“I’ve set aside ten baskets of apples for your family, along with pears, hawthorns, chestnuts, dates, and other things, for my uncle, aunt, and the children in their families.”

Sheng Xiyun felt that Sheng Xiping had helped him so much, and he couldn't help but express his gratitude.

So before setting off, I specially bought some fruits and dried fruits, all of which are Yantai specialties, to give to Sheng Xiping's family.

"Oh my brother, how many people are there in my family? Just leave me two baskets of apples, don't leave me ten, that's a thousand pounds, we can't eat them every day."

Upon hearing this, Sheng Xiping was both amused and exasperated. His family would have to eat apples as their main meal to be able to afford so many.

"If you can't eat them, just give them away. You have to visit relatives and friends during the New Year, right? You don't have these here, so they're rare and people like them."

Sheng Xiyun waved his hand, ignoring Sheng Xiping's words, and directly called his son to unload the goods from the truck and temporarily store them in the station's warehouse.

After Sheng Xiping finishes helping them, they will transport it home.

Sheng Xiping couldn't stop the three men, so he had no choice but to help carry them down and into the warehouse.

Afterwards, Sheng Xiyun carried down five more baskets of apples and gave them to the people at the station.

"Comrades, you've troubled us for so long, and you haven't brought anything good. Here are a few baskets of apples. You guys at the station, please share them and have a taste."

Sheng Xiyun's social skills pleased the station manager, who quickly called for help to move the apples away so everyone could share them.

"Okay, then you can use the warehouse as you like, and take it whenever you want."

Don't worry, I'll have someone find something to cover it up; the fruit absolutely mustn't freeze.

And so, after settling things at Songjianghe Station, the freight truck turned around and departed for Xianrenqiao within the time frame arranged by the station.

At Xianrenqiao, transport vehicles from the county's supply and marketing cooperative and several other units were already waiting, so they quickly loaded the vehicles according to the pre-agreed quantities.

After the staff checked the quantity and quality and confirmed that everything was correct, they paid Sheng Xiyun the agreed price.

Sheng Xiyun was good at getting things done. He called over the people in charge and gave each of them a basket of apples separately. He also sent a few more baskets back to the leaders of the supply and marketing cooperative and several other units.

This made the staff members who had come along very happy, and they left with smiles on their faces.

At the time, the county said it would be at least 100,000 jin, so Sheng Xiyun didn't dare to transport 200,000 jin as promised and transported more.

The Songjianghe Forestry Bureau requested 100,000 jin, the county requested a total of 120,000 jin, and the three supply and marketing cooperatives of Songjianghe, Donggang, and Xianrenqiao requested 18,000 jin.

After deducting the gifts given to various people, there were probably several thousand kilograms of apples left on the truck.

After unloading the goods at Xianren Bridge, it was already quite late, and there was no way to go to Songshu Town.

So that night, Sheng Xiping and his two sons squatted at the train station, taking turns to go out for a stroll, afraid that someone would get on the train in the middle of the night to steal apples.

Stealing a few baskets isn't a big deal, but it's more worrying if they lift up the straw mats or other coverings on the vehicle.

Around November 20th, the nighttime temperature was quite low. If we didn't keep warm, those apples would freeze and spoil overnight.

Having managed to get through the night, the next day Sheng Xiping and his companions set off for Songshu Town according to the train schedule arranged by Xianrenqiao Station.

Once there, the trucks are dumped directly into the coal mine's branch line, where they wait to be loaded and then transport the coal.

Sheng Xiping accompanied Sheng Xiyun and the others to the mine, where they found Secretary Li and several other responsible persons.

Upon meeting, Sheng Xiyun, without saying a word, first asked Secretary Li to arrange for people to unload twenty baskets of apples from the car.

"Secretary Li, these are apples brought from our hometown. They are all top-quality Yantai apples, very good."

Perfect timing! Let's share some with everyone and let them all try our local specialty.

"Oh dear, how embarrassing! Look, you spend money to buy our coal and even give us apples."

This stuff is really expensive, it costs several cents a pound, and you can't usually buy it.

Upon hearing this, Secretary Li was overjoyed. He exchanged pleasantries with Sheng Xiyun and then sent someone to move the apples.

The apples were unloaded, and a basket was opened on the spot. These people didn't stand on ceremony; they just grabbed them, wiped them a couple of times, and started eating.

"Mmm, delicious. This apple is really good, better than any I've ever had before."

"Director Sheng, thank you so much! We're really benefiting from your good food." Secretary Li said with a smile while eating an apple.

"This is nothing. I should thank Secretary Li for his help. Otherwise, where would I buy such good and cheap coal?" Sheng Xiyun replied with a smile.

"By the way, Secretary Li, I need your help with something. Could you arrange a ride? I was thinking of sending some more to Secretary Wang's place."

There's no train service to Tanghe Forestry Bureau, so Sheng Xiyun couldn't very well call Wangjiachuan to send a truck to transport the apples there.

So we can only ask them for a favor and ask them to send a car to deliver it.

"Oh, what's wrong with that? Hey you, go and arrange a car to help deliver the apples to Tanghe Forestry Bureau."

Upon hearing this, Secretary Li waved his hand and arranged for someone to drive there.

Before long, a truck drove out of the mine. Sheng Xiping and the others quickly loaded the remaining dozen or so baskets of apples onto the truck. Then, Sheng Xiyun and Sheng Xiping went with the truck to Tanghe Forestry Bureau.

Sheng Xincheng and Sheng Xinyue were left behind, while the truck driver, who didn't care about these matters, went to rest.

Sheng Xiping accompanied Sheng Xiyun to Tanghe Forestry Bureau, where they found Wang Jiachuan and delivered more than a dozen baskets of apples.

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