In the urban village of Xiaoshahe City, tens of thousands of migrant workers from all over the country gathered, chasing their dreams in the capital.
The urban village was a chaotic mix of all sorts of people, representing every trade imaginable. There were small wholesale market bosses earning millions a year, as well as struggling workers scraping by on four or five thousand yuan a month. Then there were people like Jiang Tao and Zhang Chao, who owned their own trucks and made a living hauling goods or selling fruit as transport drivers.
Three years ago, Zhang Chao was brought into the trade by his classmate Liu Zhiyuan. He started selling fruit at nearby markets, earning around 80,000 to 90,000 yuan a year. Compared to many factory workers or those in the service industry, his income was pretty decent. Plus, his work was relatively flexible.
However, Zhang Chao had a penchant for foot massages and spent a considerable amount on them every year. Despite doing similar work and earning roughly the same as Liu Zhiyuan and Shan Yufei, who could save 60,000 to 70,000 yuan a year, Zhang Chao couldn't even manage to save 30,000.
This time, when Jiang Tao invited the group to pool money for a joint project, Liu Zhiyuan and Shan Yufei each contributed 50,000 yuan. Zhang Chao, however, was broke and could only offer his labor to help out.
Yesterday, Zhang Chao got lucky. He played cards with Liu Zhiyuan and Shan Yufei until past 11 p.m., winning over 700 yuan. Feeling good, he decided to treat himself.
The woman attending to him was in her forties, with heavy makeup and a figure that had seen better days. Just as Zhang Chao was about to follow her into a private room, his phone suddenly rang.
Seeing the caller ID display "Brother Jiang," Zhang Chao froze. It was past midnight—what could Jiang Tao possibly want at this hour? Puzzled but curious, he signaled to the woman to stay quiet and answered the call.
"Hey, Zhang Chao," Jiang Tao's voice came through. "I just heard in our drivers' group chat that the anti-vice squad is raiding Xiaoshahe tonight. You love your fun, so I'm just warning you—don't get caught in the crossfire."
"What? Me? I-I-I'm at home! Let them raid, it's got nothing to do with me," Zhang Chao stammered, trying to sound casual, though his heart was racing.
Raids like this were something you'd rather believe were happening than not! Zhang Chao loved his fun, but he definitely didn't want to get arrested for it. If word got back to his hometown, his reputation would be ruined for life—especially as an unmarried guy, it would wreck his chances at finding a match.
"Alright, as long as you're at home. All good then, I'm hanging up," Jiang Tao said, having done his duty, and ended the call.
After the call, Zhang Chao's heart pounded like a drum, his face tense with nerves. He hesitated for three seconds before reason triumphed over temptation.
"Hey ս
"Hey, sis, my buddy says there's trouble tonight. I'm gonna head out. You be careful too, alright?" Zhang Chao said to the woman before bolting out of the massage parlor without looking back.
Sure enough, he hadn't walked 200 meters when he saw a team of uniformed officers with flashlights approaching. Cold sweat broke out all over him, and a wave of fear washed over him.
If it weren't for Jiang Tao's call, he might've been caught red-handed with that woman by now!
One of the officers glanced at him and said, "Young man, it's late. Go home if you've got nothing going on."
"Y-Yeah, sure, sure. Just got off a night shift, heading home now," Zhang Chao replied with an awkward smile, quickening his pace toward his place.
In his heart, he made a mental note to owe Jiang Tao one and planned to treat him to a meal another day.
…
The next morning at 6 a.m., Jiang Tao, Liu Zhiyuan, Shan Yufei, and Zhang Chao gathered for breakfast at "Old Guo's Shop." Afterward, their convoy of four trucks headed to the Huilongguan Fruit Wholesale Market.
They started hauling goods in the morning, grabbing a quick pancake for lunch and continuing work without a break. It wasn't until after 4 p.m. that they finished transporting the 10,606 crates of tangerines ordered from Liu Yue, storing them in the small courtyard they had rented yesterday and today.
After unloading, Jiang Tao took the group to a small restaurant in the urban village for a hearty meal. They ate and drank their fill, and it was just past 5 p.m.
Liu Zhiyuan invited Shan Yufei and Zhang Chao to his place to play cards, but Jiang Tao passed. He was still thinking about the ten jars of Nü'er Hong (a traditional Chinese rice wine) he had dug up yesterday. Wine in his hands was just wine—selling it would turn it into cash!
He got home around 5:30 p.m., still early, but his rented room, on the shaded side, was already dim. Turning on the light, Jiang Tao crouched down and pulled one of the jars from under his bed.
"Before selling it, I should check the quality," he thought. "If it's really good, I'll keep two jars—one for Dad and one for my future father-in-law for the New Year."
Musing to himself, he placed the jar on the floor of his rented room and began carefully removing the sealed clay, using a method he'd found online.
With his family's debts cleared and no financial burdens left, plus the tangerine project set to bring in hundreds of thousands in the next week, treating himself to a few bottles of fine Nü'er Hong didn't seem like a big deal. After all, he hadn't spent a dime on the wine—he'd dug it up himself! With that in mind, he was even more determined to keep a few jars to reward himself.
After a year of hard work, didn't he deserve a bottle of good wine?
Crack, crack, crack—with a small wooden mallet, Jiang Tao quickly chipped away the clay seal. The moment he lifted the lid, a rich, intoxicating aroma wafted from the jar.
"What a fragrance!" Jiang Tao inhaled deeply, his eyes lighting up at the heady scent.
The aroma of this Nü'er Hong was distinct from the clear or savory notes of typical liquors. It was a complex bouquet, a blend of esters, alcohols, aldehydes, acids, carbonyl compounds, and more. It wasn't a single note but a fusion of multiple elements—sweet notes of sticky rice and longan, the mellow richness of nuts, and faint hints of fruit and floral scents. It was as if the gentle charm of "Jiangnan" (a region south of the Yangtze River) and the depth of aged time had been distilled into it.
This Nü'er Hong, aged for over 20 years, was rich, layered, and truly the finest of the fine!
Lifting the jar, Jiang Tao poured half a basin into the enamel bowl he usually used for meals. The originally yellow wine had transformed into a deep red, almost like fine wine, shimmering like ambrosia.
He took a small sip, and his eyes lit up instantly. The moment the wine touched his tongue, its rich, smooth texture bloomed in his mouth. Unlike the thin bite of typical liquors, it had a complex, velvety quality, like a carefully crafted milkshake—rich yet refined. Each sip was a perfect fusion of flavors, delivering an exquisite, comforting pleasure. It felt like fine silk gliding over the skin—smooth, with no roughness or harshness, only pure refinement and gentleness.
Jiang Tao wasn't a wine expert, but even he could tell this was an extraordinary find. A 20-year-old vintage like this—selling it for 20,000 yuan a jar wouldn't be too much, would it? Drinking this wasn't just about the wine; it was about tasting history!