Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen: Fang Mingyuan's First Pot of Gold

"Ah? What did Mingyuan do this time?" Fang Sheng asked in disbelief. How could he have gone to play with Grandpa Fang for a few hours and come back with another in-law!

"Old Zhao proposed it himself, how could I refuse him in front of everyone! Besides, we are the ones who are asking for his help. The county official is more powerful than the current one. Whatever he says, I can only listen." Although Grandpa Fang said this, he was clearly very pleased.

"I wonder, how many betrothals does Mingyuan have now?" Fang Sheng looked at his son, who was quietly reading a book, and couldn't help but laugh bitterly. If he counted, this should be the fourth or fifth family. It seemed that his son's romantic luck was much better than his own. At such a young age, he already had four or five fiancées. He had also seen Zhao Ya, and although she hadn't fully grown up yet, it was clear that she would be a beauty. Moreover, the Zhao family had some influence in the Qinxi Pressing Equipment Factory, which was much stronger than the Fang family. In the past, this would definitely have been considered a high match for the Fang family. His wife, Bai Ping, was already laughing with delight. Her son being popular with girls naturally made her very proud.

"Hmm, you don't really believe it, do you! The government doesn't recognize these betrothals. It's just a joke between old friends." Although Grandpa Fang said this, his words still revealed a sense of pride.

"Xiao Yuan, you have another fiancée. What do you think about it?" Fang Bin asked deliberately. He, as the younger uncle, still hadn't solved his own personal issues, but his young nephew had girls from different families vying for his attention.

"Lice don't itch when there are too many, and debts don't worry when there are too many!" Fang Mingyuan's response was brief and to the point, without even lifting his head. Initially, he was surprised by the number of betrothals, but now he had come to terms with it. So what if they were betrothals? He would still call them uncle or aunt, but not father-in-law or mother-in-law. After all, it was just a joke between the older generation, and there was no need to take it seriously.

On the contrary, this new title would make it easier for him to go to the Zhao family for free meals and drinks in the future. He could even play with the idea of raising a young girl. As for those intimate things, it would be at least ten years before they mattered. If he liked them, he would pursue them; if not, he would let them go. He was already thirty years old, so he wasn't afraid of anything.

The Fang family members looked at each other for a while and then burst out laughing in unison.

In the days that followed, Fang Mingyuan's intelligence and wisdom, displayed almost inadvertently, made his family increasingly indulgent and less likely to treat him like a child. In particular, Grandpa Fang and Fang Bin already regarded him as someone they could discuss important matters with. Although what they considered important was nothing to Fang Mingyuan, who had experienced the future. Fang Sheng, Fang Mingyuan's father, had to admit with a sigh that he could no longer see clearly or plan for his son's future.

Fang Mingyuan first dug out all the children's books from his small bookshelf, selecting those that were well-preserved and had significant collection value. He carefully stored them. At the same time, he bought old books from other families at low prices and opened a lending library in a corner of their small coal shed. He charged two cents per comic book for on-site reading. He also imitated the lending libraries of the future, offering a book borrowing service. Anyone could get a library card for a deposit of three yuan, allowing them to borrow four comic books or two regular books at a time, with daily borrowing fees ranging from two to five cents based on the content and thickness of the books.

When he started planning this, only Grandpa Fang, his wife, and his younger uncle Fang Bin supported him. His two aunts and his parents thought he was just fooling around. However, due to his persistence, Grandpa Fang's tacit approval, and his younger uncle Fang Bin's help, Fang Mingyuan's plan proceeded smoothly. In the residential area of the Qinxi Pressing Equipment Factory, a surprising scene appeared. In front of the Fang family's small house, in the shady spots where the sun didn't reach, there were often two or three dozen small stools lined up, with children sitting and reading books. As time passed, more and more adults also started appearing in front of the Fang family's small house.

People couldn't help but talk about this. For most families, both parents worked and had no time to supervise their children during the summer. It was better for the children to read books at the Fang family's place than to run around and cause trouble. Moreover, after the incident with Fang Mingyuan's homemade solar water heater, everyone knew that the Fang family had a very smart child who not only loved reading but could also apply what he learned, with outstanding academic performance. Parents naturally hoped their children would get closer to such a child, and if their own child could learn something from him, that would be even better.

Moreover, most of the books in Fang Mingyuan's small library were novels and comic books, which were rare in the factory library. Even if they were available, they were often borrowed for half a month, making it difficult for ordinary workers to get their hands on them. In 1983, without television or a rich nightlife, people had very few ways to pass the long nights. And the act of making babies couldn't be done every day, right? Compared to drinking, smoking, and chatting, reading novels became the preferred choice for many. The cost of two cents a day was also affordable. Therefore, Fang Mingyuan's small library quickly became popular.

By the end of the summer, the Fang family discovered from Fang Mingyuan's account book that his plan had been a huge success.

Fang Mingyuan had collected nearly 600 yuan in deposits, meaning that about 200 people had obtained library cards from him. The total fees collected over this period amounted to more than 50 yuan. After deducting the cost of buying old books, his income for the month was comparable to that of a factory worker.

Upon learning this, Fang Sheng and his wife, as well as Fang Mingyuan's two aunts, looked at each other in silence. Compared to their hard work at the factory and making buns, Fang Mingyuan's earnings were much more comfortable. Although the small room was hot in the summer, it was still heaven compared to the steel furnaces in the factory.

Fang Sheng and his wife were naturally concerned about the large sum of deposits in Fang Mingyuan's hands and planned to take it and keep it themselves.

Fang Mingyuan, however, refused to agree. How could he let the money fall into his parents' hands, making it extremely difficult to use? He had gone to great lengths to set up this lending library to have more financial flexibility. All his money-making plans required initial investment. This was his first pot of gold!

In the end, the money was handed over to Grandpa Fang for safekeeping, and the matter was settled.

On September 1st, the factory elementary school officially opened, and from that day on, Fang Mingyuan was a second-grade student.