Volume One, Chapter Seven: Blood Brothers Settle the Score!

After much contemplation, Tang Xionghua finally voiced his thoughts.

“Then we can just call on your uncle or your uncle-in-law to help out. They’re family, so we can trust them.”

Calling on relatives for assistance is generally the most optimal solution most people would consider.

Most of the time, it indeed works.

Tang Yichen neither nodded nor outright rejected the idea. Instead, he calmly said:

“My uncle has been diligent and honest all his life, so naturally, he’s trustworthy.”

“My uncle-in-law might be a bit lazy, but overall, he’s also reliable.”

“But the premise is that they’re willing to step out of the village and take the risk to do something they’ve never been involved with.”

“If they’re willing, that’s fine, but it’s still necessary to explain clearly to them that this business is only temporarily profitable. The profits will thin out over time, and our family might exit by the end of the year.”

“My concern is that even if we make this clear upfront, when the money stops flowing, they might end up resenting us.”

Tang Xionghua silently nodded but still said firmly, “I can’t speak for your uncle-in-law, but your uncle definitely wouldn’t do that! Since childhood, your uncle has cared for me and your aunt. He has endured a lot for the sake of us siblings… Your father’s vocational school tuition was half paid by your uncle! He could have gone to middle school himself but gave way for his younger brothers and sisters…”

“I know that,” Tang Yichen replied. “Actually, when working with relatives in business, the biggest fear is unequal benefits causing resentment.”

“Many siblings are close when poor, but when wealth comes, they drift apart, and sometimes even fall out.”

“So, we can try starting with your uncle, but some things must be made very clear, even put in writing. Clear accounting among brothers is essential; we mustn’t end up not even being brothers anymore because of misunderstandings!”

“You trust your uncle unconditionally, Dad, and I have no objections, but your uncle isn’t alone; there’s your aunt and my cousin…”

At the mention of Tang Yichen’s aunt, Tang Xionghua fell silent.

Indeed, his elder brother was very kind to Tang Xionghua’s family.

But his sister-in-law, though not a bad person, was the typical stingy rural woman.

The dried fish and shrimp business itself had no significant technical barrier; anyone could do it.

However, the enormous profits involved meant that even if workers were paid high wages, they might still feel underpaid.

What’s worse, once they understood the process, faced with such huge profits, they might be tempted to go solo.

Human nature is sometimes fragile under the test of profit. Outsiders might not withstand it, and relatives are no exception…

“Then maybe… we should just handle it ourselves for now.”

“After all, the volume won’t be huge initially. At most, I can buy a new bicycle and make several trips to transport goods.”

“It’s okay to earn less; the main thing is peace of mind. If it becomes overwhelming, we can rethink later.”

After a moment’s thought, Tang Xionghua suggested not rushing to get help.

But Tang Yichen frowned slightly and said, “But Dad, that would be very hard on you. Can your health take it? Unfortunately, I’m still young and can’t help much.”

Moved by his son’s concern, Tang Xionghua brushed it off nonchalantly:

“Yichen, don’t underestimate your old man!”

“Moving some dried fish and shrimp—what’s the big deal?”

“Your old man has been doing farm work since childhood. Carrying several sacks of rice for seven or eight miles is nothing.”

“I’ve got plenty of strength!”

Tang Yichen reluctantly agreed, “Alright then, let’s try it this way for now.”

The two then discussed many details at length.

They went through all potential problems and their contingency plans…

Both father and son grew a bit excited, envisioning a bright future while discussing practical matters.

Tang Yichen repeatedly warned his father not to reveal the secret of his being a reincarnated person.

Besides the two of them, no one else must know.

“Don’t worry, Yichen! I know how important this is. If necessary, I’ll swear off drinking to eliminate the risk of spilling the secret while drunk. I’ll keep it buried inside,” Tang Xionghua solemnly promised.

Tang Yichen nodded with a smile, “Right, no more drinking!”

They talked until 1 a.m. before finally falling into a deep sleep.

---

Before 7 a.m. the next day, father and son got up, checked out, and efficiently visited several large vegetable markets in Hankou District, where the train station was located.

Their conclusion was the same: there was a market, so it was feasible!

They then returned near the train station to look for a place to rent.

In that era, few people left their hometowns to work, so housing was not hard to find.

Soon, they found a two-bedroom worker’s apartment less than 600 meters from the train station, renting for 65 yuan a month.

This price might seem surreal in 2024, but back then, it was quite expensive.

The average worker’s salary in the provincial capital Chuzhou was about 200 yuan, and many farmers in Tianshui Town earned only sixty or seventy yuan a month.

This rent was equivalent to the monthly income of many townspeople.

Tang Xionghua knew it wasn’t the time to be stingy; the most important thing was that the house was truly suitable.

The rent required a deposit plus two months’ rent, so they paid 195 yuan upfront.

Fortunately, Tang Xionghua had brought over 300 yuan with him, plus the 70.80 yuan earned from selling 12 jin of dried fish and shrimp.

The remaining money was more than enough to buy train tickets home.

By the time they got the keys, it was already 12:30 p.m.

The train departed at 3 p.m.

After a simple lunch, they still had some time, so the father and son went to inspect the train station’s freight area.

Transporting several hundred jin of dried goods from the county to the provincial capital was safest and most cost-effective by train.

Fortunately, in 1991, trade and commerce were underdeveloped, and freight demand was not intense.

It wasn’t frequent, which meant they only needed to pay the freight fees without needing to pull strings.

At most, they might buy a few packs of cigarettes to bribe the freight staff, but no one would make trouble over such small shipments.

After figuring out the entire process and unloading route, Tang Xionghua was satisfied:

“Not bad. There shouldn’t be any problems.”

“This place is even closer to our apartment than the station square. Hiring a cart or tricycle, it takes less than half an hour to transport the goods.”

Tang Yichen nodded, “Yes, it’s quite convenient.”

“But when the volume grows, Dad, you won’t be able to handle it alone.”

“We need to prepare backup plans for getting help beyond just family.”

“It’d be a huge loss to miss out on the market because we couldn’t keep up.”

Tang Xionghua agreed immediately, “No problem! Alright, Yichen, let’s head back.”

The huge clock above the train station showed 2 p.m.

They bought their tickets and entered the station.

At 3 p.m., the train departed on time, heading steadily toward the county.