Rebirth in 1972: Redemption in Changbai Mountain

Afterwards, Zhou Rui took the receipt to the finance department, and all the prey he had brought in the sack was released.

"Sister Song, I heard you had twin grandsons. There were two wolf pelts among them; consider it my gift."

Song Xueping tapped Zhou Rui's shoulder with her pen: "You little brat, you call Zhang Zhenbei 'uncle,' but I'm your 'sister.' What, am I being demoted in rank?"

"It's because you look so young, Sister Song, unlike my Uncle Zhang with his face full of wrinkles," Zhou Rui joked with a smile.

With Zhang Zhenbei's promotion, Zhou Rui, who was Zhang Zhenbei's distant nephew, also rose in rank. Otherwise, Song Xueping wouldn't have been so close to him before.

Song Xueping not only helped Zhou Rui count the money, but also carefully wrapped it up for him with old newspapers.

The 13,000-plus kilograms of serow meat, plus several hundred kilograms of wolf meat, brought in over 28,700 yuan. A large bag of ten-yuan bills, along with some change, weighed nearly 30 centimeters and a full six kilograms.

Zhou Rui tried to put it in his backpack, but it was too big to fit. Zhou Rui's bag contained half a serow, and in the back were a lot of shrimp, sea cucumbers, and sea fish, all frozen, which he said were welfare benefits from the forest farm.

Of course, Wang Shouye and others also had some, but unlike Zhou Rui, they were extracted by Zhang Zhenbei in his personal capacity.

In terms of interpersonal skills, Zhang Zhenbei was no less capable than Wang Shouye.

Having no other choice, Zhou Rui stuffed the entire bag of banknotes into his coat and went out with his belly bulging.

After leaving the finance office, Zhou Rui quickly handed the large bag of banknotes to Wang Shouye, as being heavily pregnant was really uncomfortable for him.

Next, the group went to Old Xing's place again. They found 163 intact antelope pelts in decent condition. They paid nine yuan each, totaling 1,467 yuan.

"Wang Pao, all you got this time were some sheepskins, nothing else?"

Old Xing was somewhat skeptical; it was impossible that they had only caught a serow and nothing else. It wasn't that he looked down on the hide, but the boss was pressing for it, and high-quality hides were in short supply.

"That's all. I had some rabbit and badger pelts, which I gave away as a favor." Wang Shouye said sincerely.

"Otherwise, how do you think we meat pieces were handled?"

"Hey, don't be so short-sighted. How much is this meat worth? To get rich, you need top-quality furs—mink, fox, tiger cubs, leopards. If all else fails, a whole head of big paws will do; those are worth a lot."

"Are you trying to put on a comedy show here? And you call yourself a big shot? Do you think I'd dare mess with Old Man Hu so easily?"

Wang Shouye didn't listen to Old Xing's nonsense. Although his famous battle was against a Siberian tiger, it was a fight he fought with his life on the line.

I'm not that stupid to go looking for trouble and hunt tigers. Now that I have a little apprentice, wouldn't it be better to just honestly hunt some meat and make a fortune quietly?

"Alright, I'm off. Don't rush me. If I'm lucky and manage to get some good leather, I'll definitely get it for you."

Wang Shouye walked out as he spoke, not giving Old Man Xing a chance to linger.

In a newly dug snowdrift, Wang Shouye and several apprentices were dividing the money, with ten dogs scattered around to keep watch, and even the big mule had been assigned a task.

It wasn't that Wang Shouye was cautious; it was just that there was a lot of money involved this time, and Wang Shouye was a little nervous.

"This time, the lamb and wolf meat sold for 28,764 yuan, plus 300 yuan for leopard bones, and 1,467 yuan for lamb hides, for a total of..."

Wang Shouye stopped there, because he simply couldn't count them on his fingers.

"Thirty thousand five hundred and thirty-one." Wang Zhen counted in his notebook, his hand holding the pencil trembling uncontrollably. It wasn't from the cold.

"Regarding expenses, Lu Cheng, who led the way, gave us a total of 1,370 yuan. Then there were the 25 relatives of Shao Feng's family, who were paid 150 yuan for three days of work. That leaves us with 29,011 yuan."

"Divided into seven shares, each share is 4,144.42 yuan. Master and junior brother each get 8,288.84 yuan, and the rest of us brothers get 4,144.42 yuan."

After Wang Zhen finished speaking, he closed the ledger and looked around.

"Is everything alright?"

"No." Gu Shaofeng remained calm, having earned tens of thousands of yuan by following his junior brother.

No.

Zhang Shitou's voice trembled slightly. He was making more and more money each time, and that didn't even include the money from the leopard skin.

Wang Shouye took a puff of the cigarette Zhou Rui had lit for him, nodded, and said, "Alright, let's split the money."

He was very satisfied. His apprentices trusted him and followed him to make a living in the mountains. He did not let them down and helped several of his apprentices earn money.

The process of dividing the money took a long time, not because there was too much money, but mainly because my fingers were too cold to move.

"Get home early, all of you, and stop showing off outside."

Wang Shouye said in a deep voice, but his eyes were fixed on Gu Shaofeng. This eldest brother was the most troublesome.

"Understood, Uncle Wang."

Zhou Rui was more obedient this time, mainly because his bag was already full of things and he couldn't go to the supply and marketing cooperative to make purchases; there wasn't enough room.

Gu Shaofeng grinned and said, "Master, why are you looking at me like that? I'm always the most obedient."

Wang Shouye ignored Gu Shaofeng and turned to face Zhou Rui instead.

"You and Shaofeng are going the same way, so keep an eye on him as he enters Gujiatun."

"Hey, Master, I'm the senior brother, okay?" Gu Shaofeng shouted, feeling his status was seriously challenged.

"How can a junior brother boss around a senior brother? Second brother, third brother, aren't you right?"

Wang Zhen and Zhang Shitou silently turned around and followed Wang Shouye without looking back. The dogs also split into two groups: one group followed Wang Shouye and the others, while the other group stayed behind.

"Hey, hey. I'm talking to you two!"

"Senior Brother, let's go home." Zhou Rui called out, turned around and left with the big mule, heading in the opposite direction from Wang Shouye and the others.

"Here they come, one by one, showing no respect for their senior brother at all." Gu Shaofeng's words were tough, but his legs were obedient.

"Do you think my wife will be overjoyed when I go back this time?"

"What's there to be happy about? It's not like we've made the most money ever."

"There's seafood! My family has never tried it before. We just don't know how to cook it well."

"Steam it, and dip it in sauce. If you really don't know how, just stew it in a pot..."

The two walked further and further away, their voices gradually fading into the wind.

Zhou Rui carried a bag weighing dozens of kilograms and walked very fast; no matter how heavy the burden, it couldn't stop him from going home.

I didn't run into Chen Datou at the village entrance this time. Maybe it was too cold, or maybe there wasn't any useful information.

Overall, Chen Datou is a man of some integrity; he wouldn't come to Zhou Rui to freeload without a reason.

Back home, An'an and Xiaoniangao were taking a nap on the kang (heated brick bed), while Zhou Ping was reading a third-grade textbook.

Zhou Rui said that Zhou Ping would be allowed to return to school and continue his studies next spring. So, he would take out his textbooks and flip through them when he had free time.

"Second Brother, you're back." Hearing the door open, Zhou Ping looked up and saw Zhou Rui covered in snow.

"What's wrong?" Zhou Rui noticed that Zhou Ping's expression was a bit off, lacking his usual enthusiasm.

"Second Brother. When you weren't here, Zhou Dashan came with Zhou Ji. They came at night."