Although Su Xiaotian had only been gone for three days, it felt like three years to Grandma Su.
In fact, Grandma Su wasn't just missing Su Xiaotian.
The usually lively family was now reduced to two elderly people, so it was natural for them to feel lonely.
Grandma Su missed her granddaughter and her grandsons.
She had been talking about them a lot these past few days, wondering if the children were doing well in the city.
Liang Xiu seemed to understand the elders' feelings of loss.
She was a clever woman and, with a smile, went to hold Grandma Su's hand.
"Mom, I know you're worried about Xiaotian and the other kids. Don't worry, I'm here in the city, along with Manxiu and Second Sister-in-law. We'll take good care of the children."
"Mom, Third Brother and I came to tell you this so you and Dad can rest assured!"
"Is this a small matter worth a special trip?" Grandma Su said proudly, "I'm not thinking about them, they just make me angry!"
"Yes, yes, Mom, you're not thinking about them, I'm just overthinking it, alright?" Liang Xiu said with a grin.
Hearing her daughter-in-law's comforting words, Grandma Su's expression improved considerably.
Her daughter-in-law really knew how to talk.
"Third daughter-in-law, why did you two make this trip? Your father and I are fine at home. What about the children if you two just come back?" Grandma Su said with feigned displeasure, but she was still worried.
The children had never stayed in the city before, how could they be at ease leaving them behind?
"Second Sister-in-law and Manxiu are at home, it's fine," Liang Xiu quickly explained.
If there weren't adults at home to look after the children, they wouldn't have been able to leave them.
Grandma Su was somewhat relieved, but still not entirely at ease.
Such young children were going to the county town to study, how could she not worry?
Grandma Su beckoned her son and daughter-in-law into the house to cook for them.
During the meal, Grandma Su asked, "The house is so small, where will the children stay now that they've all gone?"
She heard that the schools in the county town had dormitories, but that was definitely different from staying at home.
The third son's family was small, so they definitely wouldn't be able to accommodate so many children.
"We came today to discuss this matter with you, Dad and Mom." Liang Xiu looked at Old Man Su and said, "For the past two days, Xiaocao and Xiaomei have been staying separately at our place and Manxiu's place."
Old Man Su remained silent. He had always known that his wife was better at speaking, so it was better to let his wife say these things.
"Discuss what? Third daughter-in-law, you don't mean to say that Xiaowu, Xiaoba, and Xiaotian will live at home, and the other children will live at school, do you?" Grandma Su asked quickly.
Grandma Su worried that if the third son and his wife really had such an idea, the family would fall apart.
Although they had separated, it was not much different from being one family.
Grandma Su and Grandpa Su did not wish for their sons to turn against each other.
But this was the current situation.
Xiaowu, Xiaoba, and Xiaotian were the third son's children, so it was reasonable to prioritize them.
"That won't happen, Mom, I'm not that kind of person!" Liang Xiu quickly explained.
Grandma Su's anxious heart was put at ease.
"But they can't always stay at Manxiu's place, can they?" Grandma Su said again, "They are relatives, after all!"
"Your mother is right. Although Xiu'er's house is spacious, there's no reason for our children to live at their aunt's house. Even if the son-in-law doesn't mind, we should be mindful of ourselves!" Grandpa Su said, puffing on his old pipe.
"Who says otherwise!" Old Man Su also sighed.
It was fine to bother them for a day or two, but for months on end, he wouldn't have the face to do so.
"Mom, Manxiu said that the owner of the house next to theirs is moving to the provincial capital and wants to rent out the courtyard. We were thinking of renting it," Liang Xiu said, carefully watching Grandpa and Grandma Su.
When Grandma Su heard her daughter-in-law say this, her expression improved significantly.
At least the couple didn't intend to neglect the other children.
If they rented the courtyard next to Manxiu's house, several children could live there.
"What's the price?"
Grandma Su knew that renting houses in the city was quite expensive.
"The other party wants a lot, and my Third Brother and I can't afford it, so we can only come to you and Dad to discuss it." Liang Xiu said in a very low voice, truly worried about startling the elderly couple.
She felt so ashamed that even though they were working in the city, they couldn't manage such a small amount of money and had to come back to the elders!
"What's the price?" Grandma Su, however, was quite calm.
"They want twenty jin of grain coupons and ten yuan a month."
When they hadn't calculated it before, they didn't know, but after careful calculation, it was frightening.
Twenty jin of grain coupons a month meant two hundred and forty jin of grain coupons a year, plus one hundred and twenty yuan.
That was almost enough for a family to live on.
If no one worked in the factory, they wouldn't be able to save a hundred and twenty yuan in a year.
Grandma Su, however, recalled the courtyard next to Su Manxiu's house.
She genuinely loved her grandchildren and wanted them to be well.
"Mom, I know the price is a bit high, but we don't need to rent it for too long, a year or two would be enough," Liang Xiu tried to persuade her mother-in-law.
"Shouwen and the others are in their second year of high school and will graduate in a year. Then there are Xiaosi and Xiaowu for two more years. By the time they all graduate from high school, only the younger ones will be left, and the family will be able to accommodate them!" Liang Xiu stated her thoughts.
"Besides, if the house is more spacious, you and Dad can come to the county town to see them, right?"
Liang Xiu had thought about all of this carefully and felt that although it was expensive, it was not impossible to negotiate a lower price!
"You're right. Living at home, the food will be more to their liking. I'm afraid our children won't be used to the school cafeteria!"
She had eaten communal meals before, and even with grain, they didn't taste good!
"The courtyard next to Xiu'er's house? I remember going in there, and that courtyard is even bigger than Xiu'er's house."
In Grandma Su's memory, the courtyard next to Liang Xiu's house was a good place.
It was understandable that they would ask for more money and coupons.
Liang Xiu nodded.
"This price is a bit high. In the early years, buying a courtyard in the county town didn't cost much more than a few hundred yuan!" Grandpa Su shook his head.
This reminded Grandma Su.
"Didn't you discuss buying their courtyard directly?"
Liang Xiu was stunned when Grandma Su said this.
They were only thinking of renting, but their mother-in-law was already talking about buying?
Given the family's situation, could they really afford to buy such a large courtyard?
"What? Do you think our family is too poor to afford it?" Grandma Su said with a smile.
Liang Xiu and Old Man Su didn't speak, but their thoughts were similar, wasn't their family poor!
"Mom, renting that house will cost a lot of money, and buying it will cost even more!"
"We can negotiate."
In any case, Grandma Su went to the county town with Old Man Su and Liang Xiu that evening.
Along the way, Old Man Su wondered if his mother was going to buy a house or to see Xiaotian.
Grandma Su held a small cloth bag, looking calm and composed.
"Mom, does our family have money and grain coupons?" Old Man Su asked hesitantly.
When they bought their house, weren't they told that all the family's money was spent? And later, the three brothers spent their own earnings, at most giving their parents one or two yuan a month.
"You don't need to worry about that!" Grandma Su said.
The next morning, as Su Xiaotian and the others were getting up, Su Manxiu was already calling the children for breakfast.
After washing up, the children were about to pick up their bowls of porridge when they heard a knock on the door.
Chen Zi'an asked curiously, "Who is it so early?"
"Could it be Third Brother and the others?" Su Manxiu said as she went to open the door.
Little Chen Xiuyuan followed Su Manxiu to the door with his short legs.
"Mom, why are you here?" Su Manxiu was startled to see Grandma Su standing at the door.
Grandma Su smiled and said, "I came last night. It was late, so I didn't come to your place."
Just as Grandma Su finished speaking, a childish voice was heard, "Mom, why are you here?"
Everyone was stunned, and then they looked down to see a little one.
The people inside and outside the house burst into laughter at the words.
Grandma Su picked up her little grandson and said, "This child!"
"Mom, why are you here?" Little Chen Xiuyuan saw everyone laughing and thought it was a good thing, so he asked again with a smile.
Grandma Su laughed heartily, kissed Chen Xiuyuan, and asked, "Who is here?"
"Mom is here!" Chen Xiuyuan said earnestly.
"Whose mom is here?" Liang Xiu couldn't help but tease the child.
"Your mom!" Little Chen Xiuyuan replied happily.
"Oh, my little grandson is so smart, he even knows this."
Grandma Su was very proud. She pointed to Su Manxiu and asked, "Whose mom is this?"
Little Chen Xiuyuan looked and said, "Your mom!"
This time, the laughter grew even louder.
Su Xiaotian ran over to explain it carefully to Chen Xiuyuan, but the more she explained, the more confused Little Chen Xiuyuan became, and he couldn't figure out whose mom was whose!
After laughing, Su Manxiu finally invited Grandma Su, Old Man Su, and Liang Xiu into the house.
"Mom, Third Brother, Third Sister-in-law, breakfast has just been made, let's eat together!"
Grandma Su waved her hand, "We've already eaten."
At this time, Su Xiaotian had already nestled up to Grandma Su and was acting spoiled.
Grandma Su held Little Chen Xiuyuan in one arm and Su Xiaotian in the other, her face beaming with smiles.
"Third Brother, Third Sister-in-law, why did you bring Auntie over at this time?" Chen Zi'an asked with a smile, "You didn't say anything beforehand."
Old Man Su then explained the whole story.
"Mom said that instead of renting a house, it's better to buy one!"
Unexpectedly, Chen Zi'an was very supportive.
"That's a good point. Old Liu's rent is indeed a bit high. Buying it would be more cost-effective."
Old Man Su looked at his mother and then at his brother-in-law, wondering if they were both thinking of buying a house.
Grandma Su glared at her son and said, "What? Am I not allowed to think? Do you think I've really become senile?"
Old Man Su dared not say anything, for that was exactly what he was thinking.
Last night, Old Man Su had thought about it all night but couldn't figure out where the family got the money to buy a house.
Grandma Su and the others had already eaten breakfast, and Su Manxiu urged the children to eat quickly and go to school, then poured some water for Grandma Su and the others.
Regarding the matter of buying a house, Su Manxiu found it hard to believe.
"Mom, are you really planning to buy the house next door?" Su Manxiu asked in surprise.
"Buying a house is good!" Su Xiaotian quickly said when she heard this.
She hadn't expected her grandmother to be so forward-thinking, thinking of buying a house in the county town at this time.
"See, my Xiaotian also says buying a house is good!" Grandma Su said even more proudly, holding her granddaughter.
Her granddaughter, favored by the Dragon King, said it was good, so it must truly be good.
In fact, Grandma Su completely forgot that the main reason Su Xiaotian said this was because she knew Grandma Su had money.
Su Xiaotian's money and coupons were all given to Grandma Su, and she had a general idea of the amount of money and coupons Grandma Su had, which was almost enough to buy a house.
"A house like this in the county town would be around four hundred yuan," Chen Zi'an said after thinking for a moment.
Four hundred yuan!
When Grandma Su heard this amount, she couldn't help but feel a pang in her teeth.
"If you want grain coupons, it can be a little cheaper," Chen Zi'an continued. "If they're really greedy, they might ask for four hundred and fifty for a courtyard like this."
Su Manxiu was quite surprised when she heard this.
The rent for one year was one hundred and twenty yuan, and the selling price was only four hundred yuan, which was truly hard to describe.
She felt that the neighbor had cheated her because she didn't understand the market, so her face showed some embarrassment.
Chen Zi'an, perhaps sensing her thoughts, smiled and said, "The selling price is low because the asking price is too high, and no one can afford it."
"The son-in-law is right. It will take our children four or five years to study, and the money spent is less than buying the courtyard, which will always be ours."
Grandma Su had calculated this point, which was why she thought of buying a house.
"If we buy it, it will be ours. Living in our own home is more comfortable than living in someone else's," Su Xiaotian said with a smile after finishing her last bite of porridge.
"Oh, my dear grandchild, you understand Grandma's thoughts so well." Grandma Su hugged Su Xiaotian, her face beaming.
"My dear, you'll be going to school soon, won't you? Grandma finally came for a visit, and you can't even spend time with Grandma."
Thinking that she would always miss her dear grandchild, Grandma Su felt a void in her heart.
"Are you used to it in the county town? How about we go home? I don't see anything good about this county town!" Grandma Su spoke in a rapid-fire manner.
Su Xiaotian was surprised by her grandmother's intention. She looked at Grandma Su with her clear eyes, momentarily stunned.
Her grandmother wasn't here to ask her to go home, was she?
That wouldn't do. She had just arrived in the county town and wanted to study hard.
"Grandma, I'm here to study. I'll go back during the holidays! Or, after our family buys a house, you can come to the city?"
Su Xiaotian thought this would be a good arrangement.
Grandma Su had just said it casually. Hearing Su Xiaotian's words, she knew the little girl had taken it seriously and couldn't help but rub her head vigorously.
"You child, really! Do you think Grandma is senile? Don't worry, Grandma won't let you go home!"
She knew how much Xiaotian liked to study, so how could she let Xiaotian give up halfway and go home?
However, coming to the city to take care of her grandchildren wasn't impossible, but leaving her old man at home, what would she do?
"Grandma, I knew you were the best!" Su Xiaotian said, secretly hugging Grandma Su's arm.
The other children had also finished getting ready for school. After bidding farewell to Grandma Su, they pulled Su Xiaotian out the door.
Grandma Su watched her granddaughter leave like that, feeling a great pang of sadness.
She became even more determined to buy a house in the city and take care of her granddaughter.
When Grandma Su went to negotiate with the Liu family next door about the house, she indeed found out that the Liu family was also planning to sell the house, and the price was similar to the market price, four hundred and fifty yuan.
However, Grandma Su still felt that the price was a bit high.
"Sister-in-law, to be honest, this is not our ancestral home, otherwise, we would never have sold it at this price." Old Mrs. Liu said, sitting opposite Grandma Su.
"Sister, we are country folk. We have worked hard for decades and have only saved this much money, so it's really difficult."
Old Mrs. Liu looked at Grandma Su's rural appearance and guessed whether this family had money or not.
Although Minister Chen's family was well-off, Minister Chen wouldn't let his wife subsidize her family with all her money, right?
But if the house was sold at a low price, it wouldn't be worth it.
"Sister, my family has saved some coupons. Look, I'll give you grain coupons, cloth coupons, oil coupons, sugar coupons, etc. Can the price be a little cheaper?" Grandma Su directly stated her purpose.
There were indeed quite a few coupons at home, more than they could use. If they could use coupons to offset some of the money, it would be the most cost-effective.
Old Mrs. Liu looked at Grandma Su in surprise. She had thought that people from the countryside wouldn't be able to get coupons, so she only wanted money, but unexpectedly, the other party offered coupons.
"What coupons can you give? How many?" Old Mrs. Liu was tempted.
Living in the city, money was important, but coupons were equally important.
Grandma Su quietly took out many coupons, including grain coupons, cloth coupons, oil coupons, sugar coupons, and even a sewing machine coupon!
This time, Old Mrs. Liu's mouth couldn't stop smiling.
Where did this Old Su family get so many coupons?
However, these coupons looked really attractive.
"Sister, not to mention anything else, just this sewing machine coupon is worth a lot of money in the black market."
Grandma Su didn't miss the fleeting surprise on Old Mrs. Liu's face. Following her gaze, she knew it was the effect of the sewing machine coupon.
Old Mrs. Liu's grandson was getting married, and the other party wanted "three turns and one sound" (bicycle, sewing machine, watch, radio). They had prepared almost enough money, but they couldn't get the coupons.
After a lot of trouble, they managed to get a bicycle coupon, but they still hadn't gotten a watch coupon or a sewing machine coupon.
"Sister-in-law, can your family get a watch coupon? If you can, I'll give you a hundred yuan discount, how about three hundred and fifty yuan for you?"
Grandma Su immediately took back all the coupons on the table and even got up to leave.
Old Mrs. Liu didn't expect Grandma Su to suddenly get up and leave.
"Sister-in-law, why are you leaving?"
"Sister, you're trying to fool me, an old lady from the countryside, aren't you?" Grandma Su said with a cold face.
"I didn't mean that, sister-in-law. If you think what I said is inappropriate, let's talk slowly." Old Mrs. Liu grabbed Grandma Su.
The implication was as if grabbing Grandma Su was like grabbing coupons.
Grandma Su looked at Old Mrs. Liu and said with a cold smile, "Although I don't live in the city, I know that in the black market, a sewing machine coupon costs sixty yuan, and a watch coupon costs seventy yuan, which adds up to one hundred and thirty yuan."
"The usual price for this house of yours is only four hundred yuan. Calculated, if you give me these coupons, you can consider it two hundred and fifty yuan, but two hundred and fifty sounds bad. Even if you want two hundred and sixty, I can understand, but this three hundred and five..."
Old Mrs. Liu had indeed thought that Grandma Su was an old lady from the countryside and wouldn't know so much, so she had planned to take advantage of her.
Who knew that Grandma Su was such an old hand, who even knew the prices in the black market.
Old Mrs. Liu naturally knew that even at these prices, it was not easy to find these two coupons in the black market.
Otherwise, they would have solved the problem long ago.
"Sister-in-law, the price you mentioned is a bit too low." Old Mrs. Liu felt heartbroken to lose so much money.
"Then forget it. Anyway, our family doesn't have to." Grandma Su said with a smile, "I have sewing machine coupons and watch coupons at home. I'll find a way to sell them in the black market later, and perhaps I'll get more than one hundred and thirty yuan for them!"
Old Mrs. Liu looked at Grandma Su's confident demeanor and finally gritted her teeth and said, "Sister-in-law, two hundred and eighty yuan, you give me these coupons, and also give me a radio coupon, how about that?"
Grandma Su weighed the price and found it to be almost right, so she stopped talking, pretended to think for a moment, and agreed.
"This price is not impossible, but your family's belongings must be left for us to use."
Old Mrs. Liu thought they were all worthless items, so she agreed.
At this time, buying and selling houses was not as troublesome as in later generations. It was just that the two families wrote a document themselves and then filed it with the street office, saying that the house was given to relatives to live in, and that was it.
By the time Su Xiaotian finished school in the afternoon, Grandma Su was already tidying up the house.
Su Shouwen asked in disbelief, "Grandma, did you really buy such a big courtyard?"
This was even bigger than Auntie's courtyard.
"Of course! You brat, you don't believe it?" Grandma Su said happily, poking Su Shouwen with a finger.
Su Shouwen quickly said, "I believe it, I believe it, how could I not believe Grandma!"
Su Ciliang excitedly looked around the courtyard.
"This house is bigger than the houses in our Hongxin Brigade."
Grandma Su said with disdain, "You've really studied in vain. Even I, an old lady, know that this courtyard is much smaller than our houses!"
Su Ciliang was speechless. It was indeed true.
It was just that he said that because courtyards in the city were small.
"Grandma, will we live here to study from now on?" Su Sangong asked.
For their studies, the family actually bought a courtyard, it seemed almost impossible.
Su Sangong had actually thought that they might have to live at school in the future.
He had even gone to the school to see it. The dormitory conditions were really not good, too bad, dozens of people were squeezed into one room, with no space to turn around.
But he didn't expect Grandma to come to the city and buy a courtyard for them to live in.
Grandma Su said, "I was also thinking that after you graduate from high school, if there's a chance to be recruited in the city, having a house would be a place to settle down."
If it were in the past, Grandma Su would never have dared to think of it, but in the past few years, the Su family's life had been too smooth. Even her sons and daughters-in-law could be recruited to work in the city, let alone her grandsons who had graduated from high school.
Su Xiaotian, however, was enthusiastically exploring every corner of the courtyard.
Naturally, she couldn't help but communicate with the trees in the courtyard, asking if there was anything good underground.
Su Xiaotian was now very keen on treasure hunting everywhere.