C19 Invitation

As night fell, a group gathered once more in Chenxuan's backyard. Xiuyuan had run an extension cord outside and rigged up a light bulb, providing just enough illumination.

Chenxuan seized a moment to pull Daxiang and Uncle Jun aside into his room. "Mr. Daxiang, Uncle Jun, you both signed up too?"

Among the five who registered, Daxiang and Uncle Jun were included. They had contributed the most financially.

Feeling a bit awkward, Daxiang, with a thicker skin, chuckled and said, "Isn't it because machines dig faster? You guys handle the sales, but manual digging won't last forever."

Chenxuan replied, "Mr. Daxiang, Uncle Jun, to be honest, this sand business is bound to grow. Sure, folks around here aren't afraid of the cold and can dig in the winter with boots and waterproof pants, but it's still cold and not good for health. In the summer, it's easier to dig, but if it rains or the water rises, we can't dig at all."

"Machines break down too. On average, you might get 200 good digging days a year."

"Even if you make ten bucks a day from digging, when you average it out, it's barely over five bucks a day, and it's tough work."

Daxiang and Uncle Jun suspected Chenxuan didn't want to lease the business to them, leaving them feeling a bit uneasy and even disappointed, thinking Chenxuan had forgotten old ties now that he had money. Uncle Jun, in particular, couldn't hide his feelings, and his smile gradually faded.

Wu Daxiang, though a bit thick-skinned and not entirely pleased, saw this as a money-making opportunity he didn't want to pass up. "Xuan, we know all that, but making money is never easy. Even if it's just five or six bucks a day, it's still better than being out there."

Yang Chenxuan observed everything with a smile, handed them each a cigarette, and said, "Like I mentioned, I want to expand this sand business. I'm starting school in a few days, and my parents might not be able to handle it all. I'd like to ask Uncle Jun and Mr. Daxiang to help manage the sandpit. Whether we're working or not, you'll each get $150 a month. Even if it rains all month, it's still $150."

Both Zhou Jun and Wu Daxiang were taken aback.

Managing is a lot easier than digging sand, which is as exhausting as working like an ox every day. Even if the pay is a bit less, the work is much easier.

Zhou Jun felt guilty for doubting Chenxuan's intentions and was inclined to agree.

Wu Daxiang, being a bit sharper than Zhou Jun, asked, "Xuan, what exactly would we be doing?"

Yang Chenxuan replied, "It's simple. With machinery, digging sand will be much faster. We might fill up the space around the machines in a day. When trucks come, Uncle Jun will direct them where to load up. We need to ensure no one's sandpit gets overloaded. Otherwise, one place will have nowhere to pile sand, while another's sand is being hauled away by the truckload. That wouldn't be fair!"

"Mr. Daxiang, could you help manage the sand digging site? When one area gets too deep, it becomes a big pit, and some of these pits in the river are almost as deep as a person. We definitely need to move the equipment when it gets too deep. Without someone to oversee things, people might start fighting over spots. Could you help organize this and mediate any conflicts between the digging teams?"

"You all are managing the sand site, so don't worry about competing for spots. Let your family handle that. When you have free time, you can help them out, but make sure you manage your own responsibilities well."

"If my dad feels like something isn't done right and speaks harshly, please be understanding. Let me know, and I'll talk to him. He's been a bit stressed lately and might come off strong."

Wu Daxiang and Zhou Jun were quite pleased. They were earning a salary and could still make money from digging sand. Zhou Jun, being a bit shy, felt awkward about taking advantage of the situation, but Wu Daxiang laughed and said, "I think it's a great idea! Jun, Xuan is looking out for us, so let's do it!"

With Wu Daxiang taking the lead, Zhou Jun nodded, "Alright then!"

Yang Chenxuan smiled and said, "Let's go with this plan for now. Oh, Uncle Jun, we might need someone to cook at the site soon. It's three dollars a day. Maybe your wife could help with the meals, three times a day. Mornings might be a bit tough since she'll need to prepare breakfast before everyone arrives."

Cooking meals for just three dollars a day is a job anyone in the countryside would jump at. Zhou Jun knew Yang Chenxuan was looking out for him, but this was practically like getting paid!

Seeing Zhou Jun hesitate, Wu Daxiang nudged him gently, signaling him to agree quickly. Zhou Jun looked conflicted, opening his mouth but unable to speak.

Yang Chenxuan smiled and said, "Uncle Jun, if you don't say anything, I'll take it as a yes. You'll be cooking for seven people a day: you and your wife, Mr. Daxiang and his wife, my parents, and Mr. Huang. Just help with the dishes and keep the kitchen clean."

Only then did Zhou Jun speak up, "Alright, I'll talk to her today. Her cooking is just average, so if it's not good enough, we can switch."

Wu Daxiang joked, "Your wife's cooking is top-notch in the village. It's my wife's cooking that's more like pig slop."

With everything settled, the three of them left the house together.

Yang Chenxuan mentioned the change involving Zhou Jun and Wu Daxiang, but swapped in their fathers' names, which didn't really change anything.

The drawing process was simple. There were five groups in total. Yang Chenxuan grabbed five pieces of paper, writing on two of them while leaving the others blank. He crumpled them up, placed them in a bowl, and turned it upside down on the table. After a good shake, each group sent a representative to pick one. Those who picked a paper with writing won, and those who didn't would have another chance next time there was a machine available.

"Who goes first? You five can decide among yourselves."

In rural areas, age and seniority matter a lot. This worked in favor of Zhou Jun and Wu Daxiang's fathers, who got to draw first. When all five had their slips of paper and opened them, it turned out that the youngest two were the lucky ones.

Yang Chenxuan was actually relieved that neither Zhou Jun nor Wu Daxiang's families got picked. Otherwise, there might have been gossip, and it would have been harder for them to manage things smoothly. This outcome was what Yang Chenxuan considered the best.

With two new machines at the sandpit, many people stopped digging the next day. They knew they couldn't compete with the machines. Only four teams persisted. Among them was an older couple in their fifties. They couldn't dig much due to their age—two loads a day was impressive, and they usually managed just one and a half.

However, this couple had a good reputation. Whether or not they could sell the sand, they kept digging and always tried to load a bit extra for others. As a result, several drivers preferred going to them, knowing the river sand they dug would sell easily.

Early in the morning, Yang Chenxuan borrowed a bike and personally went to bring back Huang Shiming, hiring him for five dollars a day to do maintenance at the sandpit. It was tough to find someone for repairs since skilled workers were scarce, with most having left for better opportunities.

Most of the people who stayed are just scraping by, working the land with no real skills to speak of.