Chapter 51 Chapter 51 We have posted this time

A few months after their marriage, Liu Mianmian finally settled into a life of revelry. She was still considering prescribing Chinese medicine for Shen Weizhou, but honestly, she was simply worried about Shen Weizhou's health. As for other matters, Liu Mianmian sincerely felt that Shen Weizhou didn't need to take Chinese medicine.

Just because he was told to go see Doctor Bai for a follow-up examination and prescription medicine that day, Liu Mianmian hardly got a full night's sleep for the next three days.

Not to mention that Shen Weizhuo doesn't want to hear about traditional Chinese medicine, now she gets angry with anyone who mentions the word traditional Chinese medicine in front of her.

Forget it, eat it if you like.

With his physical strength, no normal person can compare to him.

After having a closer relationship, Liu Mianmian finally figured out that Shen Weizhuo's health should be fine.

He is Shen Weizhuo, but his health is fine now and he will not die young again.

Just when Liu Mianmian was becoming increasingly irritable due to lack of sleep, she finally received a call from the research institute, saying that other people's research had caught up and Shen Weizhuo could go back and continue working hard.

In the early stage, it seemed that Shen Weizhuo had completed the research on the project he was working on, but some supporting things of other people had not made any progress, so Shen Weizhuo had some time to rest.

Liu Mianmian didn't care what he was researching and urged him to go back to the research institute to continue contributing to China's national defense... Anyway, just don't stay at home all day, she needs to recuperate!

It just so happened that Jiang Hongmei and the others were about to return from the south. They had imported a lot of goods this time. Uncle Wang had a comrade-in-arms at the train station who helped solve the transportation problem. Liu Mianmian calculated the time and went to the train station with Uncle Wang to pick them up.

Uncle Wang took a leave of absence and borrowed a "Motorcycle Sanka" from the winery, which was later called a Sanbengzi in the north.

This contraption was invented by a farmer in Henan Province. He installed a motorcycle engine on a human-powered tricycle, which significantly improved both speed and load capacity. It cost less than a tractor and was lighter and more flexible. It was inevitable that such a good thing would spread, and recently you can see it frequently on the streets of Nancheng.

However, motorcycle engines are not cheap, so they are mostly used by factories or individual businesses to transport things.

That's in the summer. If you sit on this thing in the winter, your head will probably be blown crazy.

Liu Mianmian, disdainful, thought about calling Yu Guoliang and asking him to get one of these things too. In the countryside, it would be a perfect tool for transportation. After all, transportation in the village was really inconvenient. People could still ride bicycles, but without tractors, they had to use carts pulled by humans.

When she arrived at the train station, Liu Mianmian looked around for someone, and then she saw a girl with dark skin and tattered clothes waving at her vigorously. Next to her was a young man with the same dark skin, smiling with a mouthful of white teeth.

Next to the two of them were several huge snakeskin bags piled up as high as a mountain, making them look like mice that stole corn in a cartoon.

As soon as Liu Mianmian walked over, Jiang Hongmei grabbed her arm and said, "Liu Mianmian, I'm telling you, we've made it! We've made it this time!"

Liu Mianmian was also quite puzzled. "Are things so cheap in the south? How could you bring back so much stuff?" No wonder they called to ask for help finding someone to transport it. With so much stuff, the carriage certainly couldn't hold it all.

"The goods were cheap, and we were lucky enough to get a batch of last-minute goods." Jiang Hongmei said excitedly, "Luckily, you told us about so many scams before we went. We encountered several scams this time, and we almost got scammed twice. As soon as we realized something was wrong, Liu Anmin and I ran away."

It's hard to find a job in the city now, so some people push a cart to the train station entrance and help people move things. Liu Mianmian called two people when she just came in. Fortunately, she called people, otherwise the bag was so big that it would be difficult for them to move it alone.

The task of moving things was left to the men, while Liu Mianmian and Jiang Hongmei stood next to the motorcycle and watched the goods.

It seems that this trip to the south really gave Jiang Hongmei a great stimulation. She was usually a very bold person, but she also started to nag, telling Liu Mianmian in detail about their experiences in the south.

I have encountered scammers, pickpockets, and even robbers, but I have also met many kind-hearted people. In Jiang Hongmei's words, the experiences of the past twenty years combined are not as exciting as these ten days.

"In fact, electronic products in the south are also cheap, but unfortunately we don't have much capital. Liu Anmin and I discussed importing some electronic watches, such as tape recorders and video recorders, but the cost is too high." Jiang Hongmei sighed.

Only after she actually went to the south did she realize that what Liu Mianmian had said was not an exaggeration at all. There were simply too many factories there, and buildings were being built everywhere, with new factories popping up all the time. Even in some seemingly inconspicuous villages, there were many factories and workshops.

There are also special wholesale markets with densely packed stalls and piles of goods, which are shipped to all parts of the country at dawn every day.

The stall owner was also very straightforward in his business. When they entered the electronic watch stall, the owner started by saying, "Time is money. There's no point in bidding. If you say a few more words, I'll lose a lot of money."

It was the first time that Jiang Hongmei heard someone say that time is money.

She grew up in a military industrial compound and only knew that workers would get paid as long as they showed up for work and left on time every day. People who did not work in the compound spent their time on housework and gossip. The most common saying among housewives was "There is plenty of time, but time is the least valuable."

She felt her perspective was challenged.

However, even in just a dozen days, Jiang Hongmei deeply felt the meaning of "time is money".

"The fairest thing in the world is time. Everyone has only twenty-four hours, and the difference between people lies in how they use these twenty-four hours. Just like the stall owner you mentioned, his opening hours are fixed, but during the fixed time, every additional business he makes means additional income, and his time becomes more 'valuable'." Liu Mianmian said.

Jiang Hongmei nodded repeatedly: "Yes, that's what I think it means."

She didn't expect that just by listening to her words, Liu Mianmian could accurately understand the truth that she had spent more than ten days to understand, and even understood it more thoroughly than she thought.

It was obvious that Liu Mianmian was the one who grew up in the countryside, but Jiang Hongmei always felt that she could not compare with her in terms of concepts and vision.

So even though Liu Mianmian doesn't put in much effort every time, she has money and ideas, which makes Jiang Hongmei feel that she will definitely make money if she partners with her.

Liu Mianmian didn't know what Jiang Hongmei was thinking. She thought for a moment and said, "Actually, there's no need to rush for tape recorders and video recorders. The demand for these things will be highest after winter. By then, we might have enough money."

According to Chinese tradition, more people get married in the second half of the year. After a year of hard work, many people would also want to buy something nice to reward themselves and their families. This is when big items like televisions, VCRs, and tape recorders have the best sales.

Jiang Hongmei thought about it and was happy: "You are right. If the goods sell quickly, Liu Anmin and I can make one or two more trips before winter comes. We should be able to make a lot of money."

The motorcycle truck was packed with cargo and there was no room for anyone to sit. Uncle Wang had to transport the cargo back first, and the others took the bus back.

There is no bus that is not crowded at the train station. Jiang Hongmei and Liu Anmin must have really practiced it through traveling all over the country, and they are very good at getting on the bus. After Liu Mianmian finally squeezed on the bus, she was shocked to find that Jiang Hongmei even saved a seat for her.

It really saved my life.

Liu Mianmian quickly squeezed in and sat down.

It was summer and the smell in the car was really strong. Liu Mianmian felt much better only when she faced the window.

Jiang Hongmei looked at her and laughed: "Your parents in the countryside are very good to you. Look at you, you are as spoiled as a rich girl and can't even bear this little hardship." Jiang Hongmei felt that although Liu Mianmian was mistakenly reported to the countryside from the city, compared with the Liu family, her home in the countryside was better. It can be seen from the fact that her adoptive parents kept sending her things even though she had no news.

This person is so lucky.

She was taken to the countryside by mistake, and met better parents. She married the sickly Shen Weizhou, and ended up getting whatever she wanted in her husband's family.

Breathing the fresh air, Liu Mianmian said confidently: "There is no need to suffer. When we have money, we should buy ourselves a car." Life without a car is too hard.

Jiang Hongmei: "...you really dare to think so."

The train station is quite far from Qiuzhi Lane. Passengers are getting on and off along the way, and the number of people is gradually decreasing, making it less crowded.

Sitting in the row in front of them were two middle-aged men who were bragging all the way.

One of them said that he had "connections" in the city and the province, that he knew so-and-so, that he was a close friend of so-and-so, and that he had dinner with so-and-so last time.

One of them said that he had just returned from the south where he had been investigating the market and was planning to invest in a factory. He came back to sell his house here. His wife and children were going to the south with him. When things developed well in the future, they would go to Gangcheng and not return to Nancheng.

Hearing this, Liu Mianmian and Jiang Hongmei rolled their eyes.

Perhaps there was nothing more to brag about, so the two finally changed the subject and talked about the news about the plummeting price of Clivia in the north.

"Just think about it. A piece of grass you dig up from the mountains can be sold for thousands, tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands. Isn't that outrageous? You're talking about antiques. If you take them abroad, there are still people buying them. But this thing will die if you don't treat it well. Who would spend so much money on it? It's all speculation."

"That's not the case. Orchids are traditional flowers with cultural connotations. Scarcity makes things valuable. You can't just pick one up and sell it for such a high price. The ones that fetch high prices are rare varieties. What's so strange about rare varieties fetching high prices? In ancient times, there was a saying that a single peony was worth a thousand gold coins. It's normal for a rare variety of Clivia to fetch hundreds of thousands of yuan."

"Didn't the newspaper say it? Prices have plummeted. They're worthless and no one wants them. It doesn't matter if they're rare or not. They can't be eaten. For ordinary people, food, clothing, housing and transportation are the most important things."

"Brother, you still lack a bit of refined taste. Food, clothing, housing and transportation are important, but people still need to have some spiritual pursuits."

"I think you are out of touch with reality. What's your name? Oh, right, sour and pedantic, just like the sour scholar in ancient times."

"No, how could you say that to me?"

"Didn't you say I had no refined taste first? Why, you're the only one allowed to criticize me, and I'm not allowed to retort?"

"It's unreasonable."

"Bah."

…

Well, the two brothers had been good friends all along, but their talks broke down because of Clivia.

Liu Mianmian was speechless.

Jiang Hongmei tugged at Liu Mianmian and lowered her voice, "Do you know that your mom, I mean Ding Mingxia, and her brother are speculating on Clivia?"

Of course Liu Mianmian didn’t know.

Jiang Hongmei: "I overheard it once. Her brother came to her and asked for money. He said he had a reliable channel to get a good variety. It happened only two months ago."

Liu Mianmian looked at her and understood what she meant.

According to the original owner's memory, Ding Mingxia's younger brother seemed to be called Ding Baojun. If Ding Baojun was not quick enough, he would have obtained the Clivia and then transported it from the south city. Maybe when it arrived in the north, the price of Clivia would have plummeted.

When he bought the Clivia, the price should have been high. Adding the transportation costs, the cost should have been quite high. Then when it arrived there, the price was falling, so it was probably difficult to sell it. This wave of losses was probably a huge loss.

"Ding Mingxia's brother works at the machinery factory, I think, in the security department. His wife seems to be a worker too. They both earn a decent income, but they often come to the military industrial compound to ask for money."

Ding Mingxia said that she and her brother had a good relationship, and her brother often brought his children to see her, but the neighbors were not blind. Her brother always came empty-handed and went back with bags full of things. Is this called seeing her? This is clearly extortion.

Liu Mianmian glanced at Jiang Hongmei with a complicated expression: "You know a lot." Not only did she often overhear things by accident, she even knew where Ding Baojun worked and even knew that his wife was a worker.

Jiang Hongmei: "...Well, my mom and Ding Mingxia don't get along. They're always staring at each other. I know everything just by overhearing."

Liu Mianmian thought about it and realized that the person who knows you best may not be your friend, but may very likely be your enemy.

When they took the shaky bus to Qiuzhi Lane, Uncle Wang not only found someone to help move the goods into the backyard, but he even returned the motorcycle to the winery.

So a few people simply sat under the pomegranate tree and ate watermelon.

Aunt Liu sighed, "It's not easy for you either. You've been traveling south and you're almost tanned to charcoal. And your clothes are still tattered and dirty."

"I'm afraid people will notice me if I dress well." Jiang Hongmei touched her face helplessly, "I also put some dust on my face, but it's really darker. The sun in the south is scorching every day."

He took Aunt Liu aside and told her about his experiences in the south. On the other side, Liu Anmin also took Uncle Wang aside and told him about something. When they got excited, all four of them slapped their thighs.

Liu Mianmian waited until they had finished talking before asking Aunt Liu, "I asked you to help me look for a house before. Do you have any suitable ones?"

The goods brought all the way from the south couldn't be sold at the rural market as before, so they had to open a store themselves. However, before Jiang Hongmei and Liu Anmin came back, Liu Mianmian just asked Aunt Liu to help inquire about it. After all, if anything went wrong with them, her rented store would be useless.

Aunt Liu has been very busy recently. She has to take care of the housework and also find time to sell radish strips. As for inquiring about houses, that is just something she does while selling radish strips.

"There's no vacant street-side shops around here. Breakfast shops and restaurants are all vying for them. On Gongren Road, your grandmother originally reserved a few shops, but after the government returned them, they were all rented out. It's definitely not good to kick people out mid-sale, but I recently heard that a dried food shop in the north and south is closing down. I haven't had time to ask yet. Let's go ask them together tomorrow and see if it's a good fit."

Aunt Liu frowned. "As for housing, the prices in our area are all high. The cheapest ones are the large courtyards in the alley next door. Do you really want to buy one? Tell me, you have so many houses at home, what are you going to buy a house for?"

Liu Mianmian just remembered that she seemed to have casually told Aunt Liu that she wanted to buy a house to live in, and she only told her about renting a shop later. She didn't expect that she had been helping and keeping an eye on it all the time.

Originally, she was thinking that if Shen Weizhuo recovered, their marriage in name only would probably not last, so she thought of keeping an eye on it. If she found a suitable one, she would buy one first so that she would at least have a place to stay.

But plans cannot keep up with changes, and she and Shen Weizhuo are now in name only.

But if you find a suitable one, you can actually buy it. You will never lose money when buying a house.

Liu Mianmian: "You can just put it aside after buying it."

Aunt Liu didn't understand: "Why buy a house if you don't want to live there? Are you afraid of quarreling with Shen Weizhou? If you quarrel, just kick him out and it will be fine. Why do you buy a house yourself?"

Shen Weizhou, who just walked in: "..."