Chapter 26

In front of the Kogo train station is the most bustling and lively place in Kogo City at night. Kogo's railway transportation is extensive, serving as the intersection of the Liaogu Line, Gusong Line, Lingen Line, and Guping Line. Trains and people come and go continuously every day. Restaurants and hotels are densely packed around the station, operating around the clock to accommodate travelers from all directions. The station square is crowded with vendors selling grilled fish, tea eggs, and various foods, as well as a large number of ruffians and idle unemployed people, making it a mixed bag of characters.

As soon as it gets dark, the place starts to get lively. Xiao Yuanhang and Jiang Shan arrived at the station by cart and found a relatively clean grilled fish stall to sit down. At first, Jiang Shan was a bit reluctant to come to the station, saying it was too chaotic, but Xiao Yuanhang didn't feel that way. He often came to the station late at night to eat, and he knew everyone there, so there was no need to worry. Besides, Wang Dahai was quite well-known in the area, and everyone would give him some face.

Xiao Yuanhang asked about the prices, which were the same as he remembered from his previous life: 30 cents for a grilled fish, 20 cents for a tea egg, and 1 yuan for a bottle of beer, minus the 30 cents for the bottle deposit, making it 70 cents per bottle. He ordered 4 grilled fish, 6 tea eggs, and two bottles of beer. The tea eggs were pre-cooked and kept warm on the stove. He picked 6 darker ones, which had been cooked longer and had more salt flavor. Back at their seats, they started with the tea eggs to fill their hungry stomachs, while the grilled fish needed to be cooked on the spot and would take a while.

At this time, Kogo didn't have grilled skewers; the only grilled food was fish. The fish was dried cod, which was softened in water and then brushed with beef tallow, chili powder, and cumin salt, making it very delicious. Xiao Yuanhang had a deep memory of grilled fish from his previous life, and he suggested coming here on a whim.

The steaming, fragrant grilled fish was served. Xiao Yuanhang carefully tore off a piece and took a bite. It tasted just like he remembered. Excited, he opened the beer, poured some for Jiang Shan and himself, and they clinked glasses. After taking a sip of beer, they started on the grilled fish. This was the first time he had eaten grilled fish since his rebirth, and it tasted especially good. In no time, he finished one!

Looking up, he saw that Jiang Shan had barely finished half a piece. Xiao Yuanhang explained a bit sheepishly, "I haven't had grilled fish for a long time, and it tastes especially good today!"

Jiang Shan didn't know that Xiao Yuanhang was reflecting on the vast time span between his past and present lives. She thought he just hadn't had grilled fish for a while and smiled, saying, "Me too, I haven't had grilled fish for about a year. The last time was last summer when I was waiting for a train at the station in Haibin!"

"Ha, then eat more!" Xiao Yuanhang said, turning to the stall owner, "Boss, give me two more grilled fish!"

"Sure thing!" The boss, who had just set up his stall, was thrilled to have such a big customer. He cheerfully agreed, quickly took two soaked fish, brushed them with seasoning, and placed them on the grill, which sizzled and released a thick, fragrant smoke.

Before Jiang Shan could stop him, the grilled fish was already on the grill. She could only say to Xiao Yuanhang, "You eat them, I can't eat that much!"

Xiao Yuanhang chuckled and said, "No problem, I have a good appetite today!"

There weren't many people on the station square at this time. The peak hours were around 10 PM, so there were few customers at the stall. Xiao Yuanhang felt this was actually better, as it was more peaceful.

"Second Brother, why are you eating grilled fish here?" Wang Dahai, with a few of his brothers, strolled over from a nearby restaurant. He saw Xiao Yuanhang and Jiang Shan sitting there eating grilled fish and hurried over to greet them.

"Rubbish, why can't I eat grilled fish here!" Xiao Yuanhang saw Wang Dahai eyeing the grilled fish in his hand and laughed, scolding him.

"No, no! Second Brother, that's not what I meant. I just meant that Second Brother is in a good mood to eat grilled fish!" Wang Dahai quickly explained, his face red.

Xiao Yuanhang rolled his eyes at Wang Dahai and said, "Alright, stop being a smart mouth. Sit down, and order whatever you want!"

"Hehe, I won't be shy then!" Wang Dahai plopped down next to Xiao Yuanhang and turned to the stall owner, "Give me two grilled fish and a bottle of beer!"

The four brothers who came with him stood aside, not daring to come over. They were familiar with Second Brother, but since he didn't invite them, they could only watch, their throats moving as they swallowed their saliva, smelling the aroma of the grilled fish.

Xiao Yuanhang waved them over, "Daguo, you guys come over too. One grilled fish and a bottle of beer each, go ahead and order!"

"Thank you, Second Brother!" Daguo and the others were overjoyed and ran over, bowing and thanking him. They then called the stall owner to bring the grilled fish and beer. The stall owner, though not familiar with Xiao Yuanhang, knew Wang Dahai and his group well. Knowing they were not to be provoked, he treated them even more politely, picking the largest fish for them.

Xiao Yuanhang asked, "Dahai, why are you here so early? I thought you usually come around 10 PM?"

Wang Dahai said, "Old Wu asked me to help him pick up some people. Fewer and fewer people are bringing pine seeds from the mountains, and he's afraid he won't get any goods, so he asked me to bring a few brothers to help. He promised to pay us, and we have nothing to do at home, so we came early."

"Are there people specifically bringing pine seeds?" Kogo is the largest nut processing and distribution center in the three northeastern provinces. Many people have become wealthy through the nut business, and this industry has already taken shape. Japanese merchants mainly import nuts from Kogo, primarily pine nuts and walnuts. Therefore, the pine seed business in Kogo is very active. Xiao Yuanhang was very familiar with the development of the nut industry and was very interested in what Wang Dahai said.

Wang Dahai said, "According to Old Wu, the price of pine seeds in Kogo has already reached 5.5 to 6 yuan per pound, and the price is still rising. In Linquan, the price is only about 3 yuan per pound, but the forestry and border control are very strict, and without proper procedures, it's impossible to transport them out. So, there are people who bring pine seeds by train to earn money. Old Wu comes to the station almost every day to buy pine seeds from these people and then resell them, making about 1 yuan per pound!"

He took a sip of beer and continued, "This information somehow got to the Kogo Forestry Bureau, and they send people to the station every day to intercept these people. If caught, they confiscate the goods without mercy. After a few losses, these people stopped coming. But there are still some bold ones who choose to arrive in Kogo at night, when there are fewer forestry bureau people checking. Sometimes, they don't come at all. But there are many people waiting to pick them up, and Old Wu is afraid he won't get any, so he asked me to bring my brothers to help!"

"Ah!" Xiao Yuanhang nodded thoughtfully after hearing this. The "mountains" Wang Dahai referred to were the Changbai Mountains, mainly the Linquan area. In his previous life, Xiao Yuanhang had no experience with the nut business and knew little about it. He didn't realize that the distance from Linquan to Kogo was only about 600 kilometers, and the price difference for pine seeds was so significant. Two yuan was almost enough for a family's daily expenses, and this was just the price difference for one pound of pine seeds!

It seems I need to study the pine seed business more carefully...

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