"Rustle, rustle..."
Zhao Tiezhu quickly opened the plastic bag and said, "Sister-in-law, am I that kind of person? Didn't you eat the cucumbers and tomatoes this morning? They were grown with special fertilizer and have special value!"
He used his words to distract her; he couldn't help but notice that his sister-in-law's figure was truly something. Especially with that temptation earlier, he had almost turned into a wolf.
"Ah, I ate the cucumber. It was delicious!" Wang Cuilian replied. Recalling what he had said that morning, her face flushed even deeper. "As long as you can make money, I'm relieved. Are you hungry? I’ll go cook for you!"
She sounded almost like she was fleeing the scene as she hurried toward the kitchen, hanging her straw hat behind the living room door on her way.
Zhao Tiezhu, his business unfinished, followed her steps and said, "Sister-in-law, if there are other vegetables in the house, I'll take them to sell tomorrow as well. They can fetch a high price! Also, could you help me get in touch with other families about their vegetables? I don't know many people."
Since he had given his word to Qin Peiyao, he had to see it through. After four years of university and two years of working, his six years away had caused his ties to many people to fade.
Wang Cuilian, who was about to cut the meat, looked up and said, "Buying vegetables? I'm afraid that won't work. All the vegetables in our village are sold to Zhou Erhu. Nobody dares to cross him."
Her eyes held a hint of worry as she remembered what happened in the small woods yesterday. Zhao Tiezhu understood immediately. It was bullying and market monopolization. After thinking for a moment, he said, "You just contact the people you're close to. I'll buy them for twenty cents above the market price! I’ll figure out the rest."
Even if it only served to annoy Wang Tianyang, he had to do it if it meant earning more money. "Sister-in-law, I'm heading back now!"
He took one last lingering look at her curves before turning to leave.
After he left, Wang Cuilian cut the large piece of pork belly into small cubes, coated them in coarse salt, and immersed them in a jar of lard, leaving only a small portion behind to slice up. She then went to the dining table to retrieve the seafood, and her eyes fell upon the remaining six thousand yuan.
"Why didn't Tiezhu take this..." Her mind raced, and her face suddenly turned red. *Could he be planning to support me? How should I repay him?*
She put the money away and took the seafood to prepare. The family had lived through such bitter times these past two years that they hadn't eaten this well in ages. While cooking, tears streamed down her face. Perhaps it was because she had put in a bit too much peppercorn.
***
After leaving his sister-in-law's house, Zhao Tiezhu calculated that with over fifty thousand in his pocket, buying a diesel tricycle would be easy. As for the debt on his credit app, there was no rush to pay it back. The source of the vegetables was the real headache; others were afraid to sell to him, and he couldn't exactly go around stealing.
As he neared his front gate, he saw someone leaning against the wall, peering into his yard.
"Who's there?"
His shout startled the person. She pulled her arm back, dropped to the ground, and upon seeing it was Zhao Tiezhu, she ran over quickly. She tapped his shoulder, tilted her head, and said, "It really is Brother Tiezhu! You're back? I heard the villagers talking about it yesterday, so I came right over today!"
With her long hair flowing, curved eyelashes, crescent-moon eyes, and shallow dimples, she was a picture of youthful beauty. Dressed in gray casual wear, she looked slender and full of vitality.
When Zhao Tiezhu saw her face, he remembered who she was: the little "tag-along," Zhu Hongyu. She used to follow him around everywhere until he went to university, after which he only saw her during the holidays. It was rare to run into her during summer break.
"Hey, the 'little crybaby' has turned into a great beauty? Didn't you go to college? You should have graduated by now—did you not find a job?" Because she used to follow him around and cry at the drop of a hat, that had been her nickname.
Zhu Hongyu’s pretty face turned into a pout. She hopped in front of him, raised her hands into claws, and huffed, "Brother Tiezhu, I haven't cried in a long time! I demand you rephrase that!" She looked like a cat that had just had its tail stepped on.
Zhao Tiezhu was in a great mood. He let out a bright laugh, reached out his right hand to ruffle her hair, and said, "Alright, alright, I’ll rephrase it. The 'little crybaby' has become a stunning beauty who could topple cities and kingdoms!"
With that, he made a big leap and dodged outside the gate.
*Whoosh!*
Zhu Hongyu’s long leg swept past the spot where he had just been standing. He had dodged a kick to his crotch!
Zhao Tiezhu laughed even harder. "Haha, same moves? You're being predictable!"
Her hands were just a distraction; the low kick was the real strike. Of course, it was just playful roughhousing, not a real attack.
Zhu Hongyu swiped at his back. "You only know how to bully me! Can't you let me win for once? By the way, Brother Tiezhu, why did you come back so suddenly? Was the city not treating you well?"
After their playful bickering, they moved on to more serious matters. Zhao Tiezhu opened the gate and invited Zhu Hongyu inside, explaining, "The city is full of traps, so I'd rather be back in the countryside. My sincerity was rewarded with a pink slip from the company! What about you?"
As they chatted, he opened the door to his old house and let her go in first.
"Wow, it smells so good!" Zhu Hongyu didn't answer his question; she was completely distracted by the floral scent. She walked into the bedroom with familiar ease and saw the orchid on the windowsill. She rushed over, eyes filled with happiness, closed her eyes, and took a deep, intoxicated breath. "Fragrant, it's so fragrant! Brother Tiezhu, how did you make your flowers smell like this?"
Zhao Tiezhu took off his damp shirt and threw it into a basin. "My sister-in-law grew that. I just added a bit of fertilizer. Smells good, right?" He was quite pleased that it had caught a girl's attention.
Zhu Hongyu crouched in front of the *Clivia*, tilted her head to examine it closely, and suddenly her eyes lit up. "Brother Tiezhu, this *Clivia* might be the best of the best! The petals are crystal clear, the leaves are like swords, emerald and lush—so dignified and grand! If this were put up at an auction, it could fetch a high price, maybe eighty or a hundred thousand?"
She stood up, eyes gleaming as she looked at Zhao Tiezhu.
Zhao Tiezhu, who was about to splash some water on his face, looked stunned. "How, how much?" His voice trembled as he asked. He had never imagined a potted plant could be worth so much. He knew for a fact that this plant had been withered just yesterday; it looked nothing like this.
Zhu Hongyu smiled proudly. "No mistake, it’s definitely a top-tier specimen. If you find the right buyer, it could even fetch two hundred thousand a pot. I learned all about this from classmates at university. I came back to the countryside this time partly to take care of my dad, and partly to start growing flowers while I study for the civil service exam! I’m determined to get into the Police Security Team and throw the village chief and his family in jail!"
The young girl’s face was full of resolve; she was seeking revenge for her father, whose legs had been broken.
Hearing this, Zhao Tiezhu remembered that her father, Zhu Dazhuang, had had his legs broken by Bai Guang, and the matter had simply been swept under the rug. Thoughts of selling the flowers swirled in his mind, but he said, "That's great. I support you. It really is time to curb the village chief's arrogance. The atmosphere in Sanhe Village has become far too corrupt."
He wanted to tell her that a girl should choose a more stable path, but then he remembered his own medical skills and wondered if he could heal her father's broken legs. It was a chance worth taking.
The two chatted for a while longer until Zhu Hongyu had to go back to look after her father.
"Wait until I've had a bite to eat, then I'll go see your dad," Zhao Tiezhu said as they walked out the gate together, heading toward his sister-in-law’s house for dinner.