Seventies Sweetheart: From Breakup to Billionaire-Chapter 302: Buying Land

"We can bring the vegetables into the hall while we pick them, then we can watch TV and pick veggies at the same time, and clean up the floor afterward."

As the weather got colder, it was easy to catch a chill picking vegetables outside. Lin Xiang had mentioned several times to pick vegetables in the hall, but the sisters-in-law were afraid of dirtying the floor, so they hadn’t come in.

Now, with the TV, they could watch while they worked, making it less boring and giving them motivation to work.

The news of Xingfu Restaurant having a TV spread quickly, and before ten o’clock, the neighbors were already asking about it.

"Wow, there really is a TV! But this TV looks a bit small."

"Nine inches, really is small. Boss Lin, why didn’t you buy a twelve-inch TV? With this small TV, you have to sit close to see, a bit further and you can’t see at all."

The neighbor aunties came in complaining right away, Mrs. Lin felt uncomfortable hearing it and wanted to argue, but Lin Xiang stopped her.

"It’s a small business; if we can make a living, that’s good enough. Where would I get the money to buy a new TV? This one was eliminated by a relative and I bought it cheaply."

"Aunt Zhang, who doesn’t know your family is the best off in the neighborhood? Why don’t you also buy a TV? Best to buy a color TV; then you can see what color clothes the actors are wearing inside. Unlike this black-and-white TV, everything you see has only two colors, black and white." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Aunt Zhang laughed awkwardly.

No matter how good her family’s condition is, it’s not possible to buy a hundreds-of-dollars TV just like that.

It’s just seeing Xingfu Restaurant acquired a TV early making her jealous, so she said a couple of unpleasant things.

"I would like to buy, but you need a ticket to buy one."

Lin Xiang smiled, "Aunties, I welcome you to come watch TV at Xingfu Restaurant, but the issue is my home runs a business, you see..."

Lin Xiang didn’t finish her sentence, but the deep-thinking aunties could understand her meaning, right?

This was clearly a hint for them to leave!

With their temperaments, once they understood Lin Xiang’s meaning, they should turn around and leave. But having a rare chance to watch TV, nobody wanted to leave.

So, everyone pretended they didn’t understand Lin Xiang’s meaning.

Lin Xiang wasn’t shy and wasn’t afraid to be straightforward, she directly laid out her requirements.

"Aunties, you’re welcome to watch TV here, I’m naturally happy with that. But there are two conditions: first, don’t interfere with my business; second, buying a TV costs money and paying for electricity costs money too. I didn’t buy the TV for your convenience."

"When there are no customers in the morning, you can help pick and clean vegetables. When it’s busy at noon, you can either return home to give us space or help collect plates and wash dishes."

The aunties had assumed Lin Xiang would have much harsher demands, but she only asked them to help with work.

"Oh, Lin, you’re not being fair; aunties aren’t the type to take advantage, even if you didn’t say so, we’d volunteer to help with work."

"Exactly! We’re all neighbors, mutual help is expected."

"By the way, Lin, do you want us to help advertise that Xingfu Restaurant has a TV? Aunties can draw in a lot of business for you!"

Lin Xiang politely refused, "No need for the trouble. Anyone who eats here will see the TV, no need for specific advertisement, they will spread the word naturally."

Xingfu Restaurant’s business was already good, and now with the TV, even without advertising, the revenue doubling from before wasn’t a problem.

Asking the aunties to help was just adding the cherry on top, but it may lead to them demanding benefits for helping.

Such a losing deal, only a fool would do!

After Lin Xiang pointed it out, the aunties didn’t linger and started helping with picking vegetables.

The movie playing on the TV was "Red Lantern Record."

Even though they had watched the open-air movie many times and were familiar with the plot, watching TV felt completely different, and they were all eagerly discussing it.

Just past ten o’clock, Ms. Wan appeared on time at Xingfu Restaurant.

As soon as she entered, she saw the TV set on the front counter.

Ms. Wan was stunned for a moment.

In just half a day’s work, Xingfu Restaurant had installed a TV?

Seeing Ms. Wan come in, Lin Xiang took the initiative to greet her, "Sister Wan, I heard from my mom that you came looking for me yesterday? I had some business outside yesterday, so I couldn’t meet you."

Ms. Wan smiled apologetically, "I came without notifying and disrupted you, that’s my fault. However, I have something very important to discuss, so I boldly hoped you could accommodate my timing."

Lin Xiang nodded, then pointed to the private room at the back that was never opened to outsiders, "Let’s chat inside."

"Alright."

In the private room, Ms. Wan didn’t go around in circles and directly got to the point.

"Comrade Lin, are you still interested in buying land?"

"Buying land?"

Ms. Wan nodded vigorously, "To be honest, my family’s background isn’t very good, which is why my father-in-law has always looked down on me. But later, we were rehabilitated, and many things were returned by the organization, including this house, and several plots of land. I’m planning to sell them all now and go to Shanghai to live with my brother."

Although Ms. Wan was stating the facts, Lin Xiang heard a sense of helplessness in her voice.

Lin Xiang didn’t agree immediately; she first calculated her current assets.

She originally had over twenty thousand, spent eight to nine thousand buying three houses near Huaqing University, and a few thousand more on renovations. Although Xingfu Restaurant made some money this past month, the spending was still greater than the earnings.

Lin Xiang currently had less than six thousand yuan on hand.

How much land can six thousand buy?

"Sister Wan, could you tell me where your plots are located?"

"In Qi State, all in Qi State. There are three plots, sized ten mu, twelve mu, and nine mu. The nine mu plot I planned some other use, but if you want to buy it, I can sell it cheaper to you."

Qi State, it’s a bit far from the center of Beijing.

From a seventies and eighties perspective, it seemed quite remote, though it was under Beijing’s jurisdiction, but city dwellers still considered it to be countryside.

Yet, from a twenty-first-century perspective, Qi State would eventually become part of the third ring, and before Lin Xiang crossed over, the housing prices there were at least eighty to ninety thousand per square meter.

Many people would work hard for a year and couldn’t even afford a bathroom!

"Qi State is a bit far, I’ll need to see it first before deciding."

Ms. Wan quickly replied, "Naturally. If you have time, why don’t we go there now?"

Ms. Wan seemed in quite a hurry; whether desperately wanting to sell or for another reason, Lin Xiang couldn’t tell.

Lin Xiang left the private room to find Cheng Jinyun, "Brother, accompany me to Qi State?"