The people at the gate were on tenterhooks, their hearts pounding with anxiety and worry, fearing that Li Weidong would also lower the purchase price.
But now that Li Weidong had stopped talking, they felt as if they had swallowed a reassuring pill and were completely at ease.
Zhao Xiulian understood and immediately smiled, "Wei Dong is right. The price we agreed on before is the price we'll pay. We would never do anything to cheat our fellow villagers."
Everyone nodded, but still looked expectantly at Li Weidong, waiting for him to speak.
As soon as Li Weidong hung up the phone, someone immediately asked, "Weidong, you said the price will remain the same, is that true?"
"The price of mushrooms outside has dropped to 60 cents a pound. Are you really not going to lower your purchase price?"
"My family has been tending to the mushrooms for months, just waiting to harvest them and earn money for the New Year. Don't try to fool us!"
Li Weidong laughed: "Of course it's true. Didn't I say we signed a contract? This contract is legally binding. Breaching it is illegal!"
"So don't worry, everyone. The amount is what it should be. Don't just stand here, go home and harvest your mushrooms!"
He had already secured sales channels, and the mushrooms would be shipped out immediately after being picked; time was of the essence!
Everyone was finally relieved and cheered.
Many impatient people turned around and went home to pick mushrooms.
Some people who enjoyed the excitement exclaimed, "Mushrooms outside only sell for six cents a pound, but Weidong, you only charge us four cents a pound, so you still make two cents a pound. But Huzi's situation is quite different."
The person next to him immediately chimed in: "That's right! Tiger was asking for six cents a month. Not long ago, he was bragging in the village that although their mushrooms weren't very good, they were expensive."
“Now that the price outside has dropped, if he buys it back at six cents a pound, he’s definitely going to lose money!”
"Weidong, do you think he'll still buy these mushrooms?"
Others started discussing, "Wei Dong is still buying mushrooms at the same price, so Hu Zi should be doing the same, right?"
"We're all from the same village, he couldn't possibly cheat people, could he?"
"But the purchase price is six cents, and the selling price is also six cents. He's basically losing money to do hard labor!"
"I don't think he'll accept it, but if he really takes responsibility and buys the mushrooms at the agreed price, I'll respect him as a real man!"
"Wei Dong, what do you think?"
Li Weidong smiled but remained silent.
If it were an honest and upright person, they might have gritted their teeth and accepted it.
This way, you can also gain a good reputation.
But who is Hu Zi?
That kid was a thief since he was a child, and he became even more cunning and sly as he grew up, never willing to suffer the slightest loss.
Would he really do such a losing business?
Just wait and see, things are about to get interesting.
Sure enough, when Degui and the others arrived at Huzi's house, they couldn't even get in. Huzi's family had already received the news and left to avoid trouble!
This really worried everyone.
After all, mushrooms grow day by day. If you miss the best time to pick them, they'll only be good for feeding pigs when they get too old!
Meanwhile, the farmers on Li Weidong's side have been picking mushrooms these past few days.
One by one, the plump and large mushrooms were picked, put into baskets, weighed, packaged, and transported away, with the payment settled on the spot.
The farmers who received the money were all grinning from ear to ear.
And they couldn't even find a trace of Tiger, let alone collect any money!
"What should we do?!"
"Tiger said the price wouldn't change just a few days ago! But as soon as the price dropped outside, he disappeared without a trace. What are we going to do?"
"He told us before that he wanted us to work for him, but where are we now?"
"If he doesn't come out, we'll burn his house down. I bet he'll show up!"
Someone shouted something, and immediately everyone echoed it.
Immediately, someone went and brought over firewood, piling it outside Tiger's house.
The whole village was in an uproar!
Li Weidong also came over to watch the fun, and found it all quite amusing.
Tiger's house was first burned down by Zhou Xiaoye, and now it's going to be burned down again. It's really been plagued by misfortune!
But who can be blamed for this?
Just as everyone was about to light the fire, Li Baotian finally arrived.
What are you doing?!
Li Baotian was so angry that he glared and puffed out his beard: "Can't we talk things out properly? Why do you have to set fire to someone's house?"
"Arson can land you in jail, and you burned down someone's house. Don't you want to celebrate the New Year? Do you want to spend it in jail?"
As he spoke, he glared at the crowd and said, "What are you all standing there for? Move the firewood away!"
If a fire were to be accidentally started, it could really cause a disaster!
Out of respect for him, no one dared to set fires again, but none of them would back down verbally.
"Village chief, Tiger is playing a trick on us. Now that the mushrooms have grown up, he's gone. What's going on?"
"If he doesn't buy the mushrooms, we'll burn his house down!"
Li Baotian said helplessly, "Hu Zi hasn't even said anything yet, how do you know he won't accept it?"
It would have been better if he hadn't said it, because his words immediately caused an uproar.
"If he were to accept it, how could he hide?"
"Exactly! Wei Dong's mushrooms are all being harvested, but there's not a trace of Hu Zi here. Who wouldn't be scared!"
"If he doesn't show up and give us an explanation, we'll burn his house down!"
"Yes, set it on fire! I bet he won't come out!"
In an instant, everyone started making a ruckus again, and they were all very excited.
Li Baotian panicked and quickly said, "Alright, I already said he didn't come out. Nobody knows what happened. What if he really went out and you burned down the house without asking any questions? What will you tell him when he comes back and wants to harvest mushrooms?"
Someone with common sense stepped forward and said, "The village chief has a point. Let's wait a few more days!"
"If we really burn down his house, then we'll lose all our reasoning. What if he originally wanted to take it, but then he decides not to because his house is burning down? That would be a real problem for us."
These words successfully persuaded everyone.
"Shall we go back first?"
Li Baotian nodded hurriedly: "Go back, go back! No one is allowed to cause trouble until Hu Zi comes back!"
While saying this, he secretly decided that no matter what, he had to find the person as soon as possible.
Otherwise, something really serious will happen!
He gritted his teeth with hatred at the thought of the mess Tiger had made.
That guy just ran away without a word, whether he wanted to catch it or not, he didn't say a word, he really killed people!
After finally persuading everyone to go home, Li Baotian turned around and went to Li Weidong's house.
"Wei Dong, do you know where Hu Zi went?"
He looked worried and said, "I know he doesn't get along with you. I really had no other choice but to come to your door to ask. After all, you are relatives. If you know or can guess where he went, please tell your second grandfather."
"We need to give everyone an explanation for this, right?"
Where did Tiger go?
What a coincidence!
Li Weidong happened to know this place.
He smiled and said, "Second Grandfather, I think Tiger... he's probably gone to my maternal grandfather's house. Why don't you go and look for him?"
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