In the dead of night, when the sisters had all fallen asleep, Jiang Yilu, who was sleeping in the corner, began to sink his consciousness into the space and started to sort out the treasures he had accumulated over the years.
He replanned the original supermarket. The wide aisles between the containers were now only wide enough for two people to walk side by side. A large open space was left in the supermarket to store the things he had collected over the years.
On the wide open space, there were antique furniture that was difficult to distinguish between real and fake, and a pile of scattered wood fragments. These were all furniture that Gu Xiashi had basically inferred to be made of precious wood. Jiang Yilu didn't care about their authenticity and collected them all. As long as there were a few pieces of Hainan Huanghuali or small-leaf red sandalwood among these dozens of pieces of furniture, he would make a profit. After all, this was a no-cost business.
In addition to wooden furniture, there are also many life-size porcelain vases and heavy bronze utensils placed on the open space. They are placed in different positions according to their types, which makes it easy to distinguish them.
As for things like books and stamps that are extremely easy to damage, Jiang Yilu specially cleared out a shelf for grain and oil, and all the things originally on the shelf were placed on the ground. Some of the flour bags and rice bags were deflated, and even several oil drums were empty. These were all filled by Jiang Yiluo in the rice jars and oil bottles at home without him noticing, and he only added a little bit each time, which was almost impossible to distinguish with the naked eye. Over time, it was also a considerable amount.
Jiang Yilu took out the jade pieces from the cloth bag one by one, and while observing them carefully, he placed the jade pieces on the empty shelves.
Although Gao Jianjun did not know much about jade, he had his own basic aesthetic sense. The Hetian jades he brought back for Jiang Yilu were the most smooth, transparent, and pure in color among the jades he had collected in recent years. They would be extremely precious jades in later generations.
Over the years, a lot of good things have been added to the space, but the things that already existed in the supermarket have been consumed very little. Except for some daily necessities such as rice and oil, and some candies and snacks that are not easy to attract the attention of adults, Jiang Yilu has hardly touched other goods. If the time in the space was not still, the goods in this entire space would probably have been wasted.
Jiang Yilu had thought about selling the materials in the space in real life to accumulate initial capital, just like the protagonists of some novels in his previous life who also traveled through space to the 1960s and 1970s. However, Yuchuan County was too small and he was too young. If a child took food to the black market or to some government agencies and factories to sell it, it would easily arouse some people's suspicion and it would be very easy for him to run into acquaintances and get into trouble.
These priceless treasures of later generations cannot be directly converted into wealth for the time being, and materials cannot be converted into money. Seeing that the years of economic boom are approaching, Jiang Yilu looked at the pitiful amount of start-up capital in his hands and could only pin his hopes on the trip to Haicheng after the new year.
When he was in Haicheng, he had to think of a safer way to get rid of the materials in his father's space and consume some of them. Haicheng was different from Yuchuan County. There were many dual-income families there. They had strong purchasing power, but they were suffering from the supply of bills. For Jiang Yilu, bills and other things were not important. What was important was cash. Only by accumulating enough funds could he seize the opportunity in the years when the economy began to take off and fight for his own world.
******
"Sanni and Sini, get up."
Last night during the Chinese New Year, a group of children were having a blast playing with a bunch of firecrackers they bought from the county town. They only climbed onto the kang reluctantly when the adults urged them to stop.
The consequence of playing around was that they couldn't get up early this morning. They all crawled out of bed with sleepy eyes at the urging of Dani and Jiang Yilu.
"Wow, lucky money."
The first thing Sanni did when she woke up was to reach out and lift up her pillow. She saw a small red envelope wrapped in red paper lying quietly under the pillow, and she cheered excitedly.
When the others heard Sanni's cheers, they stopped putting on their clothes, lifted their pillows, picked up their red envelopes and started cheering.
There were two red envelopes under Jiang Yilu's pillow, one more than his sisters. He knew that his father and grandmother had come last night. Jiang Dahai put a red envelope under all the children's pillows, but Old Lady Miao only put a red envelope under her grandson's pillow. The thickness of the two red envelopes was also very different.
Jiang Dahai didn't save much money over the years. Most of his income went to Old Lady Miao. Only when he went to the city occasionally would Old Lady Miao give him a few dollars to buy something.
The red envelopes he gave to the children were all of the same value, 50 cents, which was a considerable sum for rural children. Before Jiang Yilu was born, none of the sisters had this treatment, because at that time, Old Lady Miao was very strict with her son's money, and she wanted to hold every penny in her hands. Now that she has a grandson, and the grandson likes the sisters so much, the old lady has learned to turn a blind eye, because the bulk of the money is in her hands anyway.
The younger generations of the Jiang family never have to hand in their red envelopes. Firstly, because the amount is not large, and secondly, the children of the Jiang family have never had the habit of giving pocket money. The annual New Year's money is actually each child's pocket money for the year. This is why the sisters are so happy to receive the New Year's money.
"Hurry up and get up. We're going to grandma's house soon. Your uncle has prepared a lot of delicious food for you." Dani smiled and looked at her messy-haired sister, and urged her.
Sanni and Sini's eyes lit up. Their uncle had always been the most generous, so the red envelope he gave would definitely not be small. Thinking of this, the children on the bed moved much faster. Without Dani's urging, they quickly put on their clothes and rushed outside to wash up.
The first day of the Lunar New Year has always been the day when the daughter-in-law returns to her parents' home with her husband and children in their area. Gu Dongmei had started busying herself with this matter several days ago. She finished making new clothes for the children in these few days. Gu Dongmei also carefully washed them and ironed the clothes until there was no wrinkle at all. Yesterday, the children wanted to wear new clothes on New Year's Day, but Gu Dongmei was still a little reluctant. After all, she couldn't persuade the children, so she stayed up late last night to iron the wrinkled clothes again, and didn't sleep for several hours all night.
Because Gu Xiashi often took Xiaobao to the city to play, Old Lady Miao was generous in preparing a festival gift for her daughter-in-law. She gave her a two-pound pork butt from the village when the pig was slaughtered, a large grass carp from the pond, two pounds of candy, a bag of walnut crisps, and a bottle of homemade rice wine. This gift was considered quite generous in the countryside.
“Fortunately, we made it in time.”
Just as they were about to set off, Ruan Yuanjiang and Bai Fangqiu walked in, followed by Ruan Ruan and Huo Wu.
This New Year is probably the last one that Ruan Yuanjiang spends with his granddaughter, so last night, Ruan Ruan slept with her grandfather back in the barn. Looking at her rosy face, she didn't seem to feel anything out of place.
"Come here, here are the New Year's red envelopes, one for each person."
The three of them each took out a stack of lucky money wrapped in red paper and distributed them to several children, including Jiang Aiguo and Jiang Aidang who were standing nearby. In this way, each child got three more red envelopes. Even if they didn't open them, several people knew that the weight of the red envelopes was definitely not light. They all smiled happily, called "Grandpa" sweetly, and auspicious words came out one after another.
Jiang Aiguo and Jiang Aidang, who always feel a little depressed on New Year's Day every year, couldn't help but smile. As children, they are always happy to see red envelopes.
Old Mrs. Miao was so happy that she couldn't stop smiling. There were seven children in their family, so she earned a total of twenty-one red envelopes. And they only had one child, Ruan Ruan, so even if she gave a bigger red envelope, she still earned back the money.
"It's getting late, Uncle Ruan, Uncle Bai, Brother Dawu, we're leaving first."
Jiang Dahai also politely gave Ruan Ruan a red envelope that looked very thick. Since Uncle Ruan and his family came, they gave red envelopes to their five children every New Year. Jiang Dahai felt embarrassed and could only make the red envelope for Ruan Ruan thicker.
"Ruan Ruan, why don't you come with us?"
Jiang Dahai knew Uncle Ruan's decision. Seeing Ruan Ruan looking at the children around her with a lonely face, Jiang Dahai thought that after Ruan Ruan left, he would probably have no chance to meet the children again. So he might as well let them have a good time while there was still time.
Ruan Yuanjiang didn't expect Jiang Dahai to make such a proposal, but since other people's daughter-in-law took her husband and children back to her parents' home, what was the big deal about his granddaughter going with them? Ruan Yuanjiang was a little hesitant for a moment.
"Yes, Ruan Ruan, come with us to grandma's house. My grandma is very nice, and so is my uncle. Except for my aunt and cousin who are a bit annoying, the others are all good people. Ruan Ruan, just come with us."
Si Ni excitedly replied that ever since Ruan Ruan came, she has been inseparable from her, almost like a real sister.
Ruan Ruan was a little moved and looked at her grandfather with blinking eyes.
Ruan Yuanjiang sighed inwardly and could only nod and agree.
Seeing that her grandfather agreed, Ruan Ruan cheered, but quickly restrained herself and controlled the expression on her face. She quickened her pace towards Si Ni and Jiang Yilu. However, her hooked mouth and smiling eyes showed how happy she was at the moment.
******
As there were so many people, Jiang Dahai did not ride his precious bicycle. Instead, the family walked slowly towards Daqian Village. The family talked and laughed, and time passed quickly.
"mom--"
Gu Dongmei was the first to walk into the house. At that time, Zhao Hong was cleaning the chicken manure in the yard. When she saw her daughter coming back with her husband and children, she immediately stopped what she was doing and went to greet them excitedly.
"I guess you have to wait a while. Si Ni and Xiao Bao have grown taller and are almost as tall as grandma's shoulders. Da Ni and Er Ni are both grown up and have become more beautiful."
Zhao Hong felt adoration for each of her granddaughters and grandchildren and could never get enough of looking at them.
"Grandma, grandma, what about me?" Sanni, the only one who was not called, snorted in dissatisfaction.
"You are Sanni. How come you have gained so much weight? Grandma thought that the pigpen in some brigade was not closed properly and the piglets ran out." Zhao Hong said in pretended surprise.
Sanni stamped her feet angrily and turned away sulking.
During the Chinese New Year, the family's food got much better. I didn't notice it when the conditions were poor before, but now that Old Lady Miao is not so strict about food, Sanni's physique that is prone to obesity has suddenly become apparent. In just one or two months, she has gained a lot of weight. And she loves to eat. Jiang Yiliu thinks that her third sister may worry about how to control her body shape when she grows up. But now, Sanni, who is only twelve years old, still looks very cute, and her chubby appearance is the most popular with the old lady.
"Grandma is just coaxing you. Sanni is more likable when she's chubby like this." Zhao Hong said with a laugh. She held Sanni in her arms and coaxed her for a long time before she finally coaxed her back.
"Who is this little girl?"
Zhao Hong pointed at Ruan Ruan and asked. She had only seen Ruan Ruan once a few years ago and had long forgotten this little girl. Now seeing a little girl who looked like a foreign doll following several granddaughters, she asked with a little surprise.
"This is my uncle Ruan's granddaughter. Her name is Ruan Ruan." As soon as Jiang Dahai explained, Zhao Hong remembered.
"A beautiful child, too."
Zhao Hong praised, "Come in quickly, grandma has prepared a lot of delicious food for you. Xiaobao, go to your uncle's room and wake him up. He has been looking forward to seeing you since yesterday, but he hasn't gotten up yet." Zhao Hong muttered a few words and urged her little grandson to go and call people.
"Mom, where are my eldest brother, his wife and Dakin?" Gu Dongmei looked around but didn't see her eldest brother's family, so she asked curiously.
"They went to your sister-in-law's parents' home." Zhao Hong said casually while handing candy and melon seeds to the children.
"Back to her parents' home, has my sister-in-law reconciled with her family?" Gu Dongmei asked curiously. She only knew that her eldest sister-in-law seemed to have had some conflicts with her family a few years ago and had no contact with them for several years. She even didn't go to give a gift to her eldest brother's son's wedding. Is this the rhythm of reconciliation now?
"Who knows her? Anyway, I don't interfere in their affairs. It's good that their family is not here, so that you won't be unhappy when you come back."
Zhao Hong said nonchalantly, "My uncle bought you canned oranges and yellow peaches. Grandma will open them for you to eat at lunch. They taste so sweet."
Zhao Hong felt that her youngest son was a mischievous boy. He hid all these good things well and would only take them out when his eldest brother and his wife were not around. The eldest grandson Dakin sometimes sneaked into his second uncle's room to steal some good things, but he never found a penny. He was also caught and beaten by the youngest son several times for sneaking into his room.
What Zhao Hong didn't say was that she had gone into her son's room several times while helping him clean, and even searched under the kang, but still couldn't find anything. She didn't know how her son did it.
Gu Xiashi came out of the room yawning, his hair was messy, and his clothes were unbuttoned and crooked.
"You got up after the sun was shining on your butt. Aren't you afraid of being laughed at by the kids?" Zhao Hong glared at her son and threw him a towel. "There's hot water in the kitchen. Go wash your face."
"This child just refuses to find a wife. I don't know how long I will have to worry about him." Zhao Hong shook her head and sighed.
"Tsk tsk tsk, I'm getting old and I've forgotten the most important things." Zhao Hong patted his head and hurried back into the house to take out the red envelope he had prepared. When he was about to go out, he stopped, opened the locked wardrobe, took out a small cloth bag from the interlayer of his clothes, wrapped a fifty-cent bill with re-cut red paper, and then got up and left.
"How can we celebrate the New Year without lucky money? This is given by grandma." Zhao Hong distributed the red envelopes one by one, even Ruan Ruan was not left out.
After receiving their New Year's money, the first thing the children wanted to do was to go to the sales agency at the entrance of the village to buy some snacks and firecrackers. Gu Xiashi and Jiang Dahai went with the children, leaving Zhao Hong and Gu Dongmei, mother and daughter, at home to talk to each other.
"What's wrong with you? No matter how I look at you, I feel something is wrong."
Zhao Hong took her little girl back to the house. As soon as she entered the door, her originally happy face turned stern. She looked at Gu Dongmei seriously and asked.
"Mom..." Gu Dongmei was feeling so aggrieved that when she saw her closest mother, she couldn't help herself and cried loudly with the corner of her mouth twisted.
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