Chapter 2383: 1864: Just Around the Corner

Try it? Lower the price?

Dream on!

Zhang Hong stood up, popped a few pieces of melon into his mouth, and the refreshing sweetness momentarily blocked his words, so he just widened his eyes and chewed and chewed, swallowed and swallowed...

Huh, what was he going to say?

He couldn’t remember, so after standing up quickly, he sat back down in a dawdling manner.

Meanwhile, Wu Fang was munching away on half a melon, saying, "Try it, chew chew chew...no way, this stuff is expensive, chew chew chew...the owner didn’t deliver much, chew chew chew...that’s it."

She swallowed the last bite.

Expensive?

How expensive can it be?

Everyone was skeptical, feeling that she wanted to have a monopoly at the wholesale market.

Wu Fang thought for a moment: "Wholesale price, 40 per pound."

Gasp!

Everyone sucked in a breath of cold air.

Do you think it’s winter? Sweet melon at 41 per pound, even at wholesale price? What would the selling price be?

With transportation, packaging, profit, and loss factors added, it would be no less than 80, wouldn’t it?

Forget it.

It’s pure nonsense, such fruit shouldn’t appear at their wholesale market—not even a rare variety!

Everyone scattered like birds and beasts.

Meanwhile, Seventh Uncle from Yunqiao Village was delightedly fetching down the dried duck to take another look, the temperature in the oven was just right:

"One, two, three... eleven ducks."

Lao Song’s family has five, the Lu Family has two, Professor Song has one, and with him and his wife, there’s a total of ten people for lunch, eleven ducks!

Haha!

Seventh Uncle thought it was wonderful, he loves eating roast duck, whether dipping the skin in sugar, brushing sweet flour sauce, or wrapping it with spicy sauce, he’s very good at it!

If there’s anything left over at lunch, half a duck or even a small portion, he would dip it in sauce in the afternoon, roast it carefully on the stove, and it would become a delicious dried duck.

Enjoying it with a small drink in the evening...

He was pleasantly lost in thought when suddenly Professor Song received a phone call:

"Ah? You’re on the way? Why didn’t you mention it?"

A sense of foreboding arose in his heart.

Listening further, indeed Professor Song hung up the phone, saying helplessly to Song Tan, "Tantan, Teacher Tang said she’s already in the taxi..."

Taking a taxi from the high-speed railway station to Yunqiao Village is barely an hour and a bit.

Of course, Song Tan was extremely welcoming; the old lady might love preaching, but she teaches useful things!

Qiaoqiao constantly uses quotes, always keeping them in mind.

Oh, how blessed they are to welcome such fine friends and mentors as Xin Jun and Teacher Tang in this small mountain village.

Especially the children’s artistic talents like music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, Teacher Xin can’t help in this regard.

In general, the Song Family warmly welcomes her.

Only Seventh Uncle remained silent, quietly sharpening his knife again.

No particular reason, just wanting to leave more meat on the duck frame when slicing the roast duck.

This way, when frying it, nibbling on it can fill the belly and eat up more time.

As for why Teacher Tang arrived so suddenly, well, that’s a long story made short.

Her child couldn’t keep up with her own child and was preparing to send him to escape to the distant old lady’s side.

Unbelievable!

She must teach a child like Qiaoqiao!

In short, hurriedly, scrambling with just two or three pieces of luggage packed, she bought the nearest train ticket on her way to the high-speed railway station, determined to escape even after waiting in the hall for three hours.

Imagining Yunqiao Village and a child like Qiaoqiao who learns easily, coupled with the most important delicious food, her spirits lifted immediately.

As for where to stay...

Old Song sent her a picture of the mountain dormitory where they used to live, 80 square meters, two bedrooms and one living room, it’s quite comfortable.

But...

She does value enjoyment and lifestyle services, so even though there’s a ready-made place, living in good rooms at Xiaolun’s guesthouse—isn’t that a waste of money?

Teacher Tang pondered all the way.

Meanwhile, on the same road, but in a different car, Zhou Tianyu was also returning.

He didn’t really want to come back; nowadays people talk about taking a gap year, especially in big cities like Beicheng, everything’s convenient, be it going out for shows, sightseeing, meeting friends, ordering takeout, enjoying a drink at a bar, or relaxing at a café...

But... he couldn’t resist the fact that he doesn’t have much savings.

After quitting his job, his schedule was upside down, eating haphazardly and ordering takeout for several meals a day, after eating like that for over a week, his wallet was feeling the pinch.

And there’s rent.

Worried, if he renews the lease, it’s for six months minimum and the payment is due next month.

If he doesn’t renew, he still doesn’t have a new job; when sending resumes and waiting for interviews, he must have a place to stay.

Thinking it over, along with being urged by the family and hearing that there are good profits from growing vegetables at home, ultimately, he returned.

But coming back with no one to talk to in the village isn’t great, and picking up a package means going to the town because he doesn’t even have a car...

Thinking about it all, he was frustrated and anxious, furrowing his brow.

In this tense atmosphere, the driver initially wanted to chat but opted for silence after glancing at the rearview mirror.

In silence, silence, Zhou Maozhu’s home arrived.

The normally honest and simple Zhou Maozhu was standing outside the door waiting, and seeing the car arrive, he quickly stepped forward to help unload his luggage. Seeing just a small suitcase, he was stunned.

"Just this?"

Tianyu wasn’t he living in a rented place, bought some things too?

Like Song Tan, when Song Sancheng and Wu Lan kept talking about how tough the living conditions were for their child, just a small single room, a small bed, and nothing else.

Even then, he packed up quite a big suitcase when returning, tying it onto the motorcycle.

At that moment, the driver’s phone chimed with the crisp, pleasant sound of: "WhatsApp payment received, 200 yuan!"

He was taken aback:

200, was this a chartered return?

As Zhou Tianyu got off the car, seeing his father still dazed in the drizzle, he felt helpless too:

"Everything’s still in Beicheng, need to find work, why bring it all back?"

Zhou Maozhu’s lips moved slightly, as if wanting to say something.

For example, now that there’s no job, spending should be more frugal.

Or now many people come to Yunqiao Village to buy vegetables on weekends, taxi drivers are familiar with this place, a shared ride costs just 25.

Or if you don’t want to wait, 25 yuan is enough for a shared ride to the town, plenty of cars, little wait, and he could borrow a car to pick him up.

These things Li Lanhua had mentioned before in her voice messages, but...

Forget it.

He considered the 10,000-plus monthly salary from before, knowing his child went through a lot to make it here... forget it.

Just as they entered the courtyard, Li Lanhua hurriedly came out from the kitchen: "Tianyu, you’re back just in time, let’s discuss how to arrange the mountain place! If it can earn money, you wouldn’t have to return to Beicheng."

Zhou Tianyu felt helpless immediately.

On the other hand, Old Lady Zhou, who dressed stylishly and carried quite an air of authority, wasn’t the type to invite casual conversation on the car ride.

But once she started speaking, there wasn’t a place she couldn’t comment on, her words bursting with information, even more than the driver’s hearsay lore!

After a back-and-forth exchange, the driver nearly considered her a confidant.

Now, not only did he bring her to her destination, but he parked directly in front of Lao Song’s pristine courtyard gate as per her request!

No need for extra chitchat, he released his seatbelt and stepped out, warmly helping the old lady with her luggage and opening the car door.

Rushing out while Professor Song observed, he was momentarily dazed—

Say what you will, with tourism booming in cities like this, the quality of drivers has visibly improved!

The development of Yun City, it’s just around the corner!