Courtyard House: Drunk and tipsy, the whole courtyard exposed at the start.

Zhang Dabiao saw Qin Mancang at the Hongxing Workers' Hospital (the designated hospital for several nearby factories), where Tian Baocheng was still with him. Qin Mancang's head was wrapped up tightly, just like the Indian-looking Zhang Dabiao, Yi Zhonghai, and the others had been. Was it the same doctor who bandaged him, or was it a trainee nurse?

This craftsmanship is a bit too trendy, isn't it?

However, now is not the time to pursue this issue.

"Full warehouse, what's going on?"

"Mancang, who hit you?"

"Brother Mancang, are you alright? Are you badly hurt?"

"Uncle, it hurts—"

Yes, Liu Guangqi called out in the courtyard, and Qin Huairu arrived carrying Xiao Dang, along with Qin Jingru.

Even Xu Damao and Yan Jiecheng came over.

Qin Huairu and Qin Jingru came over because they were, after all, Qin Mancang's relatives.

Qin Mancang briefly explained the situation to everyone, stating that he was fine, had just fallen, and would be discharged after one night of observation. He then left only Zhang Dabiao behind, while the others returned to the courtyard house.

After the person left, Zhang Dabiao handed Qin Mancang a Yellow Crane Tower cigarette and lit it.

"What exactly is going on?"

Qin Mancang took a drag of his cigarette, then pulled at the wound in his mouth, hissing as he did so.

"The grain has been stolen."

Today is early December, which is the time when Qin Mancang is transporting grain to Qinjiatun.

Qin Mancang runs the route every three days, but due to the pandemic, he can only carry about 300 jin (150 catties) at a time, mainly because the journey is too long.

Xu Damao had been with them, and they only parted ways when they arrived in Changping County.

Xu Damao also brought two assistants with him, because the current projection equipment was too heavy for him to handle by himself.

No one robs projectors, and you can't sell them anyway, so when Xu Damao is traveling with you, the road is very safe.

But Xu Damao doesn't go to the countryside every day. Today, Qin Mancang transported grain to Changping by himself, but they encountered robbers on the way, and all the grain was stolen.

The tricycle was also broken, but thankfully it wasn't stolen.

Qin Mancang couldn't stop him and was beaten up. Finally, he was hit on the head with a rock, which cracked his skull. He collapsed on the roadside and was taken to the hospital by passersby.

Zhang Dabiao smiled wryly after hearing this: "Didn't I tell you? If you encounter any grain carts that are robbing people, you can give them to them. Make sure you're safe first."

But Qin Mancang said with grief and indignation, "Uncle Da Biao, I know you are doing this for my safety."

"But that's food!"

"Rice, wheat flour, and dried noodles!"

"The grain that saves lives! The grain that our farmers grow under the scorching sun, with sweat dripping onto the ground!"

"How can it be stolen so easily?"

"Uncle Da Biao, it's because I, Qin Mancang, am incompetent that someone robbed our grain."

"I will definitely return these 300 jin to you; I'll deduct it from my salary."

Zhang Dabiao was at a loss; this guy was just a hothead.

He could earn back 300 jin of grain in a day or two from his tea stall; there was no need to risk his life against others for it.

How much is a life worth?

"You still owe me? What are you still owe me? I've already told you that people are more important than food."

"Didn't we agree that once we left the village, you'd listen to me? What's wrong? Now you think you're all high and mighty just because you have a job and you're a city person?"

After a scolding from Zhang Dabiao, Qin Mancang lowered his head and remained silent, but after a while, he burst into tears.

Tears dripped onto the blanket.

"Uncle Da Biao, I'm sorry, I was wrong..."

"But I just couldn't help rushing forward, not because I wanted to stand out, nor because I wanted to save face, but because..."

"That's our Qin Family Village's life-saving food..."

"A few months ago, my sixth aunt ate Guanyin clay and then..."

"If only we had had food earlier..."

"I……"

Zhang Dabiao smoked a cigarette, unsure of what to say.

He came from the future. During his university years, he was poor for a while because he spent money recklessly. Back then, he bought a few yuan's worth of noodles, cooked them on an induction cooker, and ate them with the free egg drop soup from the cafeteria, along with chili oil, vinegar, salt, pickled vegetables, scallions, cilantro, and so on. He managed to survive for a week.

It only cost 10 yuan.

...Then he borrowed money and used Alipay's Huabei (a credit service) because he simply couldn't eat anymore.

No matter how poor Zhang Dabiao is, he still has family and friends, so he won't go hungry.

Therefore, he could not empathize with the people of this era's obsession with food.

This is also one of the reasons why he ate and drank so much when he first arrived at the beginning of the year. He had never been hungry, so his lavish eating and drinking habits were subconscious.

For example, I know overeating is wrong, but adding an egg or sausage to a bowl of noodles isn't excessive, right? I've even sunk so low that I'm eating braised beef noodles, isn't that low-key enough? I can't just use salt without the seasoning packet, can I?

This is a subconscious resistance to the rules of eating and drinking in this era; there's a feeling that if you're low-key and "ordinary," everything will be fine.

This is fundamentally a matter of mindset; it's not something you can adapt to just by traveling through time, and Zhang Dabiao hasn't adapted yet.

They made me eat cornbread and steamed buns every day, and only two at a time—

I'd rather die!

Therefore, Qin Mancang almost lost his life for a few hundred kilograms of grain, which he considered irrational.

So when Qin Mancang broke down emotionally, he didn't know what to say, he just patted him on the back.

"It's alright, it's alright. Your Uncle Biao has money and ration coupons. 300 jin of grain is nothing. We'll deliver it together next time, and we'll also ask the factory if we can be issued guns. That way it'll be safer."

"No!"

Qin Mancang immediately sniffed.

"That route is unsafe; you can't go!"

"Then what do you suggest we do? It's already two days late, we can't just not deliver it, can we?"

Zhang Dabiao shrugged. 2000 jin of grain a month, if divided among everyone in the village, would only amount to 5 jin of grain per person, and that would last for another month.

If the food isn't delivered this time, the people in the village will go hungry for several days.

Although it's not a big deal—Zhang Dabiao used to be a food delivery driver, so he has a sense of contractual obligation; if he says he'll deliver, he has to deliver.

Qin Mancang thought for a moment: "Call the clan leader and ask him to come up with a solution."

If the two of us can't handle it, then let's call in some reinforcements!

------------

The next afternoon, Qin Dingsong, Qin Dahe, Qin Dashan and others came to the courtyard.

They entered the city carrying several sacks, and Qin Huairu spotted them as soon as they entered the courtyard: "Dad, Second Uncle, Captain, what brings you here?"

No one paid him any attention, except for Qin Huairu's biological father, Qin Dashan, who was a little embarrassed.

"Huai Ru, we're here to see Da Biao. This isn't your business. You go ahead and do your work."

The villagers were united in their attitude: to pretend that Qin Huairu did not exist.

If this had happened in the old days, Qin Huairu would most likely have been caught and drowned in the village. Fortunately, the new country saved her life, and in front of the clan chief, Qin Dashan couldn't say much to her.

Upon seeing her in-laws carrying large and small bags, Madam Jia immediately greeted them with a fawning smile: "You've arrived, in-laws?"

"Look at you guys, you came all this way, why did you bring gifts? Come on, let me lend a hand."

As she spoke, she immediately reached out—no, it should be said that she forcibly pulled and dragged him—

What's mine is all mine!

--Bang--

Qin Dingsong kicked Jia Zhangshi right away, knocking her over.

"roll!"