Chapter 104: Chapter 100: Have Someone Investigate Him

Li Shuiqing said respectfully, “I know a little about him. He’s a petty hoodlum. Before the new year, he and a guy named Old Gui were selling stuff from the production brigade on the black market. What about him?”

Li Xiangyang said in a low voice, “Have someone find out what else Liu Jinbao has stolen to sell. Also, look into what his uncle, Liu Guozhi, did while he was the production brigade leader.”

Li Shuiqing nodded. “Okay, I’ll tell Zhigang to have them look into it.”

“How’s Wang Zhixue’s stall business here? Is he still a hard worker?”

“His business is pretty good. The young man has a real knack for business. What’s rare is that he’s also steady and willing to work hard. Every day after closing up, he helps Zhigang clean the courtyard.

He brought his younger brother over two days ago. I heard from Zhigang that they were asking about the black market on the east side of town. It seems like they want to set up a stall over there.”

Li Xiangyang thought for a moment, then said, “Have Zhigang pass him a tip. And put in a good word for him over there, find him a spot for a stall.”

“Okay!” Li Shuiqing agreed. He took a ledger from the drawer and handed it to him. “This is the ledger from over there. The money for the joint defense team has already been sent.”

After looking through it, Li Xiangyang handed the ledger back to Li Shuiqing. “How’s the search for a place with a storefront on Vegetable Market Street going?”

“I’ve looked at two places. Both owners just had their names cleared and are planning to move to the provincial capital. We’ve pretty much settled the terms. You can go handle the transfer of ownership tomorrow.” Li Shuiqing was a little uneasy. “Xiangyang, are things really going to open up? What if it… happens again?”

“It’s different this time. Some places have already opened up, and it’ll reach us by next year.” Speaking of which, Li Xiangyang recalled what the old man had said. “Keep an eye out for any street-facing properties with storefronts, and those small Western-style houses. If anyone is selling, go talk to them.”

Li Shuiqing nodded. “Got it.”

The two talked for a while longer before Li Xiangyang left on his bicycle.

****

When Lin Lan got home, she saw Little Douzi in the courtyard feeding the chickens and walked over with a smile. “My Little Douzi is such a capable boy!”

Little Douzi looked up at her and said happily, “Mama, all the pastries sold out today.”

“That’s great!” Lin Lan took the bowl of chicken feed. “You must be hungry! Mama will make you a bowl of milk.”

Little Douzi shook his head. “I’m not hungry. Auntie boiled an egg for me.”

Lin Yuezhen had just set the table with egg and spinach soup and stir-fried lettuce stems with pork cracklings. Seeing Lin Lan return, she smiled and gestured to her, “Have you eaten?”

“I’ve eaten. I’m going to feed the pigs, then make some paste for the paper bags,” Lin Lan said.

Lin Yuezhen took a money pouch from her satchel and gave it to her before sitting back down to eat.

Lin Lan took out the ten-yuan bills and put them away safely, then put the change back in the pouch. She started feeding the pigs and cooking the paste.

Before bed, she mixed a bowl of milk for Little Douzi to drink. Looking at his rosy cheeks, which had filled out since he started putting on weight, she thought, ’When this is gone, I’ll need to find Li Wu and buy a couple more bags.’

The next day at noon, Wang Zhixue came back from the early market and told Lin Lan about how Yang Zhigang had taken him to the east side of town and found him a stall.

“Auntie, I saw that the things for sale at the black market over there are all high-quality flour, and some food items I’ve never seen before.”

“If you’re selling food, you have to be meticulous about cleanliness. The white cloth lining your basket must be washed every day!”

“My mom prepared several for me. I change it out every time.”

Lin Lan nodded. “Did your father agree to your mother’s conditions?”

“He agreed to let Mom manage all the family’s money. From now on, when my aunts visit, we’ll treat them politely, but other than that, it’s the same as before—Mom gets to decide how to handle it.”

“That’s good!” Lin Lan thought for a moment, then looked at him and said, “Zhilin isn’t as steady as you are. Let him watch the stall at the clothing factory, and you go to the one on the east side.”

Wang Zhixue nodded happily. “Okay! I’ll go tell him right now.”

“Go on!” Lin Lan went to scoop some beans, poured hot water over them to soak, and then returned to gluing paper bags.

In the afternoon, Yao Xiuyun delivered two bicycles to Lin Lan’s house, saying with a smile, “Big Sis Lin, I’ve brought the bicycles for you.”

“Thank you! Quick, come in and sit for a while.” Lin Lan smiled and took one of the bikes, and the two of them pushed the bicycles into the courtyard.

They were used 28-inch roadsters. The brakes had been replaced, as had the pedals and the seat. There was even a tire pump on one of the bikes.

Lin Yuezhen looked at the bicycles in the courtyard, stroking them and examining them as if they were priceless treasures.

“Xiuyun, thank you so much for helping me buy the bikes, getting them repaired, and even buying a pump for me.” Lin Lan gratefully brought a chair over for her. “Sit for a bit. How much was it in total? I’ll get the money for you.”

Yao Xiuyun looked at her with a beaming smile. “Exactly one hundred yuan.”

In truth, she had received the bikes that morning. Xiangyang had picked them up, had them repaired—even replacing the tires with brand new ones—and then sent them back to her house. She and Xu Dong had teased him relentlessly, saying the old iron tree was finally blooming, and once it started, there was no stopping it.

Lin Lan went inside to get the money. She also grabbed some mushrooms and took out some pea-flour rolls and kidney-bean rolls she had specially made, which had been cooling in the well. She packed them into a small bamboo basket, went back out, gave the money to Yao Xiuyun, and said sincerely, “Thank you, Xiuyun.”

Yao Xiuyun took the money, her smile warm and friendly. “Big Sis Lin, it was nothing. We’re not strangers, there’s no need to be so formal.”

Lin Lan smiled and nodded. “I don’t have many other skills, but my cooking is at least presentable.” She lifted the lid of the bamboo basket. “These are some pastries I made, and here are some dried shiitake mushrooms. If you like them, just let me know, and I’ll make more and send them to you.”

“You bet!” Yao Xiuyun laughed heartily. “My mother and my mother-in-law absolutely love your kidney-bean rolls and pea-flour cakes.”

“The kidney-bean rolls are good for digestion, help settle the stomach, and are great for your kidney energy. The pea-flour cakes are good for the spleen and stomach, help clear internal heat and toxins, so they’re perfect for hot weather.”

“Big Sis Lin, you even know about traditional Chinese medicine!”

“There was an old traditional Chinese medicine doctor who was sent down to our production brigade. I heard some things from him.”

The two of them sat and talked for a while longer before Yao Xiuyun took her bamboo basket and left for work.

Lin Yuezhen happily patted the bicycle and gave Lin Lan a thumbs-up. In the Shilian Production Brigade, only the brigade leader’s family had a bicycle; it was an incredible rarity.

Lin Lan was truly grateful to Yao Xiuyun. ’A bicycle like this, once fixed up, could easily sell for a hundred yuan.’

“Sis, I want to find time to make a trip back home and take one of the bikes back for Dad to use.”

Lin Yuezhen nodded and gestured, “Go ahead, don’t worry. I’ll be fine here at home.”

Lin Lan shook her head. “I plan to take the earliest bus home, drop off the bike, and then take the afternoon bus back.”

Right now, she had to supply goods to Zhou Xiaohong and the Wang Zhixue brothers. Lin Yuezhen only knew how to fry orchid beans and mash red bean paste. The kidney-bean rolls and pea-flour cakes still had to be made by Lin Lan herself.

She couldn’t afford any delays now; she had to save up enough money to buy a storefront property before the economic reforms were officially announced. Once the news was out and more people started businesses, the price of storefront properties would shoot up faster than bamboo in spring.

After they made their plan, Lin Lan went to buy a few bottles of liquor. She cut off a piece of the khaki cloth and the polyester fabric, packed the remaining can of milk powder and malted milk into the satchel, and after a moment’s thought, put the tire pump in as well.

She rolled up the now-empty burlap sacks, tied them with a rope, and decided to take them back to her parents’ home as well.

When Little Douzi woke up from his nap, Lin Lan told him she was going to take a bicycle to his grandpa.

Little Douzi looked at her, overjoyed. “Mama, we have bicycles now?”

“Mhm! Auntie Yao helped us buy them!” Lin Lan smiled and opened the door to the main hall, revealing the two bicycles parked side by side.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep