Rebirth of Bayi Fishing and Hunting in the Northwest

Chapter 981 The Torment of Waiting and Trivial Matters in Yanjing (Just one chapter today)
The next day, Li Long saw Director Dai while having breakfast. He looked unwell, and Li Long could smell alcohol on his breath.

Upon seeing Li Long, Director Dai greeted him with a smile and invited him to sit down and eat with him. Li Long then asked if he could buy anything at the nearby consignment shops and antique shops that morning.

"You like old things?" Director Dai understood immediately when he heard Li Long mention where he wanted to go, and asked, "Do you have foreign exchange certificates?"

“No, but I have some US dollars,” Li Long said. “You know where we are, some Russians come to do business and buy things. They like leather, and I have a purchasing station there. I sell the leather I collect to them, and they pay me directly in US dollars.”

"Hey, this is really good." Even Director Dai was quite envious of being able to get US dollars. "Do you have a lot? Could you exchange some for me? Don't worry, I definitely won't use the official exchange rate; we'll go by the market rate!"

Li Long once again experienced the power of the US dollar at this time.

"I didn't bring much this time. How about this, Director Dai, I'll exchange it for you for a thousand?" Li Long thought he couldn't give too much, but it wouldn't be good to give too little, so he said.

"Good, good, that's enough." Director Dai was overjoyed. He had originally thought that exchanging five hundred would be quite good. After all, at that time, the purchasing power of both RMB and USD was very strong.

After dinner, Director Dai went to withdraw money, and Li Long also went to withdraw money. They then met in Director Dai's office.

“The market rate right now is 1:7 to 1:8…” Director Dai took out a bag of money, pulled out stacks of it, and explained to Li Long, “No need, no need, Director, let’s not talk about the official rate, that’s too inflated. But 1:7 or 1:8 is a bit high, let’s just go with 1:5.” Li Long said sincerely, “Director has helped me so much, I’d really feel bad if I went with the market rate.”

Director Dai was naturally pleased that Li Long said that, as it saved him a considerable sum of money. The more he looked at Li Long, the more he thought Li Long was capable, and he even asked, "Won't you suffer a loss by doing this?"

"It's okay, we won't lose out."

After exchanging the money, Li Long said he was going to the consignment shop. Director Dai suggested that Xiao Wang take Li Long there, but Li Long declined, saying that he could go by himself, since it wasn't far, and he would only be in these two places, so he would come back as soon as he finished his business and wouldn't delay things.

Director Dai didn't say much, and Li Long picked up his bag and left the Beijing office.

It wasn't hot outside yet, so Li Long thought he'd take advantage of the time to get things done and then go back to rest when it got warmer.

It was past working hours, and there weren't many people on the streets. Of course, it was still much more lively than Ma County, Shicheng, and Wucheng. There were also many cars on the streets, and even more people riding bicycles.

Following the directions given by Xiao Wang, Li Long first arrived at the consignment shop. He felt that there was not enough furniture in the second courtyard and wanted to buy some more.

The consignment shop was quite lively, but to Li Long's surprise, most people were there to sell things; there were some buyers, but they were a minority.

The items for sale were varied, including secondhand bicycles, radios, cameras, watches, and more, but the majority were various kinds of furniture.

After the reform and opening up, Beijing became a place many people longed for, and some urban renovations were underway. In most people's eyes, Simmons mattresses and large sofas were the standard for modern high-end living, while those old-fashioned furniture were hard and uncomfortable.

To sell things here, you need to bring your household registration booklet; otherwise, it's hard to say where the goods came from. Buying things, however, doesn't require that; you just need to pay.

Li Long wasn't particularly interested in radios, cameras, or even watches. He just wanted to look at furniture—but to be honest, having lived two lives, he was a complete novice when it came to furniture. At most, he could recognize one or two types of rosewood or sandalwood beads he had seen made in his previous life, and he wasn't even sure if they were real or fake.

Of course, when buying things at this time, just buy what's suitable. If there are a few good items among a lot of things, it's worth it.

I heard Li Long wanted to buy antique furniture, and the people at the consignment shop were quite happy. Most people come here to buy secondhand bicycles, cameras, and watches; most bring in secondhand furniture to register, but few actually sell.

Some people find hardwood furniture uncomfortable to sit on and would rather sell it.

Li Long followed the staff to the backyard and found that some furniture was even placed outdoors, exposed to the wind, sun and rain.

"There's no other way. Too many people are bringing furniture to exchange for money, and the warehouse can't hold it all. These people say it's fine to leave it outside, it's better than leaving it at home and eventually chopping it up for firewood."

Li Long thought to himself, "Surely it can't be that bad? After all, not everyone can afford a Simmons mattress and a big sofa. This furniture is usable, no matter what."

Thinking about it again, it makes sense. Nowadays, young people want new furniture when they get married. It doesn't necessarily have to be high-end, but they do want something new. So once the new furniture is bought, the old furniture has to be moved to make room, right?
Moreover, although the items displayed in the yard are all made of old hardwood, they are not high-quality wood; they are the kind that ordinary people use in their homes. Even if they are left for decades, they will not be worth much.

The staff opened the warehouse and introduced each piece to Li Long. At this point, all the furniture that could be brought to the entrusted store and put into the warehouse was usable—the entrusted store would not accept the kind that was missing legs or boards.

After all, this isn't a place to collect junk and scrap.

Here, Li Long saw pairs of chairs, old-fashioned four-poster beds, and eight-immortal tables and round tables.

What surprised Li Long was that most of these furniture items came with descriptions and registrations, including information on the materials and names, which made his purchase very convenient.

"This, this, this, and this set, this... I'll buy them all!"

The material is good, and the price is not high. It is not a type of wood that is very popular and expensive now, but it will be very valuable in future generations.

For example, a pair of huanghuali armchairs sells for fifty-two yuan in the consignment shop, which is so cheap!

Moreover, the pair of round-backed chairs are in good condition, very complete, with no signs of repair, and are listed as old items from the late Qing Dynasty.

Of course we have to buy it!
Li Long felt that this trip was definitely worthwhile. He didn't understand, but others did. After all, selling things isn't just about first impressions; even buying a radio requires an instruction manual.

With these registrations, Li Long's business became very simple. He directly bought nearly a thousand yuan worth of goods, almost buying up all the valuable wooden furniture he knew from later generations in the warehouse.

There are many shops in Yanjing City that accept commissions, and Li Long was quite satisfied to be able to find so much furniture in this one place.

"Comrade Li, how are you going to transport all this stuff back? Do you need me to help you arrange a cart?"

"Of course we'll take it, thank you so much! But we need to tell them beforehand that they can't damage the furniture," Li Long said with a smile.

"Don't worry, these people are used to moving things for others, so the job is definitely no problem!" The staff member was happy to have made a sale and also gained a favor, so he explained very carefully.

They helped Li Long move the furniture into the yard one by one, and then the staff took Li Long to pay and get a receipt, while he went to call someone.

The store manager was quite surprised to see that Li Long had bought so much furniture. After chatting with Li Long for a while, he learned that he was decorating his newly purchased courtyard house, and thought it made sense.

"Most young people nowadays prefer new furniture, and it's rare to see someone like you who specializes in buying used furniture."

“Each has its own beauty,” Li Long said with a smile. “The craftsmanship of old-fashioned furniture is incomparable to that of new-style furniture, and new-style furniture is also more comfortable than old-fashioned furniture. It all depends on personal preference.”

"Yes, yes, that makes perfect sense."

The store manager, who had entrusted the task, actually felt a strong connection with Li Long.

She's eloquent, knowledgeable, and generous!
Unfortunately, the staff quickly called over several flatbed carts, helped Li Long load and secure the furniture, and then drove off.

Li Long led his men to haul the old furniture back to the second courtyard. He opened the car door and had them help unload the furniture and move it into the house. Of course, this wasn't without its costs; each person received an extra two yuan.

After everyone left, Li Long walked out of the courtyard and looked at all the houses. He wondered if he should visit other commissioned shops in the next few days and at least fill up the other houses.

Of course, it's just wishful thinking. I was lucky to find it today; other stores might not even have it.

Just as I was leaving the hospital and about to lock the door, someone came up to me and asked:
"Hello comrade, is this yard yours?"

Li Long looked up and saw two people standing in front of him. One was wearing a trendy white shirt and looked quite serious, while the other was wearing a suit and didn't look like a local. He had the air of a southern businessman and might even be from Hong Kong.

The man in the white shirt spoke. Seeing that Li Long remained silent, he asked again, "There's a sign on it. Can't you understand it?" Li Long sensed an inexplicable sense of superiority in the man's voice, which annoyed him. He pointed to the sign, then locked the door and left.

"So you're a staff member of the Ethnic Affairs Commission of Northern Xinjiang's Beijing office, right? I have something to ask you. Are you selling this courtyard? Our boss, Mr. Liu, wants to buy it, and the price is negotiable!"

"So what if you're rich? This yard isn't for sale!" Although Li Long himself was a nouveau riche, he despised this kind of sycophantic behavior, so he replied irritably, grabbed the keys, and left.

"How can you be like this?" The man in the white shirt, probably feeling embarrassed in front of his boss, chased after Li Long and grabbed his arm, entangled with him: "Can't you speak properly?"

"Aren't you just asking the obvious? You've already seen the sign on the courtyard, you know it belongs to an organization, so why are you even asking?" Li Long retorted. "Why don't you go to the Forbidden City and ask if the courtyards there are for sale?"

Having lived two lives, he knew that if he spoke politely at this moment, the other party would only look down on him and continue to pester him.

So I decided to play the villain and cut off the connection completely, so the other party would have no hope.

After Li Long left, the man in the white shirt said apologetically to the shop owner, "Mr. Liu, you saw it too, they're not selling..."

"Then go to that Beijing liaison office and ask if this sign is real or fake," said Mr. Liu, speaking in somewhat broken Mandarin. "Didn't we just see him hauling furniture in? If it really is a government compound, they wouldn't be putting up secondhand furniture, would they? Could this sign just be a cover?"

"Mr. Liu, you're so capable! You've thought of everything! I'll go ask right now..."

After leaving here, Li Long went to a nearby antique shop.

Unfortunately, this antique shop mainly sold porcelain and gold and jade artifacts. The cheap paintings that Li Long wanted to buy were only a few dozen pieces, but it was better than nothing, so he bought them all in bulk.

Just like the antique shop I visited last time, they accepted US dollars, and he made his purchases smoothly.

When Li Long returned to the Beijing office with a large box of calligraphy and paintings on his back, he saw the man in the white shirt talking to the staff of the Beijing office.

"Comrade Li Long, you're back!" The staff member, who had been somewhat impatient with the other person, immediately changed his expression upon seeing Li Long, and said with a smile, "Come on, let me help you carry your boxes."

"No need, no need, this box isn't heavy." Li Long hurriedly shook his head. "Why did you come here? Didn't I tell you it belongs to the company and we don't sell it?"

His expression changed as he looked at the white shirt.

"He came over and asked to buy one of those courtyard houses over there... I don't know if he's lost his mind." The staff member understood what was going on as soon as Li Long spoke. "You ran into him just now? I know... You'd better leave now! We don't sell those courtyards! This is an office, understand?"

The man in the white shirt initially thought Li Long might be an imposter, but now that he's not only gotten into the Beijing Liaison Office but also seems to know the staff well, and these staff members seem to respect him, and given his attitude towards him, he realizes things are hopeless and leaves.

Li Long breathed a sigh of relief. It was definitely a good thing to have the courtyard affiliated with the Beijing Liaison Office. That guy in the white shirt actually came looking for him; the boss behind him must have considerable influence.

These days, Hong Kong businessmen are still highly regarded by the authorities; without certain qualifications, it's really difficult to keep them in check.

Over the next few days, Li Long went out early in the morning and returned in the afternoon. He looked around and found some items that he could buy and some that he couldn't. In fact, he managed to furnish all three courtyards with antique furniture, some of which were even from the homes of officials during the Ming and Qing dynasties and had a certain degree of heritage.

Of course, those with a provenance are not cheap, but they are still within his budget.

Director Dai said there had been no news from there. After Li Long finished buying these things, he told Xiao Wang to check on the three courtyards every now and then when he wasn't around, so that they wouldn't be targeted by thieves.

Xiao Wang readily agreed. Li Long waited for a week, and everything that needed to be done was completed. The painting he bought was sent back, and even the furniture for the courtyard house was arranged, along with the bedding, so that guests could stay there whenever they came.

But Li Long was getting anxious as he waited for a reply. He asked Director Dai several times, and Director Dai even made a phone call in front of him, but the other party said to wait a little longer, as the leader was quite busy recently.

Although Li Long wanted to leave, Director Dai saw through his thoughts and advised him to wait a little longer, saying that many people would beg for such an opportunity their whole lives.

Li Long thought about it and agreed. The leader had spoken, unlike him who had nothing to do. He should just wait. Anyway, he had food and lodging, and he could also call the people in northern Xinjiang, so it wasn't a big deal.

Li Jianguo's side has already started collecting large brooms. Now that the villagers no longer have the work of weaving carrying handles and reed bundles, they are still very enthusiastic about making large brooms.

The two companies of the Corps, Wang Mingjun and Zhao Zongming, did the same. According to Wang Mingjun, they had made more than 3,000 large brooms in the past ten days or so—in fact, they had prepared the materials in advance.

Meanwhile, Zhao Zongming had also made more than two thousand brooms. He assured Li Long on the phone that when he went to collect them, he could confirm that the brooms were definitely up to standard. He had even gone to Wang Mingjun's company and secretly compared the quality of the brooms over two days.

Li Long was pleased to have this confidence. At least, although he wasn't in the Northern Frontier, things there were proceeding smoothly. Although he hadn't been able to contact Meng Hai, Li Long believed that with Meng Hai's abilities, the mission in Qingshuihe Village should be completed successfully.

The family is doing quite well. Gu Boyuan said that the purchasing station can now collect several hundred kilograms of dried black tiger paw mushrooms every day. He said there are so many of these that it seems to grow everywhere in the mountains.

Also, Halim and the others had already gone down the mountain in their small four-wheeled tractor to cut grass. Knowing that Li Long wasn't there, they left the hides, deer antlers, jade, and other items they had brought down from the mountain in the courtyard, waiting for Li Long to return and deal with them.

Gu Boyuan said that among the hides they brought back, there were at least two bear pelts and two snow leopard pelts. According to Halim, these were for the cost of road repairs for Li Long. They had already seen the ten kilometers of road built into the mountains and were very happy. Halim was very excited when he spoke to Gu Boyuan about this.

Li Long was also very pleased to hear this. Halimu and the others were returning the favor, and the things they brought back were probably not easy to come by.

Regardless, at least the road has been built in. We can't build much more this year, but we'll continue next year. Eventually, we'll build it all the way into the mountains.

Moreover, even just these ten kilometers are enough to benefit Halim and his group quite a bit.

If we wait until autumn and go another 10 or 20 kilometers deeper into the mountains, nearly a third of the pasture trails will be accessible to small four-wheeled tractors, which will make it much easier when moving to new pastures.

Since things were going well in the northern frontier, Li Long settled down there with peace of mind.

On the eighth day after he arrived in Yanjing, Director Dai finally received a call from the other side, asking Li Long to go there in half an hour.

Li Long was tidying up in his second courtyard when Director Dai immediately sent Xiao Wang to find a car to pick him up and take him to the leader's office.

Li Long was resting in the courtyard, enjoying the atmosphere. He actually quite liked living here. Although the courtyard was large and he was alone, he didn't feel empty or lonely.

But when Xiao Wang came over and mentioned this matter, Li Longxin suddenly became anxious—although he had been waiting for this matter, now that it had suddenly come, he was nervous.

However, being nervous was useless. Xiao Wang said he had brought some raisins, red dates, and other local specialties from northern Xinjiang as gifts for the leader, as instructed by Director Dai.

Li Long then realized that he hadn't prepared a gift for his boss yet.

Sigh, the main problem is that this all happened so suddenly.

Li Long followed Xiao Wang to the leader's office. Xiao Wang waited in the car while Li Long, carrying the bag, registered at the entrance, explained his purpose, and after the armed police at the entrance verified his identity, he entered the building.

Seeing that there were quite a lot of people and it was quite lively, Li Long immediately stopped being nervous.

Leaders are human too, shouldn't they just be asking about the situation in northern Xinjiang?
The staff waited for him at the door, introduced themselves as the leader's secretary, and said they would take him to see the leader.

Well, that's just right.

P.S.: I'm still recovering, and this chapter was quite difficult to write. I'm really grateful for all the readers who have expressed their concern in the comments. I should be back to normal updates by tomorrow. Thank you.

(End of this chapter)