Chapter 88

"This is the purchase list I copied from the acquisition station."

"The price for Chinese cabbage is one point five cents, isn't it one point two cents per pound for eighty percent of it?"

This is a bit too low. According to the size of the reserved land in Han Village, which is usually six to eight tenths of an acre, one acre of Chinese cabbage can yield three to four thousand pounds with insufficient fertilizer, and eight tenths of an acre would yield no more than three thousand pounds of Chinese cabbage.

At one point two cents per pound, three thousand pounds of Chinese cabbage wouldn't even reach fifty yuan, and Li Dong frowned. "Forty or so yuan, it's not worth the effort of working for three months."

"We need to think of other ways; we can't just grow Chinese cabbage." Li Dong's frown deepened, and for a moment, he forgot that Huang Shengnan was beside him.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing, how did those few get released?"

"The situation is like this: they sold scrap cloth from the factory, which doesn't count as a real commodity," Huang Shengnan had inquired quite thoroughly, and Li Dong thought she must have gone to the city quite often.

Li Dong was a bit curious. Did Huang Shengnan not have to work? How did she solve her food rations? Was it through relatives' help?

"Scrap cloth doesn't count as a commodity?"

It was hard to say, but the change in attitude was probably related to Secretary Wan.

"In the short term."

Li Dong understood this without Huang Shengnan saying it. In simple terms, buying low and selling high was fine for other items, but it could cause social unrest if it involved food.

After explaining, Huang Shengnan was about to leave. Li Feng came into the house, wrapped some pastries, and gave them to Huang Shengnan, making her quite embarrassed. "By the way, I met Gao Weimin at the commune. He said he needs to talk to you. When you have time, go to the supply cooperative."

"Gao Weimin?"

"I know."

After Huang Shengnan left, Li Dong was puzzled. Gao Weimin hadn't had time to go into the mountains recently. Could there be something else?

It was a good time to go. He rode his bike to the supply cooperative and found Gao Min.

"Sister-in-law."

"It's Li Dong."

Gao Min quickly came over, but she stayed behind the counter.

"Sister-in-law, what does Weimin need me for?"

"There's something he wants your help with."

Gao Min was a bit embarrassed. "A classmate of Weimin's is getting married and urgently needs a women's watch."

That's a good thing, Li Dong thought. He had brought two pairs of watches this time, but he hesitated. "Sister-in-law, I can't give you a definite answer right now. Watches are in short supply."

"If it's too much trouble, forget it. Weimin is embarrassed to ask, but if it weren't for his classmate's urgent need, he wouldn't have asked." Gao Min explained quickly.

"Don't say that, Sister-in-law. I'll try my best. If it works out, I'll come back."

Li Dong was eager to make the deal. He didn't have much money left, having spent a lot on purchasing monkey head mushrooms, gold, and polygonum. The two hundred yuan he had from selling his bicycle was almost gone.

He only had a few dozen yuan left, which might run out in a few days. Gao Weimin's request came at just the right time.

"By the way, Sister-in-law, what does Weimin's classmate do?"

If it's something suspicious, he'd rather not sell the watch. It's better to be cautious.

"He works at the county cultural station, responsible for showing movies."

Li Dong thought it was a coincidence. "That's a good job."

"It is."

Movie projectionists were treated like VIPs wherever they went. They often received gifts and had plenty to eat and drink.

"Sister-in-law, I'll go back now. Tell Weimin I'll try my best to help and come back when I have news."

"Alright, don't overdo it."

Li Dong bought two bottles of wine, three pounds of raw peanuts, and one pound of eggs and went home. Xiao Juan had just returned from collecting pig grass and pouted when she saw the wine and eggs. Li Dong knew what she was thinking.

Eggs, wine, and peanuts were not cheap. A bottle of wine cost over a yuan, peanuts cost three to four tenths of a yuan per pound, and eggs cost six to seven tenths of a yuan. These items cost several yuan, enough to buy twenty pounds of rice.

No one in Han Village could afford such luxury. If a wife saw her husband buying eggs, bottled wine, and peanuts, she would roll on the ground and cry, saying they couldn't live like this.

Xiao Juan just looked at Li Dong, who smiled awkwardly. "Dad has gone to work."

At the village entrance, most of the villagers had arrived, and Han Weijun was assigning tasks. Li Dong joined the corn group.

"Our task today is to pick all the corn in this field."

With a wave of his hand, people of all ages started picking corn. Han Weiqun brought his entire family, including several half-grown children. Li Dong glanced at them.

There were four children, aged seven to eleven, wearing patched clothes and looking malnourished. They were all munching on fresh corn. Li Dong, who hadn't eaten breakfast, couldn't resist and picked a cob to eat.

The taste wasn't great, and Li Dong lost his appetite after one cob, but the Han Weiqun family kept eating.

"Li Dong, over here, why did you run inside?"

"Coming, Brother Weijun."

Han Weiqun quickly got to work and waved for the children to go elsewhere to eat. It seemed they were preparing for a full day's meal.

Picking corn, loading it into baskets, and transporting it on wheelbarrows were tasks Li Dong was familiar with. After a round of work, he was caught by a group of women who wanted him to sing. Li Dong wasn't afraid of this. He sang harvest songs and drinking songs one after another.

"Another one."

"No, my voice will go hoarse."

Li Dong waved his hands, unable to sing any more.

"Work faster, we have a bit left. Let's finish before noon." Han Weijun rescued Li Dong, and the women dispersed.

In the morning, they finished picking corn. In the afternoon, they started peeling the corn husks and cobs. The threshing ground was a sea of gold, with a large pile of corn in the center. Everyone sat around, peeling the husks and cobs, and it was quite lively.

They encouraged Li Dong to sing a few more times, but this time he didn't fall for it. "I'll go cut the corn stalks; I won't join the fun here."

"Ha ha."

Peeling corn husks and cobs was women's and elderly people's work. Li Dong usually liked to join them because it was easier. He didn't mind if he got a bit less.

"Li Dong, hurry up, why are you chatting with the women? If you want a woman, find one."

"Coming, Uncle Guoqiang."

Han Guoqiang came over to Li Dong. "Tiger penis wine, do you have any more? Get me half a bottle."

"Uncle Guoqiang, I really don't have any more. Please let me off."

You've already had one and a half bottles. I can't handle it. There wasn't much left, and I let you have it a few times, but no more.

"That's a shame."

Shame on you. Look at your wife's frail body. You enjoy yourself every day, but she's been weak from working.

Han Guoqiang saw that Li Dong really didn't have any tiger penis wine, patted his buttocks, and walked away, staying away from Li Dong, whose scythe could be dangerous.

"Li Brother, what's up? Uncle Guoqiang is asking you for tiger penis wine again?"

Han Weiguo, Han Weidong, and Han Weichao laughed and came over.

Li Dong thought, does the whole village know about this? Uncle Guoqiang, you have some nerve. "No, the tiger penis wine is all gone."

"That's a shame."

You guys, shame on you. Li Dong ignored them and continued cutting corn stalks.

Han Weiguo and the others talked about the movie they saw a few days ago. "The machine guns were so exciting."

"Right, the Americans begged for mercy."

"Shangganling" or some war movie, Li Dong mumbled. He had seen some old movies but didn't remember them well.

"It would be great if they could show a movie in our village."

"Right, Captain Uncle mentioned it a few times, but it never happened."

Han Village was just a production team, and the film projection team wasn't interested in showing movies in such a small place. Han Guofu had tried a few times but couldn't get them to come.

Li Dong thought about seeing Gao Weimin and asking him to show a movie for Xiao Juan as a birthday gift.

"Right, that's a good idea."

As for Han Weiguo and the others, they could come along. While thinking, Li Dong cut the corn stalks and, during a break, the group chewed on sweet corn stalks to quench their thirst.

They couldn't help but brag. Li Dong mentioned giving Xiao Juan a birthday gift and inviting everyone to a movie.

Everyone thought Li Dong was joking and didn't take it seriously. After all, the captain, who could argue with Secretary Gao and bring the film projection team, why would Li Dong be able to do it?

They thought Li Dong was boasting and didn't take it seriously. After finishing the sweet stalks, they continued working.

The corn stalks had to be dried, loaded onto carts, and taken to the feed warehouse. This was the winter feed for the livestock, which relied on corn and sorghum stalks.

"Finally, we're done."

Over the next two days, they finished the corn field work, plowing the land, and clearing the weeds in the paddy fields. This took another three to five days, and finally, the autumn harvest and planting were complete. Li Dong calculated that it had been almost a week.

"Alright, let's go to the supply cooperative."

Riding his bike, he arrived in no time. He went to the supply cooperative.

"Sister-in-law."

"Li Dong, what have you been up to these past few days? Why haven't I seen you with Xiao Juan?"

"I've been plowing the land and planting wheat."

Li Dong took the rice candy, which tasted good and fragrant.

"Sister-in-law, give me two pounds."

"Sure."

Li Dong took the rice candy and whispered, "I got a reply. The item will be brought over tomorrow. Sister-in-law, tell Weimin's classmate that it took some effort, so we need some extra food coupons."

"No problem."

After agreeing, Li Dong waited at home for Gao Weimin and his classmate, Huang Xiaotian, to come over. Huang Xiaotian was very pleased with the Shanghai brand women's watch.

"Thank you so much."

"No problem, since you're Weimin's friend."

Li Dong smiled. "Comrade Huang, I heard you're a projectionist. I have a favor to ask."

"Sure, what is it?"

Li Dong added some touching elements to Xiao Juan's story, making it more compelling. Huang Xiaotian was deeply moved.

"Sure, I'll help."

"Thank you so much. How about tomorrow night?"

"Sure."

The next day, Li Dong told Han Guofu about inviting the film projection team. Han Guofu was surprised. This kid had some skills.

"Really?"

"Really, Uncle Guofu, I was going to ask for your permission to borrow a mule cart to pick up the projection team."

"Use a mule cart? Use a tractor."

Han Guofu clapped his hands. Since they were coming to Han Village and showing a movie for free, he couldn't be too casual.

The tractor brought the projection team back to Han Village, and the whole village was excited.

"Movies!"

A group of children surrounded the tractor, and Han Guofu, puffing on his pipe, smiled and chased the mischievous kids away.

"Everyone is so enthusiastic."

Huang Xiaotian was surprised by the enthusiasm of the Han Village farmers.

Han Weiguo, Han Weidong, and Han Weichao were stunned. A few days ago, Li Dong had mentioned inviting a projection team for Xiao Juan, but they hadn't taken it seriously.

"Li Brother is amazing."

"Right, he really brought the projection team."

Xiao Juan, who was attending a class at the commune, didn't know about the projection team coming to the village.