Back to the 70s: My Childhood Sweetheart Spoils Me Rotten
Chapter 32 - 31: Can’t Take Advantage

Chapter 32: Chapter 31: Can’t Take Advantage

"Alright, alright." Cai Meina led the two men to sit in their room.

Originally, she thought they’d eat in the kitchen, but it seemed unnecessary now.

Seeing how excited they were, especially her own man, Cai Meina was quite uneasy and went to warm up on her kang to avoid waking Zhan Jing from their excitement.

As for Gong Ruwen, who was still sleeping on the kang, Cai Meina and the others simply forgot about him.

Sitting on the comfortable and warm kang, Zhao Gang and Gong Tao finally calmed down after a while. Even though they were wrapped in thick coats and had blankets over them, the wind was still blowing fierce and cold.

If they hadn’t stopped halfway to make some hot water and warm themselves by a fire, they might have really struggled to keep going.

"It’s not that cold yet, but come October, it’ll really get chilly. But by then, we won’t be going out at night." The animals will be hibernating, making prey harder to find.

Even if they had to go out to sell vegetables, it would be during the day. In the cold winter, everyone stays indoors. Zhao Gang wouldn’t pass through the village center but would rather take a detour around it.

Going out during the day is better. Gong Tao was quite anxious on the way, worrying about always having to go out at night in the future, as his body couldn’t handle it.

Especially after it snows and the roads become slippery, what if he isn’t careful?

Even if the old horse knows its way home, what if something happens? Now, knowing they would be going out in the daytime, Gong Tao felt relieved, "I’ll eat and then go to sleep, got to get up early tomorrow."

Originally, Gong Tao thought the firewood was enough, but now he saw it wasn’t, especially after witnessing the factory’s generosity. Gong Tao was determined to grow vegetables well and sell them at a good price.

Especially since the other side would give some coupons, which were valuable. Although they would offset some payment, exchanging money for vouchers in the market wasn’t easy. This way was better.

Cai Meina was ready to take the prepared food inside, but Zhao Xuran took it over, "Aunt Cai, let me take it."

How could Cai Meina let this child Zhao Xuran take things? Of course, she tried to grab it back, but the latter dodged, "It’s alright, I can handle it."

"Auntie, I’m an adult now." Zhao Xuran swiftly walked into the room, "Dad, Uncle Gong, time to eat."

Zhao Gang motioned Zhao Xuran to place the food on the side of the kang table as he was busy distributing money and vouchers.

Gong Ruini was all wide-eyed with excitement. She knew there would be gains when they set off and their smiles confirmed it upon return.

But everything was just her guess. When she saw the kang table full of money and vouchers, Gong Ruini was dumbfounded.

More shocked was Cai Meina, whose mouth dropped wide open at the sight of the things on the kang table.

Having money was one thing, but why were there vouchers too? That’s right, her man had mentioned making new clothes for their daughter, which implied vouchers, but she thought it would be just a few, yet there seemed to be a lot.

Gong Tao was also a bit anxious, after all, selling things for such a high price was Zhao Gang’s capability, he was just lending a hand. Initially, he wasn’t even thinking about getting a share, feeling that Zhao Gang hosting them with good food and drink and giving them a place to stay was already enough.

Zhao Gang noticed Gong Tao’s uneasiness and smiled slightly, this was his old friend indeed. He wondered how the rest of Gong’s brothers were always calculating every single thing, yet there existed such a peculiar one like him.

If Gong Tao was a person who haggled over everything, Zhao Gang wouldn’t have mixed with him so much, "Let’s split the money first and then the vouchers."

"We’ll split the money fifty-fifty this time. As for the voucher, take more of the fabric vouchers, there won’t be another chance like this." Zhao Gang quickly said before Gong Tao and his wife could object.

Upon hearing that the money would be split in half and they would get more vouchers, Cai Meina instinctively opposed, "It can’t be divided like this."

No matter how it sounded, her family seemed to be getting the better deal, "Listen to me, this time, our family can’t take half the money, to be honest, we didn’t contribute much effort."

"Besides, living and eating at your place, we don’t know how to repay this favor." Cai Meina knew Zhao Gang was generous, but just because people are generous doesn’t mean you should accept it blindly.

If Zhao Gang said his burden was heavy, was it not so? He still had elders to support and soon there would be another mouth to feed.

Cai Meina didn’t want her family or her children to feel lesser in the Zhao Family, and not let Gong Tao become like his brothers, thinking everything was a matter of course.

To let Gong Tao understand making money wasn’t easy, and also to let him understand Ni Zi’s words. This way, when the Gong or Cai family came knocking, he could stand firm.

Gong Ruini also thought the money couldn’t be divided as Zhao Gang suggested, some rules are better established from the beginning, if her man put in much effort, a fifty-fifty split would be acceptable.

The issue was, no matter how she thought, she couldn’t see her man contributing much effort.

Gong Ruini waved her little arms in support of Cai Meina, "What mom said."

"Shouldn’t take advantage of others."

"Dad will be able to hunt wild boars in the future too." Gong Ruini excitedly expressed that dad would certainly hunt wild boars too, this time it was just that he didn’t have the opportunity to show his skills.

Upon hearing his wife and daughter’s words, Gong Tao’s face slightly reddened. Initially, he felt embarrassed, but on the way back, he felt it wasn’t too much to take a bit of money. At worst, he would perform well in the future.

"Okay, I won’t take the money this time, but I want the fabric vouchers." He decided to handle the situation gracefully. Not taking money was alright.

Ever since Ni Zi arrived, she had been well-fed, jumping around happily here, where no one criticized her as just a girl, resulting in Ni Zi being robust over the past month.

Without urgent needs, Gong Tao said having money or not didn’t matter.

Especially with his daughter confidently saying that he, as her father, would surely hunt big game, he felt all the more motivated.

"How can you not take the money?" Who would’ve thought this couple would keep increasing their concessions.

"Without Taozi’s help, I wouldn’t have packed everything up so quickly, nor would I have dared to travel overnight." Zhao Gang wasn’t willing to accept Gong Tao’s decision.

Gong Ruini watched the two of them going back and forth endlessly, rubbed her stomach, feeling a bit hungry.

Although she ate well for dinner, the meals in those days lacked richness, and after a nap followed by some activity, how could she not be hungry?

Cai Meina helped her man speak, and Zhao Xuran, being the younger generation, certainly couldn’t join the conversation, so he focused on the little one present.

Upon looking, he found the little girl eyeing the fragrant bowl of intestine noodle soup, almost as if she was starving.

"Ni Zi, are you hungry?" Zhao Xuran picked up a bowl and ladled some out.

Gong Ruini nodded persistently, "Hungry, Brother Xu Ran, Ni Zi is hungry."

This little girl only showed such a nice attitude when she needed you; otherwise, Zhao Xuran couldn’t guarantee she’d treat you well, as it really depended on her mood.

"Dad, Uncle Gong, aren’t you hungry too?" After serving a bowl of noodle soup for Gong Ruini, Zhao Xuran casually asked.

"Of course, we’re hungry." After the traveling and then arguing for half a day, Zhao Gang, fighting alone, faced defeat.

Picking up a bowl, Zhao Gang began stuffing his mouth eagerly, "Twenty yuan, sixty percent of the fabric vouchers, deal?"

Didn’t Gong Tao just say he wanted all the fabric vouchers? Zhao Gang saw the number of fabric vouchers was quite a lot, so he tactfully used money to exchange some fabric vouchers, to avoid objections from Gong Tao and his wife.

"Our little one is about to be born, they need to have some new undergarments, that’s settled then." Zhao Gang looked ready to halve everything if this wasn’t agreed upon.

With Zhao Gang saying so, Gong Tao and his wife had to accept his kindness, while simultaneously firming their resolve that when it was time to plant vegetables for winter, they would have to work diligently.