A song from Chengdu revived a closed-down pub.

Soon, it was the sixth day of the first lunar month.

This day was of great significance to the villagers of Lijiapo.

Early in the morning, the brigade's courtyard became lively.

Some people helped move the tables and chairs, some brought hot water, and others brought melon seeds and peanuts from their homes.

Pan Lei had only arranged for a few people to set up the venue, but before he could even speak, the villagers had already finished almost everything.

A red banner was hung in the courtyard, which read "Lijiapo Village Annual Profit Distribution Meeting".

The village's accounts and the amount each household should receive had already been publicized in advance.

Even so, a lot of people were still gathered in front of the bulletin board.

An old man wearing reading glasses found his name on the list and stared at the numbers for a long time.

Someone nearby asked with a laugh, "Old Li, how many times have you watched this these past few days? Still haven't memorized it?"

The old man took off his glasses, carefully put them in his pocket, and said with a smile, "Just because I remember them doesn't mean I can't look at them again. It makes me happy."

Those around them heard this and laughed.

That year, many families in the village made money by running guesthouses, restaurants, and selling local specialties.

Now that there's another dividend from a collective project, everyone feels reassured.

Some people are planning to buy new home appliances.

Someone wants to renovate their house.

Some people are already thinking about what they can do after spring begins.

A group of young people who had returned home for the Chinese New Year stood together, and their conversation was no longer just about their work outside.

"I plan to get the guesthouse set up at home first. I need to retake the room photos. I don't even want to click on the ones that are currently online."

"If you're going to take pictures, come over to my house while you're at it. The rooms my dad photographed are half the size of the actual rooms."

"Sure, let's do it together later."

……

When Su Fan entered the brigade's courtyard, he heard these lively conversations.

Along the way, people kept greeting him.

"Xiao Fan, you're here!"

"Village chief, we've finally caught you today!"

Su Fan smiled and cupped his hands in greeting to everyone: "Happy New Year, everyone. It's such a happy day to receive money, I couldn't possibly come back."

Pan Lei walked over from the table in front and grabbed his hand: "We've been waiting for you. Come on, sit in the front."

Su Fan glanced at the front row seats: "Can't I just sit down there? It's too cold up there."

Pan Lei glanced at him: "Don't give me that. I have to say a few words to everyone today. Don't hide in the back again later."

The others chimed in, "Yes, we have to say something today."

Su Fan smiled helplessly and could only follow.

After everyone had taken their seats, Pan Lei picked up the microphone and tested his voice.

The conversation in the courtyard gradually subsided, and several people who were still chatting in the back quickly moved their stools forward.

Pan Lei looked at the familiar faces below the stage. The man who usually spoke loudly was now laughing for a while.

At this moment, Pan Lei said, "Today is a happy day. I won't beat around the bush. Everyone has worked hard all year. How much the village earned, how much it spent, and how much it kept to prepare for next year's work are all clearly written in the accounts. I called everyone here today to clarify these accounts and distribute the money that is due to each family."

As soon as he finished speaking, a round of applause rang out in the courtyard.

After the applause subsided, Pan Lei turned to Su Fan and said, "But before that, let's hear what our village chief has to say."

Su Fan took the microphone, but before he could even speak, someone in the audience shouted, "Xiao Fan, say a few more words, we love to hear it! If you don't know what to say, you can sing a couple of lines too."

Su Fan smiled and said, "You said it yourself. If you're late in collecting your money, don't blame me."

The courtyard erupted in laughter once again.

As the laughter subsided, Su Fan gripped the microphone, looked at the familiar faces below the stage, and his tone became more serious.

"First of all, I'd like to wish everyone a Happy New Year. These past few days since I came back, I've been invited to eat wherever I go. My house has also been cleaned up spotlessly. You all always say that I've contributed to the development of the village, but I'm out running around all year round. The ones who have truly made the village's affairs a success and made our lives prosperous are all of you here. I've come up with an idea, and you've been working hard every day to come."

Someone in the audience laughed and shouted, "Without your idea, we wouldn't know where to focus our efforts!"

Su Fan smiled and said, "Then let's say we've accomplished this together. Let's not stand on ceremony. We'll split the money today. Everyone's happy, and I'm happy too. Especially after hearing from Uncle Pan that a few young people are willing to come back to the village to work, I feel more at ease than how much more money we've earned this year. Young people have ideas, and we older generation have experience. If we discuss things together, we'll definitely have a better future."

He paused briefly, his gaze sweeping over the villagers who ran guesthouses in the audience.

"However, even if we make money, we still have to do business seriously. When guests stay, the bedding must be clean. When they sit down to eat, the food must be of good quality. If there is anything we haven't done well, we will correct it if they point it out. We want tourists to leave Lijiapo and tell their friends that this place is great. Next year when we sit here, we can earn even more money."

Many people in the audience nodded in agreement.

Seeing this, Su Fan smiled again: "I won't say much else. Everyone has been busy all year, so let's enjoy ourselves today. There's one last thing I need to mention to Uncle Pan in front of everyone."

Pan Lei was taken aback: "What is it?"

Su Fan turned his head and said in a serious tone, "I've been talking up there for so long, don't forget to give me my share of the money later."

The courtyard was silent for a moment, then bursts of laughter filled the air.

Pan Lei smiled and took the microphone: "Don't worry, I've already calculated it for you, not a penny less!"

Next came the part everyone was most looking forward to: distributing the money.

Pan Lei put down the microphone, walked to the table, and reached out to grab a corner of the red cloth.

As the red cloth was lifted, bundles of neatly stacked banknotes were revealed.

There was a moment of silence in the courtyard, followed by a chorus of exclamations.

"My God, how much money must that be!"

"When I saw that it was covered by such a big cloth, I thought there was a box underneath."

"Are we distributing all of these today?"

……

People sitting in the back row craned their necks, and some even stood up.

Several young people took out their phones and kept snapping photos of the money on the table.

Although the dividend amounts for each company have already been made public, the numbers on the list are far less intuitive than the pile of banknotes in front of you.

Most people in the village have never seen so much cash in their entire lives.

An old man leaned forward, looked for a long time, and then turned to his wife and asked, "Our family has 150,000, right?"

His wife stared at the table and nodded: "Yes, five people, 150,000."

The two had already memorized the number, but they still couldn't help but confirm it again.

Pan Lei's smile grew even wider as he looked at the reactions of the audience.

He picked up the microphone again and gestured a few times: "Everyone, please be quiet. The money is all here; no one will be shortchanged."

After the murmurs subsided a bit, he pointed to the side and said, "Once you receive your money, you can deposit it directly. The bank staff are here to handle your business on the spot. If you want to keep some cash for the New Year, keep some and deposit the rest into your account. That way, you won't feel uneasy carrying so much money home."

Looking in the direction he pointed, bank staff were already prepared in the temporary service area, smiling and gesturing to the crowd.

Someone in the audience immediately laughed: "Old Pan, you've arranged this very thoroughly. You haven't even received the money yet, but you've already found a place to deposit it."

Pan Lei laughed and said, "The money is yours. Whether you save it or not is up to you. If you want to take it home and count it all night, I won't stop you."

"Then I'll have to count it twice before saving!"

This remark drew another burst of laughter.

Su Fan sat to the side, watching everyone's excited expressions, and couldn't help but laugh.

After everyone had finished laughing, Pan Lei picked up the list and said, "Alright, whichever company we call, come up here, check the names and amounts, count them clearly in person, and then sign. We'll go one by one, no rush."