Chapter 45: Chapter 43: A Price Hike?

“I’m telling the truth.” Liu Fang stood up and walked toward the kitchen, muttering, “He can’t stand the sight of us, but he thinks that hoodlum Liu San is just wonderful.”

Hearing her muttering, Xu Chunyan gave her an affectionate pat. “You’re a young lady. What kind of way is that to talk, going on like some old gossip?”

Liu Fang pouted. “I just can’t stand how he always sides with Liu San and the others.”

Xu Chunyan felt a little upset hearing that. “Just focus on your studies. Try to pass the exam next year and get an official job in town. Then we’ll see if your father still dares to look down on anyone.”

Liu Fang hugged her arm. “Don’t worry, Mom. I’m studying every day.”

As Sun Xiuhua left Liu Guozhi’s house, she saw Liu Jinbao riding his bicycle away. “Jinbao! It’s time for dinner! Where are you off to?”

“I’ve got something to do. I’ll be back later,” Liu Jinbao tossed over his shoulder, pedaling away at top speed.

“That little brat,” Sun Xiuhua cursed angrily at his retreating figure. “Lazy enough to be blown over by the wind during the day, but at night, not even a dog could catch him.”

Liu Jinbao arrived at Zou Zhonggui’s house and saw him squatting in the dilapidated courtyard. Pushing his bike in, he pulled some money from his pocket and stuffed it into Zou Zhonggui’s hand.

He pointed a finger at him, warning, “Old Gui, you listen up. This is the last time I’m giving you money. If you come looking for me again, don’t blame me for getting rough!”

Zou Zhonggui pocketed the money and, with a fawning grin, pulled him toward the house. “Don’t worry, my friend, I’m a man of my word. I knew you were coming, so I invited Zhang Hua and Ye Gang over for a game of Che Dou Shisi. You in?”

Liu Jinbao shot him a sidelong glance. “Of course I’m in. You think I’m scared?” ’If my luck is good,’ he thought to himself, ’I might even win back the money I just gave him.’

Zou Zhonggui glanced at him. “Right, *I’m* the one who should be scared.” ’The trap is all set,’ he thought. ’My only worry was that you wouldn’t show up!’

A little while later, Zhang Hua and Ye Gang arrived with their arms slung over each other’s shoulders.

Zou Zhonggui pulled out a deck of Sichuan cards. “Liu San, will you be the dealer, or should I?”

“I will!” Liu Jinbao sat down with a flourish. The four of them began to gamble, shouting and hollering.

***

Li Xiangyang returned to the Eucalyptus Forest, carrying his back-basket. He lifted the smaller basket out of it, then flipped the back-basket over and set the smaller one on top to act as a stand.

He squatted down and looked at the snow-white kidney bean rolls in the basket. He picked one up and took a bite. It was fragrant, sweet, and refreshing. After finishing the first, he immediately grabbed another.

“Are they any good?” a young man in glasses asked him.

Li Xiangyang swallowed the rest of the roll. “Delicious. Want a couple?”

“I’ll take three, and two bags of broad beans.” The man in glasses glanced at him. “Where’s the usual seller?”

“She had a family matter to attend to, so she asked me to cover for a couple of days.” Li Xiangyang took out a bag, used bamboo tongs to pack three rolls, and grabbed two bags of broad beans to hand to the man. “That’ll be exactly one yuan.”

The man in glasses paused. “Did the price of the broad beans go up?” He had assumed the pastries were ten cents each at most.

“No.” Li Xiangyang smiled at him. “The kidney bean rolls are especially difficult to make, so they cost a bit more. I’ll let you in on a secret—these are the kind of pastries once served to the emperor.”

The man glanced at the kidney bean rolls in the basket. “Are they made by the person who makes the broad beans?”

He figured the woman who made the broad beans was very skilled, so if she also made these rolls, they couldn’t possibly taste bad.

Li Xiangyang smiled and offered him a small sample piece that Lin Lan had set aside for tasting. “It’s all her handiwork. I could never make something like this.”

The man tasted it and found it delicious. “I know, you’re the meat seller,” he said with a smile, then paid and left with his purchase.

After that, several of Lin Lan’s regular customers came by. They bought their usual broad beans, but their eyes were drawn to the red-and-white kidney bean rolls. After trying a sample, they agreed the rolls were as delicious as they were beautiful.

But when they heard the price was twenty cents apiece, they all balked a little.

So Li Xiangyang launched into his sales pitch again, boasting about how they were a pastry once served to the emperor.

Most were persuaded to buy a couple to try, and in the end, the kidney bean rolls sold out first.

Li Xiangyang did some quick math. The forty-some kidney bean rolls had earned eight or nine yuan, and the broad beans brought in almost twenty more. All told, he’d made close to thirty yuan.

’Not bad,’ he thought. ’It’s hard work, but a month of this would earn more than a dual-income couple from the vehicle factory.’

As he packed up his stall, he remembered what Dongzi had said at dinner last night. ’The authorities are turning a blind eye for now, because things have already opened up in other places.’

’Once things open up here too, I could get a storefront at one of the markets. I could sell fresh meat out front and have a pot of braised chitterlings, some boiled blood curd, steamed ribs, and stewed pig’s trotters simmering inside. Business would be booming.’

’I should remind her to start saving for a shop. Then she wouldn’t have to work this hard.’

The thought of chitterlings and blood curd made him decide to bring some for Grandma Yang and Lin Lan tomorrow.

Zhou Xiaohong came over, her own back-basket on her back. “Xiangyang, did Little Lin make something new today?”

“Mhm.” Li Xiangyang didn’t look up, busy putting his meat cleaver into his back-basket. Noticing Zhou Xiaohong was still lingering, he said, “Sister Zhou, aren’t you heading home? Doesn’t your Littlebo have to go to school today?”

“Oh, right!” Zhou Xiaohong slapped her forehead and scurried off.

Then a few more people came over, making idle small talk.

Li Xiangyang watched Xue Gui’s retreating back, feeling puzzled. ’What’s with everyone today?’

Li Wu came over with his back-basket, a sly grin on his face. “Xiangyang, you’ve been busy today!”

Li Xiangyang shot him a disdainful look. “You’ve got that shifty look in your eye. If you have something to say, just spit it out.”

Li Wu took a step closer and lowered his voice. “Are you and Lin Lan an item now?”

Li Xiangyang finally understood. So that’s why everyone was packing up but not rushing home, choosing instead to loiter around and chat with him.

He slapped Li Wu hard on the shoulder and pointed a finger at him, hissing, “If I hear you spouting any more of this nonsense, don’t blame me for what happens next!”

Knowing he was in the wrong, Li Wu gave him an apologetic smile. “Don’t worry, Xiangyang. If I ever say it again, may I be chased by the joint defense team every single day.”

“You’d better remember that. And go pass the word to the others. If I hear anyone else spreading rumors and ruining a person’s reputation, I won’t be so courteous.”

With that, Li Xiangyang put his meat cleaver into his back-basket, picked up Lin Lan’s basket with his other hand, and strode away.

Li Wu rubbed his sore shoulder, shaking his head. ’Damn, he hits hard,’ he thought. ’Never seen him get so worked up over someone before.’

Li Xiangyang carried the basket to the old lady’s house. He saw that her back gate was just as he remembered from years ago, with aspidistra planted on one side and gardenias on the other.

“WOOF! WOOF!”

Four-Eyed Big Black saw Li Xiangyang and pounced on him affectionately, its face alight with a doggy grin, its tail wagging so hard it looked like it might break off.

“Hey!” Li Xiangyang laughed, squatting down to pat Big Black’s head. “You little guy, you’ve gotten so big! You still remember me?”

Four-Eyed Big Black was from a litter born to his family’s dog. Out of the five or six puppies, he was the only one who had a face that looked like it would bite its own kin.

’A dog’s memory is a strange thing,’ he mused. ’He was just a tiny pup when I brought him here, but he still recognizes me after all these years.’

“WOOF! WOOF!” Big Black barked at him affectionately.

Hearing the commotion, the old lady opened the back door. Seeing Li Xiangyang, she waved happily. “Xiangyang! Come in, come in and sit down.”

Li Xiangyang followed her into the house, looking around with a smile. “Grandma, it’s been five or six years since I’ve been here, hasn’t it?”

“That’s right. The last time was the year Ding Bang got married. In the blink of an eye, it’s been seven or eight years.” The old lady gave him a playful, chiding look. “If an old woman like me doesn’t visit you, you won’t ever come to see me, is that it?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep