Reborn in 1981, starting by smashing my iron rice bowl.

"Keep your voice down!" Wang Shujuan quickly covered Liu Weidong's mouth, glared at him, and said, "What if someone hears us and comes to steal our clivia tonight?"

Wang Shujuan's concerns were not unfounded. Although the Liu family held considerable prestige in the village, wealth was a powerful motivator, and this was, after all, several hundred thousand yuan—an astronomical sum in the early 1980s. If word got out, who knew what might happen?

Wang Shujuan's palm was soft and felt very comfortable against her lips. Liu Weidong couldn't help but lick it lightly, which startled her so much that she quickly withdrew her hand and glared at her younger brother.

Liu Weidong calmly replied, "Sister, don't worry. With the level of education in our village, which is so low, how many people can read newspapers? They probably don't even know how valuable these clivia plants are."

At this point, Liu Weidong glanced at his own yard in front of him and continued unhurriedly, "Besides, Wangcai is right there in the front yard. If anyone comes into our private plot, it will definitely bark, and no one will be able to move our clivia!"

Wang Shujuan thought about it for a moment and realized that it made sense. She secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said, "That's good. Since the clivia is already so expensive, why don't we sell it?"

Liu Weidong laughed and said, "Don't rush, it's not time yet. We've only just begun. I won't sell them until they're a thousand yuan each!"

In Liu Weidong's memory, by the end of this year, the price of Clivia had broken through the 1,000 yuan mark, reaching a peak of around 1,200 yuan.

At the time, all the speculators and players were full of confidence, believing that the price of Clivia would continue to rise and become a money-printing machine for everyone.

In fact, this summer, some optimistic speculators have already shouted the slogan "Break 2,000 next year, reach 10,000 in three years", which means that the price of a pot of clivia will exceed 2,000 next year and will exceed 10,000 within three years!

Amidst this atmosphere of blind optimism and deliberate hype, even more people flocked to the clivia community. This not only drove up prices but also made this originally quite ordinary plant even more sought-after.

However, to everyone's surprise, the price of Clivia suddenly reversed its steady rise and began to decline the following spring. At first, few people took it seriously, assuming it was just an occasional price fluctuation, but they quickly realized something was wrong. The price of Clivia kept falling, dropping from just over a thousand yuan to over eight hundred yuan within two months—a drop of a full third!

At this point, everyone panicked and began selling off their stockpiled clivia plants. The result was that this further drove down the price of clivia.

Within just a few months, the once highly sought-after clivia became completely unwanted. Its price plummeted from over a thousand yuan to just a few yuan, a complete collapse. Countless people went bankrupt due to the clivia speculation, and quite a few even committed suicide because of it.

Of course, with the price of Clivia soaring, no one would have imagined such a dramatic change in less than a year.

Now, only Liu Weidong knows that the clivia, which is currently being hyped up, will eventually end up in a mess. He had already planned to sell all his clivia around the Spring Festival.

As for the price of the clivia, Liu Weidong has already decided. Although it could fetch up to 1,200 yuan, he will sell it as long as it exceeds 1,000 yuan.

After all, even Liu Weidong couldn't remember the exact date when the price of Clivia fell, so it was better to be safe and sell them all when the price reached his target price to secure his profits.

However, the price really startled Wang Shujuan, who asked Liu Weidong in disbelief, "Really...really worth that much money?"

"Based on my estimate, it will definitely reach this price." Liu Weidong told Wang Shujuan in a mysterious tone, "Although the price could go a little higher, I'll sell it for over a thousand to be on the safe side. It should be around the Spring Festival. You've been busy with these clivias for almost a year, so you can take a break then."

Wang Shujuan quickly said, "Since the price of these clivia plants keeps rising, why don't we plant more for a few years? I'm not afraid of the hard work!"

Seeing that his sister had made the same mistake as those speculators of clivia, Liu Weidong couldn't help but laugh and say, "Sister, clivia can't be eaten or used, so the price won't stay this high forever. It will drop sooner or later. We can't keep holding onto it, or we'll lose everything!"

"Oh, I see..." Wang Shujuan nodded as if she understood, and smiled at Liu Weidong, saying, "I don't understand these things either, but I'll just do whatever you say!"

Wang Shujuan wasn't just talking; she really meant what she said. This made Liu Weidong secretly nod in approval, resolving to protect this gentle and considerate girl.

Liu Weidong had a very happy two days, spending every day at home with Wang Shujuan. In this sweltering heat, he was too lazy to take Wangcai up the mountain to look for truffles. Aside from going to their private plot to check on the clivia, the two of them were inseparable, and life couldn't be happier.

However, happy times are always short-lived. Two days later, Liu Weidong received a letter from Wei Wanqing, telling him that she had bought train tickets and was going to Shanghai with Qi Haixia to discuss clothing business.

This was something Liu Weidong had already agreed to, so he couldn't refuse. He could only pack his bags with a worried expression and prepare to leave.

Liu Weidong and Wang Shujuan had only taken that final step a few days ago, and they were enjoying a blissful relationship. In fact, Wang Shujuan was reluctant to part with him.

However, Wang Shujuan was a sensible girl, so she suppressed her reluctance and helped Liu Weidong pack his luggage while advising him: "Since you promised someone a long time ago, you have to keep your word. Besides, you said before that this senior sister has helped us a lot, so it's only right that you help her back."

Liu Weidong understood these reasons, but shook his head helplessly and said, "Sister, you don't need to persuade me. I know I can't not go, but it will be several days, and I'm a little reluctant to leave you."

Wang Shujuan glanced shyly at Liu Weidong and said, "Actually... I'm the same way. Fortunately, Shanghai isn't far away, so you'll be back in a few days."

Liu Weidong had initially considered taking Wang Shujuan along, but considering Wei Wanqing's personality, he abandoned the unrealistic idea. Doing so would be like a mouse offering New Year's greetings to a cat—a recipe for disaster. A mature man would never do something so foolish!

Not long after, Liu Weidong packed his bags and left home, embarking on his journey to Shanghai amidst Wang Shujuan's reluctant farewell.