As ideas turned over in Li Long's mind, he wheeled his bicycle around toward the village outskirts and said as he walked:
"How much trouble? Do you need to hide out somewhere? You know where that Wooden Cabin in the mountains is, right? If things get bad, go stay there for a few days..."
Tears streamed down Tao Daqiang's face!
Li Long's first concern wasn't how big an impact it would have, but whether he could go into hiding for a few days. He was thinking so much of him!
And what had he and his father done in return?
"Hey, hey, hey! What kind of trouble has you this upset?" Li Long suddenly felt a little panicked. Even after living two lives, he wasn't much good at comforting people who cried, whether men or women. He felt this might be something serious, the kind of trouble even he couldn't handle.
"Brother Long, my dad... my dad told someone... told someone how much you pay me, five yuan a day... He told Zaohua's mother... She said she wanted to find me a match and needed to know my circumstances... Then my dad talked too much and said you could make thirty yuan selling one catch of fish... He let it slip..."
Crying, Tao Daqiang recounted what had happened, then crouched by the roadside with his head lowered, waiting for Li Long's "verdict."
Whatever the outcome, he would accept it.
"That's all?" Li Long was a little dumbfounded. This was what had a strapping young man like Tao Daqiang crying his eyes out?
"Huh!" Tao Daqiang thought, Isn't that serious enough? Our way of making money has been spread around! Everyone knows now! We won't have it to ourselves anymore!
Li Long laughed. He patted Tao Daqiang on the shoulder and