Chapter 182: Buying a House
Deng Shirong's first goal was to buy a house on Culture Road. Unfortunately, after asking around, he couldn't find anyone willing to sell. After much searching, he finally found a suitable house on Main Street.
The house was a brick-and-wood structure with two floors, covering an area of approximately 122 square meters and a construction area of about 224 square meters. It was an old house built in the 1950s.
The location was excellent. The Public Security Bureau was on the right side of the house, the court was diagonally opposite to the right, and the Local Taxation Bureau was diagonally opposite to the left. Although this was the end of the street and not particularly bustling, it wasn't ideal for business purposes. However, for residential purposes, it was perfect.
After all, there was no safer place to live than next to the Public Security Bureau.
It's worth noting that the 1980s, 1990s, and even the early 21st century were chaotic times, and having a safe place to live was crucial.
After some bargaining, Deng Shirong purchased the house and the land for 3,680 yuan.
Once the transaction was completed, both Deng Shirong and the original owner were satisfied.
For Deng Shirong, the 3,680 yuan was well worth it. Not only did he get the somewhat old house, but the land alone, measuring over 120 square meters, was a great deal.
For the original owner, 3,680 yuan was a substantial sum. Selling the extra house and land for such a high price was more than satisfactory, and he even invited Deng Shirong to dinner to celebrate.
After buying the house, Deng Shirong considered demolishing the old structure and building a new one. However, his current financial situation didn't allow for such an undertaking. Instead, he hired someone to renovate the existing house.
As for furniture like beds, wardrobes, tables, and chairs, it would have been cheaper to hire a carpenter back home to make them. However, that would have taken a lot of time, and he would have needed to hire a truck to transport everything to the county town. Not only would it have been troublesome, but it would also have revealed that he had bought a house in the county town.
At the moment, Deng Shirong didn't want the villagers to know about his purchase. His family was already prosperous enough, and there was no need to provoke envy or resentment.
Therefore, even though buying ready-made furniture in the county town was more expensive, Deng Shirong didn't hesitate. He bought four wooden beds, two wardrobes, a dining table, and seven or eight chairs.
Of course, bedding, pots, pans, and other essentials were also purchased.
It took ten days to get everything settled.
Deng Shirong had started with over 7,000 yuan in cash, but now he was left with less than 3,000 yuan. He couldn't help but sigh at how quickly money could be spent. Becoming a millionaire wasn't easy.
It was now the end of September in the lunar calendar. If all went well, his eldest daughter-in-law was due to give birth next month. With the house renovated and ready for move-in, Deng Shirong wasted no time. He took a bus back to his hometown to pick up his eldest daughter-in-law and prepare for the birth.
Under the longan tree in front of the house, Zhang Xiuping was chatting with her two friends, Ou Guofang and Ou Guohua.
Most pregnant women nearing their due date have noticeably large bellies, and Zhang Xiuping was no exception. Her belly was enormous, and though she hadn't been weighed, she estimated it to be around 130 to 140 pounds. This was quite a sight for someone who had previously had a slim figure.
In addition to Zhang Xiuping, Ou Guohua was also three months pregnant.
Ou Guofang joked, "Ah Ping, Ah Hua, it looks like in the next few years, the three of us will be taking turns getting pregnant."
Ou Guohua couldn't help but laugh. "Sister Fang, you're right. Right now, Ah Ping and I are both pregnant. After Ah Ping gives birth, I bet you'll be next, Sister Fang. And after I give birth, Ah Ping will probably be pregnant again. By the time you give birth, Sister Fang, I'll likely be pregnant again.
If you think about it, two of us will be pregnant for a long time."
Zhang Xiuping laughed and said, "That's not a bad thing. At least I'll have company during my pregnancy."
After some light-hearted banter, Ou Guofang asked, "Ah Ping, you're about to give birth. When do you plan to bring your aunt over?"
Zhang Xiuping replied, "No rush. There's still at least half a month before the baby is due. I'll wait until my father-in-law returns from the county town."
Ou Guofang said, "You should bring your aunt over as soon as possible. Your mother-in-law is gone, and your sister-in-law has no experience. You can't give birth without someone experienced to guide you."
Ou Guohua nodded in agreement. "Yes, Ah Ping, you need to take this seriously. Giving birth is no joke. Even if we want to help, we don't have the relevant experience. It's best to have your aunt guide you in advance."
Zhang Xiuping smiled and said, "Don't worry about that. My father-in-law said the conditions at home are too poor for childbirth, so he plans to have me give birth at a hospital in the county town. There are professional midwives there, so we don't have to worry about these things."
This was the first time the Ou sisters had heard this news, and they were stunned.
Going to the county town to give birth was almost unheard of for people of this generation.
Ou Guofang exclaimed, "Ah Ping, Uncle Jiu is so good to you!"
Ou Guohua added enviously, "If my parents-in-law could treat me even half as well as Uncle Jiu, I'd be more than satisfied!"
Hearing the praise from her friends, Zhang Xiuping couldn't help but smile. The luckiest thing in her life was having a father-in-law like Uncle Jiu. Since the day she got married, she had enjoyed a comfortable life. Whether it was food, clothing, or other necessities, her life was far better than most in the village.
Even her own family had benefited, and their financial situation had improved significantly.
All of this was thanks to her father-in-law.
Whether in her parents' home or after marrying into Thatchfield Village, Zhang Xiuping had seen many in-laws' attitudes toward their daughters-in-law. None could compare to her father-in-law.
So when her friends praised him, Zhang Xiuping accepted it graciously and said with a smile, "My father-in-law is truly wonderful to me."
"If all fathers-in-law and mothers-in-law in the world were as thoughtful as Uncle Jiu, daughters-in-law would have nothing to worry about!"
"That's impossible. In my entire life, I've never seen an elder as considerate as Uncle Jiu."
"Of course, I was just saying."
The Ou sisters continued to praise Uncle Jiu, and their admiration was genuine. In the entire Help And Correct Brigade, there really was no other father-in-law or mother-in-law who treated their daughter-in-law so well.
Which daughter-in-law wouldn't want a father-in-law like this?
(End of this chapter)