Chapter 77: Dao Piao Li's Visit, Haggling Over Bear and Boar Hides

As dawn just began to lighten, Lu Qingshan got out of bed.

He silently tidied the courtyard, carefully carrying several bear hides and wild boar skins from the shed by the earth wall and spreading them out in the middle of the yard to dry.

The morning mist wrapped in chill, causing the frost on the pelts to slightly spread, with water droplets glimmering faintly.

Lu Qingshan squatted in the courtyard, gently combing the fur on that bear hide with his fingers, pondering today's negotiation.

The bear's bile sold for a high price, the bear meat filled the villagers' bellies, and now this hide too would turn into real silver; black bear hide is a treasure, usable for high-end garments.

Jin Hu wagged its tail, emerged from the house, circled the spread bear hide twice, letting out a low whine from its throat, nose close to the fur sniffing, then quickly stepped back a few paces, warily staring at the hide.

"Don't worry, this thing is already lifeless."

Lu Qingshan patted Jin Hu's head, "When you grow up, we'll go into the mountains together; if we encounter a live one, it's not too late to roar then."

Jin Hu tilted its head, seeming to understand its master's words, yet its eyes kept glancing at the bear hide, looking distrustful.

"Yo, Little Brother Lu, you're already busy this early!" a shrill voice with a grating laugh came from outside the courtyard.

Dao Piao Li arrived, half an hour earlier than the agreed time.

His eyes rolled about, he impatiently pushed open the courtyard gate, his gaze fixed directly on the spread bear hide.

"Oh my mother!"

Dao Piao Li leapt up to the bear hide as if struck by lightning.

He bent his knees and knelt beside the bear hide, his hands continually probing it, his eyes almost popping out.

"This... this must be over ten square feet, right?"

"Twelve square feet, no less." Lu Qingshan said in a flat tone, as if discussing today's weather.

Dao Piao Li swallowed, his gaze sweeping over the neatly stacked wild boar skins before returning to the bear hide, his eyes flashing with intertwined greed and hesitation.

"This hide... is processed really well, no damaged pores, no knife cuts, even the bear's head is preserved intact, plus the bear paw pad..."

He spoke while touching, his ten fingers lightly stroking the fur, as if caressing some rare treasure.

Lu Qingshan stood aside, expressionless, waiting for him to name a price.

Jin Hu lay on the steps nearby, staring fixedly at Dao Piao Li's every move; if he made the slightest odd motion, it would pounce at once.

This puppy's home-guarding instinct was already unmistakable.

"Little Brother Lu, for this batch of hides I'll give you eight hundred cash, plus one hundred catties of grain tickets—what do you think?"

Dao Piao Li finally spoke, his voice tinged with probing.

"Thirteen hundred cash, plus three hundred catties of national grain tickets." Lu Qingshan said firmly, his face showing no wavering.

"Hey! Brother, you're just making things up again, throwing out a price like that—why not just go rob someone?"

Dao Piao Li exaggeratedly slapped his thigh, his face showing difficulty.

"Rob?" Lu Qingshan raised his eyebrows, "Brother Li, I risked my life for this bear hide, nearly ending up as bear dung! Is this price still robbery? Tell me, who this year could hunt such a huge black bear? How many dare to duel it alone? All over town, ask around—who doesn't know the name Lu Qingshan now?"

Dao Piao Li was taken aback, not expecting Lu Qingshan to speak so firmly nowadays.

He muttered to himself: After a few rounds of trade back and forth, he's become somewhat acquainted with this Lu Qingshan. This kid has changed too much; I heard he used to beat his wife, scold mutes, bully the weak and fear the strong—Lu the Leper—but now he's become a tough nut who dares to touch a black bear!

"Brother, don't be angry, don't be angry." Dao Piao Li quickly put on a smiling face, "I'm not going by trade rules just like that; buying and selling always requires haggling. So, I'll raise my offer: nine hundred cash, plus one hundred fifty catties of national grain tickets."

The situation reached a stalemate for a moment.

"Nine hundred fifty cash, plus two hundred catties of general national grain tickets—not a bit more."

After a round of intense haggling, Dao Piao Li finally relented, pulling out an oily cloth clip, extracting a stack of notes and a pile of grain tickets, spreading them on the windowsill.

"Count them, not a single one missing."

Lu Qingshan took the money and tickets, examining them carefully.

With his fingers flying, he neatly stacked the money and tickets in his hands, the motion clean and swift.

Dao Piao Li watched, eyes burning, secretly thinking, "This kid's handiwork is not bad; his way of counting money shows he's absolutely an old hand."

"No problem, you can take the hides away."

Lu Qingshan put away the money and tickets, nodding.

Dao Piao Li hurriedly called the waiting assistants outside into the courtyard; several people carefully rolled up the bear hide and wild boar skins, hoisting them onto their shoulders.

"Little Brother Lu," Dao Piao Li said, leaning in as they were about to leave and lowering his voice, "After spring opens, the mountains have plenty of good things—spring velvet, meat mushrooms, roe deer skins, spotted deer velvet... As long as you have the goods, we can negotiate the price, guaranteed to satisfy you!"

"I've remembered."

Lu Qingshan gave a slight nod, watching them depart.

Jin Hu barked twice, as if celebrating the departure of these "big foes," then proudly wagged its tail back to Lu Qingshan's side.

Lu Qingshan smiled as he patted its head: "Not bad, little fellow; when you grow up and follow me into the mountains, you'll have a chance to make merit."

Lin Yue'e gazed through the window at everything in the courtyard, her eyes flashing with surprise.

Yesterday, Lu Qingshan brought back a radio; today another large sum of money entered the house, leaving her somewhat dazed, as if in a dream.

After Dao Piao Li's party walked away, Lu Qingshan returned indoors.

Lin Yue'e and Xiao Xue were busy preparing breakfast; the little girl wore a brand-new cotton-padded jacket, her cheeks rosy, obediently handing dry firewood by the stove, hopping about, lively as a sparrow.

"Mother, can this piece of meat go into the pot?"

Xiao Xue pointed at a small piece of meat on the cutting board, her eyes blinking.

Lin Yue'e fondly pinched her little nose: "Wait a bit, wait till the water boils before adding it; that way it'll taste better."

Xiao Xue nodded, looking serious, as if memorizing this cooking tip.

"Father, did you just sell the bear hide? Did that skinny-monkey-like uncle give a lot of money?"

Xiao Xue blinked her big eyes, asking innocently.

Lu Qingshan chuckled: "Skinny-monkey uncle? That's Uncle Li; don't call him that to his face, or he'll be unhappy."

Xiao Xue covered her mouth and giggled, showing her little white teeth, utterly adorable.

Lu Qingshan leaned against the doorframe, watching this warm scene, his heart feeling cozy.

In his past life, he missed countless moments like this, missed every detail of his daughter's growth, missed the happiness that should have been his.

"How much money did that person give?"

Lin Yue'e asked, her voice soft and a little curious.

"Nine hundred fifty yuan, plus two hundred jin of National Grain Ticket," Lu Qingshan walked to the kang edge, took the bundle of money and tickets from his chest, and gently placed them on the kang table.

Then, he also took out three thousand five hundred yuan he had brought back from town yesterday from the pocket of his undergarment, and placed it there together.

"Yesterday I bought grain with the small change I had on me; I still have over forty left, enough. These whole bills and tickets I entrust to you for safekeeping," he said, looking at Lin Yue'e, his tone solemn.

Lin Yue'e was stunned, and the work in her hands also stopped.

She stared blankly at the thick stack of money and tickets, her eyes complex—both surprised and a little uneasy.

That's over four thousand yuan!

Add the money previously hidden at the bottom of the cupboard, it's almost ten thousand!

And there's a pile of tickets!

"Qing Shan, this... this money is too much, I don't know how..." she was a little panicked, her voice trembling slightly.

"Yue E, we already agreed long ago that household matters would be yours to manage," Lu Qingshan walked to her side and gently took her hand.

Lin Yue'e looked up into his eyes, where there was only clarity and resolve.

"I will teach you how to keep accounts, how to handle money, how to spend money. We need to plan to use money to build a new house, acquire household goods, buy livestock and farm tools, and make money from money."

Lu Qingshan's tone was gentle and patient.

Lin Yue'e nodded, her eyes filled with emotion and a hint of unmistakable surprise.

"Dad, now that we have money, can we buy lots and lots of eggs to eat?" Xiao Xue leaned over, her small hand resting on the edge of the kang table, curiously looking at the money and tickets.

Lu Qingshan laughed heartily and lifted his daughter: "Sure! Not only can we buy eggs, we can also buy new clothes, new shoes, build a big house, and give Xiao Xue her own little bed and little table!"

"Really?"

Xiao Xue's eyes sparkled, "Can I have my own little room? Like the second aunt in Uncle Liu Fugui's house?"

"Of course you can!" Lu Qingshan pinched his daughter's little nose, "Our new house will be built better than anyone's in the town!"

"Wow!" Xiao Xue clapped excitedly, "Then can I raise a little rabbit? I want it to be friends with Jin Hu!"

Lu Qingshan and Lin Yue'e exchanged a smile, and Lu Qingshan nodded.

"Sure, when spring comes, Dad will go to the mountains and catch a little wild rabbit for you."

Lin Yue'e gently rebuked, "Don't talk nonsense; if the child hears it, later getting carried away won't be good."

But the smile at the corner of her eye betrayed her.