Chapter 5: Matou Selling Flower Clam King

He didn't manage to get any Flower Clam King anyway, but he did get some small flower clams, which counts as a decent harvest.

Digging my ass, I can't even lift my shovel, guess how many jin this is? Ye Cheng plopped onto a rock, casually picked up the water cup, and found it already empty.

He licked his dry lips, "Do you still have water?"

It's gone already, who knew we'd be digging this long? Xiao Hu said hoarsely.

No water left, then let's smoke a cigarette; anyway it's already dry enough, not afraid of getting drier.

Xiao Hu lifted the bucket, didn't take much effort, weighed it in his hand, "Brother, your bucket probably weighs over 20 jin, mine is about ten-something jin."

Ye Cheng nodded, passed a cigarette to Xiao Hu, "Come, smoke a cigarette and then we'll go back."

Xiao Hu took it, lit it, held the cigarette in his mouth, hands braced behind him, a bit excited, "Brother, what do we do with so many Flower Clam Kings?"

"Sell it for money, what else?"

Ye Cheng said calmly, thinking of his wretched original self, that dilapidated home, if there came a gambling-addicted father, a sick mother, paired with a diligent sister, then he could only become a technician.

He wants money, wants money to make his life a bit better.

"From now on, when you come out with me, you'll also get a share of the money." Ye Cheng looked at Xiao Hu and said.

"Ah." Xiao Hu's eyes lit up briefly then dimmed, pointing at the water bucket, he said, "Brother, these Flower Clam Kings are all dug by you; the flower clams I dug aren't worth much, you don't need to give me any."

"Just take it if I let you, stop the nonsense." Ye Cheng said firmly.

"But this money, you have to give it to your family, you can't waste it yourself."

"Brother, rest assured I'll definitely hand it over to my mom." Xiao Hu got excited and a bit at a loss, not that he didn't want to, just never had the chance.

The two sat resting a while longer, regained a bit of strength, then got up to head back.

Xiao Hu carried the full bucket, Ye Cheng carried the half-full bucket, carrying something nearly twenty jin, they walked on the beach, still a bit tired.

Under the setting sun, the beach gained a glint of gold, the two silhouettes left two long lines of footprints on the sand.

When they reached the village entrance, those few women who had just been preparing to leave saw the two returning with heavy buckets and were somewhat surprised.

"Ye Lao Er, could you have picked up some big haul? It's so heavy." Zhao Shen teased from afar, and the other women joined in laughing.

Those two good-for-nothings, still learning from others to go clamming, thinking clamming isn't hard, looking at them they're as tired as dead dogs.

Xiao Hu, young and hot-headed, couldn't take the provocation, was about to say they'd caught Flower Clam Kings today, but Ye Cheng stopped him.

"Just some Spicy Snails and Sand Clams, nothing much." Ye Cheng replied lightly.

In any era, not flaunting wealth is truth; besides one's own kin, no one wishes you to live better than them.

"Having Spicy Snails isn't bad either, at least we'll have something to eat when we go back tonight."

"Then we'd still have to buy a bottle of wine, wasting more money."

"Lao Er, your brother doesn't make money easily either, all spent on your eating and drinking; be careful he won't give you anything in the future."

Those few old ladies were utterly shameless; Ye Cheng couldn't be bothered to argue with them, leading Xiao Hu toward the Matou.

"Still going to the Matou? Planning to take it there to sell."

"Spicy Snails probably won't be bought by anyone."

"But others still have Sand Clams."

"Tch, nobody cares about those Sand Clams."

"Let them go, thinking making money is that easy."

"Young people, just simple-minded."

"Alright, let's go home and fry a few Stone Crabs to go with my husband's drink."

"Wow, that's good, even frying them, you're planning to let your family's Zhao Lao Si exert some effort tonight."

"What's wrong, the land can't just lie fallow, right? How about, do you want my family's Old Zhao to help you?"

"Come on, are you willing? Haha."

Those rural old women, when they chat, are just this unscrupulous.

The Matou isn't far from Baiyun Village, but walking there is rather tiring.

Back in 2002, motorcycles were still relatively common; although some cities had issued bans on motorcycles, Donghai Shi, a small city, still hadn't.

However,

At over 3000, the original owner couldn't afford it, nor could Xiao Hu.

Meanwhile, the most economical electric scooter had just begun development and hadn't yet reached Baiyun Village, so the two could only each ride a bicycle there.

In his previous life, Ye Cheng was also a member of the cycling circle; riding twenty to thirty kilometers in an evening was no problem.

But switching to those 28-inch heavy-duty bikes makes it a bit strenuous; they're just a means of transport, with no feeling of speeding like the wind.

The two rode for over twenty minutes before reaching the Matou; it's not that far, but they were really tired, and Ye Cheng couldn't pedal anymore.

The Matou is a gathering point for nearby villages; besides Baiyun Village, goods from several neighboring villages also converge here, so compared to the village's tranquility, this place is especially lively.

"Brother, we're here, the Matou is lively indeed." Xiao Hu beamed; at his age, he's exactly the type who loves to join in the fun.

"Hurry up and find a place to sell our stuff."

Ye Cheng just wanted to cash out early; he wanted to see how much money his day's harvest could bring.

Since they weren't familiar with any shops, they just walked into one, Laolin Hai Xian.

"Boss, do you buy flower clams?"

"We don't buy Sand Clams or flower clams." The boss was busy packing goods in the back, too lazy to turn around.

"Oil clams, big ones, Flower Clam Kings!" Xiao Hu shouted loudly.

Upon hearing it was Flower Clam Kings, the boss became a bit interested, turned his head, glanced, smiled, and said, "Yo, it's Ye Lao Er and the Wang family kid."

Ye Cheng looked at the boss, a bit puzzled, he searched his memory and seemed not to recognize him.

"No need to think, you don't know me, but your brother works at the Matou and has heard of you two." Laolin is a slightly chubby middle-aged man, his face bearing the shrewdness typical of merchants.

Seeing Laolin's expression, Ye Cheng knew without thinking that the so-called having heard of them definitely wasn't anything good.

I must have seen it when I went to Matou to ask Big Brother for money.

"Lin Lao Ban, it's best if you know me, help me check what price these goods could fetch?" Ye Cheng took out a White Sand and passed it over.

Laolin glanced at the White Sand, hesitated a bit, but still took it; Ye Cheng proactively lit it.

Laolin took a light puff, looked appreciatively at Ye Cheng, "You've improved, you know how to make it smoke."

Ye Cheng gave a dry laugh, not wanting to explain too much about what happened before.

"Come, take a look at your Flower Clam King."

Xiao Hu confidently brought over the Flower Clam King, "Boss, take a look, these are big goods, good goods."

Just after a glance, Laolin's smile froze, he looked astonished at Ye Cheng, "Is this wild?"