By the time Li Long found a courtyard for Talihaal's family through the Housing Administration Bureau, Meng Hai had also come to see him.
"I didn't go through the Housing Administration Bureau. I found someone from Lounan Village and rented a big courtyard on the Urban-Rural Fringe. It used to be their village warehouse, where they kept farm tools and livestock.
"Someone had rented it to store things before. He was in business too, but his business didn't go well, so he gave up the lease."
Meng Hai felt he had picked up a bargain. Renting a courtyard like that only cost a hundred yuan or so a year, and he had rented it for five years in one go!
Li Long frowned and asked:
"Will this courtyard... work out? It's collective property, isn't it? Did you sign with the village or the township?"
"The village. I signed a contract with the village collective," Meng Hai said. "The village has the authority to dispose of these assets. I heard Lounan Village might be incorporated into the County Seat, and those people might get urban grain rations.
"When that happens, they might be allowed to buy and sell this courtyard. I figure it's some distance from the County Town, so it shouldn't be expensive. Buying it then would be just right.
"At first I thought about renting a courtyard in the County Seat, but then I remembered how much machinery we have. If we rented a place there, wouldn't moving the machinery around disturb people? So I decided we might as well find somewhere around the County Town."
At this point, Meng Hai lowered his voice and said with a smile:
"The village militia company commander enlisted the same year I did. We came back together. He's going places now, but