Chapter 41: Reported

Mushrooms are a delicate commodity; if anything goes wrong during harvesting, transportation, or storage, it can affect their quality.

With so many people coming into town every day to sell mushrooms, why did Liu Jingshan single out Li Yi’s shipment, and why was he willing to pay above market price for them?

Aside from the fact that Liu Jingshan thought Li Yi was a shrewd and down-to-earth guy, the more important reason was that the mushrooms he delivered were truly second to none.

It was obvious at a glance that this young man wasn’t a seasoned businessman and knew nothing about the mountain produce trade.

Putting mushrooms in a plastic bag—how on earth did he come up with that idea!

Sure enough, the moment the burlap sack was opened, Liu Jingshan’s expression changed.

It was clear that the quality of these mushrooms was quite good—not only were they large, but each one was plump and white, clearly pure wild-grown.

However, compared to the carefully selected, top-quality mushrooms Li Yi had brought, these ones were not only uneven in size but also littered with debris, looking downright grubby.

Most importantly, because they were packed in a burlap sack, more than half of the mushrooms were now crushed, and the ones that weren’t were all bruised!

Mushrooms like this simply can’t be stored for long!

In fact, if they aren’t processed immediately after being harvested today, they’ll be spoiled by tomorrow.

“Comrade, the quality of your mushrooms doesn’t meet our standards. We can’t accept them!” Liu Jingshan said in a stern voice.

Xu Hong flew into a rage again, shouting, “How can they not meet standards? How can you go back on your word and just refuse them like that?”

Liu Jingshan replied immediately, “Comrade, just look for yourself—these mushrooms are all crushed. How can we possibly buy them?”

“But mushrooms are supposed to be chopped up when you eat them—it doesn’t affect their use!”

Xu Hong realized the problem, but he still stubbornly insisted.

“Fine, our state-run restaurant won’t take your mushrooms. If you think someone else will take them, go find them!”

Liu Jingshan was getting a bit annoyed. How could this man be so unreasonable? They’d already told him his mushrooms were subpar, yet he kept harping on and on about it.

After saying that, Liu Jingshan turned and walked away.

Naturally, the other staff members weren’t about to be polite to Xu Hong; they immediately pushed him and his mushrooms out the door.

Xu Hong was furious. His mushrooms and the ones Li Yi had brought were both picked from the same mountain. Why were Li Yi’s mushrooms acceptable, but his weren’t?

This was nothing short of bullying!

To think that he, an intellectual from the city, was actually outdone by a good-for-nothing from the village—what kind of world was this?

His family wasn’t exactly wealthy, but at least his parents were factory workers, and he was a high school student.

What does that good-for-nothing have?

Apart from a good-looking face, what does he have?

That slut Tang Xue is just like that—she’d rather marry that good-for-nothing than be with him.

The people at the state-run restaurant were the same—they’d take that good-for-nothing’s stuff over his. Xu Hong felt like he was being maliciously targeted by this bunch of ignorant people.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he got—his face even began to contort!

He had already planned to report Li Yi today in order to relocate his mushroom business, and now that this had happened, it only strengthened his resolve to report him.

So, pushing his bicycle and carrying the complaint letter he’d written earlier, he headed to the county public security bureau!

…….

What Li Yi didn’t know was that he had already been targeted by a scheming individual. After purchasing his supplies, he set off in his bright red mule cart toward the sugar factory gate!

The security guards at the sugar factory had become quite familiar with Li Yi. As soon as they saw him approaching, they immediately came over to help unload his cart!

Li Yi didn’t hesitate. After setting up his stall, he immediately prepared a fresh serving of liangpi for each of the two men, which made them so happy they could hardly stop smiling.

The factory workers really liked this young man.

Although his liangpi was certainly not cheap—a single bowl cost a full two mao, enough to buy over a pound of white flour—

But you had to admit, the liangpi was truly delicious—with its chewy, springy texture and spicy, numbing, savory flavor, it was addictive from the very first bite.

Moreover, although the young man’s stall was small, it was very clean and hygienic.

What’s even more commendable is that every day after packing up, he cleans up all the trash around him, never leaving a mess behind.

He’s also very friendly to the factory workers. With such a down-to-earth and hardworking young man, how could anyone dislike him?

As for whether setting up a stall here was legal, nobody really cared about that.

It’s now 1980. Although the authorities haven’t officially permitted free trade, they aren’t cracking down as strictly as they used to.

The black markets that used to operate in the shadows could now exist semi-openly.

Many people were quietly selling goods, so someone like Li Yi didn’t stand out all that much.

Before long, Li Yi’s little stall was set up and ready, just waiting for the factory workers to get off shift!

At noon, the bell signaling the end of the workday rang on time, and immediately afterward, a large crowd of workers poured out the door!

Before long, Li Yi’s little stall was surrounded by a crowd!

In the past, when people wanted to treat themselves to a better meal, they would pool their money to buy some meat and cook a feast together.

In the local dialect of Qingshan County, this is called “da ping huo,” which essentially means splitting the bill.

But now, when the factory workers wanted to treat themselves, they’d head to the gate to buy a steaming bowl of liangpi, topped with a white flatbread.

Enjoying a little meal like this on a sweltering day was pure bliss.

Plus, everyone eats their own portion, so no one complains that someone else ate too much while they got too little—it’s hassle-free!

What’s more, quite a few female workers come by every day to buy liangpi, and seeing them standing in line has become quite a sight to behold.

This naturally attracts the attention of many single male workers, who might just have a chance encounter here with a girl they like.

Before he knew it, Li Yi’s little stall had become a special spot at the sugar factory.

Just as Li Yi was busy setting up his stall, Xu Hong arrived at the county public security bureau and explained the purpose of his visit.

After the officer on duty read his tip-off letter, he immediately reported the situation to his superiors.

However, in recent days, the entire county’s police force had been overwhelmed by the missing children case. To locate the hiding places of the missing children, the county had not only mobilized all police and armed police but had even drafted a portion of the militia to join the search—leaving no energy to deal with such trivial matters.

Subsequently, higher-ups instructed the officer on duty to inform Xu Hong that the case had been accepted and that they would make an arrest once the investigation was complete.

They also informed Xu Hong that if the report proved true, he would receive a corresponding reward.

Satisfied with this response, Xu Hong left the county police bureau and returned to the educated youth commune with the mushrooms no one wanted.