Chapter Fifty-Three: The Gathering (Part Two)

Xiao Yuanyuan’s sudden appearance at that moment left a trace of awkwardness on her aunt’s face.
“You still have the nerve to complain when I say you spend too much!” her aunt said, beckoning her over to the empty seat beside her while addressing the other relatives at the table. “Back then, her father and I wanted her to study finance, but she just wouldn’t listen, insisting on studying design. And get this—she asked me for a camera, saying it was for her studies. When I heard the price, I nearly fainted. Guess how much it was?”

Everyone looked on with curiosity.

“Twenty thousand!” her aunt announced dramatically. “Tell me, isn’t this just sheer extravagance?”

Xiao Yuanyuan rushed to explain, “Mom, don’t exaggerate. That twenty thousand was for the camera plus three lenses.”

Then, with a hint of pleading, she added, “Mom, you could just give me thirteen thousand first. I’ll save up for the remaining lenses myself.”

“You save up? Any money you save is still your father’s and mine, earned with our sweat and blood!” her aunt scoffed, waving her hand dismissively and shaking her head. “Don’t even think about it. The most I’ll give you is five thousand. You’ll have to figure out the rest.”

Even so, those at the table found it astonishing. Spending five thousand on a camera was a pipe dream for most families these days.

Xiao Yuanyuan looked visibly disgruntled, pouting with indignation.

Li Mu knew well that his cousin had always been pampered, the quintessential artsy type. She’d fallen in love with photography before even graduating, refused to work after finishing school, and kept asking her parents for money to travel as a backpacker. For many years to come, she would be quite a headache for her now-smug parents. Yet everyone has their own way in life, and at least Xiao Yuanyuan seemed genuinely happy.

At that moment, her aunt turned to the others again. “See? Is there anyone whose daughter costs as much as ours? Just a few months ago, she insisted on a phone—over two thousand! She’s not tired of that yet, and now she wants a camera...”

Li Mu didn’t care to hear any more of his aunt’s complaints. He cut in, “Auntie, my parents said long ago that when it comes to opening a clothing store and sending me to university, they wouldn’t borrow a cent from relatives or friends. In fact, they’ve been preparing for this for some time—you really don’t need to worry.”

His aunt hurried to cover up, “We’re not worried! If you ever run into trouble, just say the word. We’re all family, and we help each other out, right?”

Li Mu didn’t bother arguing further, but his uncle keenly picked up on the underlying message.

A single meal like this cost several thousand; a year’s college tuition and living expenses would add up to over ten thousand; and opening a clothing store—even a small one—would require at least twenty or thirty thousand. Altogether, that was forty or fifty thousand. He simply couldn’t figure out how the Li family could possibly come up with so much money.

Thinking again about the lavishness of this meal, his uncle couldn’t help but ask, “Daoping, are you working on something lately? With all these plans, you’d need at least several tens of thousands, wouldn’t you?”

Li Daoping was at a loss for words. His son had put him on the spot all evening, attributing all sorts of things to him that he’d never even heard of. He was baffled.

Once again, Li Mu stepped in lightly, “A classmate’s father got a contract last year to supply coal to a power plant out of town, and my dad helped him get some thermal coal...”

“Xiao Mu, you can’t just say things like that!” Li Daoping couldn’t sit still as soon as he heard this.

Last winter, as the country faced a severe shortage of thermal coal and prices soared, Xiling Mine, though nearly exhausted, still made significant profits riding that wave. However, most of the margin was pocketed by the management through various means. Even if Li Daoping had wanted to get his hands on some coal, he simply didn’t have the clout. With Li Mu painting him as the mastermind behind such dealings, he couldn’t take it.

But his anxious, even slightly angry expression took on a very different meaning in the eyes of everyone else.

Everyone thought Li Mu must have revealed Daoping’s secret, which was why he was so flustered. Everyone knows you shouldn’t flaunt your wealth. Since last winter, TV had been reporting daily on coal shortages and skyrocketing prices. Even the price of coal balls for home use had climbed steeply, and many had made a fortune in the volatile market. Since Daoping worked at the mine, who’s to say he hadn’t landed a lucrative opportunity?

Uncle’s tone was tinged with envy: “Daoping, if you’re making money dealing coal, why bother opening a clothing store?”

“Brother, don’t listen to Xiao Mu’s nonsense. When coal was tight, every ton needed a signed note from the mine director to be shipped out. Even the washing plant manager had no say in it. How could I possibly...”

The more he explained, the more suspicious it sounded.

At that moment, Li Mu raised his hand in feigned alarm. “I was just making things up, Dad, don’t be mad...”

Though he took the blame, his face was the picture of innocence, as if he was only saying this for fear of upsetting his father.

With that, everyone at the table was now convinced that Li Daoping had indeed made money dealing coal. Only one question remained, echoing in their minds.

Satisfied, Li Mu quickly urged, “Let’s eat! Dad, Uncle, let’s have a drink...”

...

“How much money did Li Daoping actually make?”

On their way home after the feast, Xiao Yunjian pulled his motorcycle to the side of the road, lit a cigarette, and asked his wife Cai Yanhong, who sat behind him.

“How should I know?” Cai Yanhong replied with a pout, her mood palpably sour. “Your younger sister sure knows how to keep things hidden! It’s been almost a year since last winter, and we’re only hearing about it now. If Li Mu hadn’t said anything, we’d still be in the dark.”

Xiao Yunjian took a hard drag on his cigarette. “I doubt it was all that much. Daoping is just a technician—would that kind of money really fall into his lap?”

Cai Yanhong snorted, “That’s true. He probably only made thirty or fifty thousand. And with his son scoring well on the college entrance exam, I suppose they just wanted to show off, so they splurged on this meal.”

Then something occurred to her, and she grinned. “Didn’t Li Mu say both his parents are planning to apply for layoffs? I bet Daoping’s coal connections have dried up. Otherwise, if he could still make money from coal, only a fool would volunteer for redundancy, right?”

“Let’s just wait and see!” Xiao Yunjian smacked his lips. “Didn’t Li Mu say they’re opening a clothing store? Once we see what kind of store it is, we’ll have a better idea.”

Meanwhile, Li Mu’s aunt, Xiao Yunlan, was also muttering to her husband Zeng Jiwei on their way home. “Do you really think my brother-in-law, as feckless as he is, could actually get his hands on coal from Xiling Mine?”

Zeng Jiwei waved dismissively and said, not too happily, “Why do you call him feckless? I think he’s a good man. You and your brother are always picking on him just because he’s honest!”

“Oh, really?” Xiao Yunlan flared up. “You’re taking his side now? Never mind him—do you think you’re so capable? Let me tell you, if it weren’t for my brother-in-law, your incompetence would be plain for all to see!”

Zeng Jiwei’s face turned a deep shade of red. After a long pause, he grumbled, “Xiao Yunlan, that’s a horrible thing to say. When you were laid off for years, did I ever once complain about you?”

“You wouldn’t dare!” Xiao Yunlan stopped, hands on her hips, shouting, “I already feel aggrieved enough marrying you, and you think you can complain?”

Zeng Jiwei felt a headache coming on and quickly said, “Enough, enough. What’s the point in arguing? The child’s right here—let’s just go home.”

Xiao Yunlan’s anger subsided a little. As they walked, she said, “My second sister opening a clothing store is probably hopeless. She’s good enough at her job, but business is a different story altogether.”

...

Back at home, Li Mu was not having an easy time either.

His parents sat on the sofa, while Li Mu stood before them, awaiting their interrogation.

“What were you thinking? Bragging like that in front of everyone. If you’re not embarrassed, at least your father is!” Li Daoping was visibly agitated. He’d always prided himself on being honest, and now his son had thrust him into the spotlight—he simply couldn’t accept it.

Li Mu’s mother also reproached her son for his rashness. “You know your father’s temperament. Why would you put him on the spot like that in front of your uncle and aunt?”

Li Mu smiled faintly. “Isn’t this actually a good thing? In my opinion, you two should stop worrying so much. Just quit your jobs outright; after all, Xiling Mine won’t last more than a year or two anyway.”

His father glared at him. “I’ve been working there for over twenty years and you think I can just quit like that? And if I do, what would your mother and I do? Actually open a clothing store?”

“Exactly!” Li Mu saw that his parents had walked right into his trap and said at once, “We’ll open a clothing store! I’ve been looking into it these past few days. If we’re going to do it, let’s do it big—a franchise store!”

His parents exchanged glances, staring at Li Mu, unsure what he was up to.

Li Mu continued, “Everything in the store will be run by computer and online systems. If we run out of something, just place an order on the computer, and the headquarters will send more stock immediately. At the change of season, you won’t need to travel to other cities for new goods—the head office will distribute everything, and you can just make minor adjustments according to their list.”

“As for taking payments and such, you won’t have to handle anything yourselves. There’ll be a store manager and sales staff. Every sale is scanned and recorded by computer, and at the end of each day, the takings go straight into the bank. You two won’t even need to be at the store—just check in periodically to keep an eye on things!”