Chapter 31: The Schoolbag Business
After An Ning finished speaking, An Guoming was pleased, but the others were baffled.
"Little Sis, I’m no good at making money."
An Guoqing looked reluctant. "That whole making-money thing is too hard. It’s not as comfortable as working in the fields. I don’t want to do it."
An Guoqing was truly against it; he didn’t want to use his brain.
His wife, Zhou Guifen, glanced at An Guoqing and chuckled discreetly before looking up at An Ning.
"An Ning, you don’t have to include your big brother."
Zhou Guifen’s words made An Guoqing nod even more vigorously. He slapped his chest and said, "I just want to farm. If you give me something else to do, I’ll keep worrying about it. I won’t be able to sleep, and my head will buzz with pain."
’Naogua zi... that’s definitely not a melon.’
After a moment of analysis, An Ning found herself in high agreement with An Guoqing’s words.
She also just wanted to farm, but she had realized that simply farming wasn’t enough, which was why she was planning to make money.
"Big Brother, I like farming too. My plan is to provide the money for Second Brother to start a business, Sister-in-law will provide the labor, and then we’ll all split the profits."
An Ning glanced at An Sancheng before continuing, "Dad always said we should help each other, but even between brothers, accounts must be kept clear."
"Little Sis, what exactly are you planning to do?"
An Guoming finally managed to get a word in, and his question captured everyone’s attention.
"Making schoolbags."
An Ning gestured with her hands at her sides. "Our little brother’s schoolbag hangs at his side. It’s uncomfortable and hits him when he runs. His shoulder hurts when he carries too much. I want to make a two-strap schoolbag, sort of like a carrying basket."
"This is the start-up money. I won’t handle anything else. Second Brother will be in charge."
An Ning pushed the money on the table toward An Guoming and added, "I can be the bodyguard, Sister-in-law can make the bags, and Second Brother will manage everything else. Then we split the profits."
At that, all eyes fell on An Guoming again. After a long wait, An Guoming still hadn’t spoken, so An Sancheng asked anxiously, "Second Brother, can you do it?"
"Okay!"
An Guoming’s single word, "Okay!", made An Sancheng finalize the decision on the spot.
"Alright, Second Brother will stay home and work on the details. We’ll all discuss it again when we come back for lunch."
"Let’s head to the fields first. No matter what, farming is our foundation."
With the decision made, An Guoming stayed home while the others swiftly headed out to the fields.
An Ning walked with the An family, her mind constantly thinking, even sketching out designs.
Although she had decided to make money on the fly, the An family’s living conditions had to improve sooner or later. At the very least, she wanted to be able to take a proper bath whenever she wanted. Otherwise, she was afraid that one day, she wouldn’t be able to resist climbing into the big iron wok.
’If I want to make money, hunting in the mountains is definitely not a long-term solution.’
Lost in thought, she arrived at the fields. While the others continued weeding, An Ning was assigned a new task: digging irrigation ditches.
Holding a shovel, An Ning asked Sun Dazhuang, "What are we digging these ditches for?"
"For water, of course. With this weather, you never know if it’ll be a drought or a flood. We’re clearing a path from the river bend to the fields. That’ll make it easier to drain or irrigate when the time comes."
’Hetao... that’s probably not what I was thinking.’
An Ning didn’t ask further. She was amazed by the villagers’ wisdom; it turned out they were always prepared.
"Team Leader, which way should I go?"
Sun Dazhuang pointed in a random direction, and An Ning shouldered her shovel and went.
When she reached the area where the ditches were being dug, she saw it was mostly men. An Guoqing was there too.
However, when many of them saw An Ning arrive, they fell silent. The memory of her carrying stones on West Mountain had left too deep an impression on them.
An Ning didn’t think it was a big deal. Compared to carrying stones, this job was actually quite easy.
She took her shovel, observed how the others moved, and began to dig.
The excavated dirt was piled to one side. Someone would come to carry it away and store it all in one place.
Jiang Xia had been digging ditches here all along because this work earned the most work points. He had to earn enough for two people to eat.
He had come here with his grandfather, but the old man was getting on in years, and Jiang Xia didn’t want him to work. So, he would go hunting in the mountains in the morning and earn the most work points during the day. Life for the old man and the young man wasn’t too bad.
Plus, the team leader of Shili Gou was a decent person, so the two of them hadn’t suffered any ideological persecution. As for farm work, that was nothing.
By now, most of the others had returned to the city. Although his grandfather hadn’t received a notice yet, their lives were much easier than before.
"WOOF WOOF—WOOF—"
Da Huang had spotted An Ning, the person who had snatched the sika deer from them. It barked at her twice before her glare scared it into immediate silence.
Hearing Da Huang’s barks, Jiang Xia immediately looked over. He saw his own arrogant dog—the one who dared to challenge a wolf pack—cowering on the ground, covering its eyes with a front paw while peeking at the person in front of it.
"Da Huang!"
Jiang Xia threw down his shovel and ran over.
At the call of "Da Huang," the dog on the ground quickly stood up. An Ning, who was working, also looked up at Jiang Xia.
An Ning wanted to know what "Da Huang" was. Her second brother had once called her "Da Huang Little Sis," which had left her very confused.
’It’s him.’
An Ning recognized him at a glance. He was the person from the mountain this morning who had been chasing the sika deer. ’Is he here to demand the deer back?’
’But I’m not in the wrong. He lost it, and I caught it. Everything on the mountain is public property. Just because you see it doesn’t make it yours. Only what you catch is yours.’
Jiang Xia stood next to Da Huang, rubbing its head. The dog whimpered and pressed against Jiang Xia’s leg, trying to hide behind him.
Jiang Xia frowned. ’Da Huang is scared? What is it scared of?’
He looked at the person opposite them. For a moment, he didn’t recognize An Ning at all. The mountain had been full of trees, and with the dim light, he hadn’t gotten a clear look at her.
"What did you say to my Da Huang?"
An Ning’s gaze shifted to the dog with the black back and brownish-yellow fur.
"It’s Da Huang?"
’So Da Huang is a dog.’
An Ning’s eyes flickered. Jiang Xia’s previously casual expression also changed. ’That voice?’
’No wonder Da Huang was barking at her.’
"So it’s you. When are you going to give me my share of the money?"
Jiang Xia took a step forward and said two words in a low voice: "Sika deer."
An Ning met Jiang Xia’s gaze calmly, asking with a hint of confusion, "What money? The sika deer responded to me. It has nothing to do with you."
"Hmph! You just happened to catch it when it was farting!"
An Ning shook her head in disagreement. "A pity you didn’t even catch the fart."
"You!" Jiang Xia was once again left speechless by An Ning’s retort. He pointed a finger at her twice. "You win!"
He walked away.
An Ning didn’t feel like she had retorted at all; she believed she was just stating the facts honestly.
She went back to work.
As for Jiang Xia, he also went back to work, but he was still a little angry. He wasn’t angry about the sika deer; he had known since his first day on the mountain that its creatures belonged to no one.
He was angry that he hadn’t been able to out-talk her.
’What an utter disgrace!’
’No, next time, I’ll definitely get her back!’