Xia Minmin and her group took the train the night before and arrived at the county train station at noon the next day.
Uncle Li Zhonghua asked, "Xiaomin, are you hungry?"
"I'm okay, not very hungry."
Sun Erni looked at her tired in-laws and said, "Zhonghua, it's still more than an hour's journey home. Let's eat in the county town before we go back."
Li Zhonghua thought for a moment and said, "Hmm. We can check in the county town while we're there to see if there are any home appliances. If so, we can buy them there and have them delivered. That way, it'll be more convenient if there are any minor problems later."
Xia Minmin looked around at the county train station and noticed many differences compared to when she returned more than two months ago.
Last time I came back, there were very few three-wheeled motorcycles here, but this time there are two or three vans waiting to be rented.
When I came back last time, the surrounding area was still very desolate, but this time when I came back, there are many plots of land around here where houses are being built.
As soon as Xia Minmin and her group stepped out of the train station exit, a large number of people surrounded them, selling various cooked foods and fruits, and several drivers also surrounded them, asking where they were going.
"Brother and sister-in-law, would you like some boiled eggs? Buy some eggs for the children and the elderly to eat."
"An apple, do you want an apple?"
"Brother and sister-in-law, are you going to the county town or the towns below? I can take you there at very reasonable prices."
"Bananas are delicious, soft and sweet bananas, even the elderly can eat them. Brother, buy some bananas for your parents and children to try."
Li Zhonghua walked straight to a relatively new-looking minivan. "Brother, how much does it cost to go to the county town?"
The driver replied, "Fifty, brother, where are you going?"
Li Zhonghua then asked, "Do you know of any stores in the county town that sell electrical appliances?"
The van driver was very talkative. “I know, it’s a new one. Is that where you are? It’ll only cost fifty yuan. Our vans have lots of seats, so it’s just right for your family to rent one. You have a lot of luggage, and if you rent a sidecar motorcycle, you’ll have to rent two, which is quite inconvenient.”
Li Zhonghua thought about it and agreed. Renting two sidecar motorcycles wouldn't save much money. There were elderly people and children with them, and riding motorcycles was a bit unsafe. In addition, they had five suitcases, so a van would be more convenient.
Li Zhonghua asked, "Can the price be a little cheaper? It's only a short distance to the county town."
"Brother, I really don't make much profit. This van is a gas guzzler, and the fuel costs are quite high."
Seeing that Li Zhonghua didn't respond, the driver had no choice but to find a way out himself, "Alright, alright, since we get along well, how about forty-five?"
Li Zhonghua said, "Forty, if you agree, we'll leave now."
The driver looked hesitant. "Alright, alright. Consider it a good deed. Look me up next time you come back."
After the driver finished speaking, he followed Li Zhonghua to help carry the luggage.
The driver was very sweet-talking, constantly saying auspicious words to Xia Minmin and the others.
She said to Xia's maternal grandparents, "These must be your uncle and aunt. You are so lucky. You are not your average elderly people. You have seen the world. The elderly people in our county are not dressed as well, and they are not as energetic as you. You look like you are only forty years old."
Grandpa and Grandma Xia were both amused by the driver.
The driver turned to look at Xia Minmin and Li Qing again, "Brother, your daughter is really good. Much better than your son. She looks so smart. You and your wife can just wait to enjoy life from now on. What a wonderful daughter, unlike my son who only argues with me and asks for money all day long. If I could have two daughters, I would gladly trade them."
Li Zhonghua and Sun Erni smiled but didn't say anything.
The suitcase was strapped to the roof of the car as arranged by the driver.
"Are you all ready? If you are, we can set off now."
After the driver finished speaking, he turned the key, released the clutch, put the car in first gear, and started driving.
"Brother and sister-in-law, how long has it been since you came back? Do you need me to show you around the county town? It has changed a lot in the past two years."
Sun Erni said, "If it's possible, I'll trouble you."
"The appliance store you're going to is the first one to open in our county. Many people around here have bought appliances from them. The owner is a very nice person, the prices are reasonable, and more importantly, the quality is good. They even deliver to your door for free. Many of their products are new models that you can't even find in the city."
“In the past two years, mineral deposits have been discovered in our county. Many people work in these mines, where the wages are high and people are willing to spend money. As a result, there are more new and exciting things happening in the county.”
Li Zhonghua was very curious about this mineral. Although he would contact his friends, none of them had mentioned it. "What kind of mineral is it? Is there a large quantity?"
"It's copper, and I heard there's a considerable amount. I heard it from someone on the bus. It's just south of the county town."
Xia's grandfather said, "Everyone in the south has become rich."
"No, it's just that the functions are much stronger than ordinary ones. It's hard-earned money. As you all know, the factories haven't been doing well these past few years. Many factories couldn't even pay wages and went out of business. You guys are so lucky, you went to Shenzhen early on. I bet you've already bought a house by now."
Grandma Xia was very curious as to how the driver knew they owned a house. "How did you know?" she asked.
Upon hearing the grandmother's reply, the driver knew he hadn't guessed wrong. "I've been driving a taxi for more than a year or two. I can tell who's rich and who's poor at a glance. You came out carrying five suitcases; I've never seen this kind of material before."
"The little one is holding this strange thing in his hand. We've never seen it before around here. It's probably not cheap. I guessed your family must be well-off. Besides, the clothes you're wearing are all new, without a single wrinkle or wear mark."
"Moreover, you came back from Shenzhen. Logically speaking, after a day and a night on the train, you should look very tired if you were in a hard seat. But you don't look tired at all. You must have taken a sleeper train. Nowadays, people who can afford to buy sleeper train tickets are generally from well-off families."
Xia Minmin and the others were shocked by the van driver's words. Indeed, no one should be underestimated; his analytical ability was not something an ordinary person could possess.
Xia Minmin asked, "Uncle, were you ever in the army?"
The driver chuckled, "Little friend, how did you know?"
"You seem very professional. It would be difficult for an average person to analyze so many problems. Uncle, it's a pity you didn't become a policeman."
The driver then told Xia Minmin and the others about his past. He had also had the opportunity to join the company, but unfortunately, he encountered a major downsizing. Many people were discharged from the military each year, and there weren't enough positions available. He had no choice but to go out to work and use the money he earned to buy this minivan and drive a taxi back in the county.
Grandma Xia comforted her, "That's great too, you have flexible hours and you earn a lot."
The driver smiled but didn't say anything more, perhaps still feeling a little regretful.
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