Chapter 50: Distributing meat, selling meat

Although it was the middle of winter, the Li family's courtyard was very lively.

Not a single person who came to help was idle; everyone was finding work to do.

Li Long was a novice. After eating, he only managed to get the job of pouring boiling water over the wild boars—he was quite happy doing this kind of work that didn't require any technical skill.

In the eyes of the older men, Li Long was great at getting things, but for technical work like processing a pig, it still had to be done by an experienced hand.

With Mohe tobacco in their mouths and knives in their hands, they skinned the wild boars, and some had already prepared large laundry basins, intending to process the offal.

"This wild boar is really big!"

"It's really fat; just looking at this fat, it must be three fingers thick!"

"Three fingers might not even be enough; these wild boars in the mountains eat well!"

"This year, the Jianguo family will have good oil to eat. Once this oil is rendered and placed in the cool room, it will be fine for more than half a year."

"Look at how easy Jianguo has it; he won't even need to raise pigs next year. When autumn comes, he can just take a turn in the mountains, bring back two pigs, and the meat and oil for the year will be enough."

"That requires skill, and you also need good luck! We went into the mountains with the side-business team to dig for fritillaria and ran into them too. A group of seven or eight wild boars charged over; who would dare to block them?"

"You don't say, this Xiao Long went to the factory to train for a while, and after coming back, he's changed a lot. Every single thing he does, you have to admire it!"

"Haha, you talk about Tao Da and Gu Ermao; what did they learn? It's truly a 'neither fish nor fowl' situation."

"Why talk so much about that? Didn't you see Gu Laoda also came over..."

Gu Laoda had come over and even took the initiative to talk to Li Jianguo. Li Jianguo ignored him, and he stood there awkwardly, not wanting to leave, not knowing whether to stand or sit.

Li Long already knew from his sister-in-law that Gu Ermao had reported him to the joint defense team members. In fact, after knowing it was Gu Ermao following him, he wasn't very surprised.

Gu Ermao's personality was just like that; it would be strange if he didn't do that.

However, this didn't mean he would forgive Gu Ermao. It just so happened that he hadn't intended to continue dealing with him anyway, so he might as well take this opportunity to make a clean break.

When Gu Laoda saw Li Long, his eyes lit up. He walked over and said to Li Long with a smile:

"Xiao Long is back? You're amazing this time, two wild boars; no one in our team has this skill!"

Li Long wouldn't blame Gu Laoda for Gu Ermao's matter. He smiled and said:

"Just good luck."

Gu Laoda still wanted to talk, but Li Jianguo shouted from over there:

"Xiao Long, come over and pour the water!"

Li Long smiled and hurried over.

Gu Laoda knew this was Li Jianguo showing his attitude. He felt bitter inside; he was in the wrong but had no way out. He wanted to get close, but the other party wouldn't give him the chance. He originally wanted to take this opportunity to call Ermao over to help together, just to ease the awkwardness. But Gu Ermao felt he couldn't afford to lose face, so he didn't come. He came, but the other party wouldn't give him face.

Many people in the courtyard were watching the joke. Honestly speaking, when encountering such a thing, no one wants a friend like Gu Ermao. But no one can guarantee that if they were in Gu Ermao's position, they wouldn't have turned Li Long in.

But logically speaking, everyone would stand in the position of the person who was wronged. Li Long didn't provoke you, so why did you turn him in? Are you like a drowning dog pulling someone down with you? Can't stand seeing others do well?

There might be many such people, but they are definitely the ones everyone hates the most.

Li Long knew that Gu Ermao's reputation in the team was definitely ruined. After skinning the wild boars, opening the bellies to take out the offal, and cutting up the pork, some people took the pre-cut pork neck and the caul fat from the belly and sent them into the kitchen.

Liang Wenyu and several women were taking out the salted vegetables, cutting the fat to render in the pot, and then starting to stew the pork in a large pot.

The large star anise that the family usually couldn't bear to put in was also added. Liang Wenyu was making up for what happened when they slaughtered their own family's annual pig earlier.

At that time, they also called a group of people to come and help, and everyone liked doing such things; you help me, I help you, it's all common practice. They also took this opportunity to add some oil and fat to their stomachs.

But the Li family's pig was slaughtered, it was a "superstitious pig," and nothing else could be done with the rest. The pig was buried, and the "slaughtered pig dish" couldn't be eaten. Although everyone who came to help understood, Liang Wenyu was holding back anger in her heart.

People at this time take face quite seriously; there is no such thing as "touching porcelain" or extortion, and their self-esteem is very strong. If I ate the "slaughtered pig dish" at your house, my family must definitely return it.

Now the Li family was equivalent to owing everyone a meal. And when Li Long brought the two wild boars back, Li Jianguo and Liang Wenyu reached a tacit understanding without even needing to discuss it: host a big one!

Everyone was also happy to come and help; it was a good thing!

"It's a pity about this blood; otherwise, how good it would be to steam pig blood buns!" Someone cleaning the offal looked at the coagulated black blood trapped in the pig's cavity and said regretfully.

At this time, meat is scarce, and under normal circumstances, not a single bit would be wasted; even the edges and corners could be made into something fancy.

Both pots were being used; the large pot in the west room was stewing meat, the east room started stir-frying the offal, and the Lu family's pot was also helping to steam buns.

Li Long could smell the rank odor of the wild boar, but no one present minded. If you have meat to eat, can't you shut your mouth, and you're still complaining about this and that?

Especially seeing the large slices of meat in the pot, no one would say anything—in this day and age, whose family is so willing to put so much meat in the "slaughtered pig dish"? Are you not living anymore?

But they have two pigs, so they are just that bold!

After the things were processed, the men set up tables in the two rooms to play cards; one table was playing "Shuai Er Zi," one table was playing "Zheng Shang You," and those who couldn't get a turn were watching from the side.

!.

Someone was more interested in Li Long being able to hunt a wild boar, so they asked:

"Xiao Long, how did you hunt this wild boar?"

"Ambush in advance." Li Long didn't keep it a secret either. "My friend is in the mountains and knows that a group of wild boars often comes down to a certain place to gnaw on grass roots. We ambushed in advance and hunted them down."

Some families didn't raise pigs, so they thought about getting some pork from the Li family to take back.

But they had no money. Li Jianguo and Li Long discussed:

"Xiao Long, they want to get some of this meat, but they have no money. Look..."

"Are there any bullets?" Li Long's thought shifted. "Five bullets for a kilogram of meat is fine too. If they have money, it's one yuan per kilogram; if they don't have money, five bullets for a kilogram."

Li Jianguo was a bit confused by this thought:

"Use bullets?"

"Yeah, bullets are scarce in the mountains."

"Every family has them." Li Jianguo smiled. "If you open it up, the meat of these two pigs at home could be traded away."

"That won't do; just trade some with those who have good relationships." Li Long smiled. "If it really doesn't work, I'll go see if I can hunt another one in two days."

The first time he hit a wild boar with one shot, Li Long's courage grew, and his words became bolder:

"Brother, anyway, our family can't finish this meat, and that big wild boar meat has a strong rank odor. If it's traded, it's traded, but we must make it clear to people beforehand."

"Rank odor is still meat!" Li Jianguo glared. "It's so cheap; if they think the meat has a rank odor, then don't trade it!"

Li Long smiled. At this moment, he could see his eldest brother's personality. Usually, he looks very gentle, but when something really happens, his personality is very decisive, and he belongs to the type that "dares to fight and dare to struggle."

Gu Laoda eventually left awkwardly because no one paid attention to him.

The mouth-watering aroma permeated the courtyard, and the adults all went into the rooms. Outside the courtyard, only Qiangqiang was holding the pig bladder that Li Long had blown up with a reed tube, leading a group of children to kick it like a soccer ball, their happy voices carrying far away.

People nearby could all hear that the Li family had risen up.

(End of chapter)