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

Li Qingqiu was checking the family pillar's tasks, but there was still no progress. Did he have to wait until after buying the oxen? However, last night—the task of showing off in front of his white moonlight was actually completed. "Wait a minute, I haven't even seen Han Caiju yet?"

"I looked all over but couldn't find anyone."

Li Qingqiu was frustrated when this was mentioned. Han Guodong had said Han Caiju worked at the county revolutionary committee, but he hadn't seen her there. Instead, the rather annoying Han Guodong had appeared. "But how did this task even get completed?"

"That's strange," Li Qingqiu muttered. "Could it be that Han Guodong told Han Caiju about the quote competition? That guy's crazy. He's practically a hidden 'love rival' himself."

"Never mind, 50 points are mine."

"It's another chance to draw a prize," Li Qingqiu thought to himself. "Should I go to the commune to find Wang Qingqing and draw the prize in front of her? It seems Wang Qingqing didn't return to the commune yesterday; she was probably seconded to the county agricultural technology station."

"Then let's bring Li Xianbao along later."

Maybe this kid is some kind of genius from a celestial sect. He's got way too much luck catching wild chickens.

"Third Brother, it's our turn."

"Okay."

Li Qingqiu carried the baskets over—two baskets plus one extra basket. "Little sister, weigh the ones in the baskets first."

"Quite a few."

"good."

Li Qingqiu's two baskets were even more eye-catching than the brigade's thirty baskets. The brigade's produce belonged to the collective, while Li Qingqiu's snow mushrooms were his personal property.

"156 jin, 70 yuan and 2 mao."

"36 jin, 16 yuan and 2 mao."

Several large black ten-dollar bills were handed to Li Qingqiu, which made the eyes of Aunt Liu and the others who hadn't bought mushroom branches red with envy.

It costs over eighty yuan. If they bought the mushroom branches, they could have made several dozen yuan.

The commune members who had been waiting for the free mushroom branches and had been mocking Li Qingqiu for buying them were now silent. These people, who were known for their shrewdness, were very good at calculating, but now the more they calculated, the more upset they felt.

"Wang Yulan, how much did your family sell it for?"

"22.3 yuan," Wang Yulan said softly, looking down.

"How much did you spend on the mushroom spawn?"

"5 pieces."

Wang Yulan spoke even more softly. Everyone secretly calculated that they had earned 17 yuan from ten mushroom branches in less than half a month, which worked out to more than 1 yuan a day.

"Wang Yulan, you're something else, encouraging us not to buy mushroom scions..."

"I didn't buy this."

Wang Yulan muttered, "Besides, I didn't stop you from buying it. You were the ones who said you didn't want to buy it, and then you laughed at others for buying it stupidly."

Why are you criticizing me? I hate what Li Qingqiu did in the past and I oppose him. She doesn't think there's anything wrong with that, but why are you criticizing me?

"Well, you're probably laughing at us now, aren't you?"

"So what if I'm laughing at you? You've been laughing at me these past few days, don't think I don't know," Wang Yulan snorted. "Sixth Aunt, yesterday you said my son was stupid, that he wouldn't accept anything for free and insisted on paying for it."

"I didn't say anything wrong."

"Then don't be envious."

Upon hearing this, Aunt Liu was speechless. She was extremely envious and regretful. For just five yuan, she could earn more than ten yuan in one go.

Others who didn't buy mushroom spawn are also starting to feel the pinch. When will the commune's agricultural technology station start providing free mushroom spawn?

As they were talking, the bicycle bell rang, and several bicycles came by. Everyone looked over.

"Director Guo?"

Guo Feng, along with Li Qingshi, Li Fuyuan, and other brigade cadres, quickly went to meet them.

"Director Guo."

"Don't be so polite. How's the snow mushroom harvest?"

"Not bad, the brigade sold over 2,000 jin this time, making about 1,000 yuan."

"Sold for over a thousand yuan?"

"Good heavens!" Guo Feng clapped his hands with delight. "Great! Captain Li, your Lijia'ao has set a good example for our commune! More than a thousand yuan, what a wonderful thing!"

"Excluding the brigade, the total weight of the commune members is close to 1,000 jin."

"it is good."

"It's good that the members are doing some side jobs."

Guo Feng knew about the drought this year. Each person in Lijia'ao would receive dozens of kilograms less food than before. Next year, many families in Lijia'ao would likely face food shortages. The consequences would not only be severe food shortages in Lijia'ao, but could also drag down production.

Now things are much better. The commune members have made money. Whether they sell grain back to the government or buy dried sweet potatoes and other grains on the black market, at least the grain shortage problem has been solved. The commune is also less burdened, and it will be easier to carry out work next spring.

Director Guo was very pleased and gave higher praise and affirmation to the mushroom cultivation efforts of the Lijia'ao Production Brigade.

This made the members who hadn't bought the mushroom branches even more upset. They watched their neighbors and relatives make money, while they themselves had turned down the opportunity to earn money.

He used to laugh at others, but now he's probably the laughing stock himself.

"Our family was originally going to buy some mushroom branches, but it wasn't for Aunt Liu..."

"That's right. Aunt Liu said that mushrooms might not grow, but look at them, everyone's mushrooms are growing badly. She also said that even if mushrooms grow, they might not be able to sell, and that the supply and marketing cooperative might not pay in cash, but look at them now."

"If the mushrooms grow well, the supply and marketing cooperative will buy them on the spot and pay you immediately."

Aunt Liu was already filled with regret, and hearing the complaints only fueled her anger. "You listened to me, so who's to blame? You're blaming me? I told you to give me the money, did you?"

"I don't know what he's thinking. If he's unwilling to spend the money, then he's unwilling. You guys have been making fun of him for buying mushroom branches these past few days."

"You... Han Caihua... how can you talk like that? This is all your fault..."

"Hmph, serves you right that you don't have any snow mushrooms to sell. Blame me? Who can I blame?"

After Aunt Liu finished speaking, she turned around and left, leaving behind more than ten commune members who regretted not buying the mushroom spawn, while those who did buy the spawn were now happily counting the money they had just received.

"Sigh, why hasn't the commune distributed the inoculum yet?"

"Yes, why don't we ask the manager?"

"That's the commune director, I wouldn't dare."

"Then ask Qingshi, he's still from our brigade, after all."

"Then let's ask."

Li Qingshi was taken aback by the question. "Free mushroom spawn? Well, that will take a while. The spawn has already been transferred to the county agricultural technology station and will be given priority to vegetable farmers around the county seat."

"What? It was transported to the county?"

"How...how could this happen?"

Now all the members who were waiting for the free bacterial strains were in a panic.

"Keiji, when did this happen?"

"Yesterday."

No wonder, Li Qingqiu was wondering why Wang Qingqing and the others didn't come back with the car after they went to the county town. He thought they were attending an awards ceremony.

"What about the free bacteria we have?"

"Let's wait a bit."

Li Qing said frankly that this was just talk, and that providing free bacterial strains would probably be difficult.

"How could you do this? This is a lie."

"Since the agricultural technology station has said so, I think we can get a batch of mushroom spawn for free in three to five months. Don't worry, everyone." Li Qingqiu's words were somewhat sarcastic, implying that three to five months would be too late.

"Three to five months?"

"That can't be right, can it?"

"Li Qingqiu, don't talk nonsense."

"Yes, yes, I was just talking nonsense. Well, you guys just wait and see. Actually, I think this is fine too."

Li Qingqiu thought to himself, "When the fifth generation comes out, and you guys get it for free, that'll be interesting."

"Li Qingqiu, don't be so smug. You won't be able to sell your mushroom branches."

"Exactly, we're not stupid, we definitely won't buy it."

"That's great. I was worried you might want to buy some; we're running out of mushroom spawn lately." Li Qingqiu waved to Li Qingmei and the others. "Qingmei, Xianjing, Xianan, let's go back and work on the mushroom spawn."

"Now?"

"There's no other way. The brigade ordered another hundred branches, and some other members also ordered some. I'm afraid we'll have to work overtime again."

"Really, Uncle?"

"What do you think? Here's the order."

Li Qingqiu pulled out a receipt. "Hurry up, the brigade has already arranged to send the money over today."

"Very good."

"We can make fungal branches again."

Li Qingmei and the others were overjoyed; they could secretly save up their pocket money again.

The group was delighted, but those who hadn't ordered mushroom branches were dumbfounded. "How is this possible? Are there really people foolish enough to buy their mushroom branches?"

"Maybe it's not that they're stupid, it's that we're stupid. Who knows when we'll get the free bacterial strains from the agricultural technology station?"

"That can't be right."

"Then you wait, I'm not waiting anymore."

"I'm going to find Li Laosan to buy mushroom branches."

"Shall we take another look?"

"Yes, maybe there will be free bacteria in the next couple of days."

Most of these people are still hoping for a bargain; if something is free, who would be willing to pay for it?

Wangjiazhuang and Zhangjiazhai are the best examples. They canceled the agreed-upon orders without warning. At this point, Wang Dapao, the brigade leader of Wangjiazhuang, was in a bit of a headache. What to do? The agricultural technology station was useless.

It's ridiculous that they could just send the mushroom spawn to the county like that. Now, the county will definitely promote it to the vegetable farmers first, and by the time they remember them, it will be long before they even have a chance to get it.

"How about we go check out Lijia'ao again?"

"This is the only way; we've really lost face."

Almost everyone in Zhangjia Village heard the news at the same time. Old Man Zhang looked distressed, wondering how much game he would have to bring, otherwise he would be too embarrassed to come. Li Qingqiu handed the mycelium to Li Qingmei and the others, but he didn't get involved himself.

"That's all the mycelium we have. We can get about three hundred more at most."

"Fortunately, we can still keep about a hundred branches ourselves."

"Xianjing, Xianle, each of you take twenty branches back with you later."

My sister-in-law's family will definitely take some, and my own family plans to keep some, since the money from selling snow mushrooms is hard to come by with the Shilan flower.

"Understood, Third Uncle."

"Okay, you guys take your time."

Li Qingqiu went home first and helped his fourth brother persuade his mother to pay for the bicycle first.

"What's your hurry?"

"Mom, it's almost Chinese New Year, there will definitely be a lot of people buying bicycles. It's better to buy one early so you can have peace of mind. Otherwise, you might not be able to buy anything even if you have the ticket."

"Wow, these bicycles are so expensive, how come they sell so well?"

"Mom, you don't know, almost everyone who works in the city has one, how could they not sell well?"

Upon hearing this, especially when Li Qingqiu mentioned that the bicycle tickets would expire, Shi Lanhua panicked. "I'll go get the money, Lao Si, you hurry up and buy them."

"Third Brother, isn't it wrong to lie to Mom like this?"

"Let's buy the bicycle first."

"Besides, I didn't lie."

A moment later, Shi Lanhua took out the money and handed 160 yuan to Li Qingshi. As for Li Qingqiu, she didn't even get to handle it.

"have to."

Li Qingqiu was helpless.

At noon, Li Fuyuan actually had someone call Li Qingqiu to lunch. This time, it was to entertain Director Guo, which was quite a show of face. It has to be said that being the number one quoter in the whole county still has some prestige.

Upon arriving at the brigade, Li Qingqiu chatted with Guo Feng for a few minutes. During the meal, Uncle Fuyuan brought up the matter of buying oxen for plowing, and Guo Feng strongly agreed and said he would help inquire about it.

"Another thing is that the brigade plans to pay for twenty piglets."

These piglets would be sent to the homes of commune members who didn't have the money to buy piglets. Once they were grown up, they would be sold and the money would be used to pay them back. Of course, if there were any problems with the piglets, the commune members would have to compensate the piglets for the money.