Chapter 41: Reported (Please Subscribe!)

Mushrooms are delicate things; any lapse in picking, transporting, or storing them can compromise their quality. With so many people bringing mushrooms to town every day, why did Liu Jingshan favor the goods delivered by Li Yi, even going so far as to pay above market price? Beyond the fact that Liu Jingshan considered Li Yi a sharp and honest individual, the most important reason was that the mushrooms Li Yi brought were simply impeccable.

The young man standing before him now was clearly not a professional trader and knew nothing about the mountain produce business. To think he’d actually had the nerve to pack mushrooms in a snake-skin sack! As expected, the moment the sack was opened, Liu Jingshan’s expression soured.

It was clear that the quality of these mushrooms was decent; they were large, plump, and white, clearly wild-grown. However, compared to the carefully selected, premium batches Li Yi delivered, these were uneven in size, riddled with debris, and looked filthy. Most importantly, because they had been crammed into a snake-skin bag, more than half were crushed, and those that weren't were badly bruised. Such mushrooms could not be stored for any length of time. If they weren't processed immediately today, they would be spoiled by tomorrow.

"Comrade, the quality of your mushrooms is not up to standard; we cannot accept them," Liu Jingshan said in a deep voice.

Xu Hong bristled, shouting, "Why aren't they up to standard? How can you go back on your word? How can you just say you don't want them?"

Liu Jingshan replied immediately, "Comrade, look for yourself. Your mushrooms are all crushed. Can we possibly accept these?"

"You have to chop them up to eat them anyway, so it doesn't affect their use!" Xu Hong realized the problem, but he remained stubborn.

"That’s enough. Our state-run restaurant will not be taking your mushrooms. If you think someone else will want them, go find them!" Liu Jingshan was losing his patience. How could this person be so unreasonable? He had already explained that the quality was poor, yet the man kept pestering him.

With that, Liu Jingshan turned and walked away. The other staff members didn't bother with courtesies; they pushed him and his sack of mushrooms right out the door. Xu Hong was incensed. His mushrooms were picked from the same hills as Li Yi’s—why were Li Yi’s acceptable while his were not? It was nothing but bullying!

Thinking of himself, a city-bred intellectual, being outdone by a local hoodlum from the village—what kind of world was this? His family, while not wealthy, consisted of factory workers, and he was a high school graduate. What did that hoodlum have? Aside from a handsome face, what did he have? Tang Xue, that cheap woman, was the same; she would rather marry that hoodlum than be with him. The people at the state-run restaurant were just as bad, choosing that hoodlum’s goods over his. Xu Hong felt that he was being maliciously targeted by these ignorant people.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, his face twisting in resentment. He had originally planned to report Li Yi today to clear the way for his own mushroom business, and this incident only hardened his resolve. He pushed his bicycle, carrying the report letter he had already written, and headed toward the County Public Security Bureau.

***

Li Yi was unaware that he was being targeted by a petty individual. After purchasing his supplies, he drove his red mule cart toward the entrance of the sugar factory. The gatekeepers at the factory were already familiar with him and came over to help him unload the cart. Li Yi did not stand on ceremony; once his stall was set up, he immediately mixed a bowl of liangpi (cold noodles) for each of the two elderly men, which left them beaming.

The people at the factory were quite fond of this young man. Although his noodles were not cheap—a bowl cost twenty cents, enough to buy over a pound of white flour—everyone had to admit they were truly delicious. With their chewy texture and savory, spicy, and fragrant flavor, one taste was enough to get anyone hooked. Furthermore, his stall, though small, was clean and hygienic. What was even more commendable was that he cleaned up all the surrounding trash after closing every day, never leaving a mess behind. He was also warm and friendly toward the factory staff. How could anyone dislike such a steady, hardworking young man?

As for whether setting up a stall here was legal, people cared even less. It was 1980; although the authorities had not explicitly permitted free trade, the grip was not as tight as before. The black markets that used to hide in the shadows could now exist semi-publicly.

Many people were selling goods on the sly, and someone like Li Yi was not particularly conspicuous. Before long, his stall was ready, just in time for the workers to get off their shifts.

At twelve noon, the shift bell rang on time, and a sea of workers flooded out the gates. Soon, Li Yi's stall was surrounded by a crowd. Previously, if people wanted to improve their meals, several would pool their money to buy meat and have a feast together. In the local dialect of Qingshan County, this was called "leveling the bill"—a potluck-style communal meal. But now, if the workers wanted a treat, they would just buy a bowl of fragrant liangpi at the gate and pair it with a white flour pancake. Having such a set meal on a hot day was pure comfort. Plus, since everyone paid for their own, there was no bickering about who ate more or less—it was simple and efficient.

Furthermore, many female workers came to buy noodles, and standing in line, they became a beautiful sight in their own right. This naturally attracted the attention of many unmarried male workers, who hoped for a chance encounter with a girl they liked. Without anyone noticing, Li Yi’s small stall had become a special spot at the sugar factory.

While Li Yi was busy with his stall, Xu Hong arrived at the County Public Security Bureau and explained his intentions. The officer on duty read his report letter and immediately submitted the situation to his superiors. However, the county police had been run ragged for days due to a child abduction case. In order to find the hideout of those missing children, the county had mobilized all available police and armed police, and even drafted some militia to search for them; they had no energy to spare for such trivial matters.

Afterward, the authorities had the duty officer tell Xu Hong that they had accepted the case and would make arrests after an investigation. They also told him that if the report proved true, he would receive a reward. Satisfied with this response, Xu Hong left the county bureau and returned to the educated youth dormitory with his unwanted mushrooms.