20demayo Chapter 133 Smooth Sailing
Chapter 133 Smooth Sailing
Looking at Chen Lao Er's face, contorted with embarrassment, Li Mu couldn't help but feel a surge of pleasure.
He had said long ago that there was no problem with his fox, so Chen Lao Er should finally give up now.
Chen Lao Er's face stung, as if he had been slapped hard.
Tao Qingshan chuckled to himself as he looked at Chen Lao Er's disheveled appearance.
“Li Mu, now that we’ve figured this out, let’s go back. Chen Lao Er, you should apologize to Li Mu. After all, you wronged him and then came here to cause trouble. What kind of behavior is that!”
Upon hearing this, Chen Lao Er hesitated for a moment, but ultimately couldn't utter a single word of apology. His eyes flickered, as if searching for an excuse to escape.
Seeing this, Li Mu didn't press the matter further and said calmly, "Alright, Village Chief Tao, now that things have been clarified, I don't want to pursue it any further. I just hope that Brother Chen can understand the situation before acting in the future and not cause trouble for others so easily."
Tao Qingshan nodded, expressing his appreciation for Li Mu's magnanimity.
He turned to look at Chen Lao Er, his tone serious: "Chen Lao Er, what you did today was really dishonest. Li Mu is an honest man, and there's nothing wrong with the fox he raises. Your son's condition is that he ate the wrong thing. Think more before you act in the future, and don't always try to take advantage of others."
Chen Lao Er blushed with embarrassment after being rebuked by Tao Qingshan's words. In the end, he could only grit his teeth and squeeze out a few words: "I'm sorry... Brother Li Mu, I misunderstood you."
Li Mu waved his hand gently: "Forget it, what's done is done. I just hope we can keep to ourselves from now on."
The beating incident caused quite a stir; people from both villages heard about it and witnessed the entire farce. No one dared to say a word about Li Mu's land, and those who were envious of his wealth could only silently suppress their anger, not daring to make any further moves.
Li Mu's business was not affected at all. On the contrary, because of this incident, more people knew about his rabbit and fox dens, and people came to inquire about them in an endless stream.
Li Mu took the opportunity to gain favor by offering five yuan for a rabbit and even teaching him how to cook rabbit dishes.
This series of actions not only made Li Mu a fortune, but also won him unanimous praise from the villagers, who all said that Li Mu was an honest man who valued integrity in business and treated everyone fairly, young and old.
As soon as Li Mu's rabbits landed, people were scrambling to take them.
Sure enough, he had just returned from the hospital and hadn't even entered his home when several villagers surrounded him.
"Li Mu, I heard your rabbits are selling really well. Can I have a couple?"
An older woman said with a smile, still holding a fox fur pelt she had just bought from Li Mu.
Li Mu smiled and responded, skillfully picking up two plump rabbits and handing them to the aunt.
"Alright, auntie, here you go. These two rabbits are so plump. They'll make delicious soup when we get home!"
The woman took the rabbit, beaming from ear to ear: "Li Mu, you've raised this rabbit so well! It's so fat and big, and its fur is so beautiful. I'll definitely buy from you again next time!"
Li Mu smiled and nodded: "Okay, ma'am, take care! Welcome to come again next time!"
The neighboring villages also heard the news and came to buy rabbit meat here and there. Li Mu sold it in separate portions, some to individual farmers and most to restaurants.
With this two-pronged approach, business flourished. Li Mu was busy every day raising rabbits and foxes, as well as receiving customers who came to buy their products. Although it was hard work, he was very happy.
Life is getting better and better these days.
Now, let's talk about Chen Lao Er. After the incident at the hospital, he completely lost face in the village and felt inferior even when he went out. His son's allergic reaction also taught him a lesson, and he dared not eat anything of unknown origin again.
Meanwhile, Li Mu's reputation grew better and better because of his honest business practices. Not only were his rabbit and fox furs selling like hotcakes, but his blueberries were also highly sought after.
The villagers all say that Li Mu is a good person to get along with and meticulous in his work; following him is definitely the right thing to do.
With blueberry season fast approaching, several families have already contacted Li Mu to pre-order some blueberries.
Li Mu readily agreed, secretly planning to plant more blueberries this year. As the days went by, Li Mu's life became more and more comfortable.
The matter of building a house for his elder brother, Li Qianjin, was also put on the agenda. Li Mu thought to himself, now that he had some spare money, why not help his elder brother out so that he could also live in a spacious and bright new house?
One evening after dinner, Li Mu found his elder brother Li Qianjin, sat on the kang (a heated brick bed), peeled a freshly boiled egg, handed it to his brother, and said, "Brother, I want to discuss something with you."
Li Qianjin took the eggs, warmed them in his hands, and smiled, "What's the matter? Why so formal?"
Li Mu considered his words carefully before saying, "Brother, I want to help you build a house. The house you're living in now is old, dilapidated, and small. We have some money now, so why don't we get this done as soon as possible?"
Upon hearing this, Li Qianjin was stunned, almost dropping the eggs in his hand: "What? You're going to help me build a house?"
This matter had been mentioned before, but Li Guozhang and Jiang Xuefen didn't take it seriously. A house isn't something you can just build on a whim; it costs a lot of money!
Li Mu smiled and said, "Brother, don't worry about the money. My business is doing well now, and I have extra money. Besides, we're brothers, so why should we distinguish between 'yours' and 'mine'? Your business is my business."
“We can’t let our sister-in-law continue to live in that dilapidated house and suffer with you. She’s never enjoyed a single day of happiness with you. Now that we have the means, we should naturally make sure she lives in a better place.”
Li Qianjin's eyes were a little moist. He patted Li Mu's shoulder and choked up, saying, "Good brother, big brother... big brother really doesn't know what to say."
Li Mu gripped his elder brother's hand tightly: "Brother, don't say anything more. We're family. It's settled then. I'll go find someone to look at the land tomorrow, pick a good location, and we'll start construction!"
Sister-in-law Zeng Xiangnan was naturally more than willing. She had been looking forward to living in a new house for a long time, and now that Li Mu had offered to help, she couldn't be happier.
The house was to be built on a vacant lot at the east end of the village. It was flat and sunny, a good place to build a house. Li Mu went to see Tao Qingshan early the next morning to ask if the land could be used to build a house.
Upon hearing that it was for building a house for Li Qianjin, Tao Qingshan agreed without hesitation and even offered to help with the arrangements. Li Mu was extremely grateful and took his elder brother to see the land that very day; Li Qianjin was also very satisfied with the land.
Building a house can't be rushed. Li Qianjin was busy with everything, and the rabbits that Li Mu raised became fatter and fatter, and their fur became smoother and smoother. Several restaurants, including the Hubin Hotel and the Heifengzhai Hotel, were vying to take them.