Chapter 36

"I think this is a good idea."

The Korean soldier was moved by the promising future Li Dong described. Earning at least ten to eight dollars for the family, and it was cash. Farmers buying back grain only paid ninety-six cents per pound, so ten dollars was equivalent to a hundred pounds of grain.

With this grain, the famine could be reduced. This year's harvest would definitely be less due to the weather, and there might be a dozen families in the team facing famine. The production team didn't have much surplus grain, and a few families might go hungry. Although they wouldn't starve to death, it would be a hassle.

Neither Han Guofu, Han Guobing, nor Han Guohong liked seeing people in the team facing famine. The production team and the brigade were different, especially in Han Village, where everyone had the same surname, and every family was related in some way.

If there was a famine, every family would be affected. This was a good income opportunity that paid cash, so why wouldn't they be happy? Seeing Han Guofu hesitate, even his two daughters-in-law couldn't hold back. "Mom, you should talk to Dad. This is a good thing."

"Of course, our family is large, and after the autumn harvest, everyone will be idle. Picking wild fruits and such, earning ten to eight dollars, we can buy a few yards of cloth for the kids to make clothes. That would be great," Zhang Qiuju said, a bit anxious. Why was her father-in-law still considering it?

"This still depends on your father."

Li Chunhua also thought it was a good idea. Mushrooms and fungi depended on luck, but wild fruits were abundant in the mountains. Drying them, a family with many people could easily collect a hundred to eighty pounds after the autumn harvest, which would be worth ten to twenty dollars.

With this money, what couldn't they do? Li Chunhua was eager and thought about talking to her father-in-law later. Li Dong's uncle was a leader in the supply and marketing cooperative, and Li Dong paid cash. What was there to worry about?

Han Guofu thought for a moment and slapped the table. "Alright, let's do it."

"Great."

The two daughters-in-law outside were delighted. "Mom, we'll go into the mountains tonight to pick fruits. The wild persimmons on the hillside are already turning red."

"I saw some wild grapes on the slope by the sorghum field. We can go pick them and dry a few pounds. That's a dollar, and a pound of salt is only fifteen cents, and a pound of cooking oil is only seventy cents."

That's enough for a month's worth of oil and salt. Hearing this, not only the two of them but also Han Weijun and Han Weijiang were interested. They could secretly collect some and sell to Li Dong for some money. All their money was in their mother's hands, and they had no private savings.

When they went out, they had to ask for money. The two brothers exchanged glances and decided to make a trap to catch wild chickens and rabbits. If they were lucky, one rabbit could earn a dollar, and only a fool wouldn't do it.

Li Dong was even happier. With Han Guofu's agreement, it was settled. "Uncle Guofu, rest assured. When the time comes, I'll pay cash or grain tickets, and I'll make sure everyone is satisfied."

After a few drinks, Li Dong started boasting. "Grain tickets, daily necessities, look, this is soap. Our commune supply and marketing cooperative doesn't have it. It's from Hongcheng."

It was Camay, but the packaging was removed before Li Dong brought it back, adding some weight. The information on the packaging was crucial. Now, the Camay name was worn off.

"Smells good."

The soap made Zhang Qiuju and Liu Xiaoli's eyes shine. It was a good thing.

"Hehe, it's not just the smell. Using this soap, you'll smell even better, and it repels insects. One block costs a dollar and a half, the price of a wild rabbit, and it lasts all summer. The kids won't get sick."

Li Dong proudly placed the soap on the table and praised it. The others looked at the soap with envy. Xiaojuan, seeing her father place the good thing carelessly, stared at the soap, afraid someone would take a piece.

Han Xiaohao sniffed the soap and ran off. "It smells so good, like the flowers in the mountains."

"Really?"

"Uh-huh."

Li Dong smiled. This soap, which many people in the future didn't use, was now much better than what was available. It had a floral scent and a refreshing mint smell.

"Come, come, do you have a knife? Let's divide it. I'll bring more later, and we can use this for now."

Hearing this, Xiaojuan's eyes turned red. A dollar and a half per block, and her father was going to divide it. What could she do with so many people watching? She couldn't just grab the soap and run.

Zhang Qiuju and Liu Xiaoli quickly ran to the kitchen to get a knife. Han Guofu couldn't stop them. Li Dong, after a few drinks, took the knife and cut the soap into four pieces.

"Divide it. Aunt, your family is large, take two blocks. Uncle Guobing, Uncle Guohong, one block each."

"How can we do that?"

Despite their words, Han Guobing and Han Guohong grabbed the soap and put it in their pockets. Zhang Qiuju and Liu Xiaoli, with wide eyes, each took a block. "Mom, if you need it, let me know."

They treasured it, the floral scent and mint freshness, and the smoothness.

Xiaojuan, seeing the soap cut into four pieces and divided, tears welled up in her eyes.

Seeing his daughter cry, Li Dong pulled her into his arms. "Don't cry, don't cry. Dad brought several blocks, and one is specially for Xiaojuan. It's very fragrant. Ha ha ha, our Xiaojuan will be a fragrant girl."

Xiaojuan wiped her tears but thought about the cost of the soap, a dollar and a half, and felt it was a waste to give it away. She couldn't help but cry again.

"Give Xiaojuan some peanuts to take with her."

Han Guofu, seeing this, felt embarrassed. Li Dong brought wine, pastries, and meat, and now he was dividing the soap, which cost over a dollar. He felt bad.

Li Chunhua nodded, agreeing to give Xiaojuan more peanuts.

After a few drinks and some meat, Li Dong was satisfied. He wasn't too focused on the soap but was thinking about collecting wild chickens, rabbits, mushrooms, and dried fruits. These were all good things.

After dinner, Li Dong was very pleased. The wild chicken stew with mountain powder was especially delicious. On his way back, Li Dong talked about going to the reservoir to bathe. Li Chunhua packed a couple of pounds of peanuts and a bag of mountain powder for him.

Seeing Li Dong's fondness for mountain powder, Han Guofu let him take more. Li Dong didn't refuse, thinking it was a good thing. He planned to use beef to stew mountain powder for breakfast and boil a few eggs for Xiaojuan to take for lunch.

At home, Xiaojuan pouted, still thinking about the soap, which cost a dollar and a half.

"Hehe, don't be angry. Look what Dad brought."

He opened the package, revealing shoes, clothes, stationery, and toys. Xiaojuan's eyes widened, especially at the beautiful shoes, which were Huili sports shoes. "Try them on." Li Dong put a pair on Xiaojuan's feet.

"My feet are dirty, I'll wash them first."

She ran out to fetch water to clean her feet, not wanting to dirty the shoes. Trying on three pairs, all were too big. Li Dong, inexperienced, had bought size 30 shoes, while Xiaojuan needed size 26 or 27.

What to do? Li Dong was at a loss, but Xiaojuan was still happy. She thought bigger shoes were better, as they could be worn for longer. Unlike children in the future, who threw away shoes after a few months.

"I'll buy you two more pairs later."

"I don't want them. We need to save money to build a house and get Dad a wife."

Xiaojuan looked at Li Dong strangely, making him laugh. "I haven't gotten the money yet, but I'll give it to you when I do, okay?"

This child, worrying about his money, Xiaojuan pouted, thinking it would cost over ten dollars. "Alright, let's hang up the mosquito net." Li Dong picked up the mosquito net, a good thing.

Xiaojuan had never seen such a thing. It looked like a white house. "With this, we won't be afraid of mosquitoes."

"Alright, Dad is going to bathe."

At the village entrance, many children saw Li Dong and ran over. "Uncle."

"So many people."

Li Dong carried a basin with a new towel and a whole block of soap. He brought three blocks of soap, two for adults and one for children. The children's soap was for Xiaojuan, and the adult soap was for himself. He had just cut one block.

"Let's go bathe."

The reservoir had a staircase and a concrete area, forming a natural pool. The water was a bit low, so Li Dong had to squat to wash. "So comfortable." The soap's fragrance attracted the children playing nearby.

The foam was full of fragrance, and the children's eyes widened. Han Xiaohao proudly told them that his family had the soap and that a rabbit could be exchanged for a block of soap.

Li Dong hadn't said that, but the child was good at creating trouble. "Come, come, everyone can use it." Li Dong cut the soap into two pieces, keeping one for himself and giving the other to the children.

The children, experiencing the mint freshness for the first time, were very comfortable. When the adults came to bathe, they heard their children talking about the soap and became interested.

Li Dong, with a basin, returned home, feeling a bit tired from the day's activities and the drinks. He fell asleep quickly.

Xiaojuan, seeing her father asleep, sighed. Mooncakes, almond cookies, candies, wine, and soap, all wasted money. She counted her savings, forty dollars and seventy-six cents.

Xiaojuan had asked the team leader's wife how much it cost to get a wife. A good one cost two to three hundred dollars, while a refugee woman could be bought for fifty dollars, plus some clothes and bedding, totaling about one hundred and fifty dollars for a house.

Xiaojuan was worried her father might not like a refugee woman. "I have to take care of Dad," she thought, clenching her fists and pulling the quilt over Li Dong, determined not to let him remain single. The weather was getting cooler, and she didn't need to fan her father anymore. With the mosquito net, it was great, no more mosquito bites. Xiaojuan loved the white mosquito net.

The next morning, a knock on the door woke Li Dong. "Who is it?"

"Uncle."

Xiao Hao, and other children from the village, each carrying a basket full of stones.

"What's going on?"

Li Dong was confused. Why were the children bringing him stones so early in the morning?