Chapter 517: Halimu has come down the mountain

Li Long ate a little simply at Liu Gong's place, and then bought out the seven pieces of materials he had carved during this period.

I don't know if it was because Liu Gong's craftsmanship recovered or because the business here was better, but among the materials Liu Gong got, two pieces were quite large, and the weight was also more than one kilogram, which could be considered one of the few large materials here.

The materials had raw stone skin, one jujube red and one golden yellow, both carved according to the skin. One was a New Year picture doll carrying a red lantern, and the other was a God of Wealth boy holding a golden carp, both of which were very auspicious character images.

Although the other materials were not large, the texture was very good, basically all above first-grade white, and it felt very oily in the hand, making Li Long unable to put it down when he held it.

Besides the materials Liu Gong carved, Li Long also bought nine pieces of apprentice materials from here. Although the carving was a bit stiff, it was better because the materials were good. Liu Gong persuaded him, but couldn't persuade him, so he let him be.

Li Long's crossbody bag couldn't be completely filled, so Liu Gong found him a plastic bag, wrapped these materials with newspapers, and put them in the plastic bag.

After Li Long took these things and said goodbye to Liu Gong, he turned to the main road, waited for the bus, and sat back to the guesthouse.

I don't know if I can see Yusufu again.

This time buying jade materials, not to mention spending all the travel expenses given by the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, he also pasted in a lot of his own money.

But it was worth it. Store more of these things, and when the value rises, selling some can recover a lot of funds.

This was Li Long's most basic idea at this time.

When he returned to the guesthouse, it was just time for dinner.

Li Long put the things in the room and then went to the canteen.

He believed that no one would move the things in here. Whoever dared to move the things in here, I'm afraid they would be caught within half an hour of the incident.

Dinner was mainly porridge and milk tea, with staple foods such as naan, steamed buns, flower rolls, sponge cakes, etc., various stir-fried dishes, as well as pickles, cream, honey, etc.

Li Long saw Ayidaxi was scooping milk tea. He went to scoop a bowl of porridge, took two small flower rolls, scooped a plate of dishes, and sat beside Ayidaxi to eat together.

The flower rolls were rolled with two kinds of oil chili and green onion. Li Long took one of each and felt they were quite delicious. After eating, he felt he was not full, so he went over to take another one.

Ayidaxi looked at Li Long eating big mouthfuls there and said with a smile:

"Young people have a good appetite. We are old, so we don't dare to eat too much at night, fearing we won't sleep well."

Li Long smiled, swallowed the food in his mouth, and said:

"There is still some time before sleeping, and it will be almost digested by then. Brother Ayidaxi, is the apple you grow easy to sell? Is there anyone coming to collect it?"

In later generations, Aksu ice-sugar heart red Fuji, together with Yantai apples, Shaanxi apples, etc., were famous all over the country, especially those produced in the Hongqipo area, which were wanted by many people, so much so that many apple boxes were printed with "Aksu Authentic Hongqipo Red Fuji," just like Wuchang rice.

But at this stage, it didn't have such high popularity, and even in Northern Xinjiang, its reputation was not as good as Ili apples.

"Not easy to sell." Ayidaxi smiled bitterly, "There are very few people coming to collect, we mainly pull it to the fruit wholesale market, or find food factories to sell it for processing fruit juice."

Li Long knew that the fruits used for processing apple juice in later generations were almost all residual fruits, and good fruits were pulled out and sold in boxes wholesale. In the year he had an accident in the previous life, the fruits in the north and south of Xinjiang had a bumper harvest and the fruits were also particularly delicious that year, such as small white apricots, small red apricots, fragrant pears, dinosaur eggs, prunes, etc. The high-quality special-grade and first-grade fruits were directly contracted by merchants from the interior, picked at dawn, wrapped in foam nets, boxed, and directly air-freighted by cold chain to the interior to be sold at high prices.

Originally, the hanging dried apricots that cost a few yuan per kilogram locally were grafted and packaged as small red apricots, sold to the interior at a price as high as forty or fifty yuan per kilogram...

Pulled far away.

Li Long thought for a while, there was no good way to help sell apples now. After all, fruit was not a rigid demand in this era. When everyone was trying to eat their fill and eat well, ordinary families didn't really care whether there was fruit or not.

"However, even if it is sold for squeezing fruit juice, it is better than growing grain." Ayidaxi finished drinking the milk tea, wiped his mouth, and said, "The income can be higher, and everyone is happy."

It was indeed the case. Whether now or in the future, the common people were actually quite content. If the income from the land could let the whole family eat their fill and eat well, and could satisfy normal expenses, it was almost enough.

If they encountered a year with relatively good prices, they could earn a few more yuan, add new clothes for the family, or add a big item for the family, then the smile on their faces at the end of the year would basically not disappear.

After both of them finished eating, they returned to the room together. There was no television installed in the room at this time, so Ayidaxi asked Li Long about fruit in Northern Xinjiang.

"There is very little fruit." Li Long answered truthfully, "Here, at least in Maxian County where I live, there is no large-scale planting of fruits that can be stored, such as apples and pears. There are peaches in summer, but there is no way to store them. Maxian and Shicheng are cold, and if you want to grow fruit, fruit trees need to be buried in winter, which is quite troublesome."

"Do you think it will be profitable if I pull a truck of apples to your place to sell in autumn?" Ayidaxi asked with interest.

"Hard to say. If the freight is expensive, it won't be worth it. But if you really come to sell fruit after the autumn harvest, there are still many people who want to buy it." Li Long thought for a while and said, "There are not many fruits sold in the market on our side, and the price is quite expensive."

Ayidaxi nodded and started to think about whether this matter was worth doing.

One of them was in Southern Xinjiang and the other was in Northern Xinjiang, separated by a Tianshan Mountain, and they were quite interested in each other's situation. When Ayidaxi learned that Li Long often went into the mountains to hunt, he said:

"Actually, when I was young, my dad also took us to hunt, and I even saw tigers and snow leopards! But now tigers can't be seen, and occasionally I hear herdsmen by the mountain say that there are still snow leopards coming down the mountain to eat sheep."

"A snow leopard skin is more than one thousand." Li Long calculated the economic account, "If there are tigers, a skin must be at least two or three thousand..."

"Is it so expensive?" Ayidaxi didn't hunt and didn't understand this, he said in surprise, "Is a skin worth so much money? Three thousand, you can buy a walking tractor!"

A walking tractor is that kind of grasshopper-leg tractor, which is cheaper than a small four-wheel tractor, and such tractors are relatively rare in Northern Xinjiang.

Li Long smiled and said:

"If there is little, it is naturally expensive."

"Some old hunters should have such skins in their homes." Ayidaxi thought for a while and said, "I'll go back and ask. If there are any, let them take them out to sell, which can also improve their lives. Leaving this thing to grow worms is not as good as selling it. On our side, life is still quite bitter. Don't laugh at me after I say it, like eating today, this is the first time for me."

"It's also the first time for me, let's not laugh at each other." Li Long said with a smile.

The two of them chatted and talked, which could be considered exchanging a lot of information, until very late.

The meeting was held at eleven o'clock the next morning. Both of them got up quite early. After getting up, they walked around the courtyard. After Li Long washed up, he went to eat, and then staff members gathered them together to explain the precautions for the meeting. It was explained very carefully, including that they should go to the toilet before attending the meeting later.

Listening to a twenty-three or twenty-four-year-old girl reminding them seriously to remember to go to the toilet later, Li Long felt it was still quite shameful, but he thought it was right. For the staff, this was their duty. If the reminder was not in place, what if someone had an urgent need during the meeting? Such a possibility definitely existed. After all, everyone attending the meeting at the moment looked quite excited, and not everyone could think of this matter.

Remembering the precautions, Li Long and the others then dispersed, packed their things, carried meeting supplies, and prepared to attend the meeting.

Li Long went to the toilet as required and carried the meeting bag. His own crossbody bag and that bag of jade wrapped in newspapers were placed in the bedside cabinet.

Came out to gather, and then led by the staff to take a bus to the Great Hall to attend the meeting.

Attending the Autonomous Region-level commendation meeting for the first time, it is possible that this will be the only time in this lifetime, so it would be a lie to say he was not excited. On the way, Li Long tried his best to press the corners of his mouth to maintain a calm expression, all the way to the Great Hall.

Living two lifetimes, attending such a large-scale meeting as one of the protagonists for the first time, it would be impossible not to be nervous and excited.

Entered the Great Hall, looking at thousands of faces looking at himself, at that moment he felt his blood rushing to his head, and thunderous applause rang out. At that moment, Li Long even felt that even if he died now, it would be worth it.

Next, he followed the queue to sit down in a daze, waiting for the leaders on the podium to arrive, the meeting began, everyone stood up to play music, the presiding leader gave a speech, presented awards, etc.

Each advanced individual received a certificate and a cash reward of one hundred yuan. If converted according to the salary, it was equivalent to ten thousand yuan in later generations, which was not small.

After the advanced units and individuals were commended, the leaders gave speeches. The one who came and sat in the middle of the podium was a vice chairman. When he gave a speech, Li Long heard a sentence very clearly:

"... Ethnic unity work is very important, especially here with us. I think the words said by a little comrade are very vivid. Only when our ethnic masses hold together tightly like pomegranate seeds can we do a good job in ethnic unity. We ethnic groups live together on this land, just like brothers and sisters, we are equal..."

Alright, the influence of this sentence has expanded again.

After the meeting, the advanced individuals and leaders took a group photo. After taking the photo, that vice chairman specially found Li Long, held his hand, and said:

"Comrade Li Long, your ideological awareness is very high, and the things you have done are also worthy of learning by the ethnic masses. That sentence of yours was said very well. I believe that you can do better in this regard in the future. If you have any difficulties, you can raise them to the organization in time. The organization is your strong backing..."

Zhang Xin Hua not far away snapped this photo, preparing to put it on tomorrow's daily newspaper.

After the leader finished talking to Li Long, he left the venue. Li Long hurriedly went to Zhang Xin Hua, smiled, and said:

"Reporter Zhang, that photo taken just now, can you wash one for me?"

"Okay." Zhang Xin Hua said with a smile, "When are you going back?"

"Going back today. If it can't be washed out for a while, can I come to find you to take it when I come over?" Li Long asked.

"No need, no need. Your group photo will be mailed to the unit later, I will mail the photo and the group photo to you together later. Is one enough?"

"That... two?" Li Long guessed that with the personality of Director Wei or Li Xiangqian, they would want the group photo, and they might also want this photo.

!.

Ended the meeting, the staff led these advanced unit representatives and advanced individuals to leave the Great Hall and return to the guesthouse. Next, they provided a train ticket for everyone.

The guarantee was very in place.

The staff also took the initiative to say that if they didn't leave today, the guesthouse would also provide today's lunch and dinner, and they could continue to stay here for one night and leave tomorrow.

Li Long knew the implication, they could stay for one more night tonight, and they must leave tomorrow.

Seeing it was almost noon, Li Long decided to have another lunch at the guesthouse and return to Maxian County in the afternoon.

Lunch was still sumptuous. Ayidaxi was also there. When chatting, he told Li Long that he would take a bus back to Aksu in the afternoon.

"Maybe there will be a chance to go to your Maxian County to sell apples in the future."

"Then I will welcome you with both hands. When the time comes, I will treat you to the mixed noodles on our side." Li Long joked, "I am in the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, you will definitely be able to find me when the time comes."

"Supply and Marketing Cooperative is a good unit." Ayidaxi's eyes lit up, "There are many procurement tasks. Some of our good-quality apples will be bought by the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, saying they are to be sent to Wucheng and the interior."

"Yes, the Supply and Marketing Cooperative indeed has many such tasks every year." Li Long nodded. He wouldn't solicit business for the Supply and Marketing Cooperative on his side—first, he didn't know if it was needed, and second, the distance was too far, so the travel expenses were hard to calculate.

After eating, Li Long didn't rest. He got his things from the room, said goodbye to Ayidaxi, and then went to say goodbye to the staff in charge here. At the entrance of the guesthouse, Li Long saw Reporter Zhang Xin Hua again. She was holding paper and pen interviewing a representative of an advanced unit.

Seeing Li Long, Zhang Xin Hua smiled. Li Long walked over, took out a newspaper-wrapped package the size of a fist from the crossbody bag, and handed it over, saying:

"Reporter Zhang, thank you. I am going back now. This is a little gadget I bought when I came here this time, giving it to you as a small gift."

The things wrapped in newspapers casually didn't look like valuable things, and Li Long was stuffing them directly into her hand, so Zhang Xin Hua took them over smoothly. She was still interviewing and couldn't reply. Li Long waved his hand and left.

Li Long didn't go directly to Bayi Guesthouse to take a bus, but went to the department store first. Since he had come here once, he had to buy some gifts for his family to take back.

The weather had become hot, and you could see young girls wearing dresses on the street. Li Long bought a floral dress for Gu Xiaoxia at the department store, guessing that his wife would definitely like it.

Bought a pair of waders for his dad, the kind that reached the chest. Bought a hat for his mom, the kind worn by elderly people.

The eldest brother and sister-in-law were both wearing work clothes. There were work-cloth clothes like work uniforms for sale here. Li Long bought two pieces, which they could wear when working in the fields.

Bought a cool hat for the second sister-in-law, and then toys for the four children, the kind of toys that could move when you twisted the spring like a tin frog, four different kinds, which could be exchanged to play.

After buying, Li Long carried a bag of things and rushed to Bayi Guesthouse.

There were more people taking buses here than before. Li Long bought a ticket for an hour later. He estimated that by the time he returned to Maxian County, it would be almost dark.

Nothing special happened on the way. Li Long listened to the people beside him talking in his seat, mainly about rising prices, and guessing this year's grain prices. Looking at both sides of the road, the main crops planted in the strip fields were corn, oil sunflower, and wheat. There were farmers working in the fields. There were relatively few tractors, and more horse-drawn carriages and donkey carts were parked by the fields.

Occasionally, you could see tractors driving with a "tut-tut-tut" sound on the road, and then turning into a certain fork in the road, or being overtaken by cars and disappearing behind.

Li Long thought that this time, the subsequent events triggered by being in the newspaper should be over, right? He would go back, report to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative tomorrow, report the situation, and then he could almost be busy with his own things.

What Li Long didn't know was that Halimu had come down the mountain today.

After spending almost a month on the mountain, Halimu was ultimately not very at ease with his family. He told Yushanjiang, rode a horse, and brought things out from the summer pasture.

Halimu first went to his winter nest. Everything here was as usual, and there was no change. No one came to live here, which was quite good.

Halimu also turned to Li Long's wooden house. The wooden house door was locked, and there was no trace of having lived in it in the short term.

Then he rushed to the livestock team's guard point. His mother and children were staying at home. Although there should be someone to take care of them at the guard point, they were not his own people after all, so he was not at ease.

But when he rushed to the livestock team and saw his own house from a distance, he couldn't believe his eyes.

Was that his home? When he left, the house didn't look like this!

Now the house was new, the courtyard was new, and the road from the courtyard to the outside had also been paved.

Halimu rode his horse slowly to the courtyard gate. He saw the pressure well.

His mother was sitting on the threshold, and other guard villagers of the livestock team were queuing up at the pressure well to press water. A stream of clear water flowed out from the wellhead and into the bucket.

Halimu licked his lips. The water was completely different from the river dam water outside.

It should be very sweet, right?

The old lady saw Halimu, smiled happily, and said a string of words in her mouth.

Others in the courtyard also saw Halimu, and they greeted him one after another.

Halimu responded one by one, and after these people left, he asked his mother the reason for the changes at home.

Finally, he knew, it turned out to be Li Long.

The old lady said many words to Halimu, and Halimu nodded repeatedly.

Halimu went to Yushanjiang's home. Yushanjiang had some things for him to bring back. He found that there were also big changes in Yushanjiang's home.

And at the livestock team's guard point, their two families had the biggest changes, just like new ones. There were also some people queuing up to use the pressure well in Yushanjiang's home. Halimu heard someone saying that the well water was really good.

In the afternoon, Nasen and Sasken came home from school. Halimu saw the new school bags on the children's backs.

At this moment, he had mixed feelings. Having such a brother is really good, very good. (End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 518 =====