đź“– Chapter 34: The Weight of Preparation
August 1965 — Between Rain and Uncertainty
The rain had come properly this time.
Not in scattered drops, not in passing clouds—but in long, steady hours that soaked the land and stayed.
By early morning, the entire village smelled different.
Wet soil. Fresh leaves. Damp air.
For most people, it meant relief.
For Akshy—it meant calculation.
Early Morning — Before the Day Begins
Akshy stepped out quietly, careful not to wake anyone.
The ground was soft under his feet. Small puddles had formed near the courtyard edge, and a slow stream of water moved along the side path.
He stood still for a moment, just observing.
Rain changed everything.
Crop growth improved
Transport slowed
Storage risk increased
Everything had two sides.
"Already awake?"
Mahavir's voice came from behind.
Akshy turned.
"You too."
Mahavir walked closer, looking at the sky.
"If this continues, wheat planning will be good this year."
Akshy nodded.
"Yes… but storage becomes important."
Mahavir glanced at him.
"You're thinking ahead again."
Akshy didn't deny it.
Morning Work — Protect Before Profit
By sunrise, work had already begun.
Ramesh arrived slightly late, his clothes damp.
"Road is bad," he said. "Cart slipped near the turn."
Mahavir frowned.
"Anyone hurt?"
"No," Ramesh replied, "but movement will be slow for a few days."
Akshy stepped in,
"Then we don't move heavy loads."
Ramesh looked at him.
"Then how do we sell?"
Akshy replied calmly,
"We don't rush selling."
Instead, he pointed toward the storage area.
"First, we protect what we have."
Detailed Storage Work
They spent the next two hours doing nothing that looked "profitable."
But it was necessary.
Old sacks were checked
Weak stitching repaired
Wooden planks placed under grain stacks
Extra covering added using plastic sheets
Ramesh muttered at one point,
"This is too much work for just rain."
Akshy replied,
"This is not for rain. This is for loss."
Mahavir didn't speak—but he agreed.
By mid-morning, everything was secure.
Only then did they move to other work.
Poultry — Small System, Big Attention
At the roadside poultry setup, the ground was still slightly wet.
But this time—things were better prepared.
Water was draining properly.
Feed was kept covered.
Harbans greeted them,
"Much better than last rain."
Akshy crouched and observed quietly.
The chicks were active.
Moving, pecking, competing for feed.
"How many now?" he asked.
"About 93 strong," Harbans replied.
Mahavir asked,
"Any sickness?"
"No," Harbans said. "All stable."
Akshy nodded.
Then he did something different.
He picked up a small handful of feed and checked it closely.
Texture. Smell. Moisture.
Harbans noticed.
"You check everything," he said.
Akshy replied simply,
"If we ignore small things… they grow into big problems."
Then he stood up and said,
"Prepare space for next batch."
Mahavir looked at him immediately.
"Already?"
"Yes," Akshy said.
Harbans asked,
"How many next time?"
Akshy paused for a second.
Then said,
"150."
That was bigger.
Mahavir didn't object—but he noted it.
Midday — Journey to Nissing
After a quick meal, Akshy and Ramesh left for Nissing.
The road was worse than expected.
Mud stuck to the wheels. At one point, they had to push the cart manually.
Ramesh complained,
"If this continues, transport will become a problem."
Akshy replied,
"It will."
Ramesh stopped pushing for a moment.
"You're saying it like you already know."
Akshy looked ahead.
"Because it's obvious."
At the Rice Mill — Real Work Begins
The moment they reached, they heard it.
The machine.
Loud. Rough. Constant.
It wasn't smooth—but it was working.
Ramesh smiled slightly.
"Feels different now."
Akshy walked inside.
Workers were moving sacks.
Dust floated in the air.
The smell of raw grain filled the space.
He checked the output.
Some grains were still breaking.
"Reduce pressure slightly," he said.
A worker adjusted the machine.
Output slowed—but quality improved.
Ramesh asked,
"Should we aim for speed or quality?"
Akshy replied,
"Quality brings repeat buyers. Speed only brings one-time buyers."
Ramesh nodded.
That answer stayed.
Numbers — Real Calculation
They sat down with a rough sheet.
Daily input: ~7 quintals
Output usable: ~60–65%
Profit per quintal: ₹6–8
Ramesh calculated,
"So around ₹40–50 daily?"
Akshy nodded.
Ramesh leaned back.
"That's steady…"
Then he added,
"And it can grow."
Akshy didn't say anything.
But that was the idea.
Afternoon — Market Visit
On the way back, they stopped at Kurukshetra mandi.
It felt different again.
More buyers.
Less waiting.
Faster decisions.
One trader said loudly,
"Stock will reduce soon!"
Another replied,
"Only if supply stops!"
Akshy listened carefully.
Then he noticed something else.
People were not relaxed anymore.
They were alert.
Encounter — Suraj Pal
Near the grain section, Suraj Pal stood speaking to someone.
When he noticed Akshy, he paused.
This time, he walked closer.
"You've started the mill," Suraj said.
Not a question.
Akshy nodded.
Suraj looked at him for a moment.
"Good timing," he said.
Akshy replied,
"We'll see."
Suraj smiled slightly.
"You're not just working hard," he said.
"You're working ahead."
That line carried meaning.
Akshy didn't respond directly.
Instead, he said,
"Market is changing."
Suraj nodded.
"Yes," he said quietly.
"It is."
Then he added,
"Be careful."
Akshy looked at him.
"Things will move fast now."
That was not advice.
That was warning.
Evening — Family Discussion (Detailed)
Back home, everyone gathered again.
Savitri opened her notebook.
"Rice mill running," she said.
"Still adjusting."
Mahavir added,
"Dairy stable."
Shanti said,
"Poultry is improving."
Then all looked at Akshy.
He spoke clearly.
"We are entering a different phase."
Mahavir asked,
"What do you mean?"
Akshy replied,
"Demand will increase."
Savitri asked,
"Because of rain?"
Akshy paused.
Then said,
"Because of everything."
They didn't fully understand.
But they trusted him.
Clear Plan (Step-by-Step)
Akshy laid it out:
Rice
Increase slowly
Store part, sell part
Poultry
Second batch
Maintain quality
Dairy
No fast expansion
Keep trust strong
Mahavir asked,
"Why not grow everything fast?"
Akshy answered,
"Because control is more important now."
Silence.
Then Mahavir nodded.
Late Night — Alone with Thoughts
That night, Akshy sat outside again.
No notebook.
No calculations.
Just thinking.
Rain had helped.
But something else was coming.
Not visible.
Not announced.
But close.
He looked toward the road in the distance.
Movement had increased.
Trucks. Supplies. Unknown loads.
He whispered quietly,
"Soon…"
Closing
By mid-August:
Poultry stable, expanding
Rice mill running
Dairy controlled
Storage secured
Everything was moving.
But not randomly.
Carefully.
Step by step.
With purpose.
Because when the real pressure arrived—
Only those prepared in silence…
Would rise without panic.
đź“– End of Chapter 34