Zhou Hongsong refused to admit it no matter what, insisting that Li Xiangdong give a clear explanation.

Li Xiangdong had no choice but to explain to him, "What Mr. Jin means is that I now have extra money to collect antiques, and as long as these antiques are left untouched, their value will increase hundreds or thousands of times in a few decades."

"And these are values ​​that people who sell antiques now cannot enjoy."

Zhou Hongsong still couldn't understand, "What's wrong with that? It's a willing buyer and a willing seller, we didn't force them to sell!"

Li Xiangdong nodded, "Fifth Brother, you're not wrong. It's human nature to exchange the greatest value for the least cost. Just like the Tao Te Ching says, 'To take from those who have less and give to those who have more, that is the way of man.'"

Zhou Hongsong clapped his hands together. "That's right! What normal person wouldn't do that!"

Li Xiangdong gently shook his head. "Everyone desires the greatest profit, but Fifth Brother, can you really earn all the money in the world and put it in your own hands?"

A hint of confusion appeared in Zhou Hongsong's eyes.

Back then, he couldn't afford to eat, and he even had to sneak into the train station to Yanjing without paying.

Since meeting Li Xiangdong, who has been helping him make money, he can now easily spend tens or hundreds of yuan.

But when Li Xiangdong asked him if he could transfer all the money to his hands, he was completely at a loss.

After a long pause, he said, "No, it's not that. I just think it's foolish to do business this way."

Li Xiangdong laughed and said, "Is that stupid? Giving away a portion of the profits to others."

"Isn't that stupid?"

“Perhaps, some people might think this is foolish. But, Fifth Brother, Chaochao Brother, if we were in each other's shoes, would you rather encounter someone like Grandpa Jin, or someone who is meticulous and wants to squeeze every last drop of value out of us?”

Some might say he's an idealist, but that's just who he is. He treats himself and others as human beings, not as a blood bag to be endlessly exploited or as leeks to be endlessly harvested.

What makes us human is to live with dignity, to live like a human being.

He Chaochao's playful face gradually turned serious. "Of course, we only feel at ease following someone like you who values ​​loyalty over profit."

Zhou Hongsong's confused eyes gradually cleared, and he took out twenty yuan from his pocket and slapped it on He Chaochao's hand, saying, "A bet's a bet! I admit defeat!"

Li Xiangdong put the things into the side room and asked He Chaochao and Zhou Hongsong if they wanted to go to Northeast China. After receiving an affirmative answer, he told them to rest for two days and take the train early the day after tomorrow.

Ever since Li Jiabao learned that his father and brother were going to Northeast China, he couldn't sit still. He devised a hundred ways to flatter his father and brother, hoping to beg them to take him along.

Li Jin and Li Xiangdong are no longer too demanding of Li Jiabao's studies. Since he wants to go out, they'll take him to broaden his horizons.

However, the two of them, with remarkable tacit understanding, refused to budge and enjoyed Li Jiabao's attentiveness.

It wasn't until the night before departure that Li Xiangdong agreed to take him along.

Li Jiabao happily packed his clothes and luggage, but just before going to bed, he shouted and jumped up from the kang (a heated brick bed), "Did my second brother buy me a train ticket?"

Li Xiangdong kicked him, telling him to go to sleep, "I bought it a long time ago!"

Li Jiabao was relieved and lay down to sleep again.

But he felt something was off, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

It wasn't until midnight that he realized something was wrong. His second brother had already bought him a train ticket, so why was he only telling him now that he agreed to take him to the Northeast?

Is it so that I'll buy him ice cream, massage his shoulders, walk the dog, and tidy up the house...?

Li Jiabao, who was tricked: This guy is such a rip-off...

On the way to Northeast China, Li Jiabao insisted on calling him "Keng Ge" (a derogatory term for a troublesome older brother), which confused Zhou Hongsong and He Chaochao. Li Jin knew that his youngest son was full of resentment, so he ignored him and secretly laughed to himself.

The further northeast the train traveled, the cooler it became on board. Opening the windows, the breeze that blew in was refreshingly cool and pleasant.

After two or three days of clattering train travel, they finally arrived at Yilan Railway Station.

As soon as the four of them got off the train, they looked at the endless Xing'an Mountains in the distance and felt the fresh wind blowing in their faces. They took a deep breath and felt dizzy from the abundance of negative oxygen ions, as if they were drunk.

"Oh my god, am I suffering from oxygen intoxication?"

Li Xiangdong muttered to himself.

However, after a period of adjustment, they quickly recovered from the symptoms.

There is only one bus a day to Zahatun, which departs at 2 PM.

It was still early, so the group randomly picked a restaurant in the county town to grab a bite to eat.

The four young men ordered a plate of sweet and sour pork, a plate of stir-fried potatoes, green peppers, and eggplant, a large bowl of pickled cabbage and pork ribs, and a large bowl of rice.

He Chaochao exclaimed, "Wow, this plate is as big as our kitchen canopy!"

Zhou Hongsong picked up a piece of golden, crispy pork belly coated in glistening sweet and sour sauce with his chopsticks and gestured, "The big slices of pork are bigger than my palm!"

"The portions are huge, and it tastes delicious!"

The four of them sang their praises and then ate until they were completely clean, before leaving the restaurant, leaning against the wall for support.

The road to Zahatun was not smooth, and the bus bumped along from time to time. Large trucks loaded with timber passed by constantly, their exhaust puffs of black smoke. In short, although the road was remote, it was quite lively.

Li Xiangdong asked Li Jin, "Dad, are the people you knew in Zahatun still around?"

If none of his father's old acquaintances are here, they'll have nowhere to stay tonight.

And the local specialties his father brought for the villagers were quite heavy to carry...

Li Jin retorted, "Then why aren't they here! Old Cui and the others are about my age! I just don't know if they still remember me..."

Li Xiangdong: ...

Fortunately, Li Jin's old friends Lao Cui and Lao Hai'er were still living in Zahatun and warmly welcomed Li Jin and his party.

Li Jin was also very excited. He chatted warmly with the villagers who kept coming to visit him at Lao Cui's house, reminiscing about the past. He shared the instant noodles, hawthorn rolls, and milk candy he brought from home with the villagers.

A short while later, the old village chief of Zahatun came over, leaning on his cane. Before even entering the house, he called out in his still loud voice, "Is it Sergeant Li who's back?"

Li Jin jumped off the kang (a heated brick bed), not even bothering to put on his shoes, and hurried out to greet the old village chief, shaking his hand. "Uncle Changshan, it's me who's back!"

The old village chief shook hands with his withered but strong hands, saying excitedly, "It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back!"

That evening, everyone in the village gathered together for dinner. The meal consisted of sauerkraut, vermicelli, tofu, and wild boar stewed in a large iron pot, served with red sorghum rice. Everyone could eat as much as they wanted!