Chapter 9: A Different Kind of Excitement

The old man couldn't understand why the walnut skins, which were everywhere in the mountains in August, could sell for such a price. It was like an ant in a two-dimensional world encountering a finger from a three-dimensional world—utterly baffling. The only response was to grumble and spin in confusion.

Muttering about how times had changed, the old farmer packed up the few eggs he hadn't sold all day and left with his wife.

Watching their retreating figures, Li Xian shook his head.

Indeed, times had changed.

After decades of reform and further change, the era had become like a volcano—internally tumultuous and restrained, yet ready to erupt at any moment.

In this era, a small group of pioneers, with either awakened or semi-awakened minds, had achieved things that many still-unawakened people found incredible.

Some had used seemingly worthless canned goods and supplies, which couldn't even be sold domestically, to trade for large transport planes from Russia, making millions in profit.

Others saw future trends and began to pursue profits in ways unknown to others and even themselves, spending lavishly in the stock exchange.

Some had printed "Grand Prize" on soda can pull tabs and were making a fortune in major train stations.

In southern coastal cities, advertisements plastered on streets and alleys sought "Shanghai wealthy merchants willing to pay a fortune for a child."

Good or bad, everything was changing people's perceptions, stimulating old and suppressed desires.

This was an era of gold!

But it was also an era of elimination. In this wave, those who could adapt to the times and survive would become the elite of the next decades. However, those who failed to join the wave would never again encounter such opportunities in their lifetimes.

As he watched the old man's back disappear, Li Xian felt a mix of emotions.

He looked up at the mountains stretching out in the sunset.

His father's generation had missed this earth-shattering transformation in what seemed like a comfortable but actually isolated environment.

The money in his hand had become sticky from sweat, a reminder of the effort he had put in.

In such an era, having a mindset and awareness different from the times was his greatest asset.

"No matter what, I will live well for you. In this era, let's make a different kind of brilliance!"

He touched his face and silently vowed to his uncle, whom he saw every day but could say he had never truly met.

"Second Brother?"

Seeing Li Xian staring silently at the departing old man, Li Pi tugged at his sleeve, "What's wrong?"

Li Xian snapped back to reality, stuffed the stack of bills into his pocket, and kicked Li Pi's backside with a smile, "Nothing, let's go home! We'll continue tomorrow. Let's aim to sell all the walnut skins within three days!"

"Alright!" Li Pi grinned, his smile particularly bright.

The rugged mountain roads took the two brothers on a night journey back. That night, the moon was exceptionally bright.

For three consecutive days, Li Xian and Li Pi worked from dawn till late at night. Every day, they set out with their dilapidated tricycle before dawn and returned in the middle of the night.

To avoid disturbing their family, Li Xian and Li Pi decided to stay at Aunt Ma's house.

It was incredibly hard work, but the results were remarkable. The walnut skins in Aunt Ma's yard diminished by half each day, and the thickness of the money in Li Xian's pockets grew rapidly.

Finally, on the fourth day of the big selling plan, the last batch of walnut skins was loaded onto the truck.

After saying goodbye to the ever-curious Aunt Ma, who kept asking where the walnut skins were going, the brothers transported the last batch to the forestry bureau.

After two days of selling, nearly everyone in the forestry bureau knew about Li Xian's stall. Now, most of the buyers were employees from various departments, coming in groups, making it easy to sell the remaining half-truck of walnut skins.

In just one morning, the walnut skins in the truck bed were nearly gone.

The weather seemed like it was about to rain, stiflingly hot. Li Xian, sweating profusely, wiped his face with a towel while packing six pounds of walnut skins into a woman's bag.

"Little brother, you're selling this stuff, so tell me honestly. Can this really prevent cancer?"

Faced with the woman's question, Li Xian smiled broadly, "Sister, it does have some effect, but to stay healthy, it's crucial to adjust your lifestyle. For example, eat lightly, avoid salty and preserved foods, get regular and sufficient sleep, quit smoking and drinking, and exercise more. Simply put, walnut skins are like an antiviral supplement. But whether you catch a cold or not depends on your own awareness of the weather. It's a way to ease your mind and give you some peace of mind."

After several busy days, the stockpile of walnut skins was nearly sold out.

This inconspicuous item had become quite popular in the forestry bureau this year. The Berry Research Institute there had already begun developing its medicinal value. The booming business had also attracted much envy.

Li Xian believed that if the walnut skins weren't monopolized by the forestry bureau next year, they wouldn't become a hot commodity.

So, he saw this as a one-time deal. With the business nearing its end, he rarely spoke the truth to the people.

Hearing his explanation, the woman nodded thoughtfully, quickly took back the ten yuan from Li Xian's hand, and said, "Then I don't want it."

Oh, people really shouldn't be too honest!

Seeing the woman pour the walnut skins from her bag back into the sack, Li Xian felt like giving himself a smack.

At this moment, there were still about ten people around the tricycle. After hearing Li Xian's comments, their enthusiasm waned, and several of them turned and left.

But among the crowd, a tall girl pushed through the departing group and approached Li Xian.

"You're quite honest."

The girl's skin was very fair. From her attire, Li Xian guessed she was probably quite wealthy.

Her skinny jeans were still rare at this time, and her Nike sportswear, often seen in Hong Kong films, was a rarity in the relatively isolated Longjiang area.

Especially in the forestry bureau, a place where even birds wouldn't come.

The girl's expression was very neutral, making it hard for Li Xian to tell if she was complimenting or mocking him.

"Miss, would you like to buy some walnut skins?"

The girl clearly wasn't fond of being called "Miss." She frowned and went straight to the point, "How much do you have left?"

Li Xian looked at the sack at his feet, "About thirty to forty pounds."

"I'll take all of it."

The girl pulled out a blue hundred-yuan note and handed it to Li Xian.

Wow! A wealthy woman!

Seeing the hundred-yuan note, Li Xian felt a sudden urge to be pampered.