Reborn in the 1980s: Nine Stunning Beauties Get Pregnant Before Marriage

The next day, Chen Yongqiang was preparing to start his tractor and go panning for gold again.

Qin Liping walked over and said, "Brother Yongqiang, I want to go with you today!" She thought Chen Yongqiang was going to the county town.

Just as Chen Yongqiang was about to agree, Liang Meie swayed over and said with a smile, "Yongqiang, I don't have anything to do today, so I'd like to go to the county town with you."

"I'm going to buy timber, not to the county town," Chen Yongqiang had to change his story at the last minute.

He needed a lot of timber to finish building the house, and he originally planned to go directly to Qinglong Mountain to cut it, but the procedures were complicated and he had to apply to the village, which was a lot of trouble.

The main issue is that Chen Yongqiang is now responsible for protecting Qinglong Mountain, so it's really unreasonable for him to lead the way in cutting down a large number of trees.

The mountain god had already guided him to make a lot of money; it was much easier to just buy ready-made timber directly from the lumber mill.

"It's okay, I'll just follow you wherever you go," Liang Meie said, already climbing onto the tractor.

When Qin Liping saw that Liang Meie was about to go with them, she felt embarrassed and said, "Brother Yongqiang, I'm going to help in the kitchen."

Chen Yongqiang didn't say much, and started the tractor to drive out of the village.

As they passed the brick kiln at the village entrance, some villagers working there saw them and jokingly asked Liang Meie's father-in-law, "Old Li, why is your daughter-in-law sitting so close to Chen Yongqiang?"

Old Li's face turned red; he had known for a long time that Liang Meie and Chen Yongqiang were close.

He didn't dare say anything at the moment, only hoping that Liang Meie could raise his grandchildren well. As for other things, he could only turn a blind eye.

"They...maybe they went to town on business," Old Li replied, seemingly ignoring the question, before continuing to work on his brick-making.

The others understood the situation implicitly and stopped teasing him, though they were all somewhat envious of Chen Yongqiang.

They were able to work at the brick factory because Chen Yongqiang started the idea.

The wages he received were also paid by Chen Yongqiang for the bricks. Now, the bricks fired in this kiln are easy to sell.

After the tractor drove out of Shimen Village, Liang Meie became bolder, placing her hand on Chen Yongqiang's thigh, and said with a hint of resentment, "Why haven't you come to see me lately?"

"I'm afraid Xiulian will find out..." Chen Yongqiang replied vaguely.

I've been busy cultivating my relationship with Qin Liping lately, so I've naturally neglected Liang Meie.

She pinched him hard: "I'm not afraid of my father-in-law finding out, why are you afraid of Xiulian finding out? She's not your daughter-in-law."

Lin Xiulian lived in Chen Yongqiang's house, but she never had a formal status. When the land was distributed, the household registration quota was still Lin Xiuzhen's.

Chen Yongqiang felt a little pain from her pinch, but he just smiled and said, "You're quite easygoing. If I really went to your house in the dark to look for you, wouldn't your father-in-law beat me out with a carrying pole?"

"If he still wants those two grandsons, he has to pretend he's deaf and dumb," Liang Meie snorted, but her hand didn't loosen its grip.

Chen Yongqiang knew the importance of leaving room for maneuver in life.

It's fine to do whatever you want with Liang Meie behind her back, as long as you don't expose the truth in public, everyone can still get along.

Along the way, Liang Meie chatted with Chen Yongqiang about all sorts of things: "How far have things progressed between you and that girl Qin Liping? Anyone with eyes can see that the way she looks at you is strange."

Chen Yongqiang denied it: "Don't speculate, it's not true."

Although it wouldn't be a big deal if Liang Meie found out, Chen Yongqiang felt that some things should not be made public.

Otherwise, things will only get more complicated, and eventually, the fact that Wang Guixiang and Ding Wanru are pregnant will be dug up.

Once they reached town and the streets became more crowded, Liang Meie withdrew her hand and asked, "Where are we going now?"

"To the lumberyard." Chen Yongqiang drove the tractor around a corner.

Liang Meie felt a little bored, but she still went along. She was determined to stick with Chen Yongqiang today.

The tractor drove to the timber mill on the outskirts of town. Stacks of logs and processed boards were piled up in the mill area.

"Here are the required quantities and dimensions." Chen Yongqiang approached the manager and handed him a sheet of paper with a list prepared by Zhao Fugen.

The foreman took the order and glanced at it; this was a big client: "Building five large brick houses at once! That'll require a lot of timber."

"Can you supply timber of these specifications?" Chen Yongqiang wanted to confirm first.

The foreman readily agreed: "Of course, no problem! But if we're in a rush, we'll have to pay extra so the workers can work through the night."

"How much will it cost in total?" Chen Yongqiang began to inquire about the price.

The foreman, fiddling with the abacus beads, said, “This is enough material for five rooms. You’ll need at least two hundred rafters, thirty purlins, ten beams, and then there’s the material for doors, windows, and the floorboards inside the house.”

"It will take at least two or three cubic meters in total, and the total cost will be around 1200 yuan."

Upon hearing the price, Liang Meie interjected, "So expensive! Yongqiang, there's plenty of timber in Qinglong Mountain. Why don't we just cut some ourselves? Why waste money like this?"

"Young lady, you can't say that. The trees on Qinglong Mountain belong to the state, and it's illegal to cut them down. Even if you bring them back, how will you process them? We have all the necessary paperwork, and our craftsmen are very particular about how they cut the boards," the manager retorted.

Chen Yongqiang knew that he could save a few hundred yuan by cutting down trees, but he would face a lot of trouble afterward.

Obtaining a logging permit requires transporting the timber for processing, which is not only time-consuming and laborious but also carries significant risks.

However, some haggling was still necessary. Chen Yongqiang then chimed in, "Let's go look around somewhere else."

As he spoke, Chen Yongqiang made a move to turn and leave.

The manager quickly stepped forward to stop him: "Comrade, don't be in such a hurry! The price is negotiable, everything is negotiable!"

Finally, with Liang Meie's help in persuading him, the total price was reduced by fifty yuan.

Chen Yongqiang readily agreed and paid a deposit of two hundred yuan on the spot.

The person in charge quickly wrote out the receipt: "Alright! You can come and pick up the goods in a few days. You definitely can't pick them all up in one trip."

On the way out of the lumber mill, Liang Meie kept muttering, "Yongqiang, why did you waste that money? Qinglong Mountain is so big, surely there are plenty of usable trees?"

"Just buy it directly, it's easier," Chen Yongqiang replied casually as he drove his tractor.

He's a man destined for great things; he can't afford to steal timber just to save a few hundred dollars and give others a handle to use against him.

Chen Yongqiang didn't need to explain these deeper things to Liang Meie.

Chen Yongqiang originally intended to go straight back, but Liang Meie insisted on going to the county town: "I haven't been to the county town in ages! We finally have some free time today, so please take me there!"

Chen Yongqiang had no choice but to turn the car around and drive towards the county town.

He also thought he might as well take the opportunity to see if there were any more efficient gold panning tools.

The tractor headed towards the county town. Liang Meie sat beside her, a triumphant smile on her face: "You gave in to me during the day, and at night... I'll give in to whatever you want."