Li Yulan had been in a foul mood since the previous night.
Ever since Li Guofu had been admitted to the county hospital, she had not enjoyed a moment of peace. Her mother's shrill crying had echoed through the ward until midnight, while Li Guofu, had spent the entire night groaning and lamenting the loss of his thumb.
Although Li Yulan genuinely felt sorry for her brother's injury, sympathy had its limits.
After all, she was the one forced to remain awake the entire night, running errands and serving her brother like a landlord. By dawn, her eyes were bloodshot, her stomach was empty, and her patience had long since disappeared.
So when Wang Chunhua instructed her to go to the railway station and receive Wang Xiuying and her daughter, Li Fengying, she did not hesitate for even a second.
In fact, she welcomed the task. Anything was better than remaining in that suffocating hospital ward.
Moreover, Wang Xiuying was someone Li Yulan admired.
No... Admired was too mild a word.
To Li Yulan, Wang Xiuying was proof that a person could escape this muddy little county and climb into a completely different world. A life that she could only dream about.
More than once she had imagined herself living in a city, wearing fashionable clothes, riding a Phoenix brand women's bicycle, and looking down upon the very villagers who now looked down upon her.
Unfortunately, dreams remained dreams. At least for now. One day she will definitely become one of the city residents, and will rise from this muddy village like a Phoenix.
The train whistle finally echoed through the station. Passengers began pouring onto the platform.
Li Yulan stood on her toes and stretched her neck, searching through the crowd. Then she saw them. For a moment, her eyes widened.
Wang Xiuying walked out first, holding her head high as though she were some important cadre's wife inspecting the countryside. Behind her followed Li Fengying. The pair immediately stood out among the crowd because of their clothing.
To Li Yulan, it looked dazzling, her heart filled with envy as she stared at them.
So this is what it means to be an urban resident... The thought made her breathing quicken.
Without thinking any further, she waved both arms enthusiastically and ran toward them, "Cousin Xiuying!" she shouted excitedly. "My dear niece! You're finally here!"
Her voice carried across the platform as she hurried through the crowd, her face practically glowing with anticipation.
Wang Xiuying's lips twitched almost imperceptibly as Li Yulan came hurrying toward them with the enthusiasm of a child seeing a festival troupe for the first time.
The closer Li Yulan drew, the more obvious her appearance became. A trace of disgust flashed through Wang Xiuying's eyes.
Beside her, Li Fengying frowned openly, "Mother," she said in a low voice, wrinkling her nose, "what is she wearing? Did she come straight from the fields?" Her tone carried no attempt at concealment.
Wang Xiuying immediately shot her daughter a warning look, "Fengying." Her voice remained gentle, but the warning hidden underneath was obvious, "Don't speak carelessly. We still have to stay with them for several months. And we need them for now."
Li Fengying rolled her eyes, "Fine."
By then Li Yulan had already arrived, "Cousin Xiuying! Fengying!" Her face was flushed with excitement, "I almost didn't recognize you!"
Wang Xiuying instantly put on her warmest smile, "Aiya, little cousin." She stepped forward and lightly clasped Li Yulan's hand as though they had not been separated for years. "You've grown so much. And look at you, your figure has filled out quite nicely. Such good fortune. When you marry, you will surely give birth to a strong, healthy son."
Li Yulan immediately blushed and lowered her head, though the delight in her eyes could not be concealed, "Cousin, stop teasing me."
Then her expression turned somewhat aggrieved, "Cousin, now that you've returned, you must help me find a good match in the city. I want to become an urban resident just like you."
Her brows knitted together as resentment surfaced, "Those old hags in the village keep calling me a leftover blossom on the branch. Hmph. Just wait until I marry in the city and obtain an urban household registration. Then let's see who dares laugh at me."
The more she spoke, the more excited she became, "At that time our family will have two urban residents, won't it, Cousin?"
Wang Xiuying smiled gently, "Of course, little cousin. Since I'm here, how could I ignore your affairs? Don't worry. I'll help you keep an eye out for suitable young men." She looked Li Yulan up and down before adding with deliberate warmth, "And with your appearance, I'm sure there will be no shortage of admirers."
Outwardly, her voice was affectionate. Inwardly, however, she was rolling her eyes. Twenty-five years old and still dreaming of marrying into the city. As for her appearance...
Wang Xiuying secretly sneered.
The girl was broad-faced, sun-darkened, and lacked even a trace of refinement. Not even homeless beggers in Anshan, men would not spare her a second glance.
But such thoughts remained hidden behind her perfectly practiced smile.
Li Yulan, meanwhile, remained completely oblivious. Her attention had already shifted elsewhere. Specifically, to Wang Xiuying's clothes.
Her eyes were practically glued to the shiny fabric, "Cousin Xiuying..." She reached out cautiously and touched the sleeve, "What material is this?"
Wang Xiuying's smile stiffened almost imperceptibly. The moment she felt those rough fingers rubbing against the cloth, she had to suppress the urge to pull away.
"Dacron." She pronounced the unfamiliar foreign-sounding word slowly, savoring its effect, "I bought it from the Supply and Marketing Cooperative in Anshan. This set alone cost fifteen yuan and seven cloth coupons."
Li Yulan's mouth immediately fell open, "Fifteen yuan... and seven cloth coupons?" Her voice rose several degrees.
To her, the amount sounded almost unreal.
Seven cloth coupons. That alone was enough to make her dizzy. Back when Wang Chunhua had controlled Li Guoqiang's military allowances and ration coupons, Li Yulan knew exactly how precious cloth coupons were.
An ordinary rural family could spend an entire year calculating every inch of fabric. Many people patched old clothes repeatedly until the cloth became thinner than paper before finally replacing them.
Yet the outfit Wang Xiuying wore required seven cloth coupons and fifteen yuan as well?
Her fingertips trembled as they brushed the smooth fabric. The material felt cool and slippery. Unlike the coarse homespun cloth on her.
For a moment, Li Yulan imagined herself wearing such clothing while walking through the village.
The men and women the same would stare at her. Even those old gossips who mocked her would have to swallow their words. The thought alone made her heart race.
Wang Xiuying watched the greed slowly emerge in Li Yulan's eyes and immediately understood what she was thinking. A trace of smug satisfaction rose within her. This was exactly the effect she wanted.
"Of course," she said lightly. "In the city, people rarely wear rough homespun cloth anymore. Factory workers prefer materials like this. Durable, fashionable, and easy to care for. Spending that much is quite normal."
Although she spoke as if it were an everyday expense, only she knew the truth.
She had spent nearly two months' wages acquiring these clothes. To obtain enough cloth coupons, she had traded favors, exchanged ration tickets, and even paid extra money in black market.
In truth, this was the only truly fashionable outfit she owned. Most of her everyday clothing remained ordinary cotton garments no different from those worn by countless workers. Li Fengying's outfit had required similar sacrifices.
But none of that mattered. Appearances were everything. Especially when returning to the place where you lost a battle.
After all, 'Where you fall is where you rise again.'
She had not traveled all the way from Anshan merely to visit relatives. This return had a purpose. Her gaze darkened slightly.
She wanted show Chen Meilan her place. She wanted that woman to witness, with her own eyes, the life Wang Xiuying had built.
Chen Meilan won Li Guoqiang. But she had won in life. At least, that was what Wang Xiuying firmly believed.
Everything Chen Meilan could never possess, she had it. At that thought, the smile on Wang Xiuying's lips deepened.
Yet almost immediately it faded at the thought of Li Guoqiang. A trace of bitterness appeared in her eyes. Her fist unconsciously tightened.
Over the years in Anshan, she had met countless men. Since Liberation, free love had become the new policy. Unlike before, anyone could choose their own partnersz so many men had approached her.
But none of them had ever made her heart move. No matter how she compared them, none could match Li Guoqiang. His appearance, his bearing, the calm confidence he carried, the way he stood out even in a crowd. None of it could be matched.
To Wang Xiuying, every other man looked dull beside him. A flash of unwillingness surfaced in her eyes. She had done everything to get him back than, she had endured ridicule, yet the one thing she had always wanted most had never been hers.
Slowly, she blinked and forced those emotions down. When her eyes opened again, determination had replaced hesitation.
This time was different, this time she was not merely visiting for a few days. She would be staying for months.
Perhaps, Li Guoqiang would return home on leave. And if he came, she wanted him to see her. To see what she had become. To see what he had lost.
And perhaps... Just perhaps... She could have him this time. The thought was shameless.
Yet Wang Xiuying felt no guilt whatsoever. If there was one thing she had never lacked, it was confidence. Before she could sink deeper into her fantasies, Li Yulan's voice abruptly interrupted her thoughts.
"Cousin, let's go. We still have to walk back to the village."
Li Fengying's voice immediately rang out sharply, "What?" She looked as though she had just heard something outrageous, "Walk? Why do we have to walk?"
Li Yulan blinked, "Because that's how we return."
Li Fengying looked horrified, "What about the bus?"
Li Yulan frowned, "The what?"
"The bus." Li Fengying gestured impatiently.
Li Yulan looked completely confused. She has heard Truck, Jeep, tractor but what was bus?
Seeing her expression, Li Fengying rolled her eyes dramatically, "Then at least there should be an ox cart. I remember riding one when I came here years ago."
Li Yulan scratched her head awkwardly, "We don't have ox carts anymore. The commune sold last two cattles after the summer harvest. The yield wasn't good this year. The communal canteen needed supplies."
Li Fengying stood frozen. Her expression became increasingly ugly, "Mother, how are we supposed to live here? This place is even more backward than I remembered."
Several nearby villagers turned to look. Li Fengying didn't lower her voice in the slightest.
Li Yulan's face stiffened slightly. Even she felt somewhat embarrassed hearing those words.
Wang Xiuying immediately shot her daughter a warning look, "Fengfeng."
The single word carried enough authority to make the girl fall silent. Li Fengying pursed her lips but wisely said nothing further.
Wang Xiuying then turned toward Li Yulan and smiled pleasantly, "Children speak without thinking. Don't mind her."
Li Yulan laughed awkwardly, "Of course not."
Wang Xiuying nodded, "Let's go." Without another word, she picked up her luggage and began walking toward the station exit.
Li Fengying remained standing where she was. Her eyes shifted toward the remaining luggage, then toward Li Yulan's. Clearly, she was waiting for her to carry it. Yet several seconds passed Li Yulan didn't even look at Li Fengying.
As lazy and shameless as she was, she turned around and walked with Wang Xiuying.
Li Fengying's expression darkened, "This stupid woman..." She muttered under her breath. In the end, with obvious reluctance, she bent down and grabbed the luggage herself and started walking behind her mother and Li Yulan.
"What?" Zhang Junyi's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, "You want me to sell all of this?"
He stared at the mountain of supplies piled before him, his mind momentarily going blank.
Fifty jin of wheat flour, eighty jin of sorghum, sixty jin of barley, thirty jin of white radishes, twenty jin of turnips, thirty bundles of garlic, twenty baskets of eggplants, more than thirty jin of pork, seventy fresh eggs and twenty-five jin of chicken.
The sight was enough to make anyone's heart pound. For a long moment, Zhang Junyi simply stood there, unable to look away.
The last time Li Shuying had sold supplies to his father, he had already realized she possessed strong connections. However, that transaction had been modest compared to what stood before him now.
This was no longer a simple trade. This was enough grain and meat to feed several families for months. In the current climate, when people counted every grain of sorghum and every sweet potato slice, such a quantity was simply unbelievable.
Zhang Junyi looked at Li Shuying as though he were seeing her for the first time.
Meanwhile, Li Shuying remained calm. She casually dusted her sleeves and said, "Don't look so shocked." Her tone was light, almost teasing. "This is only the beginning. There will be much more in the future."
She pointed toward the supplies, "If you can sell these properly, you'll earn a respectable amount for yourself and your Dong Tian gang members. Don't worry, I won't shortchange you."
Zhang Junyi blinked several times. Then he looked at the supplies again, then back at Li Shuying, "You really want me to sell all of this?"
Li Shuying raised an eyebrow, "What? Can't you handle it?"
Zhang Junyi immediately rolled his eyes, "Little Sister Li, are you looking down on me?" He puffed out his chest, "Did you forget? I have an entire gang backing me up. Our Dong Tian Gang may be small, and we're all just a bunch of teenage boys, but if we're talking about moving goods around the county, nobody knows the streets better than us. Double this amount wouldn't be a problem."
Then his expression gradually turned serious. "But you're the one who should think carefully."
Li Shuying's eyes narrowed slightly, "Oh?"
Zhang Junyi sighed, "This will definitely bring in a good amount of money, more than three hundred yuan.But in times like these, what is money really worth? Food is worth more. A single jin of coarse grain is enough to make people work willingly. A handful of wheat can smooth over all kinds of problems."
He shook his head, "To tell you the truth, if I had this much grain, I wouldn't sell a single jin. I'd hide it so well that not even the rats could find it."
Li Shuying listened quietly. Naturally, she understood his concerns. In fact, no one understood better than she did just how valuable these supplies would become in the years ahead. But there was one thing Zhang Junyi did not know. This entire mountain of supplies was merely a drop in the ocean compared to what existed inside her Farm System.
She needed money, a great deal of money. The years ahead would require far more than food. Items that could not simply be planted in fields.
After a moment of silence, a faint smile appeared on her lips, "You don't need to worry about me."
She lightly patted one of the grain sacks, "Since I've brought these supplies out, it means I've already considered everything. As for food... I have my own methods."
Zhang Junyi stared at her. For some reason, the confidence in her voice made it impossible to doubt her.
She sounded far too certain and prepared.
Before he could think further, Li Shuying tilted her head and smiled, "So? Can the great Dong Tian Gang handle this business?"
Zhang Junyi immediately laughed. The hesitation in his heart vanished, "Hah! If we can't handle this, then we might as well disband. Leave it to me. Within next two days, everything here will be sold"
Li Shuying nodded with satisfaction, "Good." The corners of her lips lifted slightly, "Then sell everything within the next two days and meet me at the gate of Taonan County No. 1 Middle School in the afternoon on Monday. We can settle the accounts and discuss the profit distribution there."
Zhang Junyi immediately nodded so vigorously that his head nearly bobbed off his shoulders, "Don't worry, Little Sister Li."
Then, as though something suddenly occurred to him, his eyes brightened, "Little Sister Li, if this goes well, can we establish a long-term partnership?"
Li Shuying looked at him for a moment before nodding, "Of course." A faint smile appeared on her face, "But that depends on whether you can handle this batch smoothly."
Her expression soon became serious, "Zhang Junyi, remember this carefully. Do not take large quantities of these goods to the black market. The risk is too great. If you attract the attention of the authorities or the wrong kind of people, it will create unnecessary trouble. Disperse the sales. Sell in small quantities. Never sell too much to a single buyer. Once people notice a steady supply coming from one source, they will start asking questions. And be especially careful with the fine goods. The wheat flour, eggs, chickens, and pork are all sensitive items. Handle them discreetly. Safety comes first. If something goes wrong, abandon the goods immediately. Protect yourself before protecting the merchandise."
Zhang Junyi felt a warm current flow through his chest. Most people would only care about the goods and the money. Yet the first thing Li Shuying emphasized was the safety of him and his brothers. He nodded seriously, "I understand."
Li Shuying's expression softened slightly, "Good." Then she added, "Once this transaction is completed, I will fulfill my promise. I'll help all your brothers of Dong Tian Gang return to school."
The moment those words left her mouth, Zhang Junyi's eyes lit up. For a second, he looked more like an ordinary teenage boy than the vice leader of a street gang.
Still, uncertainty lingered in his heart. He hesitated before asking softly, "Are you really sure? All of them? There are quite a few brothers."
Li Shuying frowned, "Why are you asking that? Didn't I already promise? If I give my word, I will keep it. I'll help every one of them."
Zhang Junyi fell silent. He looked at the young girl standing before him. For some reason, every time she spoke, he instinctively wanted to believe her.
He wanted to say more but in the end, he swallowed all those questions. He simply nodded heavily, "Alright. I believe you."
The two of them then left the storage room and entered the main living area.
Fortunately, neither Zhang Wenhao nor Old Zhang was home today. Otherwise, moving such a mountain of supplies would have been impossible.
As they walked through the courtyard, Li Shuying suddenly stopped, "Brother Junyi."
"Hm?"
"If our cooperation continues long-term, we can't keep meeting here. It's too risky. If too many people start visiting, your neighbors will become suspicious."
Zhang Junyi nodded immediately, "That's true."
Li Shuying continued, "So keep an eye out for a property to rent in the county. A small house is enough. Preferably somewhere quiet." Then she added after a brief pause, "And make sure it has a well in the backyard."
Zhang Junyi blinked, "A well?"
Li Shuying nodded, "It'll be more convenient."
Although she did not elaborate, Zhang Junyi wisely chose not to ask, "Understood. I'll start looking immediately."
Over the next few minutes, Li Shuying gave him several additional instructions. Only after she was satisfied did she change the subject.
"Oh right. How is Heizi's situation?"
At the mention of his friend, Zhang Junyi relaxed slightly, "He left two days ago. His entire family went south together. They should be nearing the Hong Kong borders by tomorrow."
After chatting a little longer, she prepared to leave. Zhang Junyi personally escorted her to the courtyard gate.
After leaving Zhang Junyi's house, Li Shuying walked slowly through the county streets, her thoughts occupied by the transaction she had just arranged.
She hoped Zhang Junyi would be able to handle everything properly. This time, she had only given him a small portion of the supplies stored inside her System warehouse.
It was not because she distrusted him. On the contrary, after spending time with him and the boys of the Dong Tian Gang, she knew they were reliable.
However, trust and caution were two entirely different matters. The amount of grain and food she possessed was simply too shocking. Even if Zhang Junyi could be trusted, there was no guarantee that others wouldn't notice something unusual.
A person's heart could withstand temptation only to a certain extent. Money moved people's hearts, food moved them even more. Especially in a year when food was luxury to majority.
If too much food suddenly appeared, it would inevitably attract attention. And attention was the one thing Li Shuying wanted to avoid most.
Besides, she also wanted to observe how Zhang Junyi and the Dong Tian Gang handled business. Could they truly establish a sales network? Would they be discreet enough? These were all things she needed to know before entrusting them with larger quantities.
Thinking of this, Li Shuying couldn't help sighing softly, "I just hope Zhang Junyi doesn't get carried away and do something foolish."
Lost in thought, she gradually left the county behind. After walking for nearly half an hour, Li Shuying finally reached the outskirts of Shitou Village.
She looked around carefully, the road was empty. Not a single villager could be seen. As expected, everyone was currently working in the production fields.
Satisfied, Li Shuying quickly stepped behind a large elm tree near the roadside. The thick trunk concealed her completely from view. Only after confirming several times that nobody was nearby did she finally enter her System space. The supplies she had prepared earlier were already neatly stacked inside the warehouse.
One by one, she carried them out. Soon a sizable pile appeared beneath the tree.
Looking at the mountain of supplies before her, Li Shuying immediately regretted her decision, "...Perhaps I took out a little too much."
But this things were needed.
After several attempts, she finally bundled everything together. Then, using nearly all her strength, she hoisted the load onto her back. The moment the weight settled onto her shoulders, she almost stumbled.
She gritted her teeth and step by step, she began walking toward the village quickly. After storing these supplies at home, she wanted to visit the production fields.
She was quite curious to see how Brigade Leader Liu had arranged the sweet potato planting. After all the success of this crop would determine whether the village could withstand the coming years.
Suddenly a familiar voice called out from behind her, "Little Shuying?" The voice was deep and steady.
Li Shuying froze instantly and her footsteps stopped. A strange sense of familiarity washed over her. Slowly, she turned around and the moment her eyes landed on the tall figure in green military uniform standing a short distance away, her pupils contracted.
The person she least expected to see, the person who should have been thousands of li away in Baicheng was standing right infront of her.
"Father...?"