Chapter 492: Dividing the Money, Shocking Big Brother

Upon hearing the sound of the tractor, Sister-in-law Lu came out and saw Li Jianguo returning with a cart full of people; spotting her own husband sitting on the edge board, she hastily called Lu Tie Tou over to help his father with the luggage.

When Lu Tie Tou arrived, he happened to hear Li Long paying his father, and upon hearing the figure of three hundred and seventy-two yuan announced, he was startled himself.

He was already a youth and had a concept of monetary figures.

One bicycle cost one hundred and eighty; three hundred and seventy-two could buy two bicycles.

His father had gone out for less than a month and earned so much money; this... was truly too exaggerated!

After all, in these times, a worker's monthly wage was only thirty or forty yuan; this three hundred-plus amounted to a full year's wages!

The look in his eyes as he gazed at his father now held admiration.

His own dad was truly formidable!

"... Xu Xu Fei Hu, eighty-three carrying poles, three hundred and thirty-two yuan." Li Long read out the second name, and Xu Xu Fei Hu stepped forward.

"Come, first calculate whether this amount is correct." Li Long perceived his thoughts; he felt somewhat unconvinced that his own total was not as high as Lu Yingming's.

In truth, everyone had their own mental account of their respective totals, but if Xu Xu Fei Hu felt distrustful, there was nothing to be done; Li Long did not ponder what psychological factors were at play, letting him calculate it himself, since the acceptance figures each time were signed by the individuals concerned, and he had added the total twice, so it was unlikely to be wrong.

After recalculating once more, Xu Xu Fei Hu accepted the figure, then took the three hundred and thirty-two yuan handed to him by Li Long, a smile spreading across his face as he began to count the money.

So thick!

Li Long began writing down his figure and name, then moved to the next one.

After Xu Xu Fei Hu came Tao Jian She, then Jia Weidong, followed by Xu Dejun...

In fact, everyone had mentally reviewed their expected earnings numerous times, so basically, upon hearing the figures Li Long announced, they signed directly.

Li Long would not miscalculate this; they only needed to count the money and sign.

Some households had already heard the tractor's sound and learned of this, so people had already arrived; today, Tao Daqiang had gone fishing with Li Li Qing Xia, and upon returning to see Li Long's tractor in the courtyard with so many people present, he naturally understood the situation, so he pushed his bicycle and waited at the courtyard gate.

After Tao Jian She received his money, Tao Daqiang waved and exchanged greetings with Li Long, then loaded his father's bedding onto the bicycle, and they departed together.

Tao Jian She had received three hundred and sixty-four yuan, quite a sum.

For Tao Daqiang, however, it was no great matter; in these twenty-odd days, he had earned nearly that much selling fish—though one could not go catching and selling fish every day, as there was also farm work to attend to.

Father and son earning double wages was quite unique—oh no, that Li family did not count.

Knowing his father was strong-willed, Tao Daqiang, though clumsy with words, still offered some praise for his father.

Tao Jian She's face flushed slightly, yet there was also a hint of pride within.

His thoughts were somewhat similar to those Li Jianguo once held: that his younger brother (or son) could earn money, even more than himself, brought not only pride but also a subtle sense of crisis and unwillingness to be outdone.

Now that he too had earned money, that feeling naturally subsided.

One by one, they departed with their money, either carrying their bedding on their backs or being picked up by family members, until only Li Jianguo remained.

Li Jianguo had woven the most carrying poles among everyone; firstly, he and Lu Yingming had started a day earlier, and secondly, his own hand movements were inherently fast; becoming a veteran of the team required not just seniority but also skill.

Li Jianguo had woven one hundred and one carrying poles; Li Long did not ask him to sign; there were no more onlookers at the courtyard gate, and his elder sister-in-law had earlier come to take a look but left upon seeing the work was not yet finished; Li Jianguo had originally intended to return as well, since they were all family, but upon reflection, he felt he ought to stay and support his younger brother, so he continued waiting.

"Big Brother, this is yours." Li Long handed Li Jianguo a round figure.

"So much?" Li Jianguo was startled. "You are..."

"Eight yuan per carrying pole," Li Long said in a low voice. "I certainly cannot take a cut from yours; just don't tell outsiders."

"Hey!" Li Jianguo looked at the money, still somewhat hesitant; Li Long stuffed it into his hand and said with a smile:

"Big Brother, this money is genuinely earned by us ourselves; after working so hard for so many days, you must rest for two."

Li Jianguo had actually anticipated that Li Long would give him extra money, but he had not expected it to be this much more!

Among the others, Lu Yingming had the highest amount, yet it was still under four hundred yuan.

His own amount had directly doubled!

Seeing the expression on Li Long's face, Li Jianguo knew the matter was settled, so he stopped being polite, accepted the money, stuffed it into his pocket, and asked:

"As for the Supply and Marketing Cooperative..."

"I gave the section chief one thousand," Li Long said in a low voice. "I still rely on him to find more work for me later; these carrying poles will last at most another two or three years, after which there will be none; let us earn what we can while we can."

"Two or three years..." Thinking that his younger brother had earned over two thousand in one go was no small amount, yet this kind of work was clearly not something just anyone could secure.

"Still, it cannot be spoken of; just say six yuan," Li Long said as he walked toward the courtyard behind his elder brother's house. "Wealth should not be exposed."

He had heard a story, a cautionary tale.

It was told by Xu Haijun, who had returned after demobilization.

A certain logistics unit had a fuel supply point in the southern border desert, guarded by only one person; upon initial arrival, the unit conducted weekly inspections, and this man managed the place well, so later, the higher-level unit reduced inspections to once a month, once every two months, or once a quarter, yet supplies were delivered promptly, and the leaders showed great concern.

This man felt the leaders treated him very well, so one day in the second year, when a leader came to deliver supplies, he slipped the leader a carton of Wei Zhong Hua cigarettes.

At that time, for a leader to smoke Xuelian Wang was already considered luxurious, so it was the first time he had ever seen a whole carton of Wei Zhong Hua in his hands.

This immediately aroused suspicion.

Superiors soon arrived to inspect and discovered that fuel worth tens of millions was missing from the warehouse, and from this man, they recovered several hundred cartons of Wei Zhong Hua cigarettes along with over a million yuan in cash.

It turned out he had allowed passing drivers to refuel there; initially, he only dared let them add a little, accepting a pack of Xuelian or similar, but later, his audacity grew, and he began accepting cash.

At first, while watching people refuel, he was trembling with fear, but later, he simply let those drivers fill up themselves, as long as the money was paid in full.

If Heaven intends to destroy a man, it first makes him mad.

With indirect losses exceeding ten million, this man was ultimately sentenced to death.

His superior bore joint liability.

Was it worth it?

It was a tremendous loss.

Returning to Li Jianguo's courtyard, the meal was already prepared; Li Li Qing Xia and Du Chunfang were both standing at the courtyard gate looking over, accompanied by Li Juan and Li Qiang; Liang Yuemei and Chen Chen Li Rong were setting the tables, while Li Xue Ping and Li Xue Qin stood behind Li Juan, the two of them now being extremely close to Li Juan.

"Hey, you've all turned dark and grown thin," Li Li Qing Xia said with a laugh. "Can one even get tanned in the mountains?"

"I could get tanned, but my big brother was smoked by fire and smoke every day; weaving those carrying poles required burning willow strips daily," Li Long explained.

"Let's eat," Liang Yuemei called out from the table; with so many people, the dining tables were set up outside, one large table and one small table; since they had not known Li Jianguo and the others were returning, the meal consisted of rice porridge and steamed buns, the stewed fish leftover from noon, a hastily stir-fried egg dish, and an added dish of chives with meat.

The portions were large, so everyone ate at separate tables; with one person speaking and another responding, one handing out steamed buns while another served porridge, the scene was quite lively for a time.

Several children had been watching the adults; Li Jianguo and Li Long had not been seen in ages, and the kids wanted to say a few words, but they felt quite disappointed because this time the adults hadn't brought back any delicious food.

But they soon forgot about it; tonight there were extra dishes, the table already held good food, and with so many children making a commotion, they quickly found their own topics to discuss.

Li Long took a glance and found that under Li Juan's leadership, the four children were quite well-behaved; Li Juan was doing a fine job as an elder sister, and the others were obedient, which was very good.

During the meal, family members chimed in one after another, asking about matters in the mountains; sometimes Li Jianguo answered, sometimes Li Long. Knowing they could eat meat every day in the mountains put their minds at ease. In fact, just looking at the complexions of Li Long and Li Jianguo made it clear they hadn't suffered much in the mountains. Liang Yuemei knew best; in the past, when Li Jianguo went to work in the mountain sideline team, he would return basically several Jin Zhong lighter, needing many days to recover.

But the work done in a single trip into the mountains was worth half a year's work points, so going was mandatory.

Now things were better: plenty of money earned, no harm to the body, and the time spent wasn't too long; what more could one ask for?

Dinner lasted until dark before it was finished. Li Long had not planned to return to the county town today; since his own courtyard was there, he had to stay the night anyway.

"Your mother opens the door every day to air out your room, so there's no strange smell inside," Li Li Qing Xia said. "You must be exhausted from the mountains; sleep in tomorrow morning. I won't wait for you then; I'll take Da Qiang to retrieve the nets and go to Shicheng to sell fish."

"Father, catching and selling fish sounds quite pleasant," Li Long said with a smile. "Having money come in every day is even more comfortable than being a worker."

At this time, becoming a cadre was something ordinary farmers dared not imagine; merely becoming a worker was already the ultimate dream.

"Heh, that's right. I can earn half a month's worker wages in a single day; even if you offered me a worker's job now, I wouldn't take it." With money in his pocket, Li Li Qing Xia felt confident. "If I keep earning like this for a while longer, I'll be able to buy a color television myself."

"No need; I'll buy one for you in a couple of days."

"I certainly don't want you to buy it," Li Li Qing Xia said, full of pride. "Just live your life well. It's time to have children; you're not young anymore."

!.

Li Long smiled bitterly; he was only twenty-two, and that was already considered not young?

Li Li Qing Xia said it, and Du Chunfang said it too. Previously, Li Long had returned in haste and left in haste; today, since he could stay home for a night, they chatted in Li Jianguo's courtyard. Several children joined in the fun, asking about the situation in the mountains. Li Long occasionally shared a little, which was enough to make Li Qiang and the others envious and longing for quite a while.

Later, Li Juan took Li Qiang to rest, while Chen Chen Li Rong took her two children back to the Old Horse Station. Li Long thought for a moment and said to Li Li Qing Xia:

"Father, let my second sister-in-law stay in the west room of my courtyard from now on. There's nothing much in the room anyway, and it's inconvenient for her to keep staying at the Horse Station every day."

"Heh, I've thought about this matter too, just haven't had time to tell you," Li Li Qing Xia laughed. "Alright, since you mentioned it, I'll have your second sister-in-law move over tomorrow; she can also help you tidy up the courtyard."

Li Long thought that his second brother had been in Kuitun for over a month; perhaps he would soon be formally employed, at which point he would most likely bring his wife and children over.

Of course, this premise relied on formal workers being allocated housing soon.

He wouldn't worry about this matter; father, mother, and his second sister-in-law could discuss it when the time came. He still had to return to the county town early tomorrow morning to go up the mountain.

The Fritillaria season was nearing its end, and Li Long wanted to finish it off properly.

To quote some people from later generations: earn a season's worth of money, and you can rest for the remaining half-year. He certainly couldn't rest, but things would be much easier.

After all, calculating the money earned from making carrying poles and selling Fritillaria, his total profits were approaching ten thousand.

Calculating it this way, Li Long was somewhat startled.

He wasn't entirely clear on exactly how much money he had now; Li Long planned to go home and take a proper inventory after wrapping up this final Fritillaria season, so he wouldn't remain in the dark.

It was very late before he returned to his own room. The room was frequently aired out, so there was no damp or musty smell. After his last return, he had left the key with his mother; presumably, she often came over to open the door for ventilation and to sun the quilts.

Although his mother was confident, Li Long enjoyed it with a clear conscience.

The quilts carried the scent of sunlight, which made him feel quite comfortable. Sleeping in one's own home was completely different from sleeping in a wooden cabin. Although one still had to lock the door, there was no need to keep a gun by the bedside. Occasionally, one could hear dogs barking outside, followed by someone shouting them down. This was true rural life.

He had not slept so soundly in a long time; when he opened his eyes in the morning, he saw sunlight streaming through the window, slanting onto the western wall.

It looked very nice.

Li Long climbed up, dressed, went to the courtyard to pump water for washing, and then went to the rear courtyard for breakfast.

Li Jianguo had also just gotten up like him; the bicycle was not in the courtyard, a pile of nets lay on a plastic sheet, and a small basin nearby still held half a basin of pike.

Liang Yuemei and Chen Chen Li Rong had already gone to the fields to work; Li Li Qing Xia had already told Chen Chen Li Rong about the move, and she was very happy, saying she would work in the morning and return at noon to move.

The main work was still weeding in the fields. The watermelon vines had begun to creep, and Liang Yuemei attached great importance to this. Winter wheat, corn, and such were conventional crops; having been planted for many years, they wouldn't cause problems. But these watermelons were being planted for the first time, carrying the family's hope of getting rich through cash crops, so Liang Yuemei would not be careless in the slightest.

Usually, when planting crops in large fields, weeding was done rather roughly; after hoeing once, weeds grew quickly, and once the crops grew tall after a period, one only needed to hoe out the large weeds.

After all, there were many plots of land, so one couldn't work that meticulously.

But for these ten mu of watermelons, in Li Jianguo's absence, Liang Yuemei went to hoe the weeds every few days, basically ensuring that only watermelon seedlings remained in the field.

Before Li Long and the others went to the mountains, they had told Liang Yuemei that when the watermelon seedlings had two to three leaves, they could be thinned. For this crop, one only needed to leave one strong seedling per hole. Thinning was exhausting work; squatting there and moving inch by inch, often by the end of the day, a person could barely walk.

【92】 But this task was stubbornly completed by the two sisters-in-law, Liang Yuemei and later joiner Chen Chen Li Rong.

But Liang Yuemei and Chen Chen Li Rong, who joined later, stubbornly finished the work between the two of them.

Consequently, the relationship between the two sisters-in-law suddenly improved, becoming as close as biological sisters.

"That was a comfortable sleep," Li Jianguo said, wiping his face with a Mao Jin. "The underground shelters in the mountains are damp and dark; living there is unpleasant."

"That's right; one truly cannot live there long-term," Li Long said with a smile. "If it weren't for Ha Li Mu and Brother Brother Yushanjiang building me a wooden house, I wouldn't run into the mountains so often. Whether living in an underground shelter or their winter quarters, it's all uncomfortable."

"Your wooden house is truly excellent," Li Jianguo recalled staying in the wooden cabin last year while cutting large broom handles; even sleeping on the floor was better than staying in an underground shelter.

"Mm, I think so too," Li Long nodded. "I still have to go back today."

"Why do you still have to go back? Haven't you finished harvesting the Fritillaria?" Li Jianguo asked.

"Just the tail end remains." Li Long went to the table. The food was covered there; he lifted the cover to reveal steamed buns, cornmeal porridge, and stir-fried vegetables.

"It should be soon, right?" Li Jianguo came over and sat down to eat together.

"Three to five days; once the Fritillaria blooms, it will be over."

Li Jianguo nodded and stopped speaking.

Du Chunfang came out from the vegetable garden, watched the two brothers eating, then sat smiling at the garden entrance to sort through chives. She planned to make dumplings for lunch; nowadays she worked quite proactively. With her own children, harmonious brothers, close sisters-in-law, and sensible grandchildren, what more was there to say? As an elder, doing a bit more was nothing.

In the past, she favored Li Long because the family conditions were poor, so she had to favor the younger one. Now that the family was well-off, neither the elder nor the younger needed her worry; she could act according to her own wishes, working if she wanted to and resting if she didn't.

Ultimately, she understood reason. The eldest son managed the household; having stayed in the mountains for nearly a month, he had darkened so much, so she ought to make something delicious to nourish him. Li Long's face was radiant, showing he lacked for no good food; he was busy earning money every day and couldn't look after himself, so they would discuss it again when he returned next time.

After finishing breakfast, Li Long chatted with his mother for a while longer, telling some small stories from the mountains and listening to his mother talk about his father catching fish, the children, and village affairs. The size of the matters didn't matter; just chatting between mother and son made Du Chunfang very happy.

"... Heh, you don't know how happy your father was that day! He cast the net and caught a big carp weighing four or five Wu Gong Jin Zhong, its tail bright red, truly beautiful! Your father said, 'If only Without Xiao Long were here; the whole family could cook and eat this fish; selling it isn't worth it.' But in the end, it was sold anyway; we couldn't eat it all, that thing was too big, just a single scale was the size of a five-fen coin..."

The five-fen coin his mother mentioned referred to the five-fen steel coin still in circulation at the time, larger than an adult's fingernail, which was indeed quite big.

"... Every day he brings back some pike; I'd say, 'What are you bringing this stuff back for? It's incredibly slippery to gut and tastes extremely fishy.' He'd say it's different, that this is highly nourishing and eating it often is good for the health..."

"It is good," Li Jianguo said, currently gutting small pike upon hearing his mother's words. "Stew it into soup; it tastes fresh. In the mountains, Without Xiao Long caught some twice; that soup was truly delicious."

"Then let's stew a soup at noon today," Du Chunfang said with a smile.

After accompanying his old mother in conversation for a few moments, Li Long went to his own courtyard, started the tractor, and departed; passing his elder brother's courtyard, he waved to his mother standing at the gate, then pressed the accelerator harder.

By the time the tractor reached the county town, it was already morning; Li Long bought a bagful of steamed buns from the canteen, went to the oil depot to refuel and carry some extra oil, then headed into the mountains.

Beside the wooden hut in the mountains, someone was waiting. (End of chapter)