The timeline system has gone awry; they insist that steamed buns are a magic pill.

"These old women aren't much to look at; they got scared by a mushroom."

With the small mockery task completed, Li Qingqiu glanced at the system panel. The points he had earned from the sign-in, dual cultivation partner task, and small achievement tasks over the past few days totaled 48. He only needed two more points to complete the lottery draw tomorrow.

Li Qingqiu was in a good mood, humming a little tune as he prepared to go home to give gifts to his mother, father, and grandparents. He had bought hats, shoes, and other nice things, but he hadn't shown them off yet.

"Maybe I can achieve something small," Li Qingqiu thought, picking up his basket and stuffing in some snow mushrooms and bamboo shoots before heading home.

When she got home, she found everyone in the main room. Li Qingqiu came over with a basket on her back. "Sister-in-law, I picked some snow mushrooms and some winter bamboo shoots. I'll cook a couple more dishes tonight. It's rare for the fourth brother to come home, so let's have a drink."

"You bought alcohol too?"

"I bought one bottle."

Li Qingqiu thought to himself, "Well, I have some cigarette and alcohol coupons, so I bought a bottle of alcohol on the spur of the moment."

Shi Lan Hua wanted to make a move, but Li Qing Qiu immediately hid behind the fourth brother, Li Qing Shi, leaving Li Qing Shi both amused and exasperated. Who had ever seen an older brother use his younger brother as a shield?

"Alright."

Li Fuhai tapped his pipe. "Let's get down to business, Third Brother. The top leader of the agricultural technology station invited you to be a consultant, why didn't you agree?"

"Yeah, third brother, others would be begging for such a good opportunity, but you just turned it down." Li Qinghua wished he could take his place. Agricultural technology station consultant, that title sounds like a cultured person, and besides, the subsidies and salary are quite generous.

Not to mention those peasants, there are probably many people in the city who would be eager to have them.

"Here's what I think: Snow mushroom cultivation is a big deal. I think not only the commune, but also the county and even the region will get involved. When a group of experts join in, people will take me, a farmer, as an advisor."

Seeing that his second brother was about to speak again, Li Qingqiu said, "Second brother, I know what you're talking about. It's fine to just take a salary and subsidies without doing anything, but if something goes wrong, I have no background and no connections. I'll be the one to take the blame."

"It might even implicate my brother-in-law and uncle, since I've become this consultant, and the relationship between my uncle and brother-in-law probably can't be kept secret."

"Is it that serious?" Shi Lanhua was startled.

"Mom, I'm saying this just in case. Look at this situation, who knows how many people will get involved. If there's a problem with the strain and the mushrooms stop growing, our family will only have worked for nothing for a few days at most, which is fine. But if thousands or tens of thousands of people have worked for nothing, then that would be a big problem."

Li Qingqiu's words made Shi Lanhua feel a bit scared. "Being an advisor is really not easy. Third brother, let's not be advisors."

"No, Mom, I'm not stupid. Just do what I said before: if you think it's tiring, you're afraid of too much work, or you're not free enough, don't say anything else."

"How could I not know?"

After explaining everything to the family, Li Qingqiu chuckled and took the basket. "Mom, these are the cotton shoes I bought for you. Try them on."

"And Dad bought you this hat."

Shi Lanhua had just caught her breath when this guy started bothering her again. She glared at Li Qingqiu with annoyance. "My feet aren't that precious; I can't wear new shoes."

"Mom, we've already bought it, let's give it a try."

"Dad, try it on, it's really thick."

The elderly couple complained and grumbled about Li Qingqiu's wasteful spending, but when Li Qingqiu went to deliver shoes and hats to his grandparents, the couple eagerly went to stroll around the brigade. Li Fuhai, wearing his thick cadre hat, looked incredibly proud.

Shi Lanhua, needless to say, kept complaining to her aunt and the others. "Look at this child, what do I, an old lady, need new shoes for? She insisted on buying them for me. Sigh, isn't this a waste of money? Three or four yuan can buy so many other things..."

"Orchid, your third son is so filial, but my child hasn't thought of buying me anything all these years."

"Yes, Lan Hua, your third son is capable now and filial. He'll definitely marry a good wife who will take good care of you. Just wait and enjoy your good fortune."

"I don't expect to enjoy a life of luxury. As long as he works honestly, gets married, and has a few big, healthy sons, I don't need anything else."

Li Qingqiu had no idea that his parents were showing off to everyone in the team and casually giving him a good reputation.

Achoo!

"Who's talking about me?"

Li Qingqiu muttered to himself as he walked home. His grandparents were overjoyed to see the hat and shoes, praising Li Qingqiu for his filial piety. His grandmother was especially happy and took out her savings, but Li Qingqiu refused them. In the end, she gave him a few eggs instead.

"Third Uncle."

I ran into Xian'an, Xianle and a few others at my doorstep. Each of them was carrying a bundle of rolling pins.

"Did you cut it up in the mountains?"

"Um."

"Is it easy to walk up the mountain?"

"It wasn't easy to walk; the snow was too thick, and it took some effort," Li Xian'an said frankly.

"Okay, go back inside and warm up."

Li Qingqiu patted the younger children on the shoulder. "Come to my room later, I'll teach you how to drill holes first."

"I know, Third Uncle."

The group went back inside to tidy up. Li Qingqiu also went inside to bring out the brazier so he could add some firewood to the stove later. He would also fill the thermos with some hot water.

Next time I get industrial coupons, I'll buy a better, brighter kerosene lamp; the one I'm using now, which I made myself, isn't bright enough.

"Third Uncle, dinner's ready."

"They're here."

Li Qingqiu pinched Li Xianshu's cheek, noting that she had gained weight recently.

"Third Uncle."

"Okay, okay, I won't pinch anymore."

"Uh-huh."

Li Xianshu grinned, "Third Uncle is the best. There's always all kinds of food here."

Pears, candy, and red dates—even the toothpaste tasted good. Li Xianshu hopped and skipped as she stuffed the candy into her pocket. "Third Uncle, I'll secretly tell you there's meat today, it's so delicious!"

"Understood."

The fourth brother is back, there will definitely be meat to eat. Li Qingqiu went to the main room happily, took a porcelain basin, filled it with hot water, washed his hands, and glanced at the food. It looked pretty good. There was a basket full of steamed buns made from mixed grain flour, stir-fried beef and chili with winter bamboo shoots, stir-fried wild boar with snow mushrooms, and pickled chili and salted vegetables.

Today, Mom was generous with two meat dishes. Although the amount of meat wasn't much, it was still quite a treat. No wonder the children were drooling with envy; they were finally getting to eat meat. Li Qingqiu picked up her chopsticks, and one of the younger children took a piece of meat.

"Eat it with a steamed bun."

Li Qingqiu said with a smile, "Fourth brother, don't just stand there, eat!"

"oh."

Li Qingshi was also quite surprised. The food at home was so good! There were two meat dishes. He was a little stunned.

"The butcher shop is out of meat today. How about I buy some spare ribs and stew some for you?"

Li Qingqiu took a bite of the beef. It was alright, but he had probably been eating too little oily food lately and was craving some oilier meat.

"Go away, we still have wild boar meat and beef at home, why buy ribs? What's so good about bone scraps?" Shi Lanhua rolled her eyes at Li Qingqiu, annoyed.

"Well, the fourth brother is back."

"Third Brother, this food is quite good."

After chatting and laughing through dinner, Li Qingqiu carried the thermos back into the house. Soon after, Li Qingmei, Li Xianjing, Xian'an, and Xianle came over, and Li Xianshu and his little tagalongs squeezed in as well.

In no time, Li Qingqiu's room was packed with people. Li Qingqiu could only take off the small shoes, wipe them, and put them on the bed.

Worried that the kids might get bored, they turned on the radio. But to their surprise, Li Qingmei and the others were also drawn to the radio.

Li Qingqiu chuckled, noticing that the boy was getting a little distracted while digging the hole. These days, entertainment was scarce, and a radio was a game-changer for a country kid. "Alright, I'll teach him tomorrow. The light isn't very good right now."

At nine o'clock sharp, after the radio broadcast ended, Li Qingmei and the others went home, going to bed early and getting up early. Early in the morning, Li Qingqiu continued brushing her teeth, while Li Xianshu and the other little ones squatted down beside her, watching eagerly. Li Qingqiu then applied some more toothpaste to each of them.

The younger children were happy and giggled. This time, they didn't keep their mouths shut. Instead, they imitated Li Qingqiu by rubbing their teeth with a stick and blowing bubbles as they went to the team to show off to the other children. After all, in those days, Li Qingqiu was probably the only one in the entire brigade who used toothpaste to brush his teeth.

"Fourth brother, why are you leaving so early?"

"I have to go to work early in the morning." Without a bicycle, I'll definitely have to walk earlier.

"After I sell the mushrooms, I'll tell Mom to buy you a bicycle right away, otherwise it'll be too inconvenient for you to come home."

"No need, Third Brother, I'll save up the money myself and buy it."

"At your rate of saving money, you probably won't be able to buy a bicycle in ten years. I'm in charge of this." Li Qingqiu thought to himself, "I should have gotten some industrial coupons later and not bought the radio."

Seeing that he couldn't dissuade his third brother, Li Qingshi stopped talking about the bicycle. "By the way, third brother, yesterday I saw a document on Director Guo's desk. It said that a report meeting on studying Quotations will be held in the middle of the month, and each commune must send someone."

"What does this have to do with me?"

"Third Brother, you forgot? You came in first place in the commune's quotation competition. It was called a report meeting, but it was really just a quotation competition. Each commune needed five contestants, and you were definitely one of them."

"Forget it, going back and forth will only waste time."

"The county will provide subsidies for this reporting meeting, and if we achieve a good ranking, the commune will also provide subsidies."

"Alright, we're short on industrial vouchers anyway. If I win the competition, I'll ask Director Guo for more industrial vouchers, and I'll definitely buy you a bicycle before the end of the year."

"Third Brother, let's talk about this later. Alright, I'm leaving now."

After watching Li Qingshi leave, Li Qingqiu rinsed her mouth and called Li Qingmei and the others over. She urged them to quickly learn how to drill holes before breakfast so that she could transplant mycelium and start selling later.

"Drilling holes isn't actually that difficult."

"If you can judge the distance well, you'll know exactly how deep the hole is."

As Li Qingqiu spoke, he demonstrated, showing Xian'an, Xianle, and the others. "Use a stick that's about a foot and a half long, and drill a small hole about three inches deep. Make sure the hole is large on all four sides. Our snow mushrooms are different from regular mushrooms; the hole doesn't need to be too deep."

Several students listened attentively, and Li Qingqiu taught them diligently. Once she saw that they could handle it, Li Qingqiu patted her bottom and handed the rest over to Li Qingmei and Li Xianjing. "Alright, little sister, you lead them in practice. Do it well. When we go to the educated youth settlement later, there might already be people waiting to buy the cuttings for transplanting the fungal spawn."

It only takes less than twenty days for a second-generation snow fungus to grow into a third-generation snow mushroom, which is simply a miracle. Normally, it takes one or two months or even half a year to transplant fungi, especially in heavy snow.

Selling them for five cents each is definitely cheap, Li Qingqiu thought.

"There are quite a few people here."

Li Qingqiu glanced at them; there were twenty or thirty people, more than he had expected. "Okay, wait a moment, I'll show you how to transplant the bacteria." Twenty or thirty people, that's twenty or thirty points! A huge profit!

Transplanting mushroom spawn is actually quite simple. Snow mushrooms grow mycelium after they mature. As long as the mycelium is well separated, transplanting to the prepared holes, plugging them with tree sap and spraying some water will allow snow mushrooms to grow. No wonder the agricultural technology station was excited. No need for disinfection or sterilization, it's like a perfect mushroom spawn falling from the sky.

"That's it?"

"No, I'll not only refund your money, I'll also give you 50 cents in compensation."

After Li Qingqiu said this, many of those who were hesitant to buy snow mushroom branches exchanged glances. "Okay," they thought, "so many people are listening; Li Qingqiu can't deny it, especially with the team leader and accountant vouching for him." "Alright, I'll buy two."

"I'll buy two too."

"I'll buy one."

……

"Sixth Aunt, aren't you going to buy one?"

"I'm not buying it."

Aunt Liu hesitated. It was only five cents, and she didn't even know if mushrooms would grow on it. Who was Li Qingqiu? She should wait and see.

……

"Alright, we've sold out for today. Come back tomorrow if you want to buy more."

Just kidding, transplanting mycelium is quite tiring, even with the help of Li Qingmei, Li Xianjing, and Guo Zhaonan, Li Qingqiu didn't plan to do much.

Yin Yi fully supported Li Qingqiu's idea of ​​selling only fifty sticks a day, no more.

The two were birds of a feather; they made money to enjoy life, but they couldn't just focus on making money, that would be exhausting.

"Li Qingqiu, I've made a few dishes with snow mushrooms these past few days. I'll make them for you to try at lunchtime."

Aside from enjoying cooking for Li Qingqiu, Yin Yi wasn't very interested in anything else, especially now that there were more educated youth like Guo Zhaonan and Xiao Hua at the settlement, Yin Yi would slack off on many things.

"Sure, I'd really like to try your snow mushroom feast."

Li Qingqiu leaned back in a bamboo chair. It was a pity there was no rocking chair; she would learn to make one herself someday. "Little sister, Xian'an, you guys should also take a rest."

"No need, Third Brother, we're not tired."

"You guys aren't tired, but I'm tired just watching you."

As he spoke, Li Qingqiu took out the money from selling the mushroom spawn branches. "Here you go, you just made thirty-five branches, five cents each, that's sixteen dollars and fifty cents in total."

"Give it all to us?"

"Yeah, I'll give it all to you. Why would I take your money?"

"No, no, Third Uncle, we can't take it."

Li Xianjing and the others quickly waved their hands. "We're just apprentices. It's already kind of you not to charge us tuition, let alone give us money."

"Alright."

"Take it quickly."

To everyone's surprise, several people shook their heads, saying they didn't want it. In the end, they even called in Shi Lanhua, her eldest brother and sister-in-law, and her second brother and sister-in-law, and held a family meeting.

"What? One cent? That's too little."

"Alright, give them two mao."

Shi Lanhua made the decision. "Listen to me on this. You teach them the skills. They shouldn't have taken this money, but since you, as their third uncle, dote on your nephews and nieces, it's understandable that they share some. But you must keep the lion's share yourself; that's the rule."

"Alright."

Li Qingqiu muttered to himself that the money was being refused, and he really had no choice but to accept it. He felt bad about giving away 30 cents when he hadn't done anything himself. But to his surprise, Xian'an and the others were overjoyed, as if it were New Year's Day, and thought their third uncle was such a kind person.

"Alright, whatever makes you happy."

Li Qingqiu was about to sign in and participate in the lucky draw when a little kid ran in. "Uncle Qingqiu."

"Hey, Xianbao, it's you. What's up?"

Li Xianbao is the only son of Li Dalong's family. His father's generation only had one son. After he had five older sisters, this little guy was born. They doted on him and named him Li Xianbao. His grandparents, parents, aunts, and sisters all spoiled this little one.

This kid has been very mischievous since he was a child, a larger version of Li Qingqiu. Climbing trees to steal birds' nests and catching fish in rivers are nothing unusual for him. He blows up latrines, burns haystacks, skins snakes, and pinches frogs. Even weasels turn tail and run away when they see him.

In the summer, he leads the way in jumping into the reservoir and poking at wasps; in the winter, he skis and ice skates. This kid is a real leader among children.

Li Qingqiu wondered why he had come to see him today.

"Uncle, I'd like to buy some mushroom branches."

"You want to buy mushroom branches?"

Li Qingqiu chuckled upon hearing this. "Is your kid rich?"

"without."

"Then what will you use to buy it?"

"I'll trade this for it." Li Xianbao handed the things he was carrying to Li Qingqiu.

Li Qingqiu jumped in fright, leaping up from his chair. "You brat, throw it away!"

Good heavens, this is a snake with a triangular head and gray markings. This is definitely a venomous snake. What happened? In the middle of winter, snakes should be hibernating.

"It's alright, Uncle Qingqiu, I've already crushed all the fangs."

Li Xianbao waved his hand dismissively. "It can't bite anymore."

"Damn, you knocked out the fangs with your bare hands?"

"Um."

The person Li Xianbao mentioned. "He crushed it in one go, no trouble at all."

You're trying to fly to the heavens. Poisonous snakes will stab you with their fangs. If your parents and grandparents knew, they'd skin you alive. There's no limit to your recklessness.

"Stay away from me," Li Qingqiu said, calming himself down. "I'm asking you, why did you buy the mushroom spawn?"

"Grow mushrooms, sell them, and buy school bags."

Li Xianbao muttered to himself, "I don't want a fancy schoolbag, that's for little girls. I want a five-star one."

"You're quite particular."

Li Qingqiu still didn't dare touch the snake. It was a venomous snake; who knew if it still had small teeth? One bite and he'd be basically done for these days. "Can you kill this snake first?"

"Kill him, oh."

As he spoke, Li Xianbao used his strength to tear the snake apart from its mouth, then threw it away with a snap. "It's dead, Uncle. See, is that alright now?"

"Alright, alright, I'll give you two." This kid is a real talent.

"That uncle."

Li Xianbao looked at Li Qingqiu somewhat awkwardly. "Could I leave the branches with you for now, Uncle? Once the mushrooms grow, and we sell them, can you just pay me directly?"

"I... you..."

Li Qingqiu chuckled. This kid, damn it, he'd really come up with a brilliant idea. "You little devil, you're so clever. You don't have to do anything and just sit back and collect the money. You're just like your uncle!"

"Then can I send your uncle another snake?"

"No, no, let's not send the snake. What if it bites us?" Li Qingqiu quickly waved his hand, jokingly saying, "Don't scare your uncle, he's easily frightened."

"Then I'll get you some other stuff, like pheasants or rabbits, okay?"

"Are you sure you can get it? Even the headhunter wouldn't dare say that."

Li Qingqiu muttered to himself, not that he was underestimating him, but there were very few pheasants, rabbits, or other wild animals around. This kid certainly dared to say that.

"Uncle, don't underestimate people."

Li Xianbao was unhappy. "I'll bring it to you tomorrow." With that, he ran off. Li Qingqiu muttered to himself, "This brat, he's got a clever mind. He left the branch with me."