Second Aunt. He refused the suggestion of sitting down for tea, and began to stroll around and visit without any reservations, looking at every corner of the room.

What the siblings didn't expect was that what Uncle Liu and Aunt Liu liked most was the bathroom. They looked at the toilet in the master bedroom as if they had found some rare treasure. When they heard that both bathrooms were equipped with water heaters and that hot water would flow out automatically after a while by turning on the faucet and shower head in the sink, their eyes lit up and they were eager to try something.

Uncle Liu and Aunt Liu's expressions were so easy to understand that even Liu Ping noticed it. He immediately told them to take a bath and feel the heat. Liu Suqin also helped persuade them, "Uncle and Aunt, you've been sitting in the car all day. A hot bath will help you relieve your fatigue and get a good night's sleep."

With this step, Uncle Liu and Aunt Liu happily agreed. There happened to be two bathrooms, so the couple each took clean clothes and went to take a shower excitedly.

As soon as the switch was turned on, hot water flowed out continuously, and they didn't have to worry about the water and electricity bills. It was the first time for the couple to have such a refreshing bath, and they each stayed in the bathroom for half an hour.

The three siblings also chatted in the living room for half an hour.

Brother Liu privately has a mentality of treating his elder brother like a father, but he has lived under the high pressure of his old mother for many years, and he himself has been disciplined like a grandson, so he has no intention of acting as the boss.

In the past two years, his parents have been living in Shenzhen with his sister and have been unable to help with the family affairs of his brothers. He has gradually taken on the responsibility of being the head of the family, and has spontaneously taken on the responsibilities of the eldest brother and started to take care of his younger brothers and sisters.

Seeing his youngest brother buy such a big house at such a young age, and already surpassing him and the second oldest brother, Brother Liu felt envious and disappointed, but also felt relieved and proud. He unconsciously used the tone of an old father, "The old saying goes that you should get married first and then build a career. Now that you have bought a house, you have completed the latter. When are you going to find a partner?"

Liu Ping didn't know about Big Brother's complicated feelings. He stretched lazily with a nonchalant look on his face and replied nonchalantly, "I still owe my sister a lot of debts. I have to pay them off first."

He was a free-spirited person and didn't want to take on the responsibility of supporting a family too early. In the past six months since he bought the house, there were so many people around him urging him to get married and even eager to introduce him to someone, which further aroused his rebellious psychology.

Brother Liu wasn't as generous as outsiders, so many people didn't take his reasons seriously. Kind-hearted people would tell him there was no rush, that he could work and pay off his debts simultaneously, which wouldn't conflict with finding a partner, and that there was no need to delay his lifelong plans for such a small matter. Meanwhile, more malicious people would simply urge him not to pay back the debt, arguing that his sister and brother-in-law were already so wealthy; wasn't it only natural for them to buy a house for their younger brother?

But in the heart of Big Brother Liu, even if it was blood brothers and sisters, repaying debts was a matter of course. He didn't want any of his younger siblings to suffer. He immediately expressed his approval upon hearing his younger brother's statement, nodding seriously, "Little sister's money didn't come from the wind, so it's only right to repay it early. But such a large sum of money can't just be talked about. There should be a set schedule. For example, when your second brother borrowed the money, he said that he would repay our debts first and strive to repay it within two years. It's only been over a year, and you and I have already paid off most of our share. You should also give us a clear plan. How many years do you plan to repay it in?"

Speaking of Second Brother Liu, Liu Ping's expression became more serious. He admired his second brother in his heart for being a ruthless man. He and his second sister-in-law participated in the entire process of building the house, doing it themselves, and were exhausted physically and mentally. By the time the house was built, the couple had almost become unrecognizable, but they refused to take a break and ran to help others build houses, earning several thousand a year.

At this rate, the couple will be able to pay off their debt in about two to three years, which is simply a miracle.

Liu Ping admired Lao Er from the bottom of his heart, but he wasn't prepared to be as hard-working as him. He could pay back the debt, but he couldn't sacrifice his quality of life. "Spending two-thirds of my monthly salary on repayments is already my limit. At this rate, I should be able to pay it off within five years."

Brother Liu was skeptical and turned to the other party to verify, "Is what he said true?"

Liu Suqin nodded. "He really wasn't bragging this time. At this rate, it's more than enough to pay off the debt within five years. After all, he's under pressure. He's been working even harder these past few months, and his performance has been steadily improving. He even has a chance to be recognized as an outstanding employee this year."

Brother Liu smiled with a look of incomprehensible authority and said, "As long as he's willing to work hard, he'll still be young in five years. People in big cities tend to marry late anyway, so it's not too late to start looking for someone in his mid-twenties."

Liu Ping didn't like the topic of urging marriage, so he just kept approaching his sister to ask about this year's outstanding employee selection. "Really? Can I be selected as an outstanding employee this year?"

My brother didn't understand the significance of this award. He probably thought it was just like the children's "Three Good Students" award, which was just symbolic. But he knew the inside story: outstanding employees' year-end bonuses would be doubled.

The year-end bonus for ordinary employees is one month's income, and outstanding employees receive an extra month's salary. Combined with the original salary, the monthly income can exceed ten thousand yuan. No one doesn't want to get this bonus, especially Liu Ping, who is burdened with huge debts, and is drooling with greed.

With a monthly income of over ten thousand yuan, even if he has to pay off his debts, he will still have three or four thousand left. If he can take such a huge sum of money home for the New Year, I can’t imagine how happy he will be.

Liu Suqin spread her hands. "Outstanding employees are the top three performers this year. It all depends on the data. How would I know if you ask me? But I heard Li Hong mention it last time. She said you have great hopes this year."

Liu Ping thought that knowing in advance that he had a chance to be shortlisted was an advantage for him. He was not discouraged, but full of fighting spirit. "Okay, then I will try my best next time."

Although Big Brother Liu didn't know the inside story, he also expressed his approval of the younger brother's work attitude and encouraged him, "Yes, there is still more than half a month before the New Year holiday. If you work hard, you may be able to become the first."

The three siblings chatted about work for a while.

Brother Liu didn't understand much but was very interested. He wanted to learn more so that he could tell his children about it when he got home, encouraging them to study hard, get into college, and live in a big city in the future. So he asked his younger siblings about many things.

It was not until Uncle Liu and Aunt Liu finished their showers and came out that Liu Suqin stood up and greeted them, then took the car keys and went home.

The next day, Brother Liu was already sitting in Xiao Fangfang's living room watching TV with her.

The kindergarten had its winter break early, and it was impossible to assign homework to the little ones. Xiao Fangfang had nothing but playing at home during the break. Even if she was not addicted to TV, the time she spent watching cartoons and TV series inevitably doubled. From two hours of TV a day in kindergarten, it increased to five or six hours a day.

Liu Suqin did not strictly restrict her from watching TV. After all, the little one will be six years old next year, and she has already decided on the interest classes she will attend. She will officially start elementary school the year after next. The pressure will only increase with age, and there will never be such carefree winter and summer vacations again. Liu Suqin also doesn't mind letting her do more of the things she likes.

Watching TV for a long time affects her eyesight, so she requires a break of at least ten minutes every hour to relieve eye fatigue.

In fact, she didn't make any requests. Xiao Fangfang was also very busy. She had to accompany her grandmother to buy groceries, find friends nearby to play games, and change clothes for her beloved dolls at home. The puzzle toys her mother bought recently were also her favorites. Oh, by the way, she had to go next door to see her little brother Lele every now and then. He can now turn over and crawl on the floor. He is becoming more and more fun. Fangfang also regards him as an interesting toy. There are many things to do every day, and the time for watching TV is limited. In addition to her mother's requirements, the child made a schedule for herself. She watched cartoons for more than an hour in the morning, more than an hour in the afternoon, and watched news and TV series with adults for two hours in the evening.

When Liu Suqin got up at this time, the little guy had already returned from shopping with his grandmother, had breakfast, and was concentrating on watching cartoons. So when Qian Juxiang came out of the kitchen with breakfast, she couldn't help but nag him again, "You are getting lazier and lazier. You are not even as good as a child..."

"Children are full of energy, so it's normal for them to go to bed early and get up early." Liu Suqin didn't care. Her mother was just talking anyway. Didn't the stove still heat up breakfast for her anytime and anywhere?

After taking a sip of hot porridge, Liu Suqin turned around and asked Brother Liu, "Why are you here so early? Have you eaten yet?"

Brother Liu explained with a smile, "I had already eaten before coming here. My cousin and her boyfriend came over early this morning and said they had taken some time off to take us out for a walk. I figured they were also planning a meeting with their in-laws that afternoon, so I said I wanted to come over and see you. She and her boyfriend were worried I wouldn't know the way, so they insisted on giving me a ride and even treated us to breakfast on the way."

Liu Suqin nodded and said, "I don't have any plans today. I'll go out for a walk with you later."

Brother Liu rubbed his hands and said, "I just want to go and see the stores you opened. I'm not interested in anything else."

"That's fine. Let's go to the store and have lunch near the mall. After lunch, we can go shopping in the mall. It's almost time."

Hearing this, Qian Juxiang, who was drying clothes on the balcony, suddenly poked her head out and asked, "Ah, aren't you going home for lunch?"

Liu Suqin didn't answer but asked, "Mom, do you want to come with me?"

Qian Juxiang hesitated for a moment and said, "I'd better stay home and play with Fangfang. You two can go shopping."

The key is to be at home with your kids.

If she went out with them, she would have to take Xiao Fangfang with her. How could the brother and sister, one old and one young, enjoy the prosperity of the big city with peace of mind? The eldest brother had finally gone out for a trip and would only stay here for two days. Qian Juxiang still wanted him to take the opportunity to see more of the outside world.

Liu Suqin wasn't surprised by her mother's answer and smiled. "I have to take my second uncle and second aunt to the village this afternoon, so I'll have to have dinner there before coming back. There won't be any outsiders at home tonight, so you and Aunt Zhang should cook some more dishes to treat Big Brother well."

Qian Juxiang said angrily, "Since you know there aren't many people eating dinner at home, you still asked me to cook a few more dishes. You are really becoming more and more wealthy."

"Prepare a smaller portion and more dishes so that big brother can try more new dishes." Liu Suqin just made this suggestion and then lowered her head to concentrate on eating breakfast.

Apart from anything else, Qian Juxiang's decision not to join in the fun and go out was a very correct one.

After Liu Suqin showed her eldest brother around the stores she and Lin Nanjiang had opened, the siblings returned to the car, preparing to head to the mall for lunch. Sitting in the passenger seat, eldest brother Liu was silent for a long time. For the first time, his honest face showed a variety of expressions, including entanglement, hesitation, and uneasiness. Finally, he spoke with a firm resolve, "Suqin, in addition to accompanying my second uncle and aunt to Shenzhen this time, I also have something I want to ask your advice on."

"What's the matter?" Liu Suqin turned her head curiously and glanced at her elder brother, then retracted her gaze and concentrated on driving.

Without anyone staring at him, Brother Liu actually felt more at ease. He explained in one breath, "Your sister-in-law and I used to think that living conditions were better now. Even if we stayed in the countryside farming for the rest of our lives, we wouldn't have to worry about having enough food and clothing. When the time came, we could build a house and find Liu Qiang a wife, and our mission would be accomplished. Who would have thought that in just a few years, the outside world would have changed so dramatically? Seeing that with the care and support of you, his aunt, and his uncle, Raba, Liu Qiang has the opportunity to make a living in the big city, your sister-in-law and I are happy and grateful. We just didn't have such an opportunity before, but now that our child has the hope of becoming a city dweller, we wake up smiling in our dreams. But now, your sister-in-law and I can't just tend to the crops like before. At the very least, we have to save more money while we can. Otherwise, even if Liu Qiang can get into college and successfully get a job in a big city, relying on his own efforts, when will he be able to buy a house and get married..."

Seeing that the car was almost at the destination, the eldest brother was still rambling and couldn't get to the point. Liu Suqin had to help him speed up and said with a look of approval, "Brother, what you and your sister-in-law are thinking about is reasonable. You are both under 40 years old, which is the right age for adventure. Are you planning to come to Shenzhen to work now?"

"No, no, no." As if afraid that if he spoke a second later, his younger sister would arrange a job for him, Brother Liu shook his head frantically to deny it. "Your sister-in-law and I can only recognize a few words now. We are afraid of being cheated in the big city. We are just causing trouble for you. We are used to farming in the countryside. Besides, if we move away, what will happen to the children? Who will take care of the old house, fields and land at home?"

Nowadays, the paddy fields under the names of Qian Juxiang and Liu Erge's family are all cultivated by Liu Dage and his wife, and they don't have to pay any money. They pay a certain amount of grain every year according to the harvest as the fee for renting the land, but only Liu Erge's family accepts the grain intact. Qian Juxiang and Liu Laogen go back to their hometown once a year, and stay there for half a month at most. They can't eat much at all, and the remaining grain is finally left to the old family.

In addition, they used new rice seeds a few years ago, and recently they started to promote the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. The harvest is getting better every year. He and his wife can earn one or two thousand yuan after working hard for a year.

Brother Liu and his wife are actually quite satisfied with this income. They are considered a wealthy family in the village. They don't want to give up the jobs they are used to doing and come to Shenzhen to start from scratch. Even if they have the help of their younger sister and brother-in-law, how many years can they work outside?

At least if you stay in the countryside and work, there is no such thing as layoffs or unemployment. As long as your hands and feet are still there, an old man in his sixties or seventies can still farm and support himself.

So in order to save more money for their son, the couple also thought about developing some agricultural and sideline businesses. Combined with farming, they could earn three to five thousand yuan a year, which would make them satisfied.

Liu Suqin was a little surprised by her elder brother and sister-in-law's determination to stay in the countryside, but not for long. She just asked curiously, "What do you want to do in your hometown?"

"Your eldest sister-in-law's brother contracted a fish pond with someone last year. I heard they made some money, so they want me to contract the fish pond in front of our village as well."

Liu Suqin recalled the fish pond in front of their village and shook her head speechlessly. "It's such a small fish pond. What can you do with it? Raise fish and lotus roots? You can, but the scale is too small. Fishing and digging lotus roots are not easy jobs. You have to carefully tend to it every day and worry all year round. In the end, after deducting costs and labor, you only earn a few thousand yuan. It's too hard. The income is obviously not proportional to the effort."

Brother Liu sighed, "That's what I told your sister-in-law too. The fish pond in front is too small, and there's not much profit in contracting it. The reservoir in the back is larger, but the contract fee and investment costs would be several times higher. Not to mention your sister-in-law disagrees, I'm also unsure. If something unexpected happens, all the harvests of the past few years will be wasted."

Liu Suqin realized that she had dealt a heavy blow to her elder brother, so she quickly comforted him, "It suddenly occurred to me that the income from just contracting a fish pond isn't high. You could raise chickens and ducks as well. They lay eggs and can be sold as meat. If you release them into the fish pond, their droppings can be used as fish food. Brother, you can practice with this small fish pond first. After two years, when you've gained experience, you can safely contract a reservoir..."

Speaking of raising chickens and ducks, she couldn't help but suggest, "Don't you also raise pigs? I remember that my sister-in-law is quite good at raising pigs. The pigs she raises every year are always heavier than those of other families. This business is not bad. However, you should expand your pigpen or find another place. One or two pigs are fine, but raising more will make them smell too bad. Keeping them next to the house will affect your life a bit."

Brother Liu's eyes lit up. "Why didn't I think of this? Your sister-in-law used to raise pigs for the meat at the end of the year. She used to cut pig grass herself and feed them. Pigs grow slowly, so you have to raise them from the beginning of the year to the end. But if you raise pigs to sell, you can have them ready in as little as six months. If you mix pig grass with feed, they'll grow strong and sell for more money."

Then they entered the restaurant, where the brother and sister were discussing the prospects of the breeding industry. After the meal, Brother Liu basically decided to take a two-pronged approach, contracting fish ponds to raise chickens and ducks and raising pigs at the same time. This way, he could accumulate experience while observing which one was more profitable.

Liu Suqin wholeheartedly supported her brother's decision, but she wondered, if they really succeeded in both fields, what would they even need to compare? Adults, of course, would want both.

It just so happens that the eldest brother is in charge of the fish pond and the eldest sister-in-law is in charge of raising pigs. If the couple feels that they are too busy, they can ask for help. There is no shortage of people working in the countryside. If the villagers knew that they could find a job right at their doorstep, they would definitely rush to apply.

But the prerequisite is that her eldest brother and his wife must try it first. Only after they successfully make their first pot of gold will they have the confidence and motivation to continue. Otherwise, even if she offered to invest money to help expand the scale, her eldest brother and his wife would not agree.

All Liu Suqin can do now is to encourage her elder brother to take this step bravely. After all, her experience of living in the countryside is not as good as her elder brother's. The suggestions she made are just what they could not think of at the moment. In terms of understanding, it is definitely her elder brother Liu who knows more.

So she started talking, and then Brother Liu kept talking, explaining how many years the fish pond would be contracted for and how many pigs to raise first. He spoke very clearly.

However, Liu Suqin still tried her best to use her brain. After dinner, she suggested, "Let's go to Xinhua Bookstore and see if there are any books on breeding..."

When Brother Liu heard about buying books, his scalp went numb. "Forget it. I won't understand the book even if I buy it. Let's not waste the money."

"You don't have to spend money, I'll buy it." Liu Suqin insisted unexpectedly, "If there really were books on this subject, you wouldn't know how much trouble you'd have to take! If you really can't bear to read it, don't we still have Liu Qiang? Let him finish reading and then teach you."

Thinking of his son, who is now almost always ranked first in his class, Brother Liu nodded with satisfaction and pride. "That's right, he's already a young man. It won't hurt for him to read more books and learn more knowledge."

Lin Nanjiang returned home after finishing his work in the afternoon. Liu Suqin was also returning from the Xinhua Bookstore with his eldest brother. When he saw the bag his eldest brother-in-law was carrying, he couldn't help but tease him, "Suqin, are you taking your eldest brother to buy tutoring books again? No wonder the kids always love and hate you."

Before Liu Suqin could speak, Brother Liu hurriedly explained to her, and displayed several reference books she had bought for him, as if presenting a treasure. Lin Nanjiang flipped through two pages and asked curiously, "Brother, what did you buy? Are you planning to start a breeding business?"

Brother Liu asked with a bit of anticipation and trepidation, "Do you think this is reliable?"

Lin Nanjiang and Liu Suqin had similar reactions. They supported and encouraged each other with all their might, and even wanted to pay money to help after just a few words, but were stopped by Brother Liu. He didn't even ask for support from his own sister. He thought of starting on a small scale and accumulating experience. When he needed to expand the industry, he would definitely have earned back his capital, otherwise wouldn't all those years of work have been in vain?

Lin Nanjiang was a little disappointed that he had no chance to contribute money, so he started to think of some ideas. "If you encounter a problem and the methods in the book don't work, just go directly to the animal husbandry station in the county or town. That's what they do, so feel free to ask for help."