Chapter 48: Double Standards

The iron roof cover was originally something Li Xian intended to introduce alongside the exterior wall tiling. However, due to the limited manpower of the renovation team, it was postponed for the time being.

Now that the exterior wall business had slowed down, Li Xian decided to deploy this new technique to further stimulate the development of the renovation business.

After explaining the iron roof cover concept and ensuring everyone understood it, the group felt reassured.

Residents in the forest area can generally be divided into two types:

1. **Original Settlers**: These people were already living there when the forest was developed and are considered official employees of the forest area. They receive a salary from the forest all year round and have some amount of farmland.

2. **Migrants**: These individuals moved in later. Although their descendants are now nominally registered in the forest area, they didn't receive any land initially due to registration issues. They had to cultivate some hilly land through later reclamation.

What is hilly land?

It refers to the barren mountain tops left after the forest trees were removed. With the help of oxen, tractors, or manual labor, the deep tree roots are pulled out, and the land is cultivated. Such land doesn't retain water and is difficult to access with vehicles.

Farming on such land yields poor results.

When recruiting workers, Li Xian had asked Wang Qinghe to find people from this category. Normally, by October, with the harvest season approaching, these workers would finish their limited farming tasks and then work short-term jobs for families with more land in the forest area.

Working for over a month, they could earn around one hundred to one hundred eighty yuan. Previously, this was considered a decent side income. However, compared to renovation work, it was no longer very attractive to people.

Initially, there were concerns that once the renovation team finished their current jobs, there wouldn't be any subsequent work. But with the introduction of the new iron roof cover business, everyone was no longer worried about future job opportunities and income.

The group was overjoyed, expressing their gratitude profusely and flattering Li Xian with exaggerated praise before going their separate ways.

However, Wang Qinghe and his brothers stayed behind.

The six brothers from the Wang family were key members of the renovation team, earning over two thousand yuan in total. Compared to their previous situation, this income directly moved them into a middle-class bracket!

Grateful for the opportunity Li Xian had given them, the brothers insisted on buying alcohol and meat to treat Li Xian.

Li Xian refused their offer, pointing out that since his family was currently busy with the new house construction, he already had plenty of food and drink. He invited Zou Ni to prepare a few simple dishes.

The brothers, being straightforward, had become very close to Li Xian after he resolved the issues with Li Qing and Wang Feng. Even though Li Xian was the driving force behind the renovation business, the Wang brothers had worked hard to complete over sixty tasks in just over a month.

Li Xian was well aware of their efforts.

Before the meal was ready, the elderly Li Daoyun, Li Jie, and Li Lingling had all returned home. Seeing the meat on the table, the old man and Li Lingling, the youngest, expressed their disapproval.

"Daughter-in-law, excessive meat is not good for your health."

"Yes, eating meat all the time is greasy and sickening!"

Seeing the elderly couple complain about the good food, Li Xian couldn't help but laugh. Just a month ago, they rarely had meat even once every ten days. Now, things had changed…

Even Zou Ni complained about the two being hard to please and ended up cooking scrambled eggs with chives.

…

The meal lasted until it was pitch dark. The Wang brothers, now slightly drunk, finally went home.

In the new house, the heated bed had just been finished and still smelled faintly of earth. Under the dim lightbulb, the family gathered together.

Li You, having rolled a cigarette from a tobacco pouch, approached the dozing Li Xian on the bed and asked, "Er, you spent a lot on wages today. Tell me, how much did you make from the renovation work this month?"

Li Xian, a bit tipsy, took a moment to respond. After some thought and deciding not to mention the extra income from the cement and tile factories to avoid alarming his family, he said, "After deducting all expenses, around twenty thousand yuan."

Even so, this amount shocked the entire family!

Li Jie sat up straight from the bench, exclaiming, "What? Big Brother, you earned so much in just twenty days?"

Li Daoyun stroked his beard and clicked his tongue, "You're a lucky rascal, we've become wealthy now!"

Li Lingling, counting with her fingers and not understanding the unit of ten thousand, kept asking if twenty thousand could buy a lot of candy.

Li You, holding a lit match and forgetting to light his cigarette, exhaled and remarked, "Good heavens, I thought you were just messing around, but you've raised a golden goose!"

Zou Ni, though excited, had another concern: "Er, since the business is doing so well, and Wang's brothers have earned a lot, why not bring your elder brother along once he's done with the fields next month?"

Upon hearing this request, Li Xian hesitated.

Although he had repaired his relationship with Wang Feng, he didn't think highly of his current elder brother due to the decades-old impression of Wang Feng. Even if there were signs of change, he couldn't easily shift his feelings. Moreover, he didn't agree with Li Qing's handling of family matters.

Just considering the situation now, with the new house completed and Li Qing and Wang Feng's relationship mended, Li Lingling still hadn't been brought back from her grandparents' home.

Given this, Li Xian felt his elder brother lacked responsibility and wasn't someone reliable. Hence, he preferred to rely on the Wang brothers rather than involve Li Qing in the renovation team.

"Let's talk about it later. There aren't many good jobs for big brother with the renovation team right now. Besides, the fire prevention season is coming up, and he's in the forest protection team. He might not be available if we assign him work now."

Li Xian patted Li Lingling, who was lying on him, and turned over.

Zou Ni wasn't siding with Li Qing; as a mother, she was concerned about her child's well-being. However, with Li Xian's firm refusal, she had no choice but to accept it.

The family chatted about their newfound prosperity for a while. When they glanced at the wall clock, it was already 7:30. Li Jie, unable to sit still, made an excuse about needing to finish a manuscript and hurried off to the broadcast room.

Li Xian, who was lying on the bed and not yet asleep, couldn't help but laugh at the weak excuse.

Li Jie, blushing from embarrassment, shot a glare at her second brother before quickly leaving.

Watching her go, Zou Ni gritted her teeth, "That girl!"

Li You puffed on his cigarette and sighed, "The young man is alright. Just leave it."

"Everyone says you can't keep a daughter, but this is the first time I've seen someone pushing their own child away! You, as a father, don't care. I wonder how you'll handle things if there's trouble later!" Zou Ni picked up the broom and gave the floor a few sharp sweeps.

At that moment, a cat-like voice came from the door.

"Um… Is Brother Xian home?"

Zou Ni, holding the broom, peered outside and immediately lost her anger, "Oh, it's the Zhou family girl. Come in!"

She went to the door and pulled the timid Zhou Yun inside.

Zhou Yun, feeling awkward in front of everyone, clasped her hands and didn't dare to look up. Seeing Li Xian lying on the bed, she spoke softly, "Brother Xian, I, I have something I'd like to discuss with you. I'm not sure if it's convenient for you to come out…"

Before the drowsy Li Xian could respond, Zou Ni threw the broom down and said, "Of course it's convenient! Why wouldn't it be? Er, look, Zhou Yun is here. Why are you still lying on the bed? Get up quickly!"

Li Xian, still half-asleep, was pulled up by Zou Ni. Seeing Zhou Yun had come to visit him late at night, he was a bit confused. However, encouraged by Zou Ni, he scratched his head, put on his shoes, and went outside.

In the house, seeing Li Xian and Zhou Yun walking out of the yard side by side, Zou Ni was overjoyed.

"That girl from the Zhou family is quite good!"

On the bed, the elderly Li Daoyun, rolling a cigarette from a tobacco pouch, curled his lip, "You criticize your own daughter for going out at night, but you're pleased when someone else's daughter visits. What kind of thinking is that?"

Zou Ni chuckled and, for once, retorted her father-in-law.

"That's not the same at all!"