"Liu Nian, it's good to have you," Jiang Qingqing said, seeing her husband's full confidence and feeling hopeful about the future.
"It's good to have you too."
"..."
After their affectionate moment, Zhang Liu Nian got up to get busy. He asked Ya Ba to stir-fry lobsters while he went to meet eighteen workers.
Upon seeing them, Zhang Liu Nian understood why his wife had kept them all – these eighteen people were all his nominal uncles, and it was difficult to refuse anyone related to him.
Zhang Liu Nian informed them that they would start laying the foundation by the Daming Lake the next day, and he would supply all the necessary materials like bricks.
At 5:40 PM, Zhang Liu Nian rode his bicycle to the construction site entrance, bringing two hundred jin of lobsters.
Some workers were disappointed to find no braised meat, but they were content with lobsters nonetheless.
In less than an hour, the lobsters were sold out, and the people Zhang Liu Nian was waiting for arrived.
"Liu Nian, my fellow disciples called to say the lobsters sold very well and asked you to prepare a hundred jin for each of them tomorrow. I'll take a hundred and fifty jin. These lobsters are truly excellent," Mu Ming Liang rushed over to inform Zhang Liu Nian, fearing he might leave.
Zhang Liu Nian's handsome face beamed, "Okay, where will they pick up the goods then?"
"They'll be delivered to our restaurant at nine in the morning. Can you make it?" Mu Ming Liang asked worriedly.
"How about eight? I need to buy meat then anyway."
Zhang Liu Nian calculated his schedule and felt an earlier time would be better, as he needed to buy meat early the next day. Speaking of buying meat, he also needed to arrange with the butcher to set aside dozens of jin for him at eight.
"That's fine. I'll go back and inform them to have someone pick it up at eight. I'll get back to my work now." Mu Ming Liang, having received a satisfactory answer, turned to leave.
As soon as he left, Zhang Liu Nian was met by Xiao Wang, who came to inform him to add another hundred jin for tomorrow.
With the increased orders from both sides, Zhang Liu Nian decided not to sell lobsters at the construction site in the mornings anymore, opting for the afternoons instead.
Old Man Tang, who sold noodles, looked enviously at the crowd seeking out Zhang Liu Nian, "Comrade Zhang, your business is truly substantial. You have the state-run restaurant and the machinery factory. You must be making a fortune."
Zhang Liu Nian packed his things, looking up with a smile, "I have no choice. The family owes thousands of yuan. How can we not make money?"
"Owe thousands? What did you do to incur such debt?" Old Man Tang exclaimed. Owing thousands of yuan was no small sum; villagers might not be able to repay it in years.
"Ah, let's not talk about it. See you tomorrow." He couldn't possibly say he was trying to lease a lake.
Never mind, it was better not to mention it.
After packing, Zhang Liu Nian rode his bicycle to the market. Coincidentally, after he had pre-ordered the meat and bought baskets, he encountered Wu Gu Di, who was also returning to the village from the county town. The woman shamelessly demanded a ride on his bicycle.
"I'm your sister-in-law. Can't you give me a ride since you have a bicycle?" Wu Gu Di grabbed the back seat of Zhang Liu Nian's bicycle, giving him a look that implied he wouldn't be leaving either.
Zhang Liu Nian had no good feelings for this sister-in-law and naturally didn't want to take her. Moreover, a younger brother giving a ride to his sister-in-law would be a subject of gossip, and he didn't want any misunderstandings.
"I have so much stuff, I can't give you a ride. You should take the ox cart back!" Zhang Liu Nian said, pushing his bicycle forward. However, Wu Gu Di clung to it stubbornly, "Liu Shui is your elder brother. He even helped you check out the lake today. What's wrong with you giving me a ride? Aren't we family?"
Wu Gu Di had seen Jiang Qing Qing sitting on a bicycle looking happy today and wanted to experience it herself. She wanted to know if sitting on a bicycle was truly that joyful.
Having finally caught her younger brother-in-law, she was determined to ride a bicycle at least once.
If she succeeded, she could brag to her family that she was a woman who had ridden a bicycle.
"Look at all this stuff I have, where would you sit? Besides, the road is so bumpy, what would it look like if we sat together?" Zhang Liu Nian saw pedestrians gathering and felt compelled to say these polite words.
But Wu Gu Di didn't care about that. What she cared about was whether she could ride a bicycle.
"It's only natural for a sister-in-law to ride her brother-in-law's bicycle. Who dares to comment?" As soon as Wu Gu Di said this, the pedestrians immediately started pointing and whispering.
Seeing her eagerness to ride, Zhang Liu Nian suddenly realized that she might not have ridden a bicycle before and that was why she wanted to.
With this thought, Zhang Liu Nian changed his tone and said, "Wu Gu Di, when I get back, I'll have big brother give you a ride on the bicycle. How about that?"
Upon hearing this, Wu Gu Di loosened her grip on the bicycle.
Zhang Liu Nian seized the opportunity and pushed the bicycle away, leaving behind, "I'll give the bicycle to big brother to ride when I get home, and he can take you for a ride." With that, he ignored Wu Gu Di's darkening face and rode off.
Upon returning to Zhang Jia Village, Zhang Liu Nian still rode the bicycle to the side of Daming Lake and had his elder brother learn to ride it.
However, Zhang Liu Shui couldn't fully master it even after a long time. Seeing that it was getting late, Zhang Liu Nian left the bicycle and went home.
As soon as he reached his own small courtyard, he saw his wife holding a broom, looking out towards the courtyard entrance. The moment she saw him return, her expectant eyes immediately lit up, "Liu Nian, you're back?"
Zhang Liu Nian saw her wanting to run over and quickened his pace to support her, "Don't rush."
Jiang Qing Qing gazed at her husband with a smile like a blossoming flower, "Why are you so late today? Where's the bicycle?"
"I got delayed teaching big brother how to ride the bicycle. He hasn't learned yet. I'll bring it back after dinner."
Zhang Liu Nian took the broom from Jiang Qing Qing's hand, "I'll do these chores. You rest well and don't get tired."
Jiang Qing Qing smiled wryly as the broom fell into her husband's hands, "I'm not tired. I didn't do much today, just settled the wages for them."
She was truly not tired. With so many helpers, she was now just the boss lady handling the payroll.
"From now on, you just manage the accounts and issue wages. I'll handle everything else." Zhang Liu Nian vigorously swung the broom, quickly cleaning the courtyard.
Putting down the broom, Zhang Liu Nian stepped forward, put his arm around Jiang Qing Qing, and they went inside to eat.
The dinner was excellent that night, with three meat dishes, one vegetable dish, and a soup – this had become their family's standard.
After dinner, Zhang Liu Nian first went to the village party secretary's house to ask if Zhang Qian could help him pull a flatbed cart, offering a wage of one yuan and fifty for half a day's work.
The village party secretary's family was very happy and immediately agreed to let Zhang Qian help with deliveries.
Having secured a delivery helper, Zhang Liu Nian went to his elder brother's house to pick up the bicycle for modification so he could deliver lobsters tomorrow.
Unluckily, as Zhang Liu Nian passed by Wang Xiao E's house, he overheard Wang Xiao E's eldest son cursing Su Jie.
"Are you lusting after that lazy bum Zhang Liu Nian?"
"I am not."
"My mom saw you drooling over him with her own eyes. You still won't admit it? Are you also planning to run away, to abandon your husband and child?"
"I am not."
"You must have been mesmerized by Zhang Liu Nian's face, thinking he's capable, more capable than your husband, and also better looking, right?"