Gourd Farm Chapter 31
Translated by Etherna (ko-fi)
Chapter 31: Xia Ying's Family Background
"Boss, can you wait for a moment?" Yang Feng asked.
"Hmm, what's going on?" The driver, about to leave, stopped when Yang Feng called out to him.
"Oh, your goods are down there. I just checked the delivery list, and there's another order from your village. I called them and asked them to come and unload their goods first, so it'll be more convenient for you."
"All right, please contact them quickly. I have something else to attend to later."
It was a surprise to hear that someone from the same village was also involved in greenhouse farming, something Yang Feng hadn't heard about before.
"Hey, Xiaofeng, you're making it big!" Aunt Biao, who had just been questioning Yang Feng’s online purchases, changed her tone to a sarcastic one.
"It's just making ends meet," Yang Feng replied nonchalantly, not interested in engaging with their judgmental attitudes.
"I didn't realize you were such a capable young man. Do you want me to find out if there's a potential bride for you?" Aunt Hua teased, chuckling.
"Forget it, Aunt Hua. I can't even afford a dowry. You should save your energy," Yang Feng replied truthfully. Nowadays, getting married requires a substantial dowry, at least tens of thousands of yuan, not to mention the cost of a house, a car, and various other expenses.
"You, this child! Aunt Hua actually has someone in mind, and the girl is quite pretty," she said.
"Old Hua, not to criticize you, but with such a good prospect, have you ever considered our son? Do we even have the luxury of being picky?" Aunt Biao chimed in, quickly cutting off Aunt Hua. Her anxious expression indicated that she had been investigating this matter extensively.
"You can forget it. Your son is idle all day long, and just one sentence from him can drive people crazy. Last time I introduced you to that family, they've been looking for trouble with me ever since," Aunt Biao retorted.
The surrounding elderly women burst into laughter at her words.
"Hmph, if they don't want to listen, that's their business. I'm not interested," Aunt Hua replied, her face showing signs of embarrassment as she took her clothes and moved away without saying another word.
After about fifteen minutes, Yang Feng saw Yang Meng riding a motorcycle over, with his dad following behind.
"I told you delivery guys, what's the matter with you? I already gave you the specific address. This village is so small, and you still make us come here in person," shouted Uncle loudly from the motorcycle as they approached.
"Sorry, this is my first time here, and I'm not familiar with the place," the driver explained politely.
"You've never been here, so you should have asked someone. How can you not know with so many people around?" Uncle pointed towards the old locust tree and, upon seeing Yang Feng, his expression visibly changed.
"Hey, Aunt Hua, are you all working here?" Yang Meng asked.
"What a silly question. Can't you see?" Uncle was usually loud and authoritative in the village, but for some reason, he seemed to fear Aunt Hua.
"What's the matter? Are you also following Xiaofeng's lead and starting to work on greenhouses?" Yang Meng inquired.
"What are you talking about? What do you mean by 'following his lead'? I've been thinking about doing greenhouses for quite some time. My son has nothing to do at home, so I found him something to do," Uncle replied.
"Come on, I know you. Have you been watching Xiaofeng load his truck with goods from your doorstep every day and felt jealous?" Yang Meng teased.
"You..."
This time, Aunt Hua hit the nail on the head. Ever since Yang Feng returned, there had been a truckload of goods arriving at their doorstep daily, making her quite envious.
"Stop teasing me. This is nothing to be embarrassed about. My husband is even planning to build a greenhouse next year," Aunt Hua defended.
"By the way, Xiaofeng, if we have any technical issues when we start our greenhouse, we'll come to you for help. You can't refuse," Aunt Biao added.
"Okay," Yang Feng replied noncommittally. He didn't really understand much about it; he was just handling cucumbers.
It was surprising to discover that so many people from the same village were interested in greenhouse farming. Yang Feng hadn't heard about it before, but they seemed to be quick to jump on the bandwagon.
"Boss, please lead the way to unload the goods quickly. This guy has been waiting for quite a while," the driver said, looking at me.
Yang Meng and his father didn't expect that within just a few months, Yang Feng would be building another greenhouse. This further solidified their belief that greenhouse farming could be profitable.
However, when the driver mentioned having Yang Feng's goods, Uncle's expression stiffened, and it was clear he was thinking about something.
After unloading the steel frames quickly, the two of them checked the components, found no issues, and the driver left.
Because it had recently rained, the soil was soft and suitable for inserting the frames. After a few days of sun drying, the ground would be ready.
Wearing his boots, Yang Feng skillfully went to work. Unbeknownst to him, the sun had already set by the time the frames for the two greenhouses were nearly completed.
What was once an empty space was now home to two massive greenhouses, and it looked quite impressive. Villagers came and went, offering their opinions, although most of their comments were unhelpful.
On the other side, Xia Ying had also closed her stall and was heading home. She reached her doorstep without any issues, greeted familiar faces along the way, and warmly responded to their greetings.
However, when she arrived at her doorstep, she hesitated for a few minutes, holding a box of strawberries, before finally making her way into the main hall.
"Is Xia Ying back?"
"Yeah," Xia Ying responded to her mother's call and entered the room.
"How was business today?" her mother asked.
Xia Ying sounded a bit down, "We're in the cucumber season now, and it's not selling well."
"Oh, I've prepared some food for you in the pot. Go eat."
"Okay."
As Xia Ying was turning to leave, her mother noticed the strawberries in her hand.
"Why do you keep spending money recklessly? Don't you know our family's situation?" Her mother's expression changed as soon as she saw the strawberries.
"Mom, I don't buy these things every day. Besides, I used my own savings to buy them."
"You little girl, now that your wings have grown, you dare to talk back?"
The elderly woman struggled to sit up on the bed, visibly angered.
Feeling wronged, tears welled up in Xia Ying's eyes. "Mom, please don't be angry. You know your own health, right?"
"Sigh, I can't control your younger brother; he never does anything productive. Now, this family relies on you. My leg has become a burden on you all."
The elderly woman wiped away her own tears and began to hit her leg with her hand.
"Mom, please don't say that."
Wiping her own tears, the elderly woman turned to Xia Ying and said, "Xiaoying, we've almost sold all the watermelons from our farm. Your aunt in the city found you a job, and she said you can start working next week."
"Mom, didn't I tell you that I don't want to work outside?"
"Both of you don't want to work, and your younger brother is always away from home. If you don't work, what are we going to do, sitting at home and doing nothing?"
"Mom, I didn't say I won't work. I want to find a job nearby so that I can take care of you. Your leg isn't convenient, and if anything happens, how can I manage?"
"You don't need to worry about me. I'm not going to die anytime soon."
"Mom, can you please stop talking about death all the time?"
Tears streamed down Xia Ying's face once again.