Chapter 149
The incident of the fight in the small square soon spread among the community group, and many people who were relatively close at the time took videos. One of the videos was probably taken by residents of the building behind, and it showed the whole scene from the moment the group of people came over aggressively to the moment the dead and the injured were taken away by the police. It was very complete, and with no green shade blocking the view, the entire small square was in full view, and the entire process was captured clearly.
There were five bamboo worm stall owners, only one or two of them were relatively strong, and the other three were skinny. There were seven people who came to take revenge, each of them looked fierce and built strong, and they started the whole melee by directly overturning the oil pan. One of the bamboo worm stall owners was hacked to death, two were injured, and another was severely burned by the boiling oil. The third one was fine, not because of his great skills, but because he ran away in the panicked crowd when the incident happened, and there was no direct confrontation at all.
Those who came to seek revenge did not end up well either. Three people were hacked, but those people in the video did not die. They were taken away by the police instead of being carried away. As for the other few, they probably also had injuries of varying degrees. The sticks probably killed them, but because they were not machetes, there was no blood.
There is always a shortage of well-informed people. When Qin Huai and his friends returned home, the community group was already disseminating knowledge about the matter. Just as what Danniu said, the bamboo worm stall was run by a black-hearted vendor. All they received were dead worms. Fortunately, some of them had just died, while some of the worm meat had rotted and become soft. Even heavy oil and other materials could not cover up the stench.
This kind of food would send people to the hospital in the past, let alone now. If people are not well fed or eat well, and their nutritional needs are not met, then if they get sick, it could be fatal.
After this happened, Mu Nan felt that their newly developed side business might have come to an end.
Qin Huai said: "Even if this incident hadn't happened, the bamboo worm stall wouldn't have lasted long."
Thinking of the production of bamboo worms, Mu Nan, who had already finished his shower and was lying on the bed, also felt the same way: "Otherwise, let's just stop doing it this time. But I have to go to Qinghe again next week, and at least tell the Cai family."
Qin Huai smiled and said, "There's no need to be so anxious. The temperature is getting higher and higher, and the production of bamboo worms is constantly decreasing. Qinghe's domestic sales are not enough, and we can't buy much. So whether this happened or not, the bamboo worms won't be sold for long. But as long as we can still get bamboo worms, we can continue this business. We can even get a small truck next time. Off-road vehicles are not convenient to carry too much cargo. Apart from anything else, just those few barrels of water can save a lot of money. And we should be able to get mushrooms next week. Fried mushrooms must have a better market than fried bamboo worms."
Mu Nan said: "We also have mushroom bags, we can grow mushrooms ourselves."
Qin Huai smiled and said, "Of course we can, but we have to wait a little longer. The Cai family now has mushrooms, which is a ready-made excuse. We can get in touch with them a few more times, learn how to make mushroom bags, and collect some materials. We can't always come up with something particularly rare. If we make friends out of nothing too many times, we will always fail."
Mu Nan nodded. This made sense. They had the mushroom bags anyway. He had downloaded a lot of planting knowledge from the Internet before. He could use the results to reverse the process. This was much easier than for others, so he would become rich sooner or later!
But thinking of the pile of plans in the little notebook, Mu Nan wanted to lie down: "This is not the salted fish life I ideally want."
Qin Huai said with a smile: "This is all temporary, and I don't plan to do these things myself."
Mu Nan hummed in confusion: "You don't want to do it yourself? You still want to contract it out?"
Qin Huai said: "After the crops we grow again, we can maintain the basic expenses of our family, not to mention raising chickens, and the profit share of my small games. This money alone is enough for our daily expenses. Next time I will go to the Cai family with them, and let them develop the rest on their own."
As if seeing his own salty fish aura in Qin Huai, Mu Nan couldn't help but sigh: "Is this what it means to be close to red and red, and close to ink and black, and black? Why didn't you learn something good from me?"
Think about his brother, who worked hard abroad for so many years and came back to start a company ambitiously. But now, because he grows some vegetables and raises some chickens at home, he doesn't want to work hard at all. The gap is too big.
Qin Huai: "For example?"
Mu Nan thought for a long time, but couldn't come up with an example. Then he looked at Qin Huai innocently: "I don't have any merits worth learning from. So, brother, what do you like about me?"
Qin Huai pretended to think for a moment: "I like you for being so self-aware?"
Mu Nan kicked him and climbed up from the bed, angry. They wanted to sleep in separate beds today!
Qin Huai intercepted him by the waist, hugged him back, pressed him on the bed, and coaxed him with a smile: "I'm just kidding, you have so many good qualities that I can't even count them all."
Mu Nan: “For example?”
Qin Huai lowered his head and kissed his eyes: "For example, this pair of eyes that have only seen me since I was a child."
Another kiss on the lips: "For example, this little mouth that is especially good at making me happy."
The warm breath sprayed in his ears, and Qin Huai held the earlobe in his mouth and rubbed it gently with his teeth: "For example, this little ear that only listens to me."
"My Nan Nan is great in every way. I wish I could hide you and lock you in a small dark room so that no one can see you."
Mu Nan's toes curled up in embarrassment. His brother learned these sweet words from somewhere, but he was really good at teasing.
Looking at Nan Nan, who covered her entire face with a pillow and dared not look him in the face, Qin Huai smiled and reached out to turn off the light. He gently pulled open the pillow and swallowed the little sticky cake, whose body was red with shame.
Mu Nan doesn't need others to know about his good qualities. In the eyes of others, Mu Nan may not have many advantages except for his good looks. His grades are not the best, and he is not the smartest. He likes to play, eat, and is lazy. He is also a particularly lazy person. He doesn't want to be independent as long as he has someone to rely on. Just like in Jiang Xuan's cognition, he can have many better and more outstanding choices, and those who can stand shoulder to shoulder with him are worthy, but he only sees Mu Nan.
Qin Huai held Mu Nan, who was sleeping soundly with her scent on her body, in his arms, and couldn't help but think of their childhood.
Fourteen-year-old Mu Nan threw away a cell phone that was so expensive that many adults couldn't afford it without hesitation. His little face, which always had a soft smile, looked coldly at the rich second generation standing in front of him and said, "My brother will buy me whatever I want. I won't be friends with you, and I don't need you as a friend. Don't bother me anymore."
The rich second generation is a very prominent figure in their school. His family is wealthy, and his grades are among the top three in his grade. He is both a top student and a school bully. He is always surrounded by a group of younger brothers, and he is the focus of attention wherever he goes.
Who wouldn’t envy such a person for a child of that age? No matter whether they are boys or girls, in that turbulent period of youth, they always feel that they are the most special and always desire some envy and admiration from others. This is a kind of vanity, but it is also a vanity that every adolescent will experience to some extent.
Whether it was a phone that many people envied, or the sidelong glances from influential people, it was a temptation that was hard for a teenager of this age to refuse. But Mu Nan refused without hesitation, not because he didn't want the phone, nor because he was mature enough to not care about this vanity, but because of what he said: "We are not friends, and we will never be friends."
It was Qin Huai's monthly exam. He was still ranked first in the grade, and the rich second-generation Bai Jun was ranked second. After each monthly exam, the results would be announced on the academic table of each grade. Mu Nan would never look at his own results because he could not make the monthly exam list, but every time the results of the senior grades came out, he would rush to see them first, and every time Qin Huai was ranked first.
Just when Mu Nan was happily preparing to pounce on Qin Huai, Bai Jun came over with his gang of younger brothers. Just like those awkward scenes in idol dramas that could be used to depict a three-bedroom apartment, the people surrounding the monthly list dispersed and watched them.
Bai Jun just glanced at the monthly rankings, and said to Qin Huai with the pride and confidence that comes from being praised by others, "This kind of test result is not important. We will compete in the physics competition next week."
That year, Mu Nan had just entered the first grade of junior high school and didn't know much about the situation in the school. After seeing the man leave after talking, he ran to Qin Huai's side curiously and said, "Brother, who is he? Did he mean to declare war just now?"
Qin Huai pointed to the monthly list: "Bai Jun, second in the grade."
Mu Nan didn't know Bai Jun, but he had heard of this name. It was so famous that even though he had just entered school, he was still familiar with it. Hearing this, he said, "Wow, he is Bai Jun. Are you two enemies who never meet, or rivals who love and hate each other?"
Qin Huai couldn't help but flicked his forehead: "What are you talking about?"
Mu Nan was still whispering, "That's how it's played out in TV dramas. Two equally matched opponents go from being at loggerheads to becoming close friends."
Qin Huai laughed: "We are not friends, and we will never be friends."
Due to different living environments, the three views they establish are naturally different, so it is impossible for him to become friends with the rich second generation who looks polite and decent but is actually arrogant and domineering in nature.
This was originally just a casual remark from Qin Huai, and he himself did not take it seriously. Unexpectedly, Mu Nan remembered it, because he said that he would not be friends with Bai Jun. So when Bai Jun was unknowingly attracted to Mu Nan, and tried to provoke him, tease him, and even try to please him, Mu Nan never gave him a good look. After rejecting him that time, he was even unwilling to say a word to Bai Jun again.
He told Mu Nan: "You can choose your own friends to associate with."
Mu Nan shook his head and said as a matter of course: "No, I won't make friends with those my brother doesn't want to make friends with."
Does Mu Nan want that mobile phone? Of course he does, because that was a luxury that their family couldn't afford at the time. Doesn't Mu Nan want the limited edition shoes and game console? Of course he does, because that is the age when one can't resist temptation.
But when Bai Jun offered Mu Nan the things he wanted but couldn't get due to the environment, he refused without hesitation and didn't give him the slightest possibility or space to be friends, just because of Qin Huai's words.
No one can refuse this kind of unreserved preference, which is to the extreme of leaving no room for anything. People who are inexplicably rejected without any grudges against each other will naturally feel uncomfortable, and even feel that they are wronged and unreasonable. But when they become the one who is favored, how many people have ever felt this kind of happiness?
Thinking of Bai Jun's former envy, Qin Huai hugged Mu Nan tighter. Although he didn't understand his own heart at that time, he was lucky enough to learn how to cherish and never took anything for granted.
Everyone thinks that Mu Nan is very lucky to have a brother like him to protect him. That's because they don't see Mu Nan's preference for him. He likes him and loves what he loves, without reservation.
There are many smart people and capable people in this world, but the only one who can give so much without reservation and has only him in her heart and eyes is Mu Nan. If such a Mu Nan is not worthy of his love, then who else is worthy?
Only those who pursue light can see Mu Nan's strengths, such as Bai Jun, who seems to have everything but can't make a single call after searching through his phone; and him, who seems to have the ability to get everything as long as he wants, but in the end there is only one Mu Nan in his life.
He had a dreamless night and woke up refreshed. As long as Qin Huai didn't overdo it, Mu Nan felt that this frequency of once or twice was perfect. He wasn't too tired, but still felt comfortable. He didn't have to worry about his daily life and his nightlife was harmonious. What could be more comfortable than such a life?
Seeing that Mu Nan woke up but was still twisting in bed and refusing to get up, Qin Huai simply brought the prepared breakfast to the bed. Although it was already past four o'clock in the afternoon, this was the first meal after waking up, so it naturally counted as breakfast.
What was made was Mu Nan's favorite toast, with fried ham and a poached egg. Mu Nan simply made it into a sandwich and took a big bite. His cheeks were bulging with food, and Qin Huai couldn't help but poke him with his hand.
Mu Nan glared at him, his mouth full but he could still clearly protest: "Don't poke my face randomly, you'll drool if you poke too much!"
Qin Huai glanced at the pillowcase with a faint mark on it and raised his eyebrows. It was obvious that he meant that you were drooling even though I didn't poke you.
Mu Nan sometimes likes to sleep on his stomach with one side of his face pressed on the pillow. This posture makes it difficult to prevent him from drooling.
Following Qin Huai's line of sight, Mu Nan subconsciously touched his face: "It's because you poke me too much, causing me to drool when I sleep."
How could it be his fault? Qin Huai rubbed his head with amusement and said, "Okay, it's all my fault. Eat quickly, brush your teeth and wash your face after eating. I'll go upstairs to open the window and let your melon grass get some sun."
After eating and drinking, brushing teeth and washing face, Qin Huai came back from the bathroom with a small basket in his hand. There were four eggs in the basket. Mu Nan said in surprise: "So many eggs today!"
There are only four hens in his family. These four eggs were obviously laid by all four hens. Thinking of the roosters, Mu Nan said, "When are we going to raise roosters and hens together? Can we have some chicks?"
Qin Huai said: "Wait a few days, let them get used to it."
Raising chickens is good in every way except that they are a bit noisy, especially the roosters. They are very noisy every morning, and four roosters are actually a bit too many. But at the time, people didn't want to exchange so many hens, thinking that the journey would take several hours, so if they got a few more, they would have extra in case any of them died from acclimatization or exhaustion during the journey. Unexpectedly, the chickens were all alive and well after they came back, so the extra roosters became a bit noisy to keep.
He would definitely be reluctant to kill and eat them himself, and Mu Nan had no shortage of chickens. He had a lot of chickens in his space, both frozen and fresh, which he could eat for a long time. So he wanted to get rid of the two roosters. Two would be enough, as they were just for breeding anyway.
Qin Huai said, "Don't worry, keep it for now, maybe it will be useful soon."
Mu Nan looked over in confusion: "Useful? For what?"
Qin Huai said: "The community group is planning to dig a well collectively."
Mu Nan hadn't looked at his phone since he came back yesterday, and he didn't have time to check it when he got up in the morning. Upon hearing this, he quickly picked up his phone to check the news in the community group.
Everyone knows that if water becomes increasingly scarce in the future, digging wells now will become a target, so many people, even though they are envious of the water station, have not taken action yet, fearing that being the first will cause trouble. However, many people want to use water comfortably at home, and some people can't help but ask others about digging wells.
The water station over there is already 50 meters deep underground. With the water pump, the current manpower and tools, it costs at least one thousand. Other things are not expensive, mainly the water pump. There is a well drilling machine. The difference between drilling 10 meters and drilling 50 meters is not much, it is just a matter of engineering time. But the difference between the water pump used for 10 meters and the water pump used for 50 meters is huge, so it is really expensive. At least with the current price, a single family can definitely not afford it.
Mu Nan looked at the popular science about the big well in the group and asked in confusion: "Does the well have to be this deep? I've seen people in some villages put down a bucket and drop a rope to pull the water up. If this is fifty meters deep, it's too exaggerated."
Qin Huai said: "If we can get water from the shallow layer, who would bother to go deeper? Now it is obvious that the shallow layer cannot get water. I am afraid that because the shallow layer cannot get water, the water supply is insufficient. If we want to dig, we can only dig 50 meters."
Mu Nan scrolled through his phone. Many people were discouraged by the price of digging a well. Some who lived nearby began to discuss digging a well together. Some people were even ready to demolish the courtyard walls and wanted to enclose two or four small buildings together and then share a well.
Because no one dared to be the first to step forward, a resident in the group planned to take the lead. Whoever is interested can discuss it and register and pay the money at the appropriate time. This way, there is no need to worry about becoming a target if others do it. If more households want to do it, they can come together to share the risk.
Mu Nan took a look and found that at least three households had already registered as representatives. The representatives of those three households were joint ventures of several companies. It was really unaffordable for a single company to afford such high prices. Even if it was him and Qin Huai, they would not be able to come up with so much money if they did not sell some of the things in the space.
Thinking about the chicken Qin Huai mentioned just now, Mu Nan asked, "Are you planning to sell two roosters to raise money to dig a well?"
Qin Huai shook his head. "My share of the game revenue will be credited to my account soon, so there's no need to sell the rooster. But if there are many people digging wells in the community, we don't know how long we'll have to wait before we get our turn. So if many people decide to dig wells, we can use this scarce material to find other construction teams, and we don't have to wait in line for the people they find."
The main reason is that digging a well makes too much noise, and it is not something that can be done secretly behind closed doors. It cannot be hidden from people at all, otherwise they would have acted long ago. Now it depends on how many people in District 2 can dig a well. Naturally, the more people the better.
When it was just getting dark, Da Niu came over and helped them move the things onto the tricycle. If the bamboo worms were not sold tonight, they would suffocate to death and would have to be fed to the chickens.
There were not many people in the small square. In fact, because of yesterday's fight and the main cause of the fight, people who had originally begun to accept this kind of insect meal began to resist again.
Qin Huai specially brought a bamboo winnowing basket, and a bunch of bamboo worms were poured onto it, they were white, plump and could still wriggle.
Mu Nan couldn't bear to watch this kind of scene. He felt that just looking at it would shorten his life by ten years. It was too disgusting. Jian Chu couldn't stand this kind of scene either. He felt a stomachache just by watching it. On the contrary, Song Jia was also quite resistant at first, but gradually accepted it. Anyway, as long as he didn't stare directly at it, it would be fine.
Perhaps seeing the freshness of their insects, some people were horny and greedy, so they couldn't help but walk over. Seeing the price tag they put next to them, they couldn't help but say, "Before, they sold three for one dollar. Why are yours so expensive?"
Daniu said bluntly: "So that house was hacked down."
This person obviously knew about the bamboo worm stall. Hearing this, he took a closer look and saw that the worms were indeed alive and kicking. So he gritted his teeth, handed over the lunch box and said, "Give me two dollars. Sprinkle more seasoning on it. I have a strong taste."
The frying pan began to make a sizzling sound. Song Jia was in charge of collecting the money, frying the beef in the pan, Qin Huai was in charge of spreading the ingredients and packing them into boxes. Mu Nan and Jian Chu squatted beside and observed the surroundings, mainly because they were afraid that someone would cause trouble again. Although they didn't do such shady things, what if someone was jealous of their business, so they had to be careful.
But because there were few people in the square, there was nothing going on at the moment. Thinking of what was happening in the community group, Mu Nan asked, "Have you checked the community group?"
Jian Chu nodded: "Are you talking about digging a well?"
Mu Nan hummed and said, "Do you think we should fight in the yard?"
Jian Chu did some calculations: "I saw some of the tables they handed out today. Thirty meters is one thousand yuan, fifty meters is fifteen thousand. If we play, it must be charged per person in the small courtyard. I don't know about the girls. If they come together, we will have to pay at least one hundred and fifty yuan each. Zibai said we should play deep. Otherwise, if there is a shortage of water in the future, the well will dry up if it is not deep enough."
Mu Nan: "If you calculate it this way, the price doesn't seem expensive. Three hundred per family, that's fine."
In the past, Jian Chu's family definitely would not have been able to do this. They didn't have 300 yuan in their family fortune and it would have been emptied out long ago. But now, they have made a little profit from selling bamboo worms, and they have also saved up a few eggs in the past few days. They should be able to sell them at three or five yuan each. If they piece together the money, they can just about make it.
As for what happens next, there is no need to worry. The eggs will continue to be laid, and there will be enough water for the vegetables and grass at home to grow. The bamboo worm business is still running and I can make some money. Zibai also has a guaranteed salary, so he will be able to get by.
However, Mu Nan touched his chin and said, "There is already a water station here, which is also groundwater. Do we still need to draw water ourselves? If this well is out of water, then the water we draw in our own yard will also be out of water."
Jian Chu: “…” It seemed to make some sense, but he didn’t know how to refute it for a moment.
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