The man closed his eyes, thinking how formidable this girl was, how much confidence she possessed. "Never heard of settling accounts like that. Brother, this girl is way too shrewd; this deal is impossible to make now. She doesn't even want to leave me a drop of soup."

At that moment, Chi Wu was somewhat distracted. When it came to haggling in business, no one had the presence of Cheng Ying. Look at that, listen to that—little stars were twinkling in Chi Wu's eyes. He still had so much to learn.

The man glanced at Chi Wu, then back at Cheng Ying. Even heroes fall to a beauty's charms; this brother was done for. "Wuzi, brother..."

Chi Wu said, "Brother Li, I think what Yingzi said is quite reasonable. She even has people keeping an eye on the weight for you; you won't be at a loss."

The man rolled his eyes. If it was priced this way, what would be left for the two of them in the middle? It would all be for nothing. "Brother, it's not said like that. Think about the travel expenses and toil; your brother is just a fleeting passerby making a small profit, can't leave empty-handed. Girl, I can't afford your price."

Cheng Ying replied, "Your connections are vast. For you, it's just a matter of exchanging a few words on the round trip, and the money drops right into your pocket. Even if you earn a little less this time, there will be compensation later. It’s not me boasting, but not just anyone can cultivate ginseng like this. If we do this business well, getting my ginseng in the future will be much more convenient for you than for others."

The man surnamed Li said, "Girl, judging by your tone, you have more of this shen..."

Cheng Ying stated, "There is more, but at your price, there is definitely no possibility of future cooperation."

The man tapped the table with one hand. "Girl, how about this, I'll add a hundred for you, one eighty, anymore is really impossible. Brother doesn't have that capability."

Chi Wu’s face darkened. This fellow was unscrupulous, immediately adding a hundred upfront. It meant he himself had been fooled all along, he realized.

Chi Wu thought about the medicinal herb business he had done over the years—it was always by the cartload. How much money had he lost out on?

The man looked at Chi Wu's expression. "Little ancestor, I wouldn't dare fool you. Who are you?"

Chi Wu let out a "Hmph," still thinking he might have been tricked. The big profits had gone to others.

Cheng Ying said, "Add another fifty, I'll take a small loss, leaving some profit margin for Brother Li."

The man surnamed Li’s face turned grim. For such a large capital turnover, this small profit was called a margin? This girl was tough to deal with. "Girl, I might not even be able to move all of it. You can’t let Brother incur losses, can you?"

Cheng Ying said, "Whether you lose or not, you know best. I'm just seeking peace of mind. My maternal grandfather studied Traditional Chinese Medicine, my uncle works in a hospital, and my mother studied TCM. I have channels to move the goods, even if it's piecemeal. Brother, if you think it works, this is the price: two hundred and thirty. No more nonsense."

Chi Wu turned away. TCM scholars? One sells quack remedies, one is a nurse at the hospital, and the other is still on probation. She sure knew how to put on an act.

The man conceded, "Fine, consider it me making a friend. Girl, if I ever need your favor in the future, you must accommodate me."

This man knew how to talk, knew how to leave himself an escape route. Chi Wu dealt in herbs, and Cheng Ying grew them. The man's words held weight. If this deal went through, everyone would know his capability. Being able to move this batch of ginseng—who knows, later people might seek him out. Just as the girl said, ginseng is priceless when the timing is right.

It depended on where you used it. Following Cheng Ying was definitely the right move; perhaps in the future, he might need her help.

Chi Wu pursed his lips, feeling it was necessary to find a new business partner; this guy was too greedy.

If the deal had been settled at eighty, he would have lost one-third!

If the man knew what Chi Wu was thinking, he would be terribly wronged. That middle profit margin, he wouldn't dare swallow it all himself; didn't he have to split it fifty-fifty with Chi Wu?

Cheng Ying felt her backbone stiffen considerably. Finally, she had money.

She wouldn't have to calculate everything meter by meter for housing anymore.

Sister was now a person of means. In the afternoon, she dragged Chi Wu and definitively secured the largest courtyard she had set her sights on.

Moreover, she managed to acquire the private plots belonging to several neighboring households. Sister wasn't short on cash.

Chi Wu followed Cheng Ying as she looked over the courtyard acquired under the old lady's name, feeling immensely pleased. This was truly their home.

In Chi Wu's eyes, although Cheng Ying was formidable, and not a little fierce towards him,

ever since childhood, whatever Chi Wu wanted or desired, Cheng Ying never refused him.

Even if it wasn't hers, Cheng Ying could manage to procure it for Chi Wu. If he asked for something else, could Cheng Ying refuse him?

For Cheng Ying, this was how she treated family; it had nothing to do with solemn matters like marriage.

Therefore, Chi Wu was quite confident about the relationship between himself and Cheng Ying. As long as it was something he wanted, Cheng Ying never withheld it from him.

Even if he begged and pestered, he could make Cheng Ying agree.

They were already family, just needing a change in relationship status. Chi Wu felt very optimistic about this connection. He was just waiting for the day he wasn't shy anymore and could face Cheng Ying to say the full words; then their family of three would live together.

Chi Wu's heart soared with infinite reverie.

Cheng Ying was also making long-term plans for her courtyard.

To buy a two-courtyard siheyuan house for twenty thousand yuan was indeed quite cheap,

but compared to an era when gold was priced at just over ten yuan per gram, it was truly expensive.

Perhaps values differed, leading to different perspectives, which is why some sell and some buy.

Cheng Ying knew that this place of theirs would eventually bring in money by the fistful, multiplying several times over. She considered it an investment in fixed assets, so she wasn't too heartbroken about the cost.

Besides, she had been called Cheng Da Shan Zi (Cheng the Big Fool) more than once. Spending a little more money to secure the house and land completely as hers was not a loss. In the future, if land were to be allocated or something, it would save future trouble.

While the current location seemed a bit remote geographically, once development occurred, it would absolutely become the absolute center of the city. How could its value be measured in mere tens of thousands? She was getting a bargain.

Cheng Ying surveyed her small courtyard again. Although the house was dilapidated, its advantage lay in the high structure.

This meant easy renovation and no need to touch the foundation.

Cheng Ying patted the wooden beams of the house. "It looks like this was originally a large family residence; the lumber used isn't shoddy."

Chi Wu reached out a hand. "What did you manage to figure out? Let me tell you, this used to be a departmental family compound. But now everyone is heading towards apartment buildings. Some families got assigned housing from their units, some bought their own places, and some just didn't fancy living here anymore and moved out. I'm telling you, don't underestimate this courtyard; several families used to live here."

Cheng Ying understood this mode of residence. For ordinary people, striving for one house in a lifetime was already good; it was the same in every era.

Cheng Ying remarked, "If you say so, the feng shui here must be good. Look, everyone living here is climbing to higher ground."

Chi Wu scoffed, "Hmph. If you hadn't insisted on that outer area, would we need to spend so much money? It’s just an old family compound."

Cheng Ying turned her head. These were the second-generation elites. If it were someone else, could they even buy a place like this?

Cheng Ying despised those who relied on connections, though, in truth, she was now relying on connections herself. She remembered reading that many reincarnated seniors made their fortunes by buying landfills.

Hearing Chi Wu’s comment, Cheng Ying said casually, "It sounds easy to buy a place. Do you know someone? Maybe we should look around the provincial capital and buy a few landfills."

Chi Wu looked at Cheng Ying. "You think you're the only smart one? Buying this place was possible because it wasn't the city center, and the terrain wasn't great; nobody shared your unique vision. The landfills in the city already have owners; we definitely can't afford to offend them. The little money you have certainly wouldn't be enough."

Cheng Ying was displeased; he underestimated her capabilities too much.

Though she was lacking now, her value increased with age, given that older ginseng was more valuable. "If we're not buying, we're not buying. Do you have to resort to personal attacks? You unlucky kid, go away. I need to see just how broken this house is, find a few people to properly repair and tidy it up, and bring Grandma over before school starts."

This brought them to serious matters. Chi Wu didn't object to this. "It doesn't matter if it's the east room or the west room, but I have to live in the main house."

This was essential; the head of the family must live in the main quarters. Chi Wu's little thoughts were racing quickly.

Cheng Ying looked at the three large tiled rooms. "Fine. Anyway, I’ll share a room with Grandma. You take the west room."

Chi Wu secretly rejoiced. His eyebrows nearly flew up in excitement.

Cheng Ying thought the child must feel the same lack of belonging in the Chi family as she did; otherwise, he wouldn't be so happy over a mere room.

So she truly understood Chi Wu's excitement, finding him even more thrilled than herself.

Cheng Ying felt that she didn't have deep roots in the capital, so she should steer clear of such profound places.

For a woman with a slight touch of bourgeois sentiment, the countryside didn't align with her life direction.

The provincial capital was quite nice; one could enjoy modern convenience while achieving prosperity through a small-scale business. Although she had two bothersome relatives nearby, which family didn't have its little amusements? None of that was an issue.

Therefore, this current location might very well be the foundation for her to settle down and establish herself. She needed to treat it well. A place to live must be comfortable, must suit her wishes, and must be pleasing to the eye.

When hiring workers, Cheng Ying picked seasoned craftsmen.

Masons were a small matter; carpenters were the important ones.

Cheng Ying thought, if she couldn't live in an original royal garden, she could at least try to replicate its style. Now, they weren't lacking money.

To have ten thousand or eight thousand yuan tucked away, for seasoned craftsmen earning three yuan a day, Cheng Ying could truly put her hands on her hips and declare, "We are not short on cash!"

The commotion the two youngsters were causing was significant. Old Mrs. Chi might not know, but Old Master Chi certainly did. He sold his grandson face; he wouldn't allow them to fail in front of the old man.

So, Cheng Ying's house renovation took several days. During dinner, Old Master Chi finally spoke, "Yingzi bought a house in the city. Why isn't she staying there?"

Cheng Ying raised her eyes, seeing the old man's expression. She thought the thing she disliked most was relying on his influence. She wouldn't mind spending a little more money, but unexpectedly, she still owed him a favor. "Mm, I'm going to school in the city, and I wouldn't feel at ease without Grandma watching over things."

Chi Wu glanced at Cheng Ying, believing he understood her well enough. "I've smoothed everything over. Every penny that needed to be spent has been spent."

Old Master Chi looked at his grandson, knowing he was the one who caused the stir.

Chi Yong said, "Troublesome things! What a big deal, why didn't you tell anyone? What capabilities do you two possess, to handle everything by yourselves?"