Chapter 77: I've Found a Treasure

"Why are you at my house?" Liu Xing asked Zhou Can.

In his view, considering the bustling business at Zhou Can's smithy, he would never come by unless something important had happened.

Hearing Liu Xing's question, Zhou Can grabbed him and led him to the pomelo tree on the eastern side of the drying yard. "You brat, you’ve really put me in a tight spot, you know?"

"What do you mean by that?" Liu Xing was confused.

He only now noticed that after a few days apart, the once burly Zhou Can had visibly lost weight and dark circles had formed under his eyes.

"The iron plow blueprint you gave me, did you leave something out?" Zhou Can lowered his voice, afraid someone else might overhear.

"I did no such thing." Liu Xing couldn't help but laugh and cry at the question. Even if he had held something back, he’d personally made the iron plow at the smithy. If someone clever was watching, they could easily learn by observing. Zhou Can wasn’t stupid; with the blueprint in hand, it was impossible for him not to be able to make the plow.

"I know I didn’t get you good cigarettes that day, didn’t offer you fine wine, and even charged you for the plow. That was my fault." Unable to get a straight answer, Zhou Can stopped questioning and turned to fetch the cigarettes and liquor from his bicycle, placing them in Liu Xing's hands. "Master, I’m calling you Master now, so you ought to teach me the key techniques for making the iron plow."

Liu Xing didn’t take the cigarettes and liquor, but instead rolled his eyes at Zhou Can. "Who told you this?"

Back at the smithy, he’d clearly explained to Xie Lionhead and Zhong Jun, the grain and oil shop owner, that he was giving Zhou Can the iron plow technology for free, to benefit the local farmers.

Otherwise...

He wouldn’t have handed over decades-ahead plow technology without compensation. After all, by offering advanced methods, he was taking a significant risk.

Now, his goodwill had been mistaken for deceit, and Zhou Can’s suspicion was truly infuriating.

"No one told me. I just wanted to show my respect and buy you cigarettes and liquor, hoping you'd share the iron plow technique without holding back." Zhou Can spoke without daring to meet Liu Xing's eyes, clearly embarrassed.

His embarrassment stemmed from Liu Xing being younger than him. If the master were older, there’d be no issue. But admitting a younger man as his teacher felt awkward. Still, he couldn’t let the plow technology slip away, so, persuaded by Zhong Jun and Xie Lionhead, he was here now.

Liu Xing, ever perceptive, saw through it all. After a light chuckle, he stopped arguing and accepted the cigarettes and liquor. "Alright, alright. You’ve shown sincerity, so I’ll go with you to the black market and teach you how to make the iron plow, step by step."

People differ greatly, and now he believed it more than ever—Zhou Can was a prime example.

That said, Zhou Can had spent a fair bit for this apprenticeship. The high-end cigarettes and liquor he brought must have cost at least ten or twenty yuan.

To keep the peace, it was best to play along and accept the gifts.

More importantly, Liu Xing wanted to use this opportunity to upgrade the backward farming tools around him. Only by improving their efficiency could farmers free up time for other pursuits.

Otherwise, they'd toil all day and still struggle to feed themselves.

His own parents had labored in the fields most of their lives to support the family, and in the end, aside from healthy bodies, they had nothing to show for it.

Thinking of this, he felt a pang of sadness.

So...

Having been reborn, he intended not only to change his parents’ circumstances, but also, as much as he could, to improve the lives of other farmers.

It wasn’t about having lofty ideals—he simply didn’t want to see 1980s farmers labor from dawn till dusk just to fill their stomachs.

Zhou Can had no idea what Liu Xing was thinking, but nodded happily.

He believed it was a matter of proper respect, and that’s why Liu Xing hadn’t written down the crucial techniques.

Otherwise, with his six or seven years of smithing experience, how could he fail to make an iron plow?

Liu Xing patted Zhou Can’s shoulder and carried the gifts back inside.

Moments later, he wheeled out his father’s old bicycle, the "28 Big Bar," with Guazi and Little Dot seated on the back.

Judging by their cheerful faces, they clearly had Aunt Zhou Qiu Xiang’s permission.

Besides, Liu Xing wasn’t heading to the black market for anything major, just to help Zhou Can and buy some food and necessities. Letting Guazi and Little Dot tag along for fun was perfectly fine.

Now that Liu Xing was earning money by making shoes from tires, there was no need to be as frugal as before. The patched clothes on Guazi, Little Dot, his mother, and his sister could all be replaced.

The supply cooperative didn't sell cloth without ration tickets, but the black market did! With money, he could buy any kind of fabric, maybe even ready-made clothes.

Seeing Liu Xing ready to leave, Zhou Can said nothing and went to inform the other villagers waiting at the drying yard.

For them, buying an iron plow like Liu Xing’s meant visiting Zhou Can’s smithy in a few days. He assured them they wouldn’t be disappointed.

These villagers had originally come with Zhou Can to trouble Liu Xing. Previously, Liu Xing’s information had sent them on a wasted trip to the black market in Dongyuan suburb, unable to buy the plow they wanted.

But seeing Zhou Can’s respectful attitude toward Liu Xing, they held their tongues, smiled, and went home.

After all, they still needed to buy plows from Zhou Can’s smithy. Nowhere else could offer them, not even for money.

Watching the troublemakers leave, Zhou Can breathed a long sigh of relief.

"Let’s go! To the black market. But let me be clear, I can only stay at your smithy for an hour. If you haven’t learned the plow-making technique by then, don’t blame me," Liu Xing teased, riding off with Guazi and Little Dot.

"Wait for me!" Zhou Can hurriedly pushed his bicycle after him.

Just then, Zhou Qiu Xiang ran out from the main room. "Xing, didn’t you promise to take your second sister to school? If you’re taking Guazi and Little Dot to Dongyuan suburb now, what about your second sister?"

"I’ll be back before four o’clock. Besides, the school and Dongyuan suburb aren’t in the same direction," Liu Xing said, slowing his bicycle.

Hearing this, Zhou Qiu Xiang relaxed and returned inside to help make shoes.

But when she saw the cigarettes and liquor Zhou Can had brought, she found it hard to concentrate.

The same was true for Liu Dongju and Liu Qiumian.

They couldn’t figure out how Liu Xing had become so capable—having even Zhou Can come to him for help.

As more villagers arrived outside to buy shoes, the three women exchanged glances and hurried out to greet them with smiles.

...

Dongyuan suburb, outside the black market smithy.

After parking the bicycle, Liu Xing led Guazi and Little Dot inside.

"Wait for me!" Zhou Can hurried after them.

"What exactly is wrong with your iron plow?" Liu Xing asked, noticing the steel pipes on the floor had the right length and bend, yet he frowned.

"It’s after welding—the plow always feels heavy at the front and light at the back. And when I took a welded plow to the fields, the ox just pulled it apart," Zhou Can replied, embarrassed.

"Where’s the broken plow?" Liu Xing asked.

"Follow me," Zhou Can led Liu Xing to the smithy’s backyard.

Guazi and Little Dot, wary of strangers, stayed close to Liu Xing.

In the backyard, there were not just one but over a dozen welded plows.

They looked similar to the one Liu Xing had made, but the craftsmanship was far inferior.

That was a matter of skill, and Liu Xing couldn’t blame Zhou Can—his welding wasn’t as refined.

But to have an ox pull the plow apart? Liu Xing knew that was impossible.

After inspecting the plows up close, he immediately saw where the problem lay.

He pointed to the welding spot on the plow’s rear seat, "Didn’t my blueprint specify an extra ten-millimeter rebar here? You used number four iron wire instead to save materials. Of course, your plow fell apart when the ox pulled it!"

"I... I..." Zhou Can stammered, unable to answer.

Liu Xing set the plow on the ground, pointing at the rear seat, the body, and the head. "These three welding spots form an invisible triangle. If the triangle is welded solidly, the load it can bear is huge—you, as a smithy owner, should know that."

"Look at your welded plows. None of them meet the triangle standard. They’re all irregular shapes. Honestly, I’m embarrassed to take you as my apprentice." Though Liu Xing wanted to scold him, he held back and patiently explained.

Seeing Zhou Can’s reddened face and attentive listening, Liu Xing softened his tone. "If you want to make plows in batches, you must draw a template and shape each plow according to it."

Liu Xing picked up a piece of chalk from the table and drew the template on the ground in front of Zhou Can.

After finishing, he gathered materials to assemble the plow’s shape. "Look for yourself—even without welding, isn’t my plow’s shape much better than yours?"

"Yes," Zhou Can admitted. Though Liu Xing’s method was simple, it was enlightening.

He had thought accepting Liu Xing as his master was a loss, but now he realized he’d found a treasure.

"Now you weld. If you’re unsure about anything, ask me," Liu Xing said, worried the welding sparks might hurt Guazi and Little Dot’s eyes, so he led them away.

Zhou Can didn’t waste the opportunity, following Liu Xing’s instructions and starting the weld.

Ten minutes later, a new plow took shape.

He was about to reinforce the welds, but Liu Xing stopped him. "First add the reinforcing rebar at the stress points, then assemble the plow bottom and support."

"Alright, alright," Zhou Can replied, working quickly.

Half an hour passed.

Everything Liu Xing explained was completed.

Zhou Can wiped sweat from his brow. "What do I do next, Master?"

"What else? Carry it to the fields and test it! See if your plow still falls apart," Liu Xing replied with a smile.

"Is that wise? Many welds aren’t reinforced yet," Zhou Can hesitated, remembering how his previous fully welded plow had collapsed in the field, earning him ridicule from passing villagers.

"Just do as I say. Why so much fuss? I have other things to do," Liu Xing said impatiently.

Zhou Can had no choice but to comply.

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