C16 Success!

After escorting Ann Jue all the way home, Ann Fen finally felt a weight lift off his chest when he saw her hand the money to Ann Ding. He proudly declared, “When a brother is in need, we’ve got to support each other! This little bit of money is no big deal. Just pay me back when big brother and sister-in-law are doing better financially!”

Ann Ding accepted the money, utterly baffled about how Ann Jue had managed to persuade her notoriously stingy brother.

“Ann Jue, what’s gotten into your uncle? How did he suddenly become so generous?” Zhou Qian was equally astonished.

Ann Jue just shrugged and replied, “Maybe aunt has been a good influence on him. I think my uncle has gotten a lot cuter than before, don’t you agree, Mrs. Zhou?”

Zhou Qian chuckled at her remark, finding it quite amusing. “Yes, your uncle has improved a lot. Now that you have the money, your dad should call Ms Kung right away! Wasn’t your appointment with Xue Xiaogui set for this afternoon? You should head out early to make a good impression.”

“Alright, let’s get going!” Ann Jue carefully wrapped the money and tucked it into his backpack.

On their way, Ann Jue gave her father some advice: “Dad, when we meet Xue Xiaogui, let me do the talking. I know all about Mr. Xue’s household. If he tries to pull any tricks, we can’t agree to it. And make sure everything in Mr. Xue’s house—the paintings, ink, paper, and inkstone—is included in the 5,000 yuan deal, or we’ll be at a loss.”

Ann Ding didn’t quite grasp how that would result in a loss, but he trusted Ann Jue’s judgment and nodded in agreement, “Okay, you’re in charge! But where will we store everything after we buy it?”

“Oh no! I didn’t think about that!” Ann Jue frowned, realizing the oversight. “If there’s no room, we’ll just have to keep it at Mr. Xue’s place. They won’t sell the house that quickly, right?”

“But you’re worried about the books being mistreated, aren’t you? With people traipsing through the house, they might damage the items. You’d be the one upset in the end!” Ann Ding sighed, then after a moment’s thought, he suggested, “How about this—I’ll go talk it over with Mrs. Zhou. She has an empty shed at her place. It’s not fit for living, but it’s fine for storage. We’ll move the items there and bring in some charcoal to protect the books from moisture. What do you think?”

Ann Jue pondered for a moment and decided there was no other option. "Okay, then. I'll only take the most valuable items back home and store the rest in Mrs. Zhou's bungalow. But it wouldn't be right to occupy her space without offering something in return. How about we pay her a monthly rent?"

"Sounds good to me!" Ann Fen replied, his smile broadening. Perhaps he was proud to see his daughter acting so maturely and responsibly, which brought him great comfort and joy.

In under ten minutes, they reached the agreed-upon meeting spot and encountered Xue Xiaogui and Ms. Kung.

With a cigarette dangling from his lips, Xue Xiaogui gave Ann Jue a once-over and scoffed, "Ms. Kung, surely you're not talking about this kid? She's just a girl; how can she decide to buy someone's estate?"

Suppressing a smile, Ann Jue confidently spoke up before her father could respond. "Uncle, I must say your remarks are quite offensive. Never underestimate the young and poor. I may be young now, but who's to say I won't prosper in the future? Let's get to the point: I'm here to purchase the collection of books, paintings, and calligraphy supplies left by Mr. Xue. I'm not here to haggle; I'll pay five thousand yuan, but you must sell me everything I've mentioned. We'll need to sign a written agreement to avoid any future disputes. What do you say?"

Her assertive speech left all three adults momentarily stunned.