Chapter 50: Steady and Don't Rush

The charm of Liangpi was astonishing. The public security officers at the county bureau tasted this delicacy from the Guanzhong plain for the very first time and were instantly conquered.

Adding to that the fact that they were genuinely hungry today, the forty-plus men completely devoured over a hundred portions of Liangpi and more than a hundred white flatbreads without leaving a single crumb. Such battle prowess truly startled Li Yi.

Afterwards, Wang Anguo wanted to pay Li Yi, but was refused.

On the one hand, Li Yi honestly didn't care much about this small amount of money; accepting it wouldn't make him rich, and refusing it wouldn't make him poor.

On the other hand, he knew these public security officers had just returned from the frontline of arresting human traffickers. While he couldn't offer much help, making them a meal was the least he could do—consider it a token of gratitude from the local people on behalf of everyone!

By the time he left the county bureau, it was already past four o'clock in the afternoon, a full two and a half hours later than usual.

Yet Li Yi was in high spirits!

Although his Liangpi business not only failed to make a profit today but actually suffered a considerable loss, some things cannot be measured by money.

First of all, through his intervention today, not only were those human traffickers rounded up in one fell swoop, but justice was also restored to the common people.

More importantly, a dozen abducted children were successfully rescued—a deed of immeasurable merit!

Secondly, he had now successfully cleared the hurdle with the public security department. With Wang Anguo backing him from behind, hereafter, let alone setting up a stall at the sugar mill's entrance, even if he went to the most bustling main street in the county town, no one would dare lay a finger on him.

Of course, Li Yi wasn't the type to court high profiles, so naturally he wouldn't do anything so ostentatious.

As the saying goes, arrogant weather brings storms, and arrogant people bring disaster. The greatest fear in business is this kind of swaggering flashiness, because you never know when someone might take a dislike to you.

Making a fortune quietly is the ultimate rule!

Take his being reported this time, for instance. Although Li Yi didn't end up asking Wang Anguo who reported him, he could roughly guess the scope.

To be so persistently going to the county bureau time and time again, it had to be someone he knew; strangers had better things to do than engage in such malicious actions that harmed others without benefiting themselves.

And why would an acquaintance want to harm him?

It was bound to be because he had been a bit too flashy lately!

First, he sent betrothal gifts and took a wife, then he bought a bicycle, and now he was even building a brick-and-tile house. Who wouldn't look on with envy and jealousy!

Therefore, even with this "get-out-of-jail-free card" in hand, Li Yi had no desire to stir up a huge commotion across the town.

All in all: stay steady and don't rock the boat!

However, with Wang Anguo as such a powerful patron, Li Yi formed a new perspective on his Liangpi business!

While he might not be able to peddle Liangpi up and down the streets, he could certainly wholesale it to the state-run restaurant!

Thinking about the appeal of Liangpi, it was bound to become a specialty of the state-run restaurant.

Furthermore, the state-run restaurant was currently the only catering establishment open to the public in the entire county, and its daily business was simply booming.

Once that sales channel was opened up, the volume of goods moved would undoubtedly be massive!

Although the wholesale price to the state-run restaurant certainly couldn't compare to retail peddling, given a large enough volume, the earnings would be no less than what he made on his own.

With this thought, Li Yi decided to make a larger batch tomorrow and take it to the state-run restaurant to give it a try!

If it didn't work out, that was fine too—if worst came to worst and he couldn't sell it, he could just take it over to Wang Anguo and the others!

However, what Li Yi didn't know was that just as he was happily daydreaming about his future commercial plans, the village had completely exploded!

To recount, once Xu Hong made sure that Li Yi had finally been arrested, he felt an immense sense of delight. He hurried right back and spread the news immediately!

In no time at all, the entire Nianzishan Production Brigade knew that Li Yi had been arrested by the public security for speculation and profiteering!

Since Tang Xue lived at the educated youth quarters, and the news originated precisely from there, she learned of the situation very quickly.

Although she didn't know whether it was true or false, she still hurriedly rushed over to the Li family's home to break the news to Li Na and her husband Li Shankui.

This frightened the Li family out of their wits. In this day and age, speculation and profiteering were no small matters; a single misstep could lead to a prison sentence!

Li Shankui immediately wanted to head into town to find his son!

However, he was stopped by Li Na. She knew her younger brother very well; although his temperament was somewhat unruly, he never did anything without a sure grasp of the situation.

Since he had sworn up and down that day that he had connections "up top," he was definitely acting with a purpose and would never deceive them.

Therefore, Li Na asked her father to wait a bit longer, and if Li Yi still hadn't returned by then, they could go into town!

Even so, waiting and waiting with no sign of Li Yi coming back, even Li Na began to grow anxious.

At six-thirty in the afternoon, just as Li Na also felt it necessary to head into town to scout out the news, a crisp sound of bells suddenly rang out from outside the courtyard!

Glancing out the window, everyone saw the tall, imposing figure of the large red mule come into view!

A look of joy flashed across Li Na's face, and she excitedly bolted out of the house.

As soon as she stepped outside, she saw Li Yi driving the mule cart into the courtyard and beginning to unload it.

"Xiaoyi!"

Li Yi looked up and saw his third sister running toward him like a gust of wind, looking as if she wanted to give him a hug.

He subconsciously reached out one hand while calling out, "Stop!"

Taken aback by this sudden move, Li Na halted in her tracks.

Am I being shunned by this brat?

Recovering her senses, Li Na instantly grew furious. She marched straight over, grabbed Li Yi by the ear, and scolded, "Oh, you little punk, your wings must have hardened now that you dare to disdain your sister! Let me show you how I'll deal with you!"

Li Yi hurriedly begged for mercy, "Sister... my dear sister, ouch, ouch, ouch..."

"Then are you going to disdain me anymore?" Li Na demanded loudly.

"I didn't disdain you! Come on, we're both adults here, you suddenly come at me like that, how am I supposed to handle it!" Li Yi quickly explained.

"What adults, you were totally disowning me..."

At that moment, Tang Xue, who had followed them out of the house, watched the siblings bickering with eyes full of envy!

Although she also had an older brother and a younger sister, her brother looked down on her, and her younger sister wasn't close to her either. They had never played and quarreled so intimately with her!

Just then, Li Yi spotted Tang Xue as well and blurted out, "Sis, let go quickly, my wife is watching!"

Hearing this, Tang Xue's face turned beet red in an instant!

Li Na grew even more "indignant" at this and immediately retorted, "Well, if it isn't Li Yi! Now you've got a wife and forgotten your sister! So what if Xiaoxue is watching, aren't I allowed to discipline you?"

Li Yi wrenched himself free from Li Na's grip, bolted straight over to Tang Xue's side, and put on an exaggerated, pitiful look as he cried, "Wife, save me!"

Though Tang Xue had no wish to get embroiled in the battle between the siblings, for some reason, she couldn't help chiming in: "Sister Na, just let him off. We still have important business to ask him about!"

Li Na stared at her good friend in utter shock and disbelief!

She knew very well that Tang Xue actually didn't like this good-for-nothing younger brother of hers, and that agreeing to marry him was purely out of helplessness. That was why she had spent the first few days constantly worrying that Tang Xue might do something desperate.

Yet just now, she had heard her own brother call Tang Xue his wife, and not only did Tang Xue not object, but she even looked entirely bashful!

Something was wrong here—very wrong!

On top of that, Tang Xue was actually pleading on behalf of her brother. Had the sun risen from the west today?