CHAPTER 369: CHAPTER 85: GENIUS-TYPE CHILD LABOR

After sitting on the train for a full day and night, Uncle Lu was completely exhausted and nothing he ate tasted good.

Seeing Yezi in the same train still full of energy, Uncle Lu couldn’t help but shake his head in admiration: "Youth is wonderful. When I was your age, I traveled through half of China without feeling tired. Now, just a few days away from home, and my back and waist ache. If it wasn’t for..."

Yezi nodded in agreement, though he wasn’t really listening, as he excitedly opened the train window. The April spring breeze, which blew over green willow branches and rice paddies, entered the carriage, clearing away the unpleasant smell and calming his increasingly excited mood as he neared Beijing.

Xiao Xian, I’m on the same land as you now.

Yezi’s heart was restless in his chest, beating fiercely. Although he didn’t know exactly where Xiao Xian was, Uncle Lu had said on the way that Beijing wasn’t big, having only 18 districts and counties, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find someone.

But he wondered, what will Xiao Xian’s reaction be when she sees him?

Yezi completely misunderstood Uncle Lu’s words. When Uncle Lu said it wasn’t big, he meant it modestly. Besides, as a businessman who had traveled all over China, no city seemed too big for him.

"Look at you, boy, losing your soul. You weren’t even listening when I talked about Huang’s Breeding. Never mind, I’ll talk about something you like. Your girlfriend, what’s her name? Which district does she live in? Anyway, Uncle Lu is going to have someone come over to transport crab seedlings. We’ll need to hire a vehicle, I’ll take you along on the way," Uncle Lu also had moments of youthful impulsiveness; he could understand why Yezi was fidgeting like a flea, restless and jumpy.

"Which district? Heh, I actually don’t know, Uncle. How about I stay wherever you stay? I came to Beijing secretly to surprise her. Her name is Zhu Xiaoxian, do you know her?" Yezi asked bluntly, leaving Uncle Lu baffled, and he started to doubt Yezi who, though physically imposing, seemed unreliable in his actions. Relying just on a name, and she’s not some bigwig like Jiang or Zhu, how could he possibly find her?

"Yezi, I haven’t even asked you yet. How old are you this year?" Uncle Lu was cautious, taking Yezi in wouldn’t be a big issue. After all, this young man seemed to have a knack for aquatic life, a skill in catching crabs by the river that couldn’t be learned overnight.

"I am...," Yezi pondered, and after a long pause, he finally said, "Sixteen."

"Sixteen, okay, then you’re not considered child labor. Yezi, Uncle has a proposal for you. Think about it – not only will I provide your meals and accommodation, but every weekend I’ll also help you look for that girl Xiaoxian. How does that sound?" Uncle Lu, as a businessman, was extending a helping hand to Yezi beyond the call of duty, but offering free food and accommodation along with assistance in finding someone couldn’t be entirely without expectation.

Uncle Lu explained his thoughts, citing labor protection laws from our country that prevent the employment of children under sixteen. Yezi, having turned sixteen this year, could be issued a temporary residence permit, effectively making him a temporary Beijing resident fit to help with crab farming.

Yezi, the clever lad from Dongnan Miao Village, though new to Beijing and not familiar with local life, knew the saying: rely on relatives at home and friends when away. Considering his nearly empty pockets and how well Uncle Lu had taken care of him these past few days, and being an honest man, helping Uncle Lu with crab farming in exchange for food and shelter seemed a worthwhile deal.

"Alright, Uncle, I’ll start moving the crab seedlings out right now," by the time he said this, the train had already been at the station for a while, and the passengers had all disembarked, with the freight train just beginning to unload.

The train had been traveling for over a day, and the crab seedlings had been jostled around just as long. Fortunately, Uncle Lu, quite experienced, had made thorough preparations.

Yezi, being strong, didn’t wait for Uncle Lu to give instructions and started helping the unloaders with the water-filled containers.

After moving several dozen boxes of crab seedlings onto two vehicles rented by Uncle Lu, just before departure, Uncle Lu opened one of the boxes.

Transporting crab seedlings was a delicate affair, for crab seedlings that grow to one kilogram could literally turn into a basket full of money, extremely valuable indeed.

Before departure, Uncle Lu had specially ordered a batch of rectangular foam boxes, about forty centimeters tall, and drilled a few holes the size of chopsticks at the bottom of the boxes, serving as ventilation for the crab seedlings.