"Cordyceps? Cordyceps sinensis?!"
Lu Fangfang was shocked, but then she had a sense of "so that's how it is".
The local specialty that Lao Xu mentioned was actually Cordyceps sinensis.
"Comrade Lu, I dug these up myself during my spare time while herding horses. They're not worth much, but please don't mind, you must accept them."
Xu Huayun found a piece of wood, broke the yellow mud on the mouth of the jar, and then carefully peeled off the oil paper.
A large jar of cordyceps appeared before the two of them.
"Not valuable? Aren't cordyceps quite precious?"
Lu Fangfang leaned closer, looking at her in surprise.
The jar was full of cordyceps. She reached out and took one out, wondering what it tasted like.
She had only heard of this thing before; it was the first time she had ever seen it.
In my previous life, the price of cordyceps was driven higher and higher, with each piece costing tens or even hundreds of dollars, making it unaffordable for ordinary people.
"Cordyceps is a medicinal herb, not considered precious. The county's government stores buy it. Average quality cordyceps only costs ten or twenty yuan per kilogram."
After saying that, Xu Huayun picked up the earthenware bowl and started eating the porridge again.
After crying, he felt much more relaxed and more indifferent to the future.
"A dozen yuan per kilogram?"
Lu Fangfang was somewhat surprised; a single cordyceps is very light, and there must be at least a thousand cordyceps per pound.
A thousand sticks only cost a dozen yuan, which means each stick costs only one cent...
Well, money is valuable these days, so it's actually not bad.
She picked up the jar and looked at it. The jar was full of cordyceps, and she felt that it weighed at least a pound, which was quite a lot.
She smiled, shook her head, and put the jar down again.
"Comrade Xu, I still can't accept this..."
Seeing Xu Huayun stand up anxiously, she quickly said, "Comrade Xu, I appreciate your kindness, but I can't accept the things. You should take them to the county to sell and get some money to improve your life."
"Comrade Lu, I have more. I have two more jars in the stable."
Xu Huayun was somewhat agitated. "Comrade Lu, if you think highly of me, please accept these cordyceps!"
He doesn't want others to pity him, nor does he feel sorry for himself.
He just wanted a friend with whom he could communicate on an equal footing!
Lu Fangfang opened her mouth, but ultimately nodded silently.
She picked up the jar from the stool and put it in her arms.
Xu Huayun finally smiled, picked up the earthenware pot, and began to eat the corn porridge with gusto.
He reached into the lunchbox and took a small fish. He chewed it and sincerely praised, "Comrade Lu, the fish you fried is really delicious."
"I fried it with butter, Lao Xu. If it smells good, eat more."
Xu Huayun was taken aback, then nodded heavily.
"Old Xu, you've dug up so many caterpillar fungus, why don't you go to the county to sell them? You could earn some money and improve your life."
Lu Fangfang walked to the window and found that the paper covering the window made it impossible to see outside, unlike glass.
She shook her head and turned to look at the earthen bed in the room.
Old Xu's earthen kang (heated brick bed) has an earthen stove on the east side, which is connected to the kang. When cooking, the stove can be heated up at the same time, which is quite ingenious.
However, this stove cannot be used in the summer.
In the center of the room, Xu Huayun ate heartily, seemingly unconcerned, and said with a smile, "Apart from going to the horse herding team, I can't leave the Sixth Team, let alone go to the county town."
"Besides, even if I sell it, I can't buy anything without a ticket. And if I buy a new one, I'll be in trouble in a few days. It's better not to buy it at all."
Xu Huayun shook the small ceramic basin with a chipped corner in her hand.
Lu Fangfang opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say.
She suddenly felt like she was asking, "Why don't they eat meat porridge?"
After a long pause, she said solemnly, "Old Xu, do you trust me?"
Xu Huayun was taken aback. He looked up at Lu Fangfang and then nodded emphatically.
"Then dig out those two jars of cordyceps and give them to me. I'll take them to the county town to sell for you. If you want to buy anything, just tell me and I'll go buy it for you."
"No need, I..."
Lu Fangfang interrupted him directly, "Old Xu, I also have something I want to sell to you."
Seeing the puzzled look on Old Xu's face, she smiled and explained:
“I’m planning to raise chickens and quails in our family compound. I’ve also cleared a large plot of wasteland and planted vegetables, grains, and rapeseed oil. My wife and I can’t eat it all, so I’ll sell it to you to get some money.”
Tears welled up in Xu Huayun's eyes. He rubbed his eyes and strode out.
After a while, he came in quickly, carrying two large jars.
"Comrade Lu, I... thank you."
Xu Huayun placed the jar she was carrying in front of Lu Fangfang.
He pursed his lips and said solemnly, "Comrade Lu, I'm an old rightist. I can't implicate you. I'm giving you all these cordyceps. You...you shouldn't send anything to me anymore, and you shouldn't come to see me either."
Lu Fangfang was taken aback.
She then realized that what Lao Xu said made sense; she really needed to avoid suspicion in this regard.
Otherwise, it wouldn't be good for either her or Lao Xu.
After thinking about it, she had an idea.
"Okay, I won't send anything over anymore. I'll give the things to Uncle Guo. As for who Uncle Guo gives them to, that's none of my business. I didn't come to see you today; I came to see Uncle Guo."
Xu Huayun was also taken aback after hearing this.
"Old Xu, can Uncle Guo be trusted?"
Xu Huayun nodded subconsciously.
He trusts not only Uncle Guo, but everyone in the Sixth Team.
"That's fine then." Lu Fangfang was relieved.
Looking at the two large jars on the ground, she felt a little excited.
With so many cordyceps, if this were in later generations, she would be financially independent in no time.
They weren't worth that much money back then, but three large jars could sell for at least forty or fifty yuan, which was more than the cash she had on her.
"By the way, Lao Xu, where did you dig up all these cordyceps? How many can you dig up in a day?"
"On Mount Gona..."
"Gona?"
Xu Huayun nodded, tilted his head back and drank the last bit of porridge in the small ceramic bowl, then put it down and walked to the door.
Pointing to a snow-capped mountain to the south, he murmured, "That's Mount Gona. It's beautiful. It faces the sun, and there are water veins in the ground. Every year, the grass sprouts first there."
“There are still many cordyceps on the slopes of Gona Mountain. Last year, I dug up nearly two hundred cordyceps in a single day. This year’s cordyceps are also coming out now. Comrade Lu, I will dig up some fresh ones and send them to you in a few days.”
"Two hundred?"
Lu Fangfang was startled. Could this be a mountain of cordyceps?
But looking back at the three large jars on the ground, she believed Old Xu's words; there must be a lot of cordyceps there.
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