bookrebus Chapter 286 Commendation of Ten-Thousand-Yuan Households
Chapter 286 Commendation of Ten-Thousand-Yuan Households
Pang Duolai shook his head slightly, a sly smile playing on his lips: "Brother Li, you can't say that. Good things are certainly worth waiting for, but the price has to be something that makes people feel comfortable." The atmosphere between the two suddenly became tense, as if the air itself was filled with the smell of gunpowder.
The surrounding crowd was also attracted by this sudden bargaining, and they all gathered around to watch the contest with curiosity.
Li Ju'an took a deep breath, not in a hurry, and said slowly, "Boss Pang, how about this, I'm willing to compromise, but you have to give me a fair price. Let's each take a step back, okay? If Boss Pang wants to buy other hides later, it's easy to talk about."
Pang Duolai was silent for a moment, seemingly weighing the pros and cons. He still had to rely on the local gunman to buy the goods he wanted. He finally spoke slowly: "One hundred and twenty yuan, that's my limit."
Li Ju'an calculated in his mind that although the price was lower than he had initially expected, it was already quite good considering the speed at which the white lingzhi was sold and the uncertainty of the market. He gritted his teeth, pretended to be heartbroken, and nodded in agreement: "Deal!"
The transaction was settled for one hundred and twenty yuan. The one hundred and twenty yuan were gently caressed in Li Ju'an's rough but strong hands, still carrying the warmth of its former owner. These banknotes, like small victory flags, planted a sense of accomplishment in his younger sister Li Xiao's heart.
A smile unconsciously crept onto Li Xiao's lips as he said to Li Ju'an, "Brother, the teacher was absolutely right. Money really does make the world go round, and it gives us courage too!" This sudden windfall made Li Xiao's steps lighter, each step radiating unprecedented confidence and pride.
The young girl had never seen so much money before, so it was natural for her to be excited. Li Xiao felt an unprecedented surge of impulse, a kind of obsession with money.
Li Ju'an ruffled his younger sister's fluffy hair and said with a doting smile, "Alright, make more money to prepare a dowry for your sister."
Li Xiao playfully stuck out her tongue and said, "I'll use it myself, I don't have a sister-in-law yet."
At such a young age, she already knew how to persuade her brother to marry a sister-in-law. Li Ju'an teased his sister, saying, "What kind of sister-in-law do you want? Gentle or feisty?"
Li Xiaozhen, the younger sister, twirled her pigtails and actually thought about it seriously before saying, "Whatever you like, brother, is fine. Brother Song said that you have to marry someone you like to make life interesting."
Li Ju'an laughed heartily. Where did this little brat learn all this? He'd just picked up what he'd heard. But seriously, Song Desheng actually has some wit. Life isn't the same no matter who you live with; only with the woman you love is life truly different.
He stepped into that familiar little restaurant again, the place where he had bought the dragon meat last time. The moment he crossed the threshold, the proprietress's sharp yet gentle eyes locked onto him, and a bright smile quickly bloomed on her lips as she warmly greeted him, "Oh, isn't this Li Pao! What precious treasure have you brought this time?"
Before he could finish speaking, the boss rushed over from the kitchen, peeking out with a curious expression. When his gaze fell on the basket in Li Ju'an's hands, his eyes lit up with surprise.
In the basket, all sorts of wild mountain vegetables are arranged in a neat and orderly fashion, some green, some purple, some yellow, each leaf exuding the unique freshness and vitality of the season, as if they were the most exquisite gift from nature.
"Oh my, these wild vegetables are really plentiful! Look at their color, they're so fresh you could squeeze water out of them!" The shopkeeper praised them highly, instructing his wife to weigh and accept the goods quickly, while carefully taking this natural treasure from Li Ju'an's hands.
After some haggling, the price was finally settled at 8 yuan. While the price wasn't high, it represented a rare source of high-quality ingredients for the hardworking and honest restaurant couple. Considering that the average monthly income in the area was only 38 yuan, Li Xiao felt a surge of emotion. This amount of money might barely cover the living expenses of ordinary people, but for her, it was the beginning of a life-changing opportunity.
Li Xiao realized that this treasure hidden in the mountains could be sold for money, and even 8 yuan. The little girl's face lit up with joy, and she excitedly shouted, "Brother, I want to go mountain hunting with Mom again tomorrow!"
Looking at his younger sister's satisfied smile radiating from the harvest, Li Ju'an secretly vowed to make sure her life was better in the future, to make up for the lack of companionship he had given her in his previous life. Before the wheels of the future rolled in, he would teach his sister how to live a good life.
……
Mother Song Lanhua was preparing to propose marriage to the Lin family. In the 1950s, a bed was enough; in the 1960s, a bag of candy; in the 1970s, the Little Red Book; and in the 1980s, the "three turns and one radio" (a traditional Chinese stringed instrument, a sewing machine, a watch, and a radio). Unlike the extravagant displays of the 1990s.
Song Lanhua, a kind and honest woman, was making arrangements for her beloved son's future with a gentle yet firm demeanor. She softly instructed Li Ju'an, who was about to go and propose marriage.
“Son, on the day of the marriage proposal, remember to bring carefully prepared gifts to show our sincerity. But be careful with your words in front of your bride, and don’t let any irrelevant nonsense spoil the festive atmosphere. Just in case, I’ve come up with a plan: you go to the well and fetch water first. This will not only show your diligence, but also put my mind at ease.”
"Oh, don't worry, Mom."
On the day of the marriage proposal, several people carrying large and small gifts entered the Lin family's house. Li Ju'an was assigned by his mother to fetch water from the well. Lin Mei was overjoyed and ran to help Li Ju'an fetch water.
Lin Mei's eyes sparkled with mischief, and a smile played on her lips as if she had found something to amuse herself. She said softly, "Why are you fetching water all by yourself?"
Taking advantage of the fact that no one was outside, Li Ju'an hugged Lin Mei's waist and kissed her hard, saying, "I've missed you so much. Have you missed me too?"
Lin Mei blushed shyly, lowered her bright red face, and spat out, "Mom and Dad are still watching inside."
Li Ju'an laughed and said, "What's there to be afraid of? She'll be my wife soon, of course I'll spoil her. Don't pick, I'll pick." Lin Mei brightened her beautiful eyes and watched him carry the water. Li Ju'an rolled up his sleeves, revealing smooth and powerful muscle lines, and his masculine aura was overwhelming, making her blush deeply.
Lin's father, Lin's mother, and their future in-laws had long heard of Li Ju'an's exploits in mountain running and knew he was a down-to-earth and capable young man. Seeing him today, they noticed he had become even more handsome. What was most remarkable was his temperament; after years of experience, he was calm and composed, and his demeanor didn't seem like that of a young man in his early twenties, but rather like that of a mature man with more life experience.
Their satisfaction was almost palpable, yet they restrained themselves, keeping their joy deeply hidden in their hearts. Li Ju'an presented the betrothal gifts. His business dealings with merchants from the south had made him the first person in the village to earn ten thousand yuan. The bee farm's business was booming, and the fruit trees would yield a bumper harvest in the autumn. The ten-thousand-yuan household received a celebratory welcome with gongs and drums; Captain Yang even put up a banner and used a loudspeaker to summon a drum and gong team, urging everyone in the village to learn from him.