Chapter 270

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

Over the next few days, whenever guests came to the house, they would casually ask about Wang Dashan's girlfriend, and each time they asked, Wang Dashan had to force a smile and tell a lie.

This put him through torment.

He felt staying in his hometown was utterly pointless.

So on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, he couldn't wait to return to Guangzhou.

Wang Erhai had originally wanted to stay in the hometown a few more days, but seeing Wang Dashan leaving, he had no choice but to go along with him.

After all, going to Guangzhou together meant having someone to look out for each other.

Wang Erhai had also planned to ask Wang Dashan for advice on picking up women; these past days he had sent New Year's greetings to Xiao Mei, but unfortunately Xiao Mei didn't reply.

He wanted to ask Wang Dashan how to handle this situation.

But seeing Wang Dashan's current state, he probably hadn't gotten over the shadow of the breakup, so it wasn't appropriate to ask.

With Wang Dashan and Wang Erhai gone, the house became empty and quiet again, returning to its usual stillness.

After Wang Xiaohua returned from visiting relatives on the second day of the Lunar New Year, he buried himself in his studies; although school hadn't started yet, almost every day aside from mealtimes he stayed in his room studying.

This afternoon, Li Xiulan had a rare moment of leisure.

She sat on a bamboo chair in the courtyard, staring blankly at the empty courtyard.

The New Rural Construction project would not resume until after the Lantern Festival.

That's the custom here — generally no construction during the New Year, starting work during the New Year is inauspicious, only after the Lantern Festival passes can work begin.

And during this period before the Lantern Festival arrives, things are exceptionally idle.

Now the relatives have been visited, and aside from some housework, there's nothing else to do.

So Li Xiulan could only sit in the courtyard in a daze.

She was worried about Wang Dashan, afraid this eldest son of hers would neglect his work because of relationship problems.

So she took out her mobile phone, wanting to call Wang Dashan and say a few words to him.

This New Year Wang Dashan had specially bought her a new phone.

Although during the New Year the three sons had taught her how to use it, she was old and her memory wasn't good; now taking out the phone, she discovered she actually didn't know how to use it.

The usage methods she had learned before, after not tinkering with them for a few days, she had already forgotten most of it.

Li Xiulan looked at the phone screen, not daring to press buttons randomly, afraid she would break it and wouldn't know what to do.

Current phones are very smart, but they've also become less convenient.

The old feature phones, she might still have figured out how to use after fiddling a bit.

Just press the numbers on the keypad to make a call.

But current touchscreen phones aren't that convenient; one careless touch and you might tap something else.

She wanted to find Wang Xiaohua for help, have him use her phone to call Wang Dashan.

But thinking Wang Xiaohua was studying, she didn't want to disturb him.

So in the end she put the phone away.

Thinking she'd call Wang Dashan at dinnertime tonight instead.

The sun gradually tilted west, the clouds at the horizon burned with fire, beautiful yet carrying a touch of desolation.

It was time to make dinner.

Li Xiulan stood up and went to the vegetable garden, preparing to pick some choy sum to stir-fry.

The braised pork from the New Year hadn't been finished; using the braised pork's oil to stir-fry greens, it's fragrant.

Arriving in the vegetable garden, Li Xiulan first weeded the vegetable plot, throwing the weeds into the pigsty in the garden to feed the pigs, then went to pick the choy sum.

Just then, Zhang Zhongtian arrived.

"Xiulan, there's something I need to talk to you about."

Zhang Zhongtian stood at the fence outside the vegetable garden, greeting Li Xiulan.

"Party Secretary Zhang, what is it?"

Li Xiulan thought Zhang Zhongtian was going to talk to her about the New Rural Construction, so before he could speak, she added:

"The New Rural Construction matter, you can just discuss with Wang Zhanggen; you telling me doesn't help, I don't understand it much. The Cultural Room renovation and the Mountain Spring Water Project are all handled by him."

However, to Li Xiulan's surprise, Zhang Zhongtian said:

"It's not that matter. I've already discussed that enough with your husband. What I want to talk about now is another matter!"

"Oh?" Li Xiulan's face showed a hint of surprise.

Zhang Zhongtian said:

"Your family raises two pigs, right? The Town Government just issued a policy: starting this year, rural areas can't slaughter pigs casually. You'd better deal with these two pigs quickly."

Li Xiulan was stunned:

"Even Zhu Rou Rong can't slaughter pigs anymore?"

Previously, the pigs raised by villagers in Shangou Village and several nearby villages were all slaughtered and sold with the help of Zhu Rou Rong; the pigs Zhu Rou Rong slaughtered were also delivered to restaurants in town.

Because they were home-raised native pigs, they tasted much better than feed pigs outside, so the town restaurants ordered quite a lot.

Zhu Rou Rong thus made a living, supported his daughter, and lived a decent life.

"Not anymore. He doesn't have a slaughter license. From now on, all pigs must be taken to the town slaughterhouse for centralized slaughter, supposedly for environmental protection and food safety. If Zhu Rou Rong wants to keep selling pork, he has to go to the town slaughterhouse to purchase stock."

Li Xiulan's face showed astonishment and puzzlement; her first reaction was:

"For environmental protection, why not go after those chemical plants? What's the point of messing with this?"

Zhang Zhongtian gave a dry laugh:

"I don't know about that. Anyway, the higher-ups have issued such a policy, and we people below just follow orders. Pig Rou Rong can't slaughter pigs starting next month. If you find it troublesome and don't want to drag them to the Town Slaughterhouse for centralized slaughter, then hurry up within this month and have Pig Rou Rong help you kill and sell your pigs."

Li Xiulan asked at this time:

"Does it cost money to have the Town Slaughterhouse help slaughter?"

This was what Li Xiulan cared about most.

If having the Town Slaughterhouse help slaughter didn't cost money, then dragging them there to be slaughtered wasn't a big deal; at most it was just a bit more troublesome.

However, Zhang Zhongtian said:

"Why wouldn't it cost money? They're not doing charity. It's one hundred yuan per pig for the slaughtering fee!"

Li Xiulan immediately exclaimed in surprise:

"That expensive!"

Zhang Zhongtian gave a dry laugh:

"The whole town has only one slaughterhouse. Could it not be expensive? They're monopolizing the business. Others want to open a slaughterhouse but can't get it started; they need permits!"

Li Xiulan gave a wry smile, and for a moment didn't know what to say.

In the past, when facing such things, she might have gotten angry for a while and said some words to vent her emotions.

But now she was old, and she was used to such things.

Apart from a wry smile, she had no other reaction.

She only said:

"Fine then. I'll go find Pig Rou Rong in a few days and ask him to help kill the pigs. These two pigs aren't very big yet; I was still thinking of waiting until winter to kill them."

Zhang Zhongtian suddenly said at this time:

"I heard Niu Chunsheng is one of the bosses of the Town Slaughterhouse. If you really can't bear to kill your two pigs for now, when you drag them to the slaughterhouse in winter, just say hello to Niu Chunsheng in advance. Maybe he can waive the slaughtering fee for you."

Surprise appeared on Li Xiulan's face again:

"Niu Chunsheng is actually one of the bosses of the Town Slaughterhouse!"

Zhang Zhongtian said with a laugh:

"That's right. Niu Chunsheng is doing very well now! He has connections with many leaders in the town. Additionally, he opened a supermarket in the County Town. I heard he even bought a house in Tianhe, Guangzhou! We can't afford to associate with people like him!"

Hearing this news, Li Xiulan's head buzzed a bit.

Unconsciously, memories of the past when she and Niu Chunsheng ran a convenience store together came to mind—Niu Chunsheng's enthusiasm, Niu Chunsheng's smile, all the care Niu Chunsheng showed her. Those memories played in her mind like a movie screening, clear and visible, vivid as if it had happened yesterday.

In a flash, more than half a lifetime had passed.

And the gap between her and Niu Chunsheng had long been an unbridgeable chasm.