CHAPTER 64: CHAPTER 64: EXCHANGING VEGETABLES WITH THE BIG SHOT

Wang Hongyan stared blankly at his back, realizing only after a moment what he had said, and tears streamed down her face like rain.

She often used her beauty to seduce the young men of the production team, trading for their labor and food, but she never let anyone take advantage of her too much.

At most, she would let someone hold her hand. If someone wanted to hug her, they had to at least bring two taels of meat.

There weren’t many people who could offer meat, so she didn’t let many take advantage of her.

How dare he belittle her like that?

"Jiang Xingye, you bastard!" Wang Hongyan cursed angrily but didn’t dare raise her voice, unable to truly hate him in her heart.

He had always been such a bastard; it was a stroke of luck that he didn’t kick her into the river today.

However, the lack of nearby water was also a reason.

Xu Qinghuan heard the familiar sound of footsteps behind her. She turned around to see Jiang Xingye approaching with a scowl. She quickly stopped and stood by the roadside, waiting for him to come closer. "What did that woman say to you?" she asked with concern.

Look at how angry he is!

Jiang Xingye gave her an odd look and said bluntly, "She said she wanted to be my wife!"

"Ah?" Xu Qinghuan was taken aback. Did he tell her something like this because he already considered her a close confidant?

In that case, she needed to be even more dedicated.

"What’s her name?" Xu Qinghuan frowned.

She recalled a supporting character known as the flower of the production team who adored Jiang Xingye, but this woman was quite indiscreet. For two taels of meat, she would hold hands with a man; for half a pound, she would let him touch her.

She suspected the woman just now was Wang Hongyan.

After all, no normal person would want to marry a notorious loafer like Jiang Xingye; lazy and unproductive, how could he support a family?

Even if the girl were willing, her parents wouldn’t agree.

Moreover, he had a bad temper, and every woman who wanted to get close to him ended up crying after being scolded by him. In serious cases, he would even kick them.

Jiang Xingye kept his eyes fixed on Xu Qinghuan, not missing any expression on her face. Seeing her frown brought a hint of joy to his heart. She didn’t want anyone to marry him?

"Why are you asking?" Jiang Xingye couldn’t help but smile, unable to suppress it.

"Can’t I just ask? I’m just concerned." Xu Qinghuan touched the tip of her nose in embarrassment, her toes nudging the small stones on the ground. "If you don’t want to say, just forget it."

After all, it was the big guy’s private matter; she shouldn’t really be asking.

Xu Qinghuan felt she had overstepped, so she waved her hand and headed home. Behind her, Jiang Xingye said, "She’s from the production team, called Wang Hongyan."

"Ah!" Xu Qinghuan hadn’t expected it was indeed her. She hurriedly turned around, "Do you like her?"

A burst of intense joy surged through Jiang Xingye, his eyes seeming to flicker with flames. "I don’t like her."

"That’s good!" Xu Qinghuan didn’t say more. She didn’t like speaking ill of others behind their backs. Since Jiang Xingye didn’t like her, there was no need to spread Wang Hongyan’s affairs.

Xu Qinghuan left with her basket on her back, while Jiang Xingye stood there for a long time, either happy or sad, confused about how to handle his feelings.

To like her, he didn’t dare, and he knew he was unworthy.

To give up on her felt like losing his life, something he couldn’t bear.

He struggled for a long time but ultimately had no resolution, returning home dejectedly.

Yu Xiaomin and Qiao Xinyu warmed up the morning pancakes, ate a bit, and went off to work.

Xu Qinghuan organized everything from her basket. She took out ten pounds of rice and flour from her space, mixed them up, and placed them in the cupboard. She first stewed the big bones, planning to make sweet and sour pork in the evening, and use the bone broth as the soup base to cook a pot of hand-pulled noodles.

Perfect!

If she could add some green leafy vegetables, it would be even better.

Xu Qinghuan looked at the barren land in the front and back yards, feeling troubled.

She needed to barter for some green vegetables.

Normally she could buy some at the supply and marketing cooperative, but when she went today, most of the vegetables were sold out. Moreover, they didn’t deliver many vegetables daily to the commune cooperative.

Most of those buying at the cooperative were local community members; who didn’t have a few ridges of vegetables planted at home?

Xu Qinghuan suddenly thought of the vegetables in her neighbor’s fence garden. Realizing this, she found herself standing in front of Jiang Xingye’s house fence, staring blankly at the lush, vibrant vegetable garden.

Jiang Xingye, leaning on a hoe on the other side of the fence, also looked at her with unclear intentions in his dark eyes.

Xu Qinghuan became flustered. Would he think she came to steal vegetables?

"Brother Jiang, could I trade for some of your vegetables?" Xu Qinghuan pointed her soft, pale fingers at the hollow heart greens near his feet and the small onions beside them.

Noodles without small onions are like humans without a soul.

"I’ll cook tonight and bring you some. Can you give me a few vegetables?" Xu Qinghuan said with a smile.

"No need! No need!" Jiang Xingye refused outright but then added, "Take as much as you need!"

After saying so, he stopped tilling the soil and turned to go back into the house.

Xu Qinghuan couldn’t understand why someone living alone needed to grow so many vegetables, each plant fresh and tender. This was a huge temptation for Xu Qinghuan, who hadn’t eaten fresh leafy greens in a long time.

She picked some cowpeas, two handfuls of amaranth, a few round, red tomatoes, and a handful of small greens, planning to add them to the noodles later, plus a handful of small onions.

Since the big guy didn’t want to eat her cooking, Xu Qinghuan wouldn’t push, but she wouldn’t take things for free either. She grabbed a handful of soil from her space and scattered it in the vegetable garden.

The soil in her space had Spiritual Energy and growth abilities, it could gather energy and nurture vitality, fostering all living things and flourishing plants.

The handful she scattered was just right for Jiang Xingye’s vegetable garden.

After Xu Qinghuan left, Jiang Xingye came out to tend the garden again. He pulled out all the weeds, set up a trellis for the cowpeas, and harvested all the mature vegetables, neatly arranging them in his basket.

Soon, a young man on a golden deer bicycle passed by, ringing his bell. He stopped by Jiang Xingye’s fence, propping a foot on the ground. "Brother Wild, I’m here to pick up the vegetables!"

Jiang Xingye handed over two baskets of vegetables. "Starting tomorrow, I won’t be supplying vegetables anymore."

"What?" Luo Jinhao thought there was something wrong with his ears. "The line to the state-run restaurant was hard enough to establish, bringing in at least ten dollars a month. Why stop supplying? Can one person eat all these?"

"I can eat them all, you find someone else to supply them."

Once Jiang Xingye made up his mind, not even nine oxen could drag him back.

Luo Jinhao knew his temperament well, getting quite anxious. "But you have to give me a reason! When the purchaser asks, what should I say?"

"Just say there are no more vegetables to supply." Jiang Xingye turned and walked into the house, ignoring him.

Luo Jinhao was at a loss, casually grabbing a tomato, wiping it on his clothes, and taking a bite. He felt the taste was extraordinary, much better than ordinary tomatoes, with sweet and tangy juice, refreshing his whole body.

"Brother Wild, what variety is this tomato? Why is it so delicious!"