Chapter 158

When Zhuo Yun saw them coming back, he asked them why they had been out for so long. Didn’t they say that it wasn’t too far?

As soon as Zhuo Yun asked, Xu Ran started to complain about Liu Dewang’s weird family.

Zhuo Yun also felt strange after hearing this. He patted Xu Ran’s shoulder sympathetically and said, “Bro, your really got bad luck. Those three just left, and yet here comes another one who is actually engaged. But I’m telling you. This man is really cheap.”

Xu Ran firmly agreed.

Xu Ran said, “Don’t he ever look at himself in the mirror? Why the hell would I take him as a concubine? Dream on!”

Zhuo Yun said, “Although I don’t know what he looks like, this kind of person is certainly not nice no matter what he looks like. Besides, that family is just interested in your money. At first, he would say he only wanted to be your concubine, but if they really got what they want, your family is probably about to be screwed up.”

Xu Ran nodded. “That’s right, I think so, too, so I will never give these people any chance. I have to keep this family safe.”

The two of them had a good chat before going to eat.

Today was the New Year’s Eve, so they have to stay up the whole night. Liu Tong and Qin Shuwen went to sleep early because they had to take care of the little babies. Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun sat in the living room, warming themselves by the fire while playing chess.

The two of them also talked about the plan for next year.

When it was almost twelve o’clock, Xu Ran said, “Go and tell your spouse happy new year?”

Zhuo Yun raised his eyebrows, “Of course.”

Then the two men went upstairs and walked into their own rooms.

Liu Tong slept soundly with the kid in his arms. Xu Ran leaned down, kissed him on the cheek and then woke him up, “Happy New Year! Tongtong.”

Liu Tong replied to Xu Ran in a daze and then went back to sleep.

Xu Ran touched his own nose and felt a little helpless. He felt that he had made Tongtong lazy because Tongtong would never be so perfunctory to him before. However, most of the time, he was happy to see Liu Tong lazy, but it was just not good right now.

Xu Ran thought that Liu Tong wanted to sleep so he didn’t wake Liu Tong up again. Instead, he went downstairs, only to find that Zhuo Yun had already been waiting for him in the living room.

Xu Ran didn’t ask what the situation was with Zhuo Yun, but he knew that it didn’t go so well since Zhuo Yun was still sitting here.

Neither of them brought up this matter and changed to another topic that had nothing to do with the New Year’s Eve.

After a few words, Xu Ran felt that there was someone standing behind him. He turned his head around and saw Liu Tong standing behind him and looking at him.

Xu Ran patted his chest and stood up. “Tongtong, why did you suddenly appear behind me? I was… scared.” Xu Ran wanted to say that he was scared to death, but considering that it was the new year now and it was not proper to say that, he immediately changed his words.

With Zhuo Yun around, Liu Tong couldn’t say anything else. He only said, “I slept enough and came downstairs to take a look.”

Then he said to Zhuo Yun, “Zhuo Yun, go get some sleep. I’ll stay up with him.”

Hearing Liu Tong’s words, Xu Ran also urged Zhuo Yun to go to bed.

Zhuo Yun felt that this couple must want to have some lovey-dovey moments and it was inconvenient for him to be here, so he agreed.

Liu Tong said, “I’ll go and bring Baozi down first.” Then he also went upstairs.

When there only two adults plus the sleeping little Baozi were in the living room, Xu Ran asked Liu Tong why he suddenly woke up.

Liu Tong said, “Didn’t you come up just now? You woke me up. After a while, I couldn’t sleep, so I just came down to accompany you.”

“Do you want to sleep for a bit longer?” Xu Ran asked.

Liu Tong shook his head. “No, I’ve slept for a long time too. Plus, I’ve slept for a long time when I was pregnant with Baozi and when I was in confinement. I’ve had enough sleep.”

However, Xu Ran started dozing off as he spoke.

Liu Tong smiled, “Ran, why don’t you lie on this summer bed for a while? I’ll get you a blanket.”

Xu Ran said, “No, you’re here to accompany me. How can I sleep? Let’s talk!”

Liu Tong nodded. “Okay, but what should we talk about?”

Xu Ran scratched his head, “Let me think about it!”

Then he did not think of anything…

Liu Tong said, “Then Ran, tell me stories. I don’t know as much as Tangtang and Guoguo. Tell me about ‘Journey to the West’. I found it very interesting that day.”

‘Journey to the West’! Xu Ran was very good at telling this story.

He still remembers that when he was young, when his family bought a color TV. Journey to the West was very popular then. Nearly every TV studio was playing it. He almost watched that for two years so he could remember all of the story clearly.

Xu Ran nodded hurriedly and started to tell Liu Tong the story. When he felt excited, he even acted out the scene with his own body.

The husband was telling the story while his spouse was listening carefully. Just like that, the two of them spend the whole night together.

Xu Ran didn’t stop talking until dawn. He held Liu Tong’s hand and said, “Tongtong, thank you for giving me a home and so many good family members. Thank you.”

Liu Tong didn’t say anything. He carefully protected Baozi and hugged Xu Ran.

…

On the first day of the new year, people would not go far away. They would just walk around in the village to share some candies and sunflower seeds with other families.

Xu Ran’s family was at the end of the village, so there weren’t many people coming. The Ge’ers had to watch the children at home and it was not convenient for them to go out. So Xu Ran took Zhuo Yun, Gao Quan and the two children to walk around in the village.

As for Mr. Hu, he was very busy. Now, there were more and more chess players in the village. People would probably have to make an appointment in advance if they wanted to see him.

Xu Ran did not bring Zhuo Yun and others to Wu Mei’s house. After all, they often went there so they could go somewhere else instead at the first day of the new year.

Xu Ran went to their long-term workers’ homes and mentioned the plan to plant potatoes in spring.

There were more than ten families, and Xu Ran went to greet them one by one. The morning passed in the blink of an eye.

The last one to go was the village head’s house, but Xu Ran went alone. He asked everyone else to go back first.

Xu Ran wanted to talk to the village head about two things, one big matter, and one small matter. The big matter was that he wanted to buy the mountain, and the small one was to set up a stage in the village and let the group of children act Journey to the West on it, which would liven up the atmospheere in the village.

The first thing Xu Ran said was to set up the stage. The village head also heard his grandchildren talk about this. He was quite happy too, so he quickly said, “This is indeed a good plan. A lot of children went there last time. I’ll find some people and tell them about this later. Let them help to set up a stage.”

Xu Ran said, “Indeed, there were quite a few children. I can get Tangtang and Guoguo to help talk to them. But if they don’t want to, we don’t have to force them. But village head, you have to explain first that this performance is free and there is no money to take. I’m afraid that if we don’t make it clear, someone will definitely be annoyed.”

The village head nodded. “Don’t worry, I will make this clear. It is really not good to cause trouble at new year’s time.”

“Yeah!”

After talking about this small matter, Xu Ran instantly changed his expression. “Village head, I have something important to tell you. It’s about me.”

The village head saw Xu Ran was so serious, so he thought that something wrong had happened. He comforted Xu Ran, “Don’t worry. Just say it slowly. If it’s not a big trouble, we can all help you.”

Xu Ran said, “It is a big deal, village head. I want to buy some lands at the back of the mountain. What do you think?”

“What did you say?” The village head was startled and immediately stood up. “You said you want to buy the mountain?”

Xu Ran nodded.

“Xu Ran, I’m not trying to be hard on you. You can just go up to the mountain and do anything you want. Why do you want to buy the mountain? Do you know how much money it would cost to buy a mountain? What could you do if you buy this mountain? “The village head looked disappointed.

Hearing the village head’s words, Xu Ran felt that there was hope in buying the mountain, so it was just a matter of money.

Xu Ran pulled the village head to sit down. “Village head, don’t be so surprised. I was thinking about this last year, but I didn’t have enough money at the time. I was building the house and expecting a baby, so I didn’t mention it to you. But this year, I don’t have anywhere else to spend money. I was wondering if I could borrow some money to buy a mountain. Village head, can I buy this mountain?”

When the village head sat down, he touched his chest and took a few breaths. When he heard Xu Ran asking this, he said, “This mountain can be bought, but it’s expensive. The price for this mountain is like buying the desolate lands. It’s counted by mu, and it would cost no less than two taels of silver per mu. How much do you want to buy?”

Xu Ran thought for a moment and said, “Village head, I’ve decided on the location. I’ll take you to have a look. I don’t know the exact size.”

“Xu Ran, tell me honestly, what are you planning to do with this mountain? Your family has quite a lot of fields. Although it’s not very good, at least you don’t have to worry about food and clothing!”

Xu Ran shook his head. “Village head, who said I’m not worried? I got three children at home. How can I not worry? It’s not like you don’t know that our fields can’t plant grains, so we have to buy all the foods. We got a lot of places that require money.”

“Then why would you spend your money to buy mountain? If you have this much money, why don’t you save it and find your kids spouses in the future! “The village head felt increasingly angry.

Xu Ran knew that the village head was so agitated for his own good. Xu Ran stood up and walked behind the village head to slightly pat him on the back. “Village head, don’t worry. I’m not stupid now. I won’t spend this money for nothing. Please tell me whether it’s troublesome to buy the mountain or not. Can I do whatever I want to do after I buy the mountain?”

The village head sighed and knew that he could not convince Xu Ran.

He answered Xu Ran’s question, “Buying the mountain is the same as buying a field. It is just that you need one more witnesses. As long as you buy this mountain, it will be like your family’s fields in the future. Everything on it is yours. You can do whatever you want to do with it. Xu Ran! Have you really thought through?”

Xu Ran said, “Of course, village head. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have come to ask you for help at the first day of the new year!”

The village head said, “You are not asking for my help. You’re here to wind me up!”

Xu Ran hurriedly waved his hand. “No, no, village head. That’s definitely not my intention. Don’t you know me?”

The village heave flickered his sleeves. “I know you, and that’s why I said you’re here to wind me up. Alright, go back. I’ll go ask around for you about this in a few days.”

Xu Ran smiled and said, “Then thank you, village head. I’ll come to wish you happy new year in a few days.”

The village head stared at him. “You brat, I didn’t hear you say anything good today. It turns out that you still have to count the days before you come to greet me for new year!”

“No, no, village head, I’ll greet you now.” Xu Ran cupped his hands together and said, “Happy new year, village head. I wish you great fortune and prosperity in the new year.”

The village head acted as if he hadn’t heard it. Xu Ran had to force himself to continue and say every blessing word that he knew.

He waited until the village head was satisfied before he was allowed to leave.