Chickens and dogs fly in chaos and rebirth

Chapter 8

Despite her thoughts, when she set off with Aunt Li the next day, Shanglin was hampered by the lack of handcuffs and couldn't successfully handcuff Xialin. She had gotten up very early that morning to prepare, and thankfully Aunt Li started work almost an hour later than her family, allowing her to discreetly prepare half a bucket of juice. Before Aunt Li even came to call her, she had already checked on them two or three times; Aunt Li's family was still having breakfast!

When she finally finished tidying up and came to call the two children, she was stunned. The two children were struggling to drag a bucket of water outside. Although the bucket wasn't big, it made Shanglin hate her age. If she were a few years older and taller, she wouldn't need to exert so much effort!

Aunt Li, pushing her bicycle, quickly propped it up and walked over, easily lifting it up: "What are you doing?"

Shang Lin chuckled, touching his nose a little embarrassed: "A little drink, could you please take it to the market, auntie?"

Although Aunt Li was puzzled, she had both children with her and didn't care about the small amount of stuff. She helped find a plank to place on the back seat and tied it securely with rope, so there was no need to worry about it tipping over.

She walked along, filled with curiosity; the eldest daughter of the Qiu family had really changed a lot!

It was only a little past nine o'clock when the market opened, and some vendors had already set up their stalls, but there were hardly any customers. Shanglin knew that people wouldn't come out to the market until at least ten o'clock, arriving around eleven o'clock, and the market would basically disperse by two o'clock in the afternoon. This was a habit that people had formed over many years, and neither wind, rain, thunder, lightning, nor scorching heat could make them come early or late.

The markets of the late 1990s were far less bustling than they are today. She recalled returning to her hometown once after graduating from university; the market was teeming with people, and the vendors lined up in long rows, many of them regulars, not to mention the farmers who came on a whim to sell vegetables and fruits. While the markets today still have many vendors, the variety of goods sold is far less than in later years. Here, agriculture remains the foundation, and commerce is secondary.

Aunt Li had assumed the siblings were just there for the lively market, and she was introducing things along the way. However, Shanglin only glanced at the items with interest and didn't squeal or reach for the trinkets they rarely saw in the village, unlike the other children. Xialin, on the other hand, was much more well-behaved. His mischievous eyes darted around, drooling over the food, but he didn't dare leave Qiu Shanglin's side for a second.

First, Shanglin promised to comfort him; second, she strictly stipulated the precautions and code of conduct for today; third... the hemp rope was firmly connected to the siblings' clothes, and not just one, but three! Even if he wanted to run away, he couldn't!

Aunt Li's sister's shop is located in the very center of the market, a good location. It sells daily necessities such as cigarettes, alcohol, candy, and tea. It's not too busy, and one person can manage it. However, Aunt Li's sister is sick and unable to take care of the shop, so she asked her younger sister to help.

After getting Aunt Li's permission, Shanglin placed the bucket at the shop entrance, then took out some paper she had prepared beforehand, pasted it onto the wooden board, and set the board aside. She had only brought one cup this time, and considering hygiene, she had to borrow a basin and water from Aunt Li to wash the cup whenever needed. She also begged her to fetch a bucket of well water from the cultural compound—the well water there was sweet and palatable, even drinkable.

She brought unprocessed concentrated fruit puree, which needs to be diluted with water and sugar.

By the time everything was ready, it was almost ten o'clock. People from all around began to arrive at the market, and the market gradually became bustling and lively. Aunt Li, busy as she was, couldn't pay attention to what was happening outside. She could only tell Shanglin not to wander off and to keep an eye on her younger brother. But how could she wander off? She had to protect her precious little brother who was earning her money!

As for Xia Lin, he stayed obediently by his sister's side, but he couldn't get enough of looking at her.

To outsiders, they were a strange pair. Two children, around three or four years old, were guarding a large bucket, with a sign on a wooden board next to them that read: "Latest Drink—Juice!"

Below that, a few smaller characters were written: "Quench thirst and prevent heatstroke."

This is so novel! They've all heard of beverages, but what is fruit juice? And it can quench thirst and prevent heatstroke?

Soon someone came up to ask, a middle-aged man wearing glasses, who was very kind: "Children, where are your parents?"

Shanglin pointed to Aunt Li, who was busy inside: "Busy!"

It's always good to be cautious. A seemingly respectable person isn't necessarily a good one! I'm still young, even though my mental age is twenty-seven. But who knows if he's a thief, swindler, or human trafficker? It's always better to be careful. As for lying... in this day and age, who doesn't tell a dozen or twenty lies every day?

She wronged the middle-aged man. Lin Tongmao was a primary school teacher in the town and had a natural fondness for children, which is why he was curious about the brother and sister and then became concerned about them.

He nodded and continued kindly, "What's your name? Are you in school?"

Shang Lin, on guard, pulled Qiu Xia Lin behind him and looked him over suspiciously: "What's it to you—are you buying juice or not? If not, don't block people's way!"

Lin Tongmao was taken aback, not expecting this seemingly unremarkable young girl to speak so sharply and methodically. He immediately laughed:

"Okay, okay, I'll buy it, how much is your juice?"

Upon hearing that he wanted to buy it, Shanglin immediately changed his attitude, eagerly taking out a cup and waving it in front of him: "Five cents a cup. Rich in Vitamin C, good for your health and nutrition, guaranteed to quench your thirst and keep you full!"

Lin Tongmao was taken aback again, repeating in disbelief, "Five cents a cup?"

The cup she was waving in her hand was barely bigger than a child's toy cup... What era is this? 1986! Two cents for a candy, ten cents for a cream popsicle, and even the cheapest popsicles only cost five cents! A cup of water, five cents, and not much at all...

Before he could hesitate, Shang Lin had already deftly scooped a glass of juice and handed it to him, smiling sweetly: "I guarantee you'll want a second glass after you finish one!"

Lin Tongmao shook his head helplessly, took out five cents and handed it to her, then took the cup and drank it all in one gulp.

I must say, it's really delicious! Sweet and sour, incredibly refreshing, especially amidst the chaotic haggling; a sip on a hot day is so cooling and comforting! It's a shame the cup is too small. After thinking for a moment, I took out another five cents and handed it to her, saying:

"Another one, please."

Shang Lin chuckled and poured him a cup, beaming with pride: "Delicious, isn't it? This is a drink you can only get in big cities!"

What she said wasn't entirely a lie; in those days, juice was indeed only available in big cities—no, maybe there wasn't even juice available now!

With the opening of the store, curious merchants from all around flocked to sample the fresh fruit juice, especially parents with young children. Unable to resist their children's curiosity, and having only come to the market once in a while, they all took out their money to try something new. Although there weren't many wealthy people in the village, there were plenty in the town.

The sheer number of nearby merchants who flocked to the market kept Shanglin incredibly busy, leaving no need for the water he had prepared to wash the cups. People at that time had relatively poor hygiene awareness and didn't care whether they shared cups. By the time the market was nearing its end, Shanglin had sold a total of forty-six cups of juice.

In other words, half a bucket of concentrated fruit pulp diluted with water produced a total of forty-nine cups of juice—Shanglin and Xialin each drank one, and gave one to Aunt Li. Her small schoolbag contained two hundred and thirty cents, which is two yuan and thirty cents! Dad was a regular worker, earning only twenty-eight yuan a month, while Zhang Hongwei, a temporary worker, earned even less, just nineteen yuan and fifty cents! In other words, Qiu Jianguo's daily wage was only a little over ninety cents, and Qiu Shanglin earned two days' wages in less than half a day!

While Shanglin was overjoyed, he was also soberly aware that selling juice using traditional methods could only last for a short time, not forever. Not to mention forever, probably within a month, people would follow suit. After all, the production process of juice is not difficult, and the number of people who want to buy it is even smaller. Most people are just trying it out of curiosity, and few businesses can afford to have them buy it every day!

As she walked home with the villagers who had come to the market, she pondered: The custom is to hold two markets every five days, one large and one small. Today is the town's large market, and there are many people. The next market won't start for at least two days. Considering the purchasing power of the villagers, she might not be able to sell forty-nine cups. Perhaps she could consider lowering the price, like three cents a cup? When there's no market, she could sell them near the elementary school or middle school; there are many children there, and most of them have some money…

Ignoring his sister's schemes, Xia Lin happily licked the popsicles he had just bought. The popsicles were the cheapest large ice cubes, five cents each, the same price as juice. His family rarely bought them for him, but his sister was generous, buying two at once and giving them to him instead of eating them herself.

The previous popsicle was already finished, and this one was almost melting, but Xia Lin still couldn't bear to eat it in just a few bites, carefully licking it little by little. Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of a figure out of the corner of his eye, startled, and nearly dropped the popsicle. He quickly hid behind his sister, timidly calling out:

"Sister, sister, look!"

Shanglin turned around and followed the trail. A small child was sitting on a donkey cart. They looked at each other for a few seconds, then quickly turned their heads away.

She asked, puzzled, "What's wrong?"

Xia Lin said, "It's him, the brat who beat me up at Grandma's!"

Oh, Shanglin suddenly realized, so that was the culprit, the scoundrel who called for help when he couldn't beat them himself! Seeing his younger brother cowering behind him in fear, he gently coaxed him:

"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. He can't beat you. You're a man. If he dares to bully you again, just beat him up!"

Xia Lin had planned to ask his sister for help in getting revenge, but she only offered a few words of advice and showed no intention of helping him. Thinking back to the humiliation he had suffered that day, anger surged within him, and he roared:

I'll beat you to death!

Holding his popsicle, he charged forward. He forgot one thing: his coat was still tucked in with his sister's! He rushed backward, but Shanglin didn't stop, continuing forward. The two pulled and tugged at each other. Xialin lost his balance, his bold words barely out before he collapsed to the ground, his popsicle shattering into pieces. Shanglin, more stable, only stumbled, quickly catching the villager. With a tearing sound, both their coats ripped open…

Shang Lin stared blankly at him lying on the ground, motionless for a long time.

The villagers who had been entrusted by Aunt Li to look after them on their way back to the village saw what was happening and quickly helped Xia Lin up, asking repeatedly, "Are you hurt? Are you hurt?"

Xia Lin stared blankly at the ground, remaining silent for a long time, which frightened the villagers, who were afraid that he might fall and get seriously injured again.

As he was touching and examining it, he suddenly burst into tears and wailed, "My popsicle! My popsicle..."

Several people were left speechless, not knowing whether to laugh or cry!

Shanglin quickly coaxed him, "I'll buy you another one!"

This was just a minor incident. What Shang Lin didn't expect was that Chou Dan, who had come to the market with the adults in his family, returned home and reported everything he had seen and heard to Yin Yeyao. Yin Yeyao's expression was inscrutable, and she only asked, "She's doing business?"

burrs

The money-making juice plan was abandoned halfway through after a few days.

The reason was simple: when the siblings were making the juice, they accidentally spilled some hot juice. Shanglin was afraid of burning her younger brother, so she pushed him away. However, she was not careful because she was wearing sandals and burned her little tender foot, leaving it red and swollen.

When Zhang Hongwei returned home after being informed by a neighbor, she was shocked to find Qiu Xialin crying loudly beside her sister; Qiu Shanglin was sitting on a small chair that a neighbor had helped set up, her toes hanging out to dry, sweating profusely from the pain, and hissing in pain; the stove and pots in front of her house were overturned, and thick fruit juice was spilled all over the ground. She rushed to Shanglin in a few steps, furious.

"I told you to behave and stop messing around, what are you doing!"

With a roar like a lioness from the east of the river, he skillfully and swiftly found her buttocks and slapped them down.

Xia Lin froze for a moment, watching his mother hit his sister. His sister was hissing and gasping for breath in pain when a meat pie flew in from the sky. She was clearly still in shock, her face blank. His mother had no intention of showing any mercy, and another slap landed immediately. Xia Lin grinned and then burst into a loud wail, startling the adults in the yard. The sound was so loud it seemed to reach the heavens.

"Waaaaah, don't hit my sister, don't hit my sister..."

He was used to protecting his sister, but he dared not object due to his mother's long-standing authority. If it were just anyone daring to beat up Shanglin, Xialin would probably have already charged at them, but right now... he assessed the situation and decided to continue howling; getting close to the enemy would be unwise!

Zhang Hongwei was both angry and amused. Just as she raised her hand, her neighbor, Grandma Li, who was standing on tiptoe, quickly grabbed her: "Mother of the child, please don't hit him, it hurts the child!"

She coaxed and pleaded with her, finally managing to pull her away from Shanglin. Zhang Hongwei was both amused and exasperated. She had only wanted to check on Shanglin's injuries, and she felt bad for slapping her twice! But Grandma Li was an elderly woman with bound feet, and she was pulling and dragging her so forcefully that Zhang Hongwei couldn't very well refuse her kindness. What if she used too much force and hurt the old woman? That would be so distressing.

Grandma Li then pressed him down onto a bench in the yard, where he glared angrily at Shanglin.

This child is strange; he didn't cry or scream after being hit. He just stared at me with pitiful, wide-eyed eyes, blinking and looking utterly pathetic. Zhang Hongwei couldn't help but feel sorry for him again, looking at his little feet, so scalded...

With a tender sigh, she blew on the wind, soothingly asking, "Does it hurt?"

Shang Lin gritted his teeth: "It doesn't hurt."

Zhang Hongwei felt both distressed and amused: "You're so stubborn! Your scalded body is practically a pig's trotter, and you still say it doesn't hurt!"

Xia Lin clapped his hands and spun around, shouting, "Oh, pig's trotters, pig's trotters!"

Shang Lin glared at him, then pleaded softly, "Mom, I'm really fine."

"Nothing wrong? Luckily nothing happened. If something had happened, would you even want your leg?" Zhang Hongwei was furious when he heard her say that.

She knew her son was causing trouble at home, but considering he was still young and eager to play, and that a few peaches weren't worth much, she could keep her younger brother at home too. She knew that the worst thing about summer was boys gathering in groups to swim in the river. Although rural children weren't as particular or delicate, how many drowned in the river every year? Xia Lin was too young to play in deep water, usually only splashing around in the shallows, but who knew he might slip in? Shang Lin was only a year older, and even if he was strong, he only had two eyes; how could she watch him every second?

With this in mind, Zhang Hongwei never forbade Shanglin from doing what he wanted. As for when Shanglin went to the market with his neighbor Aunt Li, and Aunt Li told her about the boy selling juice that night, she didn't really take it seriously.

After all, Aunt Li was busy running the shop. Although she knew many people bought things out of curiosity, she didn't know exactly how much Shanglin could sell in a day. She assumed that Zhang Hongwei and his wife had orchestrated this, and even said that they were good at raising their children and had a good head for business!

To be honest, Zhang Hongwei was unhappy to hear this—after all, Qiu Jianguo was a proper worker, and as for business acumen? Who would respect him?

It's not that she was backward; in the 1980s, doing business was quite controversial in economically underdeveloped areas. On the one hand, people envied those who did business for having lots of money to spend, but on the other hand, they were proud of their status and unwilling to give up their secure jobs, feeling that private business owners were inferior.

She and her husband jokingly asked Shanglin how many cents he had earned.

In her heart, earning even a few cents was already a great achievement! While other children played house... she was sensible; she didn't squander the money she earned, but bought a pen to learn to write. She asked her cousin for a first-grade textbook, and when she got home, she learned each character one by one, then taught her younger brother. Shanglin, though seemingly less intelligent than Xialin, was twice as good at studying! And in just a few days, she had learned dozens of characters!

Seeing her mother lost in thought and her expression soften slightly, Shanglin quickly pleaded, "Mom, let me continue selling."