Most of the farmland in Xinghua Village lay abandoned, with only a small portion being cultivated. These cultivated fields were cultivated because the owners were at home, not working outside. The remaining residents, mostly children and the elderly, were unable to cultivate the land, leaving it to waste.

Zhao An's second uncle accompanied him on a tour of the village. He was most familiar with the area and could provide Zhao An with a detailed introduction.

He greeted villagers he knew along the way. Whenever someone asked, he would tell them that Zhao An was his nephew, seemingly unaware that his wife had been raped twice by the man before him.

His cousin, Lai Fu, was also helping out. Second aunt had asked him to come and help out, perhaps by running errands.

Looking at the abandoned farmland, Zhao An was lost in thought. "Okay, let's go down the mountain and take a look. I'm planning to lease a piece of land for livestock farming."

"You should discuss this with your uncle. He's the village Party Secretary. He went to town for a meeting the day before yesterday and should be back soon today." The second uncle spoke frankly. A village Party Secretary in a poor area is just that, handling some civil matters, forget about anything else.

"My uncle is the village Party Secretary?" Zhao An's expression was a little strange. It was true. In the past, he might have been excited, but now, even with the director in his presence, he remained unmoved. When you get used to something, the next time it happens, you naturally become numb.

"Yes, when he comes back, you can go visit his house. His home is in the back village, and we're in the front village," the second uncle explained.

In fact, Xinghua Village is a combination of Fengqian Village and the back village. People used to gather like that. Some settled here, some there, and over time, they settled down. They were all part of the same village, just a bit far apart.

"Okay, I'll visit him when he gets back," Zhao An said with a smile. Suddenly, he saw a vehicle approaching: a truck.

When the truck arrived, it promptly unloaded the New Year's goods it had brought—a mix of dry goods, daily necessities, and clothing—and began selling them through a loudspeaker.

"The sales truck is here. Lai Fu, go check it out and buy some New Year's goods," Second Uncle instructed. "Xiao An, we're on our way."

Zhao An waved his hand. "I've already picked out the place. No need to go over. Just a liking is enough. We can chat over lunch. I'll go buy some things for my cousins. By the way, Second Uncle, please ask the owners of those plots of land if they're interested in selling. I'm giving you this phone. It'll make things easier. Consider it a gift from me. Don't refuse. You'll need your help with a lot of things in the future, and a phone will be more convenient."

Second Uncle was about to decline. The family only had one phone. A cell phone? That would cost a fortune every month, and their family couldn't afford it. This showed how poor Xinghua Village was. It was truly poor. There weren't many good ways to make money in the mountains.

"Okay, Xiao An, don't worry. I'll take care of everything you've entrusted to me." Second Uncle-in-Law was a sincere man. Seeing Zhao An's demeanor, he immediately patted his chest and promised.

Zhao An waved his hand. "No need to be so confident. Just do your best. By the way, take this thousand yuan and buy some cigarettes and alcohol. Negotiations still require cigarettes, alcohol, and tea. They're essential. Don't skimp. Take it."

"This, this can't be done. I can't take any more of your money." Second Uncle-in-Law didn't want to take the money at all. It was against the rules.

"I told you this is activity funds, not for you. It's for negotiation. Take it. I'll leave these matters to you, Second Uncle-in-Law. I have some other things to take care of. I'll go see Second Aunt first." Zhao An shoved the money into Second Uncle-in-Law's hands and went to the truck to pick out some clothes.

These clothes were actually quite cheap, but they had been transported so far here that the prices were a bit high. Many rural residents simply looked and didn't buy; they simply couldn't afford it!

Zhao An didn't care. After buying a few pieces of clothing, he returned to his second uncle's house.

Upon entering, he saw his cousin Huizhi preparing to leave. "Sister, what are you doing?"

"I'm going back to take care of some things. Andi, you can have dinner here. I need to go back for a bit and come back later." Huizhi smiled gently. She was still young and shouldn't be a widow.

"Sister, after the New Year, come back with me. I need your help. I need someone to do my laundry and cooking. You can be my nanny first, and then you can learn other skills. My company is getting bigger, and I need someone I can trust to help me. I'll also be taking Lanzhi to the city to study, so you can look after her then," Zhao An suddenly suggested, intending to pack up the two sisters and his second aunt and leave together!

Huizhi's eyes lit up with joy, then dimmed again. "Well, let's talk about this later. My mother-in-law is still home, and I need to discuss this with her."

"Okay, I have plenty of help. Aunt Lin can help, too. I'll tell her. I'm just worried she won't come with us. Sister, you've worked hard." Zhao An gave his cousin a hug, a deep one.

Huizhi was a little surprised, but she obeyed. "Thank you, I'm fine."

"Sister, if you have any problems in the future, just tell me. I'll definitely help you." Zhao An released Huizhi and looked at her seriously. "I mean anything!"

Huizhi's heart fluttered at the sight, and she felt a little shy. She reminded herself that she was Zhao An's cousin and couldn't let anything slip into her mind. "I understand, Xiao An. You're so kind!"

After watching Huizhi leave, Zhao An gave the remaining clothes to his second aunt.

Second Aunt was preparing dinner, sorting through a bunch of vegetables. Seeing Zhao An, she grumbled, "Xiao An, don't be so polite. Second Aunt is so happy you're here, so why are you spending so much money? Are you treating her like an outsider?"

Zhao An laughed heartily. "No, I've always treated Second Aunt like one of my own. Where's Lanzhi? I bought her a little gift, too. I'll give it to her."

"It's in the west room. Just give it to her. Don't be polite. Go ahead." Second Aunt said that, but she was still very happy. Sex aside, she also liked Zhao An from the bottom of her heart.

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