Hermit in the Mountains

After finishing his patrol, Gu Changsheng returned to the cabin, went into the bedroom to get his phone, then went back to the living room, sat cross-legged on the floor mat, turned off airplane mode, and connected to the internet to call Yang Dashan.

"Beep beep beep..."

The phone rang for about ten seconds before a deep, middle-aged man's voice came through.

"Mr. Gu, are you delivering tomorrow?"

Gu Changsheng cut to the chase without any small talk, "Brother Yang, we still have enough supplies. I called to ask if you have some time."

"I plan to plant 30,000 saplings on the mountain within three months, with the first batch consisting of 5,000 plum saplings."

On the other end of the phone, Yang Dashan's right hand, holding the phone, trembled slightly when he heard that Gu Changsheng wanted to plant 30,000 mu of trees within three months.

"I...I have time. How many people do you need to find this time?"

Inside the wooden cabin on the mountain, Gu Changsheng roughly calculated the number of people and time last time: five people planted a thousand plants in three days.

This time, planting 5,000 seedlings in three days would require 25 people, he gave Yang Dashan a number.

"Thirty people, each earning 1,000 yuan a day, will complete the planting of 5,000 plum tree saplings in three days."

"I'll transfer the money to you, but you can still go and buy and bring back the saplings."

Yang Dashan had known Gu Changsheng for almost half a year and knew his personality. Gu Changsheng was quick to pay, but he wanted things done quickly, well, and steadily, and he was a man of few words. "Boss Gu, I guarantee that the planting will be completed within three days. I have already found the people and the vehicle this morning, and we will go to pick up the saplings first thing tomorrow morning."

Gu Changsheng hung up the phone and transferred 50,000 yuan to Yang Dashan, with the note "Plum Blossom Seedling Purchase Fee and Transportation Fee".

In the village, Yang Dashan hung up the phone and received the purchase fee and shipping fee. He shouted to the kitchen and hurriedly went out, "Wife, I'm going out to help Boss Gu find someone. You eat breakfast first, don't wait for me."

Yang Dashan first went to find the old clan chief Yang Mancang, who reiterated Gu Changsheng's plan to plant 30,000 saplings within three months.

Yang Mancang quickly took the pipe from his mouth with his right hand and confirmed with Yang Dashan again, "Dashan, Gu Wa really said that."

Yang Dashan nodded vigorously. "Uncle, Boss Gu called personally to say that the first batch of five thousand plum blossom saplings will be planted by thirty people in three days, at a rate of one thousand per person per day."

He opened his phone's transfer history. "Uncle, look, Boss Gu has already transferred the money to me."

Yang Mancang turned around and went inside to get the public housing key. "I'll go get the key and use the loudspeaker to tell the villagers to come out and register now."

"Dashanwa, call your cousin now and arrange the truck and time to pick up the saplings."

In just over ten minutes, the area under the big tree at the public housing complex was filled with villagers, young and old alike.

The loudspeaker clearly stated that Boss Gu wanted to plant 5,000 saplings, paying each person 1,000 yuan per day, for a total of three days on the mountain.

The five villagers who went up the mountain to help plant saplings last time were the fastest. They ran straight to the public housing after eating only half of their breakfast, afraid that if they were too slow, the quota would be filled.

They've tasted success several times before: building a house, moving supplies, and planting saplings.

The five of them ran to the big tree under the communal house and saw the old clan chief and Yang Dashan already sitting on the stone steps waiting. They hurriedly went up to them and said, "Uncle Mancang, Brother Dashan, we're here to register."

Yang Dashan looked at the five people who had planted trees with him last time, nodded, and wrote their names on a piece of paper. "All five of you can do it. Just like last time, work a whole day before going home. Prepare your own tools, baskets, water, and lunch."

"The saplings will arrive in the village tomorrow, and we'll go up the mountain together."

Upon hearing Yang Dashan's instructions, the five men smiled broadly and replied, "Understood, Brother Dashan."

Yang Dashan knew the villagers very well, and those who were honest and hardworking were given priority. Before long, twenty-nine people were selected.

When Yang Shitou heard the loudspeaker say that Gu Changsheng was hiring people to plant trees and was paying them a thousand yuan a day, he skipped his nap and rushed over without even washing his face.

When he arrived at the playground, he saw a lot of people gathered in front of the dormitory building. He squeezed in front of Yang Dashan and said, "Brother Dashan, count me in!"

Yang Dashan looked up and saw Yang Shitou grinning, and decisively refused, "You can't even grow vegetables properly, no way."

"Boss Gu's saplings cost several yuan each. If you kill a whole bunch of them, our village's reputation will be ruined."

"Boss Gu still has 25,000 saplings to plant. If you don't ask our villagers next time, can you take responsibility for that?"

Yang Shitou's father squeezed forward a few steps from the back of the crowd and slapped Yang Shitou on the head with his right hand.

He knew his son's character best. He grabbed his son by the ear and dragged him outside, saying, "You shameful thing, come home with me."

"Dad, it hurts, it hurts, I can walk by myself." Yang Shitou covered his ears with both hands and shouted as he walked.

The sudden turn of events made the surrounding villagers swallow their words; since the father had taken action against his son, they remained silent.

In any case, the villagers would never let Yang Shitou, that good-for-nothing, ruin their way of making a living.

Yang Qingshan, seeing that there was only one spot left in the crowd, pushed up his glasses and said, "Brother Dashan, I want to go too. I often go up the mountain with my dad to farm, so I know how to plant saplings."

"When Boss Gu contracted the mountain last time, didn't he say he wanted to make some handicrafts and cultivate bonsai?"

"I also wanted to talk to Mr. Gu during this trip up the mountain. My guesthouse can help sell the handicrafts and potted plants he makes and cultivates."

Upon hearing Yang Qingshan's words, Yang Dashan realized that Yang Qingshan's plan might be able to help Gu Changsheng.

Qingshan Homestay often attracts tourists from other places and is quite well-run. The homestay also sells some local products.

He gave the last spot to the other party, "Okay, the last spot is for Qingshan."

Having found everyone, Yang Dashan folded the paper with thirty names on it and put it in his pocket. He then reminded the group going up the mountain the next day, "I'll say it again, wait for us in the village tomorrow morning. Bring the saplings back and we'll go up the mountain together."

"I go up the mountain in the morning and don't return home until the afternoon. I prepare my own drinking water, lunch, hoe, basket, sickle and other tools."

"Dashan, we know, we know..." everyone responded.

After the villagers dispersed for about ten minutes, a man in a suit was reporting what had just happened in the village to an elderly man at a tea table in the quiet courtyard by the stream at the village entrance.

After listening to the bodyguard's report, Li Jianguo raised his hand and waved for the bodyguard to leave. He unconsciously tilted his head slightly towards the mountains and glanced in that direction.

Last week, he learned from his granddaughter that Gu Changsheng was suspected of possessing a super hair growth formula.

He didn't believe it at first, but after seeing two photos of Gu Changsheng taken at different times, he believed his granddaughter's guess.

From then on, he had his bodyguards keep an eye on Gu Changsheng's movements.

Hearing that his granddaughter had been humiliated by the other party, Li Jianguo became even more curious about what had happened to Gu Changsheng in the past six months to cause such a big change.

Curiosity aside, he would at most ask people to pay attention to the other party, but he wouldn't personally intervene.

The important thing is that the granddaughter talks to the other party herself. They are about the same age, and he, an old man, doesn't want to get involved in the affairs of young people.

Li Jianguo also wanted to see if his granddaughter would get furious when she encountered someone who didn't play by the rules.

My granddaughter was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. After she grew up, she lived like someone who didn't care about worldly affairs, and no matter how many talented young men she met, she couldn't stand them.

It's rare to see a granddaughter showing interest in Gu Changsheng now.