Volume 1, Chapter 7: Making Money, Making Money

Chen Yang did not go home, but instead had Li Cheng ride him directly to the riverbank. Five or six young boys were already waiting there, with six large baskets laid out on the ground. They were filled to the brim with fresh mushrooms, sorted carefully by variety. Each one was uniform in size and glistened with a healthy sheen; they were a sight to behold. Despite their usual reputation as local rascals, these boys were remarkably capable when it came to hard work.

"Brother Yang, Brother Cheng, time was a bit tight today, so this is all we could manage," said a chubby boy named Yuan Baoan, whose father was the production team leader.

"You boys have worked hard. I’ll give each of you a yuan when I get back tomorrow. From now on, if there are more mushrooms, I’ll pay you more—enough to make your parents look at you with new respect." To Chen Yang, a mere yuan per person felt a bit stingy for the hundred-plus pounds of mushrooms in the six baskets.

"Brother Yang, you’re too kind! We know you’ve been with the educated youth Huang, so how about you do us a favor and introduce some of the other female educated youths to us?"

"Get the hell out of here!" Chen Yang raised his foot to kick them. He had been disciplining these boys since they were children, and they were used to it. After some playful banter, Chen Yang shared the pack of Red Camellia cigarettes that Liu Guolin had given him. These dear boys hadn't fared well in his previous life, but they had always been loyal to him. Since he had been given a second chance at youth, he felt a responsibility and an obligation to help them succeed. Chen Yang secretly resolved to lift these brothers of his out of their former fates; it would make this rebirth worth the effort.

The night passed without incident. The next morning, after breakfast, Li Cheng brought the horse-drawn cart over. Li Cheng intended to accompany Chen Yang to the county town, but Chen Yang politely declined, using the excuse that he needed to supervise the others in mushroom picking. Chen Yang had no intention of letting Li Cheng tag along; he needed to use these two days to finalize his marriage proposal arrangements.

The six large baskets of mushrooms had held up well overnight, their quality unaffected. Had they been packed in nylon bags, they would have been ruined. Even so, their quality was far superior to anything served at the state-run restaurant. Singing softly to himself, Chen Yang drove the cart for over two hours to reach the state-run restaurant. To his surprise, the manager, Liu Guolin, was already waiting at the entrance. Seeing the cart, he immediately trotted over.

"Oh, my dear Brother Chen Yang, I’ve been waiting so anxiously for you!"

Seeing Liu Guolin on the verge of tears, Chen Yang asked, puzzled, "Manager Liu, what’s the matter?"

"It’s nothing, just excitement! If you hadn't come today, my career as a manager would have been over." It turned out that the basket of mushrooms Chen Yang had brought yesterday had been a smash hit. The "Forest Stir-fry" had single-handedly boosted the restaurant's revenue. Many county officials had come specifically for it, but due to the limited supply, many had missed out and were already complaining, vowing to return today. If Liu Guolin couldn't produce the same quality of mushrooms, his position would be in jeopardy. With high-ranking officials demanding the dish, it was no wonder the manager was so desperate.

Truth be told, Chen Yang knew his mushrooms would sell, but he hadn't expected such a frenzy. These things were abundant in the mountains; they just lacked a market before. But based on the current situation, mushrooms alone could make him a wealthy man in this era. He had been worried that two days would be too short to prepare the betrothal gifts, but it was clear now that his concerns were unnecessary.

"Now, Brother Liu, don't say that. My word is my bond. Even if it were raining knives, I’d still get these mushrooms to you. There’s quite a bit more than yesterday. Take a look!" He uncovered the baskets, revealing the six brimming loads.

"Good, good! This is absolutely perfect!" Liu Guolin said, stroking the oily, fresh mushrooms with an affection he likely didn't show his own wife.

"Brother Liu, why don't you have someone weigh them?" Chen Yang said with a smile. After the settlement, he still had to head to the supply and marketing cooperative. Yesterday he had bought staples like rice, flour, and oil, but today he needed to procure other items. He was planning to head to the educated youth dorms tomorrow night to formally propose, so getting everything ready was his top priority.

"Done! Brother, go inside and sit. I'll have them weigh these up!" Liu Guolin personally escorted Chen Yang into the restaurant and brought him a glass bottle of orange soda. Chen Yang truly missed the taste of such drinks from this era. He downed it in one go—it was incredibly refreshing. Liu Guolin, thinking he loved it, quickly brought him several more, then sat down beside him to share a cigarette and chat.

Within fifteen minutes, the six baskets were weighed. At 127 pounds, Chen Yang was stunned when Liu Guolin handed him 440 yuan. In this era, 440 yuan was a small fortune—enough to build a decent house.

"Brother Liu, why so much money?" Chen Yang didn't reach for the cash, looking at Liu Guolin with suspicion.

"Brother, many of these are top-tier goods. The monkey head mushrooms and bamboo fungus are rare, and you have quite a lot of them. I feel like I'm underpaying you as it is. Don't worry, just take it." Liu Guolin shoved the money into Chen Yang's hands; it wasn't his own money, after all. The leadership was extremely satisfied, and he had even used the ingredients to develop several other high-priced mushroom dishes. With the high prices he was charging, 400 yuan was nothing; a few tables of guests would recoup the cost easily. Liu Guolin’s only fear now was that Chen Yang would stop supplying him. If the supply dried up, so would his own success. Maintaining this relationship was his top priority.

Seeing the sincerity, Chen Yang accepted the money. It felt heavy in his hands. At this rate, he would be the first person in his village to have a thousand yuan in savings within a day.

"Brother, keep bringing me as many as you can find, and I promise you’ll never be at a loss." Liu Guolin then slipped him a carton of Red Camellia cigarettes.

"Don't worry, Brother Liu. Tomorrow’s volume will be even larger than today’s. Supply will be no problem at all."

"With you handling it, I have nothing to worry about!"

With that, the two men shook hands firmly.