"Sit."
Cheng Hu gestured toward the bamboo bench behind Gu Yu and Shen Jianan, then turned to call his son to pour some water.
"Okay!"
Cheng Guang nodded obediently and followed his mother to the kitchen. Moments later, the mother and son returned with three bowls of water and placed them on the table. "You two chat. I’m going to start dinner; you must stay and eat here tonight!"
Before the two men could agree or decline, she took her son and left, leaving Gu Yu and Shen Jianan feeling quite awkward.
Cheng Hu understood their thoughts and waved his hand dismissively. "My family isn't exactly living in luxury, but having you here to eat would make your sister-in-law and Little Guang very happy. It would make me happy, too. That’s something money can’t buy."
As he spoke, the smile on his face faded. "Aside from Educated Youth Gu, no one has set foot in this house for many years."
Hearing this, both felt a pang of sympathy. It was true that when a man fell on hard times, he became an outcast, and no one wanted to be near him.
Shen Jianan shifted his gaze to the furniture in the room to change the subject. "Brother Cheng, did you make all of these yourself?"
He had noticed upon entering that, apart from an old wooden cabinet, the furniture in the Cheng family's main room was almost entirely made of bamboo and rattan. Remembering Gu Yu saying that Cheng Hu was skilled at weaving baskets, he had asked.
Sure enough, Cheng Hu’s face lit up again. "That’s right, I made them all."
"You’re really talented."
Shen Jianan gave Cheng Hu a thumbs-up and smiled. "I’ve seen plenty of expensive bamboo furniture and rattan crafts before, but their craftsmanship wasn’t as good as yours, and they were often full of splinters."
"Really?" Cheng Hu was skeptical. In this era, the popular furniture was made of wood; even the imported items the city folk bought were made of high-quality timber. Only poor people used rattan and bamboo, so how could they be expensive?
However, he didn't know that Shen Jianan wasn't exaggerating. In modern society, rattan and bamboo furniture were indeed not cheap. A rattan-backed chair, as long as the workmanship and materials weren't atrocious and the design was appealing, could easily sell for two or three hundred yuan or more.
But Shen Jianan wasn't going to tell him that. In this day and age, few people used bamboo or rattan furniture. If he revealed the prices and Cheng Hu got overexcited and threw himself into the business, it would be a disaster if it didn't pan out.
He brushed it off vaguely. "High-end bamboo and rattan furniture does exist and sells for a lot, but the buyers are few—mostly young people in big cities with spare cash."
He shifted the conversation to the real purpose of his visit. "Brother Gu told me your craftsmanship is excellent. Now that I’ve seen it for myself, I agree. I’d like to discuss a business opportunity with you."
Cheng Hu perked up immediately. "What kind of business? Go on."
"Small baskets, crates, and bags."
Shen Jianan stood up, walked to the low cabinet behind Cheng Hu, picked up a small sewing basket, and returned to his seat. He began to gesture, explaining his idea.
He wanted him to use bamboo or rattan to weave various small bags: narrow-bottomed vegetable baskets, handbag-style carriers, bucket-shaped bags, and open-weave circular, square, trapezoidal, and oval bags, as well as shoulder bags, cross-body bags, and backpacks.
He wanted four of each type, with each design in two sizes—two large and two small. As for the materials, Cheng Hu could decide based on what was convenient. However, there was one condition: the weave had to be tight and neat, with absolutely no splinters.
Shen Jianan roughly demonstrated the sizes and designs, then drew a few sketches in Cheng Guang's notebook to explain the details. Cheng Hu understood instantly and promised with full confidence, "That’s not difficult. I can have them finished in about ten days."
"That fast?"
Shen Jianan was surprised. It was delicate work; in his past life, he had worked for online store owners, and even with several people working simultaneously, crafting items usually took at least two weeks.
Seeing his doubt, Cheng Hu laughed. "I’m used to weaving these things, so my speed is natural. Besides, your sister-in-law and Little Guang can help. If you don't believe me, come back the day after tomorrow, and I’ll have two ready for you."
"Deal!" Shen Jianan smiled. "Since you put it that way, why wouldn't I believe you?"
He added, "If the quality of the finished bags is up to standard, I’ll pay three jiao for the large ones and two jiao for the small ones."
"That—that much?"
Cheng Hu was stunned. The materials he used were gathered from the mountains behind his house; aside from the physical labor, it was essentially a cost-free business. When he wove things for people in his brother-in-law’s village, he usually got one or two jiao per item. Now, Educated Youth Shen was telling him each bag would earn him several jiao. For forty bags—half large, half small—that would be a full ten yuan!
He was deeply moved but worried that Shen had misspoken. "Educated Youth Shen, these bags don't use much material. Are you paying too much?"
"Not at all!" Seeing how honest he was, Shen Jianan’s impression of him improved further. "The bags use little material, but the design is complex. When you factor that in, it’s actually more work than weaving larger, simpler items."
The young man continued seriously, "If the goods sell well, I’ll place an order with you every half-month. But let me be blunt: I might not want these forever. You need to be prepared; don’t go making a pile of stock just to earn money and then get angry with me if you can't sell them."
He had seen this happen often—small shop owners getting too close to clients, pushing extra stock on them, and eventually driving them away. He hated complications and wanted to set clear boundaries now to avoid disputes later.
Cheng Hu felt a hint of regret that the business might not last, but then realized that without Shen, he wouldn't be making this money anyway. He felt satisfied. "All right, just let me know if you don't need any more."
Seeing how straightforward he was, Shen Jianan’s smile deepened. He pulled a one-yuan note from his bag and handed it to him. "This is the deposit. When I receive the goods and check that there are no issues, I’ll pay the rest."
Cheng Hu’s eyes reddened when he looked at the money. It was hard to blame him; money had been so hard to come by, and his family had suffered so much. His family was small, but expenses were high. His wife had injured her health during childbirth and required frequent medication, costing at least five jiao per hospital visit. With his own bad leg, he could only earn six or seven work points a day in the fields, and Zhao Qiancheng was always finding ways to dock his grain rations. The money he earned wasn't enough to feed his family, let alone buy medicine.
Because of this, they had already sold all their furniture except the sewing machine and the cabinet. They had planned to sell those too, but Xiang Haiyan had adamantly refused. Their son was already ten; if they didn't keep these things, what would he use to marry a wife in the future? Cheng Hu felt both heartbroken and guilty but had to face reality, so they kept them.
Now, suddenly holding this one yuan—a large sum for someone who hadn't been able to make real money in years—it felt like both a lifeline and an affirmation. He accepted it with trembling hands and choked out, "Thank you, thank you both."
Shen Jianan waved his hand dismissively. In his eyes, it was a fair exchange. He was helping, but Cheng Hu had the skill and the character to make it worth the investment. Why would he waste money on someone useless? His own money didn't grow on trees. Gu Yu, standing by, felt the same.
He had suggested Shen Jianan work with Cheng Hu because, while his skills were one thing, his character was the main reason. Cheng Hu had helped him significantly. Back when he was first sent to Hongqi Commune, he had been bullied and his life had been unbearable—he had even considered death.
Cheng Hu had appeared then and reached out a hand, giving him hope. At the time, Gu Yu had been beaten over the head with a rake and had to sneak into the mountains to gather herbs for his wounds. He unexpectedly ran into Cheng Hu, who was cutting firewood. Gu Yu had been terrified that Cheng would report him for leaving the cowshed, but Cheng Hu not only shared his meager food with him but also told him which areas to avoid to stay safe and even gave him the firewood he had gathered before leaving.
When Gu Yu asked why he was helping him despite his own hardships, Cheng Hu had just looked up at the sky and sighed, "Nothing much. Just... if someone had helped me back then, would things have been different?"
After that, under Cheng Hu’s guidance, Gu Yu learned to hunt, set traps, and identify edible wild plants, mushrooms, and fruits, which helped him and the other elderly people survive. That was why he recommended Cheng Hu. However, gratitude was one thing, and business was another; if Cheng performed poorly, he wouldn't be lenient. He decided to set the ground rules now.
"Brother Cheng, let’s be clear: if word gets out about what Shen is doing, it could cause trouble. I hope you, your wife, and Little Guang keep your mouths shut. Don't go talking about it, or you won't fare well either. Do you understand?"
"Brother, don't worry," Cheng Hu promised, patting his chest. "My wife and I aren't loose-lipped, and we’ll instruct Little Guang well. Not a single word will get out."
"Good!" Gu Yu nodded in satisfaction. He then recounted how he and Cheng Hu had met to the young man beside him.
Shen Jianan listened in astonishment, saying their story sounded like something out of a novel, full of legend. Cheng Hu laughed, calling Shen cute and saying he talked like a storyteller.
Gu Yu agreed, adding, "That’s not all! Our Jianan is the reincarnation of a literary star, and..." He went on to praise Shen to the heavens until the boy was blushing bright red, waving his hands and begging for mercy. "Brother, Brother, I beg you! Stop! It’s embarrassing!"
Gu Yu wouldn't stop, and Cheng Hu laughed until his sides ached.
Fortunately, Xiang Haiyan and Cheng Guang soon arrived with the meal, and Gu Yu finally stopped, under the glare of a blushing Shen Jianan.
Cheng Hu happily gave the money to his wife, telling her he had earned it. He recounted the partnership with Shen, telling her to buy some meat tomorrow to improve their health. Shen and Gu teased him for being a good husband.
Xiang Haiyan blushed, took the money, and gave him a playful glare. "Aren't you afraid of being laughed at?" But she was incredibly happy. Her husband had thought of her and earned money; there hadn't been an income for a long time, and their son's school fees were covered by her brother. She resolved that after receiving the final payment, she would return five yuan to her brother. He had three children in school and elderly parents to care for; his burden was no less than theirs.
After the meal, seeing that the day was still young and noticing the holes in the Cheng family's roof from the hail, Gu Yu and Shen offered to help repair it. Cheng Hu felt embarrassed but didn't refuse. With his bad leg and the villagers avoiding him, he wouldn't be able to fix it for a day or two on his own, and if it rained, his family would be in trouble.
After putting on the protective gear provided by Xiang Haiyan, the three men climbed onto the roof. The house was sturdy, and the location was sheltered, so the damage wasn't severe. In two hours, they had replaced all the broken tiles.
Once they climbed down and washed up, Xiang Haiyan brought out a basin of boiled sweet potatoes and stuffed several into each of their pockets, smiling, "Thank you for today. I know you’re in a hurry to get back, so we won't keep you. Travel safely."
"Right, thank you!"
The two waved goodbye and walked toward the cowshed, each eating a sweet potato. By the time they arrived, the elderly folks hadn't gone to sleep yet. They were talking about the hailstorm, worried that the drafty hut wouldn't hold up and that the two boys would have nowhere to sleep.
Gu Yu looked at the boy beside him and pushed the door open with a smile. "Grandpa, Jianan and I are here to see you."
Shen Jianan followed, calling out familiarly, "Grandpa, we're here."
The elderly people were stunned. "Oh my, why are you here? It’s pitch black, aren't you afraid of falling?" They were delighted and ushered them to sit. "Are you two okay? We couldn't leave the cowshed, or we would have come to see you."
Lin Yanqing held the hands of the two young men, her eyes red. "That hail today was terrifying. The roof of the cowshed was battered, and it hurt like the devil when it hit you. We hid under the bed frames and thought we wouldn't make it. Thank goodness heaven was merciful."
Gu Yu comforted them, "Don't cry, Grandpa. Let's wait. Maybe in a few years, we can all return to the city together, right, Jianan?"
He winked at the boy, who immediately nodded. "Yes."
He then began pulling sweet potatoes from his pockets and dumping them on the table. "Grandpa, Gu and I saved these for you. They’re still warm! Eat up."
He went around handing them out, then raided Gu Yu’s bag, leaving the older man both amused and forced to "surrender" the rest of his stash.
The elders' sorrow dissipated, and Li Mingda teased them, "Little Gu, you’re acting like a henpecked husband. Will you be handing over all your earnings to Jianan in the future?"
"Yes!" Gu Yu raised an eyebrow, replying seriously, "All of it."
*Boom.*
Shen Jianan turned beet red, his heart pounding. He clutched a sweet potato, staring at Gu in silence. The elders were stunned for a moment before bursting into laughter.
"You child..." Lu Jianfeng pointed a finger at him. "You used to be so straight-laced; have you learned to joke now?"
"Exactly!" Xie Huaian added, laughing, "Look how you scared Jianan. Someone who didn't know better would think you were going to marry him as your wife!"
"Don't talk nonsense! What if someone hears you and brings trouble to the boy?" Liu Zhengjun, usually a cautious man, glared at his friend and then whispered to Shen Jianan, "Don't be angry, child. Old Xie is just teasing."
"I... I’m not angry." Shen Jianan waved his hands stammering. He glanced at Gu Yu, and seeing his smile, his heart skipped a beat, his breathing becoming shallow.
Seeing that he was burying his head in his chest, Gu Yu decided not to tease him further. "Jianan wouldn't be angry. Besides, we are closer than kin. Me giving my earnings to him is perfectly natural."
"That’s true," Li Mingda agreed. Gu Yu had said that although Shen Jianan was young, he had taken great care of him. Having weathered hardship for over a year, their bond was stronger than that of most relatives.
He darkened slightly, burying the hate in his eyes, and smiled. "The fact that you two met in Hongqi Commune and became such close friends is a blessing. Cherish it; never betray each other, do you hear?"
Shen and Gu nodded in unison, sensing that the old man spoke from experience. "Don't worry, Grandpa. We won't."
The elderly man smiled and started chatting with them again. When they learned the boys were staying with Zhao Hongjun, they worried about them returning too late and disturbing others, so they urged them to rest.
"All right, you should get some sleep. Jianan and I are heading out."
Gu Yu stood up and reached out for Shen Jianan's hand. The boy didn't find it strange and naturally placed his hand in Gu's, smiling at the elders. "Goodbye, Grandpa."
They walked away together, leaving the elders watching their receding backs, feeling as if something were strange but unable to name it.