Chapter 59: Going on a Long Journey

Chapter 59: Going on a Long Journey

In the room, Deng Shirong pulled out an old wooden box from under the bed. Inside the box was a well-maintained five-shot shotgun and thirty-two rounds of bullets. Unlike in later generations, China in this era did not have a gun ban, so obtaining a hunting rifle was not difficult.

Guangxi, in particular, had been at war with a neighboring country just the previous year. Although large-scale fighting had ended, small-scale skirmishes continued, and the war did not truly conclude until 1989. As a result, it could be said that everyone in Guangxi was a soldier. The number of registered militiamen in Bobai County alone was as high as 252,422, and the number across Guangxi was staggering. As one of the earliest militiamen in Thatchfield Production Team, it was no surprise that Deng Shirong owned a hunting rifle.

He carefully inspected the shotgun and the bullets, ensuring everything was in good condition. After loading the gun and making sure it was ready to fire at a moment's notice, Deng Shirong stored the weapon and the remaining bullets in his system space. Tomorrow, the second batch of goods from the tile factory would be ready to leave the kiln and be loaded onto trucks. This time, Deng Shirong planned to accompany Deng Yungui to Beihai to sell the goods. After selling the tiles, he intended to make a trip to Lingshan County to see if he could obtain saplings of Guiwei lychees.

Deng Shirong was cautious about his safety when traveling. By the 1980s, societal chaos had become severe, and many people were acting lawlessly. This prompted the government to launch a crackdown on criminal activities three years later. Although Deng Shirong and Deng Yungui had traveled to places like Hepu, Beihai, Zhanjiang, and Lianjiang in his previous life without encountering bandits, he knew better than to take chances. Just because he hadn't faced danger before didn't mean he wouldn't this time. That's why he brought the hunting rifle—it could be a lifesaver in an emergency.

After securing the shotgun, Deng Shirong went to the production team captain to request a letter of introduction. In this era, a letter of introduction was essential for travel. Without it, one couldn't buy train tickets or stay in hotels or guesthouses. It was a necessity for every step of the journey. In addition to the letter, Deng Shirong used his connections to obtain some national food coupons. While he had money and was unlikely to go hungry, it was always better to be prepared.

After dinner, Deng Shirong took out ten big unity notes from his pocket and handed them to his eldest daughter, Deng Yunzhen. "I'm going to Beihai tomorrow and then to Lingshan County. It'll take at least three days for me to return. The tiles for our house will probably be laid the day after tomorrow. Remember to prepare plenty of delicious food for everyone by then."

Deng Yunzhen took the money and nodded. "I understand, Dad."

The next morning, a truck stopped in front of the tile kiln, and the workers began carefully loading it. Cylinders and tiles were fragile, and the roads of this era were far from the smooth highways of the future. Most were bumpy dirt roads, and the truck would shake violently while moving. If the loading wasn't done properly, the goods would likely arrive as a pile of broken pieces. To avoid such losses, Deng Yungui, with his experience, took charge of the loading process.

It took over an hour to fill the truck to the point where not even a small vegetable jar could fit. After supervising the loading, Deng Yungui approached Deng Shirong with a smile. "Uncle Jiu, if there's nothing else, let's go!"

Deng Shirong nodded. "Let's go."

Deng Yungui greeted the truck driver, and they set off.

The distance from the tile factory to Beihai was about 100 kilometers. If they were traveling on modern highways, it would take just over an hour. However, the poor road conditions and slow vehicle speeds meant it took more than three hours to reach Beihai. By then, it was already noon.

"Uncle Jiu, there's a noodle shop up ahead that doesn't require food coupons. Let's have a bowl of noodles first, and then we can take the goods to the market to sell to the stores. It's been a month since we last came, so they should have sold out the previous batch," Deng Yungui suggested, rubbing his hungry stomach.

Deng Shirong agreed with a smile. "Alright, I'll follow your lead. You've been here before, so you have more experience than I do."

As they ate, Deng Shirong observed the unfamiliar surroundings. Although he had been to Beihai many times with Deng Yungui in his previous life, it had been thirty or forty years ago. With no notable landmarks in Beihai during this period, his memories were hazy. It wasn't until they finished their meal and arrived at the sales market that Deng Shirong felt a faint sense of familiarity.

The rest of the process was straightforward. In the early 1980s, there was still a huge demand for pottery and ceramics. The goods Deng Yungui and Deng Yuntai had brought a month earlier had already sold out, and the truckload of goods was quickly divided among several stores.

"Yungui, take the money and go back with the driver. I'll see if there are any trucks heading to Lingshan County today," Deng Shirong said. In later years, truck drivers would often load another batch of goods for the return trip to maximize profits. But in this era, such efficiency was impossible.

Deng Shirong had already informed Deng Yungui of his plans to visit Lingshan County, so Deng Yungui nodded. "Understood. The driver mentioned earlier that business hasn't been great recently. Uncle Jiu, be careful on the road."

Deng Shirong acknowledged the advice. "I'll be careful. Drive safely."

The driver added, "Uncle Jiu, public transportation here isn't convenient. Let me take you to the bus station first."

Public transportation in this era was indeed unreliable, so Deng Shirong agreed. "Alright, thank you for your help, Master."

The driver smiled. "No problem. The station isn't far."

Ten minutes later, they arrived at the bus station.

"Uncle Jiu, we'll head back now," Deng Yungui said.

"Alright, have a safe trip," Deng Shirong replied.

After watching the truck drive away, Deng Shirong entered the bus station. Fortunately, there was a bus from Beihai to Lingshan County that day, and he quickly used his letter of introduction to purchase a ticket.

More than an hour later, the bus departed Beihai Bus Station, heading toward Qinzhou. By the time Deng Shirong arrived in Lingshan County, the sun had already set.

(End of Chapter)