Chapter 156: Chapter 156: Good Things Come in Pairs
Mother Su said, "I can lend you a thousand yuan."
"Mom, I want to buy two storefronts as well," Su Wan said after a moment of thought.
"Huh?" Mother Su and Second Brother Su both looked over in confusion. "Wanwan, you’re an educated woman. The state will assign you a job in the future. What do you need to buy storefronts for?"
"They’re for the two children, so they’ll have some property of their own in the future," Su Wan explained. "Lu Zhengchuan might be transferred to the Capital, so we’ll likely be living there from now on. Buying storefronts and a house are part of our upcoming plans."
"Oh, really?"
The news of Lu Zhengchuan’s transfer was another pleasant surprise for everyone.
"Why are you only telling us now? You child, you’re so good at keeping secrets." Mother Su reached out as if to tap her on the head.
But she couldn’t hide the surprise and satisfaction on her face.
It was, of course, better for a husband and wife not to be separated for too long. For the past six months, Mother Su’s main worry had been Lu Zhengchuan’s safety.
"It wasn’t set in stone yet. It was just a possibility, and I thought, what if it fell through? It would just get your hopes up for nothing," Su Wan said with a slight smile, pressing her lips together.
"You can talk about it now, so does that mean it’s been decided?" Second Brother Su cleverly pressed.
Su Wan cleared her throat. "It’s pretty much a sure thing, but it’ll probably take a few more days to be finalized."
"But buying two storefronts for the children won’t hurt anything. If it really doesn’t work out, we can just rent them out or sell them."
"Two storefronts would be six thousand yuan. Wanwan, can you afford that?" Mother Su was thinking further ahead. "This is the Capital, after all. The two children will need their household registration. Even though the village has allocated land to households, it can’t compare to a Capital registration. If you buy two storefronts, you can use the opportunity to register Tuantuan and Yuanyuan in the Capital. No matter where they end up in the future, it’s best to get their registration sorted out first."
"Anyway, you’re building a life in the Capital now. With your family here, we can all look after each other."
Second Brother Su was a little envious. He looked at the two little ones. "Tuantuan and Yuanyuan are so lucky."
"I need to build up a family fortune for my Nuannuan, too."
Second Sister-in-law Su, standing beside him, pinched the soft flesh at his waist. "Nuannuan is already seven or eight months old. Once she’s a little bigger, I can go out and work too. We have such a good life now, and you’re still not satisfied? What’s the rush? You’re benefiting from Wanwan’s good fortune."
Second Brother Su nodded repeatedly. "That’s right. Wanwan, if you buy the storefronts, are you planning to rent them out?"
"Can I rent one?"
Second Brother Su wasn’t trying to take advantage of his sister; he was mainly worried that if she bought the storefronts and couldn’t rent them out, it would be a waste of money.
Su Wan understood his concern and felt a warmth in her heart. She smiled faintly and said, "I have the money. When our third brother went to E Country, I gave him some funds to start a business. He’s earned a good sum for me, more than enough to buy the storefronts."
At the mention of Su Jue, Mother Su’s face filled with disapproval.
"Hmph, that boy, our third son, he’s got nothing but money on his mind. His nerve is so big, he’s not afraid of anything. I told him to come back from abroad, but he wouldn’t. He even applied to extend his exchange program. Do I not know him? He’s using the light course load overseas to focus all his energy on making money and doing business."
Su Wan touched the tip of her nose, not daring to speak up for her third brother. She just nodded obediently. "Mom, don’t be angry. You can scold him when he gets back."
"Scold him? His nerve is bigger than the sky now. How could I possibly scold him?"
Mother Su muttered a couple of curses under her breath and couldn’t be bothered to say more. After all, the person in question wasn’t even there.
"Alright, it’s settled then. I’ll go to the housing authority to get in line, and Wanwan, you get the money ready."
Su Wan nodded.
They each returned to their own rooms.
That night, Aunt Zhao stayed with Mother Su and Second Sister-in-law Su in a side room. It was a tight squeeze, but it would have to do for now.
Mother Su said to Su Wan, "Wanwan, once I’ve bought my storefront, I’ll move in there with you. It’s only sixty square meters, but our stall doesn’t need much space anyway. There’s no dine-in area, so we can put a bed inside and separate it with a curtain. It’s much more convenient than renting a separate apartment."
"Mom, there’s no rush. Let me go see the storefront first before we decide."
Su Wan was thinking she should wait for Lu Zhengchuan to return before discussing buying a house.
"Besides, I’ll be going back to school for classes soon. If it comes to it, I can stay at the school overnight, which would work out perfectly for Aunt Zhao and the two children."
’Even though it means being separated from my children, I have to go back to my studies sooner or later.’
"You listen to me. The children may be small, but you’ll be miserable if you’re separated from them for too long." Mother Su gave her no room to argue, making the decision for her.
Su Wan opened her mouth to speak but knew her mother was only being considerate of her. She felt a little touched.
Just as she was about to say something, Tuantuan, who was in her arms, whimpered twice. He was hungry and wanted to be fed. She couldn’t say anything more and immediately got busy with the baby.
「Meanwhile.」
Second Sister-in-law Su and Second Brother Su were also talking in hushed tones.
Second Brother Su said, "Honey, I’ve thought it over carefully. Let’s not buy a storefront this time."
"If we borrow the money to buy it, it’ll take at least two years to pay it back. If an emergency comes up, I won’t have any money to spare. And I especially can’t use it precisely because it’s Mom’s money."
"Not to mention our third brother is so successful he doesn’t need Mom and Dad’s money at all, but our situation is the same as our big brother’s."
"Big brother earns seventy yuan a month, and he makes an extra twenty or thirty by helping people transport goods on his travels. His income is about the same as ours. We can’t just borrow money from Mom and Dad while he watches, can we?"
"Besides, we’re in the Capital and have always been looked after by Mom and Dad. We can’t set this precedent."
Seeing how nervously he was explaining himself, Second Sister-in-law Su didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "You’re right. We’re living quite comfortably with our savings anyway. And like you said, if we rent Wanwan’s storefront, we can help her out a little, which is also a good thing."
"I knew my wife was the most considerate." Second Brother Su immediately showered her with praise.
Second Sister-in-law Su pushed his face away. "I wonder when our brother-in-law will be back."
"It should be soon."
The man on everyone’s mind, Lu Zhengchuan, was on a train heading north. He looked at his friend He Rong in front of him, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
"Old He, what are you doing pacing back and forth in front of me? You’re making my eyes go blurry."
"My eyes can’t go blurry, though. I need them to see my wife and kids when I get back." The corners of Lu Zhengchuan’s mouth lifted into a smirk. His words were practically begging for a punch.
He Rong rolled his eyes. "So you’re the only one with a wife?"
"I have one too," he said, his gaze drifting past Lu Zhengchuan to Qin Yao, who was seated further down the train car.
"If you like Comrade Qin so much, just go and spend time with her. Why are you staying here, all fidgety?" Lu Zhengchuan shook his head helplessly.
He Rong pressed his lips together, a rare look of unease on his face. "Old Lu, tell me, why won’t she accept any of the gifts I give her? The more I give, the unhappier she gets. Don’t all female comrades like receiving gifts?"
"What did you give her?" Lu Zhengchuan had been preoccupied with the war for the better part of the year. Now that the front-line commander had been routinely replaced, he had finally completed his mission. The tension that had gripped him finally eased, and he realized it had been a while since he had really checked in on his friend.