Gourd Farm Chapter 56
Translated by Etherna (ko-fi)
Chapter 56: Increasing the Salary
Xia Ying, seeing the extra five hundred yuan, felt grateful for the money as she truly needed it.
Her mother's medical expenses, mainly related to the leg condition, required consistent spending.
While Xia Ying had earned some money from selling watermelons, the recent financial setback had dried up their income.
She accepted the money without hesitation, appreciating the timely help.
"You keep it, you've earned it," Yang Feng insisted, acknowledging Xia Ying's hard work.
She didn't argue further, instead she focused on her tasks, as if trying to make up for it through labor.
Yang Feng respected her determination and didn't interfere, understanding that once Xia Ying had set her mind on something, it was difficult to change it.
"Yang Feng, I'll head back now. If you need me for purchasing, let me know in advance."
"Sure, have a safe trip back."
Yang Feng glanced at his phone; it was already half-past five in the evening. The days were growing shorter, and at this hour, darkness had already begun to settle in.
"Yang Feng, why weren't you answering your phone?"
The village chief appeared out of nowhere, holding a bottle of Beijing Erguotou liquor in his hand, leaving Yang Feng somewhat puzzled by the sudden appearance.
"Oh, I was busy in the greenhouse, didn't hear it."
In reality, Yang Feng had noticed a missed call when he checked the time earlier, but it was from an unknown number, so he didn't pay much attention to it.
"Hurry up, we've been waiting for you."
The village chief urged him, carrying the bottle of Beijing Erguotou, and headed towards their destination.
"Why are you still standing there? Come on, hurry up!"
Seeing Yang Feng hesitating, the village chief became increasingly impatient.
"Village chief, I appreciate your kind invitation, but I think I'll stay home. I prefer simple meals like a bowl of cornmeal porridge and some pickled vegetables. I'm not much for social gatherings."
The village chief was determined and walked over, ready to pull Yang Feng along, making it hard for him to refuse.
"Wait a moment, Village Chief."
Yang Feng said and hurried inside his house. In just a few minutes, he came back with a plastic bag filled with several tomatoes.
"Are you going to have a meal, or what's this for?"
The village chief, observing Yang Feng's somewhat nervous behavior, couldn't help but inquire.
"Oh, these are tomatoes I grew myself. I thought I'd bring them for you all to taste."
"You young folks these days... Well, let's go."
Yang Feng locked his door and, carrying the bag of tomatoes, headed out with the village chief. Carrying something in hand felt more natural, as it didn't make him feel as empty-handed and awkward.
"Old man, can you pick up the pace? The food is getting cold."
"I'm coming, I'm coming."
Just as they reached the entrance of the house, they heard the village chief's wife, Mrs. Li, calling from inside.
"Oh, Xiao Feng is here."
Mrs. Li warmly greeted him when she saw him.
"These are homegrown tomatoes. You should taste them later."
"You young folks... You come here and bring something too?"
Mrs. Li took the tomatoes from Yang Feng and placed them on the table.
"Come, have a seat. The delicious dishes are getting cold."
The village chief, now seated at the table with Village Officer Li Wan'er, responded to Yang Feng's query.
"Village Chief, today I took a look around, and it seems our Huangshi Village has a relatively good location. Why haven't we been able to escape poverty in all these years?"
Li Wan'er frowned, her eyes locked on the village chief as she waited for his response.
"Well, this is a long story. Our village has had very few young people for years, and it's only recently that there's been a slight improvement."
"Yes, this is a common issue nationwide. In most places, only left-behind children and elderly people are left."
Li Wan'er nodded in agreement with the village chief's explanation.
"Come, the dishes are ready."
Mrs. Li brought a large bowl of chicken, its fragrance filling the air, and placed it on the table.
"Auntie, there's no need to cook more dishes; there are so many here. Please come and eat."
Li Wan'er looked at the table filled with dishes and politely invited Mrs. Li to join them.
"You go ahead and eat. There's another dish on the stove, and it will be ready soon."
"Xiao Feng, bring the cups. Have a drink with me."
"Village chief, I never drink white liquor. It's too strong, and I have to get up early tomorrow for deliveries."
"All right, all right."
...
"Dad, why didn't you cook dinner tonight?"
Yang Meng rushed into the kitchen, looking like he had just come back from somewhere, and his hair was all messed up.
"..."
After waiting for a few minutes with no response, he shouted a few more times but still got no answer.
"That old man, who knows where he's gone again."
Since calling didn't work, Yang Meng didn't shout anymore and went into the living room on his own.
"Creak."
He pushed the door open, felt for the switch behind it, and turned on the light.
"Click."
The room, which had been pitch dark, was now brightly lit.
"Oh my goodness, it's a ghost!"
After a whole day of gaming and being out in the wind, his mind was still a bit foggy. When he turned on the light, ready to rest in his recliner, he suddenly saw a person sitting upright at the table, which startled Yang Meng so much that he nearly fell to the ground.
"Look at you, acting like a bear. You've been out in the wild all day, and now you don't even recognize your own father."
Yang Meng realized that it was his father, and he jumped up, saying, "Dad, joking around like that, don't you know that scaring people can be deadly?"
Yang Meng couldn't understand what had come over his father, he was still trembling uncontrollably from fear.
"I hope you're scared straight, you wastrel. That would save me a lot of trouble."
"Dad, what happened to you? What could have upset you like this?"
Yang Meng knew his father well enough to realize that he must have encountered something that challenged his dignity.
"Starting tomorrow, if you dare to step out of my sight, I'll break your dog legs."
"Dad, these tomato plants are about to bear fruit, what's bothering you so much?"
"My old bones are almost driven to death by you. Why would I be upset with anyone? What about the pesticide I asked you to buy?"
Initially, Yang Meng's father had planned to follow Yang Feng's example and use his hands to control the weeds. But as time passed, he realized that this method wasn't effective. Although plucking the weeds could temporarily control them, the number of pests was increasing, and he was watching more and more holes appear in the tomato leaves.
"Oh, I completely forgot to buy the pesticide. It's not urgent, a day or two won't make much difference."
Hearing his father's complaint, Yang Meng suddenly remembered that he had been dragged out early in the morning to buy pesticide.
Upon arriving in town, Yang Meng ran into Wang Qiang. The two of them spent the entire day at an internet cafe playing League of Legends. Their luck wasn't on their side, and they lost five or six games in a row, which had left them both frustrated. The issue of the pesticide purchase had completely slipped his mind.
In the early morning, Yang's father had headed to the greenhouse, prepared the water, and waited all day long. There was not a soul in sight, and he had forgotten about the pesticide.
"Hey, Dad, I heard that Yang Feng sold a whole truckload of tomatoes today in the village," Yang Meng said as he arrived back in the village. People were talking about how Yang Feng had made a substantial sum of money.
This mention of Yang Feng's earnings didn't sit well with Yang's father, and his face darkened.
"Ahem, if only I had someone to help me out, I wouldn't be the laughingstock of the village every day," Yang's father grumbled. The frustration had caused him to cough, making his face turn even redder.
