Chapter 104: The Golden Rooster Lays No Eggs

After Guazi and Little Dot returned to Liu Xing's side, they revealed that the old beggar was actually a doctor. Little Dot even showed Liu Xing the herbal medicine applied to her lips, explaining that it was very effective—tingling and refreshing, with none of the previous swelling or pain.

Liu Xing did not dwell on this unexpected turn of events. He believed the old beggar was indeed a doctor, and a highly skilled one at that. Otherwise, as someone who had been reborn, Liu Xing wouldn’t have had that strange feeling upon first meeting the old beggar—that he was no ordinary man.

Just then, Zhao Long, having finished eating, suggested unloading all the fir wood from the tractor to settle the payment. Liu Xing quickly snapped back to reality and followed Zhao Long toward the tractor parked by the roadside.

Approaching the tractor, Zhao Long patted the load of fir logs and said, “There are over sixty pieces, varying in length. I won’t charge you by the cubic meter—just give me thirty yuan for the whole load, and you don’t need to pay for the transportation.”

“Fine!” Liu Xing didn’t hesitate as he handed over the thirty yuan to Zhao Long. He was no fool; if he were to buy this load of fir from a timber merchant in the market, it would cost at least fifty or sixty yuan, since fir was rare and expensive in the 1980s.

Zhao Long was pleased with the deal, and so was Liu Xing.

“Thanks!” Zhao Long took the money and began carrying the fir logs toward Liu Dongju’s house.

Nie Quan, Zhao Biao, and others came to help as well. Liu Xing rolled up his sleeves, ready to join in.

Nie Sun patted him on the shoulder and pulled him aside. “Here’s the thing—my brother said the deadline for your shoe cabinet is tight, so he wants to hire a few extra helpers. He was too shy to tell you himself, so he asked me to let you know in advance, so you won’t be caught off guard when more people show up and you and your sister can’t explain.”

“No way!” Liu Xing smiled. Since he had designed the shoe cabinet himself, he knew exactly how many workers would be needed.

“I’m just giving you a heads-up,” Nie Sun glanced around. “Tomorrow, Zhao Long and two carpenters will come to help. Just take care of the meals. As for wages, since we’re family, don’t even mention it.”

This wasn’t false modesty—it was the truth. In Lao Wu Village, whenever a house was being renovated or a wedding was taking place, the able-bodied men of the Zhao family would voluntarily come to help, provided they were fed.

As someone with experience, Liu Xing understood this well. Seeing Nie Sun so straightforward, he laughed and said, “Leader Nie, are you treating me like an outsider? Afraid I won’t feed you?”

“Not at all,” Nie Sun said with a sheepish laugh.

“Then just arrange everything,” Liu Xing said as he headed back toward the tractor. “Anyway, as you can see, I bought a lot of pork in advance to treat you all.”

“Just trust me,” Nie Sun followed, rolling up his sleeves and hoisting a thick fir log toward Liu Dongju’s house.

But the log was heavy, and after barely three meters, Nie Sun struggled to keep it up.

He stood awkwardly, unsure whether to put it down or keep carrying it.

Suddenly, his shoulder felt lighter.

Turning around, he saw Liu Xing lending a hand.

“Thanks!” Nie Sun breathed a sigh of relief.

“No need to thank me for something so small!” Liu Xing smiled.

Feeling a little embarrassed for being so dramatic, Nie Sun fell silent and continued carrying the log.

Before long, all the fir wood from the tractor was moved.

Nie Quan paid the transport fee, chatted with Liu Xing briefly, then left with Nie Sun, Zhao Long, and the others.

It was getting late, and it wouldn’t do to stay out too long.

Liu Xing didn’t keep them, and after watching them disappear into the night, he returned to Zhao Village Chief’s side.

By then, everyone else had left, leaving only Zhao Village Chief sitting at the wooden table with Zhao Jing, Zhao Dongkui, and Liu Dongju, chatting.

Seeing Liu Xing had finished his tasks, Zhao Village Chief stood up and said, “Xing, I heard from your sister that you’ve already gotten your business license for the shoe shop?”

“Yes,” Liu Xing nodded.

There was no need to hide it; spreading the word could only benefit him. At least the older gentlemen at the supply and marketing cooperative wouldn’t dare openly target him as a shoe shop owner.

“You’re impressive,” Zhao Village Chief sighed deeply.

This kind of thing required connections—something he himself couldn't manage. Yet Liu Xing had done it, earning his respect. At the market, only about a dozen big-time merchants had individual business licenses; the rest didn’t. Applying was like climbing to the heavens.

Two years ago, Zhao Village Chief had tried to apply himself, but when the officials learned he was from a rural area, they kicked him out outright.

“There’s nothing impressive about it—just good luck,” Liu Xing replied with a smile. “Village Chief, I see you hesitating. If you have something to say, just say it. No need to beat around the bush.”

“You’ve really become clever,” Zhao Village Chief laughed heartily. “Actually, I do have something to discuss with you.”

With that, he turned and slowly walked toward the market.

Liu Xing followed him.

Zhao Jing wanted to follow as well but was held back by Liu Dongju. “Be good. Grandpa is discussing something important. If it works out, everyone in Lao Wu Village will have meat every day.”

“Really?” Zhao Jing was overjoyed.

“Of course,” Liu Dongju smiled.

Zhao Jing didn’t press further and instead watched Liu Xing walking farther away.

Liu Dongju looked on with a doting gaze.

At the market, Zhao Village Chief pointed to the buildings on either side and began to speak slowly.

“People say Lao Wu Village is the richest village in Zhangmu Township because the market is located here, offering great transportation convenience. But outsiders don’t know the truth. Lao Wu Village isn’t as good as it seems. Take me for example—this year, I can barely support my granddaughter.”

“What do you mean, Village Chief?” Liu Xing stopped walking.

“I want you to lend your wisdom and lead all the villagers out of our current predicament,” Zhao Village Chief said earnestly.

He hadn’t wanted to ask for help, feeling too proud given his age, but Liu Xing’s ability to earn money and his powerful network left him no choice but to swallow his pride.

Besides, Liu Xing was Zhao Dongkui’s brother-in-law.

In a way, Liu Xing was half Zhao family.

Since he was family, asking sensitive questions shouldn’t be a problem.

“Ah?” Liu Xing was momentarily stunned.

Regaining composure, he said, “Village Chief, I’m just a kid. Please don’t put me on a pedestal.”

“You’re not a kid—you’re a prodigy who nearly beat the top scorer in the Zhangmu Township middle school exams,” Zhao Village Chief stroked his beard, smiling. “If fate hadn’t played tricks, you’d probably be a first-year student at No. 8 Middle School by now.”

“That’s true.” Liu Xing knew his older sister or brother-in-law had told Zhao Village Chief everything. With no choice, he nodded in agreement.

“So, do you still have a reason to refuse this old man’s request?” Zhao Village Chief looked at Liu Xing with hopeful, aged eyes.

“Yes,” Liu Xing replied teasingly.

“Huh?” Zhao Village Chief was puzzled.

Seeing the mischievous smile on Liu Xing’s face, he pointed and laughed along.

“Actually, the greatest resource Lao Wu Village has is this market. You just haven’t used it well,” Liu Xing said succinctly, without joking.

“How so?” Zhao Village Chief asked.

“Have you noticed? Many of the buildings along the market are temporary sheds built by outsiders,” Liu Xing reminded him with a smile.

“Yes. The villagers don’t have the money to build them, so they rent the land to those outsiders to set up their stalls,” Zhao Village Chief sighed.

“Heh…” Liu Xing shook his head with a smile. “It’s not that the villagers lack money. It’s that they never saw the benefits.”

“The rent from those sheds, and the stall fees collected every market day—none of that money goes into the pockets of Lao Wu villagers, does it?” Liu Xing looked at Zhao Village Chief with keen eyes.

“How do you know that?” Zhao Village Chief was surprised.

He explained, “That money doesn’t go into my pocket either, or else I wouldn’t be struggling to afford meat.”

“Then whose pockets does it go into?” Liu Xing asked.

“Of course, it’s Xiao Daode’s. He was the one who pushed to have the market in Lao Wu Village in the first place. It nearly got moved to Daohua Village, but I gathered dozens from the Zhao family and convinced everyone to keep it here. In exchange, we allowed him to collect rent from the market sheds,” Zhao Village Chief whispered the secret.

He dared not speak louder because it was a confidential oral agreement with Xiao Daode—something not to be told under any circumstance.

“You’ve been taken advantage of,” Liu Xing covered his head. “The location of a market isn’t something Xiao Daode gets to decide alone.”

It required a professional survey, approval from all the senior leaders in Zhangmu Township, great transportation advantages, a huge flow of people, and a central location in Zhangmu Township.

Lao Wu Village had all of these advantages—time, place, and people. No other village, not even Daohua Village or the surrounding villages combined, could compete.

Yet now, Liu Xing had learned this ridiculous truth.

Xiao Daode was truly shameless.

He even tried to claim the rent from the market sheds.

No wonder he monopolized many industries through the supply and marketing cooperative—this was his despicable nature.

“I’m beginning to see the problem, but it’s too late now!” Zhao Village Chief was disheartened.

Given Lao Wu Village’s strength, they couldn’t oppose the supply and marketing cooperative behind Xiao Daode.

“By the way, who collects the stall fees at the market?” Liu Xing knew he couldn’t confront Xiao Daode directly, so after a wry laugh, he changed the subject.

“Who else but Zhao Gou, the local tyrant?” Zhao Village Chief answered helplessly.

If Zhao Gou collected the stall fees on behalf of Lao Wu Village, life for the villagers would be much easier.