Chapter 272 - 268: Feeling Displeased
The brigade leader glanced at Leng Yuan. His expression was indeed a few shades colder than usual. ’He’s probably really not feeling well.’
Just then, he saw Xu Chongshan and his group returning, so the brigade leader called out to them.
"Xu Chongshan, get over here and distribute the pork."
Xu Chongshan was stunned for a moment but walked over anyway.
"Brigade Leader, doesn’t Leng Yuan usually handle this? Why are you having me do it today?"
The brigade leader explained.
"Leng Yuan isn’t feeling well. Hurry up, don’t waste any more time."
"Besides, the pig’s already been butchered and deboned. All you have to do is take the knife and slice it."
Xu Chongshan scratched his head. It did sound simple enough, so he went over.
Xu Chongfeng tried to stop him, but it was too late.
Xu Chongshan walked up to the butcher’s block and began distributing the pork.
Food was precious now, so the amount of pork given couldn’t be too much or too little. He glanced at the person’s ration slip: one and a half catties of meat.
Xu Chongshan eyed a portion that looked about right and brought the knife down.
He tossed it onto the scale.
"One catty, four liang."
The commune member in charge of weighing replied from the side.
The auntie waiting for her portion saw the weight was off and quickly chimed in.
"Zhong Shan, you’re short one liang."
Xu Chongshan sliced off another piece, but now it was over. He trimmed a bit off, still too much. He trimmed it again, and finally, it was just right.
He went back and forth like that several times for just that one person.
The next person was the same story!
After doing this for twenty or thirty people, Xu Chongshan slammed the cleaver onto the butcher’s block and stormed over to Leng Yuan.
"My great ancestor, where exactly are you feeling unwell?"
He really couldn’t take it anymore.
All that back-and-forth slicing was making him lose his temper.
Those old aunties were sharp-eyed; they wouldn’t let you give a sliver more or a sliver less!
At this very moment, Xu Chongshan was filled with boundless admiration for Leng Yuan.
’How does he manage to cut the exact amount every single time, without fail?’
In any case, he was on the verge of a breakdown.
Leng Yuan remained stone-faced.
Xu Chongshan looked up and glanced at the other three men.
When the three saw Xu Chongshan looking their way, they immediately shuffled farther away.
They were terrified he would call them over to distribute the pork.
They really couldn’t handle such a tedious, mind-numbing job.
Xu Chongshan: ...
’What a bunch of disloyal jerks.’
Since he couldn’t count on anyone else, Xu Chongshan could only go back to pestering Leng Yuan.
"My great ancestor, just say something! Where does it hurt?"
Leng Yuan maintained his cold expression. "I’m in a bad mood."
Xu Chongshan: ...
’That counts as a reason?’
"Then tell me, what will make you happy?"
’Fine, I’ll do whatever he wants, right?’
’Anything would be better than this job of portioning out pork.’
Leng Yuan fell silent.
Xu Chongshan: ...
’Time for a guessing game?’
"Stomachache?"
Xu Chongshan guessed.
Leng Yuan didn’t respond.
’Guess not.’
"Hand hurts?"
Leng Yuan didn’t respond.
’Not that either.’
Xu Chongshan guessed seven or eight times in a row, but he was wrong every time.
He was about to lose his mind.
’Figuring out what Leng Yuan is thinking is even harder than portioning pork.’
The brigade leader noticed the person at the butcher’s block had disappeared and immediately hollered.
"Xu Chongshan, what are you doing! Get back over here."
Xu Chongshan’s face immediately scrunched up in misery.
"My great ancestor, what is wrong with you? Just say something!"
Leng Yuan remained silent.
With a miserable expression, Xu Chongshan trudged back to portioning the pork.
But with every person he served, he teetered on the verge of an explosion.
Chen Jianshe had gone home to change, so he arrived even later than Xu Chongshan and the others.
He didn’t mind, though.
’Now that I know Chen Jie’s intentions, I have to find a way to make my Brother Leng look down on him.’
’My Brother Leng is a stickler for cleanliness and absolutely can’t stand slovenly people. I made a special trip home to change into clean clothes. If you smell carefully, they even have the scent of soapberries!’
’I have to make a good impression on Brother Leng in a bit.’
’As for Chen Jie, he’s already lost just based on his clothes.’