However, Chen Lan, seeing their excited faces, poured cold water on them. Chen Lan said, "I'm telling you, don't get too happy too soon. It's not yet the era of reform and opening up, and doing this is still very dangerous. If caught by the Revolutionary Committee, you'll be sentenced and even imprisoned. You need to consider carefully whether you want to participate?"
Unexpectedly, Xiang Dong and Er Hu said, "Dangerous? Is it more dangerous than when we were fighting? Little Lan, don't worry! We are both excellent scouts, and our counter-reconnaissance skills are second to none. It would be difficult for them to catch us."
Hearing them say this, Chen Lan naturally stopped talking. They were all adults and had their own considerations. She had already warned them. As the saying goes, fortune favors the bold, and this is probably the case.
Since the matter was settled, the few of them began to discuss the specific departure time. Because school was about to start, and it would take several days to get back, they unanimously decided to set off immediately after arranging the spring planting work in the valley.
Chen Lan thought to herself that since they had agreed to go to the capital with her, her plans would have to be adjusted.
She wouldn't worry about other things for now. She would first persuade her mother-in-law and Liu Mama to go to Harbin, letting the elders travel more and see more while they were still in good health. This way, they wouldn't have any regrets in the future.
So, they got busy separately. Chen Lan saw that the quilts, luggage, and new clothes for the children to use for school were being made by Mrs. Xiao Shan's sewing group. Laundry detergent, soap, and shampoo were all produced by the factory in the valley, and they could get them directly from the valley's general store.
Therefore, Chen Lan did not order these items from the system. She only purchased enamel basins, enamel cups, and other daily necessities for them from the system. She also gave each child who was admitted to school fifty yuan and twenty catties of grain coupons to prevent them from not having enough to eat at school and in case they needed money for emergencies after leaving the valley.
Finally, the day before they were to leave, her mother-in-law was still kept behind by Ming Zhe because Ming Zhe also had to go to Harbin to attend school. If her mother-in-law left with Chen Lan now, and Cui Mama also left, Ming Zhe worried that Milana and Third Sister Aunt would not be able to manage at home.
To put it bluntly, Ming Zhe felt sorry for his wife Milana and was afraid that she and Third Sister Aunt would be too tired looking after three children.
Her mother-in-law naturally agreed readily to stay at her youngest son's request. However, before leaving, her mother-in-law repeatedly instructed Chen Lan to visit their hometown and remember to pay respects at the ancestral graves.
Chen Lan naturally promised with all her heart! She repeatedly assured, "Mother-in-law, please rest assured! I will handle it properly. Look, aren't Little Watermelon, Second Brother Er Hu, and Xiao Shuan also here to help?"
The group reluctantly left the valley and returned to Harbin. After dinner that evening, Chen Lan asked Jia Hui and Jia He to apply makeup for them. She decided to take them to the black market that day to broaden their horizons, letting them experience the black market firsthand and see how transactions were conducted.
Chen Lan and Jia Hui took the Xiang Dong and Xiang Xi brothers and Er Hu and the group to the black market and then left.
Because she didn't know how long she would be in the capital, Chen Lan planned to sell more goods this time. There were too many children going to school now, and money was not a problem, but grain coupons might not be enough. Therefore, Chen Lan planned to exchange for more grain coupons this time.
After all, she had been doing business in the black market with Brother Hu for several years. Chen Lan's goods were not only of superior quality but also never short on weight. Their reputation was good, so the transaction this time went very smoothly.
After collecting the money and coupons, Chen Lan casually asked, "Brother Hu, do you have any vacant houses on hand?"
Brother Hu replied carelessly, "Yes! Young lady, what kind of house do you want?"
Chen Lan thought for a moment and said, "A detached house, preferably near a school. I want one now. Do you have any available?"
Brother Hu replied, "There are a few, but they're not much to look at. The space is large enough, but the houses are a bit run-down. They were all mortgaged to me by others. I was a bit annoyed by them. If you want them, just take them!"
After speaking, Brother Hu got up and went to the back room to get the property deeds!
Not long after, Brother Hu came out with a dark wooden box in his hand. Chen Lan knew it was a good item from the appearance of the box.
Brother Hu handed the wooden box to Chen Lan and told her to choose freely. Chen Lan opened it and exclaimed! No wonder Brother Hu was so indifferent. The small wooden box contained a stack of property deeds. If Brother Hu kept these deeds without selling them, he could literally lie down and live a life of luxury.
Although Chen Lan knew about the future development trend, a person couldn't be too greedy. So, Chen Lan only selected five large detached houses. The biggest characteristic of these houses was that they were all close to schools and located in the city center.
Chen Lan wanted to pay, but Brother Hu refused to accept any money. He said unhappily, "Young lady, a few dilapidated houses were all mortgaged to me by others, not bought with my own money. If you insist on giving me money, you are looking down on Brother Hu!"
Since it had come to this, Chen Lan could only accept. After thanking Brother Hu, Chen Lan decided to reciprocate and subtly revealed the future development trend to Brother Hu as a reward.
So Chen Lan said, "Brother Hu, we received inside information that land prices will likely soar in the future. If you are not in a hurry for money, don't sell your houses easily. Hold onto them for as long as possible, unless the state initiates demolition in that area."
Brother Hu just nodded and thanked her after hearing Chen Lan's words, and then there was nothing more. Chen Lan didn't know if he had taken it to heart.
However, she had said what she could. Chen Lan wouldn't dwell on it. Of course, Chen Lan couldn't accept his houses for free. Instead, she planned to sell an extra ten thousand yuan worth of goods when she made her next sale. Ten thousand yuan was enough to buy ten houses of similar size in Harbin at that time.
Chen Lan and Jia Hui, mother and daughter, left Brother Hu's large mansion and walked a considerable distance. Jia Hui then asked, "Mother, are you really buying so many houses to wait for them to appreciate in value later?"
Chen Lan smiled and replied, "Jia Hui, you've only guessed half of it. Firstly, houses will indeed appreciate in value in the future. Secondly, when you graduate from university and start your careers, you'll need to establish yourselves. Where will you live without a house?"
Jia Hui replied shyly, "Mother, I'm going to university in the capital. I don't know where I'll be assigned after graduation. I won't be assigned to work in Harbin. Now that eldest sister has a house, the remaining houses should be left for second sister and third sister, one for each."