Gourd Farm Chapter 34
Translated by Etherna (ko-fi)
Chapter 34: Men and Women Working Together, No Strain!
The morning light was just beginning to seep through, and Yang Feng, still half-asleep, picked up his phone to check the time. It was only 5:30 AM, but the crowing of roosters could be heard clearly.
During this period, due to daily deliveries to the restaurant, he had developed a routine and didn't even need an alarm clock.
"Heh~ ah!"
Although he was still drowsy, he knew that he had to work hard for his future dream car and a better life.
"Let's go, young man!"
With a burst of energy, he quickly got dressed, hopped on his electric scooter, and headed for the greenhouse.
It was almost autumn now, and the fallen leaves on the ground were becoming more abundant. The morning chill was also becoming more pronounced.
"Going to the greenhouse again, Xiaofeng?"
"Yeah."
Yang Feng nodded and continued on his way.
As Yang Feng turned the corner at the intersection, he saw an elder from the village weeding his vegetable garden. He politely greeted him.
He had been back in the village for quite some time now. When he first returned, everything seemed old and run-down. However, as time passed, he realized that although the village might not be as bustling as the big city, it had its own unique charm. Only those who experienced it firsthand would truly understand.
After a short walk, he arrived at the greenhouse. Upon entering, a warm current greeted him.
"It's so comfortable in the greenhouse. It's freezing outside, but here inside, it's like being in an air-conditioned room."
The cucumbers were growing faster now. Initially, there weren't many fruit nodes, but now they were producing cucumbers every day. If it weren't for the large order from the restaurant, he might have had trouble selling them all.
He grabbed a plastic crate, which he had bought recently for the convenience of supplying the restaurant. Each crate held exactly 20 kilograms of cucumbers.
After about twenty minutes, he had harvested two crates of perfectly uniform cucumbers, glistening with water.
"One, two, three, let's go."
Efficiently, he loaded the crates onto a three-wheeled cart and set off for the restaurant. Today was a weekend, and the order was twice the usual amount. This delivery would last them for two days. His product variety was limited at the moment, unlike professional vegetable suppliers who had a mix of different items to deliver every day.
As he approached the street where the restaurant was located, he intended to head to the restaurant's back entrance. At that moment, a chubby man wearing a chef's uniform approached.
"Hey buddy, where are you delivering these cucumbers?"
The unfamiliar man picked up a cucumber and examined it as if he were quite satisfied.
"Oh, I'm delivering them to Little Chu Liang, the restaurant next door."
Since the man had come over to say hello and strike up a conversation, Yang Feng couldn't ignore him and casually replied.
"Oh, what's your price for supplies?"
The plump man stared at the cucumbers and asked Yang Feng, "Are you open to other business opportunities?"
Yang Feng observed the chubby man and got the sense that he wasn't just an ordinary customer looking to buy vegetables. However, he couldn't casually reveal his prices to anyone.
"Oh, I also run a restaurant here, but it's not as large as Little Chu Liang's. I handle everything myself."
The chubby man, dressed in a chef's uniform, explained.
"I see. Do you also need cucumbers?"
"Yeah, these cucumbers look good. The market supply isn't very stable right now. If your price is reasonable, I'd like to place an order with you."
"My supply price is 7.5 yuan, and the retail price is 8 yuan."
Since it was for a restaurant, Yang Feng quoted the restaurant's prices, which were standardized.
"These cucumbers are indeed of good quality, but the price is higher than what's available in the market."
"You get what you pay for, and the price reflects the quality."
Seeing the chubby man hesitating at the price, Yang Feng decided to be honest.
"How about this? Can you give me five kilograms today to try it out? If they're good, I'll contact you."
"Well..."
This was Little Chu Liang's order for the next two days. If he gave away five kilograms now, it would be enough for today, but he'd have to make another trip tomorrow morning.
The chubby man looked at the cucumbers in his hand, waiting for Yang Feng's response.
"Alright, I'll give you five kilograms for now."
After careful consideration, considering it's for a restaurant's use, having another stable source of income would be better than running a stall.
Yang Feng handed five kilograms to the chubby boss and delivered the rest to Xiao Chuliang. During the quality check, he also told them that if it's not enough, they could call for more.
With this matter resolved, Yang Feng checked the time and saw that it was already 8:30 am. Today, he needed to tend to the greenhouse, so he had no time to stall.
As Yang Feng passed by the breakfast stall, he picked up two portions of breakfast. Today, Xia Ying mentioned that she would come to work.
Yang Feng hurriedly made my way back to the village. It was already quite late, and he didn't want to keep Xia Ying waiting; it was the first day, and Yang Feng didn't want to give her the impression that he was unreliable.
As Yang Feng rode to the village entrance, he spotted the slender figure of Xia Ying standing near the old locust tree, glancing around anxiously.
The weather had cooled down, and the area beneath the old locust tree was no longer as lively as before, with only the tree itself standing tall amidst the cold wind.
"When did you arrive, Xia Ying?"
"I just got here not too long ago."
Yang Feng pulled up beside her on my bike, greeting Xia Ying. However, judging by her appearance, it seemed like she had been waiting for a while.
"Let's go, we'll head to my place first."
"Sure."
Yang Feng rode my bike with Xia Ying on the back and brought her to his house.
"Park the bike here, and let's have some breakfast. I've been starving after delivering all morning," Yang Feng said as he placed the breakfast on the table and offered a chair to Xia Ying.
"You go ahead and eat; I had breakfast already," Xia Ying replied.
Perhaps because it was her first time at Yang Feng’s house, Xia Ying seemed a bit reserved.
"Alright then, you sit down and wait for me for a few minutes."
"Okay."
Xia Ying softly agreed and then sat down, but the atmosphere was still somewhat awkward.
"Speaking of coming here to work, your mom didn't object, did she?" Yang Feng asked, trying to break the silence with some small talk.
"Yeah, initially, she wasn't too keen on the idea, but later she understood that the salary was quite competitive, so she didn't oppose it anymore."
With a topic to discuss, the atmosphere naturally improved.
"That's right; parents never want their children to stay in unfamiliar places. Sometimes they have no choice."
Sometimes Yang Feng envied those families that argued and loved each other, unlike my own, where it was quiet and lonely.
"By the way, where is your greenhouse? I didn't see it on my way here."
"Oh, it's not far from here, just down below, but it's mostly hidden by the surrounding houses. I'll take you to see it later."
As soon as the topic of the greenhouse came up, Yang Feng became enthusiastic. After all, it was his business, and seeing it improve day by day gave him a sense of accomplishment.
"Why didn't you prefer to continue working outside? What made you decide to come back and work in the greenhouse?" Xia Ying had been curious for a while. Most people of their age preferred to stay away once they had the chance, she had her reasons for staying in their hometown.
"Well, it's a bit complicated. To put it briefly, I didn't get along with my boss, and I felt like I'd had enough of working outside these past few years."
To be honest, despite the seemingly glamorous appearances when they returned for holidays, not many were truly thriving.