Chapter 24: Where There Are No Thieves in the Village, the Thieves Do Not Come

Maybe it was because the cured meat tasted so good, or perhaps he had a bit too much to drink, but Qin Jun found himself talking more than usual—a common affliction among middle-aged men.

"You don't need to tell people you have gold at home," he said. "Just tell them my eldest brother is a temporary worker at the mine, an electrician, and he earns a salary every month. Since you’ve already mentioned having five hundred, stick to that, and let people know it wasn't borrowed. That’s not hard to do. Also, let everyone know you’re about to build a house."

He gestured toward the eldest brother. "And my brother here is both talented and virtuous—that needs to be advertised, too! You don't have to brag explicitly; just let people see your electric lights. When night falls and your place is shining bright, who in the village can compare? Isn't that the best kind of advertisement? That should be enough."

Qin Zhijiu and his sons stared at Qin Jun with wide eyes. Qin Jun realized these honest folks truly lacked any concept of self-promotion, nor were they very quick on their feet. But what could he do? If they wouldn't cooperate, he couldn't force them.

After a long silence, Qin Zhijiu said hesitantly, "We really don't have any gold."

"Hmm, I know. You don't have 'gold,' but you have gold bars, right? Small yellow fish or big yellow fish?"

"Just one big..." Qin Zhijiu’s eyes widened further, and he couldn't finish his sentence.

Qin Jun chuckled, raised his glass, and clinked it against his. "Drink up." He dropped the subject of the gold.

Qin Zhijiu glanced at his five sons. Not one of them had a silver tongue! If someone had changed the subject earlier, he wouldn't have been cornered by Qin Jun like this. Though they were a bit simple, they certainly weren't stupid.

"Uncle Nine, you have five sons! Even if you reveal a little wealth, who would dare come to your door to rob you? For the sake of your sons getting married, you really should show a little bit."

Being urged to keep eating meat made Qin Jun feel quite satisfied. As he finished his last drop of wine, he couldn't help but offer one more piece of advice.

"Your grandfather often warned me when I was a child: 'Do not flaunt your wealth,'" Qin Zhijiu finally spoke the truth.

"Gold shouldn't be flaunted, but other things can be mentioned. For instance, what about my brother's job? How much does he make a month?" Qin Jun was curious. He knew perfectly well that relying on work points in the village would never allow them to save five hundred yuan. People couldn't live on thin air; there were always daily expenses. With many children, how could they possibly save? In this era, the infant mortality rate was high—mostly due to illness. Every village had a barefoot doctor, but medical care cost money. Though the fees were low, multiple children meant frequent illnesses. Without a way to earn cash beyond meager work points, money was needed everywhere. This was why everyone in the village would turn green with envy at the thought of a steady salary.

Feeling self-conscious under the gaze, Qin Xia replied, "It started at twelve, and now it's eighteen yuan. I don't have an electrician’s license and I'm just a temporary worker, so I don't earn much."

Damn, Qin Jun thought, looking at Qin Xia with newfound respect. "How long have you been working there?" he asked in surprise.

"A year and a half," Qin Zhijiu said proudly.

Qin Jun was speechless. A temporary worker at the mine for a year and a half, and not a whisper of it in the village? This family was truly capable of keeping a secret.

"I work the night shift," Qin Xia explained. "If there’s nothing to do, I sleep in the guard room. If there is, I get to work. It’s not tiring, so the pay isn't high."

Qin Jun truly admired them; they were hard workers. With a man like this and a thrifty wife, how could life not go well? "The first three months were twelve yuan, then it got better to eighteen. That’s all. I heard the electrician's license is hard to get."

Qin Jun nodded. It was indeed hard. Even he wasn't sure he could pass it, even with his high technical proficiency; some of the theoretical aspects were tricky. But it seemed they hadn't spent a single cent of his salary. Over a year and a half, that would be at least two hundred and seventy yuan. Did that mean even without Qin Xia's wages, the couple had managed to save over two hundred yuan on their own? That was no small feat.

"Uncle Nine, listen to me. My brother's job needs to be known, or it will be hard to find a match. Won't that attract people who only want his job and salary?" Qin Zhijiu asked.

Qin Jun almost rolled his eyes. If people didn't want a better life, why would they come to your house? Because of this dilapidated shack, or because everyone here looks like a beggar?

Qin Jun stopped talking and focused on eating. Eating at a wealthy household was always a pleasure. After the meal, when they served tea, Qin Jun was genuinely shocked. In the current village, besides the team leader, who else had tea leaves? Don't judge a book by its cover—this family had real substance. A single big gold bar was testament enough; it was worth a fortune.

"Uncle Nine, every family wants to marry their daughter into a good home. If you have the strength, you have to show it. Otherwise, why would someone come to share the hardships with you? Unless my brother looked like a legendary heartthrob, it’s not going to happen. Anyway, that’s enough for today. I’m heading home."

No matter how much the family insisted he stay, Qin Jun walked unsteadily out of the ramshackle hut. Pushing open the broken fence gate, he could only shake his head. People in this era were hardworking and enduring, but they were so stubborn. Compared to later generations, they lacked the spark of new ideas and the baptism of the information age. Otherwise, with their work ethic, everyone could become wealthy.

Shaking his head again, he headed home. Since the village was small, he didn't worry about getting lost in the dark.

*Thump!*

Just as he passed a courtyard, something fell from the wall. He looked up and saw a dark shadow on top of the wall. In the silent night, every rustle was amplified. The shadow must have heard the thump, too. Qin Jun felt a jolt—a thief? If there were thieves, it meant there was something worth stealing.

He stood still, making no sound, curious to see who would be foolish enough to rob their poor village. After a long wait, the shadow remained motionless. Qin Jun lost patience. He crept closer, and when he reached the earthen wall, he reached up and yanked the shadow down.

"So, you're a thief!"

"Ah!" A scream cut through the night, louder than Qin Jun’s voice.

Qin Jun ignored it and began to strike.

"Stop hitting me! I'm not a thief!"

"Not a thief? Then you deserve it even more!"

Qin Jun realized this was the home of a widow in the village. She wasn't old, maybe twenty-four or twenty-five, and had a young daughter. This guy was sneaking into a widow's yard at night—that was practically a death wish! Infuriated, Qin Jun hit even harder. He didn't aim for vital spots, but each blow was heavy. He couldn't see the guy's face, but he didn't care who it was.

The guy started to shout, and Qin Jun, fearing the noise would ruin the widow's reputation, delivered a fierce blow to the chest that knocked the wind out of him, followed by a few solid punches to the stomach. The guy went silent. That was for the best; it would be too awkward if it turned out to be someone he knew.