Chapter 22: A Windfall from the Heavens (Part 2)

That Friday evening, Mu Fugui returned home beaming with joy. Mu Mian immediately caught on and eagerly approached him, “Dad, did you manage to exchange it?”

Mu Fugui chuckled, “Go call your mother. Let’s talk inside.”

Mu Mian darted towards the kitchen.

A minute later, the Mu family held another closed-door meeting around the square table.

Mu Fugui didn’t beat around the bush. “I exchanged it for a bicycle ticket and 230 yuan.”

Mu Mian’s eyes widened. “That much?”

Bicycle tickets were incredibly hard to come by. A single ticket could easily fetch 60 to 70 yuan, if not a full hundred.

So combined, the total value reached nearly 300 yuan!

That was far beyond Mu Mian’s expectations. She had estimated at most around 200 yuan.

Mu Fugui looked proud. “Who do you think your father is?! I’ve built some connections over the years at the commune. The man I exchanged it with is a deputy factory director, very filial. He said his elderly parent has a weak constitution, so he needed it to nourish them.”

“There was an old man before who tried to scam me, offering only 150 yuan. Did he take me for a fool? A ginseng of this age is worth at least double that.”

Mu Mian curiously examined the bicycle ticket and showered her father with praises. Her words poured out effortlessly, her sweet talk making him feel on top of the world.

Though basking in his daughter’s praise, Mu Fugui did not forget that it was Mu Mian who had originally found the ginseng.

Mu Fugui said, “I’ll hold onto this ticket. Together with the money, I’ll record it as 300 yuan. When you grow up, I’ll give it to you, or include it in your dowry.”

Mu Mian shook her head. “No need. Use it for the household expenses.”

Mu Fugui was firm on this matter. “Supporting the family doesn’t require your money, little one. And don’t think we need money for daily necessities either. It’s our responsibility as parents to provide for you. These accounts are separate.”

“When your mother and I grow old, it will be your and your brother’s duty to take care of us. You won’t be able to escape it.”

“By then, I’ll take your mother and your grandmother, and we’ll stay at your house one day, then your brother’s the next, eating and drinking at your expense.”

His joking nature started to show again.

Mu Mian wanted to say something, but Liu Shuangcui interjected, “Listen to your father. But this money cannot be given to you now. I won’t feel at ease.”

Mu Mian nodded. She understood well that an eight-year-old girl couldn’t possibly be entrusted with a couple of hundred yuan.

Just as she was thinking about this, Mu Mian suddenly paused.

Maybe there was someone who could hold that much money—Shi Xiaolian.

If she hadn’t told her mother and sister about the 100 yuan, then right now, their brigade had a seven-year-old girl secretly carrying a small fortune.

Though, it wouldn’t be of much use. She would still have to go through great lengths to hide it properly.

Mu Mian wasn’t particularly envious. After all, she had her own little stash. Those small gold nuggets were quite valuable, and she didn’t even need to find a special hiding place for them.

Just put the box there, and as long as she didn’t mention it, no one would know what was inside.

Remembering her earlier plans, Mu Mian lifted her little head and boldly spoke up, “Can I use a small portion first?”

Liu Shuangcui chuckled, “What do you want to use it for?”

Mu Mian replied, “I want to go to the county and buy books and a fountain pen.”

A fountain pen wasn’t cheap. A good one could cost nearly 20 yuan. If it weren’t for this unexpected windfall, Mu Mian wouldn’t have dared to ask her parents for one.

She simply wouldn’t have the nerve to bring it up. But she genuinely needed one.

Mu Fugui wasn’t the least bit surprised by his daughter’s request. In fact, he was pleased. “That’s my girl, aiming for university in the future!”

Then, he readily agreed. “Buy it! How about this Sunday? The day after tomorrow, I’ll take you to the county.”

Mu Mian had no objections, of course. Her father truly was a swift and decisive man.

—

The next day, Saturday, Mu Mian was still eagerly looking forward to their trip to the county. But that evening, her father pulled a surprising move—

He rode home on a brand-new bicycle, with a group of young boys chasing excitedly behind him.

At the time, Xu Lele was also playing in the Mu family’s courtyard. The little girl jumped up and down. “Wow! Uncle Fugui bought a new bicycle?”

Mu Mian nodded. “Yes, my dad has wanted one for a long time.”

She just hadn’t expected it to happen so quickly. The ticket had only been obtained yesterday, and today, the bike was already here.

It was obvious that her father had been longing for this for quite a while.

And indeed, Mu Fugui, sitting on the bicycle, grinned like a groom about to pick up his bride.

By then, work was already over for the day.

A bicycle was a major item, drawing the curiosity of neighbors who gathered around.

“Wow, a Phoenix brand! How much did it cost?” someone asked.

Mu Fugui beamed. “One hundred and fifty yuan.”

“Wow, that’s not cheap. Your wife agreed to it?”

Without hesitation, Mu Fugui lied through his teeth, “Of course! My wife told me to buy it. She felt sorry for me having to walk back and forth every day, especially in winter. Last year, I had frostbite all season. It was so itchy at night I couldn’t sleep.”

Inside the house, Liu Shuangcui’s eyebrow twitched.

Mu Xingwang and Mu Xinglong, the two brothers, also came running over when they heard the news.

It seemed that men had an unexplainable fascination with bicycles.

Even Mu Xingwang, usually the more reserved one, couldn’t help but touch and admire it, clearly loving it.

Mu Xinglong was the most direct, “Big Brother, let me ride a couple of laps. I’ve never ridden one in my life!”

Why be polite with his own brother?!

Mu Fugui didn’t hold back either and refused outright, “No way! What if you fall?! Hop on, I’ll take you both for a ride.”

Mu Xinglong grinned from ear to ear. That worked for him—he wasn’t picky.

Mu Fugui straddled the bicycle and gave instructions, “Fourth Brother, sit in the back. Fifth Brother, you sit on the crossbar.”

This bicycle was of excellent quality. It could easily support a grown man sitting on the crossbar.

Normally, Mu Xingwang would have refused outright. He didn’t want to fool around with his eldest brother and youngest brother.

But today, under the temptation of the new bicycle, his brain hadn’t even processed it yet when his legs had already moved. With a ‘plop,’ he took the back seat.

The three brothers rode off, leaving behind a group of people watching the excitement. Mu Xinglong, a grown man, was nestled in Mu Fugui’s arms like a little wife, making the people of the brigade’s eyes twitch.

Their mother, Zhao Meihua, couldn’t bear to watch and simply turned around and went inside the house.

Out of sight, out of mind.

Mu Fugui didn’t ride for long. After dropping off his two younger brothers, he grabbed the little ones next. “Come, come, my daughter, you sit in the front.”

Xiao Chengzi and Gutou jumped excitedly on the side, “Me! Me! Me! Big Uncle! We haven’t had a turn yet!”

Mu Fugui ignored his nephews and waved at Mu Wan. “Boys can wait. This time, the girls go first. Come on, Xiao Wan, you sit in the back.”

Mu Wan smiled and quickly climbed up with both hands and feet.

Mu Fugui called out, “Here we go! Hold on tight!”

Mu Mian, sitting in front, gripped the handlebars tightly. At first, she was excited, but after a while, she realized that her backside was getting sore.

Just as she was debating whether to get off early, she spotted Shi Xiaolian walking back from the mountains carrying a basket.

Now that she thought about it, their homes were quite far apart, and she hadn’t seen Shi Xiaolian for several days.

Mu Mian patted the handlebars. “Dad, let me down. I’m going to find Shi Xiaolian.”

Mu Fugui asked, “Huh? You’re done riding?”

As soon as the bike stopped, Mu Mian jumped off in a flash. “I’m done! You take Xiao Wan back. I’ll go play with Shi Xiaolian for a bit.”

Then, without looking back, she ran toward Shi Xiaolian.

Mu Mian’s eyes sparkled. This was a good person, a really good person!

A hundred yuan in exchange for three hundred yuan—it was a steal!

Shi Xiaolian had already noticed her and slowed her steps slightly, her expression complicated.

She had figured something out—Mu Mian really did seem to have some luck on her side.

Just now, she overheard some older women gossiping, saying that Mu Mian’s family got the bicycle ticket because Mu Fugui helped someone from the city with a big favor, and they repaid him with it.

It sounded reasonable and even a little enviable.

But Shi Xiaolian suspected that there was no such big favor. It was more likely that Mu Mian traded ginseng for it.

Some people just had different fates. She had searched for two months and found nothing, while Mu Mian had stumbled upon it in less than a week.

Mu Mian ran quickly and reached Shi Xiaolian in no time. She squeezed in beside her with a big smile. If someone didn’t know better, they’d think they were real sisters.

Shi Xiaolian sighed helplessly. “What do you want?”

Mu Mian grabbed her arm and whispered as they walked, “Do you know where to find more? Let’s work together!”

She even started analyzing, “Look, two people are always stronger than one, right? I may not have other skills, but my luck is amazing. I’m not making this up—everyone says so, and the facts seem to back it up.”

“I won’t take advantage of you. We’ll split it fifty-fifty!”

It made a lot of sense, and it was tempting. But…

Shi Xiaolian rolled her eyes and gave Mu Mian a deadpan look. “Do you think it’s as easy to find as cabbage?”

It wasn’t something she could just get whenever she wanted.

She had only ever known about that one.