This guy did this because he heard me tell him how to find the small yellow croaker.

Looking at Zuo Heng who was also squatting and hitting, Zhou Xiang could only sigh.

Bring two stools and sit down to watch the performance of these two money-obsessed people.

After hammering for more than half an hour, the two even exchanged places they had knocked. After being disappointed again, they had to go out to sort out the pile of firewood.

Seeing that the two men finally gave up, he brought two stools out and sat in the yard.

"Zuo Heng, Ling Ran, put those well-preserved wooden legs on the other side. Maybe they can be used to make something else in the future. Zuo Heng also needs wood to repair those chair legs."

The two men nodded, sorted the firewood pile, and cut down the sticky ones, arranged them neatly, tied them into bundles, and moved them into the kitchen door to stack them.

After the firewood was piled up, the remaining wooden legs were stacked and planned to be placed in the corner of the kitchen.

Ling Ran placed the pieces of wood one by one on the rope. His hand holding the wood suddenly stopped. It was a piece of wood that was obviously thicker.

Ling Ran began to knock and listen to the sound, knocking from one end to the other, then raised his head.

Zhou Xiang never thought that he would find a special "leg" among this pile of wooden legs.

He stood up from the second stool, walked to Ling Ran, squatted down, took the wooden leg from his hand, and gently tapped the thick part in the middle.

Then I looked over and over again and finally found a small difference.

He blew out the dust inside, revealing a dent the size of a pinhole. He walked into the room horizontally, took out a needle and handed it to Zhou Xiang.

Ling Ran looked at the needle, then at Zuo Heng. Could he have learned to sew? If he said he wanted to learn needlework, would his mother kill him with a knife?

With a start, he quickly collected his thoughts and saw Zhou Xiang insert the needle into the depression, and there was a slight click.

Lift up a piece of wood, remove the board, revealing four large yellow croakers inside, tightly stuffed in the wood. It is obvious that this groove was dug just to stuff these four large yellow croakers.

Zuo Heng jumped up to lock the gate, Ling Ran grinned and laughed silently.

I am now able to support the little girl and Zuo Heng, and I can contribute to this small family.

"I'll keep this for you. It's for the family's use." Ling Ran handed the four gold bars he had dug out to Zhou Xiang.

Zhou Xiang looked at him with a complicated expression, "Aren't you going to take it home?"

"This isn't just mine, it was picked by everyone together, and you paid for it!"

Zuo Heng nodded in agreement, and Zhou Xiang took it. "Okay, this will serve as the household expenses and fund for this 'family'. Everyone can come and withdraw it when they are in urgent need."

Ling Ran smiled so hard that her teeth were showing. The little girl finally classified herself as one of her gang, and she was considered to have integrated into her life.

Ling Ran and Zuo Heng actually started over again, picking up the wood one by one and knocking on it.

Zhou Xiang, who had entered the house, put the gold bars into the space, and then came out, couldn't help but admit defeat. Seeing the two men's posture, it seemed that they were going to knock all the beautiful and smooth wooden legs, so he stepped forward to help.

The three of them had hammered away at all the beautiful wooden legs, but found nothing.

Ling Ran took a knife, chopped the wooden leg into two halves, split it into two pieces, and threw it next to the stove to avoid being seen and aroused suspicion.

"Zuo Heng, when you burn those firewood, you should also pay attention. Knock them both thick and thin. Knock them several times and listen carefully."

Zuo Heng nodded seriously. Ling Ran was right. He didn't expect to find yellow croaker in a wooden leg.

Last time firewood was only fifty cents, this time it’s ten dollars, twenty times more, maybe there’s still some left!

Zhou thought that he really admired the two of them. Their money-loving personalities seemed to be quite compatible.

"Ling Ran, let's go. Everyone at home must be worried. Zuo Heng, you should prepare the New Year's goods. Come to the county town to pay New Year's greetings on the second day of the New Year and stay here tonight. I'll have breakfast here on the third day. You should prepare the New Year's goods."

When Ling Ran heard this, he didn't care whether his parents would make any arrangements, and quickly said, "Me too, me too."

Zhou Xiang turned around and looked at him, "Don't you have to go to your aunt's house?"

Ling Ran waved his hand: "None of them are as important as coming to accompany Zuo Heng. This is Zuo Heng's first New Year in this county. Although I can't come on the 30th or the first day of the New Year, I can come to accompany him on the second and third days!"

Zuo Heng was touched and nodded. "Okay, I'll prepare some New Year's goods, but what exactly are they?"

Zhou Xiang felt sad after hearing this, "Go get some paper and pen, and take note of what I say."

Zuo Heng went into the room to get a pen. Ling Ran also felt uncomfortable. Zuo Heng's experience made him feel uncomfortable.

Seeing Zuo Heng ready, Zhou Xiang spoke, "When entertaining guests, the first thing we should do is serve cigarettes, alcohol, tea, candy, fried melon seeds, and cooked peanuts.

Then there are things to keep for the guests, such as chicken, duck, fish, meat, eggs, vegetables, and some yellow flower fungus from the dry goods stall. Then buy cinnamon, star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, dried chili peppers, and the usual onions, ginger, and garlic from the dry goods stall. All of these should be prepared in extra quantities.

Vegetables are only sold at the Sixteenth Market after the Lunar New Year. The reason why it is called "preparing New Year's goods" is that we buy everything for the ten to twenty days leading up to the Lunar New Year.

As Zuo Heng kept thinking about it, the scenes of celebrating the New Year when his parents were still alive came to his mind, and his eyes couldn't help but become red.

Ling Ran stepped forward and patted him comfortingly, "You still have us. We are still young and can't make the decision on our own, so you have to spend the New Year alone."

Ling Ran's comfort made Zuo Heng shed tears instead. Zhou Xiang glared at him without saying a word.

Zhou Xiang was about to go forward and hug Zuo Heng. Ling Ran understood Zhou Xiang's idea and quickly hugged Zuo Heng, not giving the little girl any chance.

Ling Ran hugged Zuo Heng, patted his back a few times, and then quickly let go.

Looking at Ling Ran's quick movements, Zhou Xiang was so angry that he laughed, and Zuo Heng also smiled with tears in his eyes. He should not indulge in the past anymore, and should face life bravely. In the past, when he could only barely eat, he didn't like to reminisce about the past so much. Now that good days have come, he has become pretentious instead.

"Okay, you guys go back. I'll wait for you to have dinner on the second night of the New Year."

Zhou Xiang saw that he seemed to have figured it out, and he felt relieved. "Okay, I will definitely come, no matter how late it is."

"Me too." Ling Ran also assured.

The two of them left without looking back. Halfway through, Ling Ran broke the silence, "Zuo Heng just lacks warmth and love. It's a pity that neither of our families is suitable for him."

"At present, he is only suitable to live like this, because he has been begging on his knees for two years. His heart is very fragile and sensitive. If he lives in someone else's home, he will feel more dependent. Let him live alone, in his own house, that is his home.

The yard and the three-bedroom apartment were purchased using his household registration, which gave him a sense of security and made him feel less dependent on others.