"Did you go to your great-grandfather's?"
"Yes, and he also gave me a lot of money."
"You keep it, he doted on you the most."
As they spoke, Li Dehai came out with the dishes. There were only three: a plate of chicken oil and cabbage hearts, a plate of salted chicken, and two thick, arm-sized "ground dragons."
Even for families with dual incomes, such dishes were unthinkable. Just those two "ground dragons" alone were worth no less than five thousand.
In fact, "ground dragons" were just mantis shrimp that had lived a long time. Like queen ants, they hid in their nests and didn't like to come out, eating, sleeping, and then indulging in thoughts of desire. Unlike other seafood, these creatures became more flavorful with age. Their roe was as thick as a finger, and they were expensive, bought for around 200 to 300. Catching them wasn't easy; it depended on luck. The chance of catching them was higher after a super typhoon, so they were rarely seen on the market.
The free-range chicken wasn't cheap either. Nowadays, it was hard to get a genuine one for 35 a jin. If it was advertised for under 30 and labeled as free-range chicken, you had to be careful; they weren't that cheap.
Although free-range chicken was expensive, a whole chicken only cost a couple of hundred to three hundred, which many people could afford, especially pregnant women, those in confinement, and during festivals, as they were major consumers of chicken.
No banquet was complete without chicken, so chicken held a very high status in the hearts of Chinese people, especially in Guangdong province. Seventy percent of the country's chicken consumption was in Guangdong, making it the undisputed "number one chicken-eating province."
The high profits tempted many businesses to sell broiler chickens as free-range ones. Of course, they wouldn't do it directly, as that would seem unprofessional. They would usually buy them and then raise them on hills for about a month to get rid of the feed taste. Such chickens had a better texture and flavor than those raised purely on feed, but there was still a big difference compared to truly free-range chickens.
"Uncle, where's Auntie?"
"Oh, she's at the ground floor registering mussel bamboo. There are already about seven or eight thousand. What did your friend say? Should we continue buying or...?"
"Let's buy until we reach ten thousand. The main issue is the limited breeding space. Have you arranged for transportation?"
"Dongzi took on that job. We can load the trucks tomorrow."
"Li Rendong? That's great. He's very steady. Uncle, give him a bit more for the shipping fee. Ah Dong isn't having an easy time either, raising two children."
Li Desheng was very pleased with Li Haochen's words. In his happiness, he tilted his head back and took a large sip.
As the two clinked glasses, Li Zijian also walked in, carrying a bag of braised pig ears for drinking.
Li Dehai sniffed, "Is it from Old Pan's place?"
"Brother Hai has a good nose, haha!"
Li Zijian was not ceremonious. He sat down directly, picked up the wine glass poured by Li Haochen, and took a sip. "Ah~ refreshing!"
Li Haochen drank a few more cups with them and then stopped. He had important matters in the afternoon, which also involved drinking. Zhang Yu from Samsung didn't drink well, and later Li Haochen acted as a server.
A pig ear with a sip of fine wine, simple but joyful. Perhaps this was the happiness they pursued.
After dinner, he went home, brewed a cup of tea, and rested for a while. He thought about riding his "Xiao Aima" electric bike to the factory, but the thought of everything going wrong made him decide to walk instead.
Walking was much more comfortable. The air was fresh, the green mountains and the babbling stream were exhilarating.
As he walked, the fields on both sides were filled with sugarcane, yellow and black, very enticing.
After passing the sugarcane forest, his vision suddenly opened up, and a tall, rust-spotted factory building came into view in the distance. The surrounding weeds had been cleared, and it looked very spacious up close.
This factory building was originally the primary processing site for a eucalyptus plantation owner. Later, it was driven out by the joint efforts of the two villages of the Li family.
There was no other way; the harm was too great. In the first two years, there was nothing noticeable. Later, the water in the mountains decreased, and the land became barren, making it difficult to even grow cassava or sweet potatoes. Only then did everyone realize the severe harm of eucalyptus.
Speaking of this matter, Li Haochen had a deep memory. He had also made great efforts to protect the green mountains and clear waters. Back then, the owner of the timber yard, having many connections in the township, tried to force an extension of the contract when it expired and refused to leave. Naturally, the people of Li Family Village disagreed.
However, there were no barbaric means. The cutting off of water, electricity, and roads was endless. The eight or nine-year-old Li Haochen even organized a "Boy Scout troop to retake the rivers and mountains." Every day, he would lead his soldiers to sneak over and throw a couple of rounds of stones, always resulting in a symphony of shattering glass.
As a result, the owner was worn down to the point where he couldn't stay, and even with his connections, it was useless. He had to flee in disgrace.
Recalling this, Li Haochen chuckled, "How nostalgic!"
As he walked in, it was a bit noisy inside. Several large wall fans whirred loudly, and a dozen familiar figures were busy working, chatting and laughing.
To Li Haochen's surprise, several young men from the upper village, including Li Linfeng, were among them.
"Uncle Mu, Lin Hai, Fengzi... thank you all for your hard work!"
Li Haochen walked over and distributed the remaining two packs of cigarettes in his pocket. He had intended to buy two more cartons, but the nearest small shop was quite far away, so he would have to make up for it next time.
"Lin Hai, Fengzi, why did you come over?"
"Seeing as there was nothing else to do, we came to help. This factory benefits everyone, so we should do something."
Li Haochen didn't linger for too long, as staying too long would make him seem like he was overseeing. After chatting with them for a while and taking a general look at the warehouse, he left.
On his way back, he had a few sugarcane stalks in his hands. An elderly woman from the village had forced them on him, refusing to take no for an answer, which made Li Haochen feel a bit helpless.
Back home, he picked up a stalk, tapped it on his knee, broke off a section, washed it under the faucet, and with a bite of his strong teeth, peeled off a strip of the skin. After repeating this a few times, the enticing sugarcane flesh was revealed. He took a bite, and the sweet juice splashed out.
He wasn't satisfied with just one stalk, so Li Haochen broke off another section and walked away, munching on it.
"Uncle Jun, are you home?"
"Haochen? Come in quickly, your Uncle Jun will be back soon."
"Brother Haochen!"
A small head suddenly peeked out from behind the door. With dark hair and two big, blinking eyes, she stared at Li Haochen and called out slyly.
"Ziling? Aren't you supposed to be at tutoring?"
"It's the big weekend this week, so I'm home."
"Ziling, keep your Brother Haochen company for a while. I'm going to catch a chicken."
"Auntie, don't go to so much trouble. Just keep it simple, we're not outsiders."
Li Nvying gave instructions and then went out to the chicken coop to catch a chicken. Li Ziling poured a pot of mountain tea and said with a giggle, "Brother Haochen, I only get to eat chicken when you come. You should come more often. Look how thin I am."
Li Haochen looked at her very seriously and coughed lightly, "Graceful in fullness and slender in form, appropriate in height and shortness. How can you say you're thin?"
"Mmm, it seems you have good taste. Unlike my dad, who always says I'm like a boy..."
"Who's talking about me behind my back?"