The lumber mill offered forty yuan per month, totaling four hundred eighty yuan annually. A small two-bedroom apartment would only cost a little over two thousand yuan.
After some negotiation, the factory building was finally rented out for three hundred twenty yuan per year.
The day after both parties signed the contract, Chen Li Shu informed Gu Xing Ye about the matter.
The place that was previously used as a warehouse now had a building constructed. It only needed a coat of white paint and some simple renovation to be habitable.
By renting the factory building, at least the workers would have a place to stay, and there would be a fixed office for handling business in the future.
The construction for the newly contracted elementary school had already begun. The equipment for digging trenches and laying foundations was leased from Foreman Li. As long as the money was in place, there was nothing that couldn't be done.
This further solidified Chen Li Shu's determination to purchase equipment as soon as possible.
After speaking with Gu Xing Ye, she called Lin Qi. Gu Xing Ye was too busy to handle everything himself, so he would personally oversee the new building and the factory premises.
Regarding the purchase of equipment, the control over large items like cars, refrigerators, washing machines, and televisions remained strict in the north. Without approval, it was impossible to buy equipment. However, policies in the south were relatively more relaxed. As long as you had the money and found the right channels, there was almost nothing you couldn't buy.
The problem was that there were too many places where money was needed, and Chen Li Shu did not have much readily available cash. Most of it was tied up in the contracted mountainous land. Of the remaining forty thousand yuan, in addition to reserving funds for construction, she also needed to buy a house.
Fortunately, the clothing store and the fabric processing through Liang Chun Sheng were earning some money each month, so there was no fear of cash flow issues.
If only banks offered loans.
When she returned home, Gu Xing Dong was there. Seeing her enter, he looked up and asked, "Where did you go?"
"To talk to fourth brother about something," Chen Li Shu replied as she took off her coat after changing her shoes. Just as she was about to hang it on the rack, Gu Xing Dong took it from her. "I'll do it."
Chen Li Shu handed him the coat and sat on the sofa. "Are you off today?"
"Yes," Gu Xing Dong replied after hanging up the coat. He then took a bottle from his pocket.
"What is this?" Chen Li Shu asked, taking the bottle curiously. The brown bottle was labeled entirely in a foreign language, but it wasn't English, so Chen Li Shu didn't recognize it.
"I asked a friend to get you some olive oil. The doctor said it helps reduce stretch marks. Feel free to use it. I've already asked him to mail a couple more bottles next time."
Chen Li Shu asked curiously, "Your friend? I haven't heard of him?"
"Yes, a former leader. He's in Beijing now, and he has many connections."
Chen Li Shu looked at the bottle in her hand, then looked towards the kitchen, leaning closer. She said with a hint of a pout, "Then, can you rub it on me tonight?"
Feeling her fragrant breath, Gu Xing Dong's dark eyes suddenly deepened, and his throat felt tight.
He loosened the tie at his collar with his hand, cleared his throat, and said, "Okay."
"I heard your troupe has a cultural performance recently. Are there many young, pretty girls?"
Gu Xing Dong glanced at her, naturally understanding her implied meaning, and teased, "Who told you that?"
Chen Li Shu snorted, "Even though I'm not there, I still keep my eyes and ears open. If your thoughts stray even a little, they won't escape my notice."
Gu Xing Dong tapped her forehead with his finger. "Stop talking back when I'm teasing you. How old am I? How young are those girls?"
Chen Li Shu retorted, "Doesn't the saying go, 'Old age doesn't mean an old heart'? Besides, I'm pregnant and about to become an old hag."
"Alright, you're Mussolini, you're the most reasonable one." Gu Xing Dong knew she was feeling anxious due to her pregnancy and wanted reassurance. He wouldn't disappoint her. "They were only there for two days, and I was the one hosting them. You should have more confidence in yourself. In my heart, you're always the most important."
No matter how beautiful a person is, there comes a time of fading. But the importance of the person in his heart would only grow heavier with the passage of time.
Chen Li Shu finally gave him a look of grudging forgiveness.
In the afternoon, the couple went together to pick up Rui Rui from school. Although they were expecting twins, they didn't want their son to feel any difference. How they treated him before, they would continue to do so from now on.
Rui Rui was clearly happy. After waving goodbye to his deskmate, Little Fatty, he quickly ran towards them.
Chen Li Shu said, "Slow down, be careful not to fall."
When Rui Rui reached them, he looked up and asked, "Is Dad off today?"
Seeing Gu Xing Dong nod, he added, "My classmates are all very envious of me for having a soldier dad. When I grow up, I want to be a soldier too, just like Dad, very powerful."
Perhaps every boy's first idol is their father, which is why they hear things like "my dad is..." Therefore, Rui Rui said these words.
Gu Xing Dong patted his tender shoulder. "Train rigorously and strictly, with a focus on science and technology. Besides having a good body, we must also study hard and acquire knowledge."
Rui Rui nodded heavily. "Yes, Dad, I understand."
On a warm spring afternoon, with a gentle breeze softly blowing the hem of their clothes, the family of three walked towards home.
Gu Xing Dong left early the next morning. Since there were no classes in the morning, Chen Li Shu enjoyed a rare lie-in. During her afternoon classes, Li Zhi Wei and Feng Pang Zi informed them that they had arranged to view houses with the owners the next day.
Of the remaining three houses, one was a small two-bedroom unit allocated by the employer. The other two were properties returned by the government after a policy reversal.
Chen Li Shu was not very interested in publicly owned housing and did not consider it.
After all, it involved ownership issues. Without the transfer of title, many problems would arise. Even if public housing could be privatized later, because of prior transactions, original employer seals and various other certifications would be needed. There was also the possibility of someone regretting the sale due to rising property prices. Buying such a house was not secure at all.
Rather than facing so many unnecessary troubles, Chen Li Shu preferred to spend a little more money to buy property with clear ownership.
She shared her thoughts with Zhang Xue. Originally, she and Li Wei Min were not in a hurry to buy a house. If her decision might cause all his savings to go to waste, for the sake of caution, Zhang Xue followed Chen Li Shu's advice.
The remaining two houses were not far from each other, both located near JianShe Street, about a stop away from the Provincial Government.
"My mom's colleague helped introduce these. One is in a large compound. I heard the owner's ancestors had some wealth, and the entire compound belonged to their family. But as you know, it's only been two years since the policy reversal. They were reportedly afraid the authorities would take it back again. There were fourteen or fifteen rooms in total, and they kept two for themselves, selling the rest gradually."