My 1995 Small Farm.

Chapter 980 Redefining
Without saying a word, Han Chuang charged towards Li Lianjie on the embankment, panting heavily.

A tall man, 1.9 meters tall, charged over excitedly.

This immediately alerted A-Chang, Li Lianjie's assistant.

"Hey! Sir! Please wait!"

Achang reacted extremely quickly, taking a step forward and spreading his arms to just barely stop Han Chuang, who was about to lose control of the vehicle.

He intentionally or unintentionally positioned himself in front of Li Lianjie, lowering his voice: "Excuse me, it's not convenient for us here, please don't come closer."

Han Chuang saw the living Li Lianjie, his face flushed with excitement, and he could barely speak:

"I...I'm looking for Brother Li...Brother Li! I just want an autograph! Just one! I'm Chen Ling's brother!"

In desperation, he brought up Chen Ling.

Holding a piece of paper torn from a canned food box, he didn't know whether to hand it over or accept it, looking rather embarrassed.

This shout and the attempt to stop the flow of water drew the attention of several tourists nearby who were watching the water.

Some people squinted, seemingly finding Li Lianjie, who was wearing sunglasses, somewhat familiar, but no matter how vivid their imaginations were, they would never connect this to Li Lianjie.

Jet Li, however, remained calm throughout.

His gaze fell on Chen Ling, who was looking this way from under the shade of a tree in the distance.

Chen Ling smiled helplessly and nodded slightly at him.

Jet Li smiled and gave an OK sign.

He then stepped forward and pulled his assistant aside, saying, "A-Chang, it's alright."

Then he looked at Han Chuang, who was half a head taller than him, and asked, "Are you Mr. Chen's friend?"

"Yes, yes, yes! I'm Han Chuang! I'm Ling Zi's classmate... and we're running a fish cannery and a dried fruit factory together now!"

Han Chuang was flattered when his idol took the initiative to talk to him.

He nodded hurriedly and introduced himself in a rapid-fire manner.

"Alright, since he's Mr. Chen's friend, then he's my friend too!"

Li Lianjie nodded, smiled kindly at him, and reached out to take the rather unremarkable "signature board".

The packaging boxes from that era were made of rough paper and were of slightly inferior quality.

It's even worse than the cardboard boxes used for express delivery in later generations.

The one Han Chuang was holding still had a slight fishy smell from the can.

Li Lianjie showed no sign of disdain, took the pen from his assistant, and signed his name.

Then he wrote three more characters, which he presented to Han Chuang.

The strokes are fluid, and the name is clear and powerful.

This thrilled Han Chuang.

"Thank you, thank you so much, Brother Li! I like you so much, I've liked you since I was little!!!"

The 1.9-meter-tall man was as excited as a 200-pound child.

"Don't mention it. I already said you're Mr. Chen's friend, so you're my friend too!"

Li Lianjie handed the signed piece of paper back to Han Chuang and winked at him.

Then he made a shushing gesture.

"However, Brother Han Chuang, we should keep a low profile. Now that you've got the autograph, please don't make a fuss or attract any crowds, okay? Let's all keep things quiet."

Han Chuang's loud shouting was hard to ignore.

"Yes, yes, yes! Certainly! Don't worry, Brother Li, I know the rules! I won't cause you any trouble!"

Han Chuang accepted the piece of paper with almost reverent hands.

He carefully folded it in half, then felt it wasn't right, so he quickly smoothed it out, and finally pressed it against the inside of his chest pocket like a precious treasure, repeatedly assuring it.

Chen Ling watched from a distance and laughed, thinking that the old man was being incredibly funny today.

"Hehe, I've met Li Lianjie! The real Li Lianjie!"

Han Chuang kept looking back as he ran back, like a giant monkey that was 1.9 meters tall.

Their joy was so intense that it was impossible to suppress or hold back.

"Brother Jie, he doesn't seem like someone who can hold back," A-Chang said, speechless.

Li Lianjie smiled and said in a low voice, "He is someone very close to Mr. Chen. Let's give him face and make a good connection. We should leave now, or we might really be recognized if we stay any longer."

Ah Chang finally breathed a sigh of relief; he had been genuinely afraid of causing a commotion in the crowd just moments before.

While quickly surveying the retreat route, he protected Li Lianjie and walked towards the jeep parked on the other side of the dam.

……

Han Chuang was practically flying, almost excitedly doing a somersault.

He returned to Chen Ling's side like a big monkey.

He's a father now, but he's no different from a thirteen or fourteen-year-old boy again.

"Lingzi! Lingzi! I'm here! It really is Li Lianjie! Alive! He even called me 'Brother Han Chuang' and spoke to me! He told me not to make a fuss. Hey, such a big star, but he's so down-to-earth! He's really a friend!"

Seeing his expression, Chen Ling couldn't help but shake his head and laugh, teasing, "Is it really that big of a deal? It's just an autograph, and you're acting like you've won a million dollars."

"Absolutely! Absolutely!"

Han Chuang felt no shame at all. Instead, he puffed out his chest and couldn't help but touch the inner pocket of his chest, as if the autograph was truly priceless.

"That's Jet Li! My idol! When I was a kid, I watched his movies the most in the video rental store, and I dreamed of being like him..."

"Haven't I told you many times? I almost went to the Shaolin Temple back then!"

He demonstrated two non-standard martial arts moves and then chuckled to himself.

After laughing, his eyes shone even brighter as he looked at Chen Ling, filled with undisguised amazement and admiration: "I'm telling you, Lingzi, you're really something now! You're amazing!"

He gave a strong thumbs-up and waved it in front of Chen Ling's eyes.

"Look at you, even a big international star like Jet Li is so polite to you when he comes to our remote mountain village. He gave me an autograph just now, that was clearly because of you!"
Just imagine, a few years ago, I wouldn't have dared to imagine this scene, I wouldn't have even dared to make it up in my dreams!

As he spoke, he became more and more animated, and memories of his teenage years—of being obsessed with the swordplay and chivalry of Hong Kong movies in dimly lit video arcades, with peanuts and soda—surfaced and intertwined with the glow of the present reality.

The alcohol-like excitement clouded his judgment, and a more "daring" analogy slipped out:

"With your current skills, connections, and style... hey, if it were a few years earlier, while you were still young, maybe we could have really managed to get together with someone like Joey Wong..."

The moment the word "soak" left his mouth, Han Chuang jolted awake and choked.

The second name was even more difficult to pronounce; I could only mumble half of it before I couldn't say it at all.

He suddenly covered his mouth, the rest of his words stuck in his throat.

All that was left were a pair of wide-eyed stares, a hint of panic in them, before they chuckled sheepishly.

Everyone knows how good the relationship is between Chen Ling and Su Su.

Now that I have three kids, I can't say such things anymore.

After all, he knew how much Chen Ling was infatuated with Joey Wong back then.

Those were people who almost abandoned their families.

Chen Ling was also taken aback when he heard this, clearly not expecting Han Chuang's thinking to be so abrupt.

He leaped directly from Jet Li to the screen goddess who had once amazed countless people.

But seeing Han Chuang's embarrassed and regretful expression, as if he wanted to dig a hole and crawl into it, was quite a sight.

He shook his head and smiled, not caring. What goddess? Stripped of the filter and halo of the screen, she's no match for his own wife.

Chen Ling tossed the can of fish in his hand to Han Chuang, and then bent down to pick up a can of apricots from the box.

With a small knife he carried with him, he skillfully pried open the lid, and a sweet and slightly sour aroma immediately wafted out.

"Don't just stand there, let's go to that shady spot over there and try the craftsmanship that your factory director personally delivered. That's what we really need to do."

"Hey, you've changed the packaging?"

"That's not the case!"

Upon hearing this, Han Chuang perked up again.

"After listening to your suggestion last time, I rushed to finish the packaging for the first batch of premium canned goods. Lingzi, what do you think of the design?" The packaging for the fish cans still maintains that simple style.

However, the glass bottle was replaced with a more delicate, slender-necked bottle.

The label was made of matte paper and featured a golden carp leaping out of the water.

A line of small print next to it reads: "Fugui Mountain Villa Spring Water Breeding".

"I've tried the canned fish, and it tastes just as good as it has in previous years."

Chen Ling picked up a bottle and examined it: "The packaging is definitely more upscale."

Han Chuang chuckled: "This batch of goods will sell quickly in the summer. The miners and truck drivers all love this canned fish!"

Chen Ling nodded without saying anything.

The canned fish was indeed good, but for him, the other product was what he really cared about.

Naturally, the canned apricots in my hand have a much more thoughtful packaging.

The bottle is a specially made short and stout bottle, sturdy and cute.

The label has a warm yellow background with several plump, round apricots hand-drawn on it, their golden flesh looking as if it's about to drip with honey.

The most distinctive feature is the small seal script character "庄" (Zhuang) printed in the lower right corner of the label, surrounded by a pattern of rice ears.

"This is...the font was designed too??"

Chen Ling took the bottle and carefully examined the character "庄".

"Yes, that's what the old master said. It makes him seem more cultured."

Han Chuang said seriously, "For regular canned apricots, we'll use our factory's original brand, but this premium line needs a special label."

Attention turned to the canned apricots.

"This is just a regular can."

Han Chuang said.

This means that it was made with apricots harvested from other villages in the county, and the label is simply red with yellow lettering.

The apricot flesh looked plump, and the syrup was clear.

Chen Ling took a bite and nodded: "It's good, the sweet and sour taste is just right, and it has an apricot flavor, but... the aftertaste is a bit weak, and the aroma dissipates quickly."

Han Chuang sighed, "The apricots from other villages in the county aren't sweet enough this year due to the abundant rainfall, so the factory added more sugar to improve the taste. But compared to your farm's apricots, even with added sugar, they're still far inferior."

Chen Ling didn't say anything, but picked up the can of premium apricot preserves.

The moment the glass jar was opened, a rich and refreshing apricot aroma wafted out.

The fragrance seemed to carry the moisture of morning dew in the mountains and the warmth of the sun, instantly filling the entire nasal cavity.

Even the little kids playing nearby were drawn over: "Daddy, what's that smell? It smells so good!"

"Uncle, what delicious food are you making again?"

"Uncle Fugui..."

A group of children came running over.

"You bunch of mischievous monkeys, you have a really good nose. Perfect timing, come and try this year's new canned goods," Chen Ling said with a smile.

Inside the jar, five or six whole apricots were soaking in crystal-clear sugar water, their flesh displaying a plump, almost transparent orange-yellow color, like fine beeswax.

The syrup was clear, with a slight golden hue, and its appearance alone was enough to make one's mouth water.

"Sixth Sister, go to the shack over there at the construction site and get a few bowls and chopsticks. I'll share the food with you..."

"Know it!"

Liu Ni swallowed hard, and she and Xiao Sen and the others turned around and ran to the construction site next to the dam.

Then he brought bowls and chopsticks for Chen Ling.

Chen Ling carefully picked up an apricot with her chopsticks and placed it in a small bowl.

The apricot flesh trembled precariously, as if it would melt at the slightest touch.

He first examined the texture of the fruit pulp.

Fine fibers with almost no coarse strands are a hallmark of high-quality apricots.

Then he took a bite.

The surroundings fell silent instantly, and all the children stared at him expectantly.

Chen Ling closed his eyes and savored the moment.

The apricot flesh melts in your mouth, and a refreshing sweetness instantly blooms on your tongue. That sweetness is not the cloying sweetness of sugar, but the concentrated mellowness of the fruit itself, carrying the scent of sunshine.

Then, a perfectly balanced sourness emerges, balancing the sweetness and creating a richer flavor profile.

The most amazing thing is the apricot fragrance, which is rich and long-lasting.

It's as if the essence of heaven and earth absorbed by the entire apricot tree through spring, summer, autumn and winter has been condensed into this one bite.

After swallowing, the aftertaste lingers, with a faint sweetness in the throat.

"Great!" Chen Ling opened his eyes, his eyes shining: "Chuangzi, the quality of this canned food is even better than I expected!"

Han Chuang breathed a sigh of relief and grinned, "Lingzi, I knew you'd say that! To be honest, when the experienced workers in the factory opened the cans and tasted them, they all said they'd never eaten such fragrant canned apricots in their lives."

Several elderly workers, who had spent half their lives in food processing, said that in the past, these apricots had to be picked out and offered as sacrifices to the gods and Buddhas.

Chen Ling knew perfectly well that it was actually the result of long-term nourishment by spiritual energy.

Although his orchard was not as full of spiritual energy as the cave.

However, trace amounts of products from the cave were mixed into the irrigation water and the occasional "special fertilizer".

Over the years, these fruit trees have become unlike ordinary trees, and the fruits they bear are naturally extraordinary.

"Here you go, Liu Ni'er, share this. Rui Rui, don't grab it, be polite."

After tasting the canned food, Chen Ling went to the tractor and carried down the box containing the premium canned goods.

After opening, distribute them to the dolls.

"Oh, Uncle Fugui is the best!"

"Daddy's the best, Rui Rui won't take it..."

The children cheered and rushed forward.

……

"Chuangzi."

Chen Ling said seriously, "My suggestion for this premium canned apricot is... to raise the price, and to raise it significantly."

"How much?" Han Chuang perked up.

"The regular version, the market price is probably around one yuan and twenty cents a can, right?" Chen Ling asked.

"Yes, our factory price is 90 cents, and the retail price is 1.2 to 1.5 yuan."

"The premium version has a factory price of 20 yuan and a suggested retail price of 25 to 30 yuan."

The number Chen Ling mentioned made Han Chuang gasp in shock.

"Lingzi, this...this is more than twenty times the original price!"

Han Chuang's eyes widened in surprise: "Isn't it too expensive? Can ordinary people afford it?"

He felt that Chen Ling was really asking for an exorbitant amount.

Even if a can of food is delicious, they dare to sell it for more than 20 yuan; that's too precious.

It's more precious than eating meat.

He could already picture people pointing their fingers at him and yelling at him.

"Chuangzi, listen to me."

Chen Ling put down his chopsticks and analyzed seriously: "First of all, this canned apricot is not made with ordinary apricots."

As you just said, even the experienced chef said these apricots are special.

This stuff has a limited production... My orchard only yields a few thousand kilograms of fresh apricots a year, which, when made into canned goods, amounts to a maximum of twenty to thirty thousand cans.