Chen Changyuan stood up suddenly, and the bamboo tube rolled all over the floor.
In the Wang family compound at the east end of the village, Wang Fugui was picking at a roasted chicken leg with a toothpick.
The oil lamp illuminated the smile lines on his round face. "Changhe, I heard that your bastard wants to be the king of the mountain?"
The wine cup in Zhou Changhe's hand rippled. "The village chief is joking. Even wild boars wouldn't bother digging up that slope."
"But they want to raise three hundred rabbits."
Wang Fugui suddenly crushed the chicken bones and asked, "The money allocated by the county is enough to buy twenty oxen, right?"
He dipped his hand in oil and drew circles on the table. "Tomorrow, go to the back mountain and see which way the Chen family's rabbit hole is."
At the same time, Zhou Dazhu was pressing Lin Xiaoya on the haystack.
Moonlight filtered through the thatch, illuminating his distorted face. "Tomorrow you go to the supply and marketing cooperative and talk to the new accountant."
He pinched the woman's chin and said, "If we can't find out how Chen Changyuan sells wild game..."
The silver chain around Lin Xiaoya's neck suddenly broke, and the pendant rolled deep into the straw.
That was what Chen Changyuan exchanged for a pheasant last year.
At dawn, Chen Changyuan, carrying bacon on his back, walked down a narrow mountain path. A cold mist lingered, and layers of dead leaves crunched under his feet. Occasionally, a few birdsong could be heard, blending with the sound of footsteps like a sonata without a main melody.
The silence in the back valley was eerie, a chilly winter breeze and the fleeting shadows of birds. Few villagers came here—they all feared encountering Zhang the Bamboo Craftsman, a quirky old man no ordinary man could handle. But for Chen Changyuan, Zhang's skillful craftsmanship had been well-received in his past life. For the sake of his bamboo shed, he gritted his teeth and decided he had to give it a try.
Reaching the shabby door, he knocked three times with his fist, paused, and then knocked three more times. The wooden door remained motionless, as if deaf to the sound. Turning his gaze to the airtight window paper, Chen Changyuan frowned and decided to try to strike up a conversation. "Master Zhang, I brought some bacon from Qingshui Village. I'd like a favor from you, please?"
Before he could finish his words, a thud sounded from inside, like bamboo being dropped to the ground. Then, a hoarse voice interrupted him: "No time, hurry back to your village!"
Chen Changyuan was stunned for half a second, but said nothing. He gently placed the bacon on the stone block at the door, took a few steps back, and said in a calming tone, "Master Zhang, your craftsmanship is second to none in the world! Even the rottenest bamboo in the back valley becomes a treasure in your hands. I'll pay 30% above the market price, and I won't default on it!"
There was silence behind the door for a while, then the sound of footsteps echoed, from light to heavy, until a pair of eyes peeked out from the crack of the door. Cloudy pupils looked Chen Changyuan up and down, as if even a few times wasn't enough: "Tell me! Where did you hear that? How did you know I was still living in this valley?"
"Uncle Yuan Bu Lao mentioned something about the outer mountains. I guess you are not too far away." Chen Changyuan replied with a light smile, neither humble nor arrogant.
A flash of complex emotions hid deep in those old eyes, and was quickly replaced by vigilance: "Little devil, are you really not here to arrest me?"
"Catch you?" Chen Changyuan blinked, his eyes full of sincerity, as if he was amused by the question. "Who in the village hasn't used bamboo baskets and bamboo baskets? If I catch you, won't the villagers hate me to death?"
Zhang the bamboo craftsman didn't ask any more questions. He just grinned with his cracked lips and said, "Come on, come in and tell me what you want me to do."
The room was utterly deserted, with dry bamboo strips scattered here and there and no furniture. The only visible sign was a pile of unfinished sieves and wooden barrels in the corner. Chen Changyuan swept the wooden walls, stopping at a corner piled with bamboo strips, and explained his intention: "I want to build a bamboo shed to raise pheasants and rabbits. Master Zhang, your skills will surely make it a beautiful job."
Sure enough, at the mention of "pheasant," Zhang's face darkened. The old man slammed his hand on his knee and angrily replied, "Pheasant again? Back then, I was almost killed by the commune because of weaving those chicken coops for you! Wouldn't you be afraid?"
"Times have changed." Chen Changyuan's tone was calm and firm. "This is a breeding project designated by the supply and marketing cooperative. It's absolutely fair work. If something really goes wrong, you won't be the first to bear the brunt of it."
As soon as he finished speaking, the bamboo craftsman's expression fell silent, and his aggressive attitude subsided by a third. He stared at Chen Changyuan for a long moment, then sneered, "Okay, I'll trust you, little brat, for once. But I have to tell you this: if anything goes wrong, don't involve me!"
Hearing this concession, Chen Changyuan's lips curled up a little, and he quickly expressed his opinion: "Thank you, old craftsman, for keeping your word. I've fixed the price, 30% higher than the market price, and I've also added two pounds of bacon as a thank you gift. I'll bring the bamboo in two days, and I'll mark the size. All I have to do is cut and bundle it!"
After explaining the situation, Chen Changyuan chatted a few more times, talking about some insignificant things, trying to ease the atmosphere in the room. When he said goodbye and left, Zhang the bamboo craftsman's tense vigilance finally subsided a little.
As the sky darkened, Chen Changyuan walked along the rugged mountain road toward the village, the dry grass beneath his feet crunching. Just as he rounded a bend, a slender figure suddenly blocked his path. Chen Changyuan stopped immediately, his eyes filled with surprise and a hint of impatience. "Hey, how could this be such a coincidence? It has to be you, right?" his tone was eight parts certainty and two parts speechless.
That was Lin Xiaoya. She clutched a floral handkerchief in one hand, the other behind her ear, a gentle smile plastered across her face. "Changyuan, it's been ages! I was just strolling by, and I saw you from behind... I never thought it was you!" She appeared sweet and sweet, but her words concealed a veiled thought.
Chen Changyuan snorted a little, a hint of mockery tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Just a casual stroll? Really? Xiaoya, it doesn't sound like that to me. Look at that face, it's obvious that he's here to scout things out, right? Later, tell Zhou Dazhu to stop thinking about my wild game! I'm serious, don't even think about handing it over to me."
Lin Xiaoya's smile froze for a second, and a flicker of embarrassment crossed her eyes, but she remained calm. With a quick roll of her eyes, she replied, "No, that's not what I meant! I'm just curious. I heard you were going to open a farm, and I wanted to see if I could help." Her words were as sweet as if they were coated in sugar.
Chen Changyuan didn't respond, simply scanning her face several times before gazing into her darting eyes. "Alright, since you're so sincere, I'll give you a chance," he said, standing up straight. His voice was cold. "Tomorrow afternoon, I'll go to the supply and marketing cooperative to discuss some cooperation. Want to hear about it? Then go to 'Occasionally Encounter'."
Lin Xiaoya sensed the disdain in the words, but in front of Chen Changyuan, she didn't dare to say anything more. She just nodded quickly and said, "Okay, it's settled then."
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