Shuangling: Braving the Rapids

"Chuan'er, why haven't I seen Liu Qing lately? She didn't even attend the New Year's Eve party. What has she been up to?" Qin Shoufeng couldn't help but bring it up again during dinner.

"Brother, you've asked me so many times, I really don't know. Anyway, her seat is empty every day except during class time. If she keeps missing classes like this, she'll be expelled from the math Olympiad class..." Yue Chuan explained, shrugging.

"So, should I still send that love letter? Maybe I should try pursuing Li Baihui instead... No, no, although Li Baihui is beautiful and talented, her father is the principal. If he blames me, I'll be in big trouble..."

Qin Shoufeng was just that kind of impatient and restless person. He kept babbling on and on, as if he could really win someone over.

Yue Chuan immediately rolled his eyes at his cousin, "Brother, I'm speechless. Final exams are coming up soon, and you still have the mind to think about these things?"

Qin Shoufeng ignored him, leaned closer to Yue Chuan, and whispered, "Hey, have you noticed? Liu Qing looks even better now that she's cut her long braid..."

Seeing his cousin swooning over a girl again, Yue Chuan didn't bother to persuade him anymore. He ate a few mouthfuls of rice and hurried back to the classroom for evening self-study—there was so much homework, even a top student like him had to catch up.

In the blink of an eye, only Qin Shoufeng remained at the table. He wasn't anxious about the exam, but rather troubled by love. If he knew that Liu Qing was currently washing dishes at the Xia Shang Restaurant to earn money, one wonders what she would think…

Around the time of Lesser Cold, a Siberian cold wave swept across the entire north, and the first snow of 1997 suddenly arrived. Amidst the wind and snow, people truly felt the bleakness of the harsh winter.

Cheng Dong is having a really tough time right now. To pay the fine, he sold his wholesale store at a discount, but even so, he still has a mountain of debt.

When the wholesale and retail business failed, Cheng Dong gritted his teeth and started long-distance freight transportation. The income in this industry was unstable, and the money he saved was just a drop in the ocean compared to his debts.

As the year draws to a close, the number of debt collectors is increasing. Cheng Dong is penniless and dares not show his face. During this time, he has considered borrowing money from his brother, but he always picks up the phone and then puts it down.

"You're just relying on having a few bucks! I, Lao Chengdong, will never depend on you in this life! I'll show you what I'm capable of!"

These were words spoken in anger during an argument between the two brothers, but now they have become an insurmountable obstacle between them.

Cheng Dong is the type who won't give up until he hits a wall, and he's also stuck with an older brother who likes to "endure hardship." It seems the rivalry between these two brothers will take some more time.

Being obsessed with saving face leads to suffering, and a relentless pursuit of strength comes at a price. Cheng Dong, with his wings still unfurled and no one to support him, wants to make a fortune—that's nothing short of a pipe dream.

In this situation, Cheng Dong met a few fellow villagers who were looking to make quick money. After some discussion, they decided to start a business selling tobacco.

The tobacco industry is a monopoly, and the same brand of cigarettes can have different prices in different places. Cheng Dong and his gang took advantage of this loophole, buying low and selling high across provinces, and quickly established a gray market chain in just a few months.

Cheng Dong's situation was utterly terrible, falling from a respectable businessman to a tobacco vendor. But reality is like that, more cruel than novels and more absurd than dramatic tales. Perhaps only those who forget what lies behind and face life head-on can truly see through the essence of life.

If we take an open mind and a calm and magnanimous attitude as the criteria for judgment, then Qin Aimin, a rural teacher, is probably one of the best. As the spiritual mentor of Yue Chuan and Cheng Dong, he does not pursue fame and fortune, nor is he impetuous in the wave of getting rich. In addition to teaching, he devotes all his energy to the "unprofitable" research of chrysanthemum breeding.

He solved each of the technical challenges, from watering and fertilizing to improving the soil and combating pests and diseases. Now, as long as the two-tenths of an acre of Chuzhou chrysanthemums can safely survive the winter, breeding, seedling cultivation, and widespread planting next year can proceed smoothly. Otherwise, all his hard work over the past six months will likely be wasted.

The winters in Shuangling are bitterly cold. When blizzards and frosts strike, not only chrysanthemum seedlings but even the toughest livestock cannot withstand the cold. Even so, Aimin still worked tirelessly in the fields. To protect the seedlings from the cold, he gritted his teeth and spent a lot of money to build plastic greenhouses and moved the chrysanthemum seedlings inside one by one before he could finally feel a little relieved.

At that time, these plastic greenhouses with constant temperature and humidity were a kind of agricultural "black technology". Most people in Qinjiazhuang had only seen them on TV. So when Aimin's greenhouse was built, it immediately attracted the attention of the whole village.

"Aimin, this greenhouse is really great! Teach me the method tomorrow, and I'll grow a vegetable garden too!" Ma Xiangju stared at the lush green chrysanthemum seedlings, her eyes shining. It's no wonder the woman was so surprised; seeing such a large patch of green plants in the dead of winter was truly a rare sight!

Previously, Ma Xiangju always helped Aimin with farm work, and the latter naturally told her everything he knew. But after Aimin explained the methods and key points of building the shed, the woman's face fell.

"The method is good, although it's a bit troublesome to put the straw mats away every day, but we're all farmers so we're not afraid of the trouble. But this transparent plastic sheet is too expensive! The price of one roll is enough for the harvest of an acre of land. Who can afford to spend that much?"

Upon hearing this, the villagers all echoed his sentiments. Qin Ergou, standing at the back of the crowd, was the most flamboyant. At this moment, he was grinning at Aimin with a strange smile, clearly mocking him.

"Hahaha! This is just wishful thinking! Spending so much money planting these useless things that look good but are useless, it's no wonder we've lost everything!" Qin Ergou said sarcastically in front of everyone.

This is not the first time he has embarrassed Aimin in public. Ever since he lost face in the "manure truck incident", he has been picking on Aimin and Ma Xiangju every few days. In addition, he has been gossiping and spreading rumors behind their backs.

Aimin ignored the old bachelor and pointed to the chrysanthemum seedlings in front of him, saying, "The greenhouse did cost a lot, but once we start producing in bulk, the costs will be spread out. All things considered, growing chrysanthemums is more profitable than grain. If it really succeeds, the profits will definitely be substantial!"

Only Ma Xiangju nodded in agreement, while most people remained skeptical. This was normal, as farmers have limited knowledge and it's understandable that they might have doubts about new things.

But Qin Ergou's reaction was unacceptable. He pinched his frostbitten nose, deliberately flicked his snot onto the chrysanthemum seedlings at his feet, whistled, and swaggered out of the greenhouse. This guy was clearly not here to watch the fun; he was just here to disgust people...

Starting a business in the village is not easy. Besides technical difficulties, Aimin has a lot of troubles to deal with because there are indeed quite a few people with bad intentions among the villagers.

These people who have nothing better to do than cause trouble for others. Although they may not cause any major problems, if left unchecked, they can still annoy you to no end.

Aimin has always been averse to the intricacies of rural society. He acts with integrity and believes he will not be affected by such sordid matters. However, this time he has truly underestimated the risks.

Recently, Aimin has been seeing Ma Xiangju much more frequently. He feels there's nothing wrong with working with others, but in this remote mountain village, such behavior is outrageous and provides ample material for malicious people to spread rumors.

Unsurprisingly, Qin Ergou was among these "interested individuals," spending his days wandering among the gossips in the village, fabricating "scandalous stories" between Teacher Qin and Ma Xiangju.

A knowledgeable and talented young teacher had actually become involved with the wife of Qin Huozi—this became the biggest news in Qin Family Village. No wonder, in the dead of winter, with so much free time, gossiping and spreading rumors were their greatest pleasure…