Chapter 149: Starting with the Children

Actually, it wouldn't have mattered if he hadn't ridden it back, because due to his part-time job, who could catch Li Xuewu's handle?

But Li Xuewu didn't want to give his subordinates and leaders the impression that he was greedy.

He rode his bicycle home with the after-work crowd.

When he arrived home, he happened to catch Old Biaozi and the others returning one after another, reconciling accounts with Da Lao and moving the scrap goods from the tricycle to the open space.

Good heavens!

Chicken and duck feathers, waste batteries, toothpaste tubes, meat bones, broken glass, broken cotton wool, cloth scraps, eye drop bottles, various material bottles, "worn shoes" of all colors, long and short braids, crumpled and dirty waste paper, light bulbs, fluorescent tubes...

Li Xuewu used the car key to poke through the various scraps on the tricycle and found nothing useful.

"Not a bit of copper or iron, no old newspapers, no old appliances, let alone antiques or calligraphy. Third Uncle, the book you have has become a 'dragon-slaying technique'—useless here!"

Wen San'er was also a bit decadent, listless and silent.

Old Biaozi and the other two didn't think there was any problem; riding the tricycle around the alley was quite interesting, especially the thrill of doing business.

Today was the first day, and the four of them had just eaten a quick lunch at home before going out. They were exhausted and hungry now.

They quickly sorted the scraps and put them into storage. Old Biaozi and the others went into the room to wash their hands and eat with high spirits.

Only Wen San'er lit a cigarette, frowned, and sat on the threshold in a daze.

Li Xuewu waited for everyone to sit at the kang table. Seeing Wen San'er like this, he tapped the table with his chopsticks and shouted, "Third Uncle, come eat. After you finish, let's have a meeting; I'll analyze it for you."

Only then did Wen San'er extinguish the cigarette butt, stuff the half-cigarette back into the box, and get on the kang to eat.

Today, Da Lao made cornmeal buns and stewed pork with cabbage and vermicelli. She had sprinkled a bit too much soy sauce, but it looked very appetizing.

Shen Guodong and the others were eating happily, and Old Biaozi was even smacking his lips while eating.

Wen San'er was annoyed. Seeing his nephew eating like a pig, he gave him a kick under the table.

"Third Uncle, what are you doing!"

Old Biaozi was a bit stunned by the kick, and he complained with his mouth full of food.

Wen San'er said angrily, "Can't you eat without smacking your lips? With you like this, you still want to pick up girls? Go pick up a sow!"

Old Biaozi retorted indignantly, "I take after my grandfather..."

Before Old Biaozi could finish, Wen San'er interrupted, "Your grandfather married your grandmother at 16, and you're already 18 and still a bachelor. You don't learn the good, only the bad."

Da Lao comforted, "Alright, alright, let the child eat. He's been tired all day."

Old Biaozi took the opportunity to shout, "Exactly, I'm still a child, I'm still growing, why look for a wife?"

Wen San'er looked at his nephew, who had someone backing him up, and cursed, "Yes, a child of over 200 months. Stop growing your body first and grow your brain."

Old Biaozi hummed and ate, ignoring his Third Uncle, who was obviously unhappy today. He couldn't beat him or scold him, and he couldn't tear up the illustrated version of "Jin Ping Mei" that Third Uncle treasured to take revenge.

Li Xuewu watched them bicker without stopping them; it was just daily life, and it let Wen San'er vent.

After eating, Erhai and Shen Guodong helped Da Lao clean up the kitchen, and Li Xuewu took the account book to reconcile the accounts.

Chicken feathers, 4 cents a jin, collected 3 bags.

Duck feathers, 4 cents a jin, collected 2 bags.

Duck down, 7 yuan a jin, collected a bottom bag.

After looking, Li Xuewu closed the book, tapped the table, and asked, "Do you know why you can't collect good stuff?"

Wen San'er looked at Li Xuewu blankly.

At this time, the others who had finished cleaning the kitchen returned to the kang to sit.

Li Xuewu tossed a cigarette to everyone, lit it with a lighter, and then said, "First, the common people are having a hard time now. How much scrap can they have to sell? This is the general environment; it's not your fault. Collecting these is normal."

Old Biaozi and the others nodded wildly, but Wen San'er frowned and didn't speak.

Li Xuewu smiled, looked at Old Biaozi and the others, and said, "The second point is that you are only going into alleys. What you can collect there is the result of them saving up for a long time. You might not be able to collect so much in the future. You have to recognize this fact."

"Heavenly Descent"

Hearing this, even Old Biaozi and the others felt a bit discouraged.

Li Xuewu knew the team was hard to lead and had to be taught slowly.

"The third point is that you can only give money. Money has no attraction to the common people now."

Shen Guodong asked anxiously, "Brother Wu, what should we do?"

Li Xuewu waved his hand and said, "Let me finish."

Old Biaozi asked in surprise, "There's more?"

Li Xuewu pointed to the brand-new military coats that Old Biaozi and the four were hanging on the wall and said, "Look at what you're wearing. It's better than what the sales clerks at the supply and marketing cooperative wear. You don't look like scrap collectors; you look like you're going to pick up wives."

Hearing this, everyone showed a thoughtful expression.

Li Xuewu sneered, "Why are you dressing yourselves up so imposingly? To pick up girls? You have to dress even shabbier than those selling scrap."

Since these guys made money, they each bought a brand-new military coat and also bought a set for Da Lao.

Old Biaozi asked with a puzzled face, "Why? What does it matter what I wear? Can't I just collect what he sells?"

Wen San'er's brain turned fast. He slapped his thigh and said, "Oh, I see, that's how it is."

Old Biaozi hurriedly looked at Wen San'er and asked, "Third Uncle, what did you think of?"

Wen San'er said with a regretful face, "A woman asked me if I collected radios today. Later, when she saw me, she said she was just asking. Hi, so that's how it is."

After speaking, he said to the others, "Dressing shabbily means you're living worse than them. They have a heart to take care of you, won't be jealous of you, and will sell it. Also, they won't haggle, and no one will suspect you. Some things are inconvenient and they don't dare to sell them randomly. Furthermore, we dress well, but their scrap is dirty, and some people don't want us to touch it."

"Damn, so that's how it is. Is collecting scrap so complicated?"

Li Xuewu smiled, took a puff of his cigarette, and said, "There are many troublesome things. First, take turns going to various courtyards in the future. If the guards stop you, take out your work permits. Old Biaozi, didn't you carve a seal? Stamp them all and say you're serving the people by collecting scrap door-to-door."

Seeing Old Biaozi go to find the official seal, Li Xuewu continued, "Be polite when collecting. Those selling things in the courtyards are guards and service staff. Be sweet-talking; it doesn't cost anything anyway."

"Also, don't lack those things in the courtyards. Don't ask around randomly. Keep your mouths tight and be sweet. Flattery doesn't cost money."

"The second point is to persist in collecting in the large mixed-residence courtyards, because that is the foundation of our foothold. There are only four of us, but there are millions of people, and children make up half. In the future, start more from the children." ===== CHAPTER 150 =====