"Uncle, I appreciate your intentions and am very moved, but the gap is too large, so there's nothing I can do." Zhang Liunian didn't want him to feel more awkward, so he quickly placed his hand on his shoulder as a gesture of comfort.
Zhang Laoshi looked at Zhang Liunian's face, saw the sincerity on it, and knew he wasn't joking with him, so he finally felt at ease.
"Since you want to earn money by collecting rice, I'll definitely help. Those kids Xiao Si and Xiao Wu can be of use, feel free to order them around. And me, the autumn harvest is over, and tomorrow we have to pay the public grain. After paying, I'll help you collect rice. How many jin do you need?"
Winter was approaching, and Zhang Hao and the others indeed had nothing to do.
Zhang Laoshi was the same, "Tomorrow your Uncle Hao will pay the public grain, and I'll go with you to collect the grain."
Zhang Liunian knew that everyone would soon be idle, which was why he came to ask for their help.
"Okay, we'll take as much as you have. We'll weigh it in the village and pay on the spot, so you don't have to haul it to the county town." Zhang Liunian said generously that he could pay cash for the grain, which shocked Zhang Laoshi and the other man again. In previous years, they would haul their grain to the county town to sell, at most for one jiao per jin. Now, not only was the price doubled, but there were also people coming to the village to collect it. This was truly great news.
Zhang Hao was very happy but also worried about Zhang Liunian's money. "Liunian, you'll buy as much as you can. This is a bottomless pit. Are you sure you have enough money to keep buying like this? If you don't have enough money, you can pay after settlement. We villagers won't say anything."
For whatever quantity he wanted, anyone who wasn't foolish would definitely sell their grain to Zhang Liunian at this price. He might end up spending tens of thousands.
"Uncle Hao, you've misunderstood. I'll buy as much as I can, but I'll only buy for ten days. After that, I won't buy. So even if many people sell grain, I still have enough money for these ten days." In Zhang Liunian's opinion, he had millions to buy grain for ten days, which was more than enough.
When Zhang Hao heard that there was a time limit, he finally felt relieved. "If it's just ten days, then it's easy." Even in ten days, it shouldn't cost millions! At this moment, both of them felt that ten days was completely fine.
However, they underestimated Zhang Liunian's influence, the price he offered, and the convenience of grain collection. As soon as the news that Zhang Liunian would buy grain in the village for two jiao per jin was released, it quickly spread throughout the Ten Mile Brigade and surrounding brigades. Hearing this, everyone was immediately eager and expressed their willingness to sell their grain to Zhang Liunian. No matter if it was for his reputation or the price, they wanted to sell their grain because Zhang Liunian's name was well-known, the price was high, and he even came to the village to collect and pay on the spot. People at this time were simple and honest; no one thought about why Zhang Liunian suddenly changed his direction to collect grain. They only knew that Zhang Liunian, the legendary young man of the Ten Mile Brigade, was going to collect grain in the countryside, and they found the price suitable, so they decided to sell.
"Did you hear? Zhang Liunian from the Ten Mile Brigade is going to collect grain in the countryside. Are you selling yours?"
"Of course, I am. Only a fool wouldn't. They're paying two jiao per jin and even coming to weigh and pay in person. This saves us a lot of trouble and offers a higher price than taking it to the county town ourselves!"
"That makes sense. I just told the men in my family to quickly bring the last of the rice home and dry it so we can catch up."
"My family is already drying it. We can't sell bad grain to them; that would be too dishonest."
"That's right. We can't sell them wet grain for their money."
"..." Conversations like these were happening in many places, most of them from people actively expressing their desire to sell grain.
Zhang Liunian was unaware of this. He was still driving around and publicizing his intention to collect grain. Within a day, half of the places in Datang County knew he was collecting grain. The villagers who had just harvested their grain heard the news and were all tempted to sell it.
"Brother Liunian, will you be going down to the countryside to collect grain yourself tomorrow?" Du Ziteng asked Zhang Liunian about his plans for the next day while returning to the county town.
"With Uncle Hao and the others, I don't need to. However, tomorrow is the first day of collection, so I will come personally. Starting the day after tomorrow, you will cooperate with them to collect grain. Can you handle it?" Zhang Liunian turned to look at Du Ziteng, planning to let him handle this matter.
Du Ziteng licked his lips, eager to try. "Of course. There's nothing I can't do. Don't worry, I'll handle this properly." Brother Liunian letting him handle this meant he trusted his ability to do a good job, and he definitely couldn't let Brother Liunian down. Moreover, collecting grain in the countryside was a very glorious task. Perhaps he could also meet Liu Sanniu's parents and family in Liujia Village. Thinking of this, Du Ziteng couldn't help but wear a sly smile.
Seeing him like this, Zhang Liunian thought of Liu Sanniu and asked, "How are you and Sanniu doing?" Hearing Sanniu's name, Du Ziteng immediately looked around, not daring to meet Zhang Liunian's gaze, fearing he might be angry or displeased.
"Why aren't you speaking? Sanniu was asking about you yesterday." Zhang Liunian turned to glance at Du Ziteng. The latter's face turned red, and he asked with slight excitement, "Really? She really asked about me?" After a pause, he suppressed his excitement and asked, "Brother Liunian, you don't object to me and Sanniu, do you?"
Zhang Liunian chuckled. "This is your business. You have the freedom to decide; what does it have to do with me? I'm just Sanniu's cousin, not her father." Du Ziteng understood his meaning: he wouldn't interfere in their affairs.
"If we get together, I'll send you wedding candies," Du Ziteng said, having clarified Zhang Liunian's intentions, which removed a pressure he felt.
"Okay, if you two get together, I'll give you a big red envelope," Zhang Liunian said with a smile.
"Then I'll remember that; you can't go back on your word."
"Never." Arriving at the entrance of a crayfish restaurant in Datang County, Zhang Liunian took out one of the women's bicycles. The other one was still properly placed on the vehicle. Du Ziteng got off the vehicle and quickly ran to Liu Sanniu, showing her great favor.
"Sanniu, I've put the bicycle here. Have Ziteng teach you how to ride. I'm leaving." Zhang Liunian didn't want to disturb them here. He put down the bicycle and drove away.
Liu Sanniu watched Zhang Liunian drive away, then pulled back her outstretched neck and asked, "Is that car your cousin's?"
"Of course, it's his. Brother Liunian also said that as long as I learn to drive, the car will be mine later, and maybe I can even give you a ride," Du Ziteng said, his face showing pride at the end. Liu Sanniu was first shocked by the major news that her cousin had bought a car, and then she was so shy from Du Ziteng's subsequent words that she couldn't lift her head. Du Ziteng had been showing her great favor every day during this period, and she understood his intentions. Initially, she didn't like him, but over time, she was moved by him and slowly began to care about him. Unconsciously, she wanted to see him. Thinking of this, she looked up at the smug Du Ziteng. Although he wasn't handsome and didn't have extraordinary abilities, she found him quite pleasing to the eye.