stjorthotic Chapter 134 Specifically targeting his Heavenly King.
Chapter 134 Specifically targeting his Heavenly King.
Yu Min felt a pang of envy; this was almost equivalent to a family's monthly income.
Li Xiaotao didn't hide anything. Her chopsticks never stopped as she picked up a piece of fatty meat and stuffed it into her mouth, chewing it with gusto: "Yesterday I hauled almost 600 jin, one jin for one mao, you can do the math yourself. After deducting the cigarette money for the old gatekeeper and the few things I bumped and broke on the way, I ended up with 58.6 yuan."
"Fifty-eight yuan and sixty cents..."
Yu Min gasped, still trying to figure it out on her fingers, when her second brother, Li Dalin, sitting next to her couldn't sit still any longer.
"Dad! It seems like this business is going to be successful! How about... I push the cart to town tomorrow and give it a try? We have quite a few melons in our own plot, and the melon buyers haven't come yet, so maybe..."
"Try it my ass!"
Upon hearing this, Li Youtian's triangular eyes widened instantly, and he slammed his fist on the table with a deafening roar.
"Li Dalin, you better take back those cunning tricks!"
Li Youtian pointed at his second son's nose, spitting all over his face. "She's a married daughter, like water spilled from a cup, I can't control what she does. You're a son of the Li family, still officially registered in the production team! You're pushing a cart to sell melons? What will the villagers think of me, the Party Secretary?"
Li Dalin shrank back after being scolded, but the thought of his sister earning so much money in a day still made him itch with desire. He muttered under his breath, "But you can't just sit there and not pick up the money... Everyone else is dirt poor, but Xiao Tao can earn it, so why can't I..." His voice trailed off.
"You don't know anything!"
Li Youtian was so angry that his beard trembled: "I'm the village party secretary! I'm the leader! If all my family members take the lead in starting their own businesses, won't the village be in chaos? Today you're selling melons, tomorrow he's selling vegetables, who will take care of the crops in the fields? If the production quota isn't met, and the commune leaders blame us, can you take the blame or can I?"
He pointed at the family and threatened, "Listen up, all of you! This has to stop with Xiao Tao! Anyone who dares to try and run off to town, don't blame me for breaking their legs with a cow whip! That's the principle! That's the bottom line!"
The room fell silent instantly.
Li Dalin lowered his head in frustration, and Yu Min didn't dare to say a word either.
Just as Li Xiaotao was about to open her mouth to say something more sarcastic, she heard a "bang".
Fan Lihong slammed a steaming bowl of radish stew with vermicelli onto the center of the table, the splashing broth nearly scalding Li Youtian's hand.
"What's all the noise about? Aren't you going to stop yet?"
Fan Lihong, her face dark, pushed the bowl of vegetables in front of Li Youtian, showing no respect whatsoever to the village secretary.
"Principles? Bottom line? I'll see if your principles can put food on the table!"
Fan Lihong took off her apron and threw it forcefully onto a bench. Pointing at Li Youtian's forehead, she began to berate him: "You've been the Party Secretary your whole life, and all you've learned is to curse people behind your back. What have you brought to the family? Huh? Weimin and Xiaotao earned in a day yesterday what you earned in half a year! Look at this table full of food and drink, none of it can you, Party Secretary Li, afford?"
Li Youtian was speechless, his face flushed, and he opened his mouth to retort, "You...you woman, what do you know? You don't even have this much awareness..."
"Enlightenment my ass!"
Fan Lihong didn't give him a chance to speak. She plopped down on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), crossed her arms, and said, "Does being enlightened mean our roof won't leak? Does being enlightened mean our grandson can wear new clothes? You're the most enlightened person in the whole village, but I haven't seen you make much money! We're struggling to make ends meet, and the commune hasn't even given you a big red flower!"
Fan Lihong had been holding this grudge for more than just a day or two.
She's a woman who only knows how to work around the stove. She doesn't understand any grand principles, but she sticks to one principle: whoever can make sure she has rice in the pot and money in her pocket is capable!
Li Youtian, on the other hand, for the sake of that tattered official hat, spends his days in the village with his hands behind his back, acting like a big shot, suffering for the sake of saving face.
In recent years, the family has grown with the addition of new members, and the mouths to feed have become bigger and bigger, like filling a bottomless pit, but the income has not increased. The family can be said to be tightening their belts to make ends meet.
She turned to Li Dalin and Yu Min: "Since everyone knows that's a way to make money, what's there to be afraid of? As long as you don't steal or rob, and you earn money through hard work, who would dare to gossip? I think anyone who dares to stop the children from having a good life is going against money and against this family!"
Li Youtian dared not retort.
He was the undisputed local tyrant in the village, but when he returned home, this old woman was like the Heavenly King who was there to subdue him.
He glanced at the table full of delicious dishes that he might not even get to eat during the New Year, then at Li Weimin's new clothes. His lips moved, but in the end, he could only angrily pick up a large piece of fatty meat and stuff it into his mouth, chewing it fiercely as if the meat had a grudge against him.
Fan Lihong, having vented her anger, picked up her chopsticks and placed a chicken leg on Li Weimin's plate: "Son-in-law, eat up. Don't pay any attention to this stubborn old man. He's like a walnut, always waiting to be smashed."
Li Youtian's cheeks bulged, his old face turning black and red in turns, finally turning into a muffled groan.
This was considered tacit approval.
The atmosphere at the table instantly became lively.
Second sister-in-law Yu Min's eyes darted around, and she kicked her husband hard under the table.
Li Dalin had been itching to act for a long time.
He filled Li Youtian's glass with his wine and said with a forced smile, "Dad, calm down. Actually, what Mom said makes sense. We're not stealing or robbing; we're just exchanging what we grow for money. This is also to respond to... what you call..."
Seeing that Li Youtian didn't hit him with his pipe, Li Dalin became even bolder. He turned to Li Xiaotao, his eyes shining: "Xiaotao, then next time... could you bring your second brother along? Some of the melons in our family's private plot are already ripe. Those bastards from the supply and marketing cooperative will have to wait another half month to come and collect them. By then, it will be too late."
Li Dashu, the eldest brother who had been keeping quiet all along, also put down his chopsticks at this moment.
He glanced at his sister-in-law, Chen Xiuer, who was feeding meat to the child beside him, his eyes filled with envy.
He's a quiet guy, usually not one to utter a word, but right now he's getting flustered by that 58.65 yuan.
"Xiao Tao." Li Dashu raised his wine glass somewhat hesitantly towards Li Weimin, "Um... if the car can still fit, I'd like to go to town with you. Your nephew is about to start school, and we haven't raised the tuition fees yet. If we could sell the melons from the field for a good price..."
Before Li Dashu could finish speaking, his face turned red, but the meaning was crystal clear.
The whole family's attention was focused on Li Xiaotao.
Li Xiaotao readily agreed.
The atmosphere at the dinner table became completely lively.
Li Weimin was deeply moved as he watched this scene.
He thought that his father-in-law and brothers-in-law would give him a hard time today, but to his surprise, they were all won over by his wife.
He secretly took Li Xiaotao's hand under the table; her palm was warm.
Li Xiaotao turned her head, winked at him, and a smug smile appeared on her lips.
The meal lasted until the sun was setting, and two bottles of Xifeng liquor were finished, along with five pounds of fatty meat.
As she was leaving, Yu Min practically wanted to see Li Xiaotao off for two miles, holding Li Xiaotao's hand affectionately: "Taozi, you have to remember, next time you must invite my Dalin!"
"Don't worry, Second Sister-in-law, I won't forget." Li Xiaotao withdrew her hand. "I'm leaving."
On the way back, Li Weimin pushed his empty bicycle, his steps a little unsteady, a silly grin plastered on his face.
"Wife, you're amazing."
"Is that impressive?"
Li Xiaotao jumped onto the back of the bicycle, patted his waist, and said, "Once we have enough capital, we'll go big. We'll treat your dad to a whole table of Moutai, not just Xifeng liquor!"
Li Weimin pedaled hard, shouting into the setting sun, "Alright! Honey, whatever you say goes!"