Chapter 44: Ten Jin of Pork Sent as a Favor! Director Liu Instantly Gets the Message!

Lu Qingshan cradles the little dog still trembling slightly in his arms.

He can clearly feel its warm body heat passing through his thick cotton coat.

A feeling of indescribable steadiness and exhilaration surges in his heart.

Jin Hu!

This little fellow is the unexpected treasure of his life.

It is a partner approved by Mountain Wild Heart!

Its value, I fear, far exceeds those several hundred jin of Wild Boar meat!

He inhales a breath of icy air, forces his swirling emotions down, strides forward, and rushes back to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative's backyard like a meteor.

In the distance, he sees Zhao Tiezhu and Liu Fugui standing like two gate deities.

One on the left, one on the right, they guard rigidly beside the pile of frozen, hard meat and hides.

Their faces are written with unabashed tension and unease.

Their eyes are bulging, staring unblinkingly at the goods.

Even their noses are frozen bright red, leaving no time to rub them.

"Brother Qing Shan, you finally made it back!"

When Zhao Tiezhu sees him, it's as if he instantly found his backbone.

The honest, simple expression on his face immediately relaxes, and he lets out a long, deep sigh.

Liu Fugui quickly steps forward to greet him.

In his ever‑twinkling little eyes, a clear anxiety now shines.

"Brother Qing Shan, you finally returned! This… this Director Liu says… the ticket matter will probably have to wait two days!"

Lu Qingshan calmly nods.

The outcome is not surprising, even within his expectations.

He carefully hands the frail little dog in his arms to Zhao Tiezhu.

His movements are so gentle as if handling a priceless treasure.

"Tiezhu, hold it carefully."

"Use your cotton coat to shield it from the wind; don't let it freeze again."

Zhao Tiezhu pauses, then finally sees that, somehow, Lu Qingshan's arms now contain a gaunt little puppy.

He quickly and cautiously takes it.

The skeleton and paws are sizable, yet it feels weightless in his hands, almost without mass.

He pities it, muttering, "Oh dear, this pup is almost frozen solid! Where did it come from?"

"Bought it on the road; consider it fate."

Lu Qingshan's words are concise, but his gaze lingers on the puppy for a moment, carrying a barely perceptible warmth.

"Starved badly, frozen to death."

"Go back and make some warm rice broth and meat soup to feed it; it will recover."

After speaking, he turns to the two, his eyes regaining their previous sharpness and composure.

"Are the goods all counted?"

"All weighed and registered! The numbers are spot‑on!" Liu Fugui hurriedly replies, fearing any delay.

"Fine."

"You two continue to guard here."

Lu Qingshan says this while extending his hand to Zhao Tiezhu.

Zhao Tiezhu instantly understands, and quickly pulls from his shabby canvas sack a large parcel tightly wrapped in oil paper that had been prepared long ago.

The bundle of meat weighs about ten jin, of excellent quality, which Lu Qingshan specifically set aside for him, not weighing it together.

He hands the parcel to Lu Qingshan.

"Don't worry, Brother Qing Shan! The two of us will keep a tight watch over it!" Liu Fugui pats his chest, loudly assuring.

Lu Qingshan hums, hefts the heavy oil‑paper‑wrapped parcel, and turns toward the row of red‑brick offices of the Supply and Marketing Cooperative.

Just as he reaches the doorway marked "Office".

A young man in a brand‑new khaki cotton coat darts out of the storage room, nearly colliding with him.

His hair is slick and glossy enough to reflect a silhouette, a cigarette roll dangling from his mouth as he leans down to light it, looking utterly carefree.

It is his brother‑in‑law, Lin Yueqiang.

Lin Yueqiang's previously smug smile freezes the instant he sees Lu Qingshan.

Immediately, his still‑fair face adopts an unmistakable look of contempt and disgust.

He flares his nostrils upward and speaks in a bizarre, mocking tone.

"Hey, isn't this our famed Shanwan Village's Lu Lazi?"

"What's this, running to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative's gate to pick up cigarette butts again?"

"I'm not blaming you, but your low‑grade mountain goods actually have the nerve to be sent here?"

"Scram! Don't be an eyesore here; you'll bring me bad luck!"

He raises his voice deliberately, laced with ostentatious provocation.

It seems he wants anyone nearby to hear, to enjoy making a joke of Lu Qingshan.

Yet Lu Qingshan's steps do not halt.

He doesn't even bother to lift an eyelid.

In a previous life, this brother‑in‑law, leveraging his second uncle's minor authority as deputy secretary of the town, often tormented him and Yue E.

Nowadays, Lu Qingshan's mindset has already been turned upside down.

In Lu Qingshan's eyes, Lin Yueqiang wasn't even a petty clown.

Even a single glance at him is a waste of precious time.

He walked straight past Lin Yueqiang.

It was as if the other person were merely a dispensable puff of air.

"You fucking--"

Lin Yueqiang flared up in rage at this utter disregard!

He felt his face as if it had been fiercely slapped, burning with pain!

He had just wanted to shout curses and chase after him to argue.

But in the corner of his eye, he inadvertently caught sight of the back courtyard.

Zhao Tiezhu and Liu Fugui stood there like two idiots, guarding that pile of frozen meat and pelts as high as a small hill!

The curse behind him suddenly got stuck in his throat like a duck choked by the neck.

His eyes widened instantly!

A flicker of incredulous shock and disbelief crossed his face.

That… that pile of things…

Could it be that Lu Lazi brought this?!

How is this possible?!

Lu Qingshan completely ignored the look of shock and doubt behind him.

He raised his hand and knocked gently on Liu Jianshe's office door.

"Come in!"

A gentle voice came from inside.

Pushing the door open, a wave of warm coal‑fire air hit him instantly, dispelling the chill on his body.

The office was not large, and its furnishings were very simple.

A red‑painted desk, a few chairs with chipped paint.

On the wall hung a somewhat yellowed county map.

In the corner, a small coal stove burned brightly, its fire crackling softly.

Liu Jianshe sat behind the desk, head down, checking a stack of receipts.

Seeing Lu Qingshan enter, he hurriedly set aside his work and rose to greet him.

His face bore a just‑right apologetic expression.

"Ah, Brother Qingshan, sorry to keep you waiting! Please, have a seat!"

Lu Qingshan sat down firmly in the chair opposite Liu Jianshe, without ceremony.

"Director Liu, you're being too polite—I know you're a very busy person."

Lu Qingshan spoke, his voice calm and steady, betraying no impatience.

"My brother just told me—are the ration coupons proving difficult to handle?"

Liu Jianshe let out a soft sigh upon hearing that.

He pushed up the black‑rimmed glasses on his nose, his face showing a hint of embarrassment.

"Yeah, brother, it's not that I'm unwilling to settle this quickly for you."

"It's just before the New Year, and the higher-ups have locked down all ration‑quota targets—there's no wiggle room."

"Especially grain coupons—the quota is especially tight."

"Your shipment is truly too large, and its value is astonishingly high."

"My quota here simply can't absorb it all at once."

"If you insist on cashing it all out now, even my newly appointed director's cap might not stay securely on my head."

He looked at Lu Qingshan, his tone utterly sincere.

"Money isn't the problem—I can settle the bulk in cash today."

"But the various coupons, especially the urgent grain coupons, I must quickly file a report with my superiors to request more quota."

"It will take at least two or three days before it can be approved."

"You see…"

Lu Qingshan listened quietly.

He observed the genuine worry in Liu Jianshe's brow.

He knew that what Liu Jianshe said was mostly true.

In this era, the importance of coupons even surpassed that of cash.

The Supply and Marketing Cooperative director, though appearing prosperous, was in fact bound by countless rules and regulations.

He had long been prepared for this and was not in a hurry.

Instead, he gave a faint smile.

He gently placed the oil‑paper bundle he had been holding onto Liu Jianshe's desk.

Then he nudged it forward without leaving a trace.

"Brother Liu, what you said—waiting two days is just two days, no big deal."

"I trust you, Brother Liu."

Lu Qingshan's tone was sincere, without any pretense.

"This piece of meat is the finest belly cut from the wild boar I hunted myself."

"I specially brought this over for you, Liu Ge, to try the fresh one."

"It's not anything valuable, so please don't disdain it."

The oil‑paper‑wrapped parcel, though wrapped tightly,

still couldn't help but let out, in thin threads, the fresh Wild Boar loin's distinctive, richly forest‑filled meat fragrance.

It whetted the cravings in one's stomach.

Liu Jiànshè's gaze fell on the heavy oil‑paper parcel, and his eyes clearly brightened.

His Adam's apple rolled up and down uncontrollably.

These days, which household can easily get meat?

Let alone this top‑grade Wild Boar pork belly, with excellent appearance and a perfect fat‑lean balance!

Just looking at the weight of this parcel, it's at least ten jin!

What a generous hand!

This favor is no small matter!

He hurriedly waved his hand, trying to decline.

"Ah, Brother Qing Shan, you… this is really too courteous!"

"How can I say that! Your payment hasn't been settled yet, and I—"

"Liu Ge, please don't be so formal with me."

Lu Qingshan reached out, gently pressing down the hand that tried to push back.

His tone was gentle, yet carried an unmistakable refusal.

"If you gladly accept my goods, you'll be doing me a huge favor."

"If you refuse this modest token, it's like slapping my face and looking down on me, Lu Qingshan."

"To be frank, we have many days ahead of dealing with each other."

"I have no other virtues; I only value genuine friends."

"If you take it, consider it an early New Year greeting from me, brother."

Liu Jiànshè looked at Lu Qingshan's clear and sincere eyes.

He felt the straightforwardness and openness in his words, neither servile nor arrogant.

He lowered his head again to glance at the hefty oil‑paper parcel on the table, exuding an enticing meat aroma.

The last trace of hesitation in his heart vanished like smoke.

This Lu Qingshan is certainly no pond‑dweller!

Not only is he a capable top‑tier hunter, but also a man who knows the rules, knows how to act, and values loyalty.

Such a person is worth deep friendship! Must be befriended!

He no longer declined, his face breaking into a bright smile, a hearty laugh.

He deftly moved the oil‑paper parcel from the table to beneath it, placing it securely.

"Alright! Brother Qing Shan! I, Liu Jiànshè, accept you as a brother!"

"Since you've said it so far, I, your elder brother, won't be pretentious with you any longer!"

Having received the item, the two's relationship subtly drew closer.

Liu Jiànshè's demeanor also became more friendly and warm.

He pounded his chest vigorously, solemnly assuring Lu Qingshan:

"Rest assured! The ticket matter is on me!"

"I'll call right now to urge! Use connections to push!"

"The day after tomorrow! At the latest, by noon the day after that! I guarantee you'll get the ticket smoothly, ding‑dong!"

"Then I'm extremely grateful, Liu Ge!"

Lu Qingshan smiled and stood up; his goal had been achieved.

Just then—

"Bang!"

Someone shoved the office door open with such force that the door panel slammed into the wall, producing a muffled thud.

A biting cold wind carried in a tall, upright figure that burst in.