Chapter 119 House Viewing

When it comes to looking at houses, the whole family must go out.

The family walked along the canal and looked at four or five houses.

Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, but overall, it can be summed up in one word - broken.

There was no way, Lu Qiniang had limited money.

Yun Ting wanted to say that he would not want these houses even if they were given to him for free.

Where can people live?

However, he had just been scolded by Erya yesterday, so he didn't dare to say anything at this moment.

"Is there nothing better?" Erya asked the middleman.

She also looked down on it.

"The better ones are definitely more expensive." The middle man said with a smile, "Actually, these houses look shabby, but they will look different if they are properly cleaned up."

Lu Qiniang calculated the money in her pocket, and just like what she thought last night, she gritted her teeth and decided to buy it.

But I always felt like my pockets were empty all of a sudden, and I was a little hesitant.

Xiao Yan said: "Buying a house is a big deal, let's go back and discuss it slowly."

Lu Qiniang nodded: "Yes, this is a big deal. I'm afraid I'll buy it impulsively and regret it later. What if the price drops?"

That must be so uncomfortable.

The middleman laughed and said, "Houses elsewhere may go down in value, but I've been a middleman for twenty years, and the prices of houses in the capital have only gone up. Okay, go back and think it over carefully. If you want to buy a house, come back to me and I'll help you negotiate the price."

After thanking the middleman, Lu Qiniang said she would go home for dinner, but Erya wanted to eat outside.

"It's my treat," she said. "Let's go get some shredded chicken wontons, but you can only have one bowl per person."

She doesn't have much private money left.

"Okay, let Zhaozhao take a break today and don't have to cook anymore." Xiao Yan said.

Upon hearing this, Lu Qiniang swallowed her objection.

Fifteen cents for a large bowl of chicken wontons, which contained twenty pieces.

When Erya took out the money, she thought about the extra fifteen cents for Yunting, and she felt very distressed.

While eating wontons, she asked Yun Ting: "Is it delicious?"

Yun Ting: "...It's okay."

He wanted to say it wasn't tasty, there wasn't much shredded chicken, it was just vegetables.

But is that something that can be said?

"Which is better, yours or this?" Erya asked again.

"Of course... this one is delicious."

"Then eat more." Erya rolled her eyes.

I originally wanted to trick Yun Ting. As long as Yun Ting said that his food tasted better, I would send him back home to eat.

Unexpectedly, this kid has learned his lesson today.

It's a bit dull and boring.

Lu Qiniang ate the fastest. She drank all the soup, leaving the bowl so clean that not a single vegetable leaf was left.

Anything left is disrespectful to the fifteen cents.

She sighed, "It's only because life is better now, otherwise I would never have been willing to spend fifteen cents on this bowl of wontons. Fifteen cents can buy fifteen steamed buns, which can last me three days."

Bored after finishing her meal, she looked around and noticed a stage being set up not far away.

She was curious and started talking to the owner of the wonton stall in a familiar manner.

"Sister-in-law, what are they doing with the stage over there? Are they going to have a troupe of actors?"

If that were the case, she would have to bring her three daughters to the opera and arrive early to reserve a seat.

I think the last time I listened to an opera was when I was at Zhou’s house.

"No, it's a sin," the stall owner came over and whispered, "It's a famous wealthy family in this area, building a chastity archway."

"The Chastity Arch—" Lu Qiniang said "Oh" and said nothing.

She originally thought that she could have one too.

With that thing, she no longer had to worry about anyone causing trouble for her.

It’s a pity, I heard that you have to be a widow for more than 20 years to have it.

She is completely disqualified now.

"She's not even dead yet, but the chastity arch is already ready." The stall owner sneered, "For the sake of a good reputation, who cares if a woman lives or dies?"

"Ah?" Lu Qiniang was shocked.

How could such an outrageous thing happen?

The stall owner told them that the youngest son of the Hou family died of illness, and his wife, who had just married him the previous year, wanted to commit suicide for love.

"...That wasn't a true suicide for love. It was forced upon her by the Hou family," the stall owner said. "That poor woman was actually a distant relative of ours. She originally married into the family to bring good luck. But when that didn't work out, the Hou family felt they'd lost out, so they wanted her killed so they could build a chastity archway for her. She wasn't even dead yet, but they've already started work on the chastity archway. They're so impatient."

If such a young widow commits suicide for love, she will most likely be awarded a chastity arch.

Lu Qiniang was silent for a long time.

She thought of the past.

The Zhang family also advised her to commit suicide.

But Lu Qiniang cursed back.

When she was alive, she did her best to serve her parents-in-law and take care of her husband. She owed nothing to anyone.

She is still young and hasn't lived enough. Why should she die?

The Zhang family threatened to sell her again.

Lu Qinniang fought with them for a long time and was once in trouble. It was not until the fifteen taels of compensation silver came that things turned around.

"She didn't do anything wrong, so why is she left with no way to survive?" Lu Qiniang murmured.

Xiao Yan gently stroked her back.

Erya cursed, "A bunch of men, living like mud, want to step on the corpses of women to get up, bah!"

"Let's eat." Lu Qiniang said dejectedly.

She can hardly save herself, so she can't help others.

She tried hard not to fall into this feeling of powerlessness, otherwise she would not be able to live.

Erya said, "Mother, your brother will definitely come back. You must not be soft-hearted and don't give him a penny."

Can men in this world not survive without sucking blood from women?

Each one is more damnable than the other.

"Well, I won't give it to him. I'm not afraid of him making a fuss now." Lu Qinniang said firmly.

However, Lu Chengzong did not come, probably because he was frightened by Yun Ting.

After returning, Lu Qiniang was caught in a dilemma.

Should I buy this house or not?

If you don't buy it, you have to rent a house and spend a lot of time cleaning it up, but you can be kicked out at any time.

If I buy it, I won't have any money left.

Why is she so unsure?

If it were before, she would definitely be full of confidence, after all, she could still make money.

But after the incident with the people from the Banknote Inspection Office a few days ago, she was always worried that the new official would still be like this after taking office.

The business couldn't be done, there was no way to make money, and she was really panicked because she had no money.

Seeing her hesitant, Xiao Yan said, "Buy it. Even if you need money urgently in the future, a house in the capital is still easy to sell. Sooner or later, you need a place to stay, what do you think?"

"You're right." Lu Qiniang nodded.

Xiao Yan's words helped her make the decision.

"I've lived here for a few months now, and I've developed some feelings for it. It's a shame there's still a pigsty we built outside."

Xiao Yan put a lot of thought into it, but it was all in vain and given away to others.

"I'll build you a better one later..."

"That's right, we'll definitely get better and better in the future. Then go talk to the middleman, and we'll go take a look tomorrow. If it's about the same this time, we'll make it a deal!"

Give yourself and your children a stable home, and make money later!