Ji Xia's eyes lit up. A shop with rooms in the backyard, a courtyard house of over 1,000 square meters with four courtyards—these were almost beyond her imagination.
"So much money, how much did it cost? How much of the 100,000 is left?"
"Guess?" Chen Jing asked with a hint of smugness.
Seeing his smug smile, Ji Xia smiled and said, "Go ahead and guess, what are you afraid of?"
A two-courtyard house costs over 10,000 yuan, and a four-courtyard house would cost at least 20,000 to 30,000 yuan. As for the three shops, although they would be very valuable in later years and could sell for exorbitant prices, they probably wouldn't be worth much in the late 1970s.
After all, private ownership is not allowed now, and many century-old brands are still joint public-private enterprises. How many private individuals would take over the shops?
She calculated in her mind for a moment: "Three shops and a courtyard house, it'll probably cost around 50,000?"
"It didn't cost 50,000; the three shops and the courtyard house cost a little over 43,000."
Chen Jing looked smug and excitedly lowered his voice: "I gave the clerk at the housing management office a carton of cigarettes and a red envelope with 100 yuan in it, and then he helped me cut the price down by 500 yuan."
"Furthermore, I told him that I was doing him a favor and asked him to let me know if he had any available properties, and he agreed!"
Forty thousand? That's impressive! With these shops, you could support six generations, let alone three.
Ji Xia's starry eyes seemed to be filled with a sky full of stars, sparkling brightly: "So, you still have more than 50,000 on you?"
"More than 40,000. Last time, I sent 20,000 yuan back to the more than 600 pieces I ordered, and I ordered another 1,000 sets of spring clothes."
"So, with over 40,000 left, buying a few more shops shouldn't be a problem?"
Chen Jing chuckled: "Of course, I talked to that kid at the housing management office, and he found me one. I gave him a hundred yuan, and he'd love to find me a few more!"
Although it was the 1970s, the principle that money can make the devil turn the millstone is applicable everywhere.
Ji Xia couldn't help but smile knowingly, then suddenly leaned forward and gave him a light kiss on the lips: "Well done, this is a reward for you."
"I booked four properties for you, and this is all the reward I get?"
Chen Jing immediately became dissatisfied, reached out and pulled, and Ji Xia involuntarily fell into his arms.
Ji Xia chuckled softly, "Isn't what's mine yours? We're one?"
"The property deed is entirely in your name. Whether it's a joint property or not is up to your conscience."
As Chen Jing spoke, he slipped his hand inside the sweater and gently pinched his waist. He felt the skin beneath his fingertips was icy cold, smooth, delicate, and boneless to the touch.
Ji Xia couldn't help but giggle a few times, then suddenly reached up and climbed onto his broad shoulders, tiptoed and offered her red lips.
...
When Ji Xia woke up in the morning, she stretched lazily, and Chen Jing pushed open the door and walked in.
Ji Xia raised an eyebrow: "Aren't you going out today?"
"Didn't you say you've never been to the Forbidden City, never climbed the Great Wall, and never been anywhere? I'll accompany you today."
"Keep me company? Don't you have anything better to do today?"
Chen Jing laughed heartily: "The shop is bought. We'll have to wait for news next. The telegram has been sent, the remittance has been made, and we're just waiting for the containers. Now I can spend every day with you."
Ji Xia thought it made sense, so she said, "I'm going to Teacher Rong's place. The results should be out today."
"No problem, I'll go with you."
As Chen Jing spoke, he took her sweater dress from the back of the chair beside the bed and handed her a light jacket: "It's drizzling outside, it's a bit chilly."
Looking out the window at the gloomy sky and the fine rain drifting in the wind, Ji Xia obediently put on her coat.
After tidying up, the two of them went out together under an umbrella. They first ate breakfast at a breakfast shop outside the alley, then bought two pounds of apples at the market before heading to find Rong Xiaorou.
Rong Ruoshi excitedly came out to open the door. As soon as she saw her, she excitedly grabbed her hand and screamed, "We passed! We passed! We both passed!"
Ji Xia's bright and pretty face immediately lit up, her almond-shaped eyes sparkling like stars: "Really? That's wonderful, congratulations!"
"Congratulations to you, congratulations to you."
Rong Ruoshi laughed excitedly a few times before noticing Chen Jing standing behind Ji Xia with a smile, carrying fruit.
His eyes, filled with a smile, gently fell on Ji Xia, and Rong Ruoshi couldn't help but feel a pang of envy.
She pursed her lips, suppressing her smile, and pulled Ji Xia's hand to lead her inside: "Come in quickly, my aunt has something to tell you."
Ji Xia quickly agreed.
Rong Xiaorou sat upright on the sofa, looking at the report card in her hand. When she saw Ji Xia and Chen Jing enter, she quickly waved to her.
Ji Xia obediently walked over, and Chen Jing placed the fruit on the coffee table. She smiled and shook her head: "You guys—don't want it next time."
Ji Xia smiled slightly: "The Fuji apples I saw today are so big and red, they must be delicious. I'll buy some for everyone to try."
Rong Xiaorou shook her head, indicating to Rong Ruoshi to wash the apples, while she talked to Ji Xia about her grades.
"Ruoshi told you, right? This reply has been tested, and it ranks sixth overall."
"Your wedding dress design is excellent, it received the highest score. I heard several teachers really admired your design, but your sketching skills are a bit lacking..."
Ji Xia couldn't help but feel secretly relieved that the design score was high, which brought back the score of the sketch.
"However, let me remind you again that your cultural score must be at least 150 points, otherwise you may fall behind."
Ji Xia pursed her lips: "Teacher, if someone has an exceptionally high score in academic subjects, and that combined with their professional score improves their ranking, will it have an impact?"
Rong Xiaorou shook her head: "No, the score is mainly based on art, and the cultural score will be based on a combination of all subjects. The fashion design department generally won't have a higher score than the art department."
Rong Xiaorou came out with a plate of apples: "How is that possible? If that's the case, then if someone scores three or four hundred in academic subjects and has the lowest score in art, they can still get in. Why bother with the preliminary and final exams at the Academy of Fine Arts?"
Ji Xia felt a little relieved. Her academic foundation wasn't too bad, and with two or three months left, the requirement was to score above 150 in all four subjects. She could definitely improve if she went back.
Rong Ruoshi said apologetically, "However, starting today, I can't go to the library with you anymore. I have to go back to school."
"Back to school?"
Rong Xiaorou: "Her basic academic knowledge is weak. She can get tutoring from a teacher when she goes back to school. When are you going back?"
Chen Jing interjected at the opportune moment, "Let's stay for another ten days or half a month. We've been here for so long, and we haven't even been to the Forbidden City or the Great Wall!"
"It's good to go and see it, to experience the artistic atmosphere and solemnity of the Forbidden City."
Ji Xia and Chen Jing stayed at Rong's house for more than an hour before saying goodbye and leaving.
Rong Ruoshi saw her out of the courtyard, and Ji Xia suddenly put her arm around Rong Ruoshi's shoulder and whispered, "Ruoshi, in your school's graduating class, do the teachers often give you test papers? Or do they give you a list of key points to review?"
"Important? Test papers? There should be some! But I haven't been there in a long time, I'll have to ask to find out."
Upon hearing this, Ji Xia couldn't help but get excited: "Could I ask someone to borrow the review notes and all the exam papers you've taken? I want to test myself too!"
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