The Beautiful Stepmother from the Eighties: Marrying a Factory Director to Raise Kids

Chapter 398

Zhou Yueshen paused slightly, then said, "What a coincidence, I have something to tell you too."Si Nian looked at him.

He had something to tell her?

What was it?

Speaking of which, why did he come back so early today?

Si Nian asked curiously, "What is it?"

Zhou Yueshen put down the medical report in his hand and said, "A few friends and I partnered up for some new business."

Si Nian had a vague impression of it. "Is it the investment you mentioned before?"

Zhou Yueshen gave a slight nod.

"Actually, when we first came to the city, we started discussing investments. The areas of investment included some real estate and electrical appliance manufacturing factories."

"But with investment comes risk. A brother of mine has over a dozen houses he can't sell, and now he's stuck with them."

"As for the appliance factory, we have the right channels, so we did make some profit. We've been reaping the dividends for the past half year."

After saying that, Zhou Yueshen pulled a bankbook out of his pocket and handed it to Si Nian.

"This is a new account I opened. The dividends are inside. You can keep it."

Si Nian: Huh? What?

She was just sitting at home, and money literally fell from the sky.

She slowly took the bankbook and opened it to take a look.

She figured that for a few months' work, the dividend should be around a few thousand yuan, right?

Although she didn't know how big the manufacturing business Zhou Yueshen mentioned was.

Her fingertips flipped open the bankbook.

Si Nian looked at the numbers on it.

Her hand trembled.

Units, tens, hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, hundred thousands... Three hundred thousand!

It was actually three hundred thousand yuan in total?

She thought she had seen two extra zeros and counted again.

Then she snapped her head up to look at Zhou Yueshen. "Th-three hundred thousand? You earned this in just a few months?"

Zhou Yueshen nodded slightly. "That's right. Electrical appliances are a highly profitable industry in the city. Many people use them now, and the prices are high."

"They have the channels for this, so they sell very well."

Speaking of which, Zhou Yueshen had been running a breeding farm for a long time.

Even with all those channels, he hadn't earned this much.

Yet in just these past few months, he had made hundreds of thousands purely from investments. No wonder so many people were willing to spend money on investments, and it was no wonder Si Nian was shocked.

At the time, he had casually invested a few tens of thousands of yuan.

Since his friend was in trouble, he hadn't expected to get so much in dividends back.

Of course, he was the largest shareholder, so he received the largest share.

This friend's family had originally gone into business, so he picked it up very quickly.

Although he had suffered losses a few times before.

But this time, he found the right direction and made a fortune all at once.

Zhou Yueshen also gained some experience from this.

During this time, he had been working from dawn to dusk, and not just busying himself with the farm.

Si Nian couldn't react for a long while. Although there were multi-millionaires and billionaires in every era, to her right now, hundreds of thousands was already an incredibly huge sum of money.

While she was still working hard to save money, her man had brought back hundreds of thousands.

Comparing oneself to others really was maddening!

Si Nian looked at Zhou Yueshen with mixed feelings. "Then what's the deal with those houses losing money? Are the losses heavy? Where are they located?"

In this era, there were certainly people buying and selling houses. Some who became wealthy would move to better places, and if they really had no use for their old houses, they would sell them.

However, this situation was relatively rare.

After all, those who could afford to live in better places were not short of money. To buy this kind of house, one had to rely on connections and introductions.

There weren't that many procedures in this era; a simple transaction and transfer between the two parties was enough.

There were no restrictions either.

Although housing prices weren't high, ordinary people still couldn't afford them.

Therefore, many people smelled the business opportunities back then and secretly bought a lot of properties at cheap prices.

In the end, they became billionaires in one fell swoop.

Because later on, physical housing distribution was stopped, housing distribution monetization was gradually implemented, and once the commercial housing market was launched, these houses began to appreciate in value.

Zhou Yueshen's expression remained unchanged as he slowly said, "They aren't here. They're in Beijing—some old houses and courtyard homes over there. My friend got scammed as soon as he took over. Previously, an acquaintance of his specialized in this line of work, but this time the guy took the money and ran. Those who were eager to sell had paid quite a bit of money, and now the trouble has found its way to my friend."

"Courtyard homes are meant for large families to live together, so they aren't cheap. Unless people are short of money or face unforeseen circumstances, they generally don't sell them. A single set costs tens of thousands, which ordinary people can't afford, so now everyone is clamoring for compensation."

Si Nian was even more shocked.

"Courtyard homes?"

Zhou Yueshen gave a slight nod.

"He plans to sell them off cheaply. After all, those people signed contracts with his acquaintance. If they're hard to sell, he can only sell them at a loss and subsidize the difference himself, or pay compensation according to the contracts."

"He asked if I wanted him to save one for me. I figured since you're heading to Beijing for school anyway, I had him keep one with a courtyard."

Si Nian hurriedly said, "Wouldn't it be a pity to sell them at a low price?"

Zhou Yueshen replied, "He doesn't have the time to manage these. He wants to focus on developing the manufacturing and appliance side."

Si Nian immediately said, "Then why don't you take them over from him? Look, a place like Beijing will develop rapidly in the future. Keeping these houses, even if you just rent them out, won't be a loss."

Si Nian couldn't very well tell Zhou Yueshen directly that in the future, a single one of these houses would be worth over a hundred million.

Even the ones in poor locations would start at tens of millions.

She had originally been agonizing over how to find the right channels if she wanted to seize the opportunity to buy some.

And now Zhou Yueshen had delivered them right to her doorstep?

Zhou Yueshen saw through her thoughts almost instantly. "You want them?"

Si Nian nodded and said, "I just have a feeling that these houses will be worth a lot of money in the future."

Zhou Yueshen pondered for a moment. Si Nian wasn't a capricious person. Since she said so, she definitely had her own ideas.

So he said, "Alright, I'll go talk to him and save them for you."

Si Nian hadn't expected him to agree without even asking why she wanted to do this.

These houses weren't cheap. If they took all of them, who knew how much it would cost.

Si Nian couldn't just watch this golden opportunity slip through her fingers.

But Zhou Yueshen's unconditional support made her feel even more secure and reassured.

She looked at him with complex eyes and said, "Zhou Yueshen, aren't you going to ask me why? What if we buy them and get stuck with them? There are so many houses, after all."

"Even though I said that, no one can predict the future for sure, right?"

Zhou Yueshen said, "It is a bit much, but putting them under your name will give you some security. Renting them out in the future will also bring in a considerable income. You'll be studying there for four years; having more money is never a bad thing."

"If you don't want to work in the future but feel bored, being a landlord and collecting rent is also an option."

Si Nian felt deeply moved, but she wasn't that greedy. After all, she was the one who knew the truth of the future.

So she said, "Of course we can't put all of them under my name. Xiaodong, Xiaohan, and Yaoyao will each get one. That way, they'll have some security when they grow up. We'll split the rest equally between the two of us."

Seeing how she absolutely didn't want them to lose out, Zhou Yueshen chuckled softly and agreed.

It wasn't like he couldn't afford this amount of money. Although these houses might not make any money for the time being and could only be rented out, keeping them meant that if anything happened in the future, they could at least recoup their costs by reselling them.

He looked at Si Nian and asked in a low voice, "What did you want to tell me?"

Si Nian snapped out of her daydream of becoming a super billionaire, finally remembering what she had planned.

So, she told him and the children about her decision.

At first, the children didn't quite understand what they were saying about houses and such.

None of them paid much attention.

But now, upon hearing Si Nian say she was going to university, they all immediately whipped their heads around to look at her, their faces filled with tension.

They all knew that the university their mother had gotten into was very far away, in the capital city.

She would only be able to come home during the holidays.

Of course, they didn't want her to go.

But their father had said that it was the best school in the country.

They couldn't stop their mother from going just because they couldn't bear to part with her.

He also forbade them from bringing it up, afraid of putting pressure on Si Nian.

So, none of the children dared to mention this matter.

They hadn't expected Si Nian to bring it up herself today.

And she even let them choose.

They didn't want to pick either of the two options. Couldn't they just stay with their mother forever?

Why did their mother have to take a leave of absence to stay home and take care of them? They could also take a break from school to go take care of her.

They were still young; it wouldn't matter if they took their time with their studies.

But their mother had already reached the final step.

Yet she had to take a step back for their sake.

If their father didn't let their mother go and made her suspend her studies, then they would never speak to him again.

Zhou Yueshen listened quietly until she finished, then spoke calmly, "I've thought about this."

He looked at Si Nian and said in a deep voice, "I plan to take the children and go to Jing City with you."

"I've already found a house."

"Transferring schools won't be a hassle, and I also want to go out and make a living there for a few years."

She had always been moving forward, and Zhou Yueshen had tried hard to catch up with her.

But later he realized that with his status as a pig farmer, it was too difficult.

That was why he had wavered when a friend invited him to invest.

In the past, he never believed in such things.

But Si Nian's appearance made him take that step.

And ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‍it was precisely this step that allowed him to stand by her side without hesitation, walking shoulder to shoulder with her indefinitely.

When the children heard this.

They were also extremely happy.

Second Child bounced up and down, saying, "Dad, Dad, does that mean I can ride the long train again?"

Seeing the excited and expectant smiles on the children's faces, Zhou Yueshen knew he had made the right decision.

Because no matter which option Si Nian had given, it would always leave some regret.

The children couldn't bear to leave her, and neither could he.

But making her stay behind, Zhou Yueshen couldn't do such a thing.

Of course, he wasn't unprepared for the move to Jing City.

The breeding farm couldn't be disbanded; their roots were in this city, and they would definitely return in the future.

The breeding farm in their hometown had now increased the villagers' income, and Zhou Yueshen had invested half of the profits into building rural roads.

While other villages still had muddy, potholed paths, their village already had paved roads.

Driving had become much more convenient.

As his own life got better, it was only natural to help boost the village's economic development.

It was all worth it; even if there was no return, it could be considered accumulating good karma.

Zhou Yueshen had killed too many animals, and his hands were stained with blood.

If doing these good deeds could earn merit, he hoped it would all fall upon Si Nian and the children.

Then it would be worth it.

He patted his son's head and said, "Of course."

Ever since learning that the whole family was moving north, the household became lively again.

However, upon hearing the news, Jiang Jiu grew sadder by the day.

Although Second Child comforted him, saying that he would definitely come back in the future, and that his dad had said they could return here as soon as his mom finished university.

It was only a few years, not a lifetime of separation.

It was better than never seeing each other again, right?

Second Child felt that he was already a mature man.

Although he really hated to leave Jiang Jiu, he wanted to be by his mother's side even more.

Because Jiang Jiu had his grandparents and his dad by his side.

But if his mom went to university alone, she would be all by herself, which would be too lonely and pitiful.

His mom was right; everyone had family members to keep them company, and friends came second.

Seeing that his sadness couldn't make them stay, Jiang Jiu knew that they were truly going to part ways this time,

and he didn't even eat when he went home.

He knew that once his Second Brother and the others left, he would go back to how he was before.

He didn't want his Second Brother to leave.

Even though his dad was now willing to come home and spend time with him.

In Jiang Jiu's heart, his Second Brother was more important than his dad.

So he made a decision. He secretly packed a bag, smashed his piggy bank, wrote a letter to his family, and went to the Zhou house with his backpack.

There were still ten days before departure.

But Zhou Zehan couldn't wait to ride the train.

The previous train ride had given him a very novel experience, and he had been thinking about it ever since.

"Big Brother, let's bring the Gomoku board this time so we can play chess on the train."

"Big Brother, how many clothes are you planning to bring?"

"Big Brother, can you help me pack my new clothes? I feel like they won't fit in my backpack."

He bounced around happily, but after his excitement, he became melancholic again.

"Sigh... If only Little Jiang could come with us."

Zhou Zedong couldn't be bothered with him.

Because he was leaving, he was planning to write down more new recipes and cooking methods over the next few days to hand over to Brother Chen and the others.

That way, even if they sold pancakes for a few years, people wouldn't get tired of them.

Although he was leaving, the stall was the first business he had invested in.

So he couldn't just abandon it.

Because the decision was made late, he had no time to entertain his younger brother right now.

Si Nian was downstairs tending to her little vegetable garden.

Although she didn't plant much, it was still enough to feed their family.

It was lush, green, and very pretty.

She moved them all together so that when her parents came over, they could grow vegetables to eat, which would also save some money.

While she was watering the plants, a small figure suddenly approached.

Si Nian thought it was Second Child. Just as she was about to speak, she met Jiang Jiu's anxious gaze.

She froze for a moment. Jiang Jiu was wearing a hat, a tracksuit, sneakers, a watch on his wrist, and a backpack—looking exactly like he was ready for a long journey.

Just as she was about to ask if he was looking for Second Child to play, Jiang Jiu pulled out a large handful of pocket money and coins from his pocket and handed them to her: "Auntie Si, I'll give you all my money. Can you take me to Jing City with you?"

Si Nian was stunned.

Looking at the money in the child's hands, although it was in loose change, there were also about a dozen ten-yuan bills.

Then she heard Jiang Jiu say, "I have money. You don't need to pay for me."

Si Nian snapped back to reality, feeling a massive headache coming on: "Little Jiang, are you reluctant to part with Little Han?"

Jiang Jiu nodded heavily and choked out, "Yeah! I want to go to school and play with Second Brother."

Si Nian's eyes filled with complex emotions: "What about your grandparents and your dad?"

Jiang Jiu was silent for a moment before saying, "I'll come back to visit them in the future."

Si Nian: "......"

What a fiercely filial child.

This kid was probably led astray by Eldest Child and Second Child.

Just as she was wondering what to do, Jiang Wenqing came running over anxiously from a distance.

In his hand, he was still holding his son's runaway letter.

It said that he was leaving to go to the faraway North with his Second Brother, telling them not to worry, and that he would come back to visit them once he made some money.

Jiang Wenqing was scared to death and hurried over.

Fortunately, the person was still there. Seeing Si Nian's helpless expression, he hurried forward and apologized, "I'm sorry, Teacher Si, for troubling you. I didn't expect this to happen either."

"Xiao Jiu, let's go home first. We need to have a good talk about this."

Jiang Wenqing rarely looked so serious.

Only then did Jiang Jiu start to feel a little afraid. After the impulse passed, he realized how scary his behavior had been.

A few days ago, because Auntie Si and her family were leaving, his grandparents and his dad had all been taking care of him with extreme caution.

They didn't even scold him when he slept over at Second Brother's house and didn't come home at night.

They would also buy him all kinds of food and toys every day.

Even if he accidentally did something wrong, they wouldn't get angry.

This was what had made him so bold.

Now, seeing Auntie Si looking troubled and his dad looking stern, he finally knew fear.

Biting his lip, he followed his father home.

Jiang Wenqing let go of his hand. Looking at his son's somewhat fearful eyes, he couldn't help but soften his voice, "Xiao Jiu, do you really want to go to Jing City?"

Jiang Jiu didn't speak.

Jiang Wenqing sighed, "Alright, it's not that Dad really doesn't want to let you go. Your mom and younger brother are settled in Jing City, and your maternal grandparents are there too. Because of Dad's work, I just haven't taken you there. If you really want to go, I can take you."

Jiang Jiu's eyes immediately widened.

"Really? Not only can I go with Second Brother, but I can also see Mom?"

He was even more unfamiliar with the word "Mom" than he was with "Dad".

Jiang Jiu and his younger brother were twins. Their parents divorced right after they were born, and each parent took one child.

They were both workaholics, so he ended up living with his grandparents.

Although he didn't have much affection for her, Jiang Jiu couldn't help but feel a surge of happiness and anticipation.

He had finally gotten to know Second Brother and his family. Before they could spend much time together and grow up alongside each other, they were leaving, leaving him all alone here.

Although Second Brother said he would come back, in a few years, Second Brother would definitely make better friends and forget all about him.

Just thinking of this possibility made him so upset that he couldn't sleep.

Seeing his face turn to joy, Jiang Wenqing said, "It works out well. Your grandparents are getting older and don't have the energy to take care of you anymore. This will let them have a good rest for a few years."

Once it was decided, Jiang Jiu immediately ran off happily to find Second Brother to share the good news.

Si Nian had still been a bit worried, but she never expected to hear that Jiang Jiu was coming along too.

She was incredibly surprised.

To think they wouldn't have to separate this time?

Da Huang, who was already an adult dog, rested his chin on his front paws and watched the family playing happily in the yard: There is no longer a Dog Mom in the world, and no one understands me, Da Huang.