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Song Jinxi asked, “Are there any vacant houses? Preferably one near the mountain, somewhere quieter?”
The brigade leader replied, “Actually, there’s one that fits your description perfectly. The house has been vacant for about a month. It just needs a bit of cleaning before moving in. It has a yard and a high wall. There’s also a well! The house itself is made of green bricks and tiles. In our village, most of the walls are about 1.6 meters high, but this one’s wall is 1.8 meters because it’s close to the mountain. It’s really good. There are no other houses nearby, the closest one is at least 100 meters away. But it’s a bit close to the cattle farm. I’m fine with it, but I thought you might not like…”
Song Jinxi said, “I prefer peace and quiet. This sounds great. With them around, I’m sure they’ll walk around the mountain to avoid passing by. So, can I buy the house from you? I’ll purchase it. When I leave, the house will return to the village.”
Then, changing her tone to be half-joking, half-serious, she added, “But while I’m here, I’ll be the one in charge of the house. Even you, Uncle Song, can’t just let anyone in. Even if we both have the same last name, we might be from the same family hundreds of years ago, but I won’t be giving you any special treatment as a retired soldier!”
The brigade leader laughed. “Hahaha! Alright, no problem. Once you buy it, it’ll be yours. You can decide who stays there. I have no say in it. It’s all up to you. But, the price of that house is 90 yuan, and it must be paid in full upfront. If you give me the money, I won’t scam you. I’ll let you see the house first, though.”
Song Jinxi waved her hand and said, “What’s there to see? I admire soldiers the most. Whether you’re a retired soldier or the brigade leader, I’m sure you wouldn’t scam an eight-year-old girl who just arrived in the countryside! I’ll give you the money, and you’ll probably give me a receipt. We can complete the registration for my household in just a few days, right? This is perfect.
By the way, Uncle Song, could you help me find two people to check if the house has any safety issues and take care of any repairs that might be needed? I just got here and can’t take care of food yet, but I can offer extra payment for the work. What do you think?”
The brigade leader responded, “The pay is just 50 cents per person, and if you don’t provide food, it’s 60 cents. There shouldn’t be much to repair; it’s just been vacant for a month. I’ll go check it myself and see. If everything’s fine, I’ll bring my useless son along to do some basic maintenance. No need to hire anyone else, and we’ll consider the pay settled. You’ll be able to move in tonight.”
Old Grandpa Niu chuckled, “You’re something else, handling everything so quickly. You’re only eight years old, but you’re so sharp!”
Song Jinxi grinned. “Hehe, maybe all the cleverness in my family got passed down to me! Here, this is a little gift for you and Uncle Song. It’s just a small gesture from the younger generation. Uncle Song, don’t misunderstand me—I’ll take care of things for you, but this isn’t a bribe or flattery. It’s just my sincere respect!”
Old Grandpa Niu raised an eyebrow but smiled and accepted the gift.
The brigade leader, though, was a bit confused but didn’t ask any further questions. It’s not common for children to take charge in the countryside. Maybe she’s lucky to be here, maybe not. But she’s only a child, and it’s clear she doesn’t have the means to buy cigarettes—one pack of cigarettes at the supply store costs 50 cents, and these two packs are just given away. In the end, he probably imagined a hundred different scenarios of child abuse in his mind. Song Jinxi didn’t correct him, as she didn’t care how he thought. Let him imagine her situation in a worse light—it would make things easier for her to handle later.
Tang Tiantian immediately asked, “Uncle Song, are there any other vacant houses near the foot of the mountain? Preferably one closer to Jinxi. I’d like to buy one too.”