Chapter 262: If the Old Doesn't Go, the New Won't Come

Although Old Uncle Luo didn't fully understand this equity investment, he knew that Li Long was definitely the one who had to make the decision.

So he didn't speak again. Though the old man lacked education, he could still see that Li Long didn't seem very interested in Huang Xuejun's proposal.

Seeing Li Long remain silent, Huang Xuejun assumed he couldn't make the decision himself, so he smiled and said:

"I read in the newspaper that this breeding farm is nominally still under your elder brother Li Jianguo's name; do you need to discuss this with your elder brother? I'm not in a hurry; this is a major matter and certainly requires careful consideration, which I understand. After all, for you farmers, this amounts to nearly your entire family fortune, doesn't it?"

Li Long smiled.

This fellow must be treating him like some rustic bumpkin.

However, Li Long had no mood to play any 'feigning weakness to strike hard' games, so he stated directly:

"Just name your price. If it's suitable, I'll sell the deer to you; if not, then let it be. Even if the deal falls through, goodwill remains."

"Don't you need to discuss this with your elder brother?" Huang Xuejun narrowed his eyes upon hearing Li Long's words. "This is a major matter involving several hundred yuan..."

Then he glanced at Li Long's bicycle, thinking Li Long probably had some money, yet he still said:

"How should I put this? I still feel this matter requires careful decision-making. I'm not in a hurry; how about this: you'd best go discuss it with your elder brother together. Or shall I accompany you to meet your elder brother?"

"No need." Li Long waved his hand. "I raised these; my elder brother doesn't manage them. Besides, my elder brother is busy right now and has no time to deal with this."

Seeing Huang Xuejun speak this way, Li Long roughly understood the other's intentions, so he ignored him further, propped up his bicycle, took a jar of honey from the rear seat bag, and handed it to Old Uncle Luo:

"Old Uncle Luo, this honey is something I gathered from the mountains. Since smoking harms your throat, occasionally brewing some in water to drink will do you good."

"Good, good." Old Uncle Luo smiled happily. "Xiao Long, you actually remembered me specifically..."

"Of course I must remember you," Li Long said with a smile. "Everything here still depends on you."

Huang Xuejun was left standing aside, ignored.

He didn't feel awkward though, merely watching Li Long busy himself there.

Li Long entered the pen again to check on the deer and the roe deer; as for the wild boars, he didn't care about them at all—those creatures could be heard calling from far away, indicating they were very healthy.

Just as Li Long pushed his bicycle preparing to leave, Huang Xuejun followed him.

Li Long grew somewhat impatient and said to him:

"Director Huang, I've already told you: if you want to buy, then simply name your price; if it's suitable, you can lead the deer away today; if not, then let's not hurt our feelings. Following me is useless; I'm the one who decides this matter. Moreover, for a factory director like yourself to act this way truly doesn't match your status."

Now Huang Xuejun felt awkward; his original plan had been to follow Li Long to his home, meet Li Jianguo, and perhaps smooth things through Li Jianguo.

After all, establishing a branch factory would expand his own factory, making it easier to report upward, while selling goods would also earn him a share of the profits; why not do it?

So he attempted to persuade Li Long once more, saying:

"Little Li, I think you really ought to consider this carefully. Look: if we establish a branch factory here, wouldn't you become the factory director? Even if you don't become director, with your brother as director, you'd at least be deputy director! That's a perfectly legitimate status! Although we're not a state-run factory, we are still a collective enterprise; by then, you'll be able to eat Neng Chi Shang Pin!"

He believed that explaining this thoroughly would be enough to tempt Li Long.

In these times, eating Neng Chi Shang Pin was the dream of countless rural people; it was simply too desirable!

He just hadn't expected Li Long to wave his hand and say:

"No need; I'm doing quite well right now."

Naturally, he wouldn't tell this Huang Xuejun that the money he earned in a single day could match what someone eating Neng Chi Shang Pin earned in an entire month!

With income like this, could he possibly value those Neng Chi Shang Pin positions? Moreover, he had already rejected one such offer; it was nothing special anyway.

Matters like this were best kept quietly in one's heart; there was no need to show off.

"How can they be the same? Look at you now, rising early and resting late," Huang Xuejun, still somewhat skilled with words, adopted a tone and expression as if considering Li Long's best interests:

"Once you're eating Neng Chi Shang Pin, you can sit in an office afterward! No more facing the yellow earth with your back to the sky; how comfortable that would be..."

"Then why does a factory director like you still run around everywhere without even a dedicated vehicle?" Li Long, annoyed by the talk, retorted. "Look, even a factory director like you lives this way; so even if I partnered with you and became deputy director of a branch factory, wouldn't it be the same as now? What's the difference?

Enough; I'm not going home right now as I have other matters. If you want to buy deer, then make an offer; otherwise, please leave. I have no time to chat idly with you here."

Having spoken, he glanced at Huang Xuejun.

Huang Xuejun paused in surprise; Li Long then swung his leg over the bicycle and rode toward the Gu family residence.

No time to deal with you.

"Comrade Little Li, Li Long! Wait! Fifty! I'll offer fifty per deer!"

Huang Xuejun realized his plans had failed, so he painfully made an offer.

However, upon hearing his price, Li Long didn't even turn his head, departing directly.

Fifty? You're dreaming! Once that young deer grows antlers, a single branch alone would be worth more than fifty, wouldn't it?

Li Long went to Gu Gu Bo Yuan's place; seeing Gu Gu Bo Yuan present, he dismounted, pushed the bicycle into the courtyard, and propped it up.

"Have you returned from the mountains?" Gu Gu Bo Yuan was tending the fire before the stove.

Smelling the air, Li Long felt he was probably planning to make soup-rice, so he said:

"Yes, just returned."

"Then you won't be going there for a while?"

"No, I've gathered almost all the mushrooms in the mountains; I'll rest at home for some time."

"I'm keeping that jade of yours; the jade is excellent," Gu Gu Bo Yuan said. "It should be mutton-fat jade. Did you obtain it from Wu City?"

"Mm, bought it from the Jade Ware Factory. Not expensive."

"The jade quality is indeed excellent."

"This time I brought back some honey from the mountains; keep it for drinking. Oh, and take these two codonopsis roots as well. After autumn, I'll get some more substantial codonopsis; the codonopsis from the mountains is truly excellent!"

"Alright, just put it there." Gu Gu Bo Yuan didn't stand on ceremony at all; since this fellow had 'tricked' away his daughter, enjoying some of his tributed offerings was no problem.

Leaving the Gu family home, as Li Long walked back, he saw that Huang Xuejun was still watching from near Old Ma's horse station.

"Director Huang, the price you offered is too low; I won't sell. You should go back." Li Long, still kind-hearted, called out once before pedaling away.

Huang Xuejun shouted loudly:

"The price isn't low! Fifty yuan could buy two donkeys, and yours are young deer!"

"You also know these are deer; you should understand that every part of a deer is precious... Just the penis alone would be worth more than fifty, wouldn't it?"

Li Long scoffed and left.

Huang Xuejun understood; he had finally met someone who knew the score.

It seemed he needed to change his strategy.

After a moment's thought, he did not leave but instead turned toward Old Ma's Stable.

Compared to that young man who was impervious to oil and salt, that old fellow was easier to deal with. When Li Long returned to the Li family courtyard, Li Jianguo and Liang Yuemei were also returning, carrying wooden shovels and wooden forks.

The wooden shovel was for winnowing, and the wooden fork was for picking up wheat straw after threshing. These agricultural tools were essentials for every household.

"Back?" Li Jianguo asked. "Not heading out again so soon?"

"Not going," Li Long said, pushing his bicycle as he dismounted. "I'll stay home for a while. When I sold fish a few days ago, some regular customers over in Shicheng said I hadn't been around in ages; they missed my fish."

"Oh, that's great. You even have repeat customers," Li Jianguo said with a smile. "Then just catch fish these few days."

"How's the wheat threshing on the floor going?"

"Nearly done," Li Jianguo said, entering the courtyard to put down the wooden shovel and washing his hands at the press-well. "Less than a quarter left. In under another week, we'll be wrapping up."

"Has the county's wheat already been delivered?"

"Delivered, and the team's shared grain has been stored. Hearing from Jun Wa Zi, next year the team's land will be contracted out; then they won't do all this anymore... one will have to pay to contract the land."

"Contracting dozens of mu... can you two manage to farm that much? And you still have to raise pigs?"

!.

"What's there to worry about!" Li Jianguo declared with great spirit. "Planting another few dozen mu is no problem at all."

In the courtyard, Du Chunfang and Li Juan were cooking; Li Long could smell that they were steaming rice.

"Juan, you know how to steam rice now?" Li Long asked in surprise; that was quite impressive.

"Hee-hee, Little Uncle, I've steamed it several times already," Li Juan said proudly. "The scorched rice is golden yellow; it tastes delicious!"

"Exactly, exactly!" Li Qiang popped out from the vegetable garden, holding a small cucumber still topped with flowers and covered in spines, and shouted, "Exactly! My sister's steamed rice is great now... before, the scorched rice was all black, but now it's perfect!"

"Li Qiang!" Li Juan exclaimed in anger. "You're picking tender cucumbers again!"

"Heh-heh-heh..." Li Qiang hastily hid the cucumber behind his back, smiling. "I was just looking—it fell off by itself, it really fell off by itself!"

The whole family chuckled, watching the brother and sister bicker.

In the past, Liang Yuemei would surely have scolded Li Qiang. After all, if that cucumber grew a bit larger, it could be stir-fried into a dish. But now that the family's conditions had improved, a mother naturally hoped her children would be happier and more joyful. If they wanted to eat tender cucumbers, let them eat; they had planted plenty anyway.

"I brought back some honey. Father, Mother, dissolve it in warm boiled water and drink it morning and evening. Big Brother, Sister-in-law, you've been working hard these past two days; your noses and lungs are probably full of dust, so you should have some too."

"Little Uncle, I want some too!" Li Qiang shouted loudly from the vegetable garden.

"Yes, yes, there's yours," Li Qiang said, carrying the entire bag of honey into the house. "There's enough for everyone; Juan gets some too."

Li Juan, who had been eagerly hoping, smiled.

Which child does not hope to be the one valued as well? At least let things be fair.

After lunch, Li Long returned to Old Ma's Stable to get a good sleep, but Li Li Qing Xia followed him over and said:

"Xiao Long, are we still casting the nets this afternoon?"

"Yes, we are," Li Long said. "For the next few days, I'll just be catching fish."

"Then... will you sell in Shicheng or in the county town?"

"You sell in the county town; I'll sell in Shicheng. Let's cast a few more nets and sell separately," Li Long said casually. "With two bicycles at home, can't we sell however we like?"

"Right, right, right," Li Li Qing Xia said, delighted; those words suited his taste perfectly.

When Li Long returned to the stable, he saw that Uncle Luo had already eaten, and that Huang Xuejun was eating with him, devouring his food quite fiercely.

"Comrade Xiao Li is back?" These words actually came from Huang Xuejun, which surprised Li Long somewhat, but he soon nodded and said, "Factory Director Huang, are you planning to leave this afternoon? Very well, you two eat; Uncle Luo's cooking skills are excellent. I'm going to sleep."

Having spoken, he paid no further attention to Huang Xuejun, went straight back to his own room, and shut the door.

Huang Xuejun felt somewhat helpless; after all, he was a Factory Director, wasn't he? Elsewhere, upon hearing he was a Factory Director, people would at least greet him with smiles; why was he so unwelcome here?

"Xiao Long is just like that; don't take it to heart," Uncle Luo said, still quite respectful of the Factory Director's status. He smiled and said, "Factory Director Huang, please eat more."

"Comrade Old Luo, your meals here are quite good!" Huang Xuejun said, rapidly shoveling rice and picking out pieces of meat from the dishes. "Being able to eat meat shows that the standard of living has improved."

"That's thanks to Xiao Long's blessing; he can hunt things in the mountains," Uncle Luo said with a smile. "Xiao Long takes care of me, bringing me some meat now and then."

"Li Long hunts? Right, right, right; without hunting, one couldn't get a deer..." Huang Xuejun had gained another layer of understanding about Li Long, yet in Uncle Luo's eyes, Li Long was so generous; why was he so impatient with himself?

Li Long truly had not paid any attention to Huang Xuejun; on this mere acre or two of the team's land, the man could not conjure any tricks.

What he did not expect was that when Li Long woke from his afternoon nap, outside, besides Huang Xuejun and Uncle Luo, Xu Chengjun was also present.

Xu Chengjun and Huang Xuejun were chatting about everything under the sun, from Tiannanhaibei; seeing Li Long rise, Xu Chengjun smiled and said:

"Xiao Long is up? I originally intended to wake you, but Factory Director Huang said you must be exhausted from the mountains and should rest well. Factory Director Huang is sincere; see if you two can't have a proper talk? I heard Factory Director Huang say he wants to build a branch factory; what do you think?"

"I have no interest," Li Long said. He did not know how Huang Xuejun had hoodwinked Xu Chengjun, but he rejected it outright. "Hunting a bit, catching fish a bit; I think that's quite good. Setting up some branch factory is just like putting a tight-fillet spell on Sun Wukong; how troublesome is that?

Besides, I don't catch a deer every year; catching deer is just a casual side activity. If you want to buy, then buy; if not, I'll raise it until next year to harvest the antler velvet."

As he spoke, he glanced at Huang Xuejun, who smiled somewhat awkwardly.

Xu Chengjun was sharp; he realized immediately that he might have oversimplified things. This surname Huang was blowing smoke, painting a rosy picture, and he himself had thought having a team-run enterprise wouldn't be bad, but now it seemed this surname Huang was like a barber carrying his pole—hot on one end only. He immediately said:

"Very well, since you don't intend to proceed, let's leave the matter at that. I have matters to attend to on my end; I still need to oversee the delivery of the summer grain. Xiao Long, Factory Director Huang, you two talk; I'm leaving now!"

With that, Xu Chengjun departed quickly.

Li Long turned, drew some water, washed his face, and then said to Huang Xuejun:

"Factory Director Huang, if you wish to buy, then offer a sincere price; otherwise, I will busy myself with other tasks now. Our village is large; you won't find me easily in a short while. It's already afternoon; if you delay any longer, it won't be easy to return to the county town, and there are no inns or the like here in the team."

Having spoken, Li Long mounted his bicycle and rode outward.

"Then how much do you say?" Huang Xuejun knew he could only buy now. Even the Village Director could not suppress him, proving Li Long indeed had ability; those usual tactics would not work.

"Five hundred per head," Li Long stated a figure.

Why don't you just go rob someone!

Huang Xuejun was barely restraining himself from cursing! (End of Chapter)