Chapter 184: Encounter at the Market, Visit to the Village Chief

Fucai couldn't listen any more, so he mumbled a few words in reply and then made an excuse to leave. He seemed normal when he came, but when he left, it was as if the Zhang family had let out a dog to chase him.

Fucai spread what Zhang's father said that day, but most of them were laughed at. Other villagers also thought that Zhang's father was bragging. Who would have nothing better to do than build a villa for his daughter? Even if he had a lot of money to burn, he would not use it that way.

The four members of the Zhang family had no idea how the villagers had arranged them and were still busy cleaning the old house. They finally cleaned up the ancestral hall, main house and kitchen at around nine o'clock in the evening. Since they did not live there, they did not clean up the other rooms.

After finishing all this, Zhang Wanwan drove her family to the town to find a hotel to stay for two nights. However, the hotel in the town was only open until New Year's Eve, so they still had to go back to the city to celebrate the New Year on New Year's Eve, and then return to Qingpu on the second day of the New Year. The family had a car, so Zhang's mother didn't mind the long journey back and forth.

The next morning, Zhang's mother asked Zhang Baiyan to drive her to the town market to buy things. It happened that Li Yongfu and his wife were setting up a stall there, and Li Meili was also selling snacks here in the morning.

Before Zhang's mother and Zhang Baiyan saw Li Meili, she had already spotted the mother and son and shouted at the top of her voice, "Little sister, what brings you here at this time? Aren't you busy?"

"Sister!" Zhang's mother was startled and pulled Zhang Baiyan towards Li Meili's stall.

"Auntie." Zhang Baiyan called out, which made Li Meili very happy. "Since you are all here, why don't you just go to my house for dinner later? We are going to worship the God of Heaven tonight, so I can cook a table for them to have a good drink."

"No, no, sister. I'm here to buy things. Today we have to worship our ancestors and worship the God. I really don't have time to go over to your place. Let's wait until the Spring Festival. If there is a chance during the Spring Festival, we will definitely go over!" Zhang's mother laughed.

Li Meili's eyes widened. "Is your old house still habitable now?"

"Who needs to stay here? We are now staying in a hotel in town. We will stay here tonight and go back to the city tomorrow. We will come back on the second day of the Chinese New Year. You go and get busy. I really don't have time today." Mother Zhang pushed Li Meili's hand and turned to walk into the market.

Li Meili shouted behind them: "Eat something before you go!"

What responded to her was the figure of Zhang's mother walking further and further away.

After entering the market, Zhang's mother and Zhang Baiyan met Li Yongfu and Lu Cui again. The two were straightforward. Knowing that they were there to worship their ancestors and worship the God of Heaven, they immediately packed up a bunch of things they had bought for Zhang's mother to take away, and did not allow her to refuse.

Zhang's mother had no choice but to accept it with a wry smile. She and Zhang Baiyan went around for several more times, bought a lot of things, and then got in the car and headed straight for Xiqiao Village.

At this time, Zhang Wanwan was accompanying her father to visit the village chief's house.

Because today is the 29th day of the lunar calendar, the village committee is only symbolically open to the public. There are not many people inside, and the village chief is not there either. The father and daughter can only go to the village chief's house to look for him.

Sure enough, I saw him at his house immediately.

"Brother Yongnian, you're at home!" Zhang's father greeted him with a smile as he entered the door and placed the gifts he brought on the table.

The village chief was stunned for a moment, then glanced at the things on the table and said with great enthusiasm, "You're back! Come in and have some tea."

As he spoke, Zhang Yongnian went inside and brought out some snacks for Zhang's father and Zhang Wanwan. The New Year was approaching, and every household would prepare something to entertain guests.

Zhang Wanwan just took a look and didn't do anything. Unable to resist Zhang Yongnian's enthusiasm, she symbolically ate a plum and then stopped.

Zhang Yongnian asked doubtfully, "By the way, I heard from the villagers last night that your family is going to build a house. Is that true?"

Zhang's father nodded, and Zhang Yongnian was even more shocked. "Really? I thought they were joking. Why are they coming back when they are living well outside?"

"Not coming back." Father Zhang drank a cup of tea and pondered, "I want to build a house for my daughter, and build other residential land at the same time, and build a factory or warehouse to rent out. After I have a house here, I can come back and stay for a few days, especially in the summer. The summer in the city is not as cool as in our village."

This time Zhang Yongnian was no longer shocked, but dumbfounded. He looked at Zhang Wanwan in disbelief, then at Zhang's father, and couldn't come back to his senses for a long time. "No, no! Then build one for your daughter. Why don't you build one for your son?"

Zhang Yongnian had the same idea as everyone else. No matter how much a family in the village loved their daughters, they would not build a house for their daughters, otherwise they would be criticized to death!

Father Zhang smiled and shook his head, saying nonchalantly, "What should I build for him? The eldest son is studying in Beijing and will stay there to develop in the future. He will definitely buy a house and settle down there. Not to mention the village, even in the city, he may not be able to come back several times a year. Am I going to build a house for him here to raise mosquitoes?"

My girl is different. Although she is also studying in Beijing, she has her own ideas and wants to make a name for herself. She is studying agriculture and wants to come back to start her own business in the future. I am just paving the way for her in advance!"

"Hiss!" Zhang Yongnian's eyes widened, and he said, "Jianye! You have finally made it. Your son and daughter are both so successful! Okay, then when are you going to build the house? You guys can't always watch it in the city, so I can come over and take a look at it from time to time when I am in the village."

Gifts are not so easy to accept. Since someone sent them to his door, Zhang Yongnian must show some appreciation.

Father Zhang felt relieved, patted his thigh and laughed happily, "I plan to start the construction after the Chinese New Year. I will ask my second uncle to come over as a worker. It happens that he is in charge of this, and it will be easier to communicate about other renovations."

Zhang Yongnian nodded repeatedly. He originally wanted to recommend a good friend in the village to Zhang's father, but after hearing what Zhang's father said, he didn't mention it. As for the villagers who had asked him about homesteads and planned to buy land from Zhang's father to build houses, he didn't say a word about it.

As soon as Zhang Wanwan and her daughter left Zhang Yongnian's place, someone came over to inquire about them. There were three people in total, led by Fucai.

When Zhang Yongnian saw them, he didn't even raise his eyelids and said coldly: "I know what you want to ask. Jianye will build houses during the New Year, and all the residential land will be used. Your calculations are not working, so just do what you need to do!"

"No, not the village chief! Does he really want to build a house for a money-losing guy?" A man in his fifties standing next to Fucai asked anxiously.

Zhang Yongnian was unhappy and scolded in a low voice: "What do you mean by losing money or not? Her daughter is not yours. Even if she wants to give all the property to her, it has nothing to do with you! Why are you worrying so much!"

The man choked and looked unhappy.

(End of this chapter)