Reborn:1983

Chapter 12: Planning a Business

Liu Fen was clearly still dazed, lost in her own world, not even greeting her sister-in-law.

If it weren't for the gauze patch on Xiaolan's forehead, Li Fengmei might have thought it was her sister-in-law Liu Fen who had run into the pillar, given how vacant and unresponsive she seemed. Pushing her thoughts aside, Li Fengmei quickly put her son down on the bed and helped Liu Yong unload the things.

Liu Yong cursed the Xias under his breath, calling them all turtle bastards, and briefly recounted what happened, including their departure coinciding with the return of the three Xia brothers and the scuffle it took to get out of Great River Village.

"Get the bed in the west room ready for Xiaolan and them."

Liu Yong's meaning was clear: Xiaolan and her mother were to stay here now, not go back to suffer in the Xia household.

But he didn't specify for how long. Xiaolan, well-versed in human relationships, quickly reassured Li Fengmei: "I'm planning to start a small business, save up some money to settle down in the county town. There are more opportunities in Anqing County, and it'll avoid all the gossip here in the countryside."

They wouldn't really live with her uncle forever.

Her uncle was undoubtedly sincere in taking them in. Aunt Li Fengmei probably wasn't that petty either. But as a mature person, Xiaolan knew that prolonged stays with relatives inevitably caused friction. Since she only planned to stay temporarily, she didn't mind explaining a bit more to put her aunt's mind at ease.

Liu Yong caught the subtext in Xiaolan's words.

He didn't argue, thinking to himself that Xiaolan would lose her optimism once she tasted real hardship. Young people were always fearless, thinking the outside world was simple. Sure, some people had made money doing business these last couple of years, but could Xiaolan endure the hardship?

Under the lamp's glow, Xiaolan saw her aunt's smile become noticeably more genuine.

"Silly girl, we're family! No need for such talk! If your uncle says you two stay, then settle in peacefully!"

Her generosity stemmed from the fact that Liu Yong had been earning decent money these past few months. Adding two more mouths to feed for a while wouldn't break the bank.

Li Fengmei quickly tidied up the room. People weren't fussy back then; a bed with straw underneath and a mat on top was far superior to the situation in the Xia's dilapidated shack. Mother and daughter, driven out of the Xia home just yesterday, had been on the move day and night and were utterly exhausted.

Lying in bed, Xiaolan patted Liu Fen's hand. "Don't worry, Mom. I will give you a good life. We'll both be fine. We'll prove ourselves and live well, let others see!"

After a long pause, Xiaolan thought her mother had fallen asleep. But Liu Fen replied slowly, "Mom just wants you to have a good life, Xiaolan. Don't blame me... I let you suffer..."

Xiaolan offered a few words of comfort, knowing that any verbal assurance would ring hollow until she achieved results. Utterly drained, she drifted off to sleep mid-sentence.

The next morning, Xiaolan awoke to the aroma of food.

Liu Fen was already up, having naturally taken over the kitchen chores. Little cousin Tao-tao was feeling much better today, buzzing around his aunt in the kitchen. Liu Fen fished a steamed bun out of the steamer for him. Tao-tao hissed from the heat but refused to spit it out, mumbling praise through a full mouth:

"Auntie, your buns are better than Mom's!"

Anqing County straddled the north-south divide – in later years, it would be one of those awkward areas cold in winter but without central heating. Eating habits reflected this blend. The Liu family breakfast consisted of sweet potato congee and large white steamed buns.

Xiaolan opened her trunk to find clothes to wear and discovered an unexpected surprise.

Tucked inside, wrapped in a handkerchief, was a bundle of small bills – 18.3 yuan, the original owner's secret savings.

At the very bottom were a few letters, filled with bold, passionate language... love letters from Wang Jianhua. Fighting back nausea as she skimmed them, Xiaolan smiled coldly. So, he did openly express love to 'Xiaolan'. Xia Ziyu's methods were truly masterful. She considered burning the letters but, on second thought, stuffed them back into the trunk. Might be useful evidence someday.

Just as she closed the trunk, Tao-tao bounded in.

"Auntie! Cousin Xiaolan's awake!"

Tao-tao adored Xiaolan. Even though the old Xiaolan had a foul temper, she was undeniably beautiful!

Children didn't care about mainstream aesthetics; their sense of beauty was natural, untainted, and direct... his cousin Xiaolan was simply beautiful, even when she was angry.

Xiaolan wasn't particularly experienced with kids, but her mental age was far beyond 18. Seeing a cute child like Tao-tao melted her resistance.

She reached out and felt Tao-tao's forehead, pleased. "Not hot anymore. Looks like the fever's gone."

Tao-tao grinned goofily, feeling his cousin was being especially gentle with him. He became her little shadow, following her while she washed her face, lingering while she combed her hair. He took a bite of his bun, eyes fixed on her: "Cousin Xiaolan, does your head still hurt?... You're so pretty!"

Yes, so pretty.

After tidying herself up – hair braided into two plaits, wearing a clean, unpatched top – Xiaolan had to admit she was excessively good-looking.

Once ready, she led Tao-tao to the kitchen.

Liu Fen seemed back to normal, though it was impossible to tell what she was really thinking.

"Breakfast will be ready soon. Your uncle and aunt went to check the rice paddies. We'll start threshing in a couple of days."

Just then, Liu Yong's voice boomed: "Sweet potato congee?" He hung his straw hat on the wall and smiled seeing Xiaolan. "Awake? I told your mom not to wake you. You need rest to heal from that injury. Your aunt went to buy meat – they got a wild boar in the next village over."

Eating meat outside of festivals or holidays was a luxury few rural families could afford.

Tao-tao practically drooled.

Xiaolan was genuinely touched.

Liu Yong had always been generous despite his poverty. Now that he was earning a bit more, he was even looser with money. Since he wouldn't be leaving the village until the rice was safely stored, his bicycle was free:

"Can you ride it?"

Xiaolan nodded. She had indeed ridden this old-fashioned style before. It wasn't sleek, but it was built for hauling – originally designed for military transport over rough terrain, capable of carrying hundreds of pounds of cargo and rider.

Liu Yong meant for her to use the bicycle for her egg business.

She could try starting the business during the busy harvest season. If she couldn't handle the hardship, he could help her figure something else out.

Li Fengmei returned triumphant, holding two jin of pork and a large marrow bone. The meat boasted a glorious three-fingers thick layer of pure, glistening fat – the most coveted part, as everyone craved the oil their diets lacked. Securing such prime cuts was a point of pride.

As the family sat down to eat, Li Fengmei overheard Xiaolan and Liu Yong seriously discussing business details, further improving her mood.

"How are you going to get those eggs to town on the bike without smashing them all?" she asked.

In 1983, there was no such thing as paved roads connecting villages. Forget concrete or asphalt; even dirt paths were rough. Riding would be a bone-jarring journey. People could endure it, but eggs wouldn't. If ten out of a hundred broke, Xiaolan wouldn't make a profit.

Xiaolan had been pondering this problem since yesterday.

Long-distance egg transport in her time used specialized cartons and smooth roads. With her primitive conditions, plastic cartons were out of the question. But Xiaolan had an alternative.

"Weave small baskets from reed rope, about the size of an egg. Slot each egg into one, then string the baskets together." Stuffing the gaps with chopped wheat stalks or straw could mimic the cushioning effect of foam.

Liu Fen perked up immediately. "I can weave! Just show me what you need!"