The Reborn Sidekick Rejected The Male Lead
Chapter 204 - 198: Partnering to Buy a Pond

Chapter 204: Chapter 198: Partnering to Buy a Pond

Zhao Shun nodded and said, "Yes, yes, Uncle Liu told me about it earlier. My family’s courtyard has always been in the care of Uncle Liu to keep an eye out for a buyer. When he heard you wanted to buy the pond, Uncle Liu contacted me right away. My family doesn’t live in the city; we’re quite far, so I hurried over with Uncle Liu.

"Grandpa Xue, I know Uncle Liu’s price. His family has an old house, and we only have a homestead plot left. I’m not asking for much—four hundred yuan, and it’s yours."

Grandpa Xue didn’t speak, instead turning to glance at Lu Jingqiu. It was then that Lu Jingqiu spoke, "We can buy it for four hundred, but the transfer of ownership needs to be done quickly, and once sold, it’s sold. You can’t come back for any reason related to interests and hassle us."

Upon hearing it was finally sold, a smile spread across Zhao Shun’s face as he said, "Comrade, rest assured, that house has been in ruins for over a decade. It’s uninhabitable and impossible to rebuild. Besides, when my foster father gave me that place, I had no intention of keeping it. I’m happy to be able to sell it and get some money.

"To be honest with you, our village is distributing property to individual families, and the ponds at the foot of the mountain are also up for lease. If I can sell this house, I’ll use the money to lease the pond."

Lu Jingqiu said, "Okay, can you transfer the ownership tomorrow?"

"Yes, yes, I’m not leaving today. Tomorrow morning, I’ll go with comrade to do the transfer."

Xue Jianian, standing by, reminded, "Please remind Uncle Liu as well, Zhao Uncle. Let’s do the transfer together tomorrow."

"All right, all right."

Zhao Shun, overjoyed, left the room.

Meanwhile, Grandma Xue said, "If we’re going to transfer ownership tomorrow, I’d better talk to the other family and do it all at once."

"Grandma, I’ll go with you."

"No need, no need, I’ll just take the flashlight; I’ll be back in fifteen minutes."

Xue Jianian was worried, and Lu Jingqiu was about to get up to follow, but in the end, Grandpa Xue went out with Grandma Xue instead.

Leaving the space to the two young ones.

Having everything figured out in her mind, Lu Jingqiu called Xue Jianian into the room and said, "Niannian, aren’t you also looking to buy a house? Between the Liu Family’s and Zhao Family’s, which one do you want?"

"I’ll take the one from the Liu Family. You keep the cheaper one. I’ve also got Grandma’s place. I know you have enough for those two properties, but what about the pond? Are you really not interested?"

Lu Jingqiu responded, "I’m interested, but I don’t have enough money. However, I can take those two properties for one thousand yuan."

"One thousand yuan is too much, even though it’s a lot cheaper than the houses in this area. But those few by the pond are twice as expensive."

"Expensive, but still better than nothing."

Xue Jianian said, "Are you that confident?"

Lu Jingqiu laughed: "I have some confidence, but plans can’t always keep up with changes. There are still some factors that might lead to failure; I’m also quite worried."

"Didn’t you say that everything carries a risk? How about this—if tomorrow Grandpa can ask Director Wang again, Jingqiu, I hope you don’t mind me asking, but after you buy these two houses, how much money will you have left?"

"I only brought slightly more than five thousand yuan with me. After buying these two, I’ll have four thousand left. If Director Wang’s relative’s house can be sold separately, I’ll have an additional two thousand."

"Jingqiu, if the information you have is reliable, what if the two of us partnered up to buy that house?"

"Partner up?... You’re willing? What I’ve mentioned about the development plan, Niannian, I can’t give you a hundred percent certainty that it will be developed. Just in case..."

"Jingqiu, you also said ’just in case.’ If it does get developed, then I’ll be making a fortune alongside you. From interacting with you these past few days, I’ve found many of your ideas quite convincing, and I’m willing to trust you.

Even if it doesn’t get developed, I think holding onto that plot of land wouldn’t be a bad thing."

My grandpa often said that one should try various things while they’re young. The more you try, the more experience you gain, and the more opportunities you have for success.

"Jingqiu, you’re not saying you don’t want to make money with me, are you?"

"How could that be? I’m thankful to you all for this property purchase. Niannian, since you want to buy, then I’ll reserve those two cheaper buildings for you. The two expensive ones from Director Wang, I want those. By the pond side, I can only put up two thousand yuan."

"No, I can’t let you suffer a loss. I’ll take the two from Director Wang. Although my family isn’t as wealthy as yours, I’ve also made some money doing business on my own this year."

"Niannian, since we’re partnering to buy the pond, the truth is I’m the one benefitting from you all, eating and living at your place, and even having Grandpa and Grandma Xue run around for me. I already feel quite indebted."

"If anything, I should be the one saying I’m benefitting from you. If that land really gets expropriated later, the advantage I’ll get is definitely more than just this bit of house price."

The two of them went back and forth, almost reaching a stalemate, until Xue Jianian said, "For the houses from Director Wang, one for each of us. For the remaining three, you take two, I take one. For the pond, you put up three thousand, and I’ll cover the rest of the money. Remember, externally, you’re also Grandpa and Grandma Xue’s grandniece. We two are just looking to take care of the elders after graduation, thinking of filial duty on behalf of our parents and doing business here while looking after the elders."

Lu Jingqiu joked, "So, it seems I’ve gained another pair of grandparents who love me."

Having said that, the two laughed heartily together.

Xue Jianian thought that for the pond, it was still possible to ask Grandpa Xue to talk with Director Wang. The two planned to transfer ownership of the other properties tomorrow.

Lu Jingqiu finally nodded in agreement.

When Grandpa Xue returned, the two shared their thoughts with him, and Grandpa Xue didn’t object. He admired such young talents, proud of his granddaughter who, despite having unusual opportunities, was down-to-earth and hadn’t become flighty.

Early the next morning, Grandpa Xue took two bottles of Maotai and two geese to see Director Wang.

Meanwhile, Xue Jianian and Lu Jingqiu followed the heads of the three families to the Housing Authority.

Lu Jingqiu bought the houses from the Liu and Zhao families and gave another house to Xue Jianian.

She felt that the house from the Zhao family was just a foundation, and the allocated house in the future certainly wouldn’t be large. To have a slightly larger one would require rebuilding, even if it were a mud-brick house. With this hassle, almost one hundred yuan would be gone.

The transaction for the three households was swift. They paid there and then, with one seal being stamped after another onto the property deeds. When Lu Jingqiu held several red-sealed deeds, her face was filled with many smiles.

After leaving the Housing Authority, Xue Jianian said with a smile, "It feels so good to buy houses. Even if the business loses money later, having a house means not fearing homelessness. Jingqiu, let’s go to the state-owned restaurant for a meal."

"Let’s go, my treat."

"Alright, I won’t stand on ceremony with you today."

The two went to a nearby state-owned restaurant, and the menu was full of various soups.

Lu Jingqiu ordered a portion of black chicken soup, a plate of greens, a steamed fish, and two bowls of rice.

No sooner had she finished ordering than she turned her head and saw her second cousin and Fourth Brother Gao entering the door.

Yang Mingchao also spotted Lu Jingqiu at once, and both were surprised and happy, "Second cousin, Fourth Brother Gao."

"Qiuqiu, what are you doing in Yangcheng City?"

Lu Jingqiu made room for them to sit and didn’t answer her second cousin’s question. Instead, she ran to the service counter and ordered a portion of roast meat and two more bowls of rice.

Then she came back to her seat and took the initiative to say, "Second cousin, I came to Yangcheng City with Niannian this time."