Reborn in the Great Northern Wilderness in 1982, I farmed and hunted to support my whole family.

Li Guozhang sighed: "Muzi, you've grown up and are more capable than your father. If this had happened when I was young, I would have fought them long ago. Now, I'm old and useless."

"Dad, you're not old. What kind of skill is it to rely on words? Look, what is this?"

Li Mu pulled out the crisp new banknotes he had earned that day and handed them to Li Guozhang. This was the money Li Mu had made that day selling bear skins and bear paws, totaling more than a thousand yuan.

"Cough cough cough cough! You cough cough cough cough!" Li Guozhang was so startled by Li Mu's action that he coughed repeatedly. He stared wide-eyed at the banknotes in Li Mu's hand, his hand trembling slightly as he took them and counted them one by one.

"Mu Zi, this... this is all from you?" Li Guozhang's voice was choked with emotion. His son was so successful.

"Yes, Dad, don't worry, our family's life will only get better and better in the future."

Staying in the small village of Lijia will only limit their development. Only by venturing out can they see a wider world and have more opportunities and possibilities.

Li Mu already had a plan in mind: once he had saved enough money, he would settle down in the county town. Staying to tend a few plots of land for the rest of his life was not a solution.

Jiang Xuefen was also wiping away tears, but her tears carried a hint of relief and pride.

Seeing her son so successful and capable of standing on his own, she realized how much Li Mu had sacrificed for the family.

"What do you want to eat? Mom will make it for you. Let's celebrate properly today!" Jiang Xuefen smiled through her tears, her mood instantly improving.

Li Mu thought for a moment and said, "I want to eat your sweet and sour pork and braised pork ribs with sauerkraut!"

This vegetable is something we only dare to buy during the Lunar New Year; we can't afford to eat it at other times. But today, to celebrate Li Mu's "bumper harvest," Jiang Xuefen decided to make an exception.

She rolled up her sleeves and got to work.

To make sweet and sour pork, you first need to slice the pork into thin slices, marinate it until flavorful, coat it with starch and fry it until golden brown, then drizzle it with a special sauce; to make sauerkraut stewed pork ribs, you need to stew the pork ribs until tender, then add sauerkraut and seasonings, and stew for a while.

Li Mu took this opportunity to discuss the matter with Li Guozhang.

“Our fields are still the same few plots near the river at the end of the village, just like last year. They’re close to the river for irrigation, and the soil is fertile, so the crops have always grown well. Dad, I’m thinking, maybe we could dig a pond next to the fields and raise some fish or something, which could increase our income.”

"You wish! You can't just dig here whenever you want; you need the village's permission first. But digging a pond is a good idea. Our village's river is clean, and the fish raised there will definitely taste delicious. I'll talk to Tao Qingshan about it later and see if we can get approval."

"Dad! I'll go!"

Li Mu was genuinely afraid that Li Guozhang would start boasting again and mess things up. He patted his chest and assured him, "Dad, don't worry, I will definitely get things done."

For several days in a row, Li Mu went down to the river to fish with Tian Xiaohu and Li Chuzi, catching dozens of large fish, each one plump and tender.

Li Mu thought to himself that if these fish were raised in a pond, they would definitely breed more small fish. Then, not only could they be eaten by themselves, but they could also be sold, which would bring in a considerable income.

Moreover, with the pond, they can raise ducks, and the duck manure can be used as fish feed, thus forming a virtuous ecological cycle that can save costs and increase profits.

When Li Chuzi heard about Li Siming's situation, he wiped the sweat from his brow and said to Li Mu, "Muzi, Li Siming is such a scoundrel! I'm on your side!"

Li Mu didn't insist. He bought a few pounds of pork belly from Tian Xiaohu and went to the Tao family to discuss digging a pond with Tao Qingshan.

As soon as I arrived at the Tao family's door, I heard Tao Qingshan's hearty laughter coming from inside.

Li Mu pushed open the door and entered, only to see Tao Qingshan chatting with several villagers. There were several small dishes and a pot of turbid wine on the table, and the atmosphere was very harmonious.

Upon seeing Li Mu, Tao Qingshan smiled and said, "Mu Zi, you've come at the right time. Come in and sit down."

Li Mu placed the pork belly on the table and said, "Uncle Tao, I've come today to discuss something with you."

Tao Qingshan gestured for him to sit down and said, "What's the matter? Tell me."

Li Mu then expressed his idea of ​​digging a pond by the field and elaborated on his plan and expected benefits.

He hoped to get Tao Qingshan's support and help, after all, Tao Qingshan was an elder in the village and the person in charge of this land distribution, so his words still carried some weight in the village.

After listening, Tao Qingshan remained silent for a while.

Li Mu felt a little uneasy, wondering if Tao Qingshan would agree with his idea.

After a while, Tao Qingshan finally spoke up: "Muzi, your idea is good, digging a pond does sound feasible. However, this matter still needs the village's approval, and I need to discuss it with the other village officials first."

Upon hearing this, Li Mu breathed a sigh of relief. Although Tao Qingshan hadn't immediately agreed, he hadn't directly refused either, which meant there was still hope.

He quickly said, "Uncle Tao, thank you so much. If this works out, I will definitely thank you properly."

Tao Qingshan waved his hand: "Muzi, what are you saying? We're all from the same village, it's only right that we help each other. Don't worry, I'll discuss it with the other village officials as soon as possible."

Li Mu thought he would have to wait at least ten days or half a month, but only two days later, Tao Qingshan called him to the village office and told him that the village had agreed to the pond digging project.

Li Mu was overjoyed.

"Don't be too happy yet."

Tao Qingshan left a contingency plan: "The land belongs to everyone, and you can't just dig wherever you want. Although the village has agreed to let you dig the pond, you still have to follow the village rules. You can't dig randomly, and you'll have to pay for any damage you cause. Moreover, the pond you dig will be under the village's jurisdiction, and you can't occupy it privately."

Li Mu readily agreed, then heard him ask, "Who will you be digging with? And how are you planning to split the profits?"

Li Mu already had a plan: "I plan to ask Tian Xiaohu and Li Chuzi to help with the digging. More people means more power. As for the profit sharing, I'm thinking that once the pond is dug and the fish are sold, we can divide the profits based on how much work we did, after deducting the costs. What do you think?"

Tao Qingshan nodded: "Okay, that's a good idea, quite fair. Then you should get started as soon as possible, so as not to delay the farming season."

After receiving Tao Qingshan's affirmative reply, Li Mu felt a great weight lifted from his shoulders.

Time was of the essence and there was no time to delay, so he bid farewell to Tao Qingshan and hurriedly returned home to begin preparations for digging the pond.

He first told Tian Xiaohu and a few of his brothers about his idea.

Everyone was overjoyed to hear that there was work to be done again, and they all expressed their desire to join Li Mu in digging the pond.

After all, this not only increases their income, but also allows them to have something to do during the off-season, so they don't have to be idle and bored all day.

Li Mu was very pleased to see everyone's enthusiasm.

"Then it's settled. We'll go to the county first thing tomorrow morning to sell all the fish! Then we'll buy some more and get to work!"