Courtyard House: Purchasing Agents' Comeback from the Great Famine

Early the next morning.

Wang Feng got up before dawn, woken up by the sound of firecrackers.

He reheated the leftovers from last night and lit the firecrackers he had prepared at the door. As the firecrackers crackled and popped, Wang Feng quickly ran home and started eating breakfast with Qin Jingru.

On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, people usually eat the leftovers from the night before, especially fish, which symbolizes abundance year after year.

After breakfast, Wang Feng played with the child for a while, brewed a pot of tea, and then moved the table outside, where it was filled with melon seeds, peanuts, and candy.

As is customary, the children will visit each household to offer New Year's greetings today. Last night, he and Qin Jingru prepared dozens of red envelopes, just waiting to give them to the children this morning.

Wang Feng sat at the doorway, drinking tea and smoking, watching the children in the yard playing with firecrackers, a smile appearing on his face.

Although people in this era were poor, they were still much more humane than people in later generations. In later generations, you might not even know the neighbors you've lived across the street for over a decade. It's much more lively to live in a courtyard house like this. Although there are many messy things, it's full of warmth and life.

Qin Jingru prefers living in a courtyard house rather than a detached house. Courtyard houses are lively, and you can often see free operas.

A group of children saw that Wang Feng's house had set up a table outside that was full of melon seeds, peanuts, and their favorite White Rabbit milk candy. They all ran over and sweetly called out:

Happy New Year, Uncle Wang Feng.

"Okay, okay."

Wang Feng laughed and gave each of them a handful of melon seeds and peanuts, two candies each, and then a red envelope.

His family's candies are all White Rabbit milk candies, and the red envelopes are all two cents each. In the whole neighborhood, he's the only one who's so generous. The key is that he's been in a good mood lately, so it's not a big deal for him to be generous occasionally.

"Thank you, Uncle Wang Feng."

A group of children were very happy. They put peanuts, melon seeds, White Rabbit milk candy, and red envelopes into their pockets, thanked the staff, and ran off to play.

Wang Feng took a sip of tea, looked at the group of happy children, and smiled.

This year, he gave two tiers of red envelopes: two cents for ordinary residents and two yuan for Ya Ya and He Yushui.

Although Wang Feng's relationship with He Daqing and Sha Zhu wasn't great, his relationship with He Yushui was quite good, at least better than that of ordinary friends.

After a few children showed off in front of the other children, the children in the yard all ran over to wish Wang Feng a Happy New Year. Wang Feng treated everyone equally, and no matter whose child it was, he gave them a handful of peanuts and melon seeds, two White Rabbit milk candies, and a two-cent red envelope.

Not long after, Banggeng heard the other children bragging about it, so he went home and brought Xiaodang with him.

Happy New Year, Uncle!

"Happy New Year, Uncle-in-law," Xiao Dang called out in a childish voice, her words still somewhat unclear.

Hearing Banggeng call him "Uncle-in-law" still made Wang Feng feel a little uncomfortable, but he couldn't get angry with a child. He gave Banggeng and Xiaodang each a handful of melon seeds and peanuts, two White Rabbit milk candies, and a red envelope each before sending them away.

Not long after, Ya Ya came skipping over and said sweetly:

Happy New Year, Brother Wang Feng!

"Okay, okay, happy new year, Ya Ya."

Wang Feng liked this little girl very much; she was obedient, sensible, and filial.

He immediately grabbed several handfuls of peanuts and melon seeds for Ya Ya, and gave her more than a dozen White Rabbit milk candies until her pockets were full. Then he took out a two-yuan red envelope and put it in Ya Ya's hand.

"Thank you, Brother Wang Feng."

Ya Ya has a sweet tongue; as soon as she got the food, she ran home so she could eat with her mother.

Not long after Ya Ya left, Xu Damao walked over with a big smile.

"Haha, Brother Wang Feng, Happy New Year! Come on, let's have a smoke."

Xu Damao took out a Zhonghua cigarette and lit one for himself.

"Haha, Brother Da Mao, Happy New Year!"

Wang Feng took the cigarette and joked with a smile, "Hey, Brother Da Mao, you've struck it rich! You're even smoking Zhonghua cigarettes now."

Xu Damao waved his hand and laughed, "What's so great about getting rich? It's the New Year, we have to put on a good show."

"Hehe, Brother Da Mao really has a broad vision," Wang Feng laughed.

Wang Feng wasn't just praising Xu Damao; he genuinely felt that Xu Damao was quite quick-witted. Putting aside everything else, at least in terms of interpersonal skills, even Sha Zhu couldn't match him.

Xu Damao laughed heartily, took out a red envelope from his pocket, handed it to Wang Feng, and said:

"Brother Wang Feng, this is a red envelope for my nephew. Let me make this clear: once Su Mei gives birth to my son this year, you can't be stingy on the first day of the Lunar New Year next year."

After accepting the red envelope, Wang Feng used his spiritual sense to check it and found that there were actually two yuan inside, which was definitely a generous amount.

Wang Feng said speechlessly, "Brother Da Mao, are you underestimating your brother? I'll put this out there today: if you give my son a two-cent red envelope today, I'll give your son a forty-cent red envelope next year. If you give my son two dollars, I'll give your son four dollars."

Upon hearing this, Xu Damao laughed loudly, "Hahaha, alright, Brother Wang Feng, you go ahead with your work, I have something to do and need to go out for a bit."

"become."

Looking at Xu Damao's back, Wang Feng had to admit that it was quite comfortable to be friends with someone like Xu Damao.

People understand social etiquette. He and Xu Damao are just ordinary friends. Only Qin Jingru and Li Sumei have a better relationship than ordinary friends. But even so, when he had a son, they came over and gave him a red envelope to congratulate him. The amount of the red envelope didn't matter; the important thing was the sentiment.

Wang Feng pondered for a moment, wondering if he should give Xu Damao some of the Water of Life to drink so that he wouldn't die without an heir. After all, he could control it with his spiritual sense, and he could simply put the Water of Life into Xu Damao's cup with his spiritual sense without any risk of being exposed.

Let's wait a while and ask Qin Jingru's opinion first. He doesn't have much contact with Li Sumei, but if Li Sumei is a decent person, he might be able to help them out.

Just as Wang Feng was lost in thought, He Yushui walked over with a smile.

"Happy New Year, Brother Wang Feng."

Wang Feng snapped out of his daze, saw that it was He Yushui, and smiled, saying, "Yushui, Happy New Year."

As he spoke, he grabbed a handful of melon seeds and peanuts for He Yushui, and also gave her a handful of White Rabbit milk candies, about six or seven pieces. He then handed He Yushui a red envelope containing two yuan.

"Thank you, Brother Wang Feng," He Yushui said sweetly.

Wang Feng laughed and asked, "Yushui, have you had breakfast yet?"

He Yushui nodded her head: "Yes, I've eaten."