Chapter 6: The Experienced Driver's Sense of Caution

Seeing the eye-catching headline filled with UC-style tricks, Li Xian couldn't help but smile inwardly.

The second step of the plan was a success!

However, looking at Comrade Old Wang's indignant expression, Li Xian didn't dare show too much joy.

"Cough cough, this is complete nonsense!" Li Xian pretended to look over the newspaper, whose contents he was already familiar with. "Fried foods do cause cancer, but that refers to repeatedly used, lead- and mercury-contaminated waste oil. Uncle Wang, you change the oil you use for frying every day, right?"

"Uh..." Comrade Old Wang hesitated for a moment before finally patting his chest. "Of course, I do!"

Li Xian discreetly put down the fried dough stick in his hand, not wanting to eat it anymore.

"Cough cough, besides, isn't there a saying that life and death are fated, and wealth is in the hands of heaven? Eating fried food a few times doesn't mean you'll get cancer. That's just baseless fearmongering!"

Li Xian continued to reassure Comrade Old Wang.

"Sigh!" Old Wang's eyes widened, feeling that someone had finally spoken some sense.

He excitedly lit a cigarette and said, "You're absolutely right! I like hearing that! I can tell you're an educated man—educated people speak differently, you know? They speak based on facts! This article is complete nonsense; I don't even know how it got published! Talking about fried foods, drinking overly hot water, smoking, staying up late... Damn it! If what they say is true, I've been smoking for fifteen years—yet I'm still perfectly fine!"

At this point, Li Xian noticed that the cigarette Old Wang had just taken a few puffs from was quietly put behind his back. When his greasy hands reappeared, the cigarette had mysteriously disappeared.

Seeing this, Li Xian couldn't help but break into laughter.

...

As it turns out, Li Xian had greatly underestimated the impact of shocking headlines in this era.

After that article was published in the workers' newspaper, the entire forestry bureau system, especially within the various offices, was swept up in a whirlwind.

Once people realized how terrifying cancer was, many men were forced by their wives at home and female colleagues at work to quit smoking. Many who loved playing mahjong would push the table away and leave by 10:30 p.m., the supposed time for liver detoxification. Numerous overweight individuals also started talking about morning exercises to lose weight.

Even more absurdly, some long-tongued gossips dredged up past tales of "my relative" or "my neighbor" who had died under strange circumstances, attributing it all to cancer, embellishing the stories as they went.

For a time, the forestry bureau was in chaos, with everyone fearing cancer like the plague.

Seeing this, Li Xian finally felt at ease and sent his second article to the forestry bureau's Forest Industry Newspaper.

Summer is the off-season for the forestry bureau's production. During this period, the main tasks of the forestry bureau are twofold: one, organizing manpower and resources to repair bridges, pave roads, and upgrade infrastructure in preparation for winter logging; and two, actively promoting agricultural products such as soybeans, pine nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, and other forestry by-products.

Li Xian's article titled "You Absolutely Didn't Know This Unassuming Thing Had Such a Marvelous Use—The Medicinal Value of Walnut Husk!" caught the attention of the newspaper's editor.

In recent years, maximizing the use of forestry resources and effectively integrating the value of forestry by-products had been key tasks for the forestry bureau.

Under this strategy, the forestry bureau had developed products like pine nut milk, ginseng, and dried forest frogs and encouraged various forestry bureaus to use their resources to generate revenue and improve performance.

Li Xian's article undoubtedly hit the bureau's key points.

What's more, walnut husks could supposedly fight cancer?!

During this time of panic, his article was like a refreshing rain shower, quenching the thirst of the forestry bureau!

As expected, though the article didn't make the front page of the Forest Industry Newspaper, it was still prominently featured.

The day after the article was published, Li Xian overheard several hotel employees asking the forest farm guests about walnut husks.

Li Xian knew his opportunity had finally arrived!

Without delay, he checked out of his room and hurried to the bus station.

There was only one bus to Bajiu Forest Farm. Li Xian arrived early and, upon inquiring, learned he still had over an hour to wait.

With nothing else to do, he wandered around the bus station. It was really just a few connected bungalows, with a parking lot the size of a soccer field outside. Passengers had to wait inside the bungalows.

When the bus arrived, someone with a loud voice would naturally shout into the bungalows: "The bus to XXX is leaving! If you're going to XXX, hurry and get on the bus!"

Finding this scene amusing, Li Xian noticed a supply and marketing building next to the bus station. After wandering around and experiencing firsthand what state-run service attitudes were like, he bought half a jin (about 250 grams) of White Rabbit candy.

Returning to the bus station, he squatted in a corner, waiting. Before long, he saw a familiar figure enter from the doorway.

It was Miss Zhou.

Miss Zhou entered the station without lifting her head and murmured quietly like a mosquito: "The bus to Bajiu is leaving… Anyone going to Bajiu… board at the entrance…"

Li Xian couldn't help but chuckle.

Sis! Who else but yourself can even hear that voice?

He immediately stood up and walked over to Miss Zhou, startling her.

"Ah! Li Xian," Miss Zhou exclaimed, a bit surprised and delighted to see him.

Li Xian grinned, pulled out a handful of White Rabbit candy from his pocket, and stuffed it into her hand. "Here, returning the favor."

"No need, no need," Miss Zhou said, cradling the White Rabbit candy in her small hands, shaking her head repeatedly.

Li Xian didn't say anything, took a deep breath, and, using his diaphragm, bellowed into the room: "The bus to Bajiu is leaving! Anyone going to Bajiu? If you don't get on now, you'll have to wait until tomorrow!"

His shout was so loud that it shook the dust off the rafters.

"What's all the yelling for? You nearly deafened us!"

"Are you trying to kill us? We're not deaf, you know!"

Immediately, there were protests from several people.

Li Xian ignored them, glanced around the room to see that no one else was getting up, and then leaned down to gently nudge Miss Zhou, "Alright, it's just me. Let's go!"

Seeing his demeanor, Miss Zhou couldn't help but chuckle and nodded.

Inside the Red Leaf bus, as expected, Li Xian was the only passenger.

The driver, Old Zhou, couldn't help but notice his daughter occasionally sneaking glances at Li Xian, who was seated in the second row. He immediately cleared his throat loudly.

"Hey, Old Li's second son. Don't you get car sick? Come sit up front with me!"

After saying this, he turned to his daughter and instructed, "You've been up since morning. There's no one scheduled for the afternoon shift, so go to the back and take a nap."

Seeing that his daughter hadn't moved, he emphasized, "The very back row!"

Seeing how things were unfolding, Li Xian thought to himself, "Well then… the experienced driver really does have a strong sense of caution!"