Arc 45Trade, Travel, and Winter
Li Long expanded his trade through sugar, vehicles, shoes, and medicinal goods while traveling to Kazakhstan with Liu Shanmin and returning with new business prospects. As winter arrived, he rejoined his family and friends in the Fourth Team, where they prepared for cotton planting and gathered food together.
- Li Long arranged large broom production, sold a shipment to the Prefectural Supply and Marketing Cooperative, and bought Liu Gaolou’s goods while using US dollars to obtain sugar.
- Li Long accepted Liu Shanmin’s offer to handle a small shipment of scrap-declared cars, sold the vehicles locally, and arranged construction of a bridge and floodgate with Zhao Chengfeng and Meng Hai.
- Liu Shanmin advised Li Long that the Soviet Union might collapse, then took him to Kazakhstan, where they sold sugar, hunted gazelles and antelope, and Li Long shot a brown bear.
- Li Long returned home with gifts, sold Bai Xiuming watermelon seeds and shoes, and arranged for Liu Gaolou to transport the shoes to Liu Shanmin in exchange for dollars or scarce goods.
- Li Long bought hides and antelope horns from Liu Gaolou, sold herbs and horns to Jia Tianlong, and paid additional taxes on his profits.
- After heavy snow, Li Long returned to the Fourth Team, spent time with his family, and discussed dibble-sowing cotton with Li Jianguo.
- Li Long took his family to catch sparrows at Old Ma's Place, where they caught nearly two hundred and shared a meal together.
- Li Long led Li Junfeng, Li Jianguo, Li Qingxia, and the children to Reed Gully, where they broke the ice and gathered fish from a shallow canal.