The people above watched the swaying rope and climbed down one by one. The bags on their backs were not luggage at all, but specially made bags. Zhang Shouyi nodded to them, and the men began to get busy. A box of gold could fit into a bag, weighing at least 300 pounds. Watching them carry the bags on their backs and climb up the cliff without stopping, Zhang Hongmei was full of admiration.
In the end, Zhang Shouyi also carried a bag. I never expected that someone who looked so refined and whose body was as weak as a chicken would have such strength.
"Hongmei, you wait downstairs. I'll shine a flashlight on them later. I need to go keep an eye on the car. Be careful."
"Understood, Brother Zhang."
Zhang Hongmei saw that they had all left, and a third of the place was gone. Wow, that's impressive.
I glanced at the time and kept track of their schedules.
Out of boredom, Zhang Hongmei took a flashlight and wandered around. The stone walls looked empty, so there shouldn't be anything hidden there, right?
In a corner, she suddenly stepped on something unusual and crouched down to examine it closely by the light. Just like the mechanism in her ancestors' house, Zhang Hongmei tried pressing it and turning it, and saw the stone slab on the ground suddenly rise up.
This was just a small opening, barely wide enough for one person to pass through. Zhang Hongmei carefully went down, and there was another secret room inside. It was much smaller than the one above, containing only thirteen boxes.
She glanced at the time, didn't check what it was, and waved her hand to put it into her ring. She quickly climbed back up and reset the mechanism. Sitting on the empty stone box, she gently patted her chest. This was too exciting! So many good things in just a small cliff—was this some kind of auspicious place? Zhang Hongmei's mind raced with thoughts.
An hour and a half later, she heard some noises from upstairs. More than ten people came down, and judging from their slightly heaving chests, they were also quite tired.
They left again ten minutes later, leaving ten boxes behind.
One more trip and we'll be done. It's already 2:20, and we should be heading back around 5:00. I wonder where Zhang Shouyi found these people; they're in such good health. They also seem absolutely loyal to Zhang Shouyi. I'm so envious!
Zhang Hongmei was torn between keeping the stone boxes or removing them later. Her biggest fear was causing trouble for the villagers and not wanting them to be implicated. She considered waiting a few days to put them away, but then worried that Zhang Shouyi might come and find the stone boxes gone.
Zhang Shouyi sat outside the car waiting for them. He was completely numb. No wonder they never ran out of money in their past lives.
They came back again, and by almost five o'clock everything had been delivered, including a wild boar.
It can only be said that Zhang Hongmei was lucky. On the last trip up, there were two people to clean up the mess. Zhang Hongmei walked with them, and just as she reached the bottom of the cliff, she saw a lone wild boar.
The two of them quickly took it down, grabbed its front and back legs, and lifted it up to leave.
Zhang Hongmei was dumbfounded. Could the great master take her as his apprentice? After calming down and imagining herself growing up to be as big and burly as them, she gave up the idea of becoming a strongman.
I think the elegant and ladylike goddess style suits me better.
Zhang Shouyi was delighted to see the wild boar; what a perfect excuse to drive the car over!
He looked at the two of them approvingly. Not bad.
Several people got on the bus and soon arrived at their doorsteps. The dozen or so people who had been on the bus didn't get off but stayed inside.
Zhang Hongmei hurried into the kitchen to prepare a meal for them, but Zhang Shouyi stopped her and took her back inside. Zhang Shouyi then wrote out a new IOU, clearly stating the amount on it.
Zhang Xingguo and Wang Xiaoshun were also ready. Seeing the wild boar outside the door, Zhang Xingguo nodded. This was for the best; they had all the excuses.
"Xiao Shun, go and call Liu Maocai over."
"Alright!" Wang Xiaoshun excitedly ran forward.
The villagers knew that Zhang Xingguo was going back today, so they all came to see him off at dawn.
With that huge wild boar right by the door, it was hard to miss. Although everyone was tempted by the meat, no one said anything; after all, it belonged to someone else. A few people had eager eyes, but they still had their pride and didn't say a word.
Liu Maocai also came over.
"Brother Liu, this is a wild boar that my son's friend hunted up the mountain in the middle of the night. It's for everyone to have a good meal."
"That would be so kind of you. You have a car, please take it back."
"No need, this is just a keepsake for everyone. Don't refuse!"
Everyone then chattered and expressed their gratitude.
"Thank you all for taking care of me. I'm going back to work now. I'll come back when I have time."
When Zhang Xingguo saw Zhang Shouyi come out, he said goodbye to everyone and got into the jeep.
The whole village watched them leave, and for a long time afterward, everyone expressed their gratitude to them.
Zhang Hongmei didn't sleep all night, but she was determined. She pretended not to know how to ride the bicycle that Zhang Shouyi had brought over and started practicing at the door.
This attracted many children from the village. After all, there wasn't a single bicycle in Liujiatun.
Finally, they were able to pedal their bikes for a while before they went to herd the sheep. The children were very disappointed, but since the sheep belonged to someone else, they had no choice but to make an appointment with Zhang Hongmei to come back the next morning.
Zhang Hongmei secretly put the bucket and the large water vat into her ring, intending to water the radishes using the same method as last time, since she had plenty of time.
"Sister Hongmei, don't be late coming back. We're having meat at the brigade headquarters tonight."
"Okay, thanks Stone. Go play now, I'll come back soon to teach you how to ride a bike."
"real?"
"Of course, go have fun, I'll come find you when I get back."
Zhang Hongmei drove the sheep up the mountain to graze in a different spot, closer to the radish field. It was almost nine o'clock, and she needed to hurry; three mu of land needed watering.
I didn't even have time to eat, and it wasn't until 4 PM that I had finished watering half of it. Most of the time was wasted on the road, and I was so tired that I didn't want to move.
It wasn't the time to be willful, so I herded the sheep down the mountain and saw a few children in the distance near my house. Remembering my promise to Shi Tou, I quickened my pace.
"Stone, I'm sorry Sister Hongmei is late."
"It's alright, I'll be fine soon." Shi Tou helped Zhang Hongmei drive the sheep into the sheepfold and cleaned it up.
"Stone, you push the cart out and practice pushing it first. Sister Hongmei will take a shower and come out right away."
"No need, I'll wait for you outside, Sister Hongmei, don't worry."
Zhang Hongmei took a bath inside the space, washed her clothes outside, and pushed the car out with her hair still wet.
The children outside gathered around when they saw the bicycle.
Zhang Hongmei's heart softened immediately when she saw the longing in the children's eyes.
"I'll teach the stones first, and then I'll teach you. You all watch carefully from the side. If I don't have time later, those who have learned will be responsible for teaching those who haven't."
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