Return to 1983 Hunting Xing'an Mountains

Chapter 608: Picking up money everywhere, pure leather sofa covered with bear skin

After Meng Ziyan put on her new clothes, she folded the quilt and stacked it in the closet, then walked around the bed to tidy up the sheets. She was afraid that there would be blood stains on the sheets, so she checked for a long time. After making sure that they were clean and had no odor, she walked to the dressing table, found the wooden comb, and hurriedly combed her hair. She gathered her scattered hair into a ponytail, then hurried out of the house.

She was not shy or timid, but simply addressed the uncles and uncles in the living room generously, and they all nodded and smiled in response.

Meng Ziyan picked up the broom in the corner and was about to go to the east room to sweep the floor, but saw Liu Lizhen standing in the dining room with a puzzled look on her face.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

Liu Lizhen took a few steps back, stood in the north kitchen and glanced at the corridor, and asked, "Yan Na, why didn't you look at the ground before you went out?"

"Ah?" Meng Ziyan walked over in a daze, holding a broom. She glanced towards the west corridor and saw that in addition to melon seed shells and peanut shells, there was also a layer of banknotes scattered on the ground!
"Oh my god, mom, why are you throwing money away..."

Before Meng Ziyan finished speaking, everyone in the room laughed out loud. Chai Liangyu said with a smile, "Shouldn't a new bride ask for money on her first day?"

"That's not bad. Pick up all the money on the ground. You and Erning will pick up more and more in the future."

"Oh my, why is there such a surprise? I didn't know..."

Meng Ziyan's eyes lit up. She really didn't expect there was such a rule. Neither Liu Fenfang nor her sister or sister-in-law had told her about it before.

"Sweep it quickly."

"OK!"

Meng Ziyan walked over with a broom and started sweeping the floor from the corner at the end of the corridor, picking up money as she went along. She was very enthusiastic.

When Xu Ning came back, she had already swept more than half of the floor. She called out, "Would you like to sweep it twice?"

"It has nothing to do with him. As for the cigarettes, finish cleaning them and put them in your pockets. Don't leave any for that little bastard."

Xu Laonian said as he walked to the north kitchen to get the pickles.

"Ah, I'm not willing to bend down. I don't care about this little money."

"This guy is so awesome! Are you going to heaven?"

Liu Lizhen pushed Xu Laonian and said, "Don't quarrel so early in the morning, are you going to make a scene?"

"Mom, I didn't say a word back. Uncle, can you find another son like me?"

Chai Liangyu and the others grinned when they heard this. Ma Liu said, "There really is no other person like you. If I were to meet someone like you, I would slash you eight times a day."

"Hahaha……"

Xu Laonian was delighted to hear this. He finally had a brother who understood him.

Afterwards, Meng Ziyan hurriedly swept the floor, stuffed all the money in her two pockets into the drawer of the dressing table, and then turned around to wash her face.

By the time she finished washing up, the tables had been set up in the dining room and living room, and the tables were covered with leftovers, dumplings, porridge and other food.

Xu Ning went to the cellar and took out all the salted eggs. Wang Shujuan cut them in half and placed them on plates, making just three plates in total.

There were only three tables of people eating this morning, with about 40 people. After they were all seated, Meng Ziyan hurried over and said, "Uncle, Mom and Dad, I'm sorry, I got up late."

"Hey, it's not that you got up late, we got up early because we were in a hurry to go home!"

Yang Yusheng smiled and said, Wu Zhouliang said: "Not bad, we woke up at five o'clock, we get less sleep as we age."

Meng Ziyan pursed her lips and nodded with a smile on her face. Liu Lizhen said, "We don't have so many rules in our family. You are the same here as you are at home."

Xu Laonian looked at her face and said, "Don't keep a straight face when you're chatting. If my daughter sees you, she'll think you're unhappy."

"Get lost! You're the reason why I look so bad..."

"Hahaha……"

"Oops, I was wrong, okay? Let's eat quickly, or it will be dark soon."

Liu Lizhen turned back to the north kitchen and said, "Shuhua, Juan'er, you two go eat quickly. I'll cook dumplings for them."

"Let Juan'er go eat first. She will have to go home soon. I'm not in a hurry."

"Okay, let's eat later. Juan'er, you go eat first, and I'll let Dalong take you back after you finish."

Everyone has started eating. No one drank alcohol this morning, but they are still quite hungry as they eat dumplings, millet porridge, salted eggs and leftovers.

It was not until after 7 o'clock, when everyone had put down their chopsticks, that Liu Lizhen, Han Fengjiao, Yang Shuhua and Wu Qiuxia sat down to eat.

Chai Liangyu and the others were chatting in the living room. Meng Ziyan brewed two pots of tea. Xu Ning took a sip of water and said, "Third brother, are there many animals at home?"

"What's wrong? Are your hands itchy?"

Xu Ning smiled and said, "A little bit, indeed. I haven't been hiking in the mountains for a while."

"I don't know what happened this year. There aren't many livestock. Qiangzi and his men didn't kill many in the first few days. I guess this will be a cold winter."

"Yeah, I guess so... In the cold winter, there are always pigs. If you see any, send me a message and I'll go over."

Xu Laonian curled his lips and said, "Stop bragging. Why do you always go to the mountains? Besides, your third brother doesn't often go to the mountains, so why would he send you a message?"

"Uncle, it's okay. If I don't run in the mountains, someone else will. If Erning comes to Wangxing, I will go for a walk in the mountains with him."

Chai Liangyu said: "It has aroused the greed in your stomach. Since he followed Erning to the mountains several times last year, he has been bragging to everyone he meets, saying that he can kill a 300-jin wild boar with three knives..."

Xu Ning said with a smile: "Hey, uncle, my third brother is not bragging about this matter. I was watching from the side at the time, and it was indeed the case!"

"Look, Dad! Erning can testify for me."

Chai Shao said: "You can have fun, but you must be careful. Now you all have families, and Huzi and Leizi are getting married soon. Whether you go hiking or do business in the future, you must think before you do anything."

"Did you listen to what your eldest brother said?" Xu Laonian asked with his eyes wide open.

"Brother, I know."

At about 7:, the Wangxing Chai family, the Sandaohe Sun family, and the Wanye Wu family all left. When they left, Liu Lizhen didn't take anything with her. Why? It was still custom.

Old Xu's family sent them to the gate of the courtyard and watched everyone get into their cars and leave. At this moment, only Chen Hedong, Su Yawen, Guan Mei, Xiaobao, and Wang Shujuan, who was about to leave for her parents' home, were left at home.

Xu Long first sent Yang Yusheng, Sun Jishan, Xu Laonian and Wang Erli to the forest farm before coming back to pick up his wife. Xu Long had to stay at his father-in-law's house for a while before returning to the city with Yang Yusheng and Sun Jishan.

Inside the house, Chen Hedong, Xu Ning, Guan Lei and others were sitting at the dining table drinking tea and chatting, while Su Yawen, Meng Ziyan, Guan Hua and others were whispering in the west room. Silver bell-like laughter could be heard from time to time, making Guan Hua blush, for fear that the masters outside would hear it.

At around 8 o'clock, Zhang Jinbao brought Meng Yinhe to the door.

"Brother Bao!"

"I thought I'd quickly put the sofa in place before I leave, otherwise I don't know when I'll be back next time."

"Okay, it just so happens that we have nothing interesting to do here."

Wang Hu and Guan Lei went downstairs to get sponge and soft cowhide, and they started making the sofa on the platform under the eaves.

"Brother Bao, how is business going in the city?"

"I was just about to tell you, things are going well in the early stages. I bought two cutting machines and an electric planer, but business is a bit bleak, and there are not many customers coming to the store..."

Xu Ning frowned and asked, "Aren't there any old customers coming?"

"No, they don't know the news either. Besides, the regular customers are all far away, all in the surrounding counties." "Then you should do some publicity. You should understand from watching the news on TV that reputation is spread by shouting. Now that we have opened a store, we should publicize it and let more people know what we do and where the store is located."

Chen Hedong nodded: "That's fine, but publicity also requires strategy, otherwise why would others go all the way to the city to buy things from you?"

"This should be easy. Just go find the street leader and ask him to help you get it in the newspaper."

"It must cost a lot to be in the newspaper, right?"

Zhang Jinbao was a little worried because he, Meng Quezi and Xu Ning had already invested a lot. If they invested more money here, what would they do in case they lost money?
"It won't cost much. Besides, the location of the Xishan Street project is supported by the city. Can the newspaper ask you for more money? They just need a signboard! Brother Bao, as long as we can become a signboard in the market, the city will definitely support us with both hands, and we will have discounts on land use and rent."

Zhang Jinbao thought about it for a while and nodded: "That makes sense. We have been given a big discount now. I will go back and ask the people in the street office."

"Okay, if you feel unsure, then let my brother go with you."

"No, your brother is also very busy, I'll try it myself first."

After two hours, the sofa was finally made. Everyone placed it under the west wall of the reception room and stood in front of the coffee table to admire it.

Chen Hedong nodded and said, "Brother Bao's cooking skills are really amazing."

"Hey, this is my first time doing this, can't you see I'm a little unfamiliar with it?"

Xu Ning said with a smile, "The first time is new, the second time is familiar. Brother Bao, you should get a few more sofas like this, preferably the kind that you can sit on and sink into."

"The cost is high. The sponge alone would require more than ten layers."

Chen Hedong said: "My father-in-law's sofa is spring-loaded and cost 700 yuan. Brother Bao, if you want to make this kind of sofa, you can, but it depends on the profit."

"Spring? Then I have to go to the machinery factory and ask for the price..."

Xu Ning said: "Lian Sheng is in the machinery factory. I will ask him later and then tell you. As long as we can pay half of the profit, we can do this."

"Okay, it's up to you."

At this time, Liu Lizhen and others walked out of the house and exclaimed when they saw the finished sofa.

"Oh my god, this thing looks really serious!"

"Not really. Look at the leather. It's pure soft cowhide."

Zhang Jinbao said with a smile: "Auntie, please sit down and feel it. Is there anything else that needs to be improved?"

Liu Lizhen and the others sat down one after another, nodding their heads. She said, "Great! This thing should be comfortable! I was wondering what you put the whole wooden shelf for, and it turns out you put this thing here?"

Wu Qiuxia said: "This thing is much softer than the kang. Wouldn't it be very comfortable to sleep on it?"

"Of course!" Xu Ning said with a smile.

Yang Shuhua said, "When my brother goes hiking again this year, he will lay out two bear skins. Won't that keep him warm?"

"Hahaha, my sister-in-law really knows how to enjoy herself. She doesn't have to deal with bear skins after winter. My uncle Ma gave me two skins before..."

Han Fengjiao smiled and said, "Then let's get a few more bear skins, so that Juan'er, Yan and the others can use them when the time comes."

"Of course! Are you listening, son? Get me some more bear skins."

"Oh, I know..."

Zhang Jinbao and Meng Yinhe stayed in the house for a while and then left. When he returned to old Meng's house, he had to pack up and go to the city. After all, there were a lot of things waiting for him in the city, so Xu Ning did not try to keep him.

In the afternoon, Xu Ning, Chen Hedong, Guan Lei, and Wang Hu sat in the west room and played mahjong until Xu Laonian and Wang Erli came home.

That night, the old ladies were stacking paper and folding gold ingots in the west room, while the old ladies were chatting in the living room.

"Your Grandpa Zhang will retire tomorrow, so your mother and I gave him the money for the field. What's the matter with you and Yang Jun contracting 28 fields?"

"Ah, he doesn't have a lot of money, so he wants to find me to partner with him. Then we can work together. I don't have to take care of anything anyway."

Xu Laonian nodded: "Then you can find a time to give the money and sign a contract with him?"

"He is working on the transfer contract. I think it will be done in the next two days. What did my third uncle say at the forest farm today?"

Wang Erli said: "He didn't say much. It was mainly Sun Jishan who said it, but he chatted with your uncle Guo privately for half an hour. It seemed that the new leader who will come in a few days is also his family member."

"That's fine..."

Xu Laonian smoked a cigarette and said, "Your uncle Guo seems to be a little angry. You can try to persuade him when you see him later."

"What's the matter?"

"Who knows what your uncle said to him? He looked so sad."

Xu Ning waved his hands: "Oh, that's impossible! His sad face is for the people in the forest farm to see. If my uncle chatted with him for a while, he would smile when he went out. Who knows what others would think."

Xu Laonian and Wang Erli looked at each other and felt that what Xu Ning said made some sense, but Xu Laonian's rebellious heart got the better of him and he said, "You know nothing. What can you do by asking?"

"Okay, I'll ask later. What time do you want to go up the mountain tomorrow morning?"

"Just go after breakfast. Why are you in such a hurry? When are you going to Sandaohe?"

"Let's go on the 17th. Lianfang's wedding party will be on the 18th."

"..."

In the evening, around 9 o'clock, after Meng Ziyan helped him wash his feet, the two of them got into bed and chatted about family matters.

Xu Ning spoke fast and slow, making Meng Ziyan dizzy and holding her breath in her throat.

About half past one o'clock, the two of them were lying on the bed whispering, Meng Ziyan said: "Why is Uncle Ma nowhere to be seen all day?"

"He's used to living in the mountains by himself, so he's not used to living in a village all of a sudden. You don't have to be polite to him. The more polite you are to him, the more uncomfortable he will feel."

"understood."

Meng Ziyan already understood why Xu Ning brought Ma Liu down the mountain and let him live in his home. In addition to letting him mix with people, he also wanted to take care of Ma Liu in his old age and see him to the end of his life.

Xu Ning really didn't plot against Ma Liu. He never thought much about it before. He just felt that he and Ma Liu had a good chat and their relationship was getting closer and closer. Ma Liu also taught him how to keep bees, so he wanted to make his life better. Unexpectedly, Ma Liu directly gave him two bear gall bladders. The meaning was obvious. Since Xu Ning accepted the bear gall bladders, he must treat him like a real master and serve him wholeheartedly.

Meng Ziyan rested her head on his arm and asked, "Will Lianfang be given a red envelope at her wedding banquet?"

"Of course I have to give it. Our family can only give more, not less. I'll give you 10 yuan as a gift and 100 yuan as a red envelope."

"What about Lei Zi?"

"I'll slap them in the face, hahahaha..."

"Hey, don't be like that. How much should I give you? I need to prepare it in advance."

"Just give him 100, the same goes for Hu Zi and Xiao Hua."

"Yeah! Do you want to buy them something?"

Xu Ning hugged her and said with a smile: "You are quite generous. Buying them nothing is worse than giving them money, you know?"

"That seems to be the case."

(End of this chapter)