By the time dinner was over, it was dark. Li Qingxia declined Li Long's offer to see him home and strolled back with his hands behind his back.
There were no streetlights, but the snow was already thick, and the light from the sky reflected off it, making the road visible.
Besides, the Police Station was diagonally opposite, and the Purchasing Station was only a short walk farther on, so there was nothing much to worry about.
As they were getting ready for bed, Li Long told Gu Xiaoxia that Xu Haijun wanted to join the Cooperative.
Gu Xiaoxia had just finished washing her feet. After emptying the water, she returned to the bedside and said with a smile:
"Xu Haijun's a clever one. He's tried plenty of things these past two years. It looks like he's realized he can't get anywhere on his own or find his footing, so he's decided to lean on you instead."
"That's true. He's certainly tried a lot these past two years. Getting handles for the Big Brooms, reclaiming wasteland, going north to hunt... But hunting's out of the question now."
"Exactly. There are fewer and fewer things he thinks he can make money from. Now that you're starting a Cooperative, he's probably realized that, in the end, farmers still have to make their money from the land. That's why he wants to partner with you."
"Clever enough." Li Long nodded.
"In ancient times, he'd have been thinking, 'When one man ascends to heaven, even his chickens and dogs rise with him,'" Gu Xiaoxia said with a smile. "These days, it means if you can't do it yourself, find someone who can."
"How could I count as an immortal?" Li Long chuckled and pulled back the covers. "At most, I've just had a little