Unlimited estates for rural beauty-Chapter 23 Buying Land
"Mom, I’m up too. Why wouldn’t you let me sleep a bit longer?" Zhang Jiaojiao said with a hint of complaint.
"You little girl, if you sleep any longer, you’ll turn into a pig—always eating and sleeping. Hurry up, you two wash up. Once your dad and the others come back, we’ll start eating."
"Oh, I got it, Mom. By the way, where did Dad and my brother go?" Zhang Jiaojiao asked belatedly.
"Your dad, your brother, and Feng Xi, the three of them went to the fields before dawn. They took advantage of the soil still being damp from the rain to plow the land. They should be back soon," Zhang Hui’s aunt said, as she took off her apron and shook it out before setting it aside.
"We’re back, is the food ready? I’m starving," Zhang Hui said loudly as he entered the courtyard with his hoe in hand, followed closely by Zhang Yijiang and Feng Xi.
"The food’s been ready for a while, just waiting for you to come back and eat. Hurry up and wash up, it’s time for dinner," Zhang Hui’s aunt called out as she headed to the kitchen, while Feng Xuxu and Zhang Jiaojiao set the table and fetched the bowls and chopsticks in seamless cooperation. Each had a bowl of cornmeal porridge, with a skillet of corn cakes, a bowl of wild vegetables, and a bowl of pickles. The whole family gathered together, slurping heartily, enjoying the delicious meal.
"Uncle Hui, my brother and I are going to the village chief’s house to buy a piece of homestead land. We want to build the house while it’s not busy on the farm," Feng Xuxu said to Uncle Hui, who was splitting firewood in the courtyard.
"Xizi, girl, do you have enough silver? If not, your uncle has some. Feel free to take what you need," Uncle Hui said, pausing his swinging arm and wiping the sweat off his brow.
"Uncle Hui, no need. We have silver, enough for our needs. When we come back, I also want to discuss some matters with you and Aunt Hui," Feng Xi replied cheerfully to the sweat-wiping Uncle Hui.
"Alright then, off you go. Your Aunt Hui and I will be waiting at home for you," Uncle Hui said with a wave of his hand, watching them leave the courtyard before continuing to swing his arms, splitting firewood. Uncle Hui’s house wasn’t far from the village chief’s; it was just a fifteen-minute walk away.
"Well, your household registration is an easy matter. I’ll just go to the town this afternoon to handle it. As for the homestead land, it’s one tael of silver per mu," the village chief told the two children who had just been turned out of their home, feeling a pang of sympathy. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎
"Uncle Village Chief, I’d like to buy that plot of wasteland at the foot of Spiritual Mountain, as well as the Nameless Mountain next to Spiritual Mountain," Feng Xuxu said, not knowing exactly how many mu of wasteland there were, so she didn’t specify an amount.
"Girl Xuxu, that wasteland is vast—there are a full thousand mu. Even at one tael per mu, that’s a thousand taels of silver," the village chief said, surprised as he looked at Feng Xuxu.
"Uncle Village Chief, a few days ago in town, I entered a partnership with Zuiyun Pavilion Restaurant. They provided the silver, and we’re responsible for farming. Before I left, the shopkeeper gave me some silver, but just barely enough to buy the land and start cultivation. The allocated silver isn’t much, so I was wondering if you could possibly give us a discount," Feng Xi said, smiling at the village chief. Sooner or later, the village chief would find out about the restaurant partnership; it was better to tell him early than hear it from others. After all, it was easier to meet the King of Hell than the little devils.
The village chief digested the news Feng Xuxu had just delivered and couldn’t help but look up to scrutinize her. He nearly had no recollection of this girl in his memory. As for Feng Xi, he was a shy young fellow, honest and hardworking. It seemed the death of their parents had struck a significant blow to these young siblings, changing their temperaments drastically. They were much more capable now. It appeared that he needed to improve relations with them, at least to help as much as he possibly could.
"Well, let’s see exactly how much land there is, and then we can talk," the village chief said while flipping through a yellowed notebook containing records of the village’s private and wasteland plots.
"Found it. There are one thousand and twenty-three mu of wasteland at the foot of the mountain. Let’s say a thousand mu for you, at one tael per mu, totaling a thousand taels of silver. As for Nameless Mountain, it was originally part of Spiritual Mountain, but because of the Great Water Pond between the two, the mountain was separated and became ’Nameless.’ Girl, I’ll gift you that mountain. I won’t charge you any silver for it. How does that sound?" the village chief said with a friendly and generous smile to Feng Xi and Feng Xuxu.
