Chapter 234: Chapter 234: Discussing Cooperation

Lu Jianye accepted the basket with a beaming smile—he was very fond of Gu Qinghuan’s baskets, as they always brought him pleasant surprises.

“My dear niece, you’re being too polite! Come, come, let’s go to my office and have a good chat.” His affectionate manner was just like that of a real uncle to his own niece.

The two of them made their way to Lu Jianye’s office.

When Lu Jianye lifted the lid of the basket, he couldn’t help but exclaim in delight. This was quite a generous gift—these days, anything with even a bit of meat was considered a treasure.

Don’t be fooled by his job at the grocery store; even with access to ration coupons, it was still hard to eat meat regularly.

These two pieces of wild game were exactly what he liked. He’d have to prepare a nice return gift for her later to show his appreciation.

“My dear niece, you really are my lucky star. I’ve already sold off all the goods from last time and made a tidy profit. So, what brings you here today?” Lu Jianye said as he invited her to sit.

Gu Qinghuan wasn’t one to beat around the bush.

“Uncle Lu, to be honest, I came today to talk to you about a business partnership.

After testing the waters last time, I’m sure you’ve seen that the goods I have are pretty decent. We’ve gotten to know each other a bit, and I think we should keep working together in the future.”

“Haha, you’re absolutely right. We should definitely keep in touch. So, tell me, what kind of partnership do you have in mind?”

Lu Jianye had made over a thousand yuan from those watches last time, and he was eager to make another deal.

“I have a channel that occasionally gets me some good stuff. I’m not a fan of hassle, so I want to find a steady outlet for these goods. Working with you has been smooth, so I’d like to keep it going.

The items I get aren’t always the same—maybe it’s watches this time, bicycles the next, or something else after that.

But I can guarantee that everything will be easy to sell, you can count on that.

As for the price, I’ll make sure it’s fair so we can both make money.

What do you think? Are you interested?”

Lu Jianye pondered for nearly a minute.

To be honest, he didn’t know Gu Qinghuan that well—they’d only done one deal together. Where did she get her goods from? Could there be trouble? What if someone found out?

There were a lot of things to consider.

But in the end, the desire to make money won out.

“My dear niece, I won’t ask where your goods come from. I just want to know—are they risky? Will there be any problems?” Lu Jianye was a cautious man.

His reaction was exactly what Gu Qinghuan expected.

“Don’t worry, Uncle Lu. I can guarantee that my goods are absolutely legit—no one will come looking for trouble. You just need to be careful not to get caught by the inspectors.”

She hadn’t stolen or robbed anything; she bought everything with her own money—she was just making a bit of profit on the side.

Lu Jianye watched her expression and tone carefully. She seemed completely confident about her goods and didn’t look like she was lying. That put his mind at ease.

“Alright! I’ve always played it safe my whole life, but this time I’ll take a gamble with you. Here’s to a successful partnership.”

“Uncle Lu, you’re bold! Here’s to our cooperation.”

With a few laughs and some easy conversation, their partnership was set.

“I’ve got a batch of bicycles coming in soon—ten Phoenix 28-inch men’s bikes. At the department store, you need a ration coupon and 150 yuan for one. On the black market, they go for over 200 yuan, no coupon needed.

I’ll give them to you for 160 each, so you’ll make at least 40 yuan per bike. How’s that for a deal?”

“You’re leaving all the risk to me—those 40 yuan won’t be easy to earn!” Lu Jianye said with a wry smile.

But even as he said that, he knew he’d still make a good profit.

Each bike could net him more than 40 yuan—if he found the right buyer, he could make fifty or sixty per bike.

After all, demand far outstripped supply. Bicycles were in high demand, and those without coupons had no choice but to pay high prices on the black market.

With ten bikes, he’d make at least 400 yuan, probably more—and he’d also be building valuable connections.

Of course, Gu Qinghuan knew he’d make a tidy profit. She was giving all the goods to Lu Jianye because she didn’t want the hassle or the risk.

It was a win-win situation for both of them.

“Uncle Lu, you may be taking on the risk, but this is real money. Selling just one bike is equal to a regular worker’s monthly salary.”

Lu Jianye knew when to stop pushing: “You’re generous, niece. If you ever need anything from your uncle, just say the word.”

That was exactly what Gu Qinghuan was waiting for.

“Actually, Uncle, there is something I’d like your help with.”

Lu Jianye smiled awkwardly—she really didn’t stand on ceremony, but he liked that. It was straightforward, no beating around the bush.

“What is it? But let me be clear—I won’t do anything illegal!”

Gu Qinghuan resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Illegal? Haven’t you already done plenty of that? How did you sell those twenty watches?

“Don’t worry, I wouldn’t put you in a tough spot. It’s just a small favor.

Our commune is recruiting elementary school teachers this spring. I want to take the exam, but I haven’t studied in years, so I want to cram a bit.

Could you help me find a full set of textbooks from elementary to high school? I want to review.”

Gu Qinghuan was using the teacher exam as an excuse—what she really wanted was the high school textbooks, but she couldn’t say that outright or it might raise suspicion.

Lu Jianye didn’t think too much about it, though he did wonder why she wanted books covering such a wide range. But he figured she just wanted to be well-prepared, so he agreed.

Other things might be troublesome, but this was no trouble at all.

As it happened, he had just what she needed at home.

His son had graduated just last year, and the books were still piled up in a corner—he hadn’t wanted to throw them out, but they took up space. He’d been thinking of getting rid of them, so giving them to Gu Qinghuan was a good way to build their friendship.

“That’s quite a coincidence—I have exactly what you need at home. No time like the present; why don’t you come with me now and pick them up?” Lu Jianye offered.

“That’s wonderful, thank you so much, Uncle Lu.”

As they went downstairs past the counter, Lu Jianye pointed to the Maotai liquor on display and whispered, “Do you want some Maotai today? Same as before—I can let you have four bottles, no ration coupons needed.”

Gu Qinghuan was more than happy to accept. The more, the better—she could make more money reselling Maotai than bicycles. It was just a pity she couldn’t get more at once.

Four bottles were better than nothing.

Lu Jianye asked the lady at the counter to get four bottles of Maotai and put them on his tab.

“Uncle, let me pay for them. I can’t let you spend your own money.”

“Just listen to your uncle today. I happily accepted your New Year’s gift—this is nothing. Let’s keep working together in the future.” Lu Jianye said generously.

Gu Qinghuan didn’t insist.

Lu Jianye’s attitude made her feel even more at ease. If he were the type to be petty and shortsighted, she wouldn’t have dared to let him handle her goods.

A gentleman loves wealth, but acquires it in the right way. Everyone likes money, but there are some profits that just aren’t worth it.

Lu Jianye was clearly the right partner.

After accepting the Maotai, Gu Qinghuan also bought a bag of nutritional supplements from the grocery store.

Lu Jianye had elderly family members at home, so she bought these for them."

"Chapter 235: Conflicting Opinions and Gift-Giving

Gu Qinghuan pushed her bicycle along, chatting as she walked with Lu Jianye. Before long, they arrived at the Lu family home, which wasn’t far from the provisions store.

The old lady they’d met before, when Zhong Zijun was in the hospital, was in the courtyard playing with a cat. She was a bit surprised to see her son suddenly return.

Then she spotted Gu Qinghuan following behind.

“Well, well, what a rare guest! Come in, little girl!” The old lady had a deep impression of Gu Qinghuan—this girl was just too pretty.

“Grandma, how have you been lately?” Since she called Lu Jianye “Uncle,” she couldn’t call the old lady “Auntie,” so “Grandma” it was.

“Thanks to you, I’m doing very well. How’s your mother? Is her hand better?” The old lady beamed as she welcomed her inside.

Gu Qinghuan parked her bike in the courtyard and handed over the nutritional supplements she’d just bought. “That’s good to hear! I brought you a little something for your health.”

“Oh, you shouldn’t have…”

As the two of them politely argued over the gift, Lu Jianye came out carrying a sack of books.

“These are all packed up—two big bags and one small one. Are you sure you can carry them?” He eyed Gu Qinghuan’s slender frame doubtfully.

Of course Gu Qinghuan could manage. The spiritual spring she drank every day wasn’t for nothing. While she couldn’t match Xu Huai’an’s strength, she wasn’t weak either.

“Don’t worry, I can handle it. No matter how heavy, I’ll manage.”

Lu Jianye asked the old lady to help find some rope, and together they secured the bags to either side of Gu Qinghuan’s bike rack.

The three bags of books were tied down tight.

After much back-and-forth, the old lady finally accepted the nutritional supplements and warmly invited Gu Qinghuan to visit often.

Gu Qinghuan hopped on her bike and rode off briskly, leaving the mother and son marveling behind her. “Who’d have thought that little girl was so strong!”

“Yeah, she’s got quite the strength.”

Strong as an ox, Gu Qinghuan rode straight out of town. With all the books on her bike, it wasn’t convenient to unload them now.

If she took them off, she might not be able to get them back on by herself. Besides, these books needed to be brought in openly; they couldn’t just appear at home out of nowhere.

She’d promised Xu Huai’an to protect herself, after all.

The kids were getting older, so she had to be careful with everything, making sure they didn’t notice anything odd.

So, burdened with her heavy load, she pedaled home.

A strange bicycle riding through the village quickly caught everyone’s attention.

“Huh, whose bike is that? Looks brand new! But it seems a bit small?”

“That person looks familiar. I think I’ve seen her somewhere before.”

Gu Qinghuan was bundled up tightly, so most people didn’t recognize her.

“Oh my, isn’t that from Xu Huai’an’s family? Wow, she’s even riding a bike now? Wasn’t her man just here yesterday? Can’t even wait a day, huh?”

“That woman sure knows how to treat herself, always buying the best. Where does she get the money? Didn’t she marry that crazy Xu guy last year because she was broke? So where’s the money coming from?”

“Haven’t you heard? Liu Guifang’s second daughter-in-law is something else—she’s got a house in Beijing! The rent alone is enough for her whole family to live on. We’re just country bumpkins compared to her.”

“That’s not the point—her family background isn’t good. Even if she has money, it was earned by exploiting farmers.”

“Oh, give it a rest! It’s her own house, what’s it got to do with you? She didn’t exploit you, did she?”

“Xu the Madman really lucked out! He was on his last legs, then suddenly turned things around. Got cured by Gu the Educated Youth, and now he can even work in Beijing. Must be his ancestors blessing him.”

Everyone had their own opinions, and behind closed doors, they gossiped about Gu Qinghuan’s spending.

Thanks to Xu Huai’an’s earlier explanations, everyone now knew where Gu Qinghuan’s money came from, so no one made trouble. After all, who knew when they might need her help one day?

Most people weren’t malicious—just envious. Of course, some were dissatisfied or jealous.

Gu Qinghuan didn’t care at all and rode home with her head held high.

Along the way, she’d already stashed the Maotai liquor in her space. Now, only the sacks of books and some daily necessities she’d taken from her space remained on the bike.

With so many people at home recently, they’d gone through a lot of rice, flour, and eggs, so she’d restocked.

She also brought pencils and notebooks for the two kids. It was cold in the northeast, so school started later.

There was about a month left before school officially began. During this time, while she reviewed for her own exams, she also needed to teach the two little ones.

With supplies prepared, Gu Qinghuan led the kids into a simple, routine study life.

After Xu Huai’an arrived in Beijing, he first dropped Gu Lanting and the others off at the villa.

Then, carrying his bag, he went to report to Zhuo Yifan.

It never hurts to be courteous. If all went as expected, Zhuo Yifan would be his direct superior.

Following his wife’s instructions, he’d brought five jin of her homemade beef jerky, a jar of cold rabbit, and some dried goods from his mother-in-law.

He did feel a bit pained—not for the gifts themselves, but because his wife had put so much effort into making them.

But Zhuo Yifan had always treated him well, so it was only right to bring a gift.

Zhuo Yifan hadn’t expected this blockhead to know how to give gifts, which piqued his interest.

He never accepted gifts from anyone—anything at all. But this time, curiosity got the better of him. He opened the packages, took a bite of the beef jerky, and was instantly hooked.

“This is beef? Tastes great! Where did you buy it?”

“Reporting, Commander Zhuo, I didn’t buy it. My wife made it herself.” He emphasized “my wife,” as if afraid others wouldn’t know he had such a good one.

Zhuo Yifan was caught off guard by this blatant show of affection. Enough already—as if no one else had a wife!

What a shame, though. The beef jerky was so delicious, but he couldn’t accept it. If he’d known, he wouldn’t have tasted it.

Then an idea struck—there was a way to keep the gifts fair and square.

“You went to all this trouble, so I’ll reluctantly accept these. But you have to let me pay for them.

There’s about five jin of beef jerky, right? At three yuan a jin, that’s fifteen yuan. Plus the other things, I’ll give you twenty yuan. Is that enough?”

Xu Huai’an was dumbfounded, not sure how to react. Commander Zhuo was so scrupulous—no wonder he’d risen so high and stayed there.

“That’s enough! But… Commander Zhuo… I—” I brought these as gifts, why are you paying me?

“That’s settled, then. As your superior, I can’t accept your things for nothing. Don’t bring anything again—just this once, not to be repeated.”

With that, Zhuo Yifan solemnly handed over twenty yuan, then quickly stuffed all the gifts into his cabinet."

"Chapter 236: Registration, The Large-Leaf Sunflower