Chen Qiangwei dispelled their concerns, "Uncle Li, Grandma Li, we are dating. He is a regular employee of the cannery, and the cannery has provided a dormitory. I just started working at the state-owned hotel, so I live here alone."
Uncle Li and Aunt Li finally put their concerns to rest. "You are both regular employees of the company. Okay, then we'll rent the house to you. Just three dollars a month."
It’s good to be a formal employee, as formal employees don’t have that kind of concern. Now, Mr. and Mrs. Li were eager to make this deal, so they reduced the rent by fifty cents. They originally set it at three dollars and fifty cents a month.
Chen Qiangwei was stunned for a moment. The rent was too low.
Seeing that Chen Qiangwei didn't say anything, Uncle Li continued, "Don't think the price is high. Renting a house now costs one dollar and fifty cents. I have two houses here, each with a living room and a yard, and each one has its own entrance."
Uncle Li has deep feelings for this small courtyard. He would not rent it out if it were not to supplement the family income. He also does not want to rent it to a family because having children means they are destructive.
Chen Qiangwei came to her senses and quickly responded, "Of course I should. To be honest, I'm the one who got the better deal. I'll rent it for a year first."
Mr. and Mrs. Li were delighted when they heard this. "Is it decided? The rent can be paid monthly or in one lump sum. If you don't live here, you can pay more or less."
It was their first time renting a house, and they didn't expect it to go so smoothly.
Chen Qiangwei nodded. "It's decided. I'll just pay one year's rent."
Gu Anyang has investigated the nearby residents and found that although minor conflicts occasionally occurred, no major problems had occurred.
Uncle Li smiled, his gray beard twitching. "Okay, I'll write you a receipt."
Renting a house now is not as complicated as it was in the 21st century, where you have to copy your ID card, sign a contract, etc.
The receipt at this time has the same effect as a contract in the 21st century.
Chen Qiangwei gave Grandma Li thirty-six yuan. Grandma Li counted it three times and after making sure the money was correct, Grandpa Li issued a receipt.
"This is the key to the front door. If you feel unsafe, you can change the lock. Don't throw away the old key and lock."
Chen Qiangwei nodded and said, "I'm moving in the day after tomorrow. You guys should clean up the vegetables in the yard in the next two days."
"Okay, we'll clean it up in the next two days."
Grandma Li felt a little sorry that she would have to buy groceries from now on. She was a little envious of Chen Qiangwei, whose state-owned restaurant provided lunch and dinner, so she basically didn't have to cook, saving a lot of money.
After renting the house, Chen Qiangwei stayed to do a thorough cleaning of the house, while Gu Anyang immediately went to help Chen Qiangwei move the furniture.
Liu Dongjun's father is the leader of a furniture factory. Gu Anyang asked Liu Dongjun for a bed, a wardrobe, a dressing table, a chest of drawers and a set of tables and chairs. These pieces of furniture were failed products made by the apprentices in the furniture factory for practice. They did not require tickets and the prices were not high. Without some connections, it would be impossible to get them.
When they are called failed products, in fact, it means that the size and thickness of the parts do not meet the requirements and cannot be shipped out of the factory. For example, the thickness of the table legs does not meet the requirements, the table top is thinned by one centimeter, etc.
This kind of defective furniture is not common. If an apprentice makes mistakes frequently, it will affect his or her regularization, so everyone is extremely cautious.
There are two houses, and Chen Qiangwei only lives in one, leaving the other empty. She plans to live in the room on the left and move all the things in the room to the house on the right.
The house built on one’s own homestead is great. Although there are not many rooms, it is wide enough and there is enough space for another bed.
After Chen Qiangwei cleaned up the yard, Gu Anyang also brought people to pull the furniture in. The furniture mechanic helped Gu Anyang carry the furniture into the room and assemble it.
After finishing, the master happily left with two cents. Before leaving, he told Gu Anyang that he could contact him anytime if he needed anything in the future.
After finishing their work, it was time for dinner, so the two went to another state-owned restaurant to eat. After dinner, they went to the cinema to watch "Sunny Days".
Then the two of them rode bicycles back to Huaihua Brigade in the moonlight. Ah, this rural way of dating, Chen Qiangwei actually found it inexplicably sweet.
On Sunday morning, Chen Qiangwei rented a tractor from the Huaihua Brigade and moved some of her daily necessities, clothes, shoes, socks, etc. to the small courtyard in Nanshi. Gu Linger and Wang Xiaomai were also with her.
After putting everything in order, Gu Linger dragged Chen Qiangwei and Wang Xiaomai shopping without saying a word. As for her third and fifth brothers?
The two grown men were so strong after eating so much that it would be a waste if they didn't stay to chop wood and fetch water.
Gu Ling'er would visit her second aunt several times a year, so she was quite familiar with the city. At least she knew which way the doors of the supply and marketing cooperative, the Friendship Store, the state-owned restaurant, the post office, and the cinema faced.
Although Wang Xiaomai has been in the countryside for more than a year, almost two years, he has been to Nanshi only a few times. He used to live with his grandmother in the countryside and rarely went out to visit his parents in the city, so he was curious about everything he saw.
Chen Qiangwei could barely be considered half a host, so she was responsible for taking Wang Xiaomai and Gu Linger shopping. She also took Wang Xiaomai to the state-owned hotel in Beicheng District to familiarize herself with the restaurant, and told her to come there if she had any urgent matters in the future, and go to the small courtyard if she couldn't find her.
Then, at Gu Linger's strong suggestion, Chen Qiangwei took the two of them to the cinema to watch a movie. There were not as many movies showing during the day as at night, and the only movie showing at this time was "The Red Era". The three of them were not picky, as long as there was a movie to watch. The movie ticket was 1.5 cents each, and they spent 45 cents.
Chen Qiangwei bought three more bottles of soda, Gu Linger's orange flavor, Wang Xiaomai's bayberry flavor, and Chen Qiangwei's pear flavor. The soda was one cent a bottle, and you had to pay one cent for each bottle. After drinking, you could take the empty bottle to return it.
Of course, melon seeds are indispensable when watching a movie. There was a melon seed seller next to the cinema, so Chen Qiangwei waved her hand and gave everyone a bottle of soda and a bag of melon seeds, which attracted a lot of envious glances.
After watching the movie, the three of them went to the supply and marketing cooperative and bought some vegetables. They went back happily. When they returned to the courtyard, Chen Qiangwei received a pair of resentful looks.
Chen Qiangwei: ...I feel inexplicably guilty.
Gu Linger, the careless one, realized, "Oh no! I forgot to buy you lunch!"
Gu Anxi swallowed his saliva and savored the taste, "Xiao Wu bought some big meat buns. The ones from the state-owned restaurant have thin skin, big fillings, and are delicious."
After learning that Chen Qiangwei took Gu Linger and Wang Xiaomai to see a movie, and watching Gu Linger and the other two leave, Gu Anyang took Chen Qiangwei to see "The Red Age" again.
Chen Qiangwei: ...I watched it twice in a row and it’s hard to forget the plot.
It was already evening when they finished watching the movie. The night was alluring. Gu Anyang mustered up his courage again and again and finally quietly took Chen Qiangwei's hand.
"I have to go on a long trip tomorrow and it will probably take me two weeks to get back."
This time he asked for three consecutive days off. Before approving his leave, his second uncle told him that he would go to another province after the leave.
Chen Qiangwei stood on tiptoe and touched his face, coaxing him, "Be good and drive well. I will miss you."
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