Chapter 46 Friends Reconciled Through Strife

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Zhang Yang slung the empty basket on his back and pointed to the other clumps of medicinal herbs on the ground.

“Brother, you said thirty for all just now. I won’t haggle anymore. Just give me thirty yuan, and all these are yours.”

Brother Huai was unusually generous this time. “Here, two big bills and some loose change. Count it over.”

Zhang Yang was very skilled at counting money. He neatly arranged the coins and, pinching them between two fingertips, counted them quickly and accurately.

“The amount is correct! Brother Huai, you get busy first. I’m leaving now. Next time if I have more herbs, you’ll be the first to see them.”

People preferred doing business with acquaintances—less hassle, more peace of mind.

Zhang Yang hadn’t expected to open a new line of cooperation and felt quite pleased with himself.

He pushed his bicycle over to Old Man Mai’s place to settle the debt for the pancakes he’d bought on credit, grabbed the remaining eight pancakes, and prepared to pedal back to the hospital.

Just as he was about to leave the black market, a group of people from outside blocked his way.

“You… it’s you! You’re the kid who bumped into me last time and stole my stuff!”

It was Peng Fourth!

He was furious, speaking with great force, but his face looked strange, with a dark spot between his brows.

It seemed like bad luck was looming.

Zhang Yang immediately remembered what some dealers had told him earlier.

Peng Fourth had lost his talisman; without it, he was bound to have terrible luck.

Zhang Yang had intended to return the item to him but didn’t expect Peng Fourth to accuse him outright of theft. Well, he wasn’t going to admit to something he hadn’t done.

“Who stole your stuff? Got any proof?” Zhang Yang glared coldly at Peng Fourth.

Peng Fourth curled his lip and ordered the men behind him through gritted teeth, “Strip this kid’s clothes off! I want to search him myself!”

“Woof woof!”

From a distance, several dog barks echoed.

Just as Peng Fourth’s men were about to throw punches, they suddenly fell silent.

The man holding the dog appeared again in Zhang Yang’s line of sight.

“Don’t want this black market to open again, huh?” The man gave a cold glance at Peng Fourth’s group.

Though barely in his early thirties, he emanated a rare aura of authority.

Zhang Yang guessed he must have been in the military.

Facing this man, Peng Fourth’s arrogance immediately diminished.

“You’ve got it wrong! I’m not causing trouble. This kid stole my stuff!”

The dog handler didn’t turn to Zhang Yang but said, “I heard he found the item, left a note, and it was just you who couldn’t find him and got anxious, stirring up trouble everywhere?”

Peng Fourth fell silent.

The facts were clear; no matter how he fabricated, it wouldn’t help.

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Zhang Yang saw the man had come to mediate and changed his approach.

He rummaged in his pocket and pulled out the blackened stone.

“I wanted to return it the day I found it, but you lost money and left in a hurry. I called for you several times, but you didn’t hear me, so I kept it safe for now.”

He handed the stone back to Peng Fourth. “Now that it’s back where it belongs, all’s well, right?”

Seeing his talisman again, Peng Fourth wept with joy.

At that moment, an old man stepped out from among Peng’s men and kicked Peng Fourth without ceremony.

“Aren’t you going to say thank you?”

“If that guy wanted to keep your treasure, you’d never see it again in your life!”

“This young man gave it right back without asking for anything. And you haven’t even uttered a word of apology!”

Peng Fourth, clearly intimidated, whined, “Second uncle, just say it. Stop kicking me…”

The old man glared fiercely.

Peng Fourth dared not evade any longer and turned to Zhang Yang.

“Brother, I’m sorry. I was too impatient and rude earlier. I owe you my apologies!”

The dog handler smiled gracefully. “Glad the misunderstanding is cleared. The Peng family is respectable, and I believe they know how to behave properly. You two talk it out; I’m heading back to the car.”

Without looking back, he left.

After he left, Peng family’s second uncle kicked Peng Fourth again, making him yelp in pain.

“If you’re going to apologize and thank someone, don’t just say it with words!”

“If word gets out, people will think the Peng family is falling apart!”

“He was holding your life-saving treasure; even if he didn’t do you a favor, he did a good deed!”

“Show some sincerity in your thanks!”

Prompted by the second uncle, Peng Fourth quickly waved his hand, signaling his followers to bring out money.

“This is a small token for your trouble. Please accept it.”

Zhang Yang glanced down and saw a thick stack of large bills in his hand.

He estimated it was about two hundred yuan.

Zhang Yang smiled, “Brother Peng, you’re too generous. I don’t know how to accept this.”

Peng Fourth waved him off. “We’ve gotten to know each other through some trouble! From now on, when we meet, we’re brothers. Don’t be so formal with me!”

Zhang Yang’s heart soared. “Then I’ll hurry and use this money to help my friend. He’s still waiting for me at the hospital!”

“Alright, alright, he’s in a hurry too. Don’t hold up good deeds.”

With that, the crowd dispersed, leaving a two-person-wide path.

“Thanks.” Zhang Yang hopped on his bike and quickly left the troublesome place.

After riding nearly two kilometers, he stretched his limbs and breathed a big sigh of relief.

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Selling medicinal herbs earned 630 yuan!

Selling goodwill earned 200 yuan!

This trip brought in a total of 830 yuan!

Zhang Simao’s medical bill was eighteen yuan, and Zhang Yang planned to pay that from his share of the two hundred yuan.

The earnings from the herbs would be split evenly with the old man.

The old man needed grain, but buying it at the black market wasn’t economical.

Last time, they had only bought industrial coupons, which couldn’t be used as grain coupons.

Maybe he could try his luck at the supply and marketing cooperative to exchange them?

Zhang Yang asked around for the cooperative’s location and rode his bike there.

Sometimes, it’s better to be lucky than early. At the cooperative’s entrance, Zhang Yang ran into several women secretly trying to exchange coupons.

He had money but lacked coupons.

Pulling out his two industrial coupons, he instantly became highly sought after at the cooperative’s door.

“I’ll trade a cloth coupon, grain coupon, and soap coupon for one industrial coupon. Deal?”

“Me too! Me too!”

“Look closely, this grain coupon is for ten jin—you won’t lose out!”

“I’ve got extra cloth coupons too!”

After comparing, Zhang Yang selected two women’s exchange offers, successfully obtaining cloth, grain, sugar, and soap coupons.

With coupons in hand, he felt confident entering the cooperative!

He used the sugar coupon to exchange for several pieces of chocolate—these melt easily and were best kept in the basket.

He exchanged the soap coupon for five bars of osmanthus-scented soap to bring back to his mother and sister—they would definitely be delighted!

The cooperative had new rolls of fabric, though only a few patterns leftover from city dwellers’ choices. Still, they would be prized treasures back in the village!

Zhang Yang exchanged for these all at once. With the fabric, his basket was more than half full.

He hadn’t bought enough yet.

Holding the grain coupon, he began to select.

Fine white flour, cooking oil, and fresh pork!

If he brought these home to the old man, the old man would be overjoyed!

Plus, this way, he wouldn’t owe the old man three hundred yuan.

Now that he had enough money, he could quickly call Wang Jie to Zhangjiatun, have his sister break off the marriage with that scoundrel...

Cut ties completely and separate the families, so whatever he did afterward would be much easier!