Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Preparations before moving. ...

The locals are well-known for their strong belief in Feng Shui and metaphysics. Liu Suqin and Lin Nanjiang initially followed the local customs and paid a little attention to them, but as they lived here for a long time and interacted with the locals more and more frequently, they were unknowingly influenced by them.

It was Lin Nanjiang who first proposed the idea of ​​finding someone to calculate auspicious dates for the move and the upcoming store opening, even before Aunt Zhang had a chance to remind them. Furthermore, Lin Nanjiang had planted money trees in their new home and the soon-to-be-opened store, practically adding a God of Wealth statue.

However, the fortune teller who chose the auspicious date for them was introduced by Aunt Zhang and Uncle Chen. He was a well-known Feng Shui master in their local area. The villagers usually asked him to do the fortune-telling for any important events, including weddings and funerals.

I heard that this gentleman, in addition to Feng Shui, was also quite accurate in predicting marriages and fortunes. When Aunt Zhang took Lin Nanjiang out to the gentleman's house, she casually mentioned it, and Lin Quansheng happily followed them.

It's the hottest time of the year, and Liu Suqin is taking advantage of her free time at noon to go out under the scorching sun. However, she doesn't want to join in the fun. Wouldn't it be nice to stay at home, enjoying the fan and taking a nap with her chubby daughter in her arms?

After waking up from a nap, the two brothers also came back after studying metaphysics. They seemed to be doing well. As soon as Lin Nanjiang entered the door, he couldn't wait to share gossip with her. He said that the master had looked at Lin Quansheng's horoscope first and evaluated that he had a shallow relationship with his parents, brothers and sisters, but other aspects were good. Marriage would also be a long journey, and the wedding would be delayed, but the couple would live in harmony and they would have two sons in the future.

Lin Quansheng's mouth was about to rise to the sky, and he was still pretending to regret, "It would be great if we could have a son and a daughter, making a perfect pair, that would be perfect."

Lin Nanjiang tutted, "You're taking advantage of me, kid, and you're still acting like a good kid."

Liu Suqin also joked, "Brother Quansheng is destined to have two sons, so doesn't that mean he has to prepare at least two houses? He needs to work even harder in the future."

But I was thinking in my heart that this master seemed to be really something. In his previous life, Lin Quansheng really had two sons, and he got married much later than them. He got married when he was almost 30 years old. Isn't it true that good things come to those who wait?

After all, Lin Quansheng was a bachelor who had never even seen a wife. He was teased by them again and again, and his face turned red with embarrassment. He said, "I'm going back to prepare the food" and ran away.

Lin Nanjiang watched him leave before pulling a stool to the bedside, sitting down, and starting to brag, "Master also praised me for being lucky to have married a good wife who brings good fortune to her husband. That's why my business is so prosperous."

Liu Suqin's heart moved, but she remained calm, "Why is there something about me?"

Lin Nanjiang was delighted. "This master also knows a little about physiognomy. When he asked me to calculate auspicious days for moving and opening a store, he was very surprised to hear that my face showed a happy family and both sons and daughters, but my career and financial luck were rather average. He was very surprised that we could buy a house and a shop in the city center at such a young age. He asked in detail whether I was married, had children, and had asked for a wife. He studied your horoscope for a long time and finally said that marrying a wife like you is a blessing for me, which is simply a miracle. He told me to cherish my blessings..."

Liu Suqin was secretly surprised, thinking that the master calculated that Lin Quansheng was destined to have two sons, which could be said to be a blind cat catching a dead mouse, but how could he even see that she and Lin Nanjiang were destined not to be rich in their previous lives? Is he really that magical?

However, after being reborn, she developed a sense of awe for these things, and she became more aware that fate is not static. Being down-to-earth and living seriously is more useful than engaging in any metaphysics.

Now that she knew they had met a master, Liu Suqin just kept this in mind for the time being. If she really encountered ghosts and gods in the future, at least she would have someone to turn to for help. But there was no need to pray to the gods for every problem.

After Lin Nanjiang happily shared the good news, Liu Suqin asked with a smile, "So which two days did he calculate for us?"

"The move is on August 28th of the Gregorian calendar, and the auspicious opening date is three days later."

"That's good. There's only a few days between the opening and the move, so there won't be any chaos." Liu Suqin thought for a moment and said, "Although there's still more than a week before the move, there's still a lot we haven't bought yet. I should make time to go over there in the next couple of days."

Lin Nanjiang counted on his fingers, "The new house has all the basic furniture. The chandelier, TV, and air conditioner have also been installed. The only major appliances I'm missing are probably the refrigerator and washing machine, right? Also, the kitchen needs a lot of things, and they're quite miscellaneous. Pots and pans, rice, flour, grains, and oil..."

Liu Suqin smiled and said, "Let's buy the big stuff first. We can prepare the rest of the daily necessities slowly. When we live in the city, it will be convenient to buy everything."

Lin Nanjiang nodded in agreement and looked at her expectantly. "Our Fangfang is already six months old and has never been to the city. How about taking her with us this time? That way, she can see what our parents are like in advance."

Fearing she wouldn't agree, Lin Nanjiang made up another excuse. "We just passed by a store that sold those imported baby strollers. They looked quite lightweight. With this stroller, it would be convenient for you to take the child out for a walk or shopping. You wouldn't have to hold the child in your arms all the time. I just didn't know which style our Fangfang liked, so I haven't bought one yet. This time I want to take her to the store to try them out and choose one she likes. After we buy the stroller, we can just leave it at our house instead of bringing it back to the village, so it won't be a burden on the move later."

What he said was reasonable and well-founded, so Liu Suqin agreed, "Okay, this time our whole family will go."

He mentioned moving things and asked about the arrangements for the moving day.

Liu Suqin had just been reborn, and she was thinking that her family of four would live together in this life, and she had to take care of both the home and the outside world, and be a strong woman who took care of both family and career.

But a year later, apart from firmly controlling the family's financial lifeline, her life in other aspects can be said to be getting worse.

In her previous life, she had at least taken care of a pair of children by herself and raised them to become college students. She could be said to have worked hard and made great contributions. But now, in terms of business, she is only responsible for counting money at night and does not have to worry about decoration at all. There are people rushing to do the laundry, cooking and taking care of the children. Liu Suqin only needs to move her mouth and someone will take care of everything. The overly comfortable life is almost wearing away her will to be a big woman.

But Liu Suqin was also good at finding excuses for herself. She had to have a man by her side in this life, wasn't it because he could work? Since he performed so well, then those who can do more work should do more, and it was her turn to be a hands-off boss.

In this way, Liu Suqin threw all the moving work to him without any guilt.

Lin Nanjiang's lips curled up, still happy about the arrangements for his family to move to the city in an orderly manner. He was not unhappy that his wife had thrown everything to him, and he felt that this was his responsibility as the pillar of the family. He thought carefully, "We've lived here for a year, hired two helpers, and added Fangfang, a little smart guy. Inevitably, we have a lot of luggage and belongings, all bought this year, and they are still new. I thought we should take as much as possible with us. Even if we can't use them at home, they can be used at the store and the rental house. This way, moving by ourselves will require multiple trips back and forth, which is time-consuming and laborious. It's better to just hire someone to help. It happened that I was cleaning the store earlier and happened to run into a new family across the street who had also moved in. I followed everyone over to take a look at the excitement. That was the moving company they hired. A truck hauled the owner's family and their luggage downstairs. The strong guys from the moving team helped carry everything up and down. The owner didn't even lift a hand. It's a relief. What do you think, wife?"

Liu Suqin knew that if she didn't want to work, she had to learn to shut up. She was just lying at home enjoying the fruits of her labor, so how could she have any say in anything? Everything was decided by Lin Nanjiang.

Besides, his arrangements were flawless and very reasonable, so she naturally praised him generously and encouraged the motivated man. Finally, she gently reminded him, "Since the date has been set, you can also book a moving company in advance if you have time, so as to avoid being scrambled when the time comes."

"I know." Lin Nanjiang tried hard to suppress the corners of his mouth and put on an air of maturity and steadiness, but he didn't realize that his sparkling eyes revealed his inner thoughts clearly. "By the way, last time I called home, I couldn't help but tell everyone in the village about buying a house. It seems everyone in the village knows about it, and it's spread to the nearby factory. Those fellow villagers and old friends from the factory who used to get along well with us always start teasing us whenever we run into each other on the street. They're also very concerned about the specific date we're moving to, saying that since this is their first time encountering such a happy event, they're taking time off to come and help us celebrate. Do you think we should invite them?"

Liu Suqin knew that Lin Nanjiang had told his parents about buying a house, and she also told her parents the good news.

There is no impenetrable wall in the world. Many fellow villagers work in the surrounding areas of Shenzhen. The fact that they moved to the city later could not be concealed. The news would sooner or later reach the ears of their parents and brothers. Instead of lying all the time and finding various excuses to cover up the explanation, Liu Suqin thought that she could selectively tell some truth.

After all, neither she nor Lin Nanjiang were their parents' most beloved children, and had never enjoyed their parents' wholehearted devotion. However, they were not the kind of parents who would drag them to help other children without any bottom line. The elderly might have a more partial child in private, but on the surface, they could still keep things fair. Brothers and sisters could help each other as long as there was no interest involved.

We are all just ordinary people struggling to make a living. In her previous life, she raised two children alone in her hometown. It would have been impossible without the help of her parents, parents-in-law, brothers and sisters.

Liu Suqin believes that even the closest relatives must have a sense of boundaries, especially when it comes to money. Appropriate confidentiality is necessary, but one cannot treat others like thieves right away. Imagine that she and Lin Nanjiang bought a house in Shenzhen, which is such a big thing, but their parents finally heard about it from outsiders. How can this be justified?

So Liu Suqin chose to confess and be lenient, and she took the initiative. She had discussed it with Lin Nanjiang and Lin Quansheng two months ago, mainly for the purpose of coordinating their statements. Her suggestion was to find a time before moving to call their hometown together and tell both sides the good news of buying a house. However, to be on the safe side, they would only say that they had bought one house for the time being. If others asked, they would say that the store was rented, and they would focus on introducing the second-hand house they bought. The house was more than ten years old, very old, and had no elevator. It would cost some time to renovate it before people could live in it.

Lin Nanjiang and Lin Quansheng agreed with her suggestion very much, but those were the busiest days, and they didn't find some free time until the end of last month. The three of them went to make the two calls together. Lin Nanjiang even happily took his daughter out and coaxed her to babble into the microphone, as if she was saying hello to her grandparents.

Let’s not talk about the shock and confusion of the people in my hometown about this matter for now.

Less than a month after the phone call, the news had spread from the village to Shenzhen, which indirectly proved Liu Suqin's foresight.

At least both sets of parents didn't find out about their move from their fellow villagers. That would have been too embarrassing.

As for his question about inviting friends to the housewarming ceremony, Liu Suqin was indifferent and asked, "What do you think?"

Lin Nanjiang was still young at heart. He wanted to celebrate this kind of happy occasion, but his wife had previously placed him on such a high pedestal that he had been too embarrassed to bring it up in order to maintain the composure of a successful man and head of the household. Now that he had a ready-made excuse, he naturally spared no effort to persuade his wife. "They all know about it and have come here specifically to inquire. Wouldn't it be bad if I didn't invite anyone? It's as if we've just got a few bucks and are turning our backs on everyone. Of course, we can't invite everyone. We can just invite the friends who came to Fangfang's full moon party last time. They've all been old friends for years and got along well at the factory. Later, when we set up shop, whenever we saw them, they would bring their friends to help with business. Sometimes, when they saw we were too busy, they would even help entertain customers..."

What he said was well-reasoned, and Liu Suqin responded readily, "Okay, then let's call them. It's a good opportunity to show Li Hong and the others around. I don't have many friends here, so I can only go shopping with them. But I'm tired of the pedestrian street in town. I have to go shopping in the city next time."

"That's settled then. Tomorrow, if you see them on the street, just tell them directly." Lin Nanjiang stood up with a smile on his face, and after saying that, he went to work next door.

Liu Suqin also took her daughter, who had her eyes wide open and seemed to be listening carefully to what her parents were saying, into her arms, skillfully lifted her shirt and began to feed her.

Fangfang has been well taken care of in the past few months. She eats five or six meals a day. The little one has thick black hair, a rosy face, and her hands and feet are as plump as lotus roots. She is like a solid little ball.

This is still the stage of drinking only milk. Liu Suqin plans to move so that the kitchen utensils are complete. Living in the city will make it convenient to buy anything. By then, her daughter will be half a year old, and she can study the complementary food for the little one with Aunt Zhang.

She couldn't imagine how big a chubby little boy this child would become if he was fed in a scientific and balanced way based on his appetite. When Lin Nanjiang said he wanted to buy a stroller, she breathed a sigh of relief.

You no longer have to worry about not being able to hold your big fat daughter one day.

Thinking of the child in her previous life who was as thin as a kitten, and then looking at the little one who was holding her chubby hands and sucking milk in her arms, Liu Suqin felt both sad and satisfied, and had a sense of accomplishment. But at the same time, she didn't want to let herself down. Since her daughter was not lacking in nutrition, she could start weaning when she was one year old.

Since she doesn't have to breastfeed and has Aunt Zhang at home to help with housework and take care of the children, she has more time to do what she wants to do.

Well, there’s only half a year left. Be patient and it will be over soon.

It is said that Lin Fangfang, at this age, is not only able to eat, but is also full of curiosity about the outside world. This is her first time "going on a long journey", and her parents are very nervous and worried. They are afraid that she will not adapt to the outside environment and that she will suffer from cold or heat, so they specially arranged for her to depart before seven in the morning.

The sun is not too strong at this time, and the breeze is not too dry. You can even take a ride on the tricycle, which is very comfortable.

But the little one was not at all as uncomfortable as the adults imagined. From the moment she got up and her mother put on a beautiful floral dress and new socks and sandals, she seemed to realize something. Her chubby face was full of excitement. She babbled and danced, and she didn't stop until she was carried and sat on the tricycle. Her big eyes like crystal grapes looked around and finally fixed on Aunt Zhang who was standing motionless in the yard. She called out "ah ah ah", and the invitation and urging meaning was beyond words.

Aunt Zhang said softly, "Baby, go with mom and dad to see the new house first. Grandma won't go today. We'll all take a bus to Fangfang's house after we move in in a few days."

Aunt Zhang is about to move to the city with her employer's family, and she also wants to take some time to pack up her belongings. She currently lives in her son's house and has chosen the smallest and cheapest single room in a building. However, the rent in the village has increased this year, and the room she lives in costs more than 100 yuan per month. No matter how small the mosquito is, it is still meat. When she goes to the city to work as a live-in nanny, she can rent out this room as well.

The prerequisite is that she packs up properly and places the luggage and belongings that she doesn't plan to take away in advance.

Liu Suqin knew what Aunt Zhang was planning, so she grabbed her daughter's chubby hand and waved, "Dear, let's say goodbye to Grandma."

"Ahh." The little girl can only speak baby words at the moment, but since she was born, she has always been surrounded by many people. After listening to the conversations between adults, she can also understand some simple words. Now she realizes that the grandma who has been taking care of her patiently is not with them, her little mouth pouted, and she immediately turned from a sweet bean into a wronged little bitter melon.

Seeing this, Lin Quansheng on the opposite side could not help but sit up straight. He had already thought about what face he would make to comfort his eldest niece if she burst into tears. But the next second, Lin Nanjiang shouted, "Sit tight, my daughter. Daddy is going to drive." As the tricycle slowly started, the little bitter melon's attention was immediately diverted. She opened her eyes wide and looked at the scenery around her retreating curiously. Her frown rose involuntarily and she soon grinned.

Lin Quansheng, who had been on high alert, lost his temper and said helplessly, "Isn't Fangfang a little too well-behaved? She's so happy that the adults don't even need to worry about her."

"Yes." Speaking of this, Liu Suqin was also very emotional, "This child is really easy to take care of, she doesn't cry or make a fuss, as long as there are adults with her, she is very happy to play with herself."

She is completely different from the delicate girl in my memory who would sob like a kitten when she was a little unhappy.

I think it’s because I gave my child too little sense of security in my previous life.

Lin Nanjiang, who was driving, overheard the conversation and immediately felt elated. "That's right! My daughter is indeed born in a big city. She's seen a lot of the world at such a young age. She's destined to have a great future, unlike those kids who only know how to throw tantrums and cry."

Even though Liu Suqin had just recalled her past life and was filled with emotion, she still found it difficult to comment on his complacent remarks. Lin Quansheng even directly complained, "My sister-in-law is right. You really are boasting like a woman selling melons. You don't know how to be humble at all."

Lin Nanjiang didn't take it seriously. "Humility is for outsiders to see. We don't have any outsiders here, so of course I'm telling the truth. By the way, driving with a child is slow; it'll take an hour or two to get into the city. You should hold Fangfang more later. The little one is getting heavier, and her mother really can't hold her for long."

"Sure." Lin Quansheng agreed readily, "If you're worried, we can switch. I'll drive and you can hold the girl."

Lin Nanjiang: "That's not necessary. It's the same as before. I'll drive into the city and you drive back."

He hadn't visited his new home in nearly two weeks, and Liu Suqin hadn't been there even longer. The last time she'd been in town was two months ago, when the renovation team finished work and she'd come along to inspect the results. So, despite a packed schedule today, Lin Nanjiang and Lin Quansheng were ready to rush back to set up their stall, but their first stop in town was to visit their new home.

The other two had no objection.

Lin Nanjiang drove into the residential complex with familiarity and chatted with the security guard for a while. He then met several neighbors in the community and greeted them familiarly. When he parked downstairs, he saw an elderly woman coming out of the apartment building and called out enthusiastically, "Auntie Qi, come down for a walk. Have you eaten yet?"

"I've eaten. It's Xiaolin. When are you planning to move?" The old lady also walked forward with a smile. Lin Nanjiang had already introduced them. "This is Aunt Qi who lives upstairs from us. Aunt Qi, this is my wife, children, and brother."

Aunt Qi also held a one-year-old child and came over to introduce herself to each other. "That's great. Your child's nickname is Fangfang, and ours is Tingting. We're about the same age. The children can play together and grow up together in the future, and they can also be companions."

Lin Nanjiang smiled brightly when he heard that. "Yes, we will pack up and move in at the end of the month. We will live upstairs and downstairs from now on. I'd also like to ask Tingting to take care of my sister."

"They are all children, they just need to play together. There is no need for anyone to take care of anyone else." Liu Suqin glared at Lin Nanjiang and then praised, "Tingting is really good-looking. Look at her big eyes and small nose. She is such a beautiful child."

Aunt Qi was very happy. "It's the elder sister's duty to take care of the younger sister. Oh, both children are beautiful. Put them together and they look like a pair of sisters."

After bidding farewell to his friendly neighbor, Lin Quansheng couldn't help but sigh as he carried his belongings up the stairs with the other two. "I've heard that locals look down on migrant workers like us, but aren't your new neighbors quite easy to talk to? These past few months living in the village, the older folks have been very warm and friendly."

"It's really comfortable in the village. Whether the elders are rich or poor, they all live the same. They don't care whether the tenants are wealthy or not. As long as they don't damage the furniture and don't default on the rent, it's fine." Lin Nanjiang said as he used his key to open the door to his new home. He stepped aside to let his wife and child go in first, while he continued to whisper with his good friend behind them, carrying some luggage. "But in the city, there are still differences. We bought a house to settle down. Others in the community won't look down on us because of this, but we will be neighbors for life. We will see each other every day, and we won't let our relationship become too awkward."

Lin Quansheng nodded and concluded, "So we still have to buy a house."

"That's right. Owning a house here gives you confidence and allows you to live a stable life." Lin Nanjiang patted his shoulder and said earnestly, "You have to work hard too."

He stood at the door to encourage his good brother, while Liu Suqin began to visit the new home with her daughter in her arms.

This place is very different from what she saw two months ago. The house is now bright and clean, the floor is polished to a shine, there are tables, chairs, sofas in the living room, a TV, and floor-length curtains on the glass sliding door of the balcony. It looks like a warm little home. Liu Suqin then went to the kitchen, bathroom, master bedroom, guest bedroom, and children's room. In short, every place is to her liking. The decoration is simple but warm. There are not many furnishings, but the tables, chairs, beds and cabinets are complete. It is also very clean and tidy, and you can move in at any time.

After looking around, Liu Suqin returned to the living room and put the little one, who was punching and kicking excitedly in her arms, onto the sofa to flutter around. She nodded with satisfaction and said, "You've cleaned up nicely. The furniture you chose later is also generous and practical, and it matches the decoration style very well."

Lin Quansheng followed closely behind, put down his things and quickly went around to each room. He was just coming back with excitement, wanting to share his excitement, when he heard Liu Suqin's words. He suddenly felt uneasy, "Is this what you call a well-maintained house? I never dreamed that there was such a beautiful house. Look at the crystal chandelier above your head, the curtains with patterns that are more beautiful and fashionable than other people's clothes, and the toilet that is so clean and bright that you can live in it directly..."

Liu Suqin: ...

Sorry, this one got her to act all right. Looking at her friend's excited expression, thinking about the adobe house in their hometown and the cramped, crowded, damp, and dimly lit rental apartment they were currently living in, Liu Suqin realized that her words were indeed a bit pretentious and quickly changed the subject. "By the way, Brother Quansheng, we've prepared two guest bedrooms. Go pick the one you like first, and the other one will be for Aunt Zhang."

"This..." Lin Quansheng subconsciously wanted to refuse. With such a nice house, even if he lived in the toilet, he would still be making a profit. Why would he need to choose? But just as he opened his mouth, Lin Nanjiang put his arm around his shoulder and pulled him away. "Hurry up, I've reserved the second largest bedroom in our house for you. Except for the lack of an attached bathroom, the layout is almost the same as our master bedroom, and it even has a large balcony with floor-to-ceiling windows. If you think it's okay, choose this one. Book the room and hurry up to pack your things."

Everything in the new house has been packed up, even the thorough cleaning has been done in advance. On the moving day, all you have to do is organize your luggage, make the bed and sweep the floor, and you can move in comfortably.

In order to minimize the workload on the moving day, they also packed some luggage that they didn't need for the time being, such as winter clothes and quilts, and old clothes and toys that the children didn't need much.

Because the house was built by Lin Nanjiang himself, and he had seen it transformed from an old house to its current bright and clean appearance, Lin Nanjiang poured countless efforts into it, and he also developed a sense of responsibility. Without Liu Suqin's instructions, he immediately took Lin Quansheng with him to sort out the things he brought, and then sorted them into various cabinets or storage rooms. Seeing that the huge house was restored to its new and tidy appearance, he came out to Liu Suqin with satisfaction and said, "Everything is done, let's go, first buy a cart for Fangfang, and then buy some appliances."

The little girl who was climbing and rolling on the sofa heard her own name, raised her little head and said "ah ah" twice as if to show her support. The next second, she was lifted up high by her father.

Accompanied by the clear laughter of children, several people went downstairs and came to the baby products store that sold strollers that Lin Nanjiang had been thinking about.