Chapter 26

“…”

Ye Changning suddenly fell silent.

So Ye Xiaoxiao also fell silent.

She had gotten her hopes up too soon.

“Third Brother, didn’t your friend tell you what you’re going to do to make money?”

“Anyway, there are more opportunities to make money in big cities than here…” Ye Changning was embarrassed to admit that he was going to leave his hometown for an uncertain opportunity.

“Third Brother, I have an idea.”

Ye Xiaoxiao stared at Ye Changning, her eyes shining.

Ye Changning finished his bowl of rice in a few bites. “Tell me.”

“If you haven’t figured out what to do, you’ll be lost even if you go to the coastal city. I have a few ideas. Currently, the businesses that can make money are clothing. You can get goods from factories on the coast, the prices are very low, and you can resell them for a profit of ten or twenty yuan. There’s also electrical appliances, but the cost is very high, and you have to calculate the transportation costs. You can only sell them in cities, the market is smaller, the profit is high, but you need to find a suitable source of goods.”

Ye Xiaoxiao rested her chin on her hand. The book didn’t say what Ye Changning made money from at the beginning, so she could only give him some reminders.

After listening, Ye Changning felt enlightened.

“Actually, I was thinking of getting clothes from the coast and selling them, but I definitely can’t sell them in our village. I have to go to the county at least.”

Ye Xiaoxiao asked again, “Third Brother, do you have any capital?”

Ye Changning: “Gangzi has a friend in the county who can lend money. We can write a promissory note.”

Ye Xiaoxiao heard this. Although this unnamed friend wasn’t the one who would betray him later,

It didn’t sound reliable.

Why would he lend money?

Did Ye Changning know any rich friends?

She asked innocently, “Third Brother, who is that friend? Does the agreement still stand? What if he needs the money urgently and there’s a conflict with you?”

Ye Changning scratched his head. “We don’t have money. Even if we want to put in our own money, we need to have the means. My money is only for travel expenses, and Gangzi is even poorer than us.”

Ye Xiaoxiao whispered, “I can lend Third Brother some money.”

Ye Changning’s eyes lit up.

“Not much, just a thousand yuan. Third Brother, if you make money, just give me the interest. That way, you won’t have to rely on your friend too much. You’ll have your own capital, and you’ll be free to do whatever business you want.”

Ye Changning looked at her. “Where did you get so much money? Did your parents give it to you? I can’t take it.”

Ye Xiaoxiao: “My friend lent it to me. I’ll pay it back later.”

Ye Changning was excited. He didn’t expect to find a way out. The problem that had been holding him back had now been solved.

Who wouldn’t want to do business and make a fortune?

But they were limited by their narrow vision and poverty.

“What are you two whispering about? Don’t get into trouble. New Year’s Eve is coming soon.” Zhang Xue came over to collect the dishes and reminded her brother and sister.

Ye Changning shut up.

He didn’t want to tell his family. His parents wouldn’t agree anyway.

Ye Xiaoxiao gave Ye Changning the remittance slip that Duan Lei had given her.

“Third Brother, don’t let me down.”

“I won’t. Third Brother will definitely pay you back double.”

Ye Changsheng put the remittance slip away and decided to go find Gangzi tomorrow and tell his friend that he didn’t need a promissory note anymore.

He had capital to start a business!

…

Time flew by, and New Year’s Eve was here in a blink of an eye.

Ye Xiaoxiao thought Lu Hanchuan would be spending New Year’s Eve here, but unexpectedly, the helicopter that came to pick them up drove directly into the village. The soldiers who had been stuck here for days were finally able to leave.

Many children in the village were eagerly looking at the helicopter.

These children from the mountain village had never seen anything flying in the sky.

Lu Hanchuan was on a mission this time and didn’t bring any money.

But before leaving, he told Zhang Rengui that the accommodation fees would be transferred as soon as possible.

Zhang Rengui didn’t care about that. After all, they hadn’t eaten much food in a few days in the village.

It would be embarrassing to charge them.

While they were moving the injured soldier, Lu Hanchuan took the opportunity to talk to Ye Xiaoxiao. “If you change your mind before the college entrance exam, contact me anytime.”

Ye Xiaoxiao smiled. “Thank you.”

The helicopter flew away, and the small mountain village returned to its tranquility.

But soon, every household became lively.

The Ye family was quite busy for the past few days, with people coming to ask Miao Fengshan to write Spring Festival couplets.

It wasn’t until New Year’s Eve that things finally calmed down.

New Year’s Eve dinner was to be eaten with their grandparents, at their eldest uncle’s house in the front yard.

Ye Xiaoxiao met Ye Changyuan’s brother, Ye Changjun.

Ye Jianye had four children, two girls and two boys. Both daughters had already married, and now the family was waiting for Ye Changjun to get married.

It was difficult for boys in Baishi Village to find wives.

Because people from other villages didn’t want to marry into this village.

Ye Changyuan secretly told Ye Xiaoxiao, “My dad has already found a wife for my older brother in town, but her family wants a hundred yuan in bride price and three major items. We can’t afford that.”

Ye Changsheng: “Does Brother Jun like that girl?”

Ye Changyuan scratched his head. “My older brother is a quiet person. If you ask him, he won’t say anything.”

Ye Xiaoxiao: “Then he must not like her enough. If he did, he would tell you even if you didn’t ask.”

Ye Changyuan: “You’re just a little guy. You don’t know anything. Forget it… let’s go play with firecrackers. I don’t want to think about these annoying things.”

So Ye Xiaoxiao went to play with firecrackers with Ye Changyuan and the others.

They played outside for a while, and their hands were frozen.

The three of them ran back home and warmed their hands with potatoes from the brazier.

New Year’s Eve dinner was prepared with dumplings and several dishes of meat. The chickens, ducks, and geese they had saved were also on the table.

When firecrackers went off outside, the family raised their glasses to celebrate.

Ye Xiaoxiao’s first New Year in this world gave her a different kind of warmth.

In her previous world, even on New Year’s Eve, the Ye family would work overtime. After her grandfather passed away, she was often alone at home.

But now, she was with all her family, staying up late together.

Finally, when it was late at night, on the first day of the new year, everyone got up early to pay New Year’s greetings.

This was Ye Xiaoxiao’s first year at the Ye family, and her grandparents gave her five yuan in a red envelope as a token of their affection.

Ye Jianguo, Ye Jianye and his wife, and several brothers and sisters-in-law also gave her red envelopes.

Ye Xiaoxiao generously accepted them.

Then she gave her prepared red envelopes to her two nephews.

Ye Baoyuan didn’t understand what it was. Seeing his Aunt giving him something, he thought it was candy and put it in his mouth.

Ye Baocheng pulled it out for him. “You silly goose, this is money, not candy.”

Ye Changqing held the older brother. “Your younger brother is silly, what are you?”

Ye Baocheng said loudly, “I’m super smart!”

Everyone laughed.

After paying New Year’s greetings to her family, Ye Xiaoxiao followed her brothers to visit other uncles and aunts, formally meeting all the members of the Ye family.

It was already afternoon after paying New Year’s greetings, and they started preparing dinner.

Ye Xiaoxiao didn’t need to do anything at home, and there wasn’t anything she could help with in the kitchen.

She didn’t know how to use the big pot, and she couldn’t even light a fire.

Ye Changsheng was reading, Ye Changyuan had gone out to play, so she could only play with Ye Baocheng.

Ye Baocheng was playing with marbles, tossing them back and forth. After a while, he said, “Aunt, you’re so stupid.”

Ye Xiaoxiao: “…”