Chapter 50: Dividing the Meat, Selling the Meat

Despite it being the middle of winter, the courtyard of the Li family was bustling with activity.

None of the people who came to help were idle; everyone had found something to do.

Li Long was a novice. After eating, he only managed to snag the job of pouring boiling water over the wild boars—a task requiring zero technical skill, which he performed quite happily.

In the eyes of the older men, Li Long was capable when it came to tinkering with things, but technical tasks like butchering a pig still required experienced hands.

Some men had cigarettes dangling from their mouths while skinning the boars with knives, while others had already prepared large laundry basins, intending to catch the water for processing.

"This wild boar is huge!"

"It's incredibly fat. Looking at this layer of fat, it must be at least three fingers thick!"

"Three fingers might not even cover it. These mountain boars eat so well!"

"Jianguo will have plenty of oil to eat this year. Once the oil is refined and put in the cool room, it'll last over half a year."

"Look how much easier it is for Jianguo. He won't even need to feed pigs next year. Once autumn comes, he can just take a trip into the mountains, bring back two pigs, and he'll have enough meat and oil for the whole year."

"That takes skill, and good luck too! When we went into the mountains with the side-industry team to dig for Fritillaria, we ran into a group of seven or eight wild boars. Who would dare stand in their way?"

"You know, after Xiao Long went to the factory for training and came back, he's changed a lot. The way he handles things... you have to hand it to him!"

"Haha, you mean Tao Dayong and Gu Ermao? What did they even learn? They're nothing but 'four-not-like-animals' [clumsy fools]."

"Why talk about them? Haven't you seen that Old Man Gu has come over too..."

Old Man Gu had indeed come over and even took the initiative to strike up a conversation with Li Jianguo. Li Jianguo ignored him, and feeling awkward, Old Man Gu didn't want to leave, caught in a state of neither standing nor sitting.

Li Long had already learned from his sister-in-law that Gu Ermao had reported him to the members of the local security team. In truth, he wasn't particularly surprised when he realized Gu Ermao was following him.

That was just the kind of person Gu Ermao was; it would have been stranger if he hadn't done it.

However, that didn't mean he would forgive him. It just so happened that he hadn't planned on maintaining a relationship with the man anyway, so he might as well use this incident to sever ties for good.

Old Man Gu's eyes lit up when he saw Li Long. He walked over and said with a smile, "Xiao Long is back? You're impressive this time—two wild boars! No one in our brigade has that kind of skill!"

Li Long didn't hold Gu Ermao's actions against Old Man Gu. He simply smiled and said, "Just good luck."

Old Man Gu wanted to say more, but Li Jianguo shouted from across the yard

"Xiao Long, come over here and pour the water!"

Li Long smiled and hurried over.

Old Man Gu knew this was Li Jianguo making a statement. He felt bitter; he was in the wrong but had no way to fix it. He wanted to build rapport, but the other side wouldn't give him the chance. He had originally hoped to use this opportunity to call Ermao over to help, which might have eased the awkwardness. But Gu Ermao felt he couldn't face the shame and wouldn't come. And since he had come, the others wouldn't give him any face.

Many people in the courtyard were watching the spectacle with amusement. In all fairness, facing such a situation, no one would want a friend like Gu Ermao. Yet, no one could guarantee that if they were in Gu Ermao's position, they wouldn't have turned Li Long in.

But by common logic, most people would side with the wrongly accused. Li Long hadn't done anything to you, so why would you betray him? To drown a dog just to pull someone else down with it? Out of pure spite for someone else's good fortune?

There might be many such people, but they are undoubtedly the most despised.

Li Long knew that Gu Ermao's reputation in the brigade was certainly ruined.

After skinning the boars, eviscerating them, and butchering the meat, some people carried the pre-cut necks and the caul fat from the bellies into the kitchen.

Liang Yuemei and several women were scooping out pickles and rendering the fat in a pan before starting to stew the pork in a large pot.

They even added the large pieces of fragrant spices that the family usually wouldn't dare use; Liang Yuemei was making up for what happened when they slaughtered their own New Year's pig previously.

Back then, they had also called a group of people to help. It was common for people to help one another, and it was also an opportunity for everyone to get some extra fat in their bellies.

But when the Li family's pig was slaughtered, it was considered a "superstitious pig," meaning nothing else could be done with it. The pig was buried, and the slaughter feast couldn't be held. Although those who came to help understood, Liang Yuemei had been harboring resentment.

In those days, people placed great importance on "face." There was no such thing as scamming or extortion; people had strong self-respect. If I eat your slaughter feast, my family will certainly return the favor.

Right now, the Li family was effectively in debt to everyone. When Li Long brought back the two wild boars, Li Jianguo and Liang Yuemei reached a silent agreement without even needing to discuss it: they were going to throw a massive feast!

Everyone was happy to come and help—it was a good thing!

"It's a pity about the blood, otherwise, steamed blood buns would have been wonderful!" someone cleaning the offal said regretfully, looking at the coagulated black blood inside the pig's cavity.

Meat was scarce at this time, so usually, nothing was wasted; even the scraps were turned into something delicious.

Pots were being used on both sides. The large pot in the west room was stewing meat, while the east room began stir-frying the offal, and the Lu family's pot was helping to steam buns.

Li Long could smell the gamey scent of the wild boar, but no one present was repulsed. When there is meat to eat, who would complain about the smell?

Especially seeing those large chunks of meat in the pot, no one said a word—in these times, which family could afford to be so generous with meat during a slaughter feast? Was it leftovers?

But they had two pigs; they could afford to be that extravagant!

Once the processing was done, the men set up tables in the two rooms to play cards. One table was playing *Shuang Er Zi* (Double Two) while another was playing *Zheng Shang You* (Competing for the Top), with those waiting their turn watching from the sidelines.

Someone, more interested in how Li Long hunted the boars, asked

"Xiao Long, how did you hunt these wild boars?"

"I set an ambush in advance," Li Long said, not holding back. "A friend of mine lives in the mountains and knows a group of wild boars that frequently comes to the same spot to gnaw on roots. We set up an ambush and took them out."

Some families didn't raise pigs and were thinking about getting some pork from the Li family.

But they had no money. Li Jianguo consulted Li Long

"Xiao Long, they want some meat but don't have the money. What do you think..."

"Do they have bullets?" Li Long's mind raced. "Five or six.22 caliber bullets—five bullets for one kilogram of meat would work. If they have money, it's one yuan per kilogram; if not, five bullets for one kilogram."

Li Jianguo was a bit stunned by the idea

"Use bullets?"

"Yeah, bullets are scarce in the mountains."

"Every household has them," Li Jianguo laughed. "If you let them go, the meat from these two pigs will be gone in no time."

"That won't do. We'll only trade with those we are close to," Li Long smiled. "If we run out, I'll go back in a couple of days to see if I can hunt another one."

Having hit a wild boar with his very first shot, Li Long's courage had grown, and his words became bolder

"Brother, we can't finish all this meat ourselves anyway. Wild boar meat is quite gamey. If we trade it, we trade it, but we have to make it clear to people beforehand."

"Gamey or not, it's still meat!" Li Jianguo's eyes widened. "It's so cheap! If they complain it's too gamey, then they don't get any!"

Li Long smiled. He could see his older brother's true character now. Usually, he seemed very gentle, but when things actually happened, he was decisive and the type of person who "dared to fight and dare to strive."

Ultimately, Old Man Gu left sheepishly because no one would acknowledge him.

A mouth-watering aroma drifted through the courtyard. As the adults went indoors, only Qiangqiang remained outside, using a pig's bladder that Li Long had given him to blow into like a ball, leading a group of children in playing football. Their joyful shouts could be heard from far away.

People nearby could tell: the Li family was on the rise.