Working at an otherworldly junkyard, making a fortune by collecting trash.

As Chen Chen reached the edge of the field, the old loudspeaker perched on the village committee wall emitted a crackling electrical sound, startling the sparrows pecking at the base of the wall, which fluttered their wings and hurriedly darted into the nearby locust grove. Immediately afterward, the village secretary Chen Weiguo's slightly hoarse voice, as if carried by the wind, boomed through the entire village.

"Listen up, everyone in the village! Our village's rising star—college graduate Chen Chen—is going to lease all the village's idle farmland and those three barren mountains behind the village! The rent is 800 yuan per mu per year, payable every ten years! For the detailed terms, everyone come to the village committee for a meeting right away! If you're late, there won't be any room to talk!"

The moment those words were spoken, the village erupted in chaos. Old Wang from the east end was squatting on his doorstep smoking his pipe when it fell to the ground with a "thud." Aunt Li from the west end spilled half a basin of dishwater she had just picked up. Even Uncle Chen, who usually didn't like to join in the fun, immediately dropped his hoe and ran towards the village committee like the wind.

"What? Eight hundred?" Wang Laowu's loud voice was extremely penetrating. When he shouted it out, it could be heard halfway down the street. It was like pouring a bucket of cold water into boiling oil.

"This is two hundred more than the price that out-of-town boss gave to the neighboring village last year! Is Chenwazi reliable? Or is he just all talk and no action, trying to get me to sign off on my loan?"

"Brother Weiguo! Brother Weiguo!" Aunt Li squeezed to the front of the crowd, her voice filled with a cautious urgency, afraid of missing the chance to reply.

"The garlic scapes we planted on the edge of our small plot of land haven't been harvested yet! If this land is leased out, will we still be able to go and tend to them?"

Uncle Chen leaned forward, his dark face brimming with barely concealed anticipation, and raised his voice high: "Did Chenwazi say? After the land is leased, will he give priority to hiring people from our village for work? How much will he pay per day? If there's long-term work available, I'll immediately call my son back from working in the city!"

Amidst the cacophony of voices, a sharp female voice suddenly pierced the crowd like a needle chilled to the bone—it was Widow Liu from the edge of the village.

She crossed her arms, pursed her lips, and said in a disbelieving tone, "Chen Chen? Isn't he just a poor working-class guy? Where would he get so much money? I bet he's just swindling us honest folks out of our hard-earned money!"

"Widow Liu, stop spouting nonsense here!" Old Wang immediately lost his temper, his voice rising eight octaves higher than before, making the ears of those nearby ring.

"I heard from Chenwa's mom that he got a great job in the last six months, and the boss's business is booming! I even saw Chenwa's dad driving back in a car last time I went to the market! Could he be short of money?"

"Quiet down! Listen to me!" Chen Weiguo grabbed the microphone and shouted into the loudspeaker. The old loudspeaker made a muffled "hum" sound, which made some dust fall from the wall.

"Chen Chen said that each household should harvest the existing crops in the fields first, and then hand over the land. The fields should be tidied up by the end of the year at the latest! As for hiring, it's 150 yuan a day, lunch not included, with priority given to villagers! Those who are quick and hardworking, and willing to do heavy work, will be given priority!"

"One hundred and fifty?" Uncle Zhang in the crowd gasped, his voice filled with barely concealed surprise. "That's more than I earn doing odd jobs carrying bricks at the construction site in town!"

Aunt Li's brow immediately relaxed, the worry on her face vanished completely, and she clapped her hands cheerfully: "That's great! I can harvest all my garlic scapes tomorrow, without delaying the land delivery at all!"

"Weiguo! When are we signing the contract?" Wang Laowu shouted anxiously again, afraid that if he was a step too late, his three mu of good land would be lost. "Get my mu of land registered first! Don't forget me!"

"Uncle Weiguo, we're from the same clan! By seniority, I should call you 'Uncle'!" Chen Hongjun quickly squeezed forward, his face beaming. "You'd better register me first; my family's dozen or so acres of land have been waiting for someone to lease them!"

Looking at the noisy but expectant villagers before him, Chen Weiguo couldn't help but smile. His smile was tinged with both relief and emotion: "We'll sign the contracts this afternoon! Remember, bring your ID cards when you get back! Nobody be late. When you arrive, come here to register first and make sure your land acreage is accurate. Not a single acre less, not a single acre more!"

The noisy crowd fell silent for a moment. Chen Weiguo cleared his throat, his voice suddenly becoming deep and serious, more so than ever before. Each word was firm and resolute: "There's something else—Chen Chen is a good young man in our village! He said that once the land rental is settled, he'll personally fund the paving of the dirt road from the village to the town into a cement road! Everyone must remember his kindness! From now on, after he rents the land, no one is allowed to steal anything from the fields, or cause him any trouble or difficulties! Otherwise, don't blame me, Chen Weiguo, for not giving anyone face!"

"Oh my! This is wonderful news!" Aunt Zhang's face crinkled into a wide smile as she slapped her thigh and exclaimed, "Chen Chen has always been a clever and sensible child; he's definitely going to be successful!"

"That's right! This road has been a dream come true for Chenjia Village for over a decade!" someone echoed, their voice filled with excitement. "Look at other villages, every road is a smooth cement road, but our village is a complete mud pit after it rains. Even getting married was a struggle because the road was so difficult! But now, it's finally going to be repaired!"

Praise poured out one after another, like a rising tide, spreading across the village committee's courtyard.

Chen Weiguo waved his hand, silencing the crowd: "Since no one has any objections, everyone bring your ID cards to sign the contract this afternoon! Don't delay!"

While the village committee was making a big fuss, Chen Chen had already leisurely walked to his own courtyard gate.

As soon as I pushed open the half-closed wooden door, I heard my grandmother and wife Ji Yunli laughing and talking in the kitchen, along with the clanging of iron pots and pans. The sounds were crisp and lively, mixed with the aroma of food, and wafted towards me.

"Chenwa is back!" Grandpa Shi Changzheng was carrying a bundle of firewood out of the woodshed. When he saw Chen Chen, a smile immediately spread across his dark face. He quickly put down the firewood and dusted himself off.

"Sit down, sit down!" Shi Changzheng pulled Chen Chen to sit on the old wooden stool under the eaves, handed Chen Chen a cup of cooled tea, then leaned closer to him, lowered his voice, his eyes filled with worry and expectation, "Is what they said on the loudspeaker about leasing land and barren mountains true? That's no small sum! Don't be reckless, kid."

Chen Chen paused, holding his teacup. Looking at his grandfather's graying temples, he felt a warmth in his heart. He smiled and nodded, his voice gentle yet firm: "Yes, it's true. I've made some money in the past six months, and a friend at the Academy of Agricultural Sciences got me some new varieties of fruit tree seedlings. I'm thinking of leasing some land to grow fruit trees, so I can have something to do and also bring some income to the village."

"You rascal." Shi Changzheng sighed, gently patted Chen Chen's shoulder, his eyes full of satisfaction. He was silent for a moment, then turned and went into the house, took out a red bankbook, and stuffed it into Chen Chen's hand.

Chen Chen looked down and saw that the cover of the passbook was worn and frayed, the corners were curled into wavy shapes, and the writing on it was so blurry that it was almost impossible to read.

His nose suddenly stung, as if something had blocked it. He quickly reached out and pressed his grandfather's hand, pushing the bankbook back: "Grandpa, I have enough money, really enough. You should keep this money for yourself, buy some of your favorite food, buy some nice clothes, don't always be so frugal."

Shi Changzheng's face darkened, and he forcefully shoved the bankbook into his arms, his brows furrowing tightly. His tone was stubborn and brooked no argument: "Why are you being so polite with me? You're doing something this big; how can it not cost money? Your mother and aunts will buy me clothes. Buying saplings costs money, hiring people to clear the land costs money—everything requires money. This money, used on you now, used for the right purpose, is better than anything else!"

He glanced towards the kitchen and saw that Ji Yunli and his grandmother were still busy. He lowered his voice even further, almost whispering in Chen Chen's ear, "We, as his grandparents, can't just watch you carry such a heavy burden alone. If you have any difficulties, just tell the family."

Chen Chen held the thin savings book in his hand, his fingertips repeatedly tracing the blurred handwriting. His heart felt like it had been overturned with honey, yet also like it had been soaked in vinegar—a bittersweet mix. He suddenly remembered his childhood, when his grandfather would carry him on his back to town to buy candy. Walking along that bumpy, muddy road, his grandfather would stumble and fall, but he always kept him safe and sound, afraid that he might fall or get hurt.

He sniffed, carefully tucked the bankbook back into his grandfather's pocket, and zipped up his pocket for him. His voice was slightly choked, yet incredibly firm: "Really, Grandpa. I've made a lot of money. A while ago, I gave Mom money to buy a new house in the city. My mom said you don't want to live in the city with me. Once I lease the land, I'll build a big villa here and live with you, keeping you company and taking care of you every day."

Looking at the light shining in Chen Chen's eyes, a light full of confidence and filial piety, Shi Changzheng paused for a moment, then stopped insisting on handing him the bankbook. Instead, he reached out his rough hand and patted Chen Chen's arm heavily, his eyes slightly reddening: "Good, good lad! Don't try to tough it out. The villagers, young and old, and your family can all lend you a hand. If all else fails, you still have your aunts; they all want you to succeed."

Just then, Ji Yunli came out of the kitchen carrying a plate of steaming rice cakes, her apron still speckled with flour.

She smiled and waved to Chen Chen, her eyes crinkling, "Brother Chen's back? Come and try Grandma's freshly steamed osmanthus rice cake, it's still warm and sweet, so delicious!"

Chen Chen picked up a piece of rice cake, put it in her mouth, and the soft, glutinous rice aroma mixed with the sweet osmanthus flavor instantly spread on her tongue, warm and cozy, and the sweetness went straight to her heart.

He glanced back and saw his grandfather bending over and slowly walking towards the kitchen. His back was a little more hunched than he remembered, but it still exuded a steady and reassuring aura.