Juhua had never left Qingnan Village.

Even Li Changyu himself, who had studied in Qinghui for several years, had never paid attention to such matters. It was only after he decided to go into business that he started wandering the main streets and back alleys to familiarize himself with the town, choosing suitable customers, and starting to sell his wares.

For a moment, no one spoke. The room fell silent. Zhang Huai watched Li Changyu quietly, his lips pursed and his expression solemn.

Qingmu was also sizing up Li Changyu, thinking, ’Juhua and I have placed such high hopes in him. Whether or not he can make something of himself all depends on his skills. If he succeeds, building a workshop in the village will be a much safer bet.’

That was why Juhua had been so determined today, not only giving him the idea but also explaining it in such great detail.

Juhua continued sewing a shoe sole, her mind racing as she tried to think if she had missed anything.

’At this rate, it shouldn’t be a problem for the village to escape poverty by next year, but becoming truly wealthy will still take several more years.’

’Once we can attract merchants to Xiatang Market, we’ll be nearly there.’

As she was thinking about all this, she looked up and saw Li Changyu smiling at her. She raised an eyebrow and said, "Changyu, I don’t think you should focus too much on money for now. The most important thing is to build our brand. Once the merchants start taking notice of Xiatang Market and Qingnan Village, how much money won’t you be able to make? Who else could possibly compete with you? It’s like they say, ’the lakeside tower is the first to see the moon,’ right?"

Li Changyu was taken aback and didn’t reply. He just kept thinking about that phrase, ’the lakeside tower is the first to see the moon.’ However, unlike last winter, he didn’t pester Juhua by asking, "You definitely know how to read, don’t you?" He just watched her silently, wondering, ’Did Qingmu teach her that?’

After a moment, he smiled at the three of them. "Don’t you worry. I’ll definitely make a name for our village’s products. That’s when we’ll really start making money. I might not be the most capable person, but I have at least that much foresight."

Qingmu nodded slightly and asked, "So, are you still going to Qinghui at the end of the year?"

Changyu laughed. "By the end of the year, many shops will be closing for the holiday. Since I’m just running a small business, it’s no big deal to pack up early. I originally wasn’t planning on going back again after this trip. But after our discussion, I think I should make one more trip. I can take advantage of the year’s end to find a small storefront and rent it, so we’re not scrambling next year."

Qingmu smiled. "In that case, wait a couple of days and let Huai Zi go with you. I’m tied up at home, or I’d go too."

Li Changyu asked in surprise, "Is there something you need to do? If it’s too much trouble to make the trip, I can take care of it for you."

Zhang Huai glanced at Juhua and said quietly, "It’s nothing much, we just want to go take a look. You can help us out once, but can you help us every time? We need to get out and see things for ourselves, so we don’t have to keep bothering you whenever something comes up."

Li Changyu nodded. "Ah, that makes sense. Once things get busy, you two will probably be traveling the road to Qinghui all the time. Who knows, you might even have to go to Huzhou and Linhuzhou regularly."

Qingmu and Zhang Huai exchanged a smile. That was exactly what they were thinking.

After resting for a bit, Qingmu stood up. "Let’s go. It’s time for school."

Zhang Huai and Li Changyu quickly stood up as well.

Li Changyu smiled at Juhua. "Juhua, I’m off. Is there anything you want me to buy for you? I can bring it back over the New Year."

He finished, grinning as he watched her.

Juhua looked up and saw that he seemed much more relaxed than when he’d first arrived. ’He must be in a better mood now that a great weight has been lifted from his mind,’ she thought.

She shook her head. "There’s nothing I need. I already gave a shopping list to Huai Zi. As for you, just focus on selling as much as you can. And one more thing, make sure your sign includes the words ’Qingnan Village’ or ’Little Qing Mountain.’ That way, as soon as people eat our food, they’ll immediately think of Little Qing Mountain and the villages around it."

Li Changyu froze. ’So, Zhang Huai was already planning to go to Qinghui County? It wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision?’

He couldn’t help but turn to look at Zhang Huai, only to see him gazing intently at Juhua. ’They did grow up together, after all,’ he thought. ’Their bond is different.’

Hearing that she’d given her list to Zhang Huai, he wanted to offer to bring her something else. But then he remembered he had just brought her snacks on this trip, so it wouldn’t be right to buy more food. As for buying something else... he wasn’t sure how to even bring it up. He gave a couple of dry laughs, at a loss for words.

Qingmu laughed. "When you’re rich, you can treat us to a grand meal at one of Qinghui’s big restaurants," he said, pulling Li Changyu along with him as he left.

Juhua watched their three figures recede into the distance, standing out starkly against the snow. She found herself staring, lost in thought. ’Can they really build a new future for Qingnan Village?’

********

When Li Changyu got home, he changed his shoes—he’d forgotten to do so when he stopped by earlier, and his feet were now feeling the chill. He turned to Mrs. Fang, who had followed him in, and said, "Mom, I’ve already eaten—I ate at Qingmu’s place. Have you all been waiting for me?"

Mrs. Fang grumbled, "You could have at least told me! I cooked so many dishes."

Li Changyu smiled apologetically. "I stopped by earlier but forgot to tell you." He had so much on his mind that when he’d come back to grab the snacks, he’d completely forgotten to mention he wouldn’t be home for lunch.

Sitting at the dining table, Li Gengtian saw his son’s somewhat haggard face and his heart ached for him. "If he’s eaten, he’s eaten. What’s the fuss?" he said. "It’s cold out, the food won’t spoil. We can just eat it tonight."

Li Mingrui asked with concern, "Changyu, are you sure you’re full? Why not have a little more? Your mother made pork intestines today."

Li Changyu couldn’t help but laugh. "How could I not be full? Grandpa, you all go ahead and eat. If I weren’t full, I’d already be at the table. You wouldn’t even need to ask."

Hearing this, the old man realized his grandson had a point, so he just smiled and went back to his meal.

Li Changyu waited for Li Gengtian to finish eating, then pulled over a small stool and sat down in front of him. He proceeded to explain, in detail, everything that they had discussed at Juhua’s house. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian.com to vote for recommendations and monthly passes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)