Courtyard Houses: Starting with the principle of hard work paying off

Chapter 92 Sensational!

Time passes day by day.

Jia Zhangshi, who had been hospitalized after being angered by her own son Jia Dongxu, pretended to be sick for several days before she had to "recover" and return home.

Just when everyone thought Jia Dongxu had changed his mind, as soon as Jia Zhangshi was discharged from the hospital, he started making a fuss again about wanting to marry Qin Huairu.

Not only did she threaten to go on a hunger strike, but she also stayed home and stopped going to work at the steel mill. No matter how much Yi Zhonghai tried to persuade her, it was no use. This worried Jia Zhangshi and Yi Zhonghai a lot.

This behavior was like that of a three-year-old child desperately demanding candy, making everyone in the courtyard laugh at him.

During this period, Li Hongbing did not stay idle. He took three days off under the pretext of helping his older sister, Li Hongmei, with her wedding arrangements.

A three-day holiday is not short, and getting married in this era is not so complicated. However, knowing Li Hongbing's family situation, the approval was granted quickly.

The past two days.

Li Hongbing actually rode his bicycle around everywhere, taking advantage of this leave to continue stockpiling various daily necessities such as sugar, oil, salt, grain, meat, and vegetables.

The rationing system was implemented for several decades. The more prepared he is now, the more comfortable his life will be when the time comes.

Having a bicycle made it much more convenient for Li Hongbing to shop around. He even made a special trip to several farmers' markets in the suburbs of Beijing and bought a lot of mountain products, eggs, and grains.

Currently, there is no unified purchase and sale system. If the harvest is good, farmers can take their surplus grain to the market to sell.

During the off-season for farming.

Some would also go up the mountain to hunt or pick mushrooms to enrich their family's meals, or sell them at the market to generate income.

As for raising chickens, ducks, and even pigs, there are quite a few of them.

Over the course of two days, Li Hongbing could be said to have made a great harvest.

However, he didn't spend all the money he had, since he still needed to prepare a dowry for Li Hongmei.

Lou Zhenhua's five million, along with the family fortune that Li Hongmei had given her before, were undoubtedly Li Hongmei's dowry.

However, a large portion of it was exchanged by Li Hongbing for supplies and temporarily stored in the system space.

If all this money is used to prepare a dowry that is visible in the public eye, it would be a bit too extravagant and ostentatious.

In exchange for necessary supplies, Li Hongbing could provide occasional "assistance" to ensure Li Hongmei's standard of living, especially during the next three difficult years.

On the third day, Li Hongbing was still very busy.

The main task of the day was nothing more than preparing Li Hongmei's dowry.

There are many things to buy, from large items like red quilts to small items like washbasins and towels.

Although rationing has not yet been implemented, supplies are relatively scarce, and the mainstream dowry consists mainly of practical daily necessities.

There are also some rules regarding dowry.

For example, red quilts need to be in even numbers, and there are also auspicious ritual objects, such as the "descendant bucket".

Li Hongbing didn't really understand these things, and some people didn't follow them completely. However, Li Hongmei was his only blood-related older sister, so Li Hongbing naturally couldn't let people laugh at him. Therefore, he specifically consulted with Matchmaker Sun about these precautions.

The red quilt was made by Li Hongbing after he went to Chen Xueru's shop to order a quilt cover and asked her to find a cotton carder he knew to make the quilt insert. He picked it up today.

Its main selling point is convenience.

Otherwise, Chen Xueru's calling her "sister" would have been for nothing.

After wandering around outside for almost a day, Li Hongbing specially hired two rickshaw pullers and finally bought a sewing machine and a bicycle at the mall, returning home fully loaded.

Two whole truckloads.

The main things, big and small, took up too much space.

Simultaneously.

After three days of "turmoil," the money that Li Hongbing had on him and stored in the system space has been almost completely used up.

On the way back, they attracted the attention of many passersby.

That's too "arrogant".

By the time we got back to the courtyard house, it was almost time for everyone to come home from get off work.

This was arranged deliberately by Li Hongbing.

Returning home in wealth and honor is like wearing fine clothes at night.

After spending so much money, it can't just end up with no buzz or ripples at all.

"Ouch!"

"Hongbing, you...you...you..."

"Hello, Aunt Yang!"

“Did you buy all these?”

"Yes!"

"You...you brought the entire mall back?"

"Buying so much stuff, aren't you going to starve yourself?" "Oh my god, is that a sewing machine? A Wudi brand one!"

"And bicycles, new ones?"

"Don't you already have one?"

"Aunt Yang, my sister should be back by now. Could you please show these two men the way so they can move their things inside?"

"Hey!"

"..."

Since it was inconvenient to pull the cart into the courtyard, Li Hongbing happened to see Aunt Yang returning from outside. He asked her to lead the way for the hired porter, Wobo'er, while he stayed outside to keep watch.

With so many items, and all of them quite valuable, they can't be left unattended.

"Red Plum Blossom!!!"

"Hongmei, this is incredible!"

"Something serious has happened."

"Come out and take a look!"

"Your brother has squandered money again."

"This time we've really gone too far!"

"..."

Just as Aunt Yang was leading her two hunched-over children inside carrying things, Li Hongbing heard her excited shouts and almost strained his back.

What does it mean to "spend money again"?

He only bought some pastries when he received his salary, and then he would prepare some good dishes whenever he had a day off or when the Zhao family came to visit.

Besides.

They didn't squander anything.

How is that considered wasteful?
Oh……

I also bought two sets of silk exercise clothes.

Thinking about it that way, I realize there is indeed some truth to it.

……

at the same time.

Li Hongmei, who had just returned home from get off work, was cooking for herself and had not prepared anything for Li Hongbing.

Li Hongbing did not tell Li Hongmei about taking three days off.

Everything was done in secret.

So Li Hongmei was unaware that Li Hongbing was preparing a dowry for her today.

soon.

Grandma Yang's grumbling not only "called out" Li Hongmei, but also startled everyone in the front yard.

"Aunt Yang, what happened? What's wrong with Hongbing?"

Grandma Yang's excited expression and tone made Li Hongmei feel extremely nervous.

The word "spendthrift" is not a good one.

In Li Hongmei's memory, her younger brother did not have any bad habits.

As for the ingredients used for cooking at home and the two sets of morning exercise clothes he bought for himself, Li Hongmei didn't think it was wasteful.

At this time.

Following behind, Wobo'er, who was carrying a sewing machine in from outside, also targeted Li Hongmei when she saw what Aunt Yang was doing. However, to avoid any misunderstanding, they confirmed it again.

"Sister Yang, is this the place?"

"Yes, yes, this is Li Hongbing's sister, his own sister! Carry her into this room."

Upon hearing this, Aunt Yang immediately transformed into a guide and began directing Li Hongmei on the spot.

Looking at the brand-new sewing machine being carried into her house, Li Hongmei was initially stunned, but gradually came to her senses.

However, she was still a little uncertain and asked Aunt Yang for confirmation: "Aunt Yang, this sewing machine, could it be that Hongbing bought it?"

"Yes, yes, Hongbing came back with him too. He's outside right now. He's the one who bought this Invincible brand sewing machine. He admitted it himself and told me, so there's no mistake..."

With Aunt Yang's explanation and repeated assurances, as if worried that Li Hongmei wouldn't believe her, Li Hongmei finally understood why Aunt Yang had just said "wasteful."

however.

Upon hearing what Aunt Yang said, the crowd who had rushed out of their houses to watch the commotion were in an uproar when they learned that Li Hongbing had bought a sewing machine from outside.

(End of this chapter)