?65: Chapter 65 All Are Drama 65: Chapter 65 All Are Drama Several women sold quite a few oranges in town, but more importantly, they solidly promoted them as Liu Hun instructed.

    On the day of the ancestral festival drama in Wanbao Village, everyone within a ten-mile radius who could grab a bit of free time rushed to the village entrance early, hoping to get a good spot.

    They were even more worried about being far away and only being able to see the tops of heads and hear voices, just like in previous years.

    The sun gradually rose higher, wilting the enthusiasm of the villagers who had arrived early.

    One by one, they stretched their necks like geese, but there was no sign of a stage being set up.

    “What’s going on here?

    We’ve been waiting so long, and no one is setting up the stage.

    Are they pulling our leg or what?”

    “That can’t be!

    The festival drama in Wanbao Village has always been on time every year.

    How could it be canceled?

    But this sun is too scorching.

    At this rate, we’ll be shriveled like eggplants.”

    “Why isn’t anyone saying anything?

    Look at all of us waiting here, what’s the point?

    Wanbao Village isn’t close to the water, people might die of thirst.”

    “...”

    The crowd, which was originally chirping and chattering like magpies, thinking they had caught a good deal, had turned into crows, one voice of complaint following another.

    “Clang!” Suddenly, a gigantic sound of a brass gong rang from the old crooked-neck locust tree.

    The villagers waiting under the sun to watch the play were so startled that their hair stood on end, and many began to curse under their breath.

    “Whose dead kid is this, scaring people like that?

    Almost made me pee my pants.” An aunt leaning on a millstone, drowsy, cursed as she stood up.

    Upon looking closely, she saw it was Mao’er.

    Just as she was about to say something, Mao’er started to speak.

    “Everyone, listen to me!

    I just came from the west side of the village and saw they seem to be setting up the stage over there.

    Hurry and go, or you won’t see anything!

    Clang!” Mao’er finished speaking with another loud bang of the gong.

    The villagers, eager for free entertainment and worried about a lack of space, immediately perked up as if watered with new life and headed toward the west side of the village with their chairs and stools.

    In just a few minutes, the vast crowd disappeared entirely.

    Mao’er chuckled from on top of the crooked-neck locust tree, climbed down, and handed the gong to Mao’er’er, saying, “Mao’er’er!

    It’s your turn now!

    Don’t delay big brother Hun’s plan!

    Go!”

    “Yes!” Mao’er’er wiped his nose and ran westward with the gong.

    “What are you still looking at?

    Hurry to the temple to hide!

    When they come back mad, you’ll be in trouble if they catch you!” Qin Yue said, hands on her hips, to Mao’er.

    “Aunt Qin Yue, what’s Liu Hun up to?

    Wasn’t the stage supposed to be set up in the plaza outside the temple?

    Why did he make me say it’s in the west of the village?” Mao’er was a bit confused about the task Liu Hun gave him.

    Qin Yue laughed and flicked Mao’er on the head, saying, “You’ll see why your big brother Hun is so capable soon!

    Just head back to the temple and hide, and you’ll find out shortly.”

    “Alright!” Mao’er rubbed his head and returned to the temple, while Qin Yue idled at the village entrance, waiting for the crowd to return.

    Sure enough, within an hour, Mao’er’er returned to the village entrance, out of breath, with a gong.

    Pointing to the crowd behind him, he said, “Spring...

    Aunt Qin Yue, they listened to me and came back, and a few old ladies are yelling that they want to beat me!”

    “What ‘old ladies’!

    Don’t use such foul language!

    Go to the temple and hide.

    Your big brother Mao’er is also there.

    Hurry up, I’ll handle it here!” Qin Yue said then patted Mao’er’er on the head, sending him off.

    “What’s the meaning of this?

    Are they treating us like donkeys?

    Easy to fool, right?

    Look at the sun, Wanbao Village owes us an explanation today!”

    “Yeah!

    We’ve run back and forth for so many miles.

    Where is your village chief Ye?

    Ask him to come out and explain!

    We came to watch a play, not to be made fools of!”

    “And those two kids with the gong earlier!

    They must be dealt with!

    They tricked us well, all that running under the blazing sun, who can bear that?”

    “...”

    When the large crowd returned to the village entrance, each was as dry as withered cowpeas, with hardly any moisture left.

    Their muttering and grumbling were far less than before.

    Qin Yue adjusted her wide hips, stood on a large rock at the village entrance, and shouted, “What’s wrong?

    Watching a free play and you see the fault in our Wanbao Village?”

    “Even if it’s free, it doesn’t mean we can be made fools, right?” A middle-aged man grumbled discontentedly, looking at Qin Yue’s fair face and full figure, feeling more parched with each glance in this weather.

    “Right!

    Clanging and drumming, saying the stage is in the west of the village one moment, and at the village entrance the next.

    Isn’t that making fools of us?” An elderly woman, panting from running back and forth, said.

    “Clanging and drumming?

    Those two kids who ran off just now!

    All of you are grown-ups, don’t you know whom to listen to and whom not to?

    Those kids were just messing around!” Qin Yue said, hands on her hips, pointing at the crowd, narrowly holding back laughter several times.

    After Qin Yue finished speaking, many people were unhappy and began to curse loudly.

    Had they not been wearied by all the back-and-forth earlier, they might have surrounded her to make trouble.

    Seeing the situation getting out of hand, Qin Yue switched her tone, saying, “Everyone, listen!

    Our Wanbao Village’s festival play this year will definitely go on!

    Not only will it go on, but it will be excellent!

    The stage isn’t at the village entrance or west of the village; it’s in the plaza at the temple gate.

    Follow me!”

    Despite all the trouble, people still wanted to watch a free play.

    So, enduring the sun, they followed Qin Yue to the temple gate.

    “Wow!

    Oh my mother!

    It really is here!

    This trip wasn’t in vain!

    Look, such a spacious plaza, I’d say it can accommodate seven or eight hundred people!”

    “I said not to follow those two kids’ words, but you insisted on running around!

    Now we finally found the right place.

    When will the play start?

    My legs are numb, where can I find something to drink?”

    “There’s no water anywhere in Wanbao Village, being mountainous!

    We’re lucky just to have this play to watch; everyone, hold on...

    What’s that?

    So many oranges!”

    “...”

    “Clang!” With a great crash of the gong, Liu Hun appeared on the well-constructed stage, followed by several women placing baskets of freshly picked oranges on it.

    “Dear elders and villagers from afar, welcome to Wanbao Village to watch the play!

    Today, Wanbao Village has not only prepared an exciting play for everyone but also juicy, sweet oranges!

    These will surely sweeten your heart as they’re sweet to your mouth!

    Just imagine, watching the play while enjoying these oranges!

    Isn’t that wonderful?” Liu Hun said as he nonchalantly peeled an orange and continued, “Look at these oranges!

    A mere buck fifty per pound!

    That’s it!

    Once they’re gone, they’re gone.

    And with the sun like this, grabbing a couple of pounds of oranges will just be refreshing!” With those words, he tossed an orange into his mouth, enjoying it with satisfaction.

    The villagers, misled by Mao’er and Mao’er’er into running under the sun, couldn’t resist.

    If they hadn’t gone through that run, maybe they could have held back, but with the back-and-forth and the blazing sun, Liu Hun was sure to make that money.

    They climbed the stage from the left to buy the oranges, then found seats on the right to watch the play.

    The money on the table was shown to the Wanbao Villagers step by step as part of Liu Hun’s meticulously planned strategy.

    The oranges sold out, the play began!

    Wanbao Village’s annual grand play commenced with the bang of a gong!

    This time, although Liu Hun bore the cost of the troupe, by gaining fame from it, selling out the oranges, and showing the villagers how to make big money, he reached his goal.

    The money was well spent!

    After selling all the oranges and sending off the troupe, Liu Hun went to Ye Canghai’s house to discuss expanding economic crop cultivation in the village.

    Currently, the biggest issue was the market.

    The temporary solution was to widen the variety of crops, and many things required coordination and communication by the village chief, Ye Canghai.

    “Huh!

    Why is the door open?” Liu Hun, arriving at the Zheng family’s entrance, noticed the door was wide open.

    He wondered if something bad happened, so he tiptoed inside without making a sound.

    “Ding Yajun, what do you want?

    I warn you, don’t get any ideas!” Fen Ran looked at Ding Yajun, who was approaching step by step, fearfully.

    She had retreated to the corner of the wall with no way out.

    Ding Yajun chuckled maliciously, pulling out a copy of an IOU, and said, “See what this is?

    Your wastrel of a husband owes me fifty thousand!

    Now he plans to use your body to repay the debt!”

    “Spout such nonsense!

    I don’t believe you!” Fen Ran spat at Ding Yajun, refusing to believe it could be true.

    Ding Yajun wiped the spit off his face, smirking evilly, “Impossible?

    Then tell me why I have your house key?

    Don’t you know the kind of person Ye Canghai is?

    In the past, he was broke, but this time is different.

    His orchard earned him ten thousand!

    He gambled it all away and owes me forty thousand more!

    The black and white writing is crystal clear!”

    “That profligate!” Fen Ran cursed venomously, almost grinding her teeth to dust.

    “Ye Canghai has already sold you to me, and I can do whatever I want with you.

    Cooperate nicely and we both have a good time.

    Come on, I’ve missed you!” Ding Yajun said, then pressed Fen Ran.

    “Get away, you shameless creep!

    What you’re doing is illegal!” Fen Ran desperately tried to push away Ding Yajun, but she was no match for his strength.