《Reincarnated as an Adorable Baby》 Chapter 1 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation 1992. It was winter in December of the lunar calendar. Two shocking events took place in Hui City. The eldest son of the Yan family passed away at a young age. Taifeng Real Estate¡¯s president Song Yueliang got into a car accident. These events involved two well-known figures in the upper-class circle of the city, and all the newspapers and news media were scrambling to report it. The news spread like wildfire quickly, and the entire city knew about it. It added a mysterious tint to the city near the end of the year. In the old industrial district north of the city, a small figure was dragging a dirty snakeskin bag with difficulty out of an alley. It was a freezing winter in Hui City, with the heaviest snow in the past ten years. The entire city was covered in white. Because the bag was too heavy, it left a long drag mark on the snow. As the new year approached, the factories and enterprises in the city began to take their annual leave, and people were rushing to buy new year goods everywhere. The children followed their parents and cheered. Their little faces were full of excitement and anticipation for the new year. Such a lively scene made the little child standing alone at the alley entrance seem out of place. After the little child stood in a daze, she lowered her head and continued dragging the bag with all her strength. Because she had to exert all her strength, her little face was unnaturally red. ¡°Did you guys read the newspaper yesterday? The Yan family, a top-class family, was so rich! I didn¡¯t expect their son to die of illness at such a young age. He was only 29, right?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the use of having so much money? He couldn¡¯t buy over the God of Death. He was such a handsome lad. It¡¯s such a pity that he left before the new year was over.¡± ¡°Why pity? In terms of youth, wasn¡¯t the boss of Taifeng Real Estate even younger? A car accident, and she¡¯s gone, just like that.¡± ¡°You mean Song Yueliang? She was a ruthless person! I have a relative who works in the police station, and said that she drove her car into the car of the Song Group¡¯s CEO! They were rushing to die together! There were three people in the Song family¡¯s car, and they¡¯re all in hospital now!¡± ¡°Hiss, what deep hatred is there that wants to kill someone¡¯s entire family? Song Yueliang is ruthless!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it? She was known in that circle as Yaksha and was famous for being ruthless and crazy!¡± A few women carrying baskets in front of the little child chatted as they walked with their children. The little child subconsciously dragged the snakeskin bag to the side of the path, afraid that it would block others ¡®way. However, she was still a little too slow, and the corner of the snakeskin bag brushed against the side of the little boy¡¯s shoes. ¡°You¡¯re courting death, you little beggar! Don¡¯t you have eyes when you walk?¡± The woman with fashionable curly hair immediately picked up the little boy and kicked the snakeskin bag away while cursing. The little child¡¯s hands were still tugging hard at the mouth of the bag, but she was pulled off course by this force and fell unsteadily on the snow. She only wore a pair of pants, and her knee hurt. The opening of the snakeskin bag was also ripped, and bottles and cans rolled out from it. There were also some folded old newspapers and waste paper in the hole in the bag. ¡°My son¡¯s shoes are new. They cost thirty dollars! Can you afford to pay for it if you dirty it?¡± The child¡¯s reaction was slow. It took a while before she got up. She couldn¡¯t care about the pain in her knee and looked at the little boy¡¯s feet in a panic. It was a pair of beautiful shoes, new and clean, with only some mud on the soles. ¡°I didn¡¯t, I didn¡¯t dirty, ¡± the little child said timidly, her voice soft and sweet. She looked to be only about five or six years old. She was wearing a tattered and thin flowery coat. The coat was already too short and could only cover her stomach. She was only wearing a pair of gray pants and a pair of sandals that had been repeatedly glued together after their straps had been broken. The little child¡¯s face and lips were purple from the cold. She stood there timidly, the snakeskin bag in her hand taller than her. Because her face was too thin, her round eyes looked even bigger. They were dark and innocent, but they were extremely clear and clean. It was a pair of eyes that could make one¡¯s heart soften. One of the women pleaded, ¡°forget it, forget it. Don¡¯t be calculative with a little child. Don¡¯t we still have to rush to the grain and oil store to buy oil? There¡¯s a long line over there. I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to buy it if I¡¯m late.¡± The curly-haired woman glared at the child when she thought of rushing to buy something. When she left, she stomped on the snakeskin bag on the ground. It¡¯s so unlucky to meet a beggar in the new year! ¡°Alright, alright, let¡¯s hurry!¡± The child stood there, staring at the little boy in the curly-haired woman¡¯s arms. Envy flashed in her eyes. After a long while, she turned around and squatted down. She put the empty plastic bottles and glass jars into the snakeskin bag with heartache. She had spent many days picking up these things, and they could be exchanged for money with the owner at the waste station. After she sold these, she could eat steamed buns today. She wouldn¡¯t be hungry again. The waste station was a little far away. The little child dragged the bag and staggered on the snow. The unnatural blush was getting deeper and deeper on her meatless cheeks, and her head was also dizzy. The feeling of weakness became heavier and heavier. The child couldn¡¯t hold on any longer and squatted down by the telephone pole on the roadside. Worried that the bag would get in the way of others, she used the last of her strength to hold the bag in front of her. Her tiny body leaned against the telephone pole. She closed her eyes gently, and her little hand habitually held the small black stone hanging on her neck. The sky was getting dark. Snow began to fall from the sky again. The streets were still lively, with lanterns and streamers everywhere. A gust of cold wind whistled past, and the newspaper from nowhere hit the little child¡¯s feet. The two news articles on the front page were side by side, reporting the anecdote of the wealthy Yan family and the president of Taifeng Real Estate. The man was handsome and elegant, while the woman was bright and beautiful. The little child did not move. She was curled under the telephone pole, her tiny body stiff and cold. The little child had also died in this cold winter in Hui City. ¡­ A mechanical voice sounded in the air. [Host has been reborn. The omnidirectional system has been activated. Connecting successful¡ª] ¡­ June 1990. The midday sun was nasty and hot, dazzling one¡¯s eyes. The little child¡¯s head was dizzy, and she didn¡¯t know where she was. She only felt someone pulling her arm, which was painful. She struggled to open her eyes, and a back appeared in front of her. The woman had a robust figure and wore a brand-new floral shirt and a pair of nice pants. She had a low ponytail behind her head. The woman was dragging her up the mountain. The little child¡¯s eyes suddenly widened, and fear filled them. Even though it had been a long time, she could still recognize the person in front of her at a glance. ¡°M-mother?¡± The little child mumbled in panic and called out the unfamiliar name. The woman stopped in her tracks and turned around. The sun shone through the dense trees and plants on the mountain, and the delicate light and shadow hit the woman¡¯s face, revealing her long face and high cheekbones and the fierceness and coldness in her eyes. She looked at the child and slowly smiled. ¡°Da Ya¡¯er, there¡¯s a beautiful flower over there. Mommy likes them a lot. Go and pick them for me.¡± The little child followed her finger and saw an unknown flower blooming on a rock not far away. It was shrouded in the blazing sun and swaying in the wind. The familiar scene made her stop, and fear spread in her heart. In the hot June, the little child¡¯s body was cold. ¡°I told you to pick flowers for me!¡± The woman¡¯s voice suddenly became stern. She picked up the little child and threw her toward the rock. Like a kite with a broken string, the little child¡¯s thin and small body was thrown over the rocks and fell straight into the cliff behind her. Her eyes were wide open, and all she could see was the woman¡¯s cold smile after she had succeeded. At the same time, a voice suddenly sounded in her head. It was a teenager¡¯s voice, which was extremely irritated [ Hell mode at the start?! [ f * ck you! ] Chapter 2 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation The little child¡¯s eyes were wide open. In the weightlessness of the fall, the memories that were once deeply buried surged out. She remembered. The summer of the year she was four and a half years old, her mother had pushed her off the cliff on the way back to her grandmother¡¯s house. She still couldn¡¯t understand why. Mom had promised that after visiting her grandmother. Mom would bring her and her brother to the city to find their father so that she could go to kindergarten like her brother. But her mother didn¡¯t want her anymore. She fell into the river below the cliff. She didn¡¯t die, but her head was hit. When she struggled back home in the Daqu village, no one was there. No one was waiting for her. ¡­ Tears fell from the child¡¯s eyes and shattered in the air as she was falling. The little girl closed her eyes and did not see a strange wind suddenly rolling over from the cliff, carrying her. She also didn¡¯t see that the woman who was still grinning on the cliff was also swept down the cliff by the strange wind. The ferocity and brutality on her mean face were shattered, and she became terrified. Before she fell unconscious, the little child heard a strange sound in her head again. ¡ª [Di di di! Warning! Warning!] ¡ª [The mainframe has detected that the system uses essential energy without permission. It is against the rules! Beginning punishment!] The teenager sneered, his voice lazy and perverse. [What the hell are you punishing? Am I a system? I¡¯m your father!] Amid the noise of electric currents, the little child completely fainted. The wind carried the little child and did not let her fall into the river at the foot of the mountain. Instead, it gently placed her on the soft green shore. Not far from the riverbank was a winding stone path. The chains of the bicycle clicked as it approached from afar. ¡°Jianhe, look over there. Isn¡¯t there a little kid lying on the ground?¡± On the back seat of the bicycle, the old woman squinted her eyes and looked carefully. She hurriedly patted the middle-aged man on the bike. Chen Jianhe also saw the strange situation over there. ¡°Auntie, I¡¯ll go down and take a look. You wait up there. The road down there is too narrow. You don¡¯t have to come down.¡± ¡°Hey, hurry up and go!¡± ¡­ On the other hand, Ma Chunlan wasn¡¯t so lucky. She was swept to the other side of the cliff by the wind. When she fell, she hit a rock, broke a tree trunk, slid for a while, and was scratched by the rough sand and stones. Her new clothes were torn in several places. Even when she rolled down the mountain and lay on the ground, she still could not recover from the fear. When she was at the top of the mountain, her body seemed to be controlled by something invisible, and she couldn¡¯t move at all. It was simply too evil! At this time, she thought of those old words, ¡°Sinners will be punished by heaven, evils will be punished.¡± The sun was high in the sky, but Ma Chunlan shuddered. She couldn¡¯t care less about the pain and embarrassment all over her body. She got up, found her bicycle parked at the foot of the mountain, and fled. In order to avoid the attention of others and throw away the little brat, Ma Chunlan had deliberately taken a long detour. By the time she returned to Daqu Village, it was already evening, and it happened to cover her disheveled appearance without being noticed by the villagers. The Tian family had three spacious and stylish brick houses in the South of the village. When Ma Chunlan arrived home, Mrs. Tian had already had dinner with her precious grandson. Seeing that she had only returned at this time, and Da Ya was nowhere to be seen, Mrs. Tian frowned and asked. ¡°What happened? Where¡¯s Da Ya?¡± ¡°Mom, don¡¯t ask anymore. Could you hurry up and pack your things? We¡¯re going to Hui City to find Xiaohu¡¯s father now.¡± Ma Chunlan put her bicycle in the living room. The bright strip of light on the wall illuminated her pale face, exposing her terrible state. Mrs. Tian¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and her intuition told her that something was wrong. ¡°Tell me everything clearly, don¡¯t try to play dumb!¡± Seeing that her mother-in-law¡¯s face had turned stern, Ma Chunlan¡¯s heart was also in a panic. She carried her son to the long bench and turned on the TV for him to watch. Then, she entered the room with Mrs. Tian, closed the door, and told her what had happened. ¡°Mom, Da Ya fell down the mountain. I¡¯m afraid she won¡¯t be able to come back in the future.¡± Before she could finish her words, Mrs. Tian¡¯s slap landed on her face. It was a ruthless and harsh slap. Mrs. Tian pointed at her nose and trembled with anger. ¡°You idiot! What did I tell you? In the future, there might be a need for her at home. I¡¯ve already said that you¡¯d better bear with it no matter how unwilling you are! You agreed to it in front of me, but then you took her to the mountains and killed her?¡± Ma Chunlan¡¯s words had been modified, but Mrs. Tian knew her character well and guessed it correctly after thinking for a while. ¡°Where did you leave her? Go out and find someone to help you. Go up the mountain and find her!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t!¡± Ma Chunlan covered her burning cheek and said anxiously, ¡°Mother, if people find out about this, let¡¯s not talk about whether they can find her. Whether she¡¯s dead or alive, the police will be alerted!¡± ¡°Mom, Da Ya¡¯s identity cannot be investigated.¡± Seeing the old hag¡¯s expression change because of this, Ma Chunlan¡¯s eyes flashed with hidden pleasure. In the past, this old woman had always been arrogant in front of her because of her status, and today she had finally made her speak no more. In short, she and the old lady were in the same boat in some matters. If she weren¡¯t well, the old woman wouldn¡¯t be able to live comfortably either. Ma Chunlan¡¯s voice softened, ¡°Besides, Fumin has been working in the factory for many years. He has already secured his job. What use can that little brat be? If he continued to raise her, the money he would have to spend for years or even decades would not be a small sum. Also, we¡¯re about to enter the city. Mom, do you dare to bring her along? That little brat¡¯s face doesn¡¯t look like Fumin¡¯s or mine. I just don¡¯t know who she resembles.¡± Mrs. Tian¡¯s expression was increasingly stern. How could she not understand the intention behind Ma Chunlan¡¯s explanation. However, the older the girl grows, the more she looks like that person. It made Mrs. Tian not dare to take the risk. If it aroused suspicion, the Tian family would be wiped out. Moreover, the reason why she kept Da Ya was to prevent the Tian family from falling into a desperate situation again. She might be of use then. She had no choice. That night, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law packed their things and took the precious boy to the town overnight. They took the night bus to Hui City. The fact that the little kid who had fallen off the cliff was already left behind by the two. Chapter 3 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation The little girl had a nightmare again. She dreamed of her mother, whom she had not seen for a long time. She dreamed that she was pushed down the cliff by her mother again. She even dreamed that she was running in a white fog. After the white fog dissipated, a little egg-man planted in the ground appeared in front of her. The little egg-man¡¯s entire body was charred black, and black smoke was still rising from it. It bared its teeth and roared at her, ¡°hey, little brat, quickly come over and pull me out!¡± The little child was so frightened that she shook her head and waved her hands, ¡°no, no, you were planted in the ground. If I pull you out, you will die.¡± Small flowers and grass could only live well if planted in the ground. They would die quickly if they were pulled out. She thought that the little egg-men in the field should be the same. After hearing her words, the black smoke coming out of the little egg-man¡¯s head became thicker, and it started to scream, ¡°I TOLD YOU TO PULL!!¡± The little egg was so fierce. The little child was scared and flew out of the white fog with a whoosh. She woke up. Looking around, the unfamiliar environment made the little child get up and quickly shrink to the corner of the bed. It was a dark room with mottled walls, revealing the yellow mud behind the white paint. The furnishings in the room were simple. There was a wooden table by the window, a four-legged low cabinet, and the wooden bed she was lying on, with an old, yellow, patched mosquito net hanging on it. She was clearly on the street just now, and it was snowing. It was so cold. While the little child was bewildered, the gray-blue curtain hanging on the door was lifted, and an old woman walked in. Seeing her curled up at the corner of the bed, the old woman was stunned for a moment, then she smiled, and the corners of her eyes folded into smiling wrinkles, ¡°oh, baby, you¡¯re awake? ¡± The little child didn¡¯t make a sound. She shrank back to the corner of the bed and looked at the old woman vigilantly. She had grey hair and was wearing a grey shirt and grey pants. Her elbows and knees were patched up. She was a skinny old lady who had a kind smile. ¡°Baby doll, don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m not a bad person. You can call me Granny Zhang.¡± The old woman¡¯s name was Zhang Xifeng. She was not unhappy when she saw the child¡¯s alert appearance. ¡°I saw you lying on the riverbank at the village entrance yesterday. You were injured, so I decided to bring you back first.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve slept for a day and a night. You must be hungry when you wake up. I¡¯ll get you something to eat.¡± After saying that, Zhang Xifeng left the room nimbly. After taking in the child yesterday, she took him to the only Health Center in the nearby village for a health worker to do a check-up. After confirming that the child was only slightly injured, she brought the child back with peace of mind. Now that she was awake, Granny Zhang heaved a sigh of relief. The little child was still curled up in the corner of the bed. Even after the old woman left, she did not dare to move. She found it difficult to understand the situation before her. At this moment, the young man¡¯s voice rang in her ears again. The content of his words almost made her jaw drop. It turned out that the little egg-man she dreamed of was living in her brain! It was too terrifying! There were even more terrifying things! ¡°Re-rebirth? System? Bound?¡± ¡°I was frozen to death on the street? I¡¯m back to the day I was pushed down the mountain. I¡¯m alive again?¡± The little girl¡¯s eyes trembled. After the voice¡¯s repeated explanation, she barely understood what rebirth was. In other words, she was frozen to death at the age of seven. Then, she returned when she was four and a half years old. However, ¡°eggie, what is the system?¡± The teenager¡¯s voice in her head was silent for a moment, and when he rang again, he was gloomy. ¡°Did you call me eggie, eggie? ¡± ¡°You really look like an egg.¡± The little child said timidly. In the sea of consciousness, the little egg-man was fuming with anger again. He had been punished for saving her, and the mainframe had inserted it into the ground and zapped it non-stop with electricity. In the end, this was how this little brat returned the favor. She called him eggie? Heh, where¡¯s the mainframe? I want to change the host. The sound of footsteps came from outside the room. Zhang Xifeng came in with a bowl of porridge and two pancakes. The aroma of the food spread in the air, instantly making the little child drool, and her little stomach grumbled happily. ¡°Are you hungry? Come, quickly eat.¡± Zhang Xifeng smiled. She put the porridge and pancakes on the wooden table at the head of the bed and handed the child a spoon. To her surprise, the little child¡¯s eyes were almost glued to the porridge and pancakes, and she looked starving, but she did not take the spoon immediately. The little child looked up at her and asked softly, ¡°if I eat it, will you hit me? ¡± It was a very simple question. When Zhang Xifeng heard this, her nose suddenly turned sour. She recalled the situation when she brought the child for an examination yesterday. In addition to her clean face, the parts of her body were covered with scars caused by beating with a stick. The green and purple colors intertwined and were densely packed. It was a shocking sight! She wondered what kind of person could be so cruel to such a young child. Zhang Xifeng stuffed the spoon into the little child¡¯s hand. ¡°Granny doesn¡¯t hit people and won¡¯t let others hit you either. Eat.¡± After receiving confirmation, the little child grabbed the spoon, crawled to the bed, picked up a piece of pancake, and tried to take a bite. Her beautiful eyes were always fixed on Zhang Xifeng, like a vigilant, frightened beast. When she was sure it was safe, she relaxed a little and began to gobble down the food, her eyes curving into crescent moons. In the child¡¯s memory, she had never had a full meal since she could remember. The bowl of porridge and two pancakes in front of her were the best things she could eat. Besides, she could fill herself up with this amount! Thinking of this, the child felt even more satisfied. ¡°So good!¡± She said. Zhang Xifeng¡¯s eyes turned red for some reason. While the child was gobbling down the food, Zhang Xifeng sat down at the end of the bed. Keep some distance from the little girl so she wouldn¡¯t be nervous. ¡°What¡¯s your name, my good girl?¡± She asked gently. The little child paused in the middle of eating. Name? She had no name. Her parents did not give her a name. As she was the eldest child in the family, her grandmother called her ¡®Da Ya¡¯, meaning the eldest kid, and her parents called her ¡®little brat¡¯. Later, strangers called her a little beggar. After a while, the child bit her lip and said with a hidden hope in her voice, ¡°I¡¯m called Qiqi (Seven).¡± She was seven when she died. After the little child spoke, her eyelashes drooped, and she did not dare to look up, afraid the old lady would see her guilty conscience. She also wanted to have her name. ¡°Qiqi? That¡¯s a nice name.¡± The old lady¡¯s praise made the little child secretly smile. Happy. ¡°Qiqi, how old are you?¡± She heard the old lady ask again. The little child subconsciously wanted to answer seven years old, but then she remembered that she had been ¡°reborn¡±. ¡°I, I am four and a half years old.¡± ¡°Ah, Qiqi is so smart. She can remember her age. Then where did you come from? Do you know where your home is?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a home.¡± This time, Qiqi answered quickly and firmly. ¡°Granny, I¡¯m an orphan.¡± Qiqi knew that her family didn¡¯t want her anymore. With the experience of her past life and being pushed down the cliff by her mother, she would not go back to where she came from in this life. She could support herself. To Qiqi, she was still picking up trash on the street yesterday. Although she was younger now, her ability had not disappeared. She knew how to earn money well. ¡­ Chapter 4 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation After all, she was still young, and the things she had experienced these two days were too complicated. Not long after Qiqi finished eating, she fell asleep again. The light that seeped in through the small wooden window of the room was slanted. Qiqi did not know how long she had slept. When she woke up, it was already afternoon. There were voices of people having a conversation in the central room. Chen Jianhe sat on a small stool near the door in the central room, frowning. ¡°I¡¯ve asked around the surrounding villages and even went to the police station on the other side of the town to inquire. There are no families with a missing child.¡± He visited nearly ten villages in the vicinity in the morning, both big and small, and especially scouted along the two sides of the river. He was short of going to the other side of the town to inquire. The answer they got was no. No one had lost a child. In fact, no one had ever seen the child in the surroundings if he described her. Chen Jianhe couldn¡¯t understand how the child had come to their village. Could it be that she had flown here? Zhang Xifeng sat opposite him, holding an unfinished piece of clothing in her hand. Her expression was not very good. ¡°I¡¯ve asked the child. She said that she was an orphan. It seems to be true.¡± After saying that, she gritted her teeth and cursed, ¡°the injuries on the child¡¯s body were probably from being beaten by someone on the street. The person who did this is an animal!¡± Chen Jianhe was silent. Chen Jianhe was also present when she brought the child to the clinic yesterday. He had also seen the injuries on the child. ¡°Aunt, what do we do now?¡± He thought for a while, and the rest of his words were difficult to say. ¡°She¡¯s such a small child. If no one takes care of her and lets her continue to wander outside alone, I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll be¡­¡± She probably couldn¡¯t live for more than a few days. ¡°I know a welfare home in the county that takes in orphans. Should I make a trip there tomorrow and ask around?¡± He said. Zhang Xifeng didn¡¯t say anything. She looked at the unfinished clothes in her hands, and the little child¡¯s face appeared in her mind. The four-and-a-half-year-old child looked to be only three years old. She was small and thin, and her face was the size of a palm. She lowered her eyes and threaded the needle on her little clothes. ¡°Qiqi, this child is so good. She ate in small mouthfuls, looking refined and elegant. I praised her on the spot. You didn¡¯t see how she was secretly shy and happy. She was so lovable.¡± Chen Jianhe seemed to have realized something and frowned even more. ¡°Aunt¡­¡± He opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but he was interrupted by Zhang Xifeng just as he started. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll think about the child¡¯s matter again. You¡¯ve also been delayed for a day. Go back and finish the work that you¡¯ve left behind.¡± Then, Zhang Xifeng looked at the sky and said, ¡°it¡¯s late now. We can¡¯t make it in time. Go to town tomorrow morning and help me get a veterinarian to come and take a look at the pig. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on these two days, but the two piggies refuse to eat and even have diarrhea. They¡¯re most likely sick.¡± At the mention of the two little piggies at home, Zhang Xifeng¡¯s old face was sorrowful. She was a widow and couldn¡¯t do much work in the fields. The family¡¯s income all year round depended on the two pigs they had carefully raised. If the pig didn¡¯t gain weight and couldn¡¯t be sold at the end of the year, it would have to live on with a tight stomach next year. Chen Jianhe nodded in response. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll go to town tomorrow morning to invite the person over.¡± Qiqi stayed in the room and waited until there was no sound outside before she got off the bed. She walked to the door quietly and timidly stuck her head out to look out. Zhang Xifeng turned her head and saw a little child with only a pair of bright eyes peeking out the door. She looked timid, like a shy and easily frightened little beast. She carefully stretched out a small claw to explore the world outside. She was so cute that Zhang Xifeng¡¯s heart softened. ¡°Qiqi, try this on and see if you like it.¡± She smiled and waved at the little child, showing him the clothes she had just finished sewing. She had modified this from her old clothes. Now that the weather was hot, she had changed it into a half-sleeve buttoned shirt and made a pair of pants for the child with the extra cloth. The color was azure blue, which had been washed until it was white. It wasn¡¯t pretty, but it was wear-resistant and dirt-resistant. Qiqi¡¯s eyes brightened. She held her small hand and moved in front of the old woman, her eyes glued to the new clothes. Although the material was old, it was new to Qiqi. Her Granny Zhang had especially, specially made these small clothes for her. ¡°It¡¯s so good.¡± She quickly glanced at the old lady, and her small face blushed. ¡°Thank you, granny. Qiqi likes it very much.¡± She had said the last sentence very seriously and solemnly. Zhang Xifeng was stunned for a moment, and the corners of her eyes crinkled. ¡°We¡¯ll wear new clothes after Qiqi takes a bath tonight.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± In the countryside, there was work all around the house. After telling Qiqi to play by herself in the yard, Zhang Xifeng got up and went to the kitchen next door. She scooped out the pig¡¯s feeds from the big iron pot on the stove and filled the wooden bucket half-full. She was going to bring it to the pigpen opposite to feed the little pigs and see if they would eat. She lowered her eyebrows and sighed softly. Then, she lifted the wooden bucket with all her might and staggered towards the pigpen. As soon as she came out of the kitchen, she saw Qiqi running over with her little legs and reaching out to help her carry the wooden bucket. The little kid was not much taller than the wooden bucket, so how strong could she be? However, this action made Zhang Xifeng feel unusually at ease, and a touch of warmth floated in her heart. ¡°Granny, let me help you feed the pigs, okay? I can do it.¡± ¡°Oh, Qiqi knows how to feed pigs at a young age?¡± ¡°Yes, I can feed pigs, cut grass, herd cows, wash clothes, and do a lot of work.¡± The little child raised her head and tried to sell herself. ¡°If you want to do anything, you can let me do it.¡± Zhang Xifeng couldn¡¯t help but laugh. She walked to the pigpen and put down the wooden bucket. Then she patted the little child¡¯s head and said, ¡°you¡¯re still young. You don¡¯t have to do any work here with Granny.¡± She had intended to comfort the little child, but she did not expect the child to be so anxious. ¡°Granny, let me help you with the work!¡± Zhang Xifeng was puzzled. ¡°Why does Qiqi want to work? ¡± Could it be that she wanted her to stay, so she wanted to work to please her? Zhang Xifeng wanted to open her mouth and tell the child that she didn¡¯t need to do this. She had already thought of keeping the child, but the child spoke first. The child¡¯s words shocked her to her core. The child said, ¡°Granny gave me food and small clothes. I helped out with the work in exchange. I can¡¯t take them for free.¡± The child also said, ¡°Granny, I¡¯m not a beggar. I¡¯m not a little beggar.¡± The child¡¯s pitch-black eyes were clear and pure, with the determination of early wisdom. No one knew that this was Qiqi¡¯s clinging and the grievance she buried in her heart. She wasn¡¯t a beggar or the little beggar other people called her. She earned everything she ate and used. She had never taken other people¡¯s things for free, nor had she ever begged for anything. Even if it were given to her by someone else, she would return it in the best way possible. She was Qiqi, the upright Qiqi who would never take advantage of others. Chapter 5 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation Zhang Xifeng squatted down and looked at the child. Her heart swelled and felt bitter. After a long time, she stretched out her deformed and rough hand and gently stroked the child¡¯s small head. ¡°Qiqi is right. It¡¯s only safe to hold something that you¡¯ve earned yourself.¡± ¡°You can stay at Granny¡¯s house in the future.¡± ¡°If you work for Granny, Granny will give you food every day. Is Qiqi willing to do that?¡± Qiqi was a little confused. Her Granny wanted her to stay? If she agreed, she would no longer have to wander the streets. This was a great temptation for Qiqi. Her heart was beating fast, and there seemed to be a voice in her ear urging her to agree. Although she was young, she understood. Her Granny said this because she wanted to raise her. Qiqi tried her best to open her mouth, but the words she said were, ¡°Why? ¡± Why was she willing to support her? ¡°Because ¡­ ¡°the old lady smiled. Her smile was loving and sincere. Qiqi won Granny¡¯s love with her own strength. In the pigpen, the little piggies were lying behind the wooden fence and making a few sounds from time to time. The little child stood in front of the pigpen in a daze, her eyes wide open and her little mouth half open. She did not return to her senses from the old woman¡¯s answer for a long time. ¡­ In the sea of consciousness. The little egg-man supported his cheek with one hand as he lay on his side, quietly watching the scene in front of him. In the energy storage pool next to the little egg-man, the originally empty bottom of the pool now had a wisp of purple energy. As the omnipresent system, he used the host as a medium to absorb the sincere love of others for the host and convert the sincerity value into energy. When his storage pool was full of energy and he completed the ten mission stages, it could return to its own place. Therefore, in the eyes of the little egg man, the host was just a tool to help him complete his task. ¡°Whoa, you earned your love?¡± The little egg-man changed his posture and crossed his legs. ¡°Boring.¡± It was born with a golden spoon in its mouth and stood high at the top of the pyramid. Ever since he was young, as long as he wanted something, others would fight to get it. He didn¡¯t need to fight, snatch, or even struggle. So he didn¡¯t understand why the little cub had such an expression. Stupid. ¡­ Qiqi did not answer. Zhang Xifeng wasn¡¯t in a hurry. She would give the child some time to think about it. The child had to be willing. She took a wooden ladle and handed it to the little child. ¡°Today, Qiqi will help Granny feed the pigs. Once I am done, I can exchange it for the food and the clothes I have today.¡± Qiqi¡¯s eyes lit up, and she took the wooden ladle. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Granny. I will definitely do my best!¡± This answer made Zhang Xifeng burst into laughter again, and even the sorrow in her heart dissipated a lot. The little pig was sick and fed up. She knew that the little pig probably wouldn¡¯t be able to eat much. She said that mainly to find some work for the child. So that she wouldn¡¯t keep harping on repaying her. Qiqi held the wooden spoon with a serious expression as if she was going to the battlefield to do something big. She opened the wooden fence of the pigpen and scooped the warm piggies into the food bowl. The smell of the piggies quickly mixed into the air and mixed with the smell of the pigpen, making it unpleasant. However, Qiqi did not feel discomfort and continued adding feeds into the food bowl. In the sea of consciousness, the little egg-man, who despised the little one, suddenly waved his hand. The wisp of purple aura that had just emerged from the storage pool flew out along with his movements and finally flowed into the food bowl through the little child¡¯s hand. ¡°Kengchi, Kenichi,¡­.¡± The two piggies lying around the food bowl twitched their noses, then got up on their legs and buried their heads in the food bowl. One bite, two bites. The two piggies began to fight for food a moment later, and the scene was lively. Zhang Xifeng,¡±¡­.¡± Could she have misremembered? The little pig wasn¡¯t sick? Or had she already recovered after sleeping for half a day? She had raised pigs for many years but had never seen such a scene. The two pigs seemed to be afraid that they would eat less. As they ate, they even used their four hooves to push their peer, trying to make the pig next to it out of the food bowl and dominate. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Granny!¡± The little child turned her head, her face beaming with joy and her eyes bright. ¡°The little pig is eating so well!¡± Zhang Xifeng nodded in a daze. ¡°Ah, yes. They are eating so well.¡± In the sea of consciousness, the little egg-man turned over and lay on its side with its eyes closed. The corner of its mouth curled up lazily. ¡°Stupid little brat.¡± After feeding the pigs, Zhang Xifeng looked at the sky and didn¡¯t go out anymore. She stayed at home for the next half of the afternoon to observe the situation of the pigs. If the little piggies did not continue to have diarrhea, there would probably be no big problem, and she would not need to go to town to find a veterinarian tomorrow. Their village was far away, and the consultation fee for inviting people from all the way here was naturally not small. Every cent of the farmer¡¯s hard-earned money, if they could save it, no one would be willing to spend it for nothing. While Zhang Xifeng was guarding the piglet, Qiqi was not idle. She found a bamboo broom in the corner of the yard and swept the yard. It was only now that she had the time to size up the house. Granny Zhang¡¯s house wasn¡¯t significant. It was a courtyard surrounded by a fence wall. There was only a mud house in the courtyard. The outer wall was unpainted, and the bare wall was tamped with yellow mud. Perhaps it had been a long time and had been through too much wind and rain, so the wall was already uneven. On the left of the main house was a kitchen made of clay tiles. Opposite the kitchen was a pigpen built with pillars and a wooden fence, and two small piggies were raised. In the corner of the courtyard, there was a loquat tree. It had luxuriant leaves, and nearly half of its branches extended out of the fence, giving shade to the path outside the courtyard. Although the Zhang family¡¯s courtyard wasn¡¯t big, it was clean and tidy. The firewood and furniture were arranged neatly, giving people a sense of tidiness. After the yard was cleaned, Qiqi sat down on the veranda. She quietly looked up at the back of the old woman who went to check on the little piggies in front of the pigpen. The words the old woman asked her to leave behind kept repeating in her mind. ¡°Eggie, Granny said she wanted to raise me. Do you think I can stay?¡± She subconsciously asked the little egg for help. Eggie had said that they were already bound to each other. Qiqi did not know what binding was, but she vaguely understood what relationship meant. She had a relationship with Eggie, which meant that Eggie would be her little companion in the future. In her mind, the little egg man¡¯s lazy voice came. ¡°It¡¯s useless to ask me. You have to ask yourself.¡± Not getting a helpful answer, Qiqi clenched her small hand and lowered her head sadly. Granny Zhang was very kind. The way she smiled and spoke was just like her grandmother. In the past, her grandmother would often smile at her and speak to her gently. At that time, Grandma would always say, ¡°Grandma likes our Da ya the most¡± and ¡°Da Ya is so well-behaved. Grandma¡¯s heart really goes to you.¡± However, when she was beaten by her parents and smashed by her brother, her grandmother, who claimed to like her and dote on her, only watched indifferently from the side. She had never protected her, not even once. After that, she no longer believed her grandmother¡¯s words. Chapter 6 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation Zhang Xifeng waited for half the afternoon. After the little pigs finished eating, they were very energetic, and there was no trace of their previous sickly appearance. They didn¡¯t continue to have diarrhea. The results of her observation made Zhang Xifeng happy, and she couldn¡¯t help but smile. The daytime in summer was long, and the sun was hot. When the sun set, the two buckets of water placed at the door of the kitchen were already warm from the sun. This was the water that farmers used to bathe in summer. Every family did this to save firewood. ¡°Qiqi, come and take a shower. After you¡¯re done, let¡¯s go to your second Uncle Chen¡¯s house before it gets dark.¡±Zhang Xifeng called the child. In Qiqi¡¯s memory, this was the first time someone had given her a bath. In the quiet evening, in the small farmyard, under the colorful clouds, the little child sat in a wooden basin and was washed clean from head to toe by the old woman. She changed into new clothes. When her hair got almost dry, Zhang Xifeng combed her hair. The little child¡¯s hair quality was very bad. It was thin, soft, and withered. Her hair was cut to half length and not short, and it looked messy. Zhang Xifeng simply combed the child¡¯s hair and tied it into two small buns. When the child turned around, Zhang Xifeng was a little stunned. The child¡¯s face had been covered by the hair before, but now it was neatly combed, revealing an extremely delicate face. She had big almond-shaped eyes, dark and bright pupils, and thick, curly eyelashes. Her nose was small and delicate, and her lips were pink, like the rose petals in the morning dew. She wore a buttoned shirt, and her cheeks were slightly red from shyness. The little doll clenched her small hands and stood shyly, looking cute and delicate. Zhang Xifeng immediately liked it from the bottom of her heart. ¡°Our Qiqi is so beautiful. She¡¯s even better looking than those happy dolls in the newspaper!¡± Since she had the idea of adopting the child, Zhang Xifeng liked Qiqi even more. The more she looked at Qiqi, the more she felt that this was her child. Qiqi pursed her small lips, and her eyes were so bright that they looked glowing. Her Granny praised her for being beautiful! It must be because the new clothes are beautiful. She loved her new clothes so much! ¡°Let¡¯s go. Granny will take you to second Uncle Chen¡¯s house.¡± As Zhang Xifeng spoke, she took the child and walked away. ¡°Yesterday, your second Uncle Chen took your Granny to the market. When he returned, he saw you lying on the riverbank at the village entrance. He carried you up.¡± Qiqi followed beside her, listening to her ramble quietly and seriously. Seeing this, Zhang Xifeng¡¯s joy for the child grew. Chen Jianhe¡¯s house wasn¡¯t far from her house. After walking out of the small road at the house¡¯s entrance, she could reach the first house after two turns. However, Zhang Xifeng had the inexplicable desire to show off her baby. For this reason, she took a long detour and passed by several houses. Every time she reached the door of a house, she would stop and chat with the master inside. Then, she would naturally ¡°conveniently¡± mention the little doll beside her. ¡°Hey, this is Qiqi. She just came to my house yesterday. She¡¯s a good girl.¡± ¡°She¡¯s four and a half years old. She was not taken care of well in the past, so she looks a little small. If I take care of her in the future, she¡¯ll definitely grow.¡± ¡°I¡¯m preparing to go to Jianhe¡¯s house. Tell him that he doesn¡¯t need to go to town to get a veterinarian for me tomorrow.¡± ¡°The pigs at home haven¡¯t eaten for the past two days, and they¡¯ve had diarrhea. Aren¡¯t I anxious? Who would have thought that today at noon, Qiqi would fight for work and help me feed the pigs. What do you think? She fed them, and my piggies became so happy eating! I think they have recovered from illness!¡± ¡°Qiqi, this child, is compatible with my eight characters. Very good for my family!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stop talking. I¡¯ll come back to chat with you again. I¡¯ll go to Jianhe first and let him know.¡± The old woman in her sixties walked nimbly from house to house, not missing a single spot. It just happened to be the evening, and the people working in the fields were rushing home for dinner, so most of them had people at home. Along the way, Qiqi perfectly played the role of a mascot. She remembered the names of Uncle Chen, Granduncle Li, second Granduncle Jian Jia, and so on. She also knew the name of the village. Taoxi village. Turning out from the small path, it was a yellow mud road. Zhang Xifeng pointed at the house opposite the yellow mud road. ¡°That¡¯s your second Uncle Chen¡¯s house. In addition to his wife, they also have a daughter called Taohua. When you see her later, I¡¯ll let you just call her big sister.¡± Qiqi nodded obediently. At this hour, there were still people on the road rushing home, some carrying hoes and loads, some carrying straw hats and herding cows. ¡°Jianhe, Jianhe¡¯s wife, are you all at home? I¡¯m Aunt Zhang.¡± When they arrived at Chen Jianhe¡¯s house, the courtyard door was closed. Zhang Xifeng raised her voice and shouted. Someone answered from inside very quickly. Qiqi could tell that it was second Uncle Chen¡¯s voice. It was deep and deep. ¡°I¡¯m at home. Aunt, wait a moment. I¡¯ll open the door for you.¡± Qiqi was a little nervous. While waiting for the door, her small body quietly moved behind the old woman. Before thinking of a better way to hide, she heard a strange sound behind her. A child¡¯s crying voice came closer, ¡°The bull, my family¡¯s bull, is hurting people! Dodge, quickly Dodge!¡± Qiqi turned her head, and her eyes suddenly shrank. A giant water buffalo covered in mud was already in front of her. The bull¡¯s eyes were terrifyingly red and its head was lowered. The two curved horns on its head were directly facing her! In such a situation, it was already too late for her to run. She could only watch as the bull¡¯s horns stabbed into her stomach! The child¡¯s cries, screams, and roars were all mixed in her ears. They seemed to be ringing in her ears, but they also seemed to be floating far away. ¡°Qiqi!¡± In a split second, a pair of thin, weak hands suddenly picked her up and then quickly turned around to protect her between her arms and the wooden door. Qiqi¡¯s eyes flickered, and she saw the person holding her. It was Granny. As for Granny herself, her exposed back was about to be pierced by the horns. Qiqi bit her pale lips and made a decision. She didn¡¯t know where she found the strength to struggle out of the old woman¡¯s grip. After landing on the ground, she stretched out her two small hands and grabbed the two bull horns. In the sea of consciousness, the little egg-man cursed fiercely. ¡°Did the little brat want to die? Does she think she¡¯s a King Kong Barbie?¡± If he had energy, he could still help solve the crisis, but the energy he had just converted had been used on the little pigs. Motherf * cker! F * ck! With a downcast face, the little egg-man used the system¡¯s essential energy again. An invisible wind gently blew over the water buffalo¡¯s body. The initially violent water buffalo paused for a moment. The redness in its eyes faded, and it quieted down. After solving the water buffalo crisis, the little egg man put down a barrier in the sea of consciousness, temporarily cutting off the connection between himself and his host. As soon as the barrier was put down, the annoying beeping sound of the mainframe rang in the sea of consciousness. A terrifying electric net covered the little egg-man¡¯s body, and the punishment was activated. The little egg-man chuckled and lay flat. ¡°Come on, son.¡± He was a Crown Prince who got what he wanted. He represented a high and mighty status from the day he was born. Even if he became an egg, he had to be a big and tall egg. He definitely couldn¡¯t let the little brat see his shameful state while being punished. He insisted on this point. In the blink of an eye, the little egg-man, which had just regained its Jade-like white color, was sizzled by the electric current again, and he was charred on the outside and tender on the inside, spitting out green smoke. Chapter 7 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation The boy and the villagers, who caught up, quickly controlled the cow. Chen Jianhe also rushed out of the courtyard, using his burly figure to block Granny and Qiqi. The crisis was resolved. Zhang Xifeng¡¯s legs went soft, and she sat on the ground. She panted heavily, and her out-of-focus eyes still could not focus. Qiqi turned around and pursed her lips. She raised her little hand and patted the old woman¡¯s shoulder awkwardly. ¡°Granny, don¡¯t be afraid ¡­¡± As soon as she opened her mouth, her small body was suddenly pulled into the old woman¡¯s arms, hugging her tightly. ¡°You, you damn kid, who told you to grab the bull¡¯s horns? Ah? Where did you get the courage from?¡± Zhang Xifeng¡¯s eyes were red as she cursed loudly. She was so angry that she raised her hand and wanted to hit the child¡¯s little butt a few times. Thinking of the injuries she had seen while bathing the child, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do it. In the end, she slapped her thigh. She was going to die of anger! Qiqi didn¡¯t say anything. She noticed that the old woman holding her was trembling all over. She had a strange feeling as she was held in that embrace. It was as if someone had opened up a small harbor for her, a place to shelter her from the wind and rain. Qiqi lowered her eyes and tried to lean her head on the old woman¡¯s thin shoulder. Her small hands were crossed, and she wrapped her arms around the old woman¡¯s neck little by little. ¡°You borrowed the courage from the heavens, right? You dared to fight with a bull? You, how can you be so reckless!¡± ¡°Granny, I¡¯m also scared.¡± the child¡¯s soft and gentle voice rang in Zhang Xifeng¡¯s ears. Zhang Xifeng¡¯s mouth opened and closed. Before she could say anything, her tears fell first. ¡­ Chen Jianhe¡¯s courtyard was expansive and surrounded by high walls. There were pigsties and cattle pens inside, and there was a pressurized water well near the kitchen. Their living conditions were slightly better than Zhang Xifeng¡¯s. However, the Chen family¡¯s courtyard was filled with the strong smell of Chinese medicine. Zhang Xifeng brought Qiqi to the Chen family¡¯s central room. The people who greeted them were Chen Jian and his wife, Li Cuifang. Qiqi called her second aunt. ¡°Aunty, is this the child, Qiqi? She¡¯s really good-looking.¡± Li Cuifang was in her forties and had a delicate appearance. She spoke softly and gently, but her face looked a little sickly. Knowing that Granny had been frightened by the incident at the door, she didn¡¯t mention it again and changed the topic. It was a pity that she couldn¡¯t divert it. Zhang Xifeng still had a lingering fear, and her legs were still trembling as she sat in the room. As soon as she heard her asking about Qiqi, she snorted angrily. ¡°She is pretty but also so gutsy!¡± As she spoke, Zhang Xifeng also glared at the little child with feigned ferocity. The little child pouted and smiled at her timidly. Zhang Xifeng couldn¡¯t keep up her act. Li Cuifang looked at the interaction between the old and the young and found it interesting. She burst into laughter. No wonder Auntie liked this child. She was indeed very well-behaved. She liked her just by looking at her. At this moment, Chen Jianhe had just dispersed the villagers in front of his house. He strode in and said, ¡°It¡¯s the old village chief¡¯s cow. I don¡¯t know what happened, but it suddenly went crazy. Fortunately, no one was hurt.¡± He had witnessed the scene just now with his own eyes, and he was so shocked that he broke out in a cold sweat. It was fortunate that no one got hurt in the end. At the thought of this, he glanced at the little child sitting obediently on the stool. He stretched out his large hand and stroked the child¡¯s head. ¡°What a good child.¡± This was the first time Qiqi had seen Chen Jianhe in person. She had only heard his voice before. In Qiqi¡¯s eyes, this second Uncle Chen was like a mountain. It was tall and big. He had thick eyebrows and a dark face and looked a little fierce when he looked at people. She didn¡¯t know if it was because she knew that second Uncle Chen had saved her, so she didn¡¯t feel afraid of this tanned uncle. Instead, she felt a sense of familiarity in her heart. ¡°Second Uncle Chen,¡± She called. Chen Jianhe was stunned for a moment. The tanned man¡¯s cold and serious face softened unconsciously as he hummed in agreement. ¡°Aunt, why did you come over at this time? If you need anything, call me, and I¡¯ll go over.¡± Chen Jianhe asked. Only then did Zhang Xifeng remember the important matter. ¡°The pig at home is willing to eat and no longer has diarrhea. I guess it¡¯s nothing serious, so I came to tell you that you don¡¯t have to go to town to invite people tomorrow.¡± After a pause, Zhang Xifeng stood up and walked out. She motioned for Chen Jianhe to follow her. There¡¯s one more thing I want to discuss with you. Chen Jianhe subconsciously glanced at the little child and followed. The two of them stopped in front of the kitchen. At this distance, the people in the living room couldn¡¯t hear clearly. ¡°Auntie, have you made your decision?¡± Chen Jianhe was the first to speak. Both of them knew what this decision meant. Zhang Xifeng nodded. ¡°I want to adopt Qiqi.¡± She said. ¡°Since I rescued her, it might be fate. After spending a day together, I¡¯ve grown to like that child more and more. I really can¡¯t just leave her to wander around.¡± After she finished speaking, she looked at Chen Jianhe quietly, her eyes filled with determination. Chen Jianhe was silent for a while, and then he nodded. ¡°Since Auntie has decided, we¡¯ll do as you say.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t object?¡± Zhang Xifeng was a little surprised. After all, when she revealed this idea in the afternoon, Chen Jianhe showed his disapproval. Chen Jianhe knew what Granny Zhang was thinking and smiled helplessly. ¡°Auntie, I didn¡¯t agree with you adopting the child at first, but I had my concerns. You¡¯re old, and the hard work you¡¯ve put in all year round is only enough for you to eat. If you feed another person, your days will be even harder.¡± Raising a child was not as simple as adding a bowl and a pair of chopsticks to the house. Besides, apart from herself, there wasn¡¯t much help in auntie¡¯s own family so she couldn¡¯t earn more income. He was afraid that the child would become a burden to the old woman in the future. Secondly, he was even more afraid that the old woman would be hurt in the future. In the past, families in the surrounding villages adopted children, but the children they raised later were ungrateful brats. When the children grew up, they would see the elderly as a burden and ignore the gratitude of raising them. In order to raise the child, the elderly worked hard for half their life, but in the end, they starved to death in bed and were only discovered by the neighbors a few days after their death. ¡°I know what you¡¯re worried about.¡± Zhang Xifeng turned her head to look at the central room, her expression clear and relieved. ¡°I want to raise Qiqi not because I want her to repay me in the future. Besides, I¡¯m just an old widow. I¡¯m already a few decades old. How many years can I live? It¡¯s just for company and peace of mind.¡± Chen Jianhe also looked at the central room. The sky was dark, but the lights were on the inside. ¡°That child knows how to be grateful.¡± He said. Chen Jianhe was touched that such a young child could do such a thing in the face of danger. His aunt was a widow at a young age and had lived alone for decades. It might be a good thing that she had Qiqi to accompany her. As for the future, he would try his best to help and support more people. Qiqi didn¡¯t know about the conversation in front of the stove door. There were many things in front of her. There was cane sugar wrapped in colored candy paper, a small square biscuit, and a small handful of plums hanging with white frost. They were all taken out by second aunt. Chapter 8 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation ¡°These sweets and biscuits were bought by your second uncle and sister Taohua. The plum fruit was picked from the ground for Qiqi to eat.¡± As Li Cuifang spoke, she couldn¡¯t suppress the itch in her throat and turned her head to the side to cough twice. Qiqi looked at the food. There were not many of them, but she had never eaten them before. In the past, her younger brother had eaten sweets and biscuits in front of her and had even specially told her that they were sweet and delicious. Qiqi pursed her lips and pushed the food back. ¡°Thank you, Auntie. Qiqi doesn¡¯t like to eat it.¡± The child¡¯s voice was soft and sweet. She secretly swallowed her saliva when she pushed the things away, thinking that no one would notice. Li Cuifang laughed and her love for the child increased a little. No child doesn¡¯t like to eat snacks. She was just being too considerate. ¡°These things have been made for a long time, and no one at home has eaten them. They¡¯ll be a waste if they go bad. Qiqi, help aunty finish them.¡± In fact, these were bought by her husband and daughter for her as snacks. She was not in good health and had to take medicine all year round. As time passed, there would always be a bitter taste in her mouth when she ate. Her husband was good to her, and the daughter was filial, so they thought of ways to make things sweet for her. Thinking of this, Li Cuifang sighed. If it wasn¡¯t for her health, her family wouldn¡¯t be so poor. Qiqi heard her sigh and thought that auntie was unhappy because she didn¡¯t eat the food she gave. Thinking a little bit, she reached out and took candy from the pile of snacks. ¡°Auntie, then, then I¡¯ll help you eat candy.¡± Li Cuifang was amused. ¡°Okay, Qiqi, help auntie eat candy.¡± The crispy candy wrapped in sugar paper was a little sticky, probably because it had been left there for a long time and the weather was humid. Qiqi carefully unwrapped the candy paper, bit off half a piece of candy and put it in her mouth. Her eyes suddenly widened. Oh! It was so sweet and fragrant! So this was how sugar tasted! It¡¯s so delicious! The little child ate the candy, and her eyes widened in curiosity. Li Cuifang was amused and sad at the same time. She reached out and touched the child¡¯s head. ¡°It¡¯s delicious, right? Eat slowly, there¡¯s still more if it¡¯s not enough.¡± With her tender caress, a wisp of purple energy began to grow at the bottom of the system¡¯s storage pool. The little egg-man laid by the pool, twitching. His whole body was charred and smoking, and his eyes were dull. Receiving energy could not comfort its broken heart. It had a premonition that even a star player would not be able to carry this dumb kid. It wanted to change its host person. It must be done soon! ¡­ After Zhang Xifeng finished discussing the matter, she didn¡¯t stay in the Chen family¡¯s house for long. She politely refused Chen Jian and his wife¡¯s invitation for a meal and took Qiqi home while it was completely dark. She still had to prepare dinner when she went back. Before they left, Qiqi secretly put back the snacks that Li Cuifang had given her. Chen Jianhe and his wife sent her off at the door before closing it. Behind the door, they could still hear the conversation between the couple. ¡°You coughed again just now?¡± The man asked. The woman replied in a soft voice, ¡°my throat is just a little itchy. I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go and cook the rest of the dishes. Don¡¯t go into the kitchen. The smoke would hurt your throat.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you. Taohua should be home soon. It¡¯ll be good time for dinner.¡± ¡­ On the way back, the light in the sky had already disappeared. A faint crescent moon rose in the sky, and the village at night seemed quiet and peaceful. The houses on both sides of the path had lights on. When they passed by, they could occasionally hear vague conversations and sometimes, they could even hear a dog or two barking. When these sounds interweaved into one¡¯s ears, it made one feel at peace for no reason. ¡°Granny, is second aunt sick?¡± Thinking of the smell of Chinese medicine in the Chen family¡¯s courtyard and second aunt¡¯s uncontrollable coughing when she spoke, Qiqi raised her head and asked the old woman. Zhang Xifeng sighed. ¡°Your second aunt¡¯s health isn¡¯t very good. It¡¯s a chronic illness from when she was young.¡± ¡°Not long after your second uncle and aunt got married, your second uncle joined the Army. At that time, your second aunt was already pregnant, and there was no one by her side to take care of her.She had to go up the mountain to plant rice seedlings in the underground fields by herself, and she was busy both inside and outside.¡± ¡°She was exhausted, especially when she had a difficult labor when she gave birth to your sister Taohua. The situation was urgent at that time, so I took the initiative to send her to the town hospital. Fortunately, I arrived in time and saved the adult and child just in time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that your second aunt¡¯s birth this time hurt her body and stamina. She was rescued but the strength of her body was hurt. Not to mention that she can¡¯t get pregnant again, she still has to take medicine all year round.¡± It was also because of her help back then that Chen Jianhe¡¯s family remembered her kindness, so they always tried their best to help her later on. In the end, Zhang Xifeng couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°Actually, their family is also in a difficult position. Our Taoxi village is too poor. The land can¡¯t grow any grain. We can¡¯t make much money by working all year round. Most of the money earned at home was used to buy medicine. Don¡¯t look at your second uncle¡¯s family of three. Their days are also very tight. Your sister Taohua also delayed her marriage because of family reasons. She¡¯s already in her twenties now, but she still hasn¡¯t married.¡± It was almost night, and the light was dim. Qiqi heard the melancholy in the old woman¡¯s words and saw her unconsciously frowning. She pursed her small lips. ¡°Granny, you should squat down a little.¡± Zhang Xifeng didn¡¯t know what was going on. She stopped and looked down at the child. She saw the little child trying hard to stand on her tiptoes and raise her little hand to stuff something into her mouth. Zhang Xifeng didn¡¯t have time to look at it carefully and subconsciously opened her mouth. A sweet taste spread in his mouth. The child put her hands behind his back and twisted her little body. ¡°This is the candy from second aunt. Is it sweet, granny? ¡± This was the remaining half of the candy she had eaten. She had secretly kept it and was unwilling to finish it. She wanted to leave some for her Granny. Zhang Xifeng sipped on the sugar. The wind blew from the front, making her eyes warm. ¡°Sweet, it¡¯s very sweet.¡± She said in a hoarse voice. This sweetness could be felt from the mouth to the heart. The moon in the sky climbed higher, dragging out the faint shadows of the old and the young. The conversation between the young and the old continued. It was warm and cozy in the evening wind. ¡°Granny, second Uncle Chen is a good person, and second auntie is also a good person. In the future, second auntie¡¯s illness will be cured and sister Taohua will also marry a very good brother-in-law.¡± ¡°Oh, Qiqi knows about brother-in-law?¡± ¡°Qiqi is not stupid.¡± ¡°Who said Qiqi is stupid? Our Qiqi is so well-behaved and smart!¡± In the sea of consciousness, the little egg-man looked at the storage pool in front of him and softly said, ¡°Damn.¡± As the little child¡¯s words of blessing were spoken, the wisp of purple Qi that he had just received immediately became faint. A wisp of it split off and drifted into the Chen family¡¯s house with the wind, disappearing. As a system that regarded its host as a tool, the little egg Man didn¡¯t explain many rules to Qiqi. When the host gave her sincere blessings, the system¡¯s energy would be converted into luck value along with her blessings and given to the person who was blessed. The little egg-man felt a sharp pain in its heart. It might be bleeding. It didn¡¯t know when it would be able to collect enough energy from such a large storage pool, but that little brat actually dared to use it as she pleased? ¡°This brat must be a goddamn BUG, right?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the mainframe? Come out. I want to change the host.¡± ¡°Immediately, immediately!¡± Chapter 9 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation The morning sun was shrouded in mist. The birds were chirping. The morning in the village was awoken. A new day had begun. At the river bank at the entrance of Taoxi village, a group of women had gathered to wash clothes. The sound of mallets rose and fell. A group of ducks were swimming freely in the river, quacking. On the opposite side of the river, there were a few buffaloes that were eating fresh grass and occasionally making a sound. When Zhang Xifeng arrived with Qiqi, the large stone slabs built for washing clothes by the river bank were almost full. Qiqi¡¯s eyes were sharp. She saw that there was an empty space between the two old women. granny, here! When the laundry women heard the sound, they all turned their heads and looked over. When their eyes fell on Qiqi, they sized her up. The little child was wearing a buttoned shirt, and her short yellow hair from malnutrition was tied up in a small bun. Although she was small and thin, her appearance was so exquisite that everyone had never seen her before. ¡°Aunt Zhang, this is the child you picked up two days ago? She¡¯s really good looking and smart.¡± On the big stone slab, an old woman with the same white hair laughed as she moved away, leaving a bigger space in the middle for Zhang Xifeng. come and squeeze in. It¡¯ll be difficult to get a good spot when there are more and more people later. Zhang Xifeng chuckled and did not hold back. At this time every day in the village, the river was filled with people who came to wash clothes. It was inevitable that it would be crowded when there were too many people. Everyone would modestly give way to each other and take care of each other. They would chat idly while washing clothes, talking about some family matters. It was also considered a little leisure time for women like them. Qiqi was a little shy after being praised by the women. Her little face was red. She did the work very efficiently. She squatted next to Zhang Xifeng, took out the dirty clothes from the wooden bucket, and washed them in the water. Then, she brought them up, put on soap, and rubbed the sleeves, neckline, and other easily dirty parts. She grabbed the wooden club with her two small hands and beat the clothes, turning them over and beating them again. Zhang Xifeng didn¡¯t even have the chance to make a move. ¡°¡­..¡± The maids beside her were all dumbfounded. Although the children in the farm had to help with some work at a young age, the work was simple and light, such as picking firewood, herding cattle, and herding ducks. There was almost no one in the village who helped to wash clothes at such a young age like Qiqi. Moreover, looking at the child¡¯s posture, she was as skilled and agile as the old woman. It was clear that she had often done this kind of work. ¡°Aunt Zhang, how old is this child?¡± Zhang Xifeng pursed her lips. ¡°Four and a half years old.¡± The smile on her face had faded, and her eyes were filled with suppressed anger and pity. Only those families that were too harsh on their children would let such a young child do such heavy work. At first, she thought that Qiqi had suffered a lot on the street, but it seemed that the truth was far more than that. ¡°Qiqi, leave the clothes for granny to wash. You¡¯re still young. Just play with them for a while. These are just a few clothes. Granny will wash them in a while.¡± Zhang Xifeng reached out and took the club. The wooden clubs used by the farmers to wash their clothes were made of solid wood, thicker than the child¡¯s two arms combined, and very heavy. Even adults had to expend energy to do it, let alone children. ¡°Qiqi didn¡¯t fight for it.¡± She squatted at the side and waited for the clothes to be washed. Then, she took them to soak. The clothes were washed by the river water, and as the dirt dissipated, the clothes were clean and clear. There were a total of four or five sets of clothes for the old and the young. They were all thin summer shirts, so they could be washed very quickly. In addition, with Qiqi¡¯s help, Zhang Xifeng had finished washing the clothes. She had saved nearly half the effort and strength compared to usual. At this time, the sun had already risen. The golden sunlight evaporated the morning fog and sprinkled on the People¡¯s bodies, warm but not scorching. The child washed the soapbox and the club together and put them in the bucket. She wiped the sweat on her face with her small hands and looked up in the sun. Her eyes were curved with a smile. ¡°Granny, let¡¯s go home. I haven¡¯t fed the little pig yet.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go home and feed the little Pigs.¡± Zhang Xifeng carried the bucket in one hand and held the child¡¯s hand in the other. She said a few words to the surrounding elderly women and took the child home. One old and one young, their backs were thin and thin under the sunlight. The two of them walked a little slowly, but there was laughter from time to time. The atmosphere between the two was harmonious and warm. The sound of the club by the river weakened for a moment before rhythmically reverberating again. The topic of the women naturally circled around to that. ¡°Aunt Zhang has been a widow for decades and has no children. Now that she has picked up such a sensible child, it might be a good thing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Qiqi¡¯s nimble work, my girl Xi can¡¯t even catch up with Qiqi¡¯s ability to finish work. In the future, with her help with the work at home, Aunt Zhang will have an easier time.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be easy. Raising children costs money. Where did old Madam Zhang get the money from? Relying on her to produce two pigs a year and a vegetable garden? With her family¡¯s two acres of melon fields? In the past, she was already struggling to live on her own, but now, she¡¯s struggling.¡± ¡°I also said the same thing. That child was still young and couldn¡¯t see it now, but when she grew up, would she really be filial to the Zhang family¡¯s old Madam? If she grows up and turns around and leaves, where are you going to complain?¡± The atmosphere became a little serious, and someone changed the topic. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that someone from Xicun village came today and was ready to report the price of the melon? Hurry up and wash the clothes. We¡¯ll go to the village head¡¯s house later to see what kind of price it is this year.¡± ¡°Oh, I almost forgot about this. Hurry up and wash up!¡± ¡­ Zhang Xifeng and Qiqi returned home and hung the clothes. The temperature of the pot of pig¡¯s gizzards that they had cooked in the morning had dropped just right. That night, the little piggies did not show any signs of diarrhea, which made her completely relieved. While she was feeding the pigs, she turned her head and looked behind her. Little Qiqi really couldn¡¯t stay idle for a moment. She was already holding a bamboo broom that was taller than her and started to clean the yard. Qiqi, take a rest first. We¡¯ll go to the old village chief¡¯s house after breakfast. ¡°Granny, what are you going to do?¡± ¡°The people from the neighboring village are coming to our village today to bid and buy the things we grow. Granny has planted two acres of sweet potatoes. In the past, they¡¯ve been the ones collecting them.¡± Zhang Xifeng didn¡¯t brush her off and explained seriously, ¡°let¡¯s go and see what price sweet potatoes can sell for this year.¡± If the price could be better, Zhang Xifeng planned to take the child to the town¡¯s market and buy some things for her. Regardless of whether the child was willing to stay or not, she wanted to treat her better and love her more. Qiqi blinked her eyes. She didn¡¯t know what her Granny was thinking, but the way her Granny looked at her made her heart feel sour. It was as if Qiqi was Granny¡¯s beloved little doll. The old and young duo had a simple breakfast and went to the village head¡¯s house. When they arrived, there were already many people in the courtyard. The scene was very noisy and noisy. Qiqi heard the angry questioning from the crowd. ¡°In the past, it was fine if they lowered our price by 30%. People had to grit their teeth and endure the hardship. This year, lowering the price by half. You are literally eating our meat and killing us! You people from Xicun village, you¡¯ve gone too far!¡± Chapter 10 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation The rest of the villagers were also filled with righteous indignation. ¡°I went to ask around a few days ago. Even if the quality of the watermelons planted this year is a little bad, they will at least pay six cents per 500 grams. You¡¯re only paying us three cents?! We¡¯ve been working hard all year, and in the end, we only earn money for fertilizer!¡± ¡°And sweet potatoes, one cent per half kg! Are you collecting goods or eating up people¡¯s lives? Isn¡¯t it obvious that he wants to gnaw on our bones!¡± There were two people in the middle of the crowd. One of them was a young man wearing a flowery shirt, jeans, and a pair of aviator sunglasses. One of them was an old man in a white shirt and long pants. In the face of the angry questioning from the villagers of Taoxi village, the two of them looked calm, with obvious arrogance in their eyes. ¡°Brothers and sisters, it¡¯s not that we want to lower the price, but that¡¯s the market right now.¡± The old man in the shirt smiled faintly and said arrogantly, ¡°there are not many things in your village that can be gathered together. Besides, Taoxi village is remote and the mountain road to enter the village is very difficult to walk. Ordinary merchants are not willing to come here at all. The return and forth transportation fees alone are a loss. It¡¯s only because the two villages are neighbors that I¡¯m kind enough to bring you along. In the end, I¡¯m still being blamed, making me worse off.¡± The young man with the aviary glasses was even more impolite. ¡°The price has already been decided. If you want to sell, then sell. If you don¡¯t, then just wait to get them rotten in your hands! Why don¡¯t you think about the appearance of the fruits you¡¯ve grown? Only my uncle is kind enough to do a favor for free. Otherwise, who would be willing to accept them? You still don¡¯t know what¡¯s good for you!¡± ¡°You guys!¡± The villagers of Taoxi village trembled with anger, but they could do nothing. He was speaking the truth. Their village¡¯s land was barren. Even if the things in the land were carefully taken care of, it was difficult to grow them in a good condition. Even the yield was very low. Crops were planted, but the crops were empty shells. In other villages, the yield per mu of rice was over a thousand kg, but in their village, it would be considered a great harvest if they could harvest six or seven hundred kg. When the watermelons were harvested, most of them were small watermelons, small and unsightly. When it came to planting sweet potatoes, other people could dig up four or five sweet potatoes on a vine, while the three they planted in a nest were very few. Not to mention corn, potatoes, and fruits. The most important thing was that they had no way of finding someone to take it in. Two years ago, there were people in the village who went to the farmer¡¯s market in the county to find a buyer. However, for some reason, when they heard that it was from Taoxi village, the buyer shook his head and said that he would not accept it. He did not even want to talk about it. The things planted in the field would not be picked until the end of time. After the picking period, the fruits would rot in the field, and at that time, they would really lose everything. For a moment, the atmosphere in the courtyard was very depressing. The villagers of Taoxi village were silent, their eyes full of sorrow and hopelessness. Day after day, year after year, they had to suffer in the days of poverty. They didn¡¯t know when this would end. There was no hope at all. The two of them left after leaving the price list. The villagers in the courtyard also dispersed. When they left, everyone¡¯s back was hunched, as if something was bending their backs. When Zhang Xifeng was about to leave, she was stopped by the village head¡¯s wife. ¡°Aunt Zhang, wait a moment. I have freshly cooked corn on the stove. Take a few back and try them with the child.¡± ¡°Sister, you don¡¯t have to take anything. There¡¯s food at home.¡± Zhang Xifeng quickly refused. ¡°It¡¯s just a few corn cobs. They¡¯re not worth much. Wait a moment. I¡¯ll go pack some for you.¡± The village head¡¯s wife, Luo Yuqiong, was a few years older than Zhang Xifeng. She was almost 70 years old, with a head of white hair and an aged face. She found a small clean bamboo basket in the kitchen and deftly picked up a few freshly cooked corn cobs. She came out and stuffed them into Zhang Xifeng¡¯s hands without any explanation. ¡°Yesterday, the water buffaloes went crazy. Hua Zi came back and told us about it. I was so scared that I broke out in a cold sweat. I should have gone to see you and the child yesterday, but it was already late then, so I thought of going during the day.¡± After that, Luo Yuqiong looked at Qiqi, who was following her obediently. Her eyes softened. ¡°This must be Qiqi, right? She¡¯s a good kid.¡± ¡°Yes. She is only four and a half years old, but she already knows how to help me out. She is so well-behaved and obedient.¡± At the mention of Qiqi, the gloominess on Zhang Xifeng¡¯s face dissipated a little. She patted Qiqi¡¯s little head. ¡°Qiqi, this is Granny Luo.¡± Qiqi immediately greeted her timidly. ¡°Hello, Granny Luo.¡± Her voice was sweet. ¡°Eh, good, good child.¡± A smile appeared on Luo yuqiong¡¯s face. She looked at Qiqi very attentively and sized her up as if she could not get enough of her. As she read on, her eyes turned red. At this time, the old village chief Li Shuigen also walked over. He looked at Qiqi and patted her head. ¡°In the future, if you have time, come to Granny¡¯s house to play. Your brother Huazi is a few years older than you. Let him take you to catch birds and fish.¡± Qiqi answered timidly. The feeling of her little head being stroked made her shy and uncomfortable. Ever since she came to Taoxi village, her forehead had been touched several times. That strange feeling of intimacy made Qiqi a little uncomfortable and confused. Zhang Xifeng chatted with the old village head and his wife for a while before leaving with Qiqi. When she walked out of the Li family¡¯s courtyard, Qiqi couldn¡¯t help but turn back to look. Granny Luo was still standing there, staring at her. Grandpa village leader squatted in the shadow of the corridor, smoking a pipe. The smoke covered his face, making it hard to see clearly. However, Qiqi felt sad for some reason. ¡°Granny, Grandpa village chief is crying.¡± Zhang Xifeng sighed softly. ¡°Your Grandpa, the village chief, is worried about all the matters in the village, big and small. This year, no one can make any money. He¡¯s very worried.¡± ¡°Granny Luo seemed to have cried just now. Is she also worried that everyone can¡¯t make money? ¡± The child asked innocently, but this time, Zhang Xifeng was silent for a long time. When they were almost home, she whispered to the child about Luo Yuqiong. ¡°Your Grandpa village chief and grandma Luo had five children in the past, four sons and one daughter. Later on, there was a famine and four of them died. Only the third son survived. Among the four who died, the youngest is their youngest daughter. She¡¯s four and a half years old like you, and she was very obedient and sensible. That year, the girl was so hungry that she couldn¡¯t help but steal a handful of chaff from someone else. In the end, she was beaten to death and left in a hurry. she was so thin that she was only a handful of bones.¡± ¡°Your Granny Luo was reminded of her little baby when she saw you.¡± Zhang Xifeng¡¯s voice became choked with sobs. She turned her head to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes. Her only son had also passed away in the last famine. Her husband had also died on the battlefield, never to return. Most of the older people in the village had experienced that era. Every family had unspeakable pain. Those years, those past events. They could not be mentioned. At the mention of it, it was all blood and tears. Chapter 11 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation It was a summer afternoon, and cicadas were chirping. The sun was at its strongest outside. The people who had been working in the fields for the whole morning would rest at home for a while. When the sun was not so hot, they would continue to work. Zhang Xifeng was old and tired quickly, so she had already fallen asleep on the bamboo chair in the central room. The old woman in his 60s had her brows tightly furrowed even in her sleep. Qiqi was not sleepy. She sat on the wooden threshold at the door of the central room, her little hand supporting her cheek, and her gaze fell on the loquat tree in the corner of the courtyard. The branches and leaves were lush and green. At the end of the branch, there were strings of green and yellow loquats. It was already the end of June, so loquats should have ripened by now. However, the skin of the loquats in her Granny¡¯s house was not completely yellow. They were greenish-yellow, which looked like they were ripened in April. It was the same for the corn that Granny Luo had given her. When she first saw it, she thought Granny Luo had picked the corn early. Not only was it small, but the corn was also not whole enough. Who knew that her Granny would say that this was mature corn? It wasn¡¯t that they were picked early, but they looked like this. The land in Taoxi village was initially barren. In recent years, there had been several droughts, so the land could not grow good food. However, the farmers relied on digging for food to support their families. No matter how bad the land was, they still had to plant food. Farming hard, not having enough food, and the cycle repeated. Year after year, Taoxi village gradually became the poorest village in Zhuolu Town. ¡°It¡¯s so hard to live, Eggie.¡± ¡°I used to pick up trash, and people always bullied me because I was small. In order to earn money to buy food, I¡¯ve fought with people over paper and suffered a lot of beatings.¡± ¡°At that time, I was most worried about whether I could still pick up trash tomorrow and how much trash I could pick up.¡± ¡°Now I¡¯m not afraid of being beaten. I¡¯m only afraid of starving.¡± Qiqi turned her head and looked at the old woman sleeping in the central room, a faint smile on her small face. ¡°These two days in Taoxi village were the most peaceful days I¡¯ve ever had in my previous life and this life.¡± Here, she was not beaten or starved. She could feel that her Granny was different from her mother and grandmother. Her Granny liked her. Second Uncle Chen, second aunt Chen, Grandpa village chief, and Granny Luo were also there. ¡°Eggy, I like my Granny and the others. I want to stay in Taoxi village.¡± In the sea of consciousness, the little egg-man was in a good mood when he saw two more wisps of purple in the savings pool. When it heard the little cub¡¯s words, it responded in a rare kind tone. ¡°if you want to stay, then stay.¡± It was pretty satisfied with the speed of energy collection in the past two days. If the little cub stayed and continued to gain more sincere love, it might bring a big surprise. Therefore, the little egg-man agreed with the cub¡¯s wish to stay. ¡°I remember Eggie saying before that if I help you collect energy, I will be rewarded with good luck, right?¡± The little egg-man¡¯s lips curled up slightly, but the corner of his mouth fell. He was inexplicably vigilant. ¡°What do you want? ¡± Qiqi¡¯s eyes curved as she smiled. She rested her head on her palm and started to think. ¡°I want to share my good fortune with Granny and the others so that they can have good luck. I want my Granny to grow the most delicious sweet potatoes. I want second Uncle Chen to grow a bumper harvest of grain. I want the grandpa village chief¡¯s family to ¡­¡± Before she could finish her words, a series of roars came from her mind. ¡°Stop!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°SHUT UP!¡± ¡°Keep quiet!¡± Qiqi,¡±¡­.¡± The little egg-man shouted four times in a row. Seeing two more wisps of energy flying away in front of him, he was so angry that his head was throbbing. Prodigal! What a prodigal! ¡°Little brat, from today on! Let¡¯s make a pact of three things. In the future, you must absolutely not say things like! What you want! Or ¡®hope for whatever¡¯!¡± Qiqi was puzzled. ¡°Why? Granny and the others are good to me, so I want to help them clean up.¡± ¡°You can help me if you want to. Just tell me quietly, and I¡¯ll think of a way.¡± The little egg-man took a few deep breaths and barely suppressed the excruciating pain. For the sake of energy, it had to endure. These were all chips for it to go home, and any less would be equivalent to stabbing a knife into its heart! To retain the energy, it had to find another way. ¡°The current problem of Taoxi village is that the prices of the agricultural products they grow have been lowered by others, and they can¡¯t make money.¡± The little egg Man analyzed, ¡°in that case, you need to find a way yourself.¡± ¡°But Where can I find the way? I heard from my Granny that some people in the village had gone to the county to get some goods, but they refused to accept them when they heard they were from Taoxi village.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that they don¡¯t want to accept it, but someone¡¯s making things difficult for them behind their backs.¡± The little egg-man snorted coldly. It had seen everything that had happened in the old village chief¡¯s courtyard. The reason why the two buyers dared to show such a face was that they were fearless. Most likely, they had some connections in the county, so they had already informed the people in the circle not to purchase goods from Taoxi village in private. He knew a lot about these little tricks. In a County, the collection circle was only so big. If they wanted to get a piece of the cake, they usually reached a tacit understanding privately, and each harvested a region. If they meddled in someone else¡¯s territory, they would break the rules and be rejected by the people in the circle for revenge. The gains would not make up for the losses. Since Taoxi village had no connections, others could only control them. ¡°If you want to sell things, you can¡¯t do it in the county, but you can find a way in the city. The agricultural products wholesale market, fruit and vegetable wholesale market are all fine.¡± ¡°In the city?¡± Qiqi¡¯s eyes were wide open. Hui city?! Although she didn¡¯t know the location of Taoxi village, she was sure it was a village under Hui city. Daqu village was a village in Xiayang County of Hui city. Even if her mother had pushed her down the mountain, she couldn¡¯t bring her to another town. She was familiar with Hui city! In the two years when she was picking up garbage, she had almost walked all over Hui city. She remembered that there was a large agricultural and agricultural wholesale market in the west of the town. She had once picked up cardboard there for two days and sold it for three Yuan! ¡°But the crops from our village don¡¯t look good. Would they be willing to accept them?¡± This was Qiqi¡¯s last concern. The two people who had bid today had said that the items in the village needed to be of better quality and that no one else would accept them. The little egg-man snorted. ¡°If no one collects them and there¡¯s no money to earn, would those two be willing to work for free today? As long as the taste is passable, it can still be sold if the quality is slightly worse, but the price might be a little lower.¡± However, no matter how low it was, it was not at half price. This was the only way out of Taoxi village. Qiqi¡¯s eyes lit up, and she was so excited that she bared her millet-like teeth. She turned around and ran into the central room. ¡°Granny, Granny! The things in our village can be sold!¡± Zhang Xifeng woke up in a daze. For a moment, she didn¡¯t understand what the little child meant. It was the first time she had seen such a strong sense of joy from the child. The little egg-man crossed his legs and rested his noodle hand leisurely behind his head. He was in a good mood for some reason. Only the little cub would fully believe its words. The wholesale markets in big cities mostly had fixed supply channels and would sign contracts with the suppliers below. Individual investors needed help to sell their products at their doorsteps. However, the egg-man wasn¡¯t exactly lying to the little ones. Other people might die if they went, but it was a different story for this little one. Little brat, you have egg-man as a cheat. Even if it didn¡¯t work, it had to work. Chapter 12 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation The sunlight outside gradually slanted. Zhang Xifeng sat in the central room. Her mind was a mess, and it was filled with the words that the child had said. Finally, she gritted her teeth and made a decision. ¡°Qiqi, let¡¯s call your second Uncle Chen tonight and go to the old village chief house again!¡± At this hour, everyone was still busy in the field. When they returned at night, she would go to their door and discuss it with them. What Qiqi said about going to the city to sell things, looking for wholesale markets, and so on sounded like a dream to her. She didn¡¯t dare to believe it at first. However, the thought of selling the things planted in the field and making some money grew stronger after hearing the child¡¯s words. At the very least, she should give it a try. If it didn¡¯t work, then she would accept her fate. But what if she succeeded? That would be equivalent to helping the entire village! All these years, the people in the village had long been bent by life. The worst was just like that, so they had to fight for it! It was seven in the evening. The sky had just turned dark, and the farmers had already had dinner and were preparing to wash up and go to bed. A low-watt light bulb gave off a faint glow in the old village chief¡¯s house. Zhang Xifeng, Chen Jianhe, and the old village chief sat around a small folding stool. All of them had serious expressions. The old village chief held the cigarette in his hand and wanted to light it several times, but when he saw the little child sitting obediently beside him, he suppressed his addiction. ¡°The people of our village have been rooted in Taoxi village all their lives, and the county is the furthest place they¡¯ve ever been to. No one has been to the city, and we¡¯re unfamiliar with the people and the place. How can we find a way?¡± With so much on his mind, the old village chief couldn¡¯t light the cigarette, so he just bit the cigarette to satisfy his craving. He was 70 years old this year and had been the village chief for nearly 40 years. He had been busy with the affairs of the village as if they were his own business. Because the crops in the field were not harvested all year round, the rice they harvested, in the end, was barely enough for their family to eat. In order to add more income, the villagers worked on dry land and mountainous areas, planting watermelons, sweet potatoes, corn, fruits, and so on, hoping to sell them for some money. Now that he saw that the prices of the fruits in the village were being wantonly lowered, and everyone¡¯s faces were bitter, he was also anxious. He would naturally be happy if he could find a way out for the villagers. But the old village chief didn¡¯t dare to think about going to the city. Chen Jianhe clenched his jaw and said in a deep voice, ¡°Uncle, will it work? Let¡¯s try it once. The worst case scenario is that the item will be sold to Xicun village.¡± After a pause, he continued, ¡°you¡¯ve seen the attitude of the village chief and his nephew today. They¡¯re certain that we can only sell to them. Last year, they lowered the price by 30%, and this year, they lowered the price by 50%. If we continue to take this step back, they will lower the price next year and gnaw at our bones and blood!¡± Luo Yuqiong, silent all this time, also said, ¡°we¡¯re all farmers, but we work in the fields for a year and can¡¯t even provide food for our family. How am I worse than others? We put in more effort than others in planting crops! If anything could be sold at a good price, it wouldn¡¯t be so difficult for every family, and the young people in the village wouldn¡¯t be forced to leave their homes to work far away.¡± Qiqi suddenly understood. No wonder she had seen most of the elderly and children in the village these two days. Young people were rare. At that moment, the little boy who was snuggling up to Luo Yuqiong suddenly said, ¡± Grandpa, grandma, if the things we grow can be sold for money, will my parents come back when we have money? ¡± This was the old village head¡¯s grandson, Li Hua. The eight-year-old boy¡¯s eyes were bright, full of desire and hope that no one dared to look at directly. Luo Yuqiong was silent and did not respond. She turned her head, and her eyes secretly reddened. In order to earn money for their child¡¯s education, the husband and wife also went out to work. They only came back once every two years and stayed for two to three days. The last time Li Hua saw his parents was during the Chinese New Year two years ago. Many other families in the village were in the same situation as them. But what could they do? They were too poor. ¡°Go, take a trip to the city!¡± The old village head finally knocked his cigarette on the ground and made up his mind. ¡°As for the wholesale market, we all are capable of talking. We can always find the place if we ask people!¡± Qiqi sat at the side the whole time, obediently listening to the adults ¡®discussion. After the old village chief finished speaking, the little egg-man¡¯s voice rang in her mind. ¡°Little brat, you follow.¡± Qiqi raised her hand almost immediately. ¡°Grandpa village chief, I, I can lead the way!¡± The four adults and a little boy looked at Qiqi in unison. Qiqi was so nervous that she straightened her back. ¡°There¡¯s a big wholesale market in the West of Hui city. It¡¯s two stops away from the West City Station by bus no. 5! I, I can lead the way.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m small in size, so I don¡¯t have to spend money on tickets.¡± Towards the end, the child¡¯s voice was as soft as a mosquito¡¯s, and her two little hands were clasped together. A moment later, Chen Jianhe, who had always been dark and serious, smiled. He said in a clear voice, ¡°okay, Qiqi will lead the way for Grandpa village chief and second uncle tomorrow!¡¯ ¡°Jianhe¡±, Zhang Xifeng hesitated, ¡°Qiqi was still young. Could she run around with them?¡± ¡°Aunt, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll bring a basket tomorrow and carry Qiqi. She won¡¯t be tired.¡± With his guarantee and the little girl¡¯s eagerness to go, Zhang Xifeng sighed. In the end, she could only suppress her worry and nod. The adults discussed the matter of entering the city tomorrow. They decided not to tell the villagers about finding a way to enter the city for the time being, in case they failed and made them happy for nothing. It was almost ten o¡¯clock when they all left. The next day. Chen Jianhe came to pick her up early in the morning when the sky had just turned gray. Zhang Xifeng was worried and reluctant to let such a small child follow her into the city. She wished she could follow. However, the round-trip fare to the city was a sum of money. In addition, she was a petite old woman. Not only would she not be of any help, but she would also be a burden. ¡°Qiqi, remember to follow your second uncle closely. It¡¯s dangerous outside, especially in the city. Some bad people will abduct children.¡± Zhang Xifeng tidied up the child¡¯s clothes and tied up her hair. She walked the child to the door and kept nagging, ¡°if you lose him, you can take the bus back to the station. Granny has sewn a pocket in your shirt. There¡¯s money in it for emergency use. This is Taoxi village, Mulu town. Just go to the entrance of the town police station. Granny will be waiting for you there.¡± Chen Jianhe didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry. With him watching over her, she couldn¡¯t lose her child no matter what. However, the little child listened seriously and answered thoughtfully, ¡°don¡¯t worry, Granny. Qiqi is very good at recognizing the direction! If I really get lost, I can still walk back. I can find the way!¡± Chen Jianhe sighed. He really wouldn¡¯t lose her. ¡°Jianhe, you must keep an eye on Qiqi. Carry her wherever there are many people in the city.¡± ¡°Aunt, I promise. I will always keep Qiqi even if I leave myself in the city.¡± Qiqi looked at the black-faced uncle¡¯s helpless expression and turned her head to snicker, causing second Uncle Chen to punch her slightly as a joke. Chapter 13 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation Zhuolu Town also belonged to Yang County, and its geographical location was between Yang County and Hui city. Chen Jianhe picked up Qiqi and went to town with the old village chief on a bicycle. Because Taoxi village was far away, it would take an hour to get to the town by car. Therefore, they set off at dawn, and when they reached the town, they could catch the early bus to the city. In order to better promote the fruits and vegetables in the village, the old village chief even carried a sack with watermelon and sweet potatoes that they had grown. It was still too early to pick the watermelons, but experienced buyers could estimate the taste and size of the watermelons when they ripened. Although the fruits and vegetables from their village¡¯s land didn¡¯t look good, they tasted good. When they arrived in town, they parked bicycles. At the roadside waiting point, a small bus from the county drove over. .. It was a two-hour drive. The three of them arrived at the train station at ten o¡¯clock in the morning. Hui city was a big city in the South. In the past, the old village chief and Chen Jianhe only had a vague impression of big cities. After a two-hour drive, they got off the station and found themselves in a crowded station. Only then did they realize how big the city was. Chen Jianhe almost immediately put the child into the basket and held it in his arms. He didn¡¯t even dare to carry her on his back. He was afraid that if he didn¡¯t look after her properly, he wouldn¡¯t even know that his child had been taken away from his back. There were so many people that they would have to squeeze out. ¡°Grandpa village chief, second Uncle Chen, go out from this exit. The bus stop is on the other side.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s cross the road first and walk in the direction the bus came from. We¡¯ll reach the wholesale market west of the city after two stops.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve walked there before. It only takes half an hour. It¡¯s very close, and I don¡¯t need a ride. The ticket costs 10 cents per person. It¡¯s not worth it.¡± The station was almost the same as what Qiqi remembered. When she arrived, she transformed into a little tour guide and planned the rest of the trip clearly, not forgetting to save money in between. The little one sat in the deep basket, his two small hands holding the edge of the basket, and his little head could just barely pop out. In order to find a direction, the child kept looking left and right, his eyes moving nimbly. She looked like a clever little hamster. It was so cute that it made one¡¯s hair go soft. The old village chief carried the sack on his back and smiled with his face full of wrinkles. ¡°Alright, Grandpa village chief and your second Uncle Chen will listen to Qiqi¡¯s commands.¡± In the eyes of the farmers, half an hour¡¯s distance was just the time it took to visit. Walking was not a problem at all. After leaving the station, the road was surrounded by shops and high-rise buildings. People who had just entered the city were dazzled, and their hearts were palpitating. When they arrived at the large agricultural and agricultural products wholesale market west of the city that Qiqi had mentioned, the old village chief stood at the door. They looked at the magnificent building in front of him. He didn¡¯t dare to enter. The entrance alone was wide enough to fit three large trucks, and there was a sentry post next to it. Looking up, the signboard with red embossed characters glistened in the sun. He looked further in. Good Lord, all they could see inside were four-wheeled vehicles. The stalls were like a long dragon, and there was a hubbub of voices. The two of them standing here were like country bumpkins. ¡°Jianhe, this ¡­ Who should we look for when we go in?¡± The old village chief clutched the sack tightly, nervously hesitating. Chen Jianhe was also at a loss. Uncle, let¡¯s go in and ask! Qiqi was also scratching her head at this time. She knew how to pick up trash but didn¡¯t know how to do business. She subconsciously asked the little egg-man for help. ¡°Eggie, what do we do now? ¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go in and promote our products to the fruit and vegetable stall owners.¡± In the sea of consciousness, the little egg-man waved his finger lazily. A thick purple Qi quietly entered Qiqi¡¯s glabella. Qiqi¡¯s spirit was lifted. Grandpa village chief, second Uncle Chen, let¡¯s go and find the stall owner who sells fruits and vegetables! .. On the third floor of the wholesale market, in a spacious and cool office. A short-haired girl in a fashionable dress was making a ruckus on the other end of the phone. ¡°Yue Yue, have you arrived yet? I have been waiting like forever by now!¡± There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone before a clear and distant female voice came out. She¡¯s downstairs. ¡°I¡¯ll go pick you up!¡± ¡°No need,¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll wait for you in the office on the third floor. Bring me a glass of green bean iced water when you come up! Oh, right, there¡¯s a newly opened restaurant in the city¡¯s business district. I heard that their signature dishes are extremely delicious! Let¡¯s go there for lunch, my treat!¡± A helpless sigh seemed to come from the other end of the phone. Then, with a click, the phone was hung up. After a while, the office door opened, and a slender and tall figure walked in. It was an extremely beautiful woman. She was about twenty-four or twenty-five years old. She had a bright and flamboyant face, but she had a pair of fickle eyes that forcibly suppressed her bright beauty. She had long wavy hair and wore a simple pearl-white shirt and black trousers, bringing out her strong aura. Seeing her, the short-haired girl¡¯s apple-like face immediately broke into a smile. ¡°Yue Yue, I¡¯ve missed you so much!¡± ¡°You¡¯re thinking about my wallet,¡± Song Yueliang passed her the green bean iced water and said lightly, ¡°Jingtai restaurant. You¡¯re treating, and I¡¯ll pay? ¡± ¡°..¡± Having been exposed, Dong Wangshu dropped her pretense and hugged the woman¡¯s arm shamelessly. ¡°it¡¯s all my father¡¯s fault. If he hadn¡¯t taken my passbook and confiscated my wallet, would I be in such a miserable state? I¡¯m so miserable, Yue Yue!¡± ¡°Go find your brother.¡± ¡°My brother said that if I don¡¯t make some achievements here, he won¡¯t let me have his wallet in the future.¡± At the mention of this, Dong Wangshu¡¯s face turned green. She pulled the woman to the window and pointed down, ¡°Yue Yue, do I look like someone who can manage the market?¡± Song Yueliang didn¡¯t comment and just looked down into the market. Bustling and full of activity The scene was promising but chaotic. The Dong family¡¯s wholesale market was the largest in Hui city, mainly for rent. At the same time, the Dong family also participated in the wholesale of fruits and vegetables, making it the largest wholesaler in the whole market. Although the Dong family was not considered rich in Hui city, their family business was not bad. In other words, the Dong family didn¡¯t lack money. They had thrown the little princess Dong Wangshu here to find something to do so that she wouldn¡¯t have anything to do all day. Song Yueliang raised her watch, and the needle pointed to 11:30. ¡°I have a meeting to attend in the afternoon. I¡¯ll be leaving first.¡± After saying that, she lifted her feet and prepared to leave. Because of Dong Wangshu¡¯s phone call in the morning, she postponed the meeting to the afternoon. She still had a pile of work to deal with when she returned to the company. Dong Wangshu hugged her tightly, ¡°Don¡¯t, Yue Yue, can you help me think of a way? Otherwise, I might not be able to return to the capital in this lifetime!¡± ¡°Stop it, let go.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± As the two of them pulled, Song Yueliang suddenly stopped, and her gaze fell on the front of the bunk below. There, a middle-aged man and a white-haired old man had just walked out of the shop and joined the crowd. They were obscure and lonely. What really caught her attention was the child sitting in the basket in the middle-aged man¡¯s arms. She didn¡¯t know what kind of blow she had experienced, but the little child was so pouting that even the two little buns on her head looked listless. Chapter 14 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation ¡°They should be individual customers who came to find people to collect goods,¡± Dong Wangshu also saw the situation below, ¡°wholesalers have fixed purchase channels. It¡¯s basically hopeless for individual customers to come here to find a way.¡± She had seen a lot of such situations in the wholesale market these days. Song Yueliang retracted her gaze, ignored the strange feeling in her heart, and walked out. ¡°Yue Yue, Yue Yue ~ can you really bear to leave me alone?¡± Dong Wangshu was like a sticker, holding onto the woman¡¯s arm and not letting go. Song Yue said coldly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to eat Jingtai restaurant¡¯s food? ¡± Dong Wangshu suddenly became spirited and took two mouthfuls of green bean ice water, ¡°let¡¯s go to Jingtai tower! Yue Yue, can you give me an idea when we will eat? Can you plan the whole business of my market?¡± ¡°Build stalls and manage the areas.¡± Song Yueliang answered as she walked out. ¡°In addition, create high-quality wholesale to form a brand effect. Once these two points are made well, we¡¯ll be more competitive in the same market after word of mouth spreads.¡± The concise suggestion immediately enlightened Dong Wangshu. She pounced on the woman¡¯s back with a cry. ¡°Yue Yue, what¡¯s with your brain? You¡¯re too agile! I love you to death, Yue Yue!¡± .. Qiqi and the other two came out of the wholesale market and squatted on the curb next to the gate. He was dejected and depressed. They asked more than a dozen fruit and vegetable merchants inside, but all of them rejected them without exception. To put it tactfully, they said the fruits and vegetables they brought did not meet the delivery standards. He didn¡¯t even look at their things and directly kicked them out of the shop, telling them not to block their business. ¡°If it really doesn¡¯t work, then forget it. Let¡¯s just take it as today¡¯s experience. We¡¯ll go home after eating something.¡± The old village head¡¯s old face was full of wrinkles. He looked at the cars and people on the road, his eyes dim. Chen Jianhe was also very upset but unwilling to give up on this challenging trip. ¡°Uncle, why don¡¯t we ask a few more stores? The wholesale market is so big I don¡¯t believe that no one is willing to buy our melon fruits. At most, we¡¯ll set the price a little lower. It¡¯s better than going back to Xicun village and suffering losses!¡± The old village head shook his head and smiled bitterly. ¡°It¡¯s no use. At the end of the day, it¡¯s because the things we¡¯ve grown aren¡¯t good enough.¡± Chen Jianhe was speechless. When he was in the market, he saw the fruits and vegetables that were being sold wholesale. He did not know how they tasted, but they were far better than the ones in Taoxi village. Qiqi had already climbed out of the basket. The little child squatted beside the two adults in the same posture, and her head was extremely small. When the bystanders looked over, they saw three stone statues, two adults, and one child. The scene looked both pitiful and funny. The crouching of the three stone sculptures ended with a series of cries from the baby¡¯s stomach. Chen Jianhe bought six buns from the bun shop at the back and gave two to each of them. Having been on the move for the whole morning, the three of them had only eaten some corn in the car, and they were famished. Chen Jianhe felt guilty as he watched the little child gobble down the food. He and the old village chief had so many things on their minds that they had almost no appetite to eat. They had forgotten to take care of Qiqi. ¡°It¡¯s filled with meat. It smells so good!¡± The child held the big bun, her little mouth stuffed, and she smiled at him as she ate. Chen Jianhe rubbed the child¡¯s head. ¡°Eat slowly. There¡¯s more after you¡¯re done.¡± The child shook her head and gestured with one hand. ¡°Second uncle, one is enough for me. My stomach is so small and the bun is so big. I¡¯ll be full after eating one.¡± The old village head reached out and rubbed the child¡¯s head. He took out a Military Water Bottle from the sack, unscrewed the lid, and handed it to the child. ¡°Come, drink some water. Don¡¯t choke.¡± ¡°Thank you, Grandpa chief.¡± After the child thanked him softly, she took the kettle and drank a few big gulps. After drinking the water, she picked up her remaining meat bun and carefully broke it into two halves, handing them to the old village head and Chen Jianhe. ¡°Qiqi really can¡¯t eat anymore. When the weather is hot, the meat bun won¡¯t last long. It¡¯ll go bad after a while. Grandpa village chief and second uncle won¡¯t waste them if they eat them.¡± In order to let the two adults eat more, the little child tried to reason with them. Not far behind the three of them, a black car stopped. ¡°Yue Yue, why aren¡¯t you moving?¡± Dong Wangshu waited for a long time in the front passenger seat, but the car didn¡¯t start. She followed the woman¡¯s line of sight and looked outside, ¡°eh, it¡¯s them?¡± She didn¡¯t know where they came from, but the clothes they wore were actually patched ¡­ Is there such a poor place in Hui city?¡± Song Yueliang didn¡¯t speak. She didn¡¯t know why she stopped, but she subconsciously stepped on the brakes when she saw the little doll. The child looked to be about three years old. She wore an old-fashioned shirt with buttons, and her short yellow hair was tied into two small buns. She was very skinny. When she smiled, her eyes were like crescent moons. When she looked at him, she had a timid expression and looked very obedient. A strange feeling rose in Song Yueliang¡¯s heart. It was stuffy, swollen, and bitter. The wound on her lower abdomen, which had long formed a scab, started to hurt. ¡°Yue Yue?¡± Dong Wangshu almost immediately sensed her good friend¡¯s strange behavior. She looked at the little child outside, and her eyes flashed with understanding. The next moment, she unbuckled her seat belt and got out of the car, walking straight toward the three people on the curb. ¡°Sir, uncle, are you here to sell things at the wholesale market?¡± Qiqi was distributing water to the two elders. When she heard the sound, she subconsciously looked up and saw an adorable round-faced aunt. She had short hair and an apple-shaped face and was wearing a beautiful one-piece short skirt. Her waist was tied up by a black belt. Qiqi blinked her eyes. While the old village chief and Chen Jianhe were still in a daze, she quickly opened the sack beside her and revealed the things inside. ¡°Auntie, we¡¯re here to sell fruits and vegetables. These are watermelons and sweet potatoes that we grow in our village. Although they don¡¯t look good, they¡¯re delicious. Auntie, do you receive the goods?¡± After saying that, she pursed her lips nervously. This was due to her experience selling garbage. If someone asked, it meant that the person wanted to buy her things. We can talk! At this moment, Chen Jianhe and the old village chief also reacted. Their eyes were filled with joy, and they stood up awkwardly. Chen Jianhe said, ¡°if the little boss is interested, you can try the watermelons we brought. It wasn¡¯t the harvesting season yet, so the taste of the watermelons that had been picked wasn¡¯t sweet enough. It would taste even better if we picked them after half a month when they were 80% ripe! And sweet potatoes. Don¡¯t look down on our sweet potatoes because they¡¯re small. They¡¯re sweet and crunchy!¡± The old village head rubbed his hands and nodded repeatedly. Dong Wangshu was very straightforward in doing things. ¡°Alright, follow me. I¡¯ll find someone to see if we can accept it.¡± Chen Jianhe and the old village chief looked at each other and saw the excitement in each other¡¯s eyes. Qiqi looked at the two people who were still standing there stupidly. She stomped her little feet anxiously. ¡°Grandpa village chief, second Uncle Chen, let¡¯s go. If we don¡¯t go now, we¡¯ll lose them!¡± After saying that, Qiqi couldn¡¯t care about anything else. She picked up the small basket and chased after him, afraid that the God of Fortune in front of her would run away. This cute auntie could very well be the hope of their entire village! She had to keep a close watch! Chapter 15 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation Chen Jianhe and the old village chief again walked into the wholesale market. They were in a magnificent townhouse. Chen Jianhe and the old village chief felt dizzy and uneasy. On the other hand, Qiqi stood in front of the two of them in a more imposing manner, her back straight. Little did anyone know that Qiqi¡¯s heart was already filled with fear. She kept asking the little egg-man, ¡°Eggie, can we sell our things? Would they accept it? This shop is so big! Will they not be interested in the things in our village?¡± The little egg-man¡¯s head hurt from all the noise. ¡°As long as you¡¯re cute enough, your village can sell grass skins for money!¡± Qiqi, ¡°??? ¡± Qiqi didn¡¯t understand. She could only purse her little mouth and try not to burp. The village head Grandpa and second Uncle Chen were already panicking when they first entered the city. She had to take care of them and take care of things. While she was lost in her thoughts, the fruits they brought had been evaluated. The person in charge of the evaluation was a middle-aged man, and his tone was very respectful to Dong Wangshu, ¡°Miss Dong, this melon is just medium ripe. The fragrance and sweetness are still light, but the juice is sufficient. The taste should not be bad when it comes to the picking period. However, the quality of this melon is so poor that when it ripens, one melon will probably weigh at most two to three catties. It will not be the first choice of any business in the city.¡± From the man¡¯s expression and words, he didn¡¯t agree with receiving the goods. Qiqi could hear it, and she could see it too. She was nervous, and her little hands subconsciously clenched the corner of her clothes. Chen Jianhe and the old village chief looked at each other, and their hearts were melancholy. This time, they had made a wasted trip. At this moment, a clear and distant female voice suddenly sounded. ¡°Not necessarily.¡± Qiqi subconsciously looked in the direction of the voice, and her eyes lit up. What a beautiful lady! ¡°Yue Yue?¡± Dong Wangshu¡¯s eyes lit up when she saw the person, ¡°you have an idea?¡± Song YuelIang walked in from outside, and her gaze swept past the little child without leaving a trace. The watermelons on the market here are mostly from the large local species. Most of them weigh more than five catties. There aren¡¯t many watermelons that can be sold for two to three catties. ¡°The rarer something is, the more expensive it is. As long as the taste of the watermelons isn¡¯t too bad, these small watermelons might have an unexpected market after some packaging.¡± Dong Wangshu sensed the meaning behind it and immediately looked at Chen Jianhe and the other two, ¡°Uncle, Uncle, I see that you¡¯re travel-worn. You must have come from far away? There¡¯s still room for discussion about this business. How about we find a place to sit down and discuss it in detail?¡± Chen Jianhe and the old village chief¡¯s hearts were like riding a roller coaster, going up and down, and when they thought there was no hope, things took a turn. The two of them were so dazed that they forgot to react. Qiqi squeezed to the side of the two and tried her best to pull their hands. She was so excited that her little face was red. Talk, talk! .. The shop was full of people and was not a good place to talk. In addition to Dong Wangshu¡¯s selfishness, she invited Chen Jianhe and the other two to her office. After closing the door and sitting down, Dong Wangshu couldn¡¯t wait any longer. ¡°Yue Yue, what do you mean by packaging? ¡± Qiqi was also very curious. The little one sat on the oversized solid wood sofa chair, her eyes wide open, staring straight at the beautiful aunt. Song YuelIang was sitting opposite her, separated by a short table. At such a close distance, she could easily see the child¡¯s appearance and expression. She clenched her fingers and subconsciously restrained her overbearing aura. ¡°These small melons are a little like the Qilin melons from Hainan. The Qilin had the meaning of giving birth to children and urging wealth to be promoted. With such a gimmick, as long as the melons¡¯ taste isn¡¯t too bad, there won¡¯t be a shortage of people buying them. ¡± This kind of business matter should not be discussed in front of outsiders. Otherwise, if it was leaked and others took the opportunity, it would not be worth it. They shouldn¡¯t talk about it in front of the supplier, or else it would be easy for others to raise the price and be in a passive position. ¡°Auntie, you ¡­ Will ¡­ Will ¡­ Will accept the watermelons from our village, right?¡± A timid and soft voice sounded from the other side. The little child¡¯s eyes were big and bright, full of excitement and joy. Song YuelIang paused and looked at the child. ¡°Yes.¡± Dong Wangshu nodded like a chicken pecking at rice, ¡°yes, yes, yes! We can collect, collect, collect!¡± Previously, Dong Wangshu had decided to take everything from these three regardless of whether they were worth it or not. Not to mention anything else, just the little bit of special treatment their Yue Yue had for the little child was worth her spending that money. She could afford to lose. From the looks of it, Yue Yue was not just a little ¡°special¡± to the little child. Well, she probably wouldn¡¯t lose any money. As long as Yue Yue was willing to help, the dead could be brought back to life. The old village head and Chen Jianhe had been holding their breaths the whole time. When they finally heard a definite answer, they let out a breath of relief. The old village head repeatedly nodded, tears flowing from the corners of his eyes. He subconsciously reached for his pants, only to feel nothing. He didn¡¯t bring his cigarette. Chen Jianhe used to be a soldier, so he was still mentally strong. He could calm down quickly and get to the point. ¡°Ma¡¯am, we are very grateful that you are willing to accept the watermelons from our village. May I know your purchase price?¡± After saying that, he was worried that the two investors would misunderstand that he was anxious for profits, so he hurriedly explained, ¡°please don¡¯t misunderstand. I don¡¯t mean anything else. I know that the things we grow don¡¯t look good, so I don¡¯t dare to ask for the same price as others. I just want to find a living for us farmers.¡± This Dong Wangshu didn¡¯t have any ideas. She looked at Song YuelIang. Song YuelIang thought for a moment. ¡°The watermelons are not collected by weight. They are collected by unit. As long as you can guarantee that the watermelons will not be less than two and a half catties, I¡¯ll give you a price of fifty cents.¡± Dong Wangshu had no objections. One melon was only 50 cents. It was so cheap that it was not even enough for her to drink a glass of cold water. At this time, Miss Dong still needed to learn that the wholesale price of the watermelons in her shop was only 1.2 or 1.3 yuan per 500 grams. This was the price in the city. In the county, the price was even lower. Eight to nine cents and ten cents could be found everywhere. The old village chief and Chen Jianhe had been knocked unconscious by the flatbread and could not come back to their senses for a long time. Collect watermelons by the unit? Fifty cents each? According to the calculation of three catties of melon, that was more than 160 cents per catty! It¡¯s almost the retail price in the county! Chen Jian and the boss were so excited that they stuttered. ¡°A five, fifty cents ¡­ No, no, I can¡¯t let you lose money.¡± Song YuelIang smiled faintly, and the aura of a superior was revealed at this moment, ¡°you won¡¯t lose out. I¡¯m a reciprocal businessman, so I¡¯m giving you a reasonable price, not the market price. There¡¯s only one requirement. Both parties must sign a contract. In the future, the watermelons grown in your village can only be sold to the Dong family as fruit and vegetable wholesalers.¡± To the old village head and Chen Jianhe, this request was not a restriction but future stability. The old village chief sat there, his hands shaking and his mouth opening and closing. He raised his hand and slowly covered his eyes, tears flowing uncontrollably. Their Taoxi village had been poor for decades. The huge rock pressing down on their backs finally began to move. Perhaps, one day in the future, the people of Taoxi village would be able to live with their backs straight again! ¡°Auntie, in addition to watermelons, we also have sweet potatoes, corn, potatoes, loquats, and peaches! Do you buy these as well?¡± In the complicated atmosphere, the little child¡¯s soft voice rang out again, bringing an inexplicable sense of joy. The old village chief and Chen Jianhe had mixed feelings and were laughing and crying. Chapter 16 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation To sell more products, the child, as if she wished she could report all the things grown in the village, made Dong Wangshu bend back and forth in amusement. ¡°This little kid is better at doing business than me!¡± Song Yueliang looked at the little child, and a smile flashed across her heartless eyes. ¡°Sweet potatoes are coarse grain. It doesn¡¯t matter if they¡¯re small. You can buy them at a price given by the shop. As for the others ¡­.¡± Before she could finish, the old village chief was already flustered. ¡°Qiqi has only been in our village for a few days and doesn¡¯t know much about the situation. Our village chief only grows watermelons and sweet potatoes. As for the other fruits and vegetables, they are all grown by the villagers for personal consumption. The small quantity looks bad, so they don¡¯t dare to sell them.¡± It was already a great thing that they were willing to accept their watermelons and sweet potatoes. They didn¡¯t dare to sell other things and were too embarrassed to do so. Not to mention anything else, just the corn they grew at home. They felt t could not take it out. The old village head looked at Qiqi again. His eyes were full of pity and love. ¡°Qiqi, this child is good. She knows the village is too poor and wants to help us sell our things for some money. This time, it was this child who suggested that we should come to the city.¡± Chen Jianhe looked at Qiqi, and a smile appeared on his tan and serious face. ¡°I¡¯m glad I listened to Qiqi and came here. Otherwise, I¡¯m afraid many families in the village will not make it to next year.¡± Qiqi was suddenly praised. She pursed her little mouth and twisted her little hands together. She almost printed ¡°I¡¯m embarrassed¡± on her forehead. Song Yueliang looked at this scene and said calmly, ¡°the old man said that Qiqi just arrived in your village. Is there a story behind this?¡± The old village chief nodded and told him how Chen Jianhe and Zhang Xifeng picked up the child and how the child was now living with Zhang Xifeng. In the end, he sighed. ¡°It¡¯s our blessing that Qiqi came to our village.¡± Although Chen Jianhe didn¡¯t say anything, his face was full of agreement. That¡¯s right. He had picked up a good fortune. If it weren¡¯t for Qiqi¡¯s suggestion, they would never have considered entering the city to sell their goods. After this thought flashed through his mind, Chen Jianhe was stunned for a moment. The way he looked at Qiqi changed. He remembered that Qiqi had come to his house that night, and his wife¡¯s health seemed to have improved. Others might not know, but he had cared for his wife for more than ten years and could feel the slightest change in her. Because of the illness left behind when she was young, his wife took Chinese medicine daily. However, her body was still frail, significantly when she coughed. Every night when she went to bed, she often coughed uncontrollably. Since when did his wife¡¯s coughs become less frequent, and she could barely sleep well at night? It was after Qiqi came to his house that night! The changes that occurred after that! Could it be because Qiqi was blessed, and this kind of blessing could benefit the people around her? Chen Jianhe clenched his fists tightly and suppressed his excitement. No matter what, he would take the baby home every day to treat her well when he returned! ¡°So, Qiqi is a wandering orphan?¡± Song Yueliang continued to inquire quietly, ¡°those injuries on her body ¡­ Was she beaten up outside?¡± Dong Wangshu immediately looked at the little child as soon as she mentioned it. She hadn¡¯t noticed it before, but now that she had a closer look, she realized that there were crisscrossing scars on the little child¡¯s thin arm, exposed under half of her sleeve! Although it had almost faded, it was still visible to the naked eye! ¡°I, she ¡­ Which bastard did this! Qiqi, tell me who bullied you. I¡¯m going to avenge you!¡± Dong Wangshu almost cursed in her anger. She couldn¡¯t bear to see other people mistreat children. Especially after Yue Yue¡¯s incident, her mentality had reached its peak. Qiqi, ¡°¡­¡± She sat there at a loss. Weren¡¯t they talking about business? Why did they suddenly talk about her? The contract hadn¡¯t been signed yet. Why hadn¡¯t they talked about the goods? They had yet to say when they would pay the money ¡­ ¡°Auntie ¡­¡± Qiqi pursed her lips and gathered her courage to look at Song Yueliang. ¡°Let¡¯s go ahead and sign the contract first, okay?¡± Eggie said that only by signing the contract would it be guaranteed that nothing would go wrong. Even though she didn¡¯t know what a contract was. Song Yueliang looked at the little girl and said, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s sign the contract.¡± She found that she couldn¡¯t refuse any request from this little child for no reason. That strange emotion rose in her heart again. This time, it was mixed with anger. It was just that she was used to not showing her emotions on her face. Song Yueliang controlled her negative emotions very well and didn¡¯t reveal them. She knew she had a demon in her heart and could become a lunatic anytime. .. The signing of the contract went smoothly. It was written that Taoxi village would temporarily supply watermelons to Dong¡¯s wholesaler for three years! Three years! As long as there were no accidents in the cooperation, they could continue to sign the contract after three years! Also, for the sweet potatoes in the village, they would be paid three cents per 500 grams according to the price in the shop! Moreover, the receiving price of these two agricultural products could be raised with real-time prices in the future! Qiqi was involved in the entire signing process. Although she knew nothing, she knew how to read people¡¯s expressions. When Grandpa village chief and second Uncle Chen held the ¡°contract ¡°, they laughed so happy that they cried! ¡°Grandpa village chief, second Uncle Chen, are we making money now?¡± Her almond-shaped eyes were wide open. Qiqi was nervous and happy. The two old men couldn¡¯t help but nod. ¡°Yes, we can make money, we can make money!¡± ¡°Also, can you earn mGranny¡¯sselling my Granny¡¯s Grannypotatoes? My Granny has two acres of sweet potatoes!¡± ¡°Yes, Granny can also earn money!¡± Qiqi was relieved. She thought of the yard loquat tree and felt it was a pity. ¡°It¡¯s a pity that aunty doesn¡¯t accept loquats. Th loquat tree that granny planted has many fruits.¡± Chen Jianhe coughed. ¡°Qiqi, Granny¡¯s loquats haven¡¯t turned yellow yet.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll turn yellow when it¡¯s ripe,¡± Qiqi replied. ¡°But there are only about thirty catties at most. They won¡¯t accept it if there¡¯s too little.¡± Qiqi thought about it, and it seemed to make sense. However, it didn¡¯tGrannyr. If her Granny wanted to sell loquats, she could bring her to town and set up a stall to sell them! The watermelons sold in bulk were generally only suitable for picking when they were 80% ripe. It was estimated that there was still half a month before the harvesting season. Both parties discussed the method of receiving the goods then. Chen Jianhe and the old village chief left the wholesale market with Qiqi. It was just after noon, so they could still get home before dark. With the contract in their arms, the three felt as if they were holding onto hope as they floated on the road home. Song Yueliang and Dong Wangshu were still in the office on the third floor. The room was tranquil. Dong Wangshu leaned against the window and watched the two adults and one child disappear before turning back. ¡°Qiqi, this child, is lovable. No wonder you pay attention to her.¡± Song Yueliang was still sitting in her original position. Her head was slightly lowered, and her entire face was in the shadows. She didn¡¯t say anything. Originally, Dong Wangshu wanted to say that Qiqi¡¯s facial features were similar to Song Yueliang¡¯s. When she turned around and saw her like this, she swallowed back the teasing words she was about to say. She knew that in front of Yue Yue, there were some things that she could not mention. Pretending to be relaxed, she walked over to the woman and sat opposite her. ¡°Yue Yue, you¡¯re the one who decided to collect the watermelons. You have to help me sell them. Quick, tell me, what are you going to do?¡± Chapter 17 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation The woman¡¯s cold voice echoed in the office. ¡°Name this batch of watermelons as small Qilin melons to create a brand effect.¡± (Qilin is a propitious beast in ancient Chinese mythology) ¡°Go and order a batch of gift boxes and print the advertisement of ¡®recruiting children to give blessings, promoting wealth, and gaining advancement. Go on the high-end route. In addition, on the back of the box, it is stated that the small Kirin melon is a type of mountain melon produced locally and is rare because of its difficulty in cultivating.¡± ¡°When the goods arrive, we will sell them in limited quantities. We will declare that these small Qilin melons are the only source of supply and are unique on the market.¡± ¡°Finally, the price will be 5 Yuan each.¡± Dong Wangshu was dumbfounded and prostrated herself. What a profiteer. .. Zhang Xifeng sat at home all day, feeling uneasy. From noon to sunset, she ran back and forth to the village entrance to look out several times. ¡°Aunt Zhang, it¡¯s already evening. Why isn¡¯t she going back to make dinner?¡± The people who had finished work in the village walked home one after another. When they saw Zhang Xifeng at the village entrance, they would talk to her and ask her a few questions. Zhang Xifeng forced a smile and answered absent-mindedly, ¡°no rush, no rush. I¡¯ll go back in a while. ¡°Are you waiting for Qiqi? I heard from the village that they saw Jianhe take her out?¡± Hey, I¡¯m taking my child to town for a walk. We should be home soon. The sky was getting dark, and the village entrance was completely quiet. Zhang Xifeng slowly walked to the big stone by the side of the road and sat down. Her back was hunched, and she quietly looked at the road that extended out of the village entrance in a daze. As the sun setting, large patches of gorgeous clouds appeared on the horizon. It was very beautiful, but also very lonely. The purplish-red light shone on the old woman¡¯s thin figure. In the night wind, the croaking of frogs made him look lonely and lonely. Ding-ding-ding- Ding Ling Ling- The ringing of a bicycle bell came from the end of the road. The old woman, who was sitting in a daze, suddenly stood up. Then, a smile appeared on her old face, and the loneliness that lingered around him disappeared in an instant. She heard a call that came with the wind. It was sweet and soft. ¡°Granny, Granny! I¡¯m back!¡± The middle-aged man rode his bicycle and appeared at the end of the road, quickly approaching. The little child in the back seat tilted her body and raised her little hand, waving it in her direction. ¡°Qiqi, Qiqi, Granny is here¡± Zhang Xifeng¡¯s heart was palpitating with fear as she watched. She jolted her little feet and quickly walked forward to meet him. Sit properly. Don¡¯t tilt your body. Be careful not to fall! Chen Jianhe and the old village chief stopped their bicycles in front of her. ¡°Auntie, why are you here? You were terrified that I¡¯ll lose Qiqi?¡± Chen Jianhe was in a good mood and cracked an occasional joke. Qiqi had jumped out of the back seat nimbly at the back. The high distance made Zhang Xifeng¡¯s heart beat fast again. ¡°Granny, no need to be worried. I didn¡¯t lose her!¡± The child landed on the ground and immediately ran to Zhang Xifeng¡¯s feet. She raised her little face and smiled brightly. Holding the child¡¯s hand, Zhang Xifeng¡¯s heart, hanging in the air for the whole day, finally settled down. She smiled and pretended to be scared. ¡°What¡¯s there to be worried about? I was just bored at home and came out for a walk. I was waiting for you to come back.¡± The old village head also got out of the car and said in a clear voice, ¡°just in time. Don¡¯t go back to your place first. Come directly to my house and have dinner at my place tonight! I cut a pound of pork back from town!¡± Only then did Zhang Xifeng remember the important matter. She turned around and saw the big smiles on the faces of the two adults and the child. She paused and probed with a trembling voice, ¡°big brother, Jianhe, the matter is ¡­ It¡¯s done?¡± The old village head laughed heartily, ¡°super successful! Come, let¡¯s go to my house first!¡± At seven o ¡®clock in the evening, night fell. Under the night sky, the lights in Taoxi village were bright. After the smoke and fire in the daytime had dispersed, the village seemed particularly quiet. ¡°All households of Taoxi village, please pay attention! All households, please pay attention!¡± The village¡¯s broadcast, which had been silent for many years, suddenly rang out with the old village chief¡¯s loud and clear voice. There is an important announcement to make. ¡°All villagers, please gather at the grain-sunning field immediately!¡± The voice from the broadcast kept repeating. There was a commotion in the quiet village. Those who had just gotten home, those who had not put down their bowls and chopsticks, and those who were ready to go to bed all did not dare to delay. They put down what they were doing and rushed to the grain-sunning field. When they met the villagers on the way, they couldn¡¯t help but discuss and Exchange information with each other. Everyone was confused about the old village chief¡¯s sudden call for people to gather at this time. But needless to say, something big must have happened. It had been a few years since the last time the village had used a loudspeaker to summon a group. The grain-sunning ground of Taoxi village was in the center of the village, occupying a large open space. The ground was paved with cement. In addition to drying the rice in autumn, this place was also used to solve all the major and minor issues in the village. At this time, many people were already sitting on the grain-sunning ground. The old village head set up a wooden table in the middle of the field. Because there were no wires and lights, he turned on a flashlight to illuminate the place. In front of the wooden table, those who came early occupied the front row, and those who came later sat in the back in order, finally forming a circle around the wooden table. Qiqi was sitting on the small folding stool in the front row. On both sides were Zhang Xifeng and Luo Yuqiong. Chen Jianhe and his wife were also there. As for the announcement that was going to be made, the three of them had already known in advance. At this time, they had more or less digested their surging emotions and looked relatively calm. The other villagers were different. They were confused and worried. They came to the three families and asked them a few questions. The three families replied that they would wait for the chief to explain. For a time, the entire venue was in a clamor. Someone couldn¡¯t wait any longer and shouted, ¡°old village chief, what¡¯s the matter? Almost everyone¡¯s here, so why don¡¯t you tell us now?¡± The old village chief stood behind the wooden table with a smile. He estimated that most people had arrived, so he clapped his hands to signal everyone to be quiet. Then, he waved to the front row. ¡°Jianhe, Qiqi, you two come up.¡± The villagers looked at each other, confused by this scene. Could it be that what the old village chief was going to say next was related to Jianhe and Qiqi? Could it be that the Jianhe family wanted to adopt Qiqi? Then what about Aunt Zhang? Many of the old women present had seen what had happened to Zhang Xifeng¡¯s family in the past two days. They had confirmed that Zhang Xifeng wanted to adopt Qiqi. Was Jianhe trying to take advantage of her? ¡°Jianhe, you can¡¯t trick your Auntie. She¡¯s a widow, and it¡¯s not easy for her to have a lovely little child to accompany her ¡­¡± An old woman couldn¡¯t help but ask. Chen Jianhe laughed and carried the shy Qiqi to the wooden table, helplessly replying, ¡°auntie, am I that kind of person? Don¡¯t make wild guesses, everyone. The old village chief has called everyone here today to announce something good!¡± The old village head took over the conversation and said solemnly, ¡°I called everyone over to talk about the sales of fruits and vegetables in our village!¡± One sentence and the entire place went utterly silent. The old village head looked at the big guy and said slowly, ¡°the land in our village is not good, and the things we grow don¡¯t look good either. Because of this, everyone has been working hard every year, but they can¡¯t make any money yearly. They¡¯re getting poorer and poorer every year! ¡°Other people came to our village to buy, and the price they offered was getting lower and lower. They almost ate our bones and blood, but there was no way out, so we could only grit our teeth and endure it.¡± Chapter 18 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation The silver moon was like a hook, and the galaxy was vast. The gentle moonlight shone down on the grain-sunning ground, making it bright and hazy. The old village chief was still talking, and his words echoed in the ears of the people of Taoxi village. ¡°Yesterday, Xicun village¡¯s bidder came. There were many people present at the time, and you can also calculate in your head that it¡¯s no longer a transaction but exploitation! I know it¡¯s hard for everyone, and I¡¯m also sad, but we have no choice!¡± ¡°I originally thought that I could only continue to endure. But last night, Qiqi, this kid, came to my house and told me we should find our way out. If no one in the county wants us, we should go to the city and find someone to take us in!¡± ¡°Jianhe and I thought about it for a long time. Ultimately, we gritted our teeth and decided to take the risk. This morning, before the sun rose, Jianhe and I brought Qiqi to the city. We went to the largest agricultural products wholesale market in Hui city!¡± At this point, the old village head deliberately paused to keep the villagers in suspense. Someone couldn¡¯t help but shout, ¡°old village chief, continue! What happened after that?¡± ¡°Why are you tormenting me at this time? Old village chief, are you trying to make us anxious and angry?¡± ¡°Jianhe just said that it¡¯s a good thing! Did you find someone else to take my things? Aiya, old village chief, hurry up and tell me!¡± The old village head was satisfied. He picked up the cup on the side and slowly took a sip before speaking again. ¡°That¡¯s right. I found someone to collect the goods!¡± ¡°They signed a delivery contract with us for our village¡¯s watermelons and sweet potatoes. They¡¯ll reserve three years¡¯ worth of stock for us!¡± ¡°In other words, we can earn money in at least three years!¡± The crowd was in an uproar. Some of the men and women stood up in excitement. ¡°Old village chief, what¡¯s the price? ¡± The old village chief laughed, and the wrinkles on his face turned into smiling lines. He said each word in a loud and powerful voice, ¡°watermelons, not by weight, but by one. Fifty cents a watermelon! Sweet potatoes are sold at the market price in the city, three cents per 500 grams!¡± The crowd was deathly silent. Then, like water falling into a pot of oil, it exploded. Fifty cents for a watermelon! They had been working in the fields for so many years, so who didn¡¯t know what kind of melons they had grown? They were all small melons, and each one was at most three catties in size! Fifty cents for a watermelon would be 16 cents per catty! In comparison, the price offered by Xicun village was only a fraction! As for the sweet potato, the price was directly doubled! The old woman sitting on the small folding stool trembled as she asked her husband, ¡°dear, how many watermelons have we planted this year? Where are the sweet potatoes?¡± His wife¡¯s voice was also trembling. ¡°There are five mu of watermelons and three acres of sweet potatoes ¡­.¡± The old couple looked at each other, raised their ten fingers, and counted with trembling fingers. In the end, before they could count, tears fell first. They had worked so hard for half of their lives, but this was the first time they had earned money with their own hands! The same scene played out in every household. The old village chief sat behind the wooden table, blinking his eyes hard. Tears came out, but his smile never faded. Chen Jianhe also had mixed feelings at this time. He lowered his head and looked at the little doll in his arms under the moonlight. The child was very well-behaved and quiet in his arms. Even when she smiled happily, her small lips would only form a timid and silent arc. She was afraid that if she laughed out loud, she would be disliked by others. ¡°Qiqi, you¡¯ve helped our Taoxi village this time. You¡¯re so great!¡± Chen Jianhe said in a hoarse voice, ¡°second uncle, I thank you on behalf of the villagers.¡± The little girl looked up at him. Under the moonlight, her bright eyes were filled with surprise. Then, her beautiful eyes curved into crescent moons. The child shook her head and whispered to him, ¡°second uncle, you¡¯re wrong. It was you and Grandpa village chief, who entered the city and found people so that the villagers could sell things. Also, the things sold by the villagers were painstakingly grown by them, so they should thank themselves.¡± ¡°..¡± Chen Jianhe was silent for a moment. He couldn¡¯t help but tease the child. ¡°What about you? ¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything, and I even got a meat bun to eat for free ¡­¡± The child was a little embarrassed when he mentioned this. The idea was Eggie¡¯s. Second Uncle Chen and Grandpa village chief were the ones who found the buyer. The things that the villagers sold were things that they grew themselves. Thinking about it, Qiqi felt she had taken advantage of second Uncle Chen and Grandpa village chief for nothing. She felt a little guilty. ¡°Eggie, thank you.¡± In her heart, she expressed her gratitude to eggie. The little egg-man turned over lazily in the sea of consciousness. This stupid kid. Chen Jianhe stared at the little child for a long time. Finally, he tightened his arms and hugged the child tightly. The commotion on the grain-sunning field could not be calmed down for a long time. In the end, it was the old village chief who spoke up and made everyone temporarily stop. ¡°Jianhe, we entered the city together this time. You say a few words and tell everyone about the contract.¡± The old village head took Qiqi and gave up his seat to Chen Jianhe. Then, he carried Qiqi and walked in the circle. He raised Qiqi up high. His posture was like an old knight taking a little princess on tour, which made Zhang Xifeng and Luo Yuqiong secretly laugh. At the same time, it was also a message to the villagers that the old village chief would protect Qiqi. Chen Jianhe received the order and did not refuse. Since it was a meeting, he would explain everything clearly. He looked around the wooden table, and the villagers¡¯ eyes fell on him, looking forward to what he would say next. Chen Jianhe calmed his mind and said, ¡°the watermelons in the field can only be picked when they are 80% ripe. I estimate that there are still about ten days.¡± ¡°The big freeloaders in the city said that they will send people to send cars directly to our village to collect the goods.¡± ¡°In the next few days, everyone has to take care of the things in the field. Otherwise, you will earn 50 cents less for every rotten watermelon.¡± ¡°Also, the old village chief and I signed a contract for the village. The contract states that the things planted in our village can only be sold to their family. If someone has other intentions and wants to sell it to another person, we will no longer care about your family¡¯s things.¡± ¡°Those willing to sell goods with our report to the old village chief in the next two days. I¡¯ve already given you the price. As for how high they¡¯ll sell it after receiving our goods, that¡¯s their ability. We can¡¯t have opinions, let alone speak after the fact!¡± Chen Jianhe¡¯s following words were very serious. There was a saying that it was better to say the ugly words first so that no one would find an excuse to cause trouble in the future. At that time, there would be endless disputes. The villagers immediately responded. ¡°Jianhe, old village chief, don¡¯t worry. The people in our village will not do something like burning bridges after crossing the river!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! How were we suppressed in the past? Now that we finally have a new way out, whoever dares to screw up, I, old Li, will be the first not to spare him!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll also say a good path is already under our feet. As long as we behave and keep our feet on the ground, our days will definitely be better! If, in the end, someone wants to swallow an elephant like a snake, then don¡¯t blame me for being impolite!¡± The commotion on the grain-sunning ground only subsided when all the villagers had left in the middle of the night. That night, Taoxi village villagers, who were used to working and sleeping early, did not sleep at all. Early the following day, before the sky brightened, someone was already on steroids. He carried a hoe and a scrape and went to the field to work. After being suppressed by a heavy life for too long, once there was hope, one would be full of energy! The villagers¡¯ gazes changed when they looked at the watermelons and sweet potatoes that looked like they were malnourished. This was their gold mine! It was fifty cents! Chapter 19 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation That night, the one who slept the most soundly in the entire Taoxi village was probably Qiqi. In the middle of the night, she didn¡¯t know what kind of beautiful dream the child had, but she actually giggled. In the sea of consciousness, the little egg man sat in front of the savings pool with his arms crossed, looking serious. The pool in front of it had undergone a huge change. The dense purple Qi covered the entire bottom of the pool in the middle of the night. There was still more purple Qi floating in from all directions. This was the sincere gratitude of the villagers of Taoxi village to Qiqi. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that there would be such a big surprise.¡± The little egg-man raised his eyebrows and looked at the little child sleeping without a care in the world. After a while, he hummed and laughed. ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll help you again.¡± With that, the little egg-man waved its hand, and purple clouds as thick as hair flew out of the bottom of the pool, falling into the fields of Taoxi village. No one knew that from this night on, the barren land of Taoxi village began to change quietly. In the end, the little egg-man¡¯s face darkened when he saw a small space at the bottom of the pool. He was a little angry and felt that he had suffered a loss. In any case, Taoxi village had profited from exchanging sincerity for good fortune. He was initially here to collect luck points, but in the end, his savings pool had become a transfer station! This was the first time he, as a prince, had done such a losing business. No, he had been doing business at a loss since he was bound to the stupid cub. Gritting his teeth, the little egg-man¡¯s figure flashed and flew out of the sea of consciousness. He floated to the sweet sleeping little cub¡¯s head, grabbed the two little braids with his noodle hands, and pulled them hard. When he saw the child frowning and pouting in pain, he flew back to the sea of consciousness. Well, his dissatisfaction had dissipated. .. Zhang Xifeng had planted two acres of sweet potatoes on the right side of the village entrance, facing the river. These two mu of land were exchanged with her by the villagers. Because they pitied her for being unable to continue farming, they especially gave her a good position near the river. It was convenient for her to get water to water the ground. ¡°Granny, are we going to clean the sweet potato field today? ¡± Qiqi woke up in a refreshed mood and followed Zhang Xifeng like a little tail, helping her everywhere. ¡°Right, let¡¯s go and tidy up our sweet potato field.¡± Zhang Xifeng chuckled. She brought the farm equipment and put a straw hat on the child¡¯s back. Then, she held the child¡¯s hand and walked out of the village. In the past, our family could make about a hundred Yuan a season. This year, we found a good way, and the price of sweet potatoes has increased. We can make a lot more. We have to take care of the sweet potatoes more carefully. As she looked toward her home, Zhang Xifeng¡¯s eyes were full of light. There was hope. She was a widow. She could have lived her life like this if she could. There was no hope. She was just waiting for death. But now that she had Qiqi, it was different. While these old bones could still move, she had to save more money and raise her little doll well! ¡°Qiqi, can you stay at Granny¡¯s house from now on?¡± The morning sun rose from the East. The morning sun was bright and warm. Zhang Xifeng lowered her head and smiled in anticipation. Qiqi raised her head. After a moment, she smiled brightly and nodded heavily. ¡°Okay!¡± Zhang Xifeng felt that she was alive and full of energy. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Granny will bring you to our land!¡± Along the way, the fields by the road were already full of early-rising villagers. When they saw Zhang Xifeng and Qiqi coming over, everyone greeted them from afar. ¡°Aunt Zhang, Qiqi, you¡¯re out too?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you let Qiqi sleep a little more? The little doll needs to sleep enough to grow up fast!¡± ¡°Qiqi, here, have these two roasted potatoes. Your granduncle made them this morning. They¡¯re very fragrant.¡± ¡°Aunt Zhang, I¡¯ll help you tidy up the field after I¡¯m done with my work here. Why don¡¯t you take Qiqi home to rest? I¡¯ll help you take care of your two mu of sweet potatoes!¡± Under the morning sun, everyone¡¯s smiles were simple and warm. Zhang Xifeng and Qiqi responded one by one. Unconsciously, their hunched backs straightened. The villagers were thanking her Qiqi, and she had also benefited from it. ¡°I have nothing to do at home, so I brought Qiqi to look at our land and let her play there for a while. She can¡¯t be cooped up at home all the time. Zhang Xifeng raised her voice.¡± Someone immediately understood the meaning behind it. Acknowledging their land, didn¡¯t that mean that Qiqi and aunt Zhang would be a family in the future? ¡°Aunt Zhang is good! In the future, with Qiqi by your side, you will have a companion. Qiqi is a good girl. When she grows up, she will be filial to you!¡± Everyone was happy for Zhang Xifeng. Hearing these congratulatory words, Zhang Xifeng squatted in her place and grinned from ear to ear. Qiqi also smiled. While everyone was chatting, she was already squatting on the ridge and began to carefully weed and lift the vines for the sweet potatoes. Her technique was very skilled. The people living near the Zhang family¡¯s territory were surprised to see Qiqi working skillfully. Not only did a child at this age know how to weed, but she also knew how to vine sweet potatoes. Zhang Xifeng naturally saw it too. She stopped Qiqi. ¡°Granny is here. You don¡¯t have to do this work. Go play on the ground for a while. We¡¯ll go home when the sun gets brighter.¡± Qiqi turned around and continued to work. She smiled and said softly, ¡°if Qiqi helps us do more, granny will do less. Granny, you don¡¯t have to wait for me to grow up. I can be filial to you now.¡± Zhang Xifeng was stunned and squatted there for a long time without moving. She looked at the child¡¯s little figure in the ridge of the ground. As she looked at him, water vapor blurred her eyes. Old Mrs. Li was close to the Zhang family¡¯s land and brought her little grandson to the fields. As she busied herself, her little grandson was causing trouble at the side, plucking the sweet potato vines into a mess. Old lady Li was annoyed. She pointed at Qiqi, who was two ridges away. ¡°Look at Qiqi. She¡¯s two years younger than you and only knows how to help. You are instead always causing trouble!¡± The youngest grandson of the Li family glanced at Qiqi and snorted. ¡°I don¡¯t want to compare myself with her. She¡¯s just a little girl.¡± Old Mrs. Li was so angry that she ground her teeth. She raised her hand and hit her grandson¡¯s butt. ¡°Li Doggie! You still dare to mock Qiqi? Let me tell you, your school fees for the second half of the year were all earned with Qiqi¡¯s help. If you dare to bully her, I¡¯ll beat you up!¡± His butt didn¡¯t hurt, but little Li Doggie felt extremely humiliated. Not only had he been spanked in front of the child, but his grandmother had even called him by his nickname! His face flushed red, and he shouted at the pretty child looking at him from two ridges away, ¡°my name is not Li Doggie. I have a big name. My name is Li Tiejun! The pretty child was stunned for a moment. Her big black eyes curved up, and her voice was sweet and coy. ¡°Brother Tiejun.¡± Li Doggie was speechless, ¡°¡­.¡±, and he blushed. Half an hour later, Qiqi had a little follower by her side. ¡°This is a grasshopper that my grandfather made for me. You can play with it! I won¡¯t give it to anyone else!¡± ¡°My grandma said she¡¯s in a good mood today, so she¡¯s making me some steamed buns. Do you want to come over to my house to eat? ¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to herd cows with Huazi and the others in the afternoon. We¡¯re just across the river. I¡¯ll take you to play!¡± ¡°Call me brother from now on. If anyone bullies you, I¡¯ll beat them up for you!¡± The people working around them laughed behind their backs when they saw this scene. Even Zhang Xifeng almost laughed until she was out of breath during the morning¡¯s work. Chapter 20 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation There were still ten days before the delivery. In these ten days, the people of Taoxi village were in full swing. With hope and hope, they wished they could take root 24 hours a day and make the watermelons and sweet potatoes grow a little longer in this short time. Since there was still enough time, they hurriedly put in fertilizers two more times. The villagers took care of the work of Zhang Xifeng¡¯s family¡¯s two acres of melon fields. In the end, she had almost nothing to do. The Zhang family¡¯s courtyard was more lively than ever. Every day, people came to visit, chat with her, and bring some small things to Qiqi. Most of them were old clothes from the children and some old fabrics. Zhang Xifeng took advantage of her free time to take them all and sew them. She added several sets of small clothes for Qiqi. The little girl was a fast sneaky person, and it didn¡¯t take long for her to change out of a set of clothes. In the countryside, to save money, plus the fact that each family was not rich, the little child¡¯s clothes were mostly old, changed, or repaired. Everyone had been through this, so there was nothing to complain about. Moreover, this was everyone¡¯s gratitude and sincerity to Qiqi. Zhang Xifeng understood this, but she also decided to buy two new sets for her Qiqi when she had more money. As long as she could afford to give what others had, she would not let her child suffer a loss. She couldn¡¯t let Qiqi only be envious of others. .. On the other side of the river at the village entrance, a few old water buffaloes lazily snored after eating and drinking their fill. There were always various games to play when a group of children who herded cows gathered together in the village. Qiqi had also become one of them. However, she wasn¡¯t here to herd cows. She was here to cut pigweed while she was having fun. ¡°Qiqi, I asked you to go out to play. Why do you have to cut the pigweed every time you come? ¡± Li Tiejun followed behind Qiqi and complained with a frown. Qiqi put the cut pigweed into the small basket, wiped her sweat, and smiled at Li Tiejun. After I¡¯ve cut the small basket full, I¡¯ll play with you guys. It¡¯ll be quick. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll wait for you. Since you¡¯re not here, Huaziand the others won¡¯t be happy to play first.¡± Huazi was eight years old and was the grandson of the old village chief. He was the king of the children. He walked over and helped Qiqi put the pigweed in the basket neatly. ¡°My grandparents said that Qiqi is young. We have to take care of her more.¡± The other children also came over. Anyway, we¡¯re already tired of those games. ¡°Why don¡¯t we listen to Qiqi¡¯s stories? It¡¯s so interesting.¡± ¡°Qiqi, can you tell us more about the city? Was it fun there? Is it really, really big?¡± I heard that there are very long green trains in the city. They sound like wuwuwu. Qiqi, have you seen them before? ¡± The little children chimed in one after another, surrounding Qiqi and chattering. Qiqi didn¡¯t feel annoyed and kept a smile on her face. Back in Daqu village, the children in the village had never allowed her to play with them. They always liked to throw stones at her, calling her a Cheeky Monkey. Together with Tian Xiaohu, they called her a wild brat. So, now that she had friends, Qiqi was very happy. She patiently answered her friends¡¯ questions. ¡°The city is very, very big, much bigger than the town. There were very, very tall buildings there, and there were many four-wheeled cars on the streets ¡­ Well, the people in the city are also dressed very beautifully, and all work in the factory.¡± ¡°Wow, it¡¯s so nice to be in the city. I want to go to the city in the future!¡± Li Tiejun clenched his fist and set a small goal. The other children all agreed. Qiqi tilted her head and thought but didn¡¯t say anything. She didn¡¯t like the city. She preferred Taoxi village. Because there were people here who truly treated her well. As the sun set in the West, calls came from the village entrance one after another. The adults raised their voices and called their children home to eat, their tones long and long. Qiqi perked up her ears, and soon, she heard her Granny¡¯s familiar voice calling, ¡°Qiqi, it¡¯s time to go home. It¡¯s time for dinner.¡± Qiqi immediately cupped her little hands to her mouth and responded loudly, ¡°Hey! Granny, I¡¯ll be back!¡± The children each led their cows, carried their small baskets on their backs, and laughed as they walked home. The sky was still filled with smoke and smoke. The desolation and coldness of the following evening were all washed away by the children¡¯s laughter. Innocent and bright smiles spread out in the wind, full of vitality. When she got home, Qiqi poured the pigweed into the small basket out in the yard. She would wash it at night and dry it. Tomorrow morning, she would cut everything and cook it into piggies to feed the pigs. Zhang Xifeng was helpless because her child had to bring back pigweed whenever she went out to play but she just wanted the kid to enjoy her time. ¡°Granny, I can cut the pig grass, and the sweet potato vines in our field can also be cut to feed the pigs. There¡¯s no need to run far to find it. She scolded but was reluctant to say such harsh words to the child. At this time, Qiqi always pursed her lips and smiled faintly. ¡°Granny, I cut it on the way. I didn¡¯t go to find it. There¡¯s pigweed next to where brother Huazi and brother Tiejun are watching the cows.¡± ¡°You, you just can¡¯t be idle.¡± She chided the child jokingly, fetched some water to wash her hands, and served the dishes on the table. The old and the young chatted as they ate dinner. This scene had already become a daily occurrence in the Zhang family¡¯s courtyard. As they laughed, the courtyard was filled with warmth. .. It was night. In the commercial center of Hui city. On the top floor of the Taifeng Real Estate office building. Song Yueliang was dressed in a white shirt and black suit pants. She was sitting on a large boss ¡®chair. On the business desk, a mountain of work had been completed. The lights in the room were as bright as day, making the woman¡¯s cold and strong aura even more intense. The surroundings were quiet, and the pen falling on the paper could be heard clearly. After leaving her last signature on the open document, Song Yueliang stopped. She couldn¡¯t help but think of that little doll when she stopped. Her face was small, her facial features were exquisite, and she was very thin. Song Yueliang closed her eyes and pinched the space between her eyebrows. She looked exhausted. She did have special feelings for children three or four years old. Usually, when she saw children of this age on the road, she would always pay more attention to them. But that was all. Only the little girl called Qiqi was so unique that she seemed to be able to affect her emotions. Even though it had been more than ten days since they had met by chance, her mind would still be disturbed whenever she had some free time. While she was in a state of confusion, the phone on the table rang. Song Yueliang picked up the phone, and Dong Wangshu¡¯s energetic voice immediately came from the other end,¡± Yue Yue, I¡¯ve brought the box back. Do you want to come over tomorrow to take a look? When the batch of fruits and vegetables from Taoxi village arrives, I¡¯m going to amaze the world with a single feat!¡± ¡°When will the fruits and vegetables from Taoxi village arrive?¡± ¡°The day after tomorrow!¡± Dong Wangshu said, ¡°the big truck will pick up the goods in the morning. The first batch of goods will arrive by noon at most. Song Yueliang lowered her eyes, and her cold white fingertips rubbed the big black phone for a moment. Then, she said, ¡°I will free up a day the day after tomorrow. You can come with me to Taoxi village and see the situation on the spot.¡± Dong Wangshu was bewildered,¡± ¡­?.?¡± She was just a small boss. She could just sit in the office and do the planning. Why did she have to go to the mountains for a field trip? Dong Wangshu did not dare to ask. Dong Wangshu nodded with tears in her eyes. Chapter 21 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation On the 10th of July, it was sunny. The sky was slightly bright, and she had yet to wake up from her dream. The village head¡¯s sonorous and impassioned voice came out of the village¡¯s loudspeaker again, ¡°villagers of Taoxi village, tomorrow is the day when we come to the city to collect the goods. We must pick all the things in the field and prepare before the people come! Hurry up and get up! On the ground! Get busy!¡± The whole village seemed to have been activated in an instant. Soon, the sound of washing, footsteps, and shouting from every household came together enthusiastically and enthusiastically. Qiqi and Zhang Xifeng also actively responded to the call. The old and the young got up, ate something, took the farm equipment and gunny sacks, and set off. Along the way, she could see the villagers chasing after her and overtaking her in groups. Everyone had a bright smile when they ran to their destination. This scene made people laugh unconsciously. Qiqi pursed her lips, and her eyes curved slightly. ¡°Granny, we¡¯ll be able to earn money tomorrow.¡± Zhang Xifeng laughed. ¡°That¡¯s right. We¡¯ll be able to earn money tomorrow. There¡¯s hope and ambition. We¡¯ll be a dozen years younger.¡± Take her, for example. She might be tiptoeing, but she was carrying a hoe in one hand and a baby in the other. Now, she walked with the wind. .. The sun had not yet risen, but the area around the village entrance was already in a lively state. In order to complete the work as soon as possible, men, women, old and young, from all families worked together. Even the little children who could work were all put to use. Everyone chatted loudly as they worked. It was bustling with activity. Influenced by the atmosphere, Qiqi felt full of energy. When they reached their sweet potato field, Qiqi picked up a sickle and started to cut the sweet potato vines. ¡°Granny, let¡¯s finish cutting the bamboo vines first. Then, you plow the ground and loosen the soil. I¡¯ll pick up the sweet potatoes from behind.¡± She spoke and arranged the work. Zhang Xifeng agreed with a smile. Even if she didn¡¯t, the child had her ideas and would always fight with her for work. Next to Zhang Xifeng¡¯s house was the village¡¯s old Li¡¯s sweet potato field. The old couple busied themselves together, bringing their grandson Li Doggie along. Seeing that Qiqi had come, Li Doggie shouted, ¡°Qiqi, I¡¯ll help you later!¡± Li Doggie¡¯s grandma glared at him. ¡°You¡¯re the only one who can¡¯t eat anything and can¡¯t do anything. You still have the cheek to say that you¡¯re helping Qiqi? Ren Qiqi¡¯s hard work is more than the two of you!¡± The people around him burst into laughter. While they were laughing, someone suddenly ran over from the ridge. His footsteps were hurried, and his expression was strange. Quick, cut the bamboo vines and dig out all the sweet potatoes in your house! The meaning behind these words made everyone¡¯s laughter stop, and their hearts skipped a beat. ¡°What happened?¡± Someone asked anxiously. ¡°Don¡¯t ask anymore. Hurry up and dig!¡± The people on the ridge didn¡¯t leave either. They kept urging him, and their expressions became more and more strange. The people in the field were panicking. Old Li took the two-toothed hoe and dug into the ground. The soil loosened, and the sweet potatoes buried under it were exposed. Old Li¡¯s face changed, and his wife was so scared that her face turned pale. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t tell me that the sweet potatoes have gone bad?¡± Old Li shook his head, staring straight at the sweet potatoes in the pit. After a long while, he stammered, ¡°six, six ¡­¡± ¡°What six?¡± ¡°A nest of six! There¡¯s a nest of six sweet potatoes here!¡± Old Li suddenly roared and followed the hoe without stopping. He dug half a Ridge in one breath. Five, seven, six, nine! Grandma Li squatted on the ridge, her eyes dull. Seeing this, the people around them hurriedly picked up their hoes and plowed their fields. When they saw the stacks of sweet potatoes, ¡°¡­.¡± The person who first spoke on the ridge sat down and laughed wildly, ¡°hahaha! I dug two ridges in my field, and the sweet potatoes were all in five, six, or seven nests. I thought there was an evil spirit in my land ¡­¡± Before he could finish his words, the mud balls in the field fell on him like rain. ¡°Zhang Gousheng! You¡¯re doing this on purpose, right? So you¡¯re here to scare us!¡± ¡°Smash this damned kid to death! You don¡¯t know how to speak, and you¡¯re trying to mess around us!¡± ¡°Calm down! He¡¯s just scared himself and came to us overreacted! ¡± Zhang Gousheng covered his head and fled like a rat. Even so, he couldn¡¯t escape and was chased and kicked by people. As the sweet potatoes were dug out, each had a high yield without exception, and it was rare to see less than four. Moreover, the sweet potatoes this year looked very different from the previous years. Although these sweet potatoes were still not very big, about half the size of an adult¡¯s palm, their shapes were well-proportioned, and they looked very pleasing to the eye. Someone estimated the sweet potato field they had dug up on the spot. This time, the sweet potato yield per mu was close to 7000 Jin! It was more than twice as much as the previous years! The villagers of Taoxi village in the sweet potato field went crazy. He was overjoyed. According to the rate of three cents per catty, they could earn two hundred Yuan per mu of land! In previous years, this was something that no one dared to even think about! Moreover, due to land and labor problems in their village, every household planted very little in the paddy field. The ones that were produced the most were sweet potatoes and watermelons! Every household had more than two mu of sweet potatoes! .. Zhang Xifeng and Qiqi also had half a ridge of sweet potatoes, and there were at least five in a nest. Zhang Xifeng squatted there, holding a nest of sweet potatoes in her hand. She looked at them carefully and sized them up. She didn¡¯t say anything, but the corners of her eyes were slightly red. ¡°Granny, are you unhappy?¡± The little child beside her asked worriedly in a soft voice. Zhang Xifeng blinked away the tears in her eyes and smiled. ¡°No, Granny is very happy. Our sweet potatoes have also been harvested, and we can earn much money.¡± Zhang Xifeng lowered her head and touched her forehead affectionately with the little child next to her as she spoke. Her eyes were kind and loving. ¡°Ever since Qiqi came, Granny¡¯s life has been hopeful, and even her luck seems to have improved. Who knows, Qiqi is Granny¡¯s little lucky star.¡± She was praised again. She was even called a lucky little star. Qiqi was so happy that she showed her little teeth. ¡°Eggie, Granny said I¡¯m a lucky little star!¡± In the sea of consciousness, the little egg-man snorted and spoke sacrastically. ¡°It¡¯s rare to see so many strange things!¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s true? Look at the sweet potato harvest. Ganny is so happy that her nose and eyes are red.¡± ¡°¡­¡±The little egg-man looked at the savings pool with a serious expression. She made up her mind that she would never let the stupid brat know that she had the ability to make whatever she spoke about and wished for happen. Outside, the child was still giggling. ¡°When I first sold garbage for money, I was happier than the villagers.¡± ¡°How much did you earn the first time?¡± ¡°27 cents!¡± ¡°¡­¡±The little egg-man turned over and closed his eyes. He shouldn¡¯t have talked to the stupid baby. However, he was in a good mood. The space at the bottom of the storage pool had already been filled up, and the energy was still slowly increasing. When the villagers¡¯ products were sold and they earned their money, another ¡®huge sum¡¯ for himself should be coming in. The little egg-man squinted his eyes and looked forward to it. Chapter 22 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation The good news in the sweet potato field spread quickly. The entire Taoxi village was filled with joy and excitement. The villagers had thought that this was already a surprise beyond the heavens, but they did not expect that there would be a second wave of surprises waiting for them. Most of the watermelons in Taoxi village were planted in the mountains, concentrated in the hills behind the village. Picking watermelons was a meticulous job. It had to be done gently, and in the middle, it required strength to move the watermelons. Therefore, the adults working in the watermelon field were all adults, and the children were not brought along. It was worrisome that the children would be careless and accidentally crack the melon. That melon could be sold for fifty cents, and no one would waste it. After working the whole morning, the old men were tired and rested on the ground for a while. They didn¡¯t go home and continued to work after resting. As for lunch, it was served by the women at home. This way, they could save some effort and do more work. ¡°I think the watermelons are growing pretty well this year. They¡¯re basically two to three catties each, and the lines are beautiful. I haven¡¯t seen a single crooked butt after half a day of work.¡± The old village chief sat with his old brothers, smoking tobacco, and the wrinkles on his old face smoothed out. ¡°I¡¯ve been picking watermelons the whole morning, and I felt that something was off! In the past, one acre of land would produce at least a few dozen crooked buttocks melons, but I didn¡¯t see a single one this morning!¡± The old man clapped his hands and suddenly realized. Someone even said, ¡°did you guys notice that the melons this time have even and clear patterns? The color is also different from the previous years. The melons are all green and look like jade!¡± ¡°What Jade? That¡¯s called emerald, green emerald!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Jade the same thing as emerald? Hey, why are you taking this so seriously? What I want to say is that this year¡¯s watermelons look good! Beautiful!¡± The old village chief was overjoyed. ¡°What¡¯s there to fight about? It was a good thing, anyway. The sweet potatoes have a big harvest, so our watermelons can¡¯t be rotten either!¡± The old man beside him said, ¡°look at what you¡¯re saying. They¡¯re all things that you grew yourself. Why are you even talking about a fight between sweet potatoes and watermelons to determine the winner? ¡± The entire Hill burst out in laughter, and the crowd went far away. In the watermelon field in the middle of the hillside, a young girl with pigtails smiled and said, ¡°the watermelons look good, but I don¡¯t know how they taste. Dad, why don¡¯t we try one? I¡¯ve been working for half a day and am thirsty.¡± This was Chen Jianhe and his daughter, Taohua. Chen Jianhe, who was picking watermelons from the basket, scoffed when he heard that. ¡°You¡¯re just greedy.¡± After a pause, he said, ¡°open two for the old village chief and your uncles to try.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Taohua responded. She took a small knife from the waist of her pants, scooped up a watermelon, and directly opened it. With a light cut of the knife, the watermelon split open easily. With a crisp crack, a sweet fragrance floated out of the crack. When the watermelon was cut open, the melon sac was revealed. The color was a beautiful red, and the juice was full and flowing. And the melon skin was only a thin layer! He had grown watermelons for many years, so he could tell that these were good watermelons with one look! Chen Jianhe ran over almost immediately, his eyes staring at the watermelon. It wasn¡¯t just him. The old farmers at the edge of the land were also attracted, and they let out waves of uproars. ¡°Are these the watermelons we grew? Why is it different from the previous years?¡± They had never had watermelons with such thin skins in their fields! There was also the melon sack¡¯s color and the melon¡¯s fragrance that filled the air! It was different, completely different from the past! ¡°Quick, have a taste!¡± The old village chief urged. After everyone returned to their senses, they picked up the melon petals and impatiently put them into their mouths. ¡°¡­¡± A moment later, the families in the watermelon field began to open the watermelons. A moment later, Taoxi village welcomed the second round of explosive cheers. ¡°Absolutely! This taste is amazing! After eating it, the heat all over my body will be gone!¡± ¡°It¡¯s especially sweet! I can¡¯t stop after one bite!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t describe it! There was a phrase that went like this. Right, aftertaste! The aftertaste was endless! And you still can¡¯t forget it!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just say one thing. These are worth the price of 50 cents per unit!!¡± ¡°Hahahaha!¡± That day, Taoxi village was filled with laughter. In the memories of the people of Taoxi village, this was unprecedented. In the past, Taoxi village had never seen such a scene. Even the oldest man in the village had the impression that Taoxi village was full of depression, silence, and bitterness. It was like an old tree that was rotten inside. It was grey everywhere. No matter how much it struggled in time, it could only watch its leaves fall one by one and slowly wither to death. However, on this day, the eyes of the Taoxi villagers were so bright along the way. That was hope. The hope grew from the hearts of the people of Taoxi village. The rotten old tree in Taoxi village had finally sprouted new green branches. .. Xicun village. It was adjacent to Taoxi village, about 3.5km apart, but the situations in the villages were completely different. This place was surrounded by water, and vast rice fields surrounded Xicun. In addition, the village chief had a way, so the villagers planted other agricultural products to sell, and they could earn a lot of money every year. They didn¡¯t live a life of great wealth, but they were self-sufficient. Compared to Taoxi village, which was so poor that even rats had to move, Xichun village had a sense of superiority. In the village¡¯s most magnificent brick house, village chief Wang Jianzhong sat on a deck chair. He was in a good mood and hummed a tune as he served a plate of fried peanuts and wine. Wang Jianzhong had earned a lot of money in the past few years. In addition, he accumulated a lot of prestige by leading the villagers to become rich. His life was very comfortable. When he thought of the money that would be sent to him from Taoxi village, his mood became even better. The sound of the motorcycle braking and turning off came from the courtyard. Wang Jianzhong did not even raise his eyebrows. ¡°Are the goods from Taoxi village ready? ¡± ¡°Uncle, the people of Taoxi village are causing trouble! A bunch of f *cking poor people dare to rebel!¡± The young man in the flowery shirt walked into the central room with an ugly expression. Wang Jianzhong frowned and put down his chopsticks. ¡°What¡¯s going on? What trouble?¡± ¡°They have the goods ready, but they are not selling them to us. They have another buyer!¡± ¡°Other than us, who would accept their goods? Someone is breaking the rules?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve asked. It¡¯s not someone from our circle! I wonder who they¡¯re looking for!¡± Wang Jianzhong¡¯s face darkened. Because of the poor land in Taoxi village, the plants in Taoxi village would mature ten days to half a month later than those in the surrounding areas. Therefore, he was not in a hurry after the initial bid and waited until now. They were just waiting for Taoxi village to come to them. In the end, they were thrown under the bus. ¡°Uncle, what do we do now?¡± The young man in the flowery shirt said in a deep voice, ¡°we¡¯re just going to watch it fly away with a large sum of money? ¡± That¡¯s right. It was a large sum of money. The goods in Taoxi village did not look good, but when they were sent out of the county, they were only a bit lower than others. And since their purchase price was low, the difference in price they could earn from selling it was much more than what they could make from other stores! It was almost equivalent to picking it up for free. ¡°Let¡¯s go to Taoxi village. I¡¯d like to see where those ugly people can sell their goods! Wang Jianzhong¡¯s tone was gloomy.¡± Taoxi village was almost like a free-range duck he had grabbed by the neck and plucked at will. No way that it can escape! Chapter 23 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation The sun had set. The red light scattered on the ground, giving the people on the ground a layer of warm light. At this time, the heat of the day had subsided, and the evening wind blew over, bringing a cool breeze. The villagers, who had been busy for the whole day, were not in a hurry to go home. They sat together and chatted to calm their excitement. Qiqi liked this kind of leisure very much. In the evening when the sky was red, the adults sat casually and gathered together to talk about family affairs and trivial matters. It was very interesting, like listening to stories. My family¡¯s little brat went down the river to fish naked, but after playing for a while, he didn¡¯t touch the fish and lost his clothes and pants. My family¡¯s Er Ya had 19 points in Chinese and 18 points in mathematics for her final exams. She had been eating rice for a few years, but she only had a head without a brain. The most mischievous one is your Doggie. He secretly hid a bunch of firecrackers that were set off during the new year and especially blew up cow dung in crowded places. At that time, the dung splashed all over my face, and I was completely confused. The old village chief¡¯s grandson, Huazi, was also a sly person. He always played the game of the police catching thieves. He had never been a thief, saying that he could not embarrass his grandfather. Hahahaha ¡­ Amidst the laughter, Qiqi also laughed softly and sweetly. Time seemed to have slowed down, but it made people feel particularly comfortable. On the road leading into the village, the roar of a motorcycle suddenly came from outside. It was very arrogant. Qiqi looked up and immediately recognized the person driving the motorcycle. The floral shirt was particularly eye-catching. ¡°It¡¯s Wang Jianzhong and his awful nephew!¡± Someone cursed in a low voice. The laughter stopped. The people on the ground looked at each other, and their faces fell. Zhang Xifeng asked, ¡°what are they doing here? No one from our village has invited them this time.¡± ¡°In the past, we¡¯ve always been harvesting at this time. I guess they¡¯re here to find out.¡± Doggie¡¯s grandma said. Old Li shook his head. ¡°Our two villages aren¡¯t far from each other. They should have heard the news that we were going to sell the goods, plus no one went to invite them. They knew that the deal with us was broken, so they came to us.¡± ¡°They came to our door? In the past, they¡¯ve squeezed us to death, and we haven¡¯t even argued with them, yet they still have the face to come to our door?¡± ¡°Hmph, they¡¯re just anxious because they can¡¯t get our money!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the village!¡± .. In the past years, the old village chief had always been the one to deal with all the matters in the village. Naturally, Wang Jianzhong and his nephew had to go to the old village chief to find him. Everyone was worried that the uncle and nephew duo would be at a disadvantage, so they all rushed over. Sure enough, as soon as he arrived outside the old village chief¡¯s house, he heard the young man¡¯s vicious curses from inside. ¡°Old prick, I¡¯ve pitied you all these years and accepted your stuff so that you can at least earn a living! Now, you¡¯re breaking our deals without saying a word? Don¡¯t think I¡¯m so easy!¡± Wang Jianzhong, on the other hand, was playing nice. ¡°Old brother Li, my nephew did everything he could to help you get the goods. It was not easy for others to agree to leave a shortage, but you suddenly kicked him back with the whole village. Isn¡¯t that making my nephew look bad? How was he going to make up for the shortage? We¡¯ve been working together for so many years. Shouldn¡¯t we be kind and righteous?¡± These twisted words made the villagers of Taoxi River furious. They rushed into the courtyard and scolded the uncle and nephew loudly. ¡°You two are not fit to talk about benevolence and righteousness? If it were decades ago, you two would be traitors who should be shooting targets!¡± ¡°Just because you¡¯ve earned some money, you¡¯re here to show off your power? Do you think we¡¯re afraid of you?¡± ¡°You still dare to bully our old village chief! Chase them out!¡± The indignant villagers immediately surrounded Wang Jianzhong and his nephew. Qiqi were small and were squeezed out of the crowd. Before she could squeeze in again, two hands from the side reached out and pulled her away. Qiqi was shocked and quickly turned back to look. She saw Li Doggie and Huazi gesturing for her to keep quiet and to go with them. When she followed the two to a certain place and looked at the things in front of her, Qiqi was stunned. ¡°??? ¡± It was the motorcycle that the floral shirt had ridden over. ¡°Brother Huazi, brother Tiejun, what are we doing here?¡± Qiqi didn¡¯t understand. Li Doggie and Huazi looked at each other and laughed. ¡°Qiqi, watch carefully. I¡¯ll bring you to play something fun.¡± Li Doggie flashed the iron nail in his hand and thrust it at the motorcycle tire. The tire deflated with a soft sound. Huazi did not puncture the tire. Instead, he twisted the air valve of the tire and threw the air valve cover out of the courtyard. Qiqi, ¡°¡­¡± Li Doggie handed the nail to Qiqi and pointed at the rear wheel of the motorcycle. ¡°Qiqi, I¡¯ll leave one for you. Go and do it quickly. It¡¯s so fun!¡± Qiqi, ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Hurry up, we have to run away after we¡¯re done. Otherwise, I¡¯ll be beaten up if I¡¯m found out!¡± Li Doggie probably thought of his painful past and covered his butt with both hands. Qiqi didn¡¯t understand why he was beaten up. The little egg-man explained kindly, ¡°he has probably done too many bad things, so whenever something happens, he¡¯s the first person people think of.¡± ¡°..¡± She looked at Li Doggie and Huazi and said in a low voice, ¡°this is not good.¡± Huazi said, ¡°the guy in the floral shirt was about to punch my grandfather!¡± Li Doggie said, ¡°listen, those two bastards are still clamoring to teach our village a lesson!¡± Seven iron nails pierced through the rear wheel of the motorcycle. Her Granny was also from Taoxi village. After the three little ones finished their job, they didn¡¯t run away. They just mixed in with the crowd as if nothing had happened. Soon, Wang Jianzhong and his nephew were outnumbered and left under the angry curses of the Taoxi villagers. By the time he realized that something was wrong, the motorcycle had already left Taoxi village. The one in a floral shirt cursed as he pushed his motorcycle back. Now, motorcycles were also very expensive. In the countryside, whoever drove one would get 100% attention. It was cool, but repairing cars was also expensive! It cost dozens of Yuan to change a tire, and he broke two of them! Fuck his grandmother! Wang Jianzhong walked to the side, his face so dark that it could drip water. All these years, everything had been smooth sailing. When had he ever suffered such a loss? ¡°They will deliver the goods tomorrow. Go and find a few people when you get back.¡± The one in the floral shirt was stunned for a moment, then he sneered. ¡°Leave it to me. How dare those bastards trick me? I¡¯ll make sure they hand over their d*ck tomorrow!¡± Late at night, everything was quiet. A few figures were hiding in the night, sneaking into the mountain behind Taoxi village, approaching the baskets of watermelons. Each of them was holding a wooden stick in their hands, and their eyes flickered in the dark, looking fierce and evil. Just as they raised their wooden sticks and were about to smash the watermelons, the lights around them suddenly turned on. Flashlights were focused on them from all directions, and a crowd was rushing over. ¡°There are melon thieves! Grab your weapons and break their legs!¡± Angry shouts reverberated in the mountain on this quiet night. His posture and aura scared the few people who wanted to smash the watermelons so much that their faces turned pale, and they panicked. Not to mention that they might break their legs if they were caught, and if they were sent to the police station, they would be sentenced! The entire country was tightening up and cracking down on people who violated laws! Chapter 24 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation The mountains were difficult to walk on, and it was midnight. The melon thieves ran away in embarrassment. Not only that, but the people of Taoxi village also let the dogs chase after them. Not only did they let the dogs out, but this group of immoral people even shot slingshots and threw firecrackers in the villagers¡¯ direction! The melon thief thought: are we a great enmity for digging up your ancestor¡¯s graves? That night, Taoxi village was very raucous. When everything calmed down, it was already dawn. The villagers found six or seven wooden sticks that were used to hold up the door in the countryside, and they also picked up two different shoes. ¡°Piece of sh*t, as expected, you found someone to harm us!¡± One of the villagers cursed and then said to Chen Jianhe, ¡°Jianhe, if you didn¡¯t warn us, all the watermelons on this land would have been lost.¡± This time, Chen Jianhe led the villagers to stop them. Chen Jianhe laughed when he heard the villager¡¯s words. He did not claim any credit. ¡°This time, everyone should not thank me. It¡¯s Qiqi. She said that she heard Wang Jianzhong¡¯s nephew¡¯s harsh words before he left. He said that they wouldn¡¯t be able to deliver the goods today. I thought about it then, and regardless of whether it¡¯s true, it¡¯s always better to take precautions in advance. In the end, a ¡®thief¡¯ came knocking on our door.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pity they ran away!¡± ¡°Our first priority is to protect the watermelons in the field. Besides, they can¡¯t run away. After we sell the goods, we¡¯ll report the case!¡± Chen Jianhe pointed at the two heels and a pile of wooden sticks. ¡°We have witnesses and physical evidence. We¡¯re not the ones who should be anxious.¡± The villagers laughed and were finally in a good mood. ¡°Qiqi is smart. She was the one who suggested going into the city to find the big wholesaler. This time, it was her who reminded us, and we managed to keep the watermelon ¡­ Hiss, now that you say it, why do I feel that Qiqi is very prosperous in our Taoxi village?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve missed one more thing. The changes in our village also happened after Qiqi came!¡± Chen Jianhe saw that everyone¡¯s words were becoming more and more mysterious, so he quickly interrupted, ¡°what are you all talking about? You¡¯re not allowed to become a spirit after the country¡¯s founding, understand? It would not be good for the child if these words were to spread! Qiqi¡¯s background is pitiful. It wasn¡¯t easy for her to have a stable life in our village. If everyone is grateful to her, then treat her better in the future!¡± The villagers also realized that they shouldn¡¯t say those things just now. They nodded in agreement. ¡°Since Qiqi is in our village, she¡¯s our child from now on! Don¡¯t worry. No one can bully her!¡± After that, everyone tacitly changed the topic. It was almost dawn, and the convoy of wholesalers in the city was coming to collect their goods. In addition, they had just driven away a group of thieves, so everyone was excited and worried. They did not go back to rest but sat on the ground and waited for the trucks to come! .. The village was quiet at night, so the sound was particularly clear when there was a movement in the back mountain. Qiqi woke up when she heard the barking and the firecrackers. To be able to cause such a huge commotion, there must be a thief. She was a little worried. The things picked from the ground were the hard work and hope of the villagers for a year. If they were to be harmed ¡­ ¡°Eggie, are the bad guys here? Can the second uncle and the others drive away the bad guys?¡± She asked. Yesterday afternoon, Eggie had asked her to look for Chen Jianhe to give him a warning, but she needed more confidence. He was afraid that bad people would come, but he was also scared that the watermelons in the field could not be kept. The young voice of the little egg-man came through. At this time, he gave Qiqi an inexplicable sense of peace. ¡°They can only protect things if they are prepared in advance. They can only blame themselves for being too useless.¡± ¡°Eggie ¡­¡± Her soft voice was filled with grievance. ¡°Did you save them?¡± ¡°Tsk! They are safe!¡± The little egg-man¡¯s face darkened in the sea of consciousness, and he crossed his arms. He didn¡¯t bully her, so what was there to feel wrong about? No, what was there to feel wronged about? ¡°Stupid brat, don¡¯t talk to me so much in the future!¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be covered in the smell of dirt!¡± The little egg-man closed his eyes and took a deep breath at the thought of how the Crown Prince of the capital city would say ¡°what¡± when he talked to people in the future. All the hair on his body stood up. The distant movements had also waked up Zhang Xifeng. She couldn¡¯t fall asleep again, so she opened her eyes and waited for dawn. The lights were off in the room, and only a dusky light came in through the window. Under the dim light, she looked at the little child beside her. He was small and well-behaved even when he was sleeping. He almost didn¡¯t move much. Just looking at it could make one¡¯s heart soften. Zhang Xifeng smiled and reached out to tuck the child into the thin blanket, then touched the child¡¯s little face affectionately. When she got the money from selling the sweet potatoes at home, she would take her child to the town market to buy new clothes, new shoes, and a beautiful flower for him. Then, he would cut half a catty of ribs and cook delicious ribs for the child. Qiqi didn¡¯t move. She closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep. When she felt the warmth on her face, the corners of her mouth curved up quietly. .. Early in the morning, a beautiful morning glow appeared on the horizon before the sun rose. At this time, both sides of the road at the village entrance were already packed with people. People were either sitting or standing, chatting and laughing. They frequently looked at the end of the road in anticipation. As the morning glow faded and the sun was halfway up the mountain, a buzzing sound came from the end of the road. Then, a blue truck appeared in front of everyone. It wasn¡¯t just one truck but a fleet. They drove slowly on the yellow dirt road, rolling dust with them. It made the villagers excited, and they burst out in cheers. ¡°They¡¯re here. They are here! The truck is here!¡± ¡°A medium-sized truck and a container at the back!¡± ¡°So many! How much can we load this time? We¡¯ll be able to move all our goods today!¡± The truck stopped in front of them. The first truck opened its passenger door, and two middle-aged men in their forties jumped out. Qiqi immediately recognized one of them. He was the one who reviewed their fruits and vegetables in the city. The man even smiled at her when he saw her. ¡°Hello, everyone. The Dong family of Hui city delegates me. My surname is also Dong. You can call me Mr. Dong.¡± The man laughed and shouted, ¡°Today, our wholesale distribution company has transferred a fleet of trucks over to collect your goods!¡± The moment he spoke, the villagers quieted down. When he finished speaking, the cheers at the village entrance were even louder and more excited than before. Only then could their hearts finally be considered to have landed on the ground! The old village chief represented the entire village and was responsible for dealing with the men. The honest old farmer who had been the village chief for decades was so excited that he rubbed his hands together, and his wrinkled face was full of smiles. ¡°Mr. Dong, we¡¯ve already picked the sweet potatoes and watermelons from the field and packed them into baskets. What do you want to do next? You can even check the goods. The crops we¡¯ve grown this year are all top-notch!¡± ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll pick some random goods to check. We¡¯ll take them all if they¡¯re not damaged!¡± Mr. Dong¡¯s words were tactful, and his attitude was humble, which easily won the favor of the villagers of Taoxi. He worked in the Dong family¡¯s wholesale market for many years. He was usually responsible for inspection and evaluation in the wholesale market. He was very important and had a flexible mind. The young boss had explicitly asked him to come down to collect the goods this time. In his words, he attached great importance to the goods from Taoxi village. He would never dare to mess it up. Chapter 25 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation In order to facilitate the loading of the truck, the villagers had already pulled their goods over and piled them on both sides of the road. When they heard that Mr. Dong wanted to inspect the goods, the villagers moved aside without saying anything and randomly checked the goods. They had always been on edge in the past years at the inspection checkpoint. But this year, everyone stood up straight and did not feel guilty. They had already tasted the crops that they had grown. If the quality of the crops didn¡¯t meet the standard, they would seal their hoes and never farm again! Go beg for food! Mr. Dong was a little surprised. More than ten days ago, he had tasted the sweet potatoes and watermelons in Taoxi village. Based on his experience, he could roughly guess the taste of these two products after they were mature. Aren¡¯t the people of Taoxi village a little too confident? Or was he so calm because he was sure the distribution center would accept their goods? He shook his head and felt it was not worth it for his young boss. ¡°Uncle, this is the sweet potato that I grew at home. I¡¯ve already washed it. Would you like to try it? ¡± While she was still in a daze, a sweet and soft voice sounded by her feet. Mr. Dong lowered his head and saw two little girls tied up. They raised their heads and handed him sweet potatoes with their small hands. ¡°I know you. You¡¯re Qiqi.¡± He took the sweet potato from the child¡¯s hand and smiled. ¡°Alright, uncle will try your sweet potato first.¡± The sweet potato in his hand was slender and well-proportioned, breaking into two with a gentle twist of his hands. The flesh of the sweet potato was light orange, and the fragrance was very light. Mr. Dong smiled. It was just as he had predicted. Then, he took a bite of the sweet potato. With a crisp sound, Mr. Dong¡¯s smile froze. It was much sweeter than he had expected, but it wasn¡¯t the greasy sweetness that contained high sugar. It was the pure sweetness of a melon, and it was fragrant when he chewed! After finishing the whole sweet potato, he checked a few more sacks on the side of the road, and all of them tasted far better than he had expected! How could that be possible? Ten days ago, they were still ordinary ¡­ Qiqi tilted her head. While he was still in a daze, she pointed at the beautiful watermelons in the basket by the roadside. ¡°Uncle, the watermelons in our village are delicious too. Every one of them is delicious.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Mr. Dong looked at the watermelons, then at the little girl smiling with curved eyes. Suddenly, he was not so confident in his years of experience in predicting. He coughed lightly. Under the warm smiles of the villagers, he pointed to one of the baskets. ¡°Pick one from here and let me try it.¡± Soon, the watermelon he had chosen was cut open in front of him. It was different from the sweet potato¡¯s light fragrance. As soon as the watermelon broke, the aroma immediately filled the air. When he took a deep breath, the air he inhaled seemed sweet. The melon sac was also a beautiful red, with rich juice and very thin skin. When the melon meat was in his mouth, Mr. Dong waved his hand without saying anything else. ¡°weigh the sweet potatoes! And count the watermelons! Record them one family by one family and load them into the truck! I¡¯ll take them all!¡± He had been doing fruit and vegetable evaluations for many years, but this was the first time he had encountered a defeat. However, he was delighted! No wonder Miss Song, Song Yueliang, could rise to the top in Hui city in just a few years. Just her judgment and courage were far beyond ordinary people like him! I¡¯m convinced! Meanwhile, the villagers of Taoxi village were in an uproar again! Buy all! Not even the slightest picky! This meant that every drop of sweat they had shed this year had not been in vain! ¡°Granny, let¡¯s carry the sweet potatoes over!¡± Qiqi ran to Zhang Xifeng¡¯s side and said with a bright smile on her small face. Zhang Xifeng was amused. Her eyes narrowed into a line. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll carry the sweet potatoes! Let your second Uncle Chen and the others help carry them! Let¡¯s wait at the side for the scale to be weighed!¡± The villagers laughed out of goodwill and volunteered to help without any notice. Beside the truck, the middle-aged man who came with Mr. Dong checked the scale and recording. A few people were also responsible for loading the recorded sweet potatoes and watermelons into the car. While they were doing things in an orderly manner, Taoxi village was also doing the same. The villagers automatically lined up. They didn¡¯t make a scene first, and they came individually. Mr. Dong nodded to himself at this scene. When he first received the notice for him to come down to help with the delivery, he had some complaints in his heart. But now, he was beginning to enjoy dealing with the people of Taoxi village. ¡°Uncle, there¡¯s a small bamboo chair here. You can sit down and rest for a while if you¡¯re tired.¡± The familiar sweet and soft voice came again. He lowered his head. The little girl was holding a small bamboo chair and placed it next to him. Her obedient and sensible appearance was very likable. Behind the little girl were two strong-looking boys, each holding something in their hands. ¡°Uncle, this is cold water. You can drink it if you¡¯re thirsty!¡± A little boy handed him a military water bottle. ¡°Uncle, this is the corn that I cooked this morning. It¡¯s for you to eat when you¡¯re hungry! A little boy handed him some corn.¡± Mr. Dong was neither thirsty nor hungry. He had just eaten a lot of sweet potatoes and watermelons, so he was still full. However, the children in the village were sensible and considerate, so he couldn¡¯t bear to reject their good intentions. Mr. Dong sat down with a watering can and a corn cob in one hand. There was a tree over his head to provide shade, and the mountain breeze by the roadside was cool. This treatment was considered top-notch compared to the colleagues beside the truck who were busy with work. Mr. Dong squinted his eyes and smiled. The next moment, the little girl¡¯s sweet and soft voice sounded again. She said timidly, ¡°Uncle, my sweet potatoes have been weighed. They weigh 7123 catties in total.¡± The two boys even put their heads in front of him, afraid he couldn¡¯t see them. ¡°And mine have 1009 catties of sweet potatoes and 3976 watermelons!¡± ¡°My sweet potatoes weigh 9960 catties, and I have 4008 watermelons!¡± The third child¡¯s head was placed in a row in front of Mr. Dong, and they all looked at him with eager eyes. Mr. Dong was speechless. He understood now. What top-notch treatment? They were afraid he would pay on credit and urging him to pay! Mr. Dong gritted his teeth, then pointed at the three children¡¯s heads and asked the villagers in line, ¡°whose children are these? They¡¯re really three smart little kids!¡± Behind them, the villagers of Taoxi village, who had seen this scene, had long since tried to hold back their laughter, and their faces had turned red. ¡°Sure, the scale has been weighed, and you¡¯ve been recorded. Come to my side to settle the bill!¡± Mr. Dong was amused. He took the account book and paid the bill on the spot. It was challenging to make a living in the fields, so he didn¡¯t intend to make things difficult for the farmers. Besides, the little boss had given him enough money this time. Hearing that the bill had been settled, the people who had already registered quickly gathered around and lined up in front of Mr. Dong. However, at this moment, everyone¡¯s face was filled with excitement and joy. The three little ones retreated to the back. Huazi and Li Doggie secretly gave Qiqi a thumbs-up. ¡°Qiqi, you are so smart! He really paid us right away!¡± Qiqi¡¯s little face was blushing, but her eyes were bright and a little proud. ¡°I¡¯ve sold things before, so I have experience.¡± ¡°No wonder you¡¯re so good at urging people to pay money! So you have experience!¡± ¡°Nah¡­¡± Little Qiqi¡¯s face turned even redder, and her eyes dodged. ¡°It¡¯s not the experience of urging peopleto pay. It¡¯s the experience of being on credit ¡­¡± Huazi and Doggie were speechless. The little egg-man said, ¡°coward.¡± Chapter 26 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation There was already a small line of villagers under the shade of the trees by the roadside. Mr. Dong sat on a small bamboo chair, holding an account book and tapping on a calculator. He wrote down the amount to be paid and made the payment by name. The most exciting moment had arrived. Qiqi clenched her fists and stomped her feet in excitement. They witnessed this scene when Song YuelIang and Dong Wangshu arrived at Taoxi village. The little child was squeezed together with a few radish heads. She was so excited that her little face was red, and grinned, revealing her cute little teeth. ¡°So many people? Mr. Dong seems to be giving out money.¡± In the front passenger seat, Dong Wangshu was about to open the car door to join in the fun. ¡°We came at the right time.¡± Song YuelIang stopped her from moving. ¡°Wait a moment. Let¡¯s wait for the other side to finish their work before going down.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re already here, why wait?¡± Dong Wangshu didn¡¯t know what was going on. He followed Song YuelIang¡¯s line of sight and saw the little girl stomping her little feet, ¡°¡­¡± The last time they met was at their family¡¯s wholesale market. At that time, Qiqi gave Dong Wangshu the impression that she was timid and soft, like a Mimosa. He didn¡¯t expect to see such a fun side of the little girl when they met again. Her eyes were so bright that Yuan symbols were emerging. ¡°What a little money-grubber.¡± She found it funny. Song YuelIang didn¡¯t say anything. Her gaze was fixed on the little girl. Hui City wasn¡¯t far from Zhuolu Town, and it would take more than an hour to drive there. However, from the town to Taoxi village, Song YuelIang spent a full hour. The mountain road to enter the village was not easy to walk on. Because he was unfamiliar with the terrain, he even took the wrong path. The fatigue from the long, bumpy journey strangely disappeared when she saw the baby. The fleet of trucks at the village entrance blocked their vision, and everyone¡¯s attention was elsewhere, so no one noticed an additional car beside the convoy of trucks. Mr. Dong had already finished calculating the first batch of capital. He raised his head and looked at the line that was getting longer and longer. Finally, his eyes swept past little Qiqi and the others. He said, ¡°come, I¡¯ll give out the money! ¡± ¡°Zhang Xifeng, 7123 catties of sweet potatoes. The payment is 213.70 Yuan!¡± Zhang Xifeng was at the front of the line. When she heard the amount of the payment, she was so excited that she was a little slow. Her hands were still shaking when Mr. Dong put the money in her hands. ¡°Granny, we¡¯ve earned more than 200 yuan!¡± There was a source of heat by her feet. The little child hugged her leg. Her eyes curved into a crescent moon. ¡°So many!¡± Zhang Xifeng took the child to the side, squatted down, and held the child tightly in her arms. Then she said tremblingly, ¡°Yes, a lot, a lot. I¡¯ve earned more than I did before.¡± The weather was hot and uncomfortable to be held, but Qiqi did not struggle. Her small hands wrapped around the old woman¡¯s neck, and she smiled shyly. Grandma was happy, so Qiqi was even happier. The payment was still ongoing. ¡°Li Shuigen, 9960 catties of sweet potatoes, 4008 watermelons, the payment is 2302.80 yuan!¡± ¡°Li Dongsheng, 1009 catties of sweet potatoes, 3976 watermelons, and the payment is 2283.80 yuan!¡± ¡°Chen Jianhe ¡­ The payment is 2657.30 yuan!¡± .. Other than Zhang Xifeng¡¯s family, the families that grew watermelons in the village paid more than 2000 Yuan. This time, there were no cheers. Those who were called to take the money quietly walked to the side of the road and squatted down. No one left immediately, and no one said anything. Many looked at the thick stack of notes in their hands, ranging from 100 denomination to a few cents denomination, and the heavyweight in their hands. This was the dawn that the Taoxi villagers, who had almost been crushed by life, held in their hands at the end of the dark after enduring year after year. Many people cried silently. Their tears fell on the money drop by drop. They had bent their backs for decades to feed their families, living as lowly as dust. Today, they could finally straighten their backs and take a deep breath. There was hope. After crying, their tear-streaked faces bloomed with dazzling smiles. Their laughter was so carefree and heroic that it dimmed the sun. Zhang Xifeng was still holding Qiqi. Her wrinkled face was on the child¡¯s small shoulder. Her eyes were red, but the corners of her eyes were full of deep wrinkles. Now, they were truly alive. ¡°Granny, I¡¯ll help you grow watermelons next year. By then, you¡¯ll be able to earn more money. You¡¯ll also be able to earn 2000 Yuan.¡± Her face was wet. Qiqi thought Granny was earning less than other families when she was sad. She comforted her clumsily, ¡°Granny, don¡¯t be sad.¡± Zhang Xifeng straightened her body and put some distance between her and the child. She laughed and cried. ¡°Silly child, Granny isn¡¯t sad. Although other families earned more, they had bigger households too. Only two of us are in our family, and we¡¯ve made quite a bit of money. Besides, you¡¯ve forgotten that we still have two pigs to sell, and that¡¯s the big head of our family.¡± Qiqi thought for a moment. Then we¡¯ll raise two more pigs next year. ¡°I¡¯ll help Granny raise them!¡± She was very good at cutting pigweed, so it wouldn¡¯t be a problem for her to raise a few more pigs. Now that her Granny wanted to support her, she would have to spend more money than before. She had to help her earn money. .. The goods from dozens of families in a village were a considerable amount, and it would take a long time to collect all of them. After the villagers had calmed down, they spontaneously helped box and load the registered sweet potatoes and watermelons into the truck. The employees in the wholesale market could finally take a break. Qiqi found work for herself again. She brought Huazi, Doggie, and other children to the village to deliver water and food to the employees. She was like a bit of bee that could not stop. She was the youngest in the children group and the shyest, but she was the most agile. The laughter and chatter at the scene did not stop, and the atmosphere was harmonious and happy. Song YuelIang never liked noise, but she felt like she wanted to blend in at that moment. It seemed too cold and cheerless to sit here. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of the car.¡± She said. Just as she was about to open the car door, a motorcycle suddenly sped from behind and whizzed past. Dong Wangshu was shocked and almost cursed out loud. Fortunately, the car door had not opened, or it would have caused an accident. Song YuelIang frowned and looked up. On the other side, because of the motorcycle¡¯s intrusion, the laughter in the crowd stopped. When Qiqi saw the person who came, her little face changed as if facing a great enemy. Doggie glared at the two men on the motorcycle and gritted his teeth. ¡°These two bastards are here again!¡± Huazi also said angrily, ¡°last night, the watermelons in our village were almost smashed. They were the ones who did it! It¡¯s not a good thing for you to come over now!¡± The two boys looked at each other and quietly walked away. When they left, they even picked up little Qiqi. ¡°What are you guys doing here?¡± The old village chief had already walked out and glared at Wang Jianzhong and his nephew. The villagers of Taoxi village also walked to the old village chief¡¯s side, full of vigilance. The motorcycle stopped before the truck and Wang Jianzhong got off. He pretended not to notice the hostility in the eyes of the villagers and laughed as he walked forward, ¡°brother Li, everyone, don¡¯t be nervous, don¡¯t be nervous. I just came to say hello to my friend here.¡± Chapter 27 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation A friend? Who was his friend? While everyone was looking at each other, Wang Jianzhong had already walked to the side of the road with a smile on his face. He greeted the man who was doing the registration, ¡°Accountant Zhao? As expected, it¡¯s you! Hahaha! When I saw you at the village entrance this morning, I thought I had the wrong person!¡± The man raised his head. He was one of the retinues who had come with Mr. Dong to help with the registration. He looked at Wang Jianzhong with confusion in his eyes. ¡°You are? ¡± Someone in the crowd couldn¡¯t help but burst out laughing. Wang Jianzhong¡¯s smile paused for a moment, and he said as if nothing had happened, ¡°you¡¯re so forgetful, Accountant Zhao, hahaha. My surname is Wang, Wang Jianzhong. I¡¯m the village chief of Xichun village next door. I¡¯ve been running around the county for wholesale for the past two years, and I¡¯ve seen you a few times.¡± At this time, the guy in a floral shirt also came up from behind and handed a cigarette to Accountant Zhao with a smile. ¡°Your wholesale business manager Wang is my distant uncle. Come, Uncle Zhao, have a cigarette!¡± After being reminded, Accountant Zhao finally had some impression of the two people in front of her. She took the cigarette and put it to her ear. She smiled and said, ¡°so it¡¯s you two. What are you doing here? ¡± The road from the town to Xichong village was challenging to walk on, so he helped to point the way when they came over. He asked the team to take a detour from Xichong village, where the main road had been repaired and was more spacious and flat. It was customary to bump into her there. ¡°We saw you were coming, so we came to say hello.¡± Wang Jianzhong looked at the long caravan and said warmly, ¡°when you¡¯re done, let everyone come to my place. I¡¯ll treat you to good wine and food!¡± After a pause, Wang Jianzhong looked around, leaned closer to Accountant Zhao, and deliberately raised his voice. ¡°But, Accountant Zhao, why did you come here to collect the goods personally? The things grown in Taoxi village are famous in our town for being bad ¡­ Don¡¯t get scammed by others and end up losing all your capital.¡± When the villagers of Taoxi village heard this, they were so angry that they clenched their fists. A shrewish old woman immediately pointed at Wang Jianzhong and his nephew¡¯s nose and scolded, ¡°you spew shit! The things you grow are the bad ones! The price was so low in the past that it almost broke my bones and sucked my marrow! And now you¡¯re trying to drive a wedge between us, aren¡¯t you, human?¡± ¡°Get lost! Get out of our village! We don¡¯t welcome you here!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t leave now, we¡¯ll settle all our old and new debts together! You should know in your heart what immoral things you¡¯ve done. We¡¯ve left evidence!¡± Wang Jianzhong was calm and composed despite the scolding. He even put on a generous and helpless look as he smiled bitterly at Accountant Zhao. ¡°In the past, no one accepted the things in their village. They were so poor that they could barely afford to eat. I couldn¡¯t bear to see them like this, so I wanted to help them. If the things they accepted couldn¡¯t be sold at a good price, I would just suffer some losses and give them some money ¡­ I didn¡¯t think it would end up like this. I¡¯m doing things out of kindness, but I¡¯ve become evil in other people¡¯s eyes.¡± Accountant Zhao¡¯s eyes flickered, and he looked at Wang Jianzhong again. Taoxi village¡¯s things were bad? The two of them had probably never eaten the watermelons that other people grew. He had been too busy to notice it, but now he realized that the atmosphere had been tense since Wang Jianzhong¡¯s appearance. While the villagers were raging with anger, behind the big tree, the three little ones were squeezing together and distributing weapons. It was a slingshot that Huazi had made himself. Each of them had one. ¡°I knew that nothing good would come from these two bastards. They¡¯re up to no good!¡± Huazi¡¯s childish face was filled with anger. He drew his bow and aimed. ¡°If we don¡¯t teach them a lesson, they¡¯ll block our way!¡± Doggie bent over and shone a pile of half-dried cow dung in the grass by the roadside. He laughed evilly. ¡°Huazi, Qiqi, let¡¯s use this to greet them! Doggie¡¯s unique hidden weapon!¡± Qiqi stood there and watched the two of them roll the cow dung into arrows. Her small mouth did not close for a long time. Using this ¡­ It was so smelly ¡­ Qiqi¡¯s hand was stuffed with five or six stinky pills. ¡°Qiqi, do you know how to use a slingshot? I¡¯ll teach you. Watch carefully. First, draw the bow and aim,¡± Hua Zi was the best at this, so he taught Wang Jianzhong on the spot. He aimed the slingshot at the back of Wang Jianzhong¡¯s head and said, ¡°shoot!¡± With a whoosh, it hit the target. Li Doggie did not want to fall behind. He aimed at the floral shirt guy and fired three consecutive shots. As the floral shirt guy was facing them sideways, the three feces bullets accurately hit his face, leaving three feces marks. The floral shirt guy touched the spot where he was hit. It hurt, and there was a strange smell. When he removed his hand and saw the things on it, the floral shirt guy¡¯s face turned green. He glanced around with a sinister look. ¡°Who did this? Come out!¡± Huazi and Li Doggie shrunk their heads and threw slingshots into the grass. Just as they reached out to pull Qiqi over and hide, the man in the floral shirt looked over. The two of them quickly retracted their hands and sneaked away. This was the first time Qiqi had done this, and she was not skilled in it. She was frightened by the sudden shout and was caught by the foot of the tree. When the floral shirt guy¡¯s gaze shifted to her, she was still holding a slingshot and an unused cow dung bullet. Their eyes met, and Qiqi¡¯s little face was dazed. No, she didn¡¯t shoot it. She didn¡¯t even draw the bow! At this time, everyone¡¯s eyes also followed over, and all fell on Qiqi, who was caught red-handed with her. ¡°You hit me with cow dung?!¡± The floral shirt guy said sinisterly. Qiqi, ¡°¡­¡± She was so nervous that her two little hands subconsciously clenched tighter, and a soft touch came from her palms ¡­ ¡°Eggie.¡± Qiqi wanted to cry but had no tears. ¡°I got hit by cow dung!¡± The little egg-man was speechless. He wanted to curse. What the f * ck! Can you not be so stupid in front of him? He was already smelling an intoxicating smell! On the other end, the floral shirt guy didn¡¯t wait for Qiqi¡¯s reply and had already rushed over fiercely. On the other side, Zhang Xifeng, the old village chief, and Chen Jianhe, who had reacted, immediately ran over and protected Qiqi behind them. The reaction of the other villagers was even more significant. They surrounded the floral shirt guy in an instant. Their stance was as if they would break his bones if he dared to touch Qiqi. Although the villagers of Taoxi village did not say many things out loud, they already had a tacit understanding. In their hearts, Qiqi was a secret they could not tell anyone. They would fight to the death with whoever touched Qiqi! The situation was in a deadlock. Wang Jianzhong¡¯s expression was extremely unsightly. The floral shirt guy looked like a color palette as the colors on his face kept changing. However, the two of them didn¡¯t dare to move. A few years ago, this group of poor people had been bullied by them, and at most, they would only make a fuss and curse a little. This was the first time he was ready to fight them to the death at any time. The two of them also shivered. However, if he were to be frightened just like that, he would lose a lot of face. ¡°What do you guys want? Trying to protect her? Didn¡¯t you see that little brat throw cow dung at me?¡± The floral shirt guy straightened his neck and looked fierce but was weak. Zhang Xifeng glared at him and shouted even more fiercely than him, ¡°who are you calling a little bastard? What¡¯s wrong with throwing a few cow dung at you? Just how precious are you? Didn¡¯t you shovel chicken poop or pick up cow dung when you were young? Don¡¯t you have any shame being fierce to a child!¡± The floral shirt guy was so angry that he could not speak. This damned old woman was not being reasonable with him! Chapter 28 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation ¡°Right! The two villages next door know each other very well. You grew up in a pile of mud, so why are you pretending to be a superior person!¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a few pieces of cow dung, and you want to kill me? Did it hit your mouth?¡± ¡°You¡¯re dressed like a dog, but your stomach is filled with chicken guts! You haven¡¯t even graduated from elementary school, right? No wonder you didn¡¯t understand, your chicken brain!¡± ¡°Take a good look at this. This is the territory of my Taoxi village. It¡¯s not your place to act like a tyrant!¡± Doggie¡¯s grandma, who had caught up from behind, also stood in front of Qiqi with Old Li. Other people might not know, but they were very clear about it. This had nothing to do with Qiqi. It was his little brat who did it! Qiqi was just pushed out to take the blame! This troublesome one, he¡¯ll catch this little brat and give him a good beating! Coincidentally, the old village chief had the same thought. Qiqi was such an obedient child. How could she do something like flicking a man¡¯s cow dung? Huazi was one of the people who had caused trouble! Letting his sister take the blame for his good deeds! The old village chief gritted his teeth. He had to beat up Huazi, that little bastard! Because of their guilt, the Li family members of the two households protected Qiqi tightly, not leaving a gap for the floral shirt guy. They even buttoned the floral shirt guy with big hats one after another. The floral shirt guy did not find a chance to talk back for more than ten minutes. He was scolded so badly that he almost vomited blood. At the back, Wang Jianzhong wanted to save the scene, but as he listened to the string of curses that sounded like crosstalk, his raised foot hung in the air for a long time. In desperation, he turned his head and wanted to find an old acquaintance to help ease the tension or at least give him a way out. When he turned around, he saw that accountant Zhao and Mr. Dong were discussing the decimals of the accounts. They were so focused that it seemed like they were in a different space. The referee beside them cursed loudly, but the two didn¡¯t even raise their eyebrows. ¡°¡­..¡± Wang Jianzhong cursed in his mind. .. ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk. I didn¡¯t know that Qiqi knew how to use a slingshot.¡± In the car, Dong Wangshu saw everything happening and laughed so hard that her stomach hurt. ¡°And those old women, they don¡¯t repeat their words ¡­ The one who was scolded for wearing a floral shirt guy had his face turned as purple as an eggplant.¡± Song Yueliang laughed and got out of the car. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to continue watching the show?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good that things have stopped here. If we continue, things will only reverse when they reach an extreme.¡± Song Yueliang said coldly, ¡°those two people¡¯s eyes are not right. I guess they already hold a grudge against Taoxi village and Qiqi.¡± Dong Wangshu coughed lightly. She ignored the eyes of the two people, only caring about holding her stomach. Looking at it again, she realized that the floral shirt guy¡¯s eyes were fixed on the little girl behind him through the gaps in the crowd. The sinister look in his eyes made her scalp tighten. This discovery made her stop smiling, and her expression became calm. ¡°What are they doing?¡± The woman¡¯s clear and cold voice sounded in front of the truck. His voice wasn¡¯t loud and was almost drowned out by the curses of the old ladies. However, Mr. Dong and accountant Zhao, who seemed to be in another space, raised their heads at the same time. ¡°Miss Song? Miss Dong? Why are you guys here?¡± Mr. Dong was so surprised that he lost control of his expression. The noisy scene suddenly became quiet. Everyone¡¯s eyes gathered on the two women who had suddenly barged in. Because she was coming to Taoxi village, Song Yueliang only wore an ordinary short-sleeved shirt and long pants today. A lot had weakened the strong aura on her body. Dong Wangshu had also changed out of her favorite short skirt and high heels. Her t-shirt and jeans made her look energetic and friendly. However, the two people¡¯s unconcealed noble temperament still made Taoxi village¡¯s villagers not dare to approach them and talk. Only the old village chief and Chen Jianhe went over to welcome him in surprise, ¡°Miss Dong! Miss Song! I didn¡¯t expect you to come!¡± They had interacted in the city before, so they were grateful to Song Yueliang and Dong Wangshu and weren¡¯t affected by the aura. Song Yueliang smiled at the two of them. ¡°We happened to be free, so we came over to look.¡± Dong Wangshu laughed, ¡°after all, we¡¯ll have to keep in touch in the future.¡± The villagers looked at each other and guessed the identity of the person who had come. They were instantly excited. The big boss had personally come to Taoxi village! Qiqi heard the sound, but unfortunately, the adults blocked her line of sight and couldn¡¯t see it. She quickly took a few steps forward and peeked her head out from behind the adults to look over timidly. She happened to meet Song Yueliang¡¯s gaze. Looking at the little child timidly sticking his head out, Song Yueliang¡¯s lips curved up unconsciously. ¡°Qiqi, why aren¡¯t you coming over? ¡± Qiqi¡¯s eyes lit up. It was really Auntie Song! Her Auntie was calling her over! It would be impolite if she didn¡¯t go over. Qiqi found a good excuse for herself. She lifted her little feet and wanted to walk over there. Then, she seemed to have thought of something. She turned her heels and stepped back. ¡°Auntie, I, I¡¯ll come back later!¡± The little one turned around and ran away quickly. From afar, she could hear her sobbing voice. Under everyone¡¯s confused gazes, Qiqi buried her head in the drain. Her little face was so aggrieved that she was about to cry. She remembered that she still had beef patties in her hands ¡­ ¡°Eggie, Auntie is beautiful and smells nice, but I¡¯m stinky ¡­¡± ¡°The cow dungs are stinky even after being washed off!¡± ¡°Wuwuwu-!¡± The little egg-man was silent for a moment. ¡°Pfft!¡± After a moment, she said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to laugh at you, but you¡¯re crying like a train whistle ¡­ Hahahaha!¡± Qiqi, ¡°¡­..¡± The tears in her eyes flowed out. When Qiqi returned to the front of the truck, her hands were red from rubbing. The villagers had already surrounded the two bosses and were talking to them. Even Wang Jianzhong and his nephew had adjusted their expressions and tried to make their presence known. Qiqi didn¡¯t know why, but she bent down subconsciously. Zhang Xifeng was old and could not stand being squeezed. She stood outside the crowd and saw the little child¡¯s timid appearance. She was confused. ¡°Qiqi, what¡¯s wrong? ¡± Was she scared by that bastard, the floral shirt guy? The little child quickly walked to her side and motioned for her to lower her head. Then, she put a small hand in front of her and asked eagerly, ¡°Granny, smell me. Am I still smelly? ¡± Zhang Xifeng was speechless. A moment later, ¡°pfft!¡± Qiqi, ¡°..¡­¡± Behind a big tree by the roadside, two heads saw the little child¡¯s depressed face and quietly shrank back. Huazi said, ¡°we¡¯re done for. Qiqi is going to be angry with us. Doggie said, ¡°it¡¯s all your fault! You¡¯re not loyal, just leave Qiqi and run!¡± Huazi was not convinced. ¡°You¡¯re talking as if you didn¡¯t run away. You were the one who found the cow dung!¡± Doggie clenched his fist and said angrily, ¡°you¡¯re the one who brought the slingshot! If you don¡¯t take out your slingshot, do you think I¡¯ll go look for bullets?¡± The two boys hid behind the tree and started fighting. In the crowd, Wang Jianzhong and his nephew squeezed through the villagers and finally came to Song Yueliang and Dong Wangshu, ¡°Miss Dong, Miss song ¡­.¡± Song Yueliang raised her eyebrows and took a step back. ¡°You guys smell. Why don¡¯t you go back and wash up and change your clothes?¡± The villagers of Taoxi village, ¡°PU-!¡± Qiqi looked at her palm, and her little mouth trembled. ¡°UwU-!¡± Chapter 29 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation Wang Jianzhong¡¯s face turned red as people laughed. Through Chen Jianhe¡¯s explanation to his fellow villagers a moment ago, Wang Jianzhong found out that the two people who came were rich people in the city, business owners, and also engaged in wholesale. He immediately had the intention of building a good relationship with them. However, he didn¡¯t expect that the other party wouldn¡¯t save him any face at all. He showed his might when he opened his mouth, causing him to be disgraceful again. Wang Jianzhong¡¯s eyes flashed with anger, but he didn¡¯t show it on his face. At this age, he could still distinguish whom he could offend and whom he could not. However, the floral shirt guy didn¡¯t have that kind of judgment and patience. In addition, he had been beaten several times in a row, and a ball of evil fire had been buried in his heart. His face immediately darkened, and he said fiercely, ¡°how can you f*cking say that! Just because the people in the city have two pieces of stinky money, you dare to be so arrogant to me? Do you believe that I won¡¯t let you leave this town, stinky b*tch?¡± Song Yueliang¡¯s speculative eyes raised slightly. She held her flowery shirt and gave a fake laugh. ¡°You?¡± Dong Wangshu said, ¡°you bastard.¡± The villagers of Taoxi, who were ready to help stop the fight, saw that the floral shirt guy¡¯s face had turned from blue to purple because of the two madams. ¡°¡­..¡± These two sentences added together were even more powerful than the wave of collective cursing in their village. The floral shirt guy was so agitated that he lost his mind. His expression was ferocious as he raised his fist and was about to punch Song Yueliang¡¯s face. ¡°F*ck you!¡± ¡°If you dare to punch me, ¡± Song Yueliang¡¯s lips curled up, and she didn¡¯t dodge, ¡°I will make you go bankrupt and lose everything tomorrow.¡± The woman stood there, her cold eyes calm and composed. Her tone was calm and collected, and her aura made the man in the flowery shirt guy feel a little timid. The fist stopped in mid-air, unable to land. He had a hunch that what the other party said was not empty talk. The way he raised his fist was like a clown jumping around. It was extremely ridiculous. Wang Jianzhong was half a beat slower to stop him, but it was already of little use. He had lost all his face and offended no one. The two of them left under the mocking gazes of the crowd. Without the troublemakers, the atmosphere at the entrance of Taoxi village quickly recovered. Mr. Dong and accountant Zhao continued to work. They had not finished their work, and their boss was watching them. They could not slack off. The two of them were on high alert. On the other side, the old village chief and Chen Jianhe greeted the two distinguished guests together, thinking of inviting them to their house to have a seat and at least prepare a good meal for them. Dong Wangshu looked at her good friends beside her and smiled, ¡°Sir, uncle, there¡¯s no rush to eat. Your village is surrounded by water and mountains. The scenery is so beautiful. I¡¯ll walk around with Yue Yue first and then go back home.¡± Then, she looked at the side of the road and waved at the little girl hiding behind the old lady. ¡°Qiqi, this is your home. How about you be a little tour guide for me?¡± QIqi, who wanted to hide but failed, looked at Zhang Xifeng with a red face. ¡°Go on, take me to see the scenery of our village. Granny is waiting for you at home.¡± Zhang Xifeng tried her best to maintain a serious expression. ¡°Yes ¡­ It¡¯s not stinky anymore.¡± QIqi, ¡°¡­¡± If her Granny hadn¡¯t said the last three words, her mood would¡¯ve been a little better. She quietly put her hands behind her back and then moved to the front of the two aunties. ¡°Aunty Song, Aunty Dong.¡± ¡°Wow, what¡¯s wrong with QIqi? Why are you so listless like a frosted eggplant?¡± Dong Wangshu squatted down and teased the child, ¡°are you unhappy because you were scared by that chicken? Your Aunt Song has avenged you! Come, smile!¡± Song Yueliang¡¯s eyes flickered with awkwardness. Qiqi was also feeling guilty. She was afraid that her embarrassing matter would be discovered, so she said quickly, ¡°Auntie, I¡¯ll take you to see the river at the village entrance!¡± This was the village entrance, and the river was not far away. It only took a few minutes to walk back to the village. ¡°The river in our village is very clear. The villagers usually wash clothes and vegetables by the river. Many small wildflowers are growing by the river. They are very beautiful.¡± QIqi was very responsible and introduced the village. Behind them, Song Yueliang listened quietly, her gaze falling on the little child¡¯s thin back. She still had two cute little buns tied to her head and was wearing a buttoned shirt. She was dressed the same as when they first met. However, the little girl seemed to have gained some weight. Her Granny who took her in should be good to her. Dong Wangshu had long noticed that her good friend treated Qiqi differently. Seeing that her eyes were almost glued to the little child, he whispered, ¡°if you like Qiqi so much, why don¡¯t you bring her home?¡± Song Yueliang gave her a sideways glance. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± ¡°When did I talk nonsense?¡± Dong Wangshu snorted, ¡°you humiliated that cocky man just now. Didn¡¯t you deliberately pull the hatred onto yourself to weaken Qiqi¡¯s presence in front of the cocky man and make her safer? ¡± The two of them had known each other for so many years, so how could she not know her best friend¡¯s personality? She never meddled in other people¡¯s business, and it was nice to say that she was heartless. She was sure that the reason why she took all the blame on her was to protect Qiqi. Song Yueliang didn¡¯t reply. She just pursed her lips. ¡°Look, these stone slabs and steps are for us to wash our clothes.¡± Qiqi didn¡¯t know what they were talking about. When she reached the river, she raised her chest proudly.¡± And the wildflowers at the side, aren¡¯t they beautiful? ¡± In any case, Qiqi felt that this was one of the most beautiful places in the village. Song Yueliang followed the child¡¯s words and looked up to size up the river. The river wasn¡¯t big or deep. One could see the mud under the river bed through the clear water. The river water was gurgling, the waves were sparkling, and the countryside was fragrant. On both sides of the river, there were old willow trees and vast fields. The scenery was stunning, and it seemed to calm the impetuousness of one¡¯s heart. Song Yueliang walked to the little child¡¯s side. The desire to get closer to the child became more assertive as she got closer. She clenched her fingers and squatted down. ¡°This place is really beautiful ¡­ What does QIqi do in the village?¡± ¡°Usually, uh ¡­¡± Qiqi tilted her head and thought for a while. Her eyes curved up. ¡°In the morning, I come here with my Granny to wash clothes, weed the sweet potato field at home, and sometimes play with brother Huazi and brother Doggie across the river. I also cut pigweed to feed the pigs.¡± She would do a lot of work. She was very capable. Song Yueliang asked, ¡°do you have to do so much work every day?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Granny who does more work.¡± The child said, ¡°every time I help with work, Granny feels bad about it.¡± ¡°You like your Granny a lot?¡± Song Yueliang asked again. She saw that the child¡¯s coy smile became bright. The child nodded and said, ¡± I like her very much.¡± Dong Wangshu squatted behind the two, one hand supporting her chin as he quietly listened to their conversation. Finally, her gaze fell on the little child with curved eyebrows and eyes. From the child¡¯s delicate features, she always felt that she could see a familiar face. If Yue Yue¡¯s child were still alive, she would be four and a half years old. She would be as cute as Qiqi. This was probably the reason for Yue Yue¡¯s acting strangely. Chapter 30 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation The sun was already high up in the sky. The sun was getting stronger and started to shine on them. Under the shade of a tree by the road, a group of old women who were resting looked at the figures playing by the river and discussed in low voices. Doggie¡¯s Grandma sat next to Zhang Xifeng, fanning herself with a straw hat. ¡°I see that the two big bosses like Qiqi very much. That child may have great fortune in the future. Aunt Zhang, you¡¯ll have a good life in the future!¡± Someone beside him laughed. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about bosses. Let¡¯s talk about us. Who in the village doesn¡¯t like Qiqi now? She¡¯s obedient, sensible, and lovable.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Even that mischievous Doggie likes to play with Qiqi. Every day he herds cows, and he takes Qiqi to aunt Zhang¡¯s house.¡± The women laughed. Zhang Xifeng couldn¡¯t help but laugh, and the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes smoothed out. ¡°I hope she goes out to play more. In the end, this little girl always returns with a basket of pig grass daily. The weeds in the sweet potato field have also been removed cleanly, and she has stolen all my work from home and outside.¡± Everyone laughed and scolded, ¡°you can continue to be smug.¡± Zhang Xifeng didn¡¯t hide it at all. She was proud. What happiness! She was enjoying her life now. Her Qiqi was filial to her now. At this time, the caravans were fully loaded with the first batch of goods and were ready to be transported into the city. After the convoy left, the village entrance was suddenly empty. There were at least a few hours before the subsequent loading of the truck. The villagers automatically divided their work, either going back to cook and deliver food or staying watch over the place. The busiest person was the old village chief. He hurriedly ordered Chen Jianhe to go to the houses in the village that raised chickens and ducks to catch a few. There were still important guests to entertain. The village was too far away from the town. It would take at least two hours to make a round trip by bike, and there was no time to rush. On the other side, Luo Yuqiong also called Zhang Xifeng, and a few other old women with good cooking skills in the village prepare a meal for the guests. .. On the clean stone steps by the river. Dong Wangshu sat on the stone steps and took off her shoes to soak her feet. The sun above her head was poisonous, and the stone slab under her butt was hot. She would be wilted if she didn¡¯t soak herself in cold water. ¡°Qiqi, Yue Yue, are you hungry? Why don¡¯t we go back first, eat something, and then come back?¡± Qiqi and Song Yueliang played a game of scooping water with green leaves. When she heard the question, she replied crisply, ¡°Auntie Dong, the food isn¡¯t ready yet. If it¡¯s ready, Grandpa village chief will call us.¡± Dong Wangshu was speechless. That was not what she meant. On the other end, Song Yueliang did not even raise her head. Her long, white fingers were holding onto a broad leaf, trying her best to make the shape of a colander. ¡°Aunty, you can¡¯t pinch it like this. You have to gather the leaves together.¡± Qiqi reached out her small hand again and held the woman¡¯s finger to try to help her succeed once. ¡°Look, you can only fill the water if you don¡¯t open your eyes.¡± Song Yueliang¡¯s hands trembled, and her colander was losing water again. Qiqi, ¡°.¡­¡± She had already taught her more than ten times, but why couldn¡¯t Auntie Song learn T.T. Song Yueliang raised her head and looked at the little child¡¯s doubtful expression. A smile flashed in her eyes. However, the sun was indeed too hot. Beads of sweat had already appeared on the child¡¯s small forehead, soaking the velvet hair on her forehead wet and sticky, and her small face was also red from the sun. She put the leaf down and wiped the water off her hands. ¡°Qiqi is a good teacher. It¡¯s me who is too stupid to learn.¡± Dong Wangshu¡¯s eyes twitched crazily. No way! Yue Yue was a top student in her thesis and a top student in her school in martial arts. How could she say that she was stupid? These words would be a laughingstock in the circle of Hui city. ¡°It¡¯s almost noon. Let¡¯s go back first.¡± Song Yueliang paused for a moment and reached out her hand to the little child. Qiqi blinked her eyes and looked at the hand that was stretched out in front of her. It was thin and white, looked good, and had a nice fragrance. She pursed her lips and hesitated for a moment. She hid her left hand behind her back and used her right hand to hold the woman¡¯s hand. She walked to the front and said, ¡°Auntie, the road by the river is a little narrow. Let me hold your hand.¡± The Aunt¡¯s hand was meant for her to lead the way. Sure enough, a soft sound of agreement came from behind. ¡°Qiqi, you¡¯re holding your aunt Song¡¯s hand and leaving Aunt Dong behind? Hold my hand too!¡± From the side, the woman in her sandals clattered as she caught up with her and also extended her fair and tender hand. Qiqi, ¡°¡­¡± She tightened her grip on her left hand, her eyes wandering. ¡°Aunie Dong, you have to be careful when you walk. Qiqi doesn¡¯t have an extra hand.¡± Dong Wangshu was bewildered. She stayed behind and watched the adult and child walk away in grief and indignation. However, the two people in front ignored her, asked questions, and answered them in harmony, making it impossible for her to squeeze in. ¡°There¡¯s candy in the car. Aunty will give it to Qiqi later.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to exchange with ¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your reward for being a little teacher just now.¡± ¡°Really? Then can you give me one more? I, I¡¯ll treat you to loquats!¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Dong Wangshu laughed. ¡°Heartless person.¡± .. The village entrance was much quieter when the three of them came out of the river. Only a few villagers were still sitting by the side of the road and watching over the field. Seeing them return, the villagers all smiled and greeted them. Song Yueliang¡¯s car was parked a little further away, but without the truck covering it, it could still be seen at a glance. The four-wheeled black car was low-key and Grand. Under the sunlight, it reflected light and was as cold as its owner. The villagers did not recognize the brand of the car. They only knew that it looked excellent and expensive, which could not be found in the town. Qiqi held Song Yueliang¡¯s hand to the car door before letting her go. She rubbed her little hands on her pants and stared at Song Yueliang with her black and bright eyes. She wanted to exchange candy with Auntie for her Granny. Her Granny loved the candy her second aunt gave her the last time. Qiqi watched as aunty Song opened the car door and took out a beautiful metal box from the back of the car. Then, she carried her and stuffed her into the car. Qiqi was speechless. Sitting on the soft leather seat, Qiqi¡¯s body was stiff, and she did not dare to move. She pursed her lips tightly, and her eyes were wide open. She looked at the person who let her in helplessly and blankly. As if sensing the alarm and panic in the child¡¯s eyes, Song Yueliang felt a little upset. She said in an unnatural and gentle tone, ¡°it¡¯s too hot outside. Qiqi is eating candy in the car. We¡¯ll go to your Grandpa village chief¡¯s house on the way.¡± Dong Wangshu, who had caught up with them, stuck her head in and said with a smile, ¡°this is the first time your aunt Song and I have come to Taoxi village. We don¡¯t know the way. We need Qiqi to show us the way to the village head¡¯s house.¡± ¡®Phew ¡­¡¯ Only then did Qiqi slowly relax and let out a breath. Dong Wangshu looked at Song Yueliang teasingly and took the car keys from her, ¡°I¡¯ll drive.¡± As for the back seat, she would leave it to her Yue Yue and Qiqi. She could see that Yue Yue wanted to be close to the little child, but her personality was stiff. .. ..Qiqi was cute and well-behaved. If the two of them got in touch more, perhaps it could alleviate Yue Yue¡¯s sadness or even eliminate it. In the back seat, Qiqi¡¯s little body was stiff. She looked into Song Yueliang¡¯s eyes, ¡°¡­.¡± Where were the candies ¡­.? Chapter 31 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation ¡°Qiqi, open this and take a look.¡± In the end, the woman¡¯s clear voice broke the silence in the back seat. A beautiful iron box was handed to Qiqi. The outer shell was a very bright Candy Color. Qiqi thought it looked very good. She raised her head and glanced at the woman beside her. Then, she pursed her lips and carefully opened the iron box. The child¡¯s eyes widened again in the next moment, and she let out a soft cry. Lots and lots of candy! There were six small boxes in the iron box, and the candy in each box was different. Qiqi couldn¡¯t move her eyes away from the colorful packages. Song Yueliang secretly paid attention to the child¡¯s expression during this period. She loosened her clenched fingers when she heard the child¡¯s cry of surprise. This kind of candy box was recommended to her by the shopping guide at the mall. She said that all children liked this kind of candy. It seemed like he was right. ¡°Which one do you want to eat first?¡± She asked with a smile as she watched the child¡¯s eyes wandering between the various candies. Qiqi didn¡¯t pay attention to the word ¡®first¡¯. She thought she could only choose one of these candies. Qiqi was in a difficult position and was still anxious. She had never eaten these candies before, so she didn¡¯t know which one was the best. How should she choose? ¡°Eggie ¡­¡± Qiqi subconsciously asked Eggie for help. Just as she called out, she realized that the ¡°telephone line¡± between her and Eggie seemed broken. The little egg-man heartlessly put down the shielding barrier. It had never eaten this kind of antique candy before, so what was the use of asking it? Besides, it¡¯s all yours. Do you still need to choose? Stupid brat! Outside, Qiqi, who had no way to ask for help, raised her head. Her little face was bitter. ¡°Auntie, can you tell me which is the best?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Song Yueliang was stunned. ¡°Pfft, hahaha!¡± Dong Wangshu, who was in the driver¡¯s seat, burst out laughing. ¡°Qiqi, your Auntie song, never eats candy. You¡¯re asking the wrong person! Song Yueliang said, ¡°why don¡¯t you tell me which candy is the best?¡± The laughter stopped abruptly. After dealing with her best friend, Song Yueliang took out one of each kind of candy from the metal box and tore open the packaging one by one. ¡°If Qiqi wants to know the best, she has to taste it herself.¡± She said, ¡°everyone has different tastes. You might not like what others think is delicious.¡± The smell of candy slowly spread in the carriage and entered Qiqi¡¯s nose. Qiqi sucked in her saliva, her little face serious. She felt that what Auntie said was very reasonable. Why don¡¯t I try them all and pick more loquats for Auntie when I get home? She could also teach her Auntie to play a few more leaf games. In addition to the colander, she could also use the leaves to make small bowls, spoons, and whistles,¡­ So many others. Even if Dong Wangshu drove like a turtle, the car still arrived at the old village chief¡¯s house after Qiqi had tasted the few kinds of candy. The courtyard was very lively, and laughter could be heard all over the place. From outside the door, one could see the figures bustling about happily. Before getting off the car, Song Yueliang placed the entire metal box into the child¡¯s arms. ¡°This is the reward for Qiqi. I will throw these away if you don¡¯t want them.¡± ¡°It¡¯s such a waste to throw away such delicious candies!¡± Qiqi couldn¡¯t believe it. She didn¡¯t say that it would be a waste to throw it away. Although she had never bought candy before, she knew it must be expensive. The candies she had seen in the shops in the city were not as beautiful as these. The woman smiled. ¡°So, Qiqi will help Auntie. Take them and eat them slowly.¡± Before she got out of the car, she couldn¡¯t help but reach out and stroke the child¡¯s little head. The soft touch on her palm made her feel a fierce bitterness in her heart that rushed straight to her eyes. It was the same feeling as when she carried the child into the car. Apart from the bitterness, there was also an inexplicable satisfaction. She didn¡¯t understand why she would have such an emotion, and she couldn¡¯t and didn¡¯t want to find out. She did as she pleased. The old village chief had already come out in the courtyard to welcome them. Qiqi held the candy box and stood by the car for a while before following with small steps. As the sea of consciousness had set up a barrier, she did not hear the little egg man¡¯s vulgar words. When Song Yueliang¡¯s palm touched Qiqi¡¯s head, a wave of dense purple gas suddenly surged into the system¡¯s savings pool. The little egg-man was so shocked that he floated up and stared at the savings pool that was originally half full. ¡°Gosh¡­¡± His energy had increased by one-third! This morning, after the villagers received the money from selling the goods, the savings pool had a lot more energy, just as the little egg-man had expected. The pool was almost half full. However, that was a sum of contribution points from many people in the village. However, Song Yueliang had sacrificed one-third of the points! For the first time, the little egg-man felt he was a country bumpkin who had gained knowledge. Just touching her head gave her so much energy. Song Yueliang had become a top-tier treasure house in the eyes of the little egg-man. I¡¯ll let that stupid brat stick his head out a few more times later. I must! In this way, the day he could go home was rapidly approaching! The little egg-man was so excited that his eggshell turned red, and a line of words suddenly appeared in front of his eyes- [Song Yueliang, Female, 25 years old, general manager of Taifeng real estate, the villain of the Ten Worlds, first-class important figure. She died in December 1992.] The little egg-man waved his hand and wiped away the words. He didn¡¯t care who Song Yueliang was. He only needed to collect energy to complete the mission and go home. [New mission: help Song Yueliang avoid the 1992 misfortune. If the mission fails, the omnidirectional system will be obliterated.] The little egg-man was speechless. ¡°F*ck you.¡± .. The old village head invited Song Yueliang and Dong Wangshu into the central room. The food wouldn¡¯t be served until a while later. The adults sat in the central room, chatting while waiting for the food. Qiqi didn¡¯t go to the central room. She took the candy box to the kitchen and found Zhang Xifeng washing vegetables. She stuffed a handful of candy into her pocket. ¡°Granny, Auntie Song gave this to me. Every flavor is delicious!¡± In the end, he didn¡¯t miss out on Luo Yuqiong and the other old women who were busy in the kitchen, so he gave them two each. When Qiqi walked out of the kitchen, only a few candies were left in the candy box. ¡°Qiqi! Hehehe!¡± Outside the kitchen, two heads popped out from the corner and smiled at Qiqi flatteringly. Qiqi, ¡°¡­¡± She pouted. She walked over. You guys didn¡¯t take me with you when you ran. The child¡¯s voice was sweet and soft. Even if she was angry, it was extremely soft in people¡¯s ears and had no deterrent force. Huazi and Doggie¡¯s eyes were glued to the candy box. They smiled cheekily. ¡°Qiqi, we¡¯ve made mistakes. We won¡¯t do this again! We wanted to pull you along but didn¡¯t have time!¡± ¡°Just tell me how your brothers have treated you! Have I helped you carry the pigweed? I¡¯ve helped you dig sweet potatoes, right? I didn¡¯t miss out on any fun or delicious food, right? Hmm?¡± This was true. Qiqi looked at the two of them, pursed her lips, and opened the candy box. The two boys¡¯ eyes lit up. They had never seen anything like this before. Good stuff! They were in for a treat! Qiqi looked at the two of them again and changed her hand when she took the candy. She held the box in her right hand and the candy in her left. Seeing her two brothers happily eating the candies, Qiqi looked up at the sky. I also have a temper. Hmph. Chapter 32 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation In the central room, the old village chief and Chen Jianhe were present, as well as a few elderly people with some prestige in the village. Song Yueliang scanned the surroundings as she walked in. The paint on the walls of mud houses in the countryside had turned gray and white because of the age. There was a wooden bench on each side of the wall, and each bench could seat seven or eight people. In the innermost part of the central room was an eight-seater table painted in red with chipped paint, on which were thermos bottles, enamel cups, and other things. The wall above the table had a portrait of a great man, and couplets from the old spring Festival were pasted on both sides. There was nothing else. She retracted her gaze discreetly. At this moment, the old village chief came over with an enamel tray. On it were slices of cut watermelons. The color was beautiful, and the melon fragrance was tempting. Being tempted by the fragrance and hot and thirsty after being exposed to the sun for a long time, Dong Wangshu didn¡¯t hold back and picked up a slice of watermelon to taste. After the melon meat entered her mouth, Dong Wangshu¡¯s eyes immediately widened in surprise, ¡°Umm! It was so sweet! It was like quenching my thirst!¡± She immediately recommended it to Song Yueliang, ¡°Yue Yue, try it. It¡¯s really delicious. One bite and the summer heat in your body will be gone!¡± When Song Yueliang heard that, she also took a slice of watermelon and ate it. Her expression changed. The taste was completely different from what she had eaten more than ten days ago, far beyond her expectations. It could even be said that this taste could occupy the top grade in the entire market. Originally, she had planned to win by packaging the watermelons from Taoxi village after putting them on the market. However, she did not expect that Taoxi village would bring her such a big surprise. Winning by packaging could earn money, but it was also easy to be imitated. However, if the quality of the melon itself were good, it would be a different story. The taste and texture of a good melon could not be imitated. ¡°It¡¯s indeed delicious.¡± Song Yueliang opened her mouth and praised, ¡°I¡¯m very glad to be able to work with you.¡± The old village chief and the others had been nervously looking forward to the two¡¯s comments. Now that they were able to receive their praise, they relaxed and smiled. ¡°To be honest with you, Ms. Dong, Ms. Song, this is the first time that our village has grown such delicious watermelons.¡± The old village chief had a head full of white hair, and a simple smile appeared on his wrinkled face. ¡°My heart has finally settled down. I have finally lived up to your trust.¡± Chen Jianhe also smiled and said, ¡°it¡¯s indeed my first time. But I have a feeling that our village is different from before. The produce we grow in the future might get better and better!¡± Although the other old people didn¡¯t say anything, one could see their happiness from their expressions. Their smiling eyes were full of hope. ¡°Things will definitely get better and better. Take your watermelons, for example. They were so ordinary ten days ago. Who would¡¯ve thought that they¡¯d become so amazing ten days later?¡± Dong Wangshu¡¯s voice was muffled. She hadn¡¯t swallowed the watermelon meat in her mouth when she reached out for another slice. ¡°I can¡¯t stop eating!¡± The central room was filled with laughter. Dong Wangshu thought for a moment and said, ¡°village chief, I saw a lot of land in your village at the entrance. You can consider planting it.¡± The central room fell silent. The old village chief and Chen Jianhe looked at each other and understood the hidden meaning in his words. The old village chief suppressed his excitement and probed, ¡°if we plant all the barren land in our village, there will be many more fruits and vegetables next year.¡± As he spoke, he subconsciously looked at Song Yueliang. He did not know why, but even though the wholesale market in Chengxi was owned by the Dong family, he subconsciously thought that the person who made the decision behind the business deal in their village was Song Yueliang. ¡°I¡¯ll take as much as you want!¡± This time, Dong Wangshu didn¡¯t need Song Yueliang to make a statement and made a promise first. Although she was only interested in eating, drinking, and having fun and didn¡¯t like to manage her business, she wasn¡¯t a fool. This taste would definitely make her crazy. Coupled with Yue Yue¡¯s advice from the side, it was a crazy profit! Who didn¡¯t love money? At this moment, Song Yueliang also nodded and said, ¡°no matter how many watermelons you plant next year, we will buy them all. Besides watermelons and sweet potatoes, if you have other large quantities of fruits and vegetables, you can also bring them over.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, several elderly people could not sit still. The old village chief stood up immediately and walked back and forth excitedly, saying, ¡°Alright, good, good!¡± .. The guests at the old village chief¡¯s house enjoyed the meal. It was because the people of Taoxi village saw that their future was getting brighter and brighter. It was because Dong Wangshu had found a way to make money. It was because the children had eaten a big bowl of meat. Usually, she would only be able to eat such a sumptuous meal during the new year. Doggie and Hua Zi were the first to eat, while Qiqi also ate her first chicken leg in her life. When the little girl received the chicken thigh, her eyes were bright and her face was red with happiness. Song Yueliang¡¯s gaze kept shifting to the child. She thought that the child would immediately finish the chicken thigh. However, the child tore off the chicken thigh piece by piece and placed it in the bowl of the old woman. ¡°Granny, this meat has no bones. It¡¯s very easy to bite.¡± Just as the old woman was about to stuff the drumstick back into her mouth, the child bared his millet-like teeth. ¡°My teeth are white and hard, and I¡¯m good at gnawing on bones.¡± The adults laughed out of kindness and gave the child another delicious chicken thigh. At that moment, Song Yueliang was filled with jealousy. It was ridiculous. ¡°Auntie Song, are you still busy after dinner?¡± In a daze, the little child¡¯s low voice sounded in her ear. Song Yueliang looked over. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take you to my house to pick loquats!¡± The child smiled sweetly. ¡°It¡¯s so sweet. Granny said that if you like it, you can take it back.¡± Song Yueliang curved her lips. ¡°Okay, Qiqi will bring me to pick some loquats that can be sweet or not.¡± She glanced at the old woman who was sitting on the other side and looking at the child lovingly, and the absurd jealousy in her heart suddenly disappeared. For the child to say ¡°my home¡± so naturally, it must be because her Granny treated her very well and she recognized that ¡°home.¡± Taoxi village was not big, and the houses of the villagers were mostly concentrated on both sides of the road. The old village chief¡¯s house was on a gentle slope on the main road. After walking down the slope for five minutes, entering a small path on the right and turning two corners, it was Zhang Xifeng¡¯s house. The worn-out wattled courtyard was located at the fork in the path. Inside, there was a small mud house with mottled walls, and it was filled with the vicissitudes of time. However, the courtyard was very clean. The farm tools were placed neatly inside. There was a luxuriant loquat tree in the corner of the courtyard, with yellow fruits among them. It was full of life. In the midst of the pig¡¯s cries, Qiqi opened the gate of the wattled courtyard and brought the two aunties in. ¡°The little piggies know that I¡¯m back, so they¡¯re greeting me,¡± Qiqi was quite proud when she talked about the little piggies in the house. ¡°They like me so much. They can finish all the pig feed I give them every time.¡± ¡°What about the feed your Granny gave?¡± Dong Wangshu deliberately teased. Qiqi sighed. ¡°They¡¯re picky with their food.¡± Dong Wangshu paused and bent over with laughter. Even Song Yueliang couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Chapter 33 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation The loquats on the loquat tree in the courtyard had all turned yellow. The fruits were big and round, hanging on the branches and ears, looking very attractive. In the next moment, a wind blew through the hall, rustling the leaves, and the special fragrance of loquats also entered the nose. Qiqi took a small stool from the kitchen and placed it at the root of the loquat tree. Just as she was about to say, she¡¯ll go up the tree and pick loquats for you, she saw the beautiful Auntie Song stretch out her hand and a string of loquats was already in her hand. Qiqi, ¡°¡­¡± Aunty doesn¡¯t need to climb trees, she can reach out and pick loquats. The child¡¯s dazed look amused Dong Wangshu. She broke off two loquats and sat on a small high stool. As She ate, she said, ¡°with AuntIE Song here, how can a little child like you have the chance to climb a tree and pick fruits?She¡¯s like a monkey on a tree.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, her forehead was hit by a loquat seed. The loquat flesh in his mouth was thick and fine, soft and juicy, extremely sweet, and almost not sour. Song Yueliang gave a high-grade evaluation. After tasting one, she gave the rest of the fruits to Qiqi. ¡°Children can¡¯t climb the tree. It¡¯s dangerous.¡± Qiqi hugged loquat and asked curiously, ¡°didn¡¯t Auntie climb trees when she was young? But Auntie Dong said that you¡¯re a monkey in the tree.¡± She knew what monkey was about. A monkey was very good at climbing trees and could even jump around on the swing with one hand. If she wanted to climb trees as well as a monkey, she would have to practice for a long time, right? Song Yueliang was speechless. Dong Wangshu burst into laughter again. ¡°Your Auntie Song is more than just climbing trees. When we were studying, she would climb high walls with a flip of her hand. The school dean couldn¡¯t catch up with her every time, and he was so angry that he stomped his feet.¡± Qiqi was interested and ran over to squat at Dong Wangshu¡¯s feet, ¡°Auntie Song is so talented? What else can she do?¡± ¡°She¡¯s good at her studies. She¡¯s very good at it. She always gets first place in her exams.¡± Speaking of past exams, Dong Wangshu was overjoyed when she thought of something. ¡°Yueyue, do you remember that sickly Fu Yanchi was always inferior to you in every exam? He never scored above you a single time. On the ranking list, you¡¯ve been ranked first as usual, and he¡¯s ranked second as always.¡± Song Yueliang lowered her eyes. ¡°I forgot.¡± When they left the Zhang family, Song Yueliang and Dong Wangshu filled a basket with loquats. As the sun gradually moved to the west, the trucks at the village entrance formed a long line again to transport the second batch of goods. The accounts of the villagers had been settled, and the rest of the goods were handed over to the caravans. Mr. Dong and accountant Zhao didn¡¯t need to follow them, so they got a free ride before their boss left. Many villagers sent him off with their eyes. Qiqi was also among them. She leaned next to her Granny, Zhang Xifeng, and watched the car gradually go away. For some reason, her heart seemed to be a little empty. ¡°Granny, I gave Aunties a basket of loquat.¡± ¡°Alright, then we won¡¯t be able to finish the loquats in a short time.¡± ¡°Aunties took the dustpan away. Our house is short of a dustpan. It¡¯s 80 cents a piece in town.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Will Aunties come again next time? To return our dustpan?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Qiqi touched her chest and pursed her lips in guilt. Her Auntie had come from the city and brought her so many delicious candies, but she was actually reluctant to give up the eighty cents. However, the dustpan was not hers. It was her Granny¡¯s. It was better to ask Auntie to return it ¡­ This time, with Accountant Zhao as the guide, it would only take 20 minutes for Dong and Song to return from Xichun village to the town. ¡°Is accountant Zhao very familiar with this area?¡± On the way, Song Yueliang suddenly spoke up. This made accountant Zhao a little flattered. He was a good friend of Mr. Dong and knew from him that Miss Song¡¯s identity was not simple. In terms of wealth, even the Dong family of Hui city could not compare. He quickly said, ¡°I¡¯ve been in Yang County for many years. During this period, I often travel to and from various towns and villages. I¡¯m quite familiar with Taoxi village.¡± ¡°Oh? Can you tell me more about Taoxi village?¡± ¡°Of course I can. Taoxi village is very famous in Kulu town.¡± Accountant Zhao coughed lightly. ¡°The village is known for being poor.¡± There were villages within ten miles of Zhuolu Town, and the extent to which Taoxi village could make a name for itself being poor was not simple. The entire village was neither small nor big. There were a total of 60 families in the village. Compared to the surrounding villages, which easily had more than 100 families, it was really small and had the least population. Because the village was poor, the young people in the village ran out one by one, thinking of making big money outside. This led to Taoxi village becoming the famous stay-behind village nearby. In short, they were so poor that even rats wouldn¡¯t visit. Even the girls outside of the Taoxi village who looking to find a match for marriage would immediately shook their heads when they heard that the guys were from Taoxi village. According to the rumors, Taoxi village had not held a joyful event for at least five or six years. ¡°However, this year, the people in Taoxi village are doing well. If we can maintain this situation, the situation may slowly improve in the future.¡± Accountant Zhao sighed. He was doing the statistics on the spot and saw with his own eyes that the villagers were getting more than 2000 Yuan each. To be honest, he was jealous. ¡°Miss Dong, Miss Song, have you tried the watermelons from Taoxi village?¡± Mr. Dong chuckled and said, ¡°the taste is amazing. I can guarantee that this batch of watermelons will not be a problem to sell in our wholesale market. If their watermelons remain at this quality for the next two years, we can continue to renew the contract!¡± Dong Wangshu replied, ¡°is there a need to say?¡± I¡¯ll immediately renew it the next time we come!¡± ¡°I stayed there for half a day today. The people in Taoxi village are very simple and easy to get along with. Even the children in their village are very sensible, especially Qiqi. She brought a group of children to bring water and food to everyone in the morning. I¡¯ve never seen such an attractive child before ¡­¡± After a long day, Mr. Dong couldn¡¯t stop talking. He was smiling when he talked about the village. ¡°Mr. Dong, you¡¯ve worked hard today. Your Miss Dong should give you a bonus.¡± The woman¡¯s clear voice suddenly came from the front. Dong Wangshu replied, ¡°here! This month, Mr. Dong¡¯s salary will be doubled!¡± Mr. Dong was bewildered. What did she just say? The bonus came without warning. In his excitement, Mr. Dong tried to recall what he had done to make Miss Song happy. When he praised the watermelons of Taoxi village, Miss Song had no reaction. He seemed to have mentioned that the people in the village were good ¡­ He mentioned Qiqi? Mr. Dong looked up at the back of the woman driving the car with a serious face. He could still boast about Qiqi as long as he had the chance! The sun was setting, and the afterglow was about to be extinguished. In the grand brick house of Xichong village, the lights were bright. Wang Jianzhong sat in the central room, his face dark and gloomy. His mind was full of the small car that had driven past the village entrance in the afternoon. The floral shirt guy was there too. The anger in his eyes did not dissipate even after a long time. ¡°Damn it. I¡¯m so unlucky today! I was beaten up in that broken place!¡± Wang Jianzhong took out a pack of cigarettes from his shirt pocket, lit it up, and took a deep puff. ¡°When that woman came this morning, she mentioned her name in the middle. Her name is Song Yueliang? ¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care what she¡¯s called! F*cking b*tch, don¡¯t ever fall into my hands again!¡± When he first saw Song Yueliang, the floral shirt guy was stunning. However, the moment a woman opened her mouth to humiliate him, all the appreciation for her appearance was gone. What kind of woman was that? Even a scorpion¡¯s mouth wasn¡¯t as poisonous as hers! Wang Jianzhong raised his eyes. ¡°I remember that your cousin¡¯s in-law¡¯s family used to be a nanny in the city. The person she served seemed to be called Song Yueliang?¡± Chapter 34 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation The floral shirt guy was stunned for a moment. ¡°It seems to be true. In the past, when I went to my cousin¡¯s place during the new year, I heard her in-laws show off a few times, saying that the work was easy and the salary was good. The owner¡¯s family was easy to talk to, and they would always buy many good things for her to bring home during the new year and holidays.¡± ¡°Contact your cousin later and ask her mother-in-law to help matchmake Song Yueliang.¡± Wang Jianzhong looked at the floral shirt guy with a cold gaze. ¡°Our current business is only small. If we can get along with Song Yueliang and do wholesale in the city, then we can really make a profit.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be unconvinced. You¡¯ve seen the car that Song Yueliang drove. It¡¯s worth at least a few hundred thousand. If you really provoke her, it¡¯s just a matter of lifting a finger for her to make you go bankrupt. It¡¯s not even a problem for her to send you to jail.¡± ¡°Put away your act of being ruthless on the streets! We can¡¯t afford to offend Song Yueliang, do you understand?¡± The floral shirt guy¡¯s face turned pale from the scolding. The woman¡¯s cold eyes appeared in his mind, still filled with anger and hatred mixed with fear. This was the first time he had met such a person. He was so calm that it seemed like he would not even blink if he were to be stabbed to death in the next second. Damn it, he was scared back then. ¡°I last saw my cousin a few years ago. I¡¯ll go to her house and ask her about it.¡± He said in a low, muffled voice. Wang Jianzhong¡¯s calm face finally broke into a smile. He patted his shoulder and said, ¡°a man knows when to yield and when to stand tall. As long as we can earn some profits, nothing else matters.¡± .. In the middle of July, a seasonal watermelon called the small Qilin melon suddenly entered the fruit market of Hui city. It became popular quickly, attracting people to fight for it. The small watermelons, which cost eight Yuan each, only weighed two to three catties. The price would leave ordinary people speechless. What was even more shocking was that it was so expensive, but it was not something that could be bought just because one wanted to. The major fruit shops were even limiting the number of fruits they could buy! One person could only buy one at a time! Even so, a long line of people wanted to buy watermelons. In the residential buildings, residential areas, streets, and alleys of the city, people could occasionally hear discussions about the little Qilin melons. ¡°Oh my God, a watermelon costs eight Yuan! And he¡¯s so small! I don¡¯t understand why so many people are fighting to buy it. Isn¡¯t it good for me to buy four catties of meat for eight Yuan?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t understand the thoughts of rich people. The candy boxes in the department store that cost 100 yuan each should be expensive enough, right? Aren¡¯t they still out of stock? And that special supply of apples, five or six Yuan for two or three apples per 500 grams, is not expensive? Did the high-end fruit store still sell high-quality goods? In the end, it¡¯s not that no one buys it, but we can¡¯t afford it. ¡± ¡°You can¡¯t say that. The small Qilin melon is expensive, but we can afford it. I¡¯m going to buy one later and give it to my daughter. She got married not long ago, so giving her a small Qilin melon is a good sign.¡± ¡°Yo, you¡¯re looking forward to carrying a grandson! However, the small Qilin melon was really good at giving gifts. Just the words ¡®giving children brings good fortune, promoting wealth and promotion¡¯ written on the gift box packaging was enough to bring luck. Many people in my unit bought these watermelons and secretly gave them to their leaders!¡± Ma Chunlan walked out of the tube-shaped building. When she heard the discussion at the entrance, she curled her lips. Was the watermelon that cost 8 Yuan embedded with gold? He even bragged about good luck and a good omen, purely to fool a fool. Only a fool would rush to buy it if his brain was damaged. Opposite the apartment building, the floral shirt guy waved at her from his motorcycle. Ma Chunlan quickly walked over, forcing a smile on her face. ¡°Why are you here?¡± She had just heard from the people in the building that someone was looking for her, and she was wondering who it was. He didn¡¯t expect them to be his cousins whom he hadn¡¯t seen for years. .. Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s here to borrow money? ¡°I went to the city to do something, so I came to see you.¡± The floral shirt guy made an excuse and handed over the bag of fruit hanging on the handlebars. ¡°Sis, is the staff building behind my brother-in-law¡¯s worplace? Tsk, tsk, it has six floors, impressive!¡± ¡°Nah no way to be impressive? It¡¯s an old building that has been around for many years. There are more than a dozen households on one floor, and it¡¯s so crowded that you can even hear the farts of the neighbors.¡± Ma Chunlan opened the bag and took a look. A piece of red apple that cost 1.2 yuan per 500 grams was acceptable. ¡°Not to mention living quality, my brother-in-law has a good job. He¡¯s an employee of a big food factory and has a secure job! Everyone in the village is envious!¡± A few words of praise made Ma Chunlan feel smug. That¡¯s true. Because the man in her family had a job that he wouldn¡¯t lose, she had been the envy of the other families in the village for the past few years. The floral shirt guy had flattered her enough. He changed the topic and smiled. ¡°Sis, to be honest, I came here this time to ask you for help.¡± ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t come here without reason.¡± Ma Chunlan snorted. ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s the matter? ¡± ¡°Do you know about the small Qilin melons that have been selling like crazy in the city recently?¡± The floral shirt guy quickly explained the situation and said, ¡°we just want to get in touch with Song Yueliang and do business in the city in the future. Sister, I won¡¯t let you work for anything if you can do this. I¡¯ll give you this amount.¡± The floral shirt guy gestured with his fingers and stuffed a note into Ma Chunlan¡¯s hands. ¡°This is my pager number. Sis, I¡¯ll be waiting for your good news.¡± The motorcycle roared away. Ma Chunlan held the note in her hand, her face still filled with shock and confusion. After she came back to her senses, she walked towards the apartment. .. The food factory assigned the Tian family a very small house with one bedroom and one living room. The four people of the Tian family could barely live in it. This was because Tian Fumin was only a small secretary, and he had bribed the factory manager to get the apartment. Usually, Tian Fumin and Ma Chunlan would sleep in the bedroom, while old Mrs. Tian and her grandson, Tian Xiaohu, would sleep in the living room. There was no kitchen, so every family in the building had a gas stove in the corridor and a simple stove to make do with cooking. When Ma Chunlan returned home, old Mrs. Tian and her grandson were in the living room, enjoying the cool air with a fan. When Ma Chunlan explained the matter, old woman Tian¡¯s face also fell. ¡°You want me to look for Song Yueliang to talk about matchmaking? How much do you think my old face is worth? I¡¯ve already used up all my favors when looking for jobs for Fumin!¡± Old Mrs. Tian scolded, ¡°don¡¯t hang out with your cousin in the future. He¡¯s not a decent person!¡± Ma Chunlan knew that the old woman didn¡¯t like her cousin, so she didn¡¯t invite him to her house. In the end, she could not bear to part with the money, so she said again, ¡°Mom, you can¡¯t say that. Look at Fumin working alone in the city. If something happened, they didn¡¯t even have anyone to help. If my cousin goes into the city to do business in the future, I can ask him for help when I need it, right?¡± ¡°He¡¯s just a loafer. Do we need his help?¡± Old Mrs. Tian was furious. She pointed at Ma Chunlan¡¯s nose and said in a low voice, ¡°don¡¯t you have a brain? Don¡¯t you think about who Song Yueliang is? She is a person you can¡¯t mess with you! If she finds out about that incident, even the lives of our family won¡¯t be enough to pay for it!¡± Chapter 35 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation Ma Chunlan¡¯s temper was not easy to get along with. Now that she was being pointed at and called stupid, her anger was provoked. She carried her son, Tian Xiaohu, over and turned to sit on the small folding stool next to her. ¡°Mom, are you scaring yourself too much?¡± She said in a mocking tone. ¡°This was a society ruled by law. How could she, Song Yueliang, do as she pleased? Is she the god of the heavens?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not the emperor, but she¡¯s a lunatic! At the age of nineteen, she dared to take someone¡¯s life with a brick just because of a joke, and that person was her brother! She hit him on the head and left him in the hospital for half a month!¡± Mrs. Tian gritted her teeth and looked at Ma Chunlan with her old eyes dark and cold. ¡°Do you think your life is tough enough? Or do you think you can afford the hospital?¡± Ma Chunlan was speechless. Ma Chunlan¡¯s back turned cold. She could only try to save some face with her words. ¡°That little brat has long become a pile of bones. Even if she finds any clues, she won¡¯t be able to find any evidence. What can she do to us? ¡± Mrs. Tian lay down on the wire bed in the hall, closed her eyes, and no longer spoke. The Tian family¡¯s living room fell silent. Ma Chunlan looked at her son, who was fast asleep in her arms, and suddenly thought of the little brat she had pushed down the mountain. At that time, she was swept down the mountain by a strange wind, and the matter was so strange that it scared her, causing her to not be able to confirm the little brat¡¯s condition. After entering the city, she had not eaten or slept well for half a month. She was on tenterhooks, afraid that the police would come to her door one day. It had been more than a month since the incident, and everything had been calm from beginning to end. Ma Chunlan¡¯s heart gradually calmed down. The little rascal should have died at the bottom of the cliff and turned into a skeleton. ¡°I just went to the fruit market to buy watermelons. My god, the shop selling small Qilin watermelons is full of people and they¡¯re going crazy! How much do you think these sellers earn in a day?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t dare to say it. I¡¯ll be scared to death if I knew the amount. And the melons were also limited. If there¡¯s no limit ¡­.¡± The woman¡¯s idle chatter came from outside the door. Ma Chunlan was extremely annoyed and went over to close the door with a bang. .. The wholesale market is in the west of the city, in the office on the third floor. ¡°Miss, a few more business partners have called to request a large order of the small Qilin melons. At this rate, our warehouse will be emptied in less than ten days.¡± Mr. Dong handed the account book to Dong Wangshu, feeling both worried and happy. The supply of small Qilin melons was in short supply, so as a wholesaler, he was naturally happy. However, it wasn¡¯t a good thing to sell too quickly. If the signature product was sold out all at once, what would be the main selling point? ¡°Limiting the selling quantity, it must be limited! In the future, we¡¯ll only produce up to 4000 watermelons a day. Furthermore, these watermelons will be given to the large wholesalers on that day first. Each household will have a fixed supply of 500 watermelons a day.¡± Dong Wangshu looked at the daily income on the account book and couldn¡¯t stop smiling. She knew that it was right to believe in Yue Yue. Just the advertisement slogan of ¡®sending in a son and good fortune¡¯ and ¡®promoting wealth¡¯ alone, the small Qilin melon was a good gift. Under the one-child policy, those who were about to give birth to children would buy a small Qilin melon to eat for themselves. These melons were meant for pregnant women, for their wives, for their daughter-in-law ¡­ If it was you, would you buy it? Definitely! He would rather eat less meat than buy a melon! Regardless of whether the meaning was true or not, there was comfort and hope in his heart. Besides, when it came to giving blessings, urging for promotions, and visiting the bride, it was inevitable that he would send a small Qilin melon to the elders and leaders. With face, he could also make the elders and leaders happy. Moreover, the taste of the small Qilin melon was really amazing. Therefore, when the small Qilin melon was on the market, there was only one word to describe it ¡ª insanely. First of all, these melons meant good blessings, and second of all, they were good gifts. Thirdly, the melons were addicting since the taste was amazing!! The small Qilin melons became famous overnight. With the popularity of the small Qilin melons, the sales of other fruits and vegetables in the Dong family¡¯s wholesale market had increased by a large margin. Although no one could say what would happen in the future, but this quarter, the Dong family¡¯s wholesale performance had firmly suppressed their peers. If they could take advantage of this momentum, it would only be a matter of time before they became the leader of the wholesale market. Dong Wangshu was so awesome that he picked up the phone and dialed,¡±Yue Yue, I¡¯ve made a fortune these days! Can you guess how much I earn every day?¡± On the other end, the woman¡¯s voice was faint. ¡°After deducting the costs of packaging, transportation, and labor, you make about three Yuan a melon. You can buy a small piece of land in the industrial area in the north of the city from me. Do you need it, Wangwang?¡± Dong Wangshu hung up the phone, ¡°you can call me uncle. Goodbye!¡± Snorting, Dong Wangshu continued to smile until her teeth could be seen. On the account of her good fortune, she forgave her for being rude! After repeatedly looking at the numbers in the account book several times, Dong Wangshu laughed out loud. She saw countless big groups waving at her. On the other side, after hanging up the phone, Song Yueliang looked up and saw a shelf selling children¡¯s clothing in the department store. She had just gotten off work and walked into the department store when she passed by it. The saleswoman behind the counter looked at the mobile phone in her hand and put on a warm smile. ¡°Miss, would you like to look at children¡¯s clothing? The children¡¯s clothing that we sell is all imported from foreign trade. Whether it is the quality or the style, they are all first-class! I wonder if your family has a girl or a boy?¡± ¡°A girl.¡± Song Yueliang paused. ¡°Four and a half years old.¡± ¡°What do you think of these? Princess dress, bright and cute colors, most little girls like this. We¡¯ve already sold many sets!¡± By the time they walked out of the department store, Song Yueliang¡¯s hands were already filled with bags of all sizes, all of which were clothes for little girls. She got into the car and sat in the driver¡¯s seat. Song Yueliang didn¡¯t move for a long time. In the end, she raised her hand to cover her eyes and laughed at herself. What was she doing? No matter how expensive and beautiful the things were, Qiqi would not want them. All these things added together could not be compared to the shirt that Granny Zhang made for Qiqi. The car started and drove away quickly in the noontime noise. .. ¡°Granny, what are we going to town for?¡± On the front rail of the bicycle, Qiqi twisted her small body and talked to the old woman sitting in the back seat. Chen Jianhe held the handle and held the little girl. ¡°Qiqi, don¡¯t twist around. Be careful not to fall.¡± Qiqi quickly sat down obediently. She put her little hand on the handle, pursed her lips, and her eyes were bright. In the back seat, Zhang Xifeng was all smiles. She was in an extremely good mood. ¡°Let¡¯s go to town today to buy new clothes for Qiqi.¡± After selling the sweet potatoes, she would have some money in her hands. She would take advantage of today¡¯s market day to bring the child out to play. Qiqi looked at the shirt she was wearing. ¡°Granny, I have clothes. I don¡¯t need to buy them. I like the one you made for me.¡± ¡°Which little kid doesn¡¯t like new clothes? The clothes sold in the town are pretty in color, and there are also small flowers.¡± ¡°I think the one Granny made for me is the best.¡± The little girl had a shy and soft personality, but sometimes she could be extremely stubborn. ¡°This silly girl.¡± Zhang Xifeng criticized him, but the smile at the corner of her eyes deepened. The afternoon sun was very strong, as if it was going to grill people, but it could not stop the happy smiles on the three people¡¯s faces. Chapter 36 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation Every first, fourth, or seventh of the month was the market day in Kunlu town. On these days, people from the surrounding villages would come to the market. The bicycle storage area at the intersection of the town was packed with bicycles. There were long lines of stalls on both sides of the road, selling sugar canes, steamed buns, cold noodles, sewing machines to help people change clothes, and sunshades to sell cigarettes ¡­ There was a dazzling array of people. Qiqi¡¯s eyes almost couldn¡¯t keep looking. The excitement and curiosity on her little face didn¡¯t disappear after entering the market. ¡°Eggie, there are so many people. It¡¯s so lively!¡± Following Zhang Xifeng closely, Qiqi sighed as she walked. The little egg-man raised his eyebrows. ¡°It¡¯s indeed lively.¡± It wasn¡¯t that he had never seen a crowded occasion. There were also crowded scenes in the capital city where he lived, but the atmosphere was completely different. The people¡¯s lives here were filled with a city atmosphere they had never seen before. It was backward, poor, and complex but full of vitality. Even the scorching sun above their heads could not suppress the bright smiles on their faces. Because it was market day, almost half of the main road was occupied by pedestrians. The buses and buses that passed by could only move slowly on the road and honk their horns desperately. Chen Jianhe relied on his height to protect the old and young as he led the way. Zhang Xifeng held Qiqi¡¯s small hand tightly. As they walked, she reminded her, ¡°Qiqi, you must follow Granny closely. You can¡¯t run around on your own.¡± Qiqi nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± She knew that there were too many people on the street. If she ran around, her Granny would not be able to find her. Zhang Xifeng smiled and walked to the roadside teahouse with Qiqi. They walked past the tiny sewing machine stall and went back. That was the largest and only supply and marketing cooperative (co-op) in Zhuolu Town. At this time, the supply and marketing cooperative was still state-owned. The quality of the things sold inside was not bad, and many customers were coming in and out. The supply and marketing cooperative was very large. Long glass counters were arranged in a U-shape along three walls, and a salesperson was behind each counter. Qiqi looked around the counter, and her eyes were dazzled again. There were many things: thermos bottles, enamel mugs, washbasins, light bulbs, needle and thread boxes, bundles of cloth, and loose candies ¡­ There were ready-made clothes of different colors and styles on the wall behind the counter. ¡°Comrade, how much are the floral shirt and the pants?¡± ¡°The shirt is eight Yuan, and the pants are five Yuan.¡± ¡°Can it be cheaper?¡± ¡°The shirt and pants cost at least 12.50 yuan.¡± Qiqi was still looking at the goods when she heard her Granny¡¯s voice. She was so scared that she looked up immediately. She did not even look at the clothes. ¡°Granny, I don¡¯t want to buy clothes. I have clothes to wear. Let¡¯s go ¡­umm!¡± Zhang Xifeng covered the child¡¯s mouth and continued to bargain with the salesperson. Can you make it any cheaper? I want one more of my child¡¯s undershirt.¡± Behind the counter, the salesperson¡¯s voice was calm, and she was already a little impatient. ¡°The vest is three dollars, no bargaining. The lowest price for the other set is twelve dollars. If you want it, take it. If you don¡¯t want it, move to the side. There are still people behind who want to buy something.¡± Chen Jianhe looked at the salesperson and frowned, but he was helpless. Most supply and marketing club people had this attitude when they sold goods. Over time, everyone had gotten used to it. He said to Zhang Xifeng, ¡°Aunt, let¡¯s buy it. I¡¯ll pay for it. I haven¡¯t bought anything for Qiqi since she came to our village. As he spoke, he took out the money from his shirt pocket. Zhang Xifeng smacked his hand away and scolded, ¡°this is the first time you¡¯re buying something for Qiqi. Would you like to get it first?¡± At this point, Chen Jianhe naturally did not dare to snatch anymore. ¡°Comrade, this is 15 yuan. I¡¯ll take that set of clothes and the tank top.¡± She took out a bundle of rolled-up notes from the inner pocket of her pants, carefully counted fifteen dollars, and handed it over. After the transaction was completed, Qiqi still stood there with her mouth trembling and her heart aching. The two mu of sweet potatoes were only sold for 213.70 Yuan, and two sets of clothes for her cost 15 yuan! That wasn¡¯t all. While her heart ached, Zhang Xifeng bought her a pair of sandals, a toothbrush, a new towel, a cup, two red flower hairbands, and a piece of lard candy. The total price was 6.80 yuan. When she walked out of the supply and marketing shop, Qiqi was like a ghost. She quietly covered her heart. She had to work hard to earn more money. The Granny spent way too much. Different from Qiqi¡¯s discomfort, Zhang Xifeng was beaming. Although she had spent a lot of money, she was happy, and her heart was filled with satisfaction. She had lived alone for so many years. Now, she finally had Qiqi by her side, whom she could spend money on and care for. Her days had become interesting, and she had something to look forward to! The vegetable market was on the opposite side of the supply and marketing cooperative, walking up a small steep slope along the roadside. The vegetable farmers sat on both sides of the aisle, selling all kinds of vegetables they had grown. After passing through the vegetable stall and walking back, there was a shed stall made of tile and wood, selling pork, chicken, duck, fish, and so on. Zhang Xifeng planned to cut half a catty of ribs and go home to make stewed ribs with potatoes for Qiqi. Because Chen Jianhe still had other things to buy, he had to go to the other side of the market and temporarily separate from Zhang Xifeng and Qiqi. The two sides agreed to meet at the bicycle warehouse. The weather was too hot. Zhang Xifeng was worried that she would tire Qiqi out after walking on the street for so long under the hot sun. In addition, there was plenty of time, so she was not in a hurry to buy. She simply took Qiqi to the shade before the shed and rested. Other than the two of them, many people were sitting beside them, resting their feet and enjoying the cool air. Since they were sitting together, regardless of whether they knew each other or not, they could still chat with each other. As they talked, the topic came to Taoxi village. ¡°Their village has made a fortune this year. The small watermelons, two to three catties each, are sold for fifty cents. They¡¯re worth more than the big watermelons that we grow!¡± ¡°I heard that their watermelons are directly sold to the city. They¡¯re so lucky!¡± ¡°Yesterday, someone from our village returned from the city and said there¡¯s a small Qilin melon there selling like crazy. Can you guess how much one costs? Eight yuan, eight yuan! I guess it¡¯s from Taoxi village!¡± Everyone around them gasped; some people were so envious that their eyes turned red. ¡°It must be the watermelons from Taoxi village! Only their lousy place could grow small melons! Not only did they sell watermelons at a good price, but they even sold sweet potatoes at three cents per 500 grams!¡± ¡°The sweet potatoes we sold this year are only worth two cents at most! I¡¯m afraid that Taoxi village will have a comeback in the future.¡± At this moment, a sweet and soft voice rang out from the crowd. It was innocent and coquettish. ¡°Granny, is a small watermelon worth fifty cents more than a big watermelon? How much is the big melon?¡± The old woman who was questioned said in a gentle voice, ¡°the big and small melons weigh five to six catties, and the big ones weigh seven to eight catties, even eight to nine catties. This year, the price of watermelons here is eight cents per 500 grams. The cost of big watermelons ranges from 40 to 70 to 80 cents. The money we make from one acre of land is only more than that of Taoxi village, no less.¡± ¡°Since everyone is earning as much as Taoxi village, why is everyone envious of Taoxi village? ¡± The old woman smiled, held the child¡¯s hand, stood up, and left. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll go home after buying some more groceries.¡± The old lady and the child left, leaving behind a group of people still in a daze. No one said anything for a while, but the jealousy in their eyes slowly faded. Wasn¡¯t that so? They earned as much as Taoxi village, so what was there to be envious of? Besides, a watermelon that cost eight yuan would produce profit for the wholesaler who collected watermelons. Taoxi village had nothing to do with it. Chapter 37 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation Zhang Xifeng didn¡¯t answer Qiqi¡¯s question directly. When they were far away, she explained to Qiqi, ¡°people are like this sometimes. When other people were not doing well, they would sigh, pity, gloat, and have a sense of superiority. But they¡¯ll be jealous and disappointed once someone else is doing well. They won¡¯t want others to do better than them.¡± ¡°Our Taoxi village has been poor for decades. In some people¡¯s eyes, we should continue to be poor. Qiqi didn¡¯t understand. Her little face was full of confusion. ¡°Why? ¡± ¡°Because they can¡¯t accept someone who has always been worse than them suddenly stepping on their heads.¡± Zhang Xifeng smiled and touched the child¡¯s head. ¡°You¡¯ll understand when you grow up. This is human nature.¡± Looking at the old lady who turned around to bargain with the butcher, Qiqi¡¯s mind was still in a daze. Those words were beyond her comprehension. She listened very carefully, but she still couldn¡¯t understand ¡­ ¡°Eggie, what is human nature?¡± ¡°Look to the right. That¡¯s human nature.¡± The little egg-man responded in a casual tone. Qiqi¡¯s head was full of question marks. Before she could turn her head to look, she heard a heavy object fall to the ground. It was a young man who looked like a hooligan. He was wearing a shirt and jeans. He was lying on the ground with twisted facial features and stiff fingers. The strangest thing was that his long hair had all exploded. It was as if he had been electrocuted. Something slipped out of his pocket as the young man fell to the ground. There were a few bundles of money, some wrapped in rubber bands, some in transparent plastic bags, and some dressed in a half-scattered handkerchief. There was a moment of silence, followed by exclamations and curses. ¡°That¡¯s my handkerchief! There were 17 Yuan and 20 cents inside! Why did it fall out of his body?¡± ¡°Damn it. This person is a thief! He also stole my money, and the rubber band was mine!¡± The crowd reacted quickly and rushed forward to catch the thief and claim their money. Zhang Xifeng had already picked up Qiqi when she heard her falling to the ground and retreated to the side. At this time, listening to the people scolding her for being a thief, she quickly touched her pocket. The money was still there. Only then did she heave a sigh of relief. She had brought 50 yuan with her this time, and after spending some, she still had more than 20 yuan left. It was not a small amount. At this moment, Qiqi¡¯s eyes were dull, and there were more question marks on her head than before. ¡°This man has been following you since the supply and marketing cooperative. I¡¯ve been waiting for him to make a move.¡± The little egg-man crossed his arms and sneered. As the saying goes, the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. This oriole had become impatient, so when it attacked, it deliberately used a bit of force. He would probably be shaking for a few more minutes. ¡°Eggie, will he ¡­ Will he die?¡± The child asked in a trembling voice. The little egg-man rolled its eyes. ¡°The system can¡¯t kill! I just electrocuted him. Why would he die? Do I look like a murderer?¡± ¡°¡­..¡±A moment later, the child¡¯s voice suddenly rose. ¡°Eggie, you can discharge electricity?!¡± ¡°Oh, yeah.¡± The little egg-man said casually. ¡°I can release electricity once I collected enough energy¡± ¡°..¡± Qiqi, ¡°???¡± The crowd took back their money and sent the thief, who was still shaking, to the town police station. Qiqi thought that things would end here. She didn¡¯t expect that it was just the beginning. It was unknown whether the little egg-man had found joy or his eyes were red with killing intent. After that, every once in a while, someone near Qiqi would fall to the ground. Every time someone fell to the ground, the little egg-man would add a slogan in a cold and indifferent voice. ¡°I¡¯ve seen injustice on the road.¡± ¡°Punish the evil.¡± ¡°To serve the people.¡± ¡°Fight for justice.¡± Qiqi, ¡°¡­¡­¡± Qiqi was tired and wanted to eat a five-cent popsicle. Zhang Xifeng was worried that her child would be hungry, so she bought her a popsicle and a bowl of water cake. The water cake steamed out of the small bowl was brown and translucent. It was soft and bouncy and had a light sweetness to it. It was incredibly delicious. The food wasn¡¯t expensive, and the child ate with a smile. By the time Chen Jianhe had finished shopping and rushed to meet up with them, the sun was already setting. ¡°Here, Qiqi. This is the fried oil fried rice that is only sold on market day. It¡¯s wrapped in white sugar. It¡¯s delicious.¡± Chen Jianhe also bought some snacks for Qiqi. Zhang Xifeng took the fried oil dumpling and smiled. ¡°I wanted to buy it for Qiqi to try, but she thought it was expensive and didn¡¯t let me buy it.¡± ¡°Qiqi is sensible. She doesn¡¯t like to squander money.¡± Chen Jianhe patted Qiqi¡¯s head. ¡°If you want it, eat it. Second uncle will buy it for you!¡± On the way back, the adults talked about the strange things in the market today. They were all inexplicable, and I felt that it was weird. In just half a day, five thieves had been sent to the police station, and all five of them had been found out when they had fallen to the ground. Qiqi sat on the front rail of the bicycle. She pursed her lips and straightened her back, not daring to make a sound. Only she knew that this was Eggie¡¯s work. Yes, it was a good thing. To serve the people! When the three of them returned to the entrance of Taoxi village, it was already sunset. Near the river at the village entrance, seeing that the children who went to herd cows had not returned home, they waved and greeted Qiqi from afar. Seeing this, Chen Jianhe simply put Qiqi down and let her play with her friends for a while before returning. Zhang Xifeng didn¡¯t have any objections. She happily took a basket of things and went home to cook first. ¡°Qiqi, what did you buy in town? Did you bring any food?¡± As soon as Qiqi got off the car, Huazi and a few other turnips rushed over. ¡°Yes, there¡¯s the deep-fried dough that the Second Uncle bought and the lard candy that Granny bought. I¡¯ve left some for Granny. You can eat the rest.¡± Qiqi smiled and opened the bag of snacks for her friends to take. In an instant, the bag of snacks was emptied. The children sat on the grass by the road, eating and laughing, each little face shining brightly. Qiqi also sat beside them, feeling joy, relaxed and comfortable. She looked around and felt a little strange. ¡°Why is brother Tiejun not here? ¡± Huazi replied casually, ¡°his parents came back today. That kid is so happy that he doesn¡¯t even look at the cows. He¡¯s stuck to them at home the whole day as if he hasn¡¯t been weaned.¡± Qiqi arched her eyebrows. ¡°Brother Huazi, you are the same age as brother Doggie.¡± ¡°Doggie hasn¡¯t weaned off milk, and neither has Huazi.¡± Hahaha! the other kids immediately jeered. Huazi stuffed the last mouthful of the snack into his mouth and reached out to grab the people who laughed at him with his oily hands. Qiqi was the first to bear the oily hands, and her little face was smeared with several oil marks. After dinner and a bath, Qiqi changed into a beautiful floral shirt and light-colored pants. She combed her hair, and her chubby little face was delicate and beautiful. She was even more likable than the doll in the portrait. ¡°Qiqi! Qiqi!¡± A call came from outside the wattled yard. Qiqi ran out in a hurry. With the light from the central room, she recognized that the person who called her was Doggie. The little boy puffed out his chest and raised his head high. He was very smug. ¡°My parents are back. They brought me some chestnut cakes that can only be found in a city far away! I¡¯ll give you two!¡± Chapter 38 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation She took two pieces of chestnut cake from Doggie, and Qiqi was not stingy. She returned a bunch of loquats. The two little ones sat in the courtyard, eating and chatting. The night sky of the village was gorgeous. It was full of stars, and the moonlight was bright. The children chatted and laughed from time to time, and the quiet courtyard became lively. Zhang Xifeng carried a stool and sat at the door of the central room. She fanned herself with a cattail-leaf fan, a faint smile on her face. Such days were really good. ¡°My dad said that the big city over there has an ocean. It¡¯s so big that you can¡¯t see the end of it. The waves come from the ocean and can flip people over!¡± ¡°In the past, they would only come back during the new year and leave after the new year. My mom said that I¡¯ve grown taller than last year. Isn¡¯t that obvious? If I don¡¯t grow taller, won¡¯t I become a dwarf?¡± ¡°Once they come back, they are in charge of everything. You can¡¯t eat less, and you can¡¯t shower later. Especially my mom; women are good at nagging, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°It¡¯s great talking to you. I have to go back. My mom told me to go to bed at eight. If I don¡¯t listen to her, she will twist my ears and spin them!¡± Doggie didn¡¯t play for long before he left in a hurry. Qiqi suspected that he had come here to show off. Moreover, the person who said that he wanted to go back to sleep did not walk in the direction of his home. Qiqi saw him turn into a small fork on the left, which was the direction to Huazi¡¯s house. Qiqi took the small stool from the courtyard into the central room and stuffed a piece of chestnut cake the size of two fingers into her Granny¡¯s mouth. She squatted by the old woman¡¯s feet, tasting the chestnut cake, and smiled with her eyes curved. ¡°Granny, brother Doggie is very happy today.¡± Zhang Xifeng waved her fan around the child several times to drive away the mosquitoes, and her smile stretched. ¡°How can I not be happy? It was a child¡¯s nature to love their parents. Every year during the new year, the children in the village are the happiest when the people who work outside come back.¡± Qiqi was stunned and didn¡¯t speak. Two blurry faces appeared in her mind. The clearest one was their gloomy and mean eyes. It was the image of them raising their clubs and hitting her. ¡°Eggie, is it in a child¡¯s nature to love their parents? But I don¡¯t seem to be like this ¡­¡± Qiqi pursed her lips and lowered her eyelashes to hide the sadness in her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t miss them at all. Am I a bad child? ¡± The little child squatted there. His figure was thin and small, like a tiny ball. She was depressed and lost, like a little beast who had lost its way in the rain. She stood in the mud, her eyes full of sadness and hurt. The little egg-man looked at the little figure and suddenly wanted to reach out and stroke her head. ¡°You¡¯re good.¡± He said. ¡°Really? But I don¡¯t miss mom and dad.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± The cold teenager¡¯s voice of Eggie gently entered the child¡¯s ears. He said, ¡°they were too awful.¡± A gust of wind rose in the room and brushed the child¡¯s hair. The force was the same as the young man¡¯s voice, with awkward gentleness. The child blinked, pursed her lips, and chuckled. She turned around and buried her head in the old lady¡¯s knees. ¡°Qiqi doesn¡¯t have parents. It¡¯s enough for Qiqi to have Granny.¡± She added sweetly in her heart, ¡°I only need Granny and Eggie.¡± The little egg-man lay back with his arms as a pillow and the corners of his mouth curled up. Hmph, what a sweet-tongued little bootlicker. .. In the morning, before Qiqi opened her eyes, she heard a sudden Pata Pata Pata sound coming from the roof. It was like a loud Gong and an overwhelming sound. The rain in July came as it wished and was urgent and dramatic. The window in the room was not closed, and half of the wooden table by the window was wet instantly. The Zhang family¡¯s house had been around for a long time, and the roof tiles were loose in many places, revealing cracks and causing the rain to pour in. The old and the young immediately got out of bed, found the basin and bucket at home, and placed them in the leaking place. Otherwise, the ground would be dripping with water in a short time. During this period, Chen Jianhe and a few other old men from the village rushed over with raincoats and hats. They set up ladders and braved the rain to help repair the roof. Seeing that the rain in the house was gradually decreasing, Zhang Xifeng heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to your help. Otherwise, when the rain stops, I won¡¯t have any place to stand in this house.¡± ¡°We¡¯re all from the same village. There¡¯s no need to be so polite.¡± The old man standing on the staircase at the entrance of the central room said, ¡°Jianhe had discussed with us before. They planned to repair your roof as soon as possible. Later, we were busy selling melons, and it was delayed. Who knew that the rain would fall so suddenly and so heavily?¡± ¡°It looks like the rain won¡¯t stop for a while. It¡¯s just in time to fill our fields with water. This joke made everyone laugh.¡± While they were chatting, a voice suddenly came from a distance through the rain. ¡°Dad, Mom!¡± ¡°Daddy!¡± ¡°You guys, come back!!¡± ¡°Mom! Come back!¡± The cry was hoarse and heart-wrenching. Qiqi listened carefully and frowned. ¡°Granny, it seems to be brother Tiejun.¡± Zhang Xifeng could also tell, and worry appeared in her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why is he crying like this? I¡¯ll go take a look!¡± ¡°Wait, there¡¯s no need to go. The little boy is throwing a tantrum.¡± The old man on the stars sighed and said, ¡°his parents must go back to work. They left early this morning, before dawn. They were worried that the child would make a fuss, so they didn¡¯t dare to tell him and left quietly.¡± ¡°What do you think they¡¯re thinking? If you leave quietly because you¡¯re afraid the child will make a fuss, won¡¯t the child be even sadder when he wakes up and can¡¯t find his parents?¡± Another man said. After saying that, everyone was silent. Situations like Doggie¡¯s were not uncommon in the village. Many people went out to work in the village. Most of them went to the coastal cities in the neighboring provinces. Due to the distance and the expensive round-trip fare, they could only come back once a year during the new year. The children were so happy to have their parents by their side during the new year, but they cried so sad when they parted after the new year. But what could he do? Life was not easy. It was tough to live in poverty. Who would be willing to be separated from their flesh and blood if they had a choice? They all had no choice. Qiqi leaned against the door of the central room and looked out of the room. The rain was like a curtain, falling heavily and rapidly, creating a misty mist in the air. The sky was gloomy, and the whole world seemed trapped in the heavy rain. It was hushed. Even that tender cry gradually weakened in the heavy rain and was finally buried by the sound of the rain. A figure draped in a raindrop cloth appeared in a hurry outside the Zhang family¡¯s courtyard. ¡°Aunt Zhang, did Doggie come to your place? ¡± It was Grandma Doggie. Perhaps she had come out in a hurry, so she didn¡¯t even wear a rain hat and only covered her head with the rain cloth. The rain drenched her face, and her gray hair stuck messily on her face. Water droplets dripped down her old look, but she couldn¡¯t care less. Her eyes were full of worry and anxiety. Zhang Xifeng walked outside under the eaves and also became anxious. ¡°He didn¡¯t come over. What happened? did the child run out?¡± Doggie¡¯s grandma nodded her head and wiped the rain off her face. ¡°This child has a bad temper. I asked a few families along the way. But I couldn¡¯t find him. It¡¯s raining so heavily. Why is he running around ¡­ Sigh, I¡¯ll go to other houses to look!¡± ¡°Wait, I¡¯ll get you a rain hat.¡± As Zhang Xifeng spoke, she was about to take the rain hat. Outside the courtyard, Doggie¡¯s grandma had already left in a hurry. She couldn¡¯t even wait to put on a rain hat. Chapter 39 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation Zhang Xifeng stood under the eaves of the corridor for a long time before turning around and returning to the house. The leaking places in the central room were fixed little by little, and the adults began to chat about Doggie¡¯s family. It was still raining outside, and the rain didn¡¯t slow down. The mist was boundless. The raindrops created small puddles on the ground. Qiqi stood by the door for a moment. She pursed her lips and returned to the room to get the umbrella from the corner. ¡°Granny, I¡¯m going to look for brother Tiejun. I¡¯ll be back soon!¡± ¡°Nonsense! Aren¡¯t you afraid that the rain will wash you away?¡± Zhang Xifeng jumped up in fright and reached out to grab the umbrella. ¡°If we have to look for someone, it should be Granny.¡± Qiqi dodged. The road is very slippery in the rain. ¡°If I fall when I go out, I still have Granny to take care of me. If Granny falls, Qiqi won¡¯t be able to take care of her.¡± After a pause, the child continued, ¡°if we ask other adults to take care of me, wouldn¡¯t we be troubling them?¡± Zhang Xifeng was speechless. ¡°We can¡¯t cause trouble for others, so don¡¯t run around, Granny. Stay at home and wait for me to come back.¡± After the child gave her serious instructions, her petite figure quickly rushed into the rain. Zhang Xifeng¡¯s old face began to Twitch. After a while, she tried to hold back her laughter and scolded, ¡°I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s protecting me or angering me!¡± A few old men who had heard the conversation couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°You should be happy to have such a sensible and filial child!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go to the kitchen to make ginger soup and boil water. When the child comes back, she¡¯ll take a bath, or she¡¯ll catch a cold.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, go on. You don¡¯t need to take care of this place.¡± .. The rainwater on the ground had already formed a stream, and it was muddy. Every step he took would be covered with mud. Qiqi clutched the handle of the umbrella tightly and walked towards the entrance of the village with difficulty. She remembered that brother Doggie would permanently hide the best when they played hide-and-seek, and no one could find him. Later, when they got along, he secretly shared his secret hideout with her. At the village entrance near the foot of the mountain, in the hole of an old tree with rotten roots. The path in that direction was usually deserted, and the road was narrow and slippery. In addition, the rain was too heavy to see. Qiqi fell twice and rolled all over in the mud. In front of the tree hole, Qiqi saw the little boy¡¯s figure. Instead of hiding in the tree hole, he squatted next to it and curled up. He didn¡¯t move. Qiqi didn¡¯t call for help. She walked over and held the umbrella over the little boy¡¯s head. Sensing that the rain had stopped, the little boy raised his head, his eyes red and swollen. Perhaps it was because someone had seen him in such a sorry state. The little boy was furious and shouted fiercely, ¡°What are you doing here?!¡± Qiqi pursed her lips and said softly, ¡°Uncle-grandpa and Uncle-grandma are looking for you. Go back, brother Tiejun.¡± ¡°None of your business!¡± The little boy turned around and hugged himself into a ball, ignoring the doll standing beside him. The child quieted down and did not speak again. He just tried his best to shield the little boy with the umbrella and even moved it to block the wind that was blowing in at an angle for him. As the umbrella shifted, her petite back was exposed to the heavy rain and instantly drenched. In the sea of consciousness, the little egg-man frowned. ¡°Are you stupid? It¡¯s raining so heavily. If he wants to be in the rain, just let him be. Why do you care? You¡¯re even holding an umbrella for him!¡± ¡°Who likes to be in the rain? Brother Tiejun is just being stubborn.¡± The child looked at the umbrella in her hand, pursed her lips, and smiled. ¡°He must want an umbrella now, so I came.¡± ¡°How do you know what he wants?¡± ¡°Because when I was drenched in the rain in the past, I always wished an umbrella would fly over my head.¡± Under the heavy rain, the umbrella seemed particularly small. However, the space under the umbrella was warm, which was the opposite of the cold rain. The little egg-man¡¯s eyes were indifferent as he looked at the child, still smiling foolishly even though he was drenched. A moment later, an invisible barrier appeared around the little girl, isolating her from the raindrops. [Di di di! Warning! Warning!] [The mainframe has detected that the system is using its basic energy again. This is a serious violation. Punishment will be initiated immediately!] At the same time, the warning sounded, and the little egg-man flew out of the sea of consciousness and floated next to the little doll¡¯s head. It crossed its arms and sneered smugly. ¡°This again? You still want to electrocute me? Now that I¡¯m flying out, I¡¯ll see how you will make me conduct electricity on the ground!¡± The same trick could make it fall for it twice, which was already considered the mainframe¡¯s ability, and it wanted to do it a third time. Tsk, who are you looking down on from the door¡¯s crack? As soon as the little egg-man¡¯s voice fell, a Thunderbolt suddenly struck down from the dark sky. The lightning flashed and struck down in its direction with an earth-shattering momentum. The little egg-man¡¯s smug smile froze. The next moment, the lightning struck its body accurately. The White eggshell cracked, and it was instantly charred and smoking. With a thud, Little Black Egg fell to the ground. Lying in the mud, he looked straight into the little child¡¯s shocked and dazed eyes. ¡°¡­.¡± Qiqi¡¯s little mouth opened and closed a few times before she made a sound. ¡°Eggie, eggie, eggie? ¡± The little egg-man was expressionless. ¡°You¡¯ve got the wrong person.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Qiqi bent over and stretched out her trembling little hand. The ground is so dirty. ¡°Eggie, I, I¡¯ll pick you up first.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t move! Let me lie down for a while!¡± ¡°But you ¡­¡± ¡°Shut up! Close your eyes!¡± The violent roar scared the little doll so much that it immediately closed its mouth and eyes. However, she couldn¡¯t close her ears. She heard the little egg-sized man gnashing his teeth and saying, ¡°Unfilial son, You. Are. Ruthless!¡± Qiqi, ¡°..¡­¡± She opened her eyes slightly and quickly picked up the motionless little black egg and put him in her pocket. She couldn¡¯t just leave him alone. His shell had been cracked. ¡°How did you manage to touch me?¡± ¡°Qiqi, what are you doing?¡± Two voices rang out at the same time. Qiqi immediately looked at Doggie, her little hand secretly covering her pocket. She was so nervous that she stuttered, ¡°no, no, nothing. Brother Tiejun, what did you see? ¡± ¡°I saw you picking up something from the ground. What did you pick up?¡± The sound of thunder just now had scared Doggie. He looked up, saw Qiqi¡¯s strange movements, and forgot to ask awkwardly. He glanced at Qiqi¡¯s pocket. ¡°Why are you covering your pocket if there¡¯s nothing? You¡¯re so sneaky. Are you playing with me?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Qiqi secretly heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Brother Doggie, your eyes are so ugly.¡± Li Doggie choked. He and Qiqi couldn¡¯t get along! ¡°I¡¯m telling you, you can¡¯t tell anyone about what happened today! Otherwise, I won¡¯t play with you in the future! Did you hear me?¡± Gritting his teeth, Li Doggie pretended to be fierce and threatened. Qiqi pursed her lips and laughed. ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t tell anyone.¡± ¡°¡­. Ahem, are my eyes that ugly?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just your eyes that are ugly. Your whole body is ugly, like a little dog drenched in the rain.¡± ¡°¡­..¡±The man and the egg fell silent. Qiqi was very soft-spoken in the past. Her mouth was never so mean. Could lightning have struck her? Chapter 40 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation When Qiqi and Doggie returned home, they were drenched as if they had just been fished out of the water. Fortunately, Zhang Xifeng had boiled enough water. She let the two children drink the ginger soup first, then took a hot bath and changed into clean clothes. Because Doggie was running around in the heavy rain, Doggie¡¯s grandparents had asked every family in the village. After knowing that the child had returned, many people rushed over to see the situation. The Zhang family¡¯s central room was small, and more than ten people fully occupied it. Old Li and Doggie¡¯s Grandma had already beaten Doggie up. At this time, the three of them were sitting near the door, all silent and depressed. His son and daughter-in-law came back for two days and then left. How could Doggie be the only one who was sad? The old village chief sat in the central room, sucking on the cigarette with his mouth, pretending that the cigarette had already been lit. After a long while, he looked up and said, ¡°Ms. Dong and Ms. Song came to our village before and gave me a suggestion. Many people in the village should know about it. We can open up the mountainous area in our village and plant it. Our children might be willing to come back from the city if we can earn money in the village and life is not as hard as before.¡± This topic invigorated the villagers. ¡°The old village chief, we¡¯ve been waiting for you to speak! Mountains surround our village, and there¡¯s plenty of land for development! By then, if each family can get a few acres or more, they won¡¯t have to worry about next year!¡± ¡°Old village chief, when are you going to start the exploration? I can take care of the entire hill by myself!¡± ¡°You want a hill for yourself? You are so beautiful! The village chief, when the land is opened, you can give my family an extra ten acres. I will call my kids back to the farm! As long as we work hard, based on this year¡¯s momentum, it¡¯ll be better than the salary we earn outside!¡± Doggie¡¯s family also became excited and joined in the discussion. The dull atmosphere in the central room became lively. In the end, the old village chief decided to go to the town to report to the leaders and get their approval. When he came back, they would start the wasteland reclamation! While everyone was discussing, Qiqi snuggled up to Zhang Xifeng, her little face quiet and obedient. She liked to listen to people¡¯s chatter. It was very lively and very real. After everyone had finished their discussion and left, she stood up and walked to Chen Jianhe. She looked up and asked, ¡°Second Uncle, are your legs uncomfortable?¡± Just now, when everyone was chatting, she saw a second uncle secretly rubbing his legs several times. Chen Jianhe was just about to leave when he heard this. His leg did hurt, especially after being in the rain. The pain in his joints was even more intense, but he had been holding it in when the big guy was around. He did not expect that Qiqi would find out. When Zhang Xifeng heard Qiqi¡¯s words, she realized that Chen Jianhe¡¯s expression was not good. She quickly came over and asked worriedly, ¡°what¡¯s wrong, Jianhe? Did you hurt your leg while fixing the roof?¡± ¡°No, Aunt, it¡¯s an old illness. I injured my leg as a soldier and got a cold leg disease. I feel a little uncomfortable on rainy days.¡± Chen Jianhe was worried that Zhang Xifeng would overthink things and quickly explained, ¡°it wasn¡¯t the entire roof. Don¡¯t overthink.¡± After he explained, Zhang Xifeng¡¯s face became even more worried. ¡°If you know your legs are easily hurt, why did you climb up to the roof to get wet? This, this illness can¡¯t be cured, can it?!¡± She knew that many of the older people in the village had the same problem. They couldn¡¯t be cured and could only be relieved with medicine. Most of the time, when the leg pain came back, they could only endure it. ¡°It¡¯s not serious. I¡¯ll be fine after I go back and message them.¡± Chen Jianhe¡¯s original intention was to comfort the old woman. However, as soon as he finished speaking, he saw the little child squat down and stretch out her tiny hands to massage his leg joints. Her small face was serious and stern. ¡°Second uncle, I know how to massage legs. I¡¯ll help you. they won¡¯t hurt anymore afterward.¡± The little child¡¯s words and actions were innocent and pure, making one¡¯s heart warm. Chen Jianhe smiled. ¡°That¡¯s right. Qiqi will massage the Second Uncle¡¯s legs, and he won¡¯t feel pain anymore.¡± The scene was heartwarming. Only the little black egg, lying in the little girl¡¯s pocket, couldn¡¯t move. His heart was bleeding. The aftermath of being struck by lightning was a little serious. Until now, he had not recovered its strength, could not move, and could not return to the sea of consciousness. However, he could still use his eyes. With the little child¡¯s sincere blessing, a large wisp of purple aura in the storage pool disappeared with a whoosh. The little egg-man felt pain in his heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney. The heavy rain came and went, stopping in the night¡¯s second half. As dawn approached, the crowing of a rooster could be heard in the distance. When Chen Jianhe woke up, he lay in bed in a daze for a long time. His eyes were filled with disbelief. ¡°Wifey, did I have a good night¡¯s sleep?¡± The woman beside him, who had not fully woken up, casually replied, ¡°what¡¯s wrong? ¡± ¡°Did you forget that it rained yesterday?¡± Lin Cuifang opened her eyes and sat up. The faint light of dawn shone through the window, and the woman¡¯s eyes could slightly widen in surprise. The man¡¯s leg would hurt so much that he couldn¡¯t sleep on rainy days, and he had never been lucky. All these years, she had soaked her feet, applied hot compress, and massaged them ¡­ They had tried all the methods they could think of, but they had not seen any improvement. ¡°Qiqi massaged your legs yesterday ¡­ You mean ¡­ Qiqi?¡± Lin Cuifang¡¯s voice was hoarse and tense. Chen Jianhe nodded. ¡°There¡¯s only one special thing that¡¯s worth suspecting. And have you noticed that ever since Qiqi came to our house once, you¡¯ve been coughing less and less at night? You can almost sleep until dawn now?¡± The couple looked at each other in the dim light for a long time before they calmed down. ¡°This matter is too mysterious. We can¡¯t tell anyone else. Otherwise, it will harm Qiqi!¡± ¡°I know. Let¡¯s pretend that we didn¡¯t know anything or notice anything. We¡¯ll just do what we did in the past and the future. As for improving our health, we¡¯ll say that we¡¯ve taken medicine to cure it.¡± ¡°Alright, I know how to deal with it.¡± The couple made their decision before dawn. He would not tell anyone about the secret of Qiqi. Otherwise, when the outsiders come and beg Qiqi one by one if Qiqi can¡¯t help, her reputation will be ruined. If she could help, it would not be a good thing. It would only attract more people to target Qiqi. The human heart had always been the most difficult to fathom. Chen Jianhe and his wife did not know anything about Qiqi¡¯s thoughts. After getting up, they made animal feed with their Granny and fed the little pigs. This was her family¡¯s primary income. She had to raise the piglet until it was white and fat to sell it for more money. Thinking of how fast Granny spent her money at the market a few days ago, Qiqi sighed. She had to earn more money to support Granny. During this period, Qiqi would open her pocket from time to time and look at the little egg-man. He was still charred dark, and there was a winding crack on the eggshell. She tried to talk to it, but there was no response. The little egg-man was lying there quietly with its eyes closed, like a sleeping stone. ¡°Eggie, are you asleep? When can you return to how you were before?¡± Qiqi pouted her little mouth, her nose a little sour. There was something she didn¡¯t dare to say. Eggie might not have fallen asleep but had been punished or roasted ¡­ Wuwuwu!