Chapter 38: Going to Town to Sell Goods
“Of course, a three-pound old turtle!”

Lin Heng opened the bag, and a giant turtle emerged. Its limbs and head had retracted, playing dead and motionless.

“My gosh, this is really an old turtle. It must be at least ten years old! You’re lucky to have caught it,” Liang, the carpenter, said in shock.

He couldn’t help but feel envious. This turtle could easily be sold for ten yuan, which he could earn in half a month of hard work.

This made him look at Lin Heng again, wondering how a guy like him could be so lucky to catch such a turtle with just a hook.

But in reality, it wasn’t just luck. Only someone who knew turtles well could catch them accurately. If it was a dead turtle, it wouldn’t bite the hook.

Only a wounded but still alive turtle would be enticed by the bait.

“Impressive, little brother, you’ve struck it rich this time!” Lin Yue slapped Lin Heng’s shoulder excitedly.

“We both struck it rich. This turtle was discovered by you, big brother. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have caught it. Once we sell it, we’ll split the money,” Lin Heng smiled and said.

“It has nothing to do with me, it’s all yours,” Lin Yue shook his head.

“You two don’t need to argue, it’s a 50-50 split, and the eel is the same,” their father interrupted, settling the matter.

Then, looking at Lin Heng with some excitement, he said, “You see, if you lived steadily earlier, you could’ve made good money like this.”

“This is just good luck. You can’t expect to have luck like this every day,” Lin Heng shook his head.

Lin Heng’s father flipped the turtle over, observing its pure white belly and visible blood vessels, its thick skirt showing it was a genuine wild turtle.

“Since you two are going to town, take it there and sell it today. Otherwise, if it dies, it won’t be worth as much,” he suggested.

“I was thinking the same. I’ll sell the mushrooms I picked in the last couple of days too,” Lin Heng nodded.

“I’ve packed everything. Xiulan just returned and packed your stuff too, so you can head out right away,” Lin Yue said to Lin Heng.

“Go ahead, I’ll catch up after a quick trip to the bathroom,” Lin Heng suddenly said.

“Okay, hurry up,” Lin Yue nodded and left with his backpack.

After Lin Heng finished his business, he picked up his backpack and set off, quietly placing the yellow snake (King Cobra) at the bottom of his pack as he passed the wheat field, then caught up with his brother on the road.

“This muddy road is so hard to walk on. I wonder when we’ll have cement roads here,” Lin Heng sighed, wearing a thin plastic raincoat.

Lin Yue smiled slightly and shook his head, “We don’t even know when the electricity will come, let alone cement roads.”

“Yeah.”

Lin Heng felt troubled by it too. Thankfully, if all goes well, electricity should come next year, which would make his farming business much easier.

Without electricity, farming is incredibly hard.

It’s okay, he thought, he would first earn some seed money by running errands for now. No need to rush, after all, it’s only 1983, and there will be many opportunities ahead.

The two men walked the six or seven kilometers to the town in forty minutes.

It was the sixth day of the New Year, the day for the market. Despite the light rain, the streets were still bustling with activity, full of shouting vendors and chattering people.

“Should we sell the mushrooms and herbs together?” Lin Yue asked Lin Heng.

“Big Brother, you handle it. I had a quarrel with Liu Qicheng on the third day, so I don’t feel like going. I’ll wait here for you,” Lin Heng said, handing over his mushrooms and herbs.

Though selling in the city would be more profitable, it was too far, and it wasn’t worth bringing just a few items.

“Alright, leave it to me,” Lin Yue replied without saying more, taking the goods and leaving.

Once Lin Yue left, Lin Heng hurried to the snake collection place to sell the yellow snake (King Cobra).

It wasn’t that he was afraid his brother would find out; it was just that his brother, like their father, believed in those things, and if he knew, he wouldn’t be able to sell it.

“How much do you pay for a yellow snake per pound?” Lin Heng asked as he entered the Wang family shoe shop, which also bought snakes.

“Two yuan and five jiao per pound for snakes under three pounds, three yuan per pound for those over three pounds,” the old man running the shop glanced at him and answered casually.

“Take a look,” Lin Heng said, handing over the snake.

The old man opened the bag, took a quick look, nodded, then tied it up again. “It’s a yellow snake. Come to the back with me.”

At the backyard, he weighed the snake in front of Lin Heng. “Four and a half pounds. Thirteen yuan. You’re lucky to catch such a big one.”

The old man smiled, poured the snake into a large bag that already contained more than ten yellow snakes, one of which was almost as big as Lin Heng’s.

After weighing it, the old man handed Lin Heng thirteen yuan and asked, “You sold all this for so much money, why not buy a pair of shoes?”

“No, thanks,” Lin Heng said, taking the money and leaving.

Not long after he returned to his spot, Lin Yue came back and handed Lin Heng six yuan. “Your herbs and mushrooms sold for five yuan and eighty cents. Here’s the full amount.”

“Okay,” Lin Heng accepted it without hesitation.

This was just the money from the mushrooms; he hadn’t brought the rabbit skins to sell.

“Let’s go, time to sell the eel and turtle,” Lin Yue rubbed his hands, excited.

A few minutes later, the two arrived at the Jin Yu Restaurant in town, an old establishment frequented by government officials and wealthy people.

Only here could they sell such goods, and since Lin Heng and his brother discovered how easy it was to catch eels at night, they came to sell them here several times a year.

Liu Yu, the owner, a chubby middle-aged man, greeted them with two cigarettes, smiling. “First time here this year? Got any good stuff?”

“Liu boss, you won’t believe it, we’ve actually brought something big today, take a look,” Lin Yue said with a grin.

Lin Heng opened the bag to show the turtle. Liu Yu’s face lit up immediately. “This is really good stuff! It must be at least ten years old!”

“Yes, Liu boss, how much can you give me for it?” Lin Heng asked, smiling.

“Three yuan per pound, how’s that? You’re regular customers,” Liu Yu said with a smile.

Lin Yue was about to agree, but Lin Heng spoke first, “Four yuan per pound, Liu boss. This turtle is hard to catch, and it’s alive and undamaged.”

Liu Yu looked at Lin Heng and shook his head. “Let’s weigh it first.”

He took the turtle to the scale, and it weighed three and a half pounds.

“How about twelve yuan?” Liu Yu asked with a smile.

“You’re a big boss, you can afford a little more. Give me fifteen yuan. We caught it yesterday and brought it here today without feeding it. It’s worth that much,” Lin Heng said with a smile.

Liu Yu glanced at Lin Heng, then smiled. “I never noticed you could haggle so well. I’ll give you thirteen yuan, no more.”

“Liu boss, come here, I want to tell you something,” Lin Heng said.

“What is it?” Liu Yu replied, somewhat impatient, thinking he had already made a good offer.

Lin Heng leaned close to Liu Yu’s ear and whispered something.

Liu Yu’s expression softened, and he looked at Lin Heng in surprise. “Are you sure?”

“Of course, there’s no need to lie, just check it out,” Lin Heng said with a smile.

“Alright, fifteen yuan. I’ll buy it,” Liu Yu nodded.

He was a bit shocked, wondering how a farmer like Lin Heng knew such information.

(End of Chapter)