Rebirth and making money first

After seeing Aunt Chen off, Zhang Jing and her mother ate lunch and then took a nap. They had planned to go together that afternoon to look at another house slated for demolition. However, before they could fall asleep, they heard a knock on the door. Opening it, they saw Aunt Liu, a fellow villager. She had heard Zhang Jing had returned home and had come to visit.

Aunt Liu was very welcoming to Zhang Jing's family, but she was also very concerned about the demolition. She suggested that Zhang Jing should consider buying a house in her neighborhood, as it was home to many fellow villagers who could look after each other. She also felt that Xiao Chen, as a native of Northeast China, had a relatively distant relationship with the family. She also said that she could see Zhang Jing's mother more often. She said that Zhang Jing's mother could help her with some matters, as she was uneducated. This way, they could better care for each other.

Zhang Jing's mother smiled and replied that they hadn't made a final decision yet and planned to look at a few more properties before making a final decision. After all, buying a house is a serious matter that requires careful consideration.

Aunt Liu assured Zhang Jing that if they were short on funds to buy a house, they could always ask her for a loan. While she wasn't financially secure, she could still come up with 8,000 to 10,000 yuan. If she hadn't purchased the property, she would have undoubtedly helped Zhang Jing and her family without hesitation. If all else failed, they could always seek help from other villagers, like Aunt Fang. In short, as long as everyone worked together, they could always find a way to solve the problem.

Zhang Jing took out the silk scarves she had brought and asked her to choose one. She smiled happily, "Xiao Jing, you're such a thoughtful child. You're still thinking of your Aunt Liu! Aunt Liu appreciates your kindness! Don't worry, your mother is well taken care of by us sisters. She'll be fine. You just need to focus on working and earning money."

Zhang Jing smiled and said, "Of course I'm relieved! How could I not know that you care so much about my mother? You often come to visit my mother. Although we don't come back often, we all understand in our hearts! Aunt Liu, please don't feel embarrassed! I specially selected these scarves. They are not worth much. I just want to give them to you as decorations. I hope you don't mind!"

Aunt Liu quickly waved her hands and said, "How could I dislike it! Xiaojing, you are so polite! Even if you didn't bring us a gift, we would still do our best to take care of your mother. But since you are so thoughtful, I won't be polite!" As she spoke, Aunt Liu began to carefully select the scarves, muttering to herself, "This color is nice... That pattern is also very beautiful... Oh, they are all so beautiful, which one should I choose?"

At this time, my mother said, "Aunt Liu, don't be so picky! When the other aunts come, let them choose too! Don't take it all by yourself, be fair!" Aunt Liu laughed and said, "Okay, okay, I get it! Then I'll pick the prettiest one first, and leave the rest for the others."

The mother smiled and said, "By the way, Aunt Liu, didn't Zhang Zhi give you a pearl necklace when she came back last time? You loved it so much!" Aunt Liu's eyes lit up when she heard it, "Yes, yes! Zhang Zhi is a very filial child! I love that pearl necklace. I wore it to square dance, and many people praised how beautiful it was!"

Zhang Jing suddenly remembered that Zhang Zhi had gone home a few years ago and didn't know what gifts to bring to the aunts. She asked Zhang Jing about this. Zhang Jing recalled that she had brought tea and clothes. So she suggested that Zhang Zhi go to the wholesale market and buy some pearl necklaces as gifts.

However, Zhang Zhi calculated the cost and realized that buying as many bags as her mother's friend wanted would cost at least a thousand yuan. She chose not to go to the wholesale market and instead went directly to a friend's small factory to buy them. The friend said the price was very reasonable and was embarrassed to accept the money, so she just gave her several large bags. Of course, Zhang Zhi still paid for two expensive bags for her mother.

After returning home, Zhang Zhi gave each of the aunts a pearl necklace. Except for her mother, who kept hers, all the other aunts put on the necklaces. Her mother was not happy with her daughter's spending and complained to Zhang Zhi about her extravagant spending. Zhang Zhi quietly told her mother that the necklaces were gifts from a friend and didn't cost her anything, and her mother was relieved.

Later, Zhang Zhi described to Zhang Jing the sight of these elderly women wearing pearl necklaces and showing off. One of them, Aunt Liu, was so moved that she shook Zhang Zhi's hand and said, "Zhang Zhi, you know what? This pearl necklace you gave me makes me happier than if you had treated Aunt Liu to a meal!" Zhang Zhi smiled and said that these elderly women were so easily pleased, and the bigger the pearl, the more they seemed to like it, which she found very puzzling.

Puzzled, Zhang Jing pressed Zhang Zhi, "Hasn't anyone ever questioned whether these pearl necklaces might be fakes?"

Zhang Zhi remained indifferent and replied calmly, "Who said they're fake? Of course they're real! They're just artificially bred and have a few minor flaws. Aunt Liu also said that this isn't a big deal. After all, who would be so bored as to lean over someone's neck and observe them closely?"

At this thought, Zhang Jing immediately understood what Aunt Liu meant. She realized that Aunt Liu wasn't satisfied with the silk scarf she had given her, especially since the pearl necklace Zhang Zhi had given her had only heightened her expectations. However, Zhang Jing didn't pay much attention to Aunt Liu's little thought; she had more important matters to attend to. So, she asked her mother to continue chatting with Aunt Liu while she decided to go to the demolition center alone.

Zhang Jing's mother was concerned about her decision. She knew the compensation was crucial to the family and couldn't afford to compromise easily. Therefore, she repeatedly urged Zhang Jing, "Don't make a decision rashly. Wait until you get back and we'll discuss it thoroughly." Zhang Jing understood her mother's concerns, but she also had her own ideas and plans. She nodded in understanding and promised to proceed with caution. She then gathered her documents and materials related to the demolition and prepared to leave for the relocation center.

As for Aunt Liu's inquiries and requests, Zhang Jing had no time to attend to them. She left them to her mother, trusting her mother to handle them with ease. After all, her mother had always been the pillar of the family and could handle all matters properly.

The relocation center wasn't crowded, and the staff greeted Zhang Jing. After handing all her documents to the staff, she sat down to wait. After carefully checking everything and confirming it was correct, the staff member said to Zhang Jing, "Ms. Zhang, we've verified your information. Please come with me to see the house." He then led Zhang Jing to the display area and pointed to the floor plans on the wall. "These are our resettlement homes," he explained, "with different sizes and floor plans for you to choose from." Zhang Jing glanced at the plans briefly, uninterested, and asked, "If I only want the relocation compensation, how much will I get?" The staff member paused, then said, "According to policy, you can receive compensation. However, the exact amount will be determined based on your property's appraisal. Please wait while I calculate it for you." A few minutes later, the staff member informed Zhang Jing, "After calculation, your compensation is 138 million yuan." Zhang Jing nodded, approving the figure, and secretly delighted. Compared to her previous life, this time, she received 18 yuan more!

Without hesitation, she said, "I want compensation, not a house." The staff member was a little surprised, but politely replied, "Okay, Ms. Zhang. I'll consult with my supervisor and get you all the necessary details as soon as possible." Since most people opted for resettlement housing, and there were fewer people like Zhang Jing who only wanted compensation, the staff member, perhaps worried that she might change her mind, quickly agreed to her request and swiftly processed the necessary paperwork. They promised to transfer the money to Zhang Jing's account within a week and instructed her to vacate and hand over the house within a week. Everything went smoothly, and Zhang Jing quickly completed all the paperwork, but it was only then that she realized she seemed to have forgotten to ask an important question: did she need to pay taxes?

The staff assured her not to worry; the developer had already taken care of everything. All she had to do was complete the paperwork, hand over the property, and wait for the 138 million yuan to arrive. As Zhang Jing walked out of the office with the contract in hand, she felt a wave of dizziness. In less than two hours, she had become a millionaire! No, more like a millionaire sister! Was this the legendary overnight wealth? She tried to remain calm and composed, telling herself to remain composed.

However, during the days of waiting for the huge sum to arrive, no one could understand the torment Zhang Jing endured. To avoid unnecessary trouble, Zhang Jing decided not to return home. Instead, she went to a nearby internet cafe and checked the stock market. She hoped to use this comparison to calm her mind.

When she saw that her stock holdings were worth a staggering 192 million yuan, she was filled with delight. Now, she had finally joined the ranks of those for whom "a hundred thousand isn't considered rich, a million is just the beginning," achieving a monumental leap in wealth. Zhang Jing realized she couldn't calm down anymore. So she turned to online novel writing. Once she saw her income, she finally calmed down.

Income ranges from 2000 yuan to yuan. It's such a hard-earned income! Should I continue? At this moment, Zhang Jing just wants to give up. The world is so unfair: why can't the effort and income be proportional?