Seventies Sweetheart: From Breakup to Billionaire-Chapter 176: Renting a House

"Sure, no problem." Contrary to Liu Pei’s expectations, Lin Xiang agreed readily, "But let’s make it clear first, you have to be at the brigade office by 4 a.m. every day, and you mustn’t slack off at work, or the brigade leaders might replace you at any time."

Liu Pei nodded eagerly, "I understand, as long as I get selected, I will work hard."

So Lin Xiang went to the brigade office to discuss the matter with the brigade leader.

Fortunately, the brigade leader hadn’t yet gone to the youth center to select candidates, so Accountant Xu added Liu Pei’s name to the list.

The next morning, at the crack of dawn when it was still pitch dark outside, Lin Xiang had to part with her warm bed and headed out with a flashlight.

Just after closing the courtyard door, she turned around and was startled by a figure squatting at the door.

Shining the flashlight, she saw it was Liu Pei, and her wildly beating heart finally calmed, "Smartie Liu, why are you squatting silently at my door?"

"I thought I could go with you to the brigade office, have some company on the road. Oh, this is Wang Hong, another person chosen by the bun workshop."

Lin Xiang nodded, "Okay, let’s head over then."

With the flashlight illuminating the path ahead, they could avoid any potholes in the road.

A few minutes later, the three of them arrived at the brigade office, where seven or eight people were already present.

"Here comes the girl." A familiar aunt greeted Lin Xiang, "Haven’t had breakfast yet? I have roasted sweet potatoes, want one?"

Lin Xiang shook her head, "No thanks, Auntie. I need to prepare the filling first, and we can start making buns once the dough is ready."

Lin Xiang asked the brigade leader, "Who’s learning to prepare the filling with me? Let’s have her follow me today."

The brigade leader casually picked two aunties to go to the kitchen with Lin Xiang and prepare the filling.

Lin Xiang chopped the meat into fine mince and started adding various seasonings to it, explaining the quantity of each seasoning as she added it.

"The amount of seasoning is important, and so is the strength and time for mixing the filling. To make delicious buns, every step must be done properly."

By 6:50, all 200 buns were finally wrapped.

To prevent the bouncing during transport from breaking the buns, the brigade leader decided to make ten extra buns.

Sun arrived with his ox cart, and Lin Xiang got on with the baskets of buns.

At 7:20 in the morning, the ox cart arrived at the cotton spinning factory entrance.

Chef Yang and two assistants were already waiting and helped Sun carry the steaming baskets into the back kitchen.

Lin Xiang wanted to help, but Chef Yang refused, "Leave the heavy lifting to us."

In the kitchen, Chef Yang placed his own buns on the steaming baskets together with Lin Xiang’s.

Lin Xiang didn’t leave in a hurry; she helped out in the kitchen and observed the bun sales.

The cotton spinning factory started work at 8:30, and people began trickling in for breakfast at 8.

"Chef Yang, so many buns today?"

"Of course! You guys keep complaining about the shortage, so I prepared more. Come, come, buy a big meat bun?"

"Give me two!"

By 8:30, all 360 meat buns were sold out.

Those still in line urged Chef Yang to prepare more buns next time.

Not until all the breakfast items were sold and the kitchen was cleaned did Chef Yang settle the accounts with Lin Xiang.

"A total of 210 buns, at nine cents each, makes eighteen yuan and ninety cents altogether."

Chef Yang handed Lin Xiang the money he had prepared in advance, "Count it."

Lin Xiang counted the money in front of Chef Yang, "The amount is correct. Thank you, Chef Yang."

"Ah, this is a mutually beneficial business, no need for thanks." Chef Yang took a leisurely sip from his mug and spoke slowly, "As you saw, lots of people like the buns, and the quantity of two hundred is not quite enough. So starting tomorrow, you supply two hundred forty buns a day, with one hundred forty meat buns and the remaining hundred as pickled cabbage pork buns."

"Okay." Lin Xiang agreed, adjusted the contract, and had Chef Yang sign it.

Back at the brigade office, Lin Xiang handed the money to the brigade leader.

"Eighteen yuan and ninety cents! I never imagined we could make so much money in one day!"

"Tomorrow’s supply will be two hundred forty buns."

With thirty more buns, they could earn a few more bucks, and the brigade leader could hardly contain his joy.

"Oh, by the way, here’s the money you fronted yesterday." Accountant Xu handed the prepared money ticket to Lin Xiang, "It’s calculated as six kilograms, the excess is your reward for coming early to prepare the filling."

Lin Xiang took the money and headed home after a word.

After that, she spent two more days teaching others to prepare the filling and delivering buns to the cotton spinning factory. Once the bun workshop was familiar with the process and could produce filling with good flavor, Lin Xiang stopped managing it.

Because she was about to start school.

The Town First Middle School started on the sixteenth of the first month, and Lin Xiang and Mrs. Lin went two days early to prepare to rent a room.

The Town First Middle School provided dormitories, initially requiring a dormitory fee of five yuan per semester.

Those who could afford this money were mostly children from the city. Their homes were nearby, so they preferred commuting daily rather than living in the dormitories.

Families that needed dormitories simply couldn’t afford the dormitory fee.

Later, to retain more students, the dormitories at Town First Middle School stopped charging fees.

Lin Xiang didn’t like staying in a space with strangers, so she didn’t plan to stay in the dormitory.

But commuting every day would waste a lot of time, so she chose to rent a room.

"Girl, isn’t renting a room too expensive? Just for a small room, the rent is two yuan a month!"

That’s twenty-four yuan a year.

And the room could barely fit a table, a bed, and a cabinet. There wasn’t even a bathroom, so for convenience, she had to walk out to the alley.

"It is a bit expensive, but it’s near the school, which is expected to be pricier."

Lin Xiang did not choose this room; it wasn’t just about the price, but she didn’t like the environment—it was too crowded and noisy.

So she took Mrs. Lin and went farther to search.

"Aunt Ge?"

From a distance, Lin Xiang saw a familiar figure and called out uncertainly. Aunt Ge turned her head upon hearing and was a bit surprised to see Lin Xiang, "Why are you here?"

"I’m about to start school and plan to rent a room for my mom and me before it starts." Lin Xiang quickly walked up, helping Aunt Ge push her cart into the courtyard, "It’s not even two o’clock yet. Auntie, are you closing your stall already? I heard from my Fifth Uncle that there have been quite a few people at the recent market fairs, and business is pretty good."

"Business is good, but I have some matters to attend to." Aunt Ge smiled wryly and invited Lin Xiang and Mrs. Lin to find a place to sit, "You sit first, I’ll go inside to take a look, and I’ll be out to talk with you in a bit."