"Comrade Li, I really made the right choice giving you this job. I thought, with this being your second batch, and the weather colder and the reeds harder to cut than before, the quality might slip a little. But those seven thousand-odd reed bundles we accepted today were just as good as ever!"
Chen Zhenming said this over a meal with Li Long that afternoon.
They had originally planned to eat at noon, but Chen Zhenming wanted to finish inspecting all the reed bundles and send off a truckload first. Otherwise, he would not feel at ease.
Li Long naturally understood what Chen Zhenming meant. Once the inspection was finished, it would be difficult for anyone to pull any little tricks with what remained. The rejects would be set aside and the acceptable ones hauled away, so he would not have to keep watching them over the meal and make it so obvious.
Of the seven thousand reed bundles hauled away, fewer than twenty had failed inspection. That was already very good.
After writing Li Long a receipt and paying him fourteen hundred yuan, Chen Zhenming said as he left with the truck on its second trip:
"I'll be here early again the day after tomorrow. Just have everything ready."
Chen Xingbang, who was sorting reeds in the yard, looked at the thick wad of money in Li Long's hand with immense envy. But he also understood that reaching Li Long's level would take a good deal more effort on his part. At the very least, he would need substantial connections and resources before he could land a job like this.
For now, he would just keep his head down and work. At least this younger brother-in-law of his paid without any fuss. In just three days, he had already