Back home, Shu Aiguo was still tinkering with his little cart, while Deng Fangping cooked with the pork Chu Yu had bought from the city. Yunyun rushed up to complain, telling her parents everything that had happened in the cave.
Shu Aiguo wiped the sweat from his forehead, put down the saw, and looked rather unwell.
He had no conflict with Zhao Qianjin, nor did Deng Fangping and his wife Du Chun'e. However, the Zhao family had a good relationship with the Shu Jiandang family, while Shu Aiguo was at odds with Shu Jiandang. Consequently, the relationship between Shu Aiguo and Zhao Qianjin also became complicated.
When Shu Aiguo and Shu Jiandang had a tense relationship, Zhao Qianjin, relying on being Shu Jiandang's neighbor to the east, also helped Shu Jiandang deal with him.
They would either throw manure at him or let geese over to ruin his vegetable garden. They even tried to take over Shu Aiguo's homestead. Shu Aiguo couldn't take it anymore and grabbed a hoe, ready to fight them. Zhao Qianjin then went to the brigade leader's house to find someone to mediate.
The brigade leader came out to mediate, telling Shu Aiguo to think about his deceased parents.
Shu Aiguo stood at his parents' graves for a long time before deciding to let the matter drop, thus preventing a conflict with the Zhao family.
Although Chu Yu wasn't from Shanguan Village, no one in the village for generations knew that bat droppings were actually Night-Shining Sand, and nobody took it seriously. Chu Yu's ability to make money from Night-Shining Sand was her skill; the Zhao family could sell it too, but to go to such lengths as stalking for a little money was truly disgusting!
Deng Fangping still didn't want to make a big fuss. It wasn't that she was afraid of the Zhao family, but there were many girls in her family, and Chu Yu was so beautiful. If the Zhao family had bad intentions and did something, it wouldn't be worth it!
Seeing that Chu Yu remained calm, Deng Fangping thought to herself that this niece was no ordinary person; even at a time like this, she could still keep her composure!
"Chu Yu, what are your plans regarding this?"
Chu Yu took a sip of water to moisten her throat before smiling and saying, "Aunt, one cannot always be tolerant. If I tolerate the Zhao family today, they will not think that I am cultured and forgiving. On the contrary, they will think that I am weak and easy to bully."
Deng Fangping agreed, "You mean..."
"Xiao Jiang, I need your help!"
Xiao Jiang immediately jumped in, acting as his sister's henchman, "Sister, just say the word! Your brother will do anything for you!"
Chu Yu smiled and pinched his little face. "I want you to go and tell the children in the village that I'm buying bat droppings from the caves, one cent per pound, dried and weighed! I want as much as you can!"
Deng Fangping was surprised, but then she realized what she meant and asked, "You want to buy Night-Shining Sand?"
“Since everyone can do business, let everyone do it! I’m thinking, if I just shovel the luminous sand myself, I can only shovel a dozen or so sacks a day at most. If I shovel too much, there’s no place at home to dry it; if I shovel too little, it’s a waste of time. It’s better to get the villagers to shovel it. It’s like we’re borrowing their land to dry it, paying them one cent per pound as rent. With so many people in the village, if every household goes up the mountain to shovel, the more they shovel, the more we collect, and the more we earn!”
Chu Yu had her own considerations. There was a lot of rain in Shanguan Village in June and July. Once it rained, she wouldn't be able to make money no matter what. It would be better to make money as soon as possible and save enough capital to do something else.
Deng Fangping was astonished by Chu Yu's way of thinking. She originally thought it was a bad thing, but Chu Yu turned the situation around.
Chu Yu is right. It's not that Chu Xiang and the others can't bring back more, but there's only so much space at home. Where would they put all the leftovers to dry?
Rather than letting the Zhao family make the money, it's better to make the whole village aware of this!
"What if they drag the Night-Shining Sand to the city to sell it themselves?"
Chu Yu had also considered this, and she wasn't afraid.
"The Zhao family won't expose this matter. Even if the villagers know that Night-Shining Sand can be sold for money, they may not be able to find out about the Chinese medicine shop."
Ultimately, there's always an information gap in everything. By the time the villagers found out about this, Chu Yu's business with the night-shining sand was already over.
Xiao Jiang got excited as soon as he heard this and immediately ran out to tell the children. These children all knew there were bats in the cave, but they didn't know that bat droppings could be sold for money!
One cent per pound, you can earn a few dollars by shoveling a few sacks?
I have comic books, stationery, and pocket money.
Although the money earned will eventually be suppressed and confiscated by adults!
But you can still hide a little bit in the East and the West!
Sure enough, the children told me about it when they got home.
After dinner, Aunt Tong, who was in front, came over with her grandson and granddaughter, half believing and half doubting.
"Patriotism? I heard from the kids that your niece wants to buy bat droppings from that cave?"
Shu Aiguo smiled and said, "Auntie, you heard me right. My niece's classmate's family buys these. I asked her to help me find some. I figured our Shanguan Village doesn't lack bat droppings, so I suggested she buy them from our village."
Upon hearing this, Aunt Tong thought to herself that Shu Aiguo was truly kind-hearted, always thinking of the villagers when he had business opportunities!
Bat droppings aren't worth much, they're everywhere in the caves. You can fill a sack with them, take it home and dry it, and you can earn a dollar or two a day!
Wow! This business is lucrative!
Aunt Tong's eyes lit up. "Okay, patriotism, I believe you, but you have to keep your word!"
"Don't worry, Auntie! I, Shu Aiguo, keep my word and will never owe you a single penny! But you can only settle the account after my niece has sold the goods!"
Aunt Tong thought to herself that this was only right, as long as she didn't owe any money!
Thinking about making money, Aunt Tong lost her appetite and went home to grab a flashlight and tools before heading to the mountain.
That evening, many families came to Shu Aiguo to inquire about the situation. Villagers went up the mountain with flashlights. Everyone knew about it, and seeing that it was true, they were just as enthusiastic as Aunt Tong. With sacks in their left hands and shovels in their right, the whole family went up the mountain to shovel the night-shining sand!
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
