"Come, sit down and eat with us," Li Long called to the two brothers.
"No, no." Li Zhengtang hurriedly waved his hands. "We've eaten. We dug up some more fritillaria just now and brought it over. Settle it together with this morning's batch."
"Have some." Li Long had held things against Li Zhengtang and Li Zhengting before, but those were separate matters. They had repaid the five kilograms of fritillaria they owed and behaved themselves afterward. People had to be allowed to improve and mend their ways.
"I have plenty here. I know what you eat in the mountains. I've lived like that myself. Don't be shy. Eat up. I've made money off you, so treating you to a meal is no problem."
Since Li Long had put it that way, the two stopped refusing. They put down their sacks, washed their hands at the Spring Eye, then picked up large steamed buns and started eating.
Liu Shanmin went inside to fetch chopsticks for them. Li Zhengting had actually been planning to break off two twigs to use instead.
Watching the two eat their buns in large bites despite their slight reserve, Liu Shanmin joked with Li Long.
"Boss Li, I think you could easily open a canteen here. You'd definitely make money."
"Forget that." Li Long waved a hand. "Trading for fritillaria benefits everyone, so the officials turn a blind eye. Opening a canteen would be openly defying the higher-ups. I can't do that. If I did, this cabin probably wouldn't be allowed to stay."
"True." Liu Shanmin understood immediately. "I was oversimplifying things."
After the meal, Li Zhengtang rushed to clear away and wash the bowls and chopsticks. Li Long fetched the scales from the small room and weighed the fresh fritillaria they had brought.
"The two sacks