Chapter 158: Old Zhu's Liquor Solves All Sorrows

"Clutching a small bag, wearing a big black mink, driving a Santana, drinking Old Zhu's liquor!" 

Not only was this catchy slogan seen everywhere on big walls, but the children running around the streets would also occasionally shout it out.

This full-spectrum auditory and visual bombardment left a deep impression of "Old Zhu's Liquor" on people's minds in a very short time.

Although the slogan was straightforward, it struck a chord deeply with people's hearts.

Times have changed. Previously, the average family in Bangye County only felt happy if they could have rice and noodles at every meal, had some vegetables on the table, didn't need to eat pickled vegetables, had warm clothes, and owned a bicycle. That was considered a good life.

But now, things are different. Although there aren't many bosses or executives seen in the Bangye County town, images of wealthy people have gradually increased on television.

The small bag under the arm, the big mobile phone, the car, and the mink coat have slowly become symbols of wealth.

So the first three lines of the slogan, "Clutching a small bag, wearing a big mink, driving a Santana," represent the best life that ordinary people can imagine.

Even though no one knew what Old Zhu's liquor was, just being mentioned alongside the first three items elevated the status of the liquor to a higher level!

Such catchy slogans, combined with frequent auditory and visual bombardment and many people's inherent hope for a better future, caused many of Bangye's men to dream sweet dreams at night.

Just as people were being completely brainwashed by this slogan, Old Zhu's liquor was officially launched.

On the shelves of various stores, the transparent glass bottles of one-pound liquor appeared one after another. On them, in simple white and red lettering, were seven large characters—Old Zhu's Liquor, Made in Bangye.

---

Liu Mantun worked at the Bangye Brick Factory. In his forties, as the saying goes, "Thirty stands firm, forty knows no doubts," but that only applies to scholars, not to common people.

As Liu Mantun grew older, he felt increasingly frustrated.

His health was deteriorating.

When Liu Mantun was young, his family was poor, his parents died early, and he never married, becoming a humble errand boy.

Later, a neighbor who worked at the brick factory injured his back while working and couldn't get up. The widow at home had no livelihood, and she often showed interest in Liu Mantun. One night, she slipped into his bed, and from then on, Liu Mantun left the errand boy job and started working as a companion for her.

After more than ten years, Liu Mantun handed over his monthly salary to the widow and lived together with her.

Eventually, the widow had a son who, although not surnamed Liu, looked just like Liu Mantun.

Life went on like this.

Everyone in the neighborhood knew about their situation. Although people didn't openly talk about it, they often gossiped in whispers.

Today, after finishing work, Liu Mantun went to a small shop near his home to buy cigarettes. As he was about to leave, Old Wang, the shopkeeper, called him, "Mantun, it's the fifteenth today, time to get paid, right? You earn so much every month; don't just spend it on supporting someone else's child. Treat yourself well. The new liquor just came in, want a bottle?"

Recently, the factory hadn't paid wages, and Liu Mantun was worried about how to explain this to the widow. He had no interest in drinking. He shook his head and walked back.

"Mantun, this is good liquor! Clutching a small bag, wearing a mink, driving a Santana, drinking Old Zhu's liquor! This is what I'm selling! Only two bucks a bottle. Want to try one?"

"Don't be ridiculous. I don't have a bag, can't afford a mink, and don't have a car. What's the point of drinking cheap liquor?" Liu Mantun lit a cigarette and waved his hand.

"Come on! Drinking makes you feel like you have everything!" Old Wang said, trying to persuade him.

Liu Mantun hesitated for a moment, waved his hand, and left.

But as soon as he stepped out, he turned back to the small shop, pulled out four fifty-cent bills from a crumpled stack, and bought a bottle of liquor. He sauntered home with it.

That evening, although it was the fifteenth, the widow didn't come because she thought the money Liu Mantun brought wasn't enough to support the family.

The long night dragged on. Liu Mantun drank the bottle of liquor with a plate of peanuts. The liquor was strong, and Liu Mantun fell asleep without even turning off the light.

In his dream, Liu Mantun imagined he had become wealthy.

Clutching a small bag under his arm, he kicked his workshop supervisor into a ditch and then drove home in a small car.

At home, there were many children, all looking like him. No matter how he called them uncles, they all called him dad.

---

Originally, Old Zhu was worried about the large-scale liquor production. He feared that small liquor might not sell well and that he'd have nowhere to store the surplus.

He didn't think much of Li Xian's method of raising costs by bottling rather than sending bulk to wholesalers. But as days passed, he became increasingly busy. More and more small shops lined up to buy liquor, and the voices of those waiting impatiently grew louder. He realized he had hit the jackpot and met a benefactor!

In his lifetime of making small liquor, from supplying state-run stores to the Hai Lin Supply and Marketing Cooperative, he had never seen such a day when he could make over five thousand a day!

Happy as he was, seeing his third daughter sweating profusely while working in the distillery made Old Zhu furious.

After taking the sorghum out of the pot, he snatched the sieve from Zhu Juan's hands and slapped her on the forehead. "You silly girl, why are you meddling in men's work?"

"Dad, the neighbor's women are also working in the distillery. If they can do it, why can't I?" Zhu Juan said, feeling wronged.

Seeing his daughter's grievance, Old Zhu was even more exasperated. He said, "They've had children. How many have you had?"

"…" Zhu Juan was left speechless, almost choked. After a while, she asked, "What should I do then, Dad?"

"Do something a young girl should do. Dress up and tidy yourself up! You don't look like an unmarried girl at all." Old Zhu lectured her and then added quietly, "Go see what Li Xian is doing at home. Help him out, clean the house. Learn a thing or two. Endure!"

Hearing this, Zhu Juan turned and left the distillery.

---

In recent days, Li Xian had been bothered by the children.

Since he started using a pack of White Rabbit candy and storytelling to encourage these kids to shout slogans all over the streets, they had become attached to him.

In these poor families, there weren't many entertainment options. Although black-and-white TVs were common, poor families still couldn't afford the expense. So the cheapest entertainment was procreation between husband and wife.

Pig Hair Village had many children. With less than a hundred households, there were sixty or seventy kids aged five to eight.

Recently, the children had become addicted to candy and blocked Li Xian's house every day. If he didn't give them candy, they would pester him for stories.

Even when given candy, they wouldn't leave until Li Xian told them scary stories that were oddly fascinating.

"Brother Xian, tell us one! Yesterday's story about the yellow weasel was too short. Tell us a longer one today!"

"Yes, yes, a longer one! Yesterday wasn't very scary. Make today's scarier!"

"The yellow weasel story wasn't scary? Er Gou, your mom hung up the quilt this morning. Did you wet the bed again because you were scared last night?"

"No, I didn't! You're the one who wet the bed!"

As the sky darkened, even though it was early spring and the days were getting longer, it was already getting dark around five in the afternoon. Seeing that the kids wouldn't stop until they heard a story, Li Xian sat down at the door of his house and shouted for quiet.

Seeing this, the group of children sat or squatted around him.

"Ahem," Li Xian cleared his throat and said in a deep voice, "Alright, today we won't tell a story. Instead, I'll tell you a real story."

"There's an old lady outside the town…"

As Li Xian told the story, the children around him huddled together.

"…And her face was actually a cat's face!"

"Ahhhhh!"

At Li Xian's sudden revelation, the children were terrified!

At that moment, a figure slowly approached the large house.

The figure walked in a strange manner. As it was getting dark, the person's face was unclear, but it was a woman.

"Xian… Xian Ge…"

The figure said a few words slowly.

A few children turned around and saw a round face with a mysterious white and eerie red smeared on it.

"Ahhh! Oh my gosh! A monster is coming to eat the children!"

Instantly, the children scattered like flies startled by a firecracker, running away in a panic!

Seeing that face, even Li Xian shuddered. He quickly ran back into the courtyard and slammed the large door shut.

Watching the

 children rolling and scrambling, some even diving into the cesspit, and then seeing the tightly closed door, Zhu Juan touched her face.

"Oh, it looks so beautiful?"