Chapter 177: Commune Establishment 3.0

"Ahem, fine, I'll have it cleaned up by tomorrow morning." Zhang Laohan felt bitter inside, yet he could not resist.

At five in the morning, two pots of water were already boiling, and Zhang Ping'an's two uncles arrived carrying Butcher Knives.

The three brothers set to work on the fat pig, scraping hair, removing the heart and lungs, and dismembering it; very soon, a fat pig was cleaned up.

The family kept five jin, and Zhang Ping'an packed up and took away the rest.

"Father, Mother, Grandfather, Grandmother, after the rice is planted, let's all go live in the city; we can just come back to check on things from time to time." Zhang Ping'an had been waiting for word from his father but had to bring it up himself.

"Let your father and mother go to the city; your grandmother and I can keep an eye on the rice here at home, and we'll go when winter comes."

"Alright."

Zhang Ping'an knew his grandparents couldn't stay in the city; there were many old men and women in the village, and they had peers to talk to, plus they were worried about how the rice was growing.

Zhang Ping'an detoured to the deep part of the Back Mountain, broke off two Tea Tree branches from his space, planted them by Dahu's cave, and watered them, leaving them to grow.

"Dahu, watch over these well, don't let the animals destroy them."

"Roar."

"Here is your reward." Zhang Ping'an stroked its massive tiger head, used a giant rock to chisel out a water trough, and filled it with Space Water; this would be enough for Dahu to drink for seven or eight days.

"In two years, I'll come to pick you up at this time and take you back to our hometown." This place was still too small, far less rich in resources than the Beijiang Tianshan.

Zhang Ping'an then released twenty litters of rabbits nearby as snacks for Dahu before heading down the mountain.

On the way back, Zhang Ping'an stored the pork in his space and handed over thirty wild rabbits and one pig hind leg to the factory; after all, he hadn't been there for six days, so he had to provide some explanation.

"Brother Zhang, is that tea of yours for sale?"

"Not for sale, and there isn't any extra to sell; even if I pick ten or so jin a year, it's not enough to go around. What's wrong? Did your father tell you to save it for drinking so he can pack some up again?"

Ever since his last visit to the Xu Family, Zhang Ping'an had come to his senses a bit, and after some questioning, that obedient child Xu Kun had decisively betrayed his father.

Moreover, although he hadn't gone to the Xu Family to pay New Year's calls, he had asked Li Huaide to pass on a portion, so logically, it shouldn't have been finished so quickly.

"..."

"My grandfather's old comrades-in-arms are too fierce; the fact that I can drink even one liang of the tea at home is only because my grandfather is their old Squad Leader."

"Ahem, then just follow your father's idea from now on and save it for drinking so you can pack some up."

"Brother Zhang, you really are my own brother."

"Then who is Xu Qian in the army?"

Xu Qian was Xu Baisheng's eldest son, who had always been in the army and rarely had time to come home; Li Huaide had told him this.

"Uh..."

"Alright, I was just teasing you, don't take it seriously. This year's black tea hasn't been picked yet, but I still have half a jin at home; I'll bring it to you tomorrow."

"Great! My grandfather still has plenty of good cigarettes; I'll swipe two more packs for you."

"Fine." Anyway, he wouldn't be the one getting beaten later.

Near the end of the workday, Zhang Ping'an slipped away early again. At the side door of the Pharmacy, Zhang Ping'an had ten jin of meat and two old hens in his hands.

"Grandmother, please distribute this meat among my father and the others; this is a pig we just slaughtered this morning. And these hens, keep them to lay eggs; Weijun and the others can eat them when they come over hungry later." Zhang Ping'an said this on purpose, fearing she wouldn't accept them.

"Good, good, good."

The more Grandmother looked at Zhang Ping'an, the more satisfied she was; he had not only inherited his grandfather's mantle but also brought them good things every few days.

Zhang Ping'an went into the Pharmacy to say a word to Wang Xiaoling, then took the two little ones home to cook.

"Uncle, who are you looking for?" Zhang Ping'an was busy in the kitchen when he heard Weijun and Weidong asking someone.

"Are you Weijun and Weidong? I'm here to find your father."

"Li Ge, why are you here? Come in and sit down. Weijun, Weidong, this is your Uncle Li."

"Hello, Uncle Li."

"Hey, what good children. Take these candies and eat them."

"Take them."

"Thank you, Uncle Li." The two little ones looked at Zhang Ping'an, and only after Zhang Ping'an told them to take them did they thank him.

"Hey, Ping'an, these two children of yours are truly likable. I came over this time because of my little sister; tomorrow is the seventh day."

"Fine, I remember. I'll go over and take a look this afternoon."

"Good, then I'll head back."

"Stay and eat before you go."

"No, no. You can just come to the Sub-bureau to find me this afternoon."

"That works."

Zhang Ping'an returned to the kitchen to get busy; a simple and unadorned meal of two dishes and one soup was soon ready: braised pork ribs, steamed Big Yellow Fish, and an Egg Soup.

"You two play in the yard; I'm going to pick up your mother."

"Okay, Father."

In less than ten minutes, Zhang Ping'an returned with Wang Xiaoling. The family of four had a lovely lunch. After a nap, he sent Wang Xiaoling back to the Pharmacy, and Zhang Ping'an went straight to the Sub-bureau.

"Let's go, Ping'an."

"Good."

The journey was swift. Li's father and mother were already waiting at home, and the young girl sitting to the side was clearly a bit restless.

"Xiaohua, rest easy."

"Mm."

"Put-put-put."

"That should be your brother back."

"Father, Mother, I've brought Ping'an."

"Uncle, Auntie, Xiaohua."

"Good, good, good."

"Uncle, Aunt, let me wash my hands; don't be nervous, Aihua."

As the gauze was unwrapped bit by bit, Li Aihua's hands were trembling slightly; Zhang Ping'an tapped it, and just as recorded in the prescription, the Ointment had already turned into something like a blood scab.

Zhang Ping'an tapped the blood scab away bit by bit, revealing pink skin underneath; the unsightly wrinkles from before had already disappeared.

"It's done, Aihua, open your eyes and take a look." The young girl had been covering her eyes and didn't dare to look ever since Zhang Ping'an started unwrapping the gauze.

Hearing this, Li Aihua opened her eyes and looked at her arm in disbelief, then tears flowed uncontrollably, and she buried her head in Zhang Ping'an's chest, sobbing, which left Zhang Ping'an feeling incredibly awkward.

"Ahem, Aihua, stop crying, this is a good thing."

"Mm." Li Aihua got up from Zhang Ping'an's chest, feeling embarrassed, and ran outside to look at her arm with joy.

"The effect is better than I imagined; two more times and it should be restored to its original state."

"Thank you, Brother Ping'an."

"Hehe, since you've already called me brother, why be so polite? Go wash up; later I'll apply two needles and then put on the Ointment."

"Mm, okay."

When the needles were being applied, the young girl still covered her eyes and peeked; after a quarter of an hour, everything was finished.

"It's still the same as before; keep at it for seven days, and one more time after that, it will be completely healed."

"Mm."

"Uncle, Aunt, then I'll be heading back first."

"Good, good, Ping'an, take this." Li Chuanjia handed over a box.

"Uncle Li, what is this?"

"Open it and see."

"A Browning M1911?" Zhang Ping'an opened it to see, and it was indeed a pistol and a row of bullets.

"Good eye; this is a war trophy I captured back in the day, and today I'm giving it to you. The Xicheng Branch Bureau will also issue you a sidearm, and I believe you will use it well."

"This... thank you, Uncle Li, I definitely won't mess around with it."

"Mm." Li Chuanjia nodded with satisfaction.

At the Xicheng Branch Bureau, Li Aiguo looked at the box in Zhang Ping'an's hands with envy; he had been coveting this gun for a long time, and he hadn't expected his father to be willing to give it away.

"Ahem, Li Ge, I'm heading back first; I'll come to collect the issued sidearm when I have time." Zhang Ping'an really couldn't stand Li Aiguo's burning gaze.

"That works too."

Early the next morning, Zhang Ping'an brought the tea leaves to Xu Kun, and Xu Kun lived up to expectations by bringing four cartons of cigarettes.

In July, Zhang Ping'an went home to transplant rice seedlings, and in August, the Commune was established, officially ushering in the era of the communal pot.