The Little Life of a Big Landlord

Chapter 11 Inheritance

"Hmm? Why does that voice sound so familiar?" Yang Ming heard the voice coming from behind and felt that it sounded familiar, so he turned around in confusion. It was pitch black, but Yang Ming could still see clearly that an old man was slowly riding a tricycle behind him, with a crying old woman sitting on the tricycle.

"Uncle Zheng? Aunt Zheng? What are you doing here?" Yang Ming asked in surprise.

"Little Yang?" The old man recognized Yang Ming's voice, abruptly stopped his tricycle, and exclaimed in surprise.

"Is that Xiao Yang?" The old lady stopped crying and looked ahead.

"Grandpa, Grandma, what's wrong with you?" Yang Ming, with Wei Qingqing by his side, walked back.

"Oh! It's nothing, Xiao Yang. Are you on a date with your boyfriend? You should be at the park! Why are you here?" Aunt Zheng said with a smile, changing the subject.

"Yes, we're getting married today! Her name is Wei Qingqing. Qingqing, and these two are my landlady, they've always taken good care of me!" Yang Ming said, holding Wei Qingqing's hand as he introduced them to each other.

"Grandpa, Grandma!" Wei Qingqing greeted the two elderly people with a touch of shyness.

Grandpa Zheng nodded at first, but then, realizing it was too dark to see clearly, he said, "Sigh!"

"Your name is Qingqing, right? You sound like a gentle girl. Xiao Yang, I've never seen you dating any girls before. How come you're suddenly getting married? Were you two dating in the village before?" Aunt Zheng said.

"No, we had a whirlwind marriage, we just hit it off and got married!" Yang Ming could only explain like this, then added, "Aunties, what's wrong with you? Don't change the subject, I heard you crying! Were you being bullied?"

"What are you saying, child? You're talking as if we're little kids!" Aunt Zheng quickly denied.

"We're all practically half-buried, what's there to hide? If Xiao Yang is curious, just tell him. I'm tired from pedaling all day, let me switch with Xiao Yang." Grandpa Zheng said, getting off his seat and sitting in the back.

"Qingqing, come on up too!" Aunt Zheng had no choice but to call Wei Qingqing to get in the car.

So, Yang Ming became the pedicab driver, and Grandpa Zheng and Wei Qingqing became the passengers.

"It's nothing really, it happened 30 years ago, just a few years after the ** ended..." Aunt Zheng began to tell Yang Ming and Wei Qingqing about her family's old stories.

It turns out that Grandpa Zheng and Grandma Zheng were both from Zhengjia Village and even from the same clan, but they were beyond the fifth degree of kinship, so their marriage was no longer significant. They had once had a son, but when he was five years old, he was pushed into the river by his friends while playing and drowned. Thus, a once happy family of three was shattered. Grandpa Zheng's mother, heartbroken over her grandson, cried every day and passed away the following year. Grandpa Zheng and Grandma Zheng couldn't bear the blow and became obsessed with missing their son, eventually collapsing. They drifted aimlessly through the village for two years before finally succumbing to the pain of missing their son. Without telling anyone, one night they quietly left their place of sorrow and moved to S City. However, the couple never had any more children after that.

"...Today is the anniversary of my poor son's death!" Aunt Zheng said, and then started crying again.

"Auntie..." Wei Qingqing quickly comforted Aunt Zheng.

"Oh! My good girl!" Aunt Zheng held Wei Qingqing's little hand and patted it gently.

"So what? Does not having a son mean I can't live? I'll buy a plot of land in the cemetery. Anyway, when I die, there won't even be a grave..." Grandpa Zheng said sadly.

"Buy, buy, buy! Don't you know how much money your family has?" Aunt Zheng was very dissatisfied with her husband's complaints and also hated herself for not being able to have a baby. She wished she could have given birth to a girl.

"I can sell my house and land, and I can't even buy a tiny plot of land for a grave?" Grandpa Zheng said indignantly.

"I won't sell. Even if I let the land lie fallow and the house rot, I won't sell to that Zheng guy..." Aunt Zheng suddenly became anxious. Ever since her son died, she had no good feelings towards that Zheng guy.

The group fell silent. Yang Ming regretted getting involved in their family affairs. At first, he thought the old couple had been bullied. If they really had been bullied, he would have helped them get justice, just because Aunt Zheng had lent him money when he was in trouble. A drop of kindness deserves a spring of gratitude; this is a traditional virtue of the Chinese nation.

"Young Yang, I have something to tell you," it was Grandpa Zheng who spoke first.

"Please speak!"

"Grandpa has two acres of land and a three-room bungalow in Zhengjia Village. Although it's not very valuable, it's still a property. Grandpa plans to give it to you. After Grandpa passes away, you can clear the weeds and burn paper money on Grandpa's grave during festivals. Grandpa will thank you from the afterlife! What do you think? Do you agree?" Grandpa Zheng said.

"Old man, what nonsense are you talking about? How many years has your little piece of land been abandoned? Your dilapidated house is still an adobe house from the 80s, how much is it worth? Xiao Yang, don't take it to heart, your grandpa is just talking nonsense!" Aunt Zheng was actually hoping for it too, but she was also afraid that Yang Ming would be in a dilemma. After all, sweeping tombs and burning paper money are things that a son should do. His parents are fine, if you tell them this, do you think they will be happy?

"If that's what you said, sir, I can't refuse. I know you're good people, and I can agree to your request, but I can't just take it for free. I have some money saved up here, so how about I buy it for you? That way, you two can have a more comfortable life in your later years." Yang Ming thought for a moment and said in a deep voice.

"Alright, as long as someone remembers us after we die, that's fine!" Grandpa Zheng nodded on the spot. In his opinion, Yang Ming was just going through the motions and breaking the taboo. He was looking for a job just a few days ago, how much money could he have? He spent the money, no matter how much, just consider it as if it was his money. When he died, he could sweep his grave and burn some paper money for him. It was just a kind gesture from him, nothing serious, since his parents were still alive and well.

In rural areas, there are many similar taboos. For example, if an elderly person in a family passes away and has no son, the person who breaks the basin during the funeral must be chosen from the head of the household. There are specific rules for this selection. If both parents are deceased, there are no taboos. However, if both parents are still alive, there are specific rules, and the person chosen must not be the eldest son.

"Alright, I'll send you the money when I get back. You can decide the amount yourself." Yang Ming nodded.

Around 8 p.m., the group returned to Sunshine Community. Yang Ming immediately pulled Wei Qingqing into the rented room, withdrew all the money, and counted it.

Yang Ming earned a total of 111950 yuan from selling vegetables these days. Adding the 1000 yuan he already had in his pocket, he had a total of 112950 yuan. He didn't spend much money in the past two days. He spent 500 yuan on plastic buckets, 3000 yuan on electrical wires, 150 yuan on lightning rods, and 300 yuan on an electronic scale. He didn't count the snacks. The couple counted and found that they had a total of 108756 yuan left.

"A three-room bungalow and two acres of land, that should cost around 80,000 yuan! We're really lucky; we were just talking about buying a house and land in the countryside, and here we are!" Yang Ming pointed out 80,000 yuan.

"Honey, Aunt Zheng's family is really pitiful. Why don't we give them all the money? After all, it will be easier for us to make money in the future!" Wei Qingqing said.

"No need, 80,000 yuan is fine. That's the price for rural houses and land. If you ask for more, the old couple will definitely think we're pitying them. After all, in their eyes, they need us and they'll only feel at ease if we make a profit," Yang Ming said.

Actually, 80,000 yuan is quite a lot, but Yang Ming is currently in a period of rapid career advancement, so he doesn't care.

"Okay, I'll listen to you!" Wei Qingqing thought about it and realized it made sense, so she didn't say anything more.

So the couple wrapped the money in newspaper and delivered it that very night.

The couple arrived at Grandpa Zheng's house. Besides the elderly couple, there was another person at Grandpa Zheng's house, whom Yang Ming also recognized. It was Aunt Liu from the Sunshine Community Neighborhood Committee.

The elderly couple, Mr. and Mrs. Zheng, had already prepared the property certificate and land certificate, and even drafted the inheritance agreement. The agreement stated that Yang Ming was their distant nephew. The elderly couple had no children and were too old to work in the fields, so they intended to pass on their property and land in Zhengjia Village to Yang Ming. In return, Yang Ming would be responsible for helping the elderly couple sweep their graves after their death. The agreement included Mr. and Mrs. Zheng's signatures and fingerprints, and the notary's name was listed as Mrs. Liu, with a bright red fingerprint following her name.

Anyone with even a slight kinship relationship has the right to inherit. Of course, one can still inherit even without a kinship relationship, but if the other party is from out of town, the procedures with the relevant departments will be relatively complicated. As for gifts, sales, and other relationships, those with out-of-town residency face even greater restrictions.

Yang Ming glanced at the agreement, felt there were no problems, and signed it and pressed his fingerprint on it. Seeing that both parties had signed, Aunt Liu didn't linger. She said goodbye to Grandpa Zheng and his wife and left.

After Aunt Liu left, Yang Ming handed the elderly couple the money wrapped in newspaper: "Sir, this is the 80,000 yuan we prepared. Please keep it safe! This is the market price, so I won't give you any more!"

"This..." The elderly couple were stunned. They never expected that Yang Ming would actually be able to come up with 80,000 yuan. In their minds, it would have been enough if Yang Ming had just given a hundred or two yuan as a token gesture.

"Xiao Yang, where did you get this money? You didn't do anything illegal, did you?" Aunt Zheng's expression changed. She really liked Yang Ming, this kind young man, and didn't want him to go down the wrong path.

"What are you saying, ma'am? How could I do anything illegal? If I really can't make it in the city, I can go back to my hometown! At home, I can still eat. At most, I'll be called a freeloader, but that's better than being behind bars! My money is absolutely legitimate." Yang Ming was both amused and exasperated.

"That's good!" Aunt Zheng breathed a sigh of relief, then said, "However, Xiao Yang, our house and land are already abandoned and not worth 80,000 yuan. They're so dilapidated that we'd be lucky to get 20,000 yuan. We know what taboos rural people have, so Auntie will just give you 200 yuan as a token."

Although transferring ownership requires forcibly linking the two parties together, it's crucial to discern the difference between legal and informal relationships. Frankly, this is just fooling the gods and spirits, and ultimately, it's about fooling oneself to find peace of mind.

"Kid, do you look down on your old man? My meager possessions aren't worth that much money." Tears welled up in Grandpa Zheng's eyes.

"Listen to me, you two. You absolutely must accept this money. I understand your intentions; you want me to take advantage so you can feel at ease. However, you must also understand my situation. I've been your tenant since graduating from university. I remember your kindness and care. I know your family isn't wealthy, but when I was facing my most difficult time and setbacks, it was your aunt who brought me money to help me! At that moment, I made a decision: I must repay you both. Besides, I'm going to sign a long-term supply agreement with a big boss tomorrow. This 80,000 yuan is nothing to me! And your care and love for me is definitely worth more than that! It's the greatest wealth of my life!" Yang Ming said emotionally.

"Yes, sir and madam, please accept this money! I know him well. If you don't accept it, he will never have peace of mind for the rest of his life!" Wei Qingqing chimed in. Although she had only known Yang Ming for a short time, she already had a certain understanding of his character: brave, soft-hearted, kind, and unwilling to hurt anyone, directly or indirectly.

The elderly couple exchanged a glance, both seeing tears welling up in each other's eyes. Finally, Grandpa Zheng nodded heavily, grabbed the large bag of money, and said, "Alright! I'll accept this 80,000 yuan. Whenever you have time, I'll take you to Zhengjia Village to familiarize yourself with the place, and we'll complete the transfer together."

"Alright! Grandpa and Grandma, it's getting late, so we won't disturb your rest any longer. We'll head back now." Yang Ming put away the property certificate, land certificate, and an agreement, and stood up with a smile.

Grandpa Zheng and Grandma Zheng saw Yang Ming and his wife off at the door and watched them go upstairs. Grandma Zheng murmured to herself, "I knew it, Yang is a good boy..." as she wiped away her tears.

"I know, Xiao Yang is a good kid..." Grandpa Zheng patted his wife's shoulder, his eyes welling up with tears again.

Back in her rented room, Wei Qingqing sat on the bed, her gaze fixed on Yang Ming, as if she wanted to get to know him all over again.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Yang Ming asked, feeling a little uncomfortable under her intense gaze.

"You have such a kind heart!" Wei Qingqing said with a smile.

"Of course it's good, otherwise I wouldn't have married an ugly girl like you!" Now that Wei Qingqing's face has recovered a lot, Yang Ming can joke with her like this.

"You rascal, you're so annoying, always saying things that I don't like to hear!" Wei Qingqing rolled her eyes at Yang Ming, pouted her bright red lips, and said coquettishly.

"Hehe, my dear wife, I have something I want to say to you, but I don't want to say it to you. What do you think, should I say it or not?" Yang Ming sat down next to Wei Qingqing, put his arm around her thin shoulders, and laughed.

"explain!"

"Aren't you going to tell my parents-in-law that you're not coming home today?" Yang Ming said with a smile.

"Oh no! I forgot, what time is it? It's 10:30! My parents are definitely still waiting for me to come home!" Wei Qingqing suddenly exploded, as anxious as a headless fly.

"Call them..." Yang Ming handed over his old cell phone.

Wei Qingqing was about to dial her home number when she suddenly stopped. "No! Our marriage was too sudden. If I tell them this, they definitely won't accept it. If I don't tell them, they'll see me calling home late at night from an unknown number and they'll start to speculate. Yes, yes, call Fangfang and ask her to tell my parents for me."

So, Wei Qingqing dialed Sun Fangfang's phone number.

"Feed? Who is it?" Sun Fangfang's puzzled voice came over.

"It's me, my love!"

"Qingqing? It's you? You changed your phone number? How's it going? How's it going? Are you together?" Sun Fangfang's voice was immediately filled with gossip.

"It's done, and we've even got our marriage certificate!" Wei Qingqing had nothing to hide from her good friend.

"What do you mean? What kind of certificate?" Sun Fangfang's voice was tinged with surprise and disbelief.

"Marriage certificate! I'm officially married now! I'm not going home today, I'm staying at my husband's house. Fangfang, I haven't told my parents yet, could you call them and tell them I'm staying at your place tonight..."

"You...you got married? That's...that's a bit fast, isn't it?" Sun Fangfang stammered in surprise; it was just too unbelievable.

"You call this fast? If I had been any later, I wouldn't have gotten a chance! My husband is too outstanding, and a bunch of girls are eyeing him. If you don't make your move soon, he'll be snatched away! So, are you going to help me or not? Give me a straight answer."

Boasting isn't just something guys do; girls often brag about it too.

"Okay, okay, I'll talk to your aunt and uncle for you. But you have to tell me where you are. I really want to see your new son-in-law tomorrow..."

Wei Qingqing glanced at Yang Ming, and seeing that he didn't object, she said, "Okay! We've already got our marriage certificate, so we're not afraid of being looked at. No matter how much you look, you can't take it away! My home is in Sunshine Community, Building 1, Unit 3, Room 206. Come early tomorrow, or you'll be late!"

"Fine! I'll definitely sneak into your bed!"

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