Gourd Farm Chapter 61
Translated by Etherna (ko-fi)
Chapter 61
"Xia Ying, ride back home first. Also, stop by the fireworks and firecrackers store and buy me a pack of large firecrackers."
The new tractor was about to be driven back home. Regardless, it was considered a significant acquisition in the village, and there was a custom: whenever someone brought a new vehicle home, they had to set off firecrackers for good luck.
"Yang Feng, isn't there already a one-key start?" Xia Ying asked.
Yang Feng reached under the tractor's seat and pulled out the lever.
"This tractor needs the sound of firecrackers for the full experience. Help me rev the engine a bit."
"Sure."
Walking up to the tractor, he spread his legs apart, right leg forward and left leg back, bending his knees and waist, stabilizing his stance.
Gripping the lever with his right hand, he inserted it into the engine's starter claw. With his left hand on the decompression handle, he pressed it down and rapidly turned the lever. As the movements intensified, Yang Feng's head shook in rhythm.
"Pop pop pop."
The new tractor was easy to start; it roared to life as soon as it was cranked.
"This machine is great, just listen to how loud it is," the owner praised, beaming with pride as the tractor roared.
Yang Feng drove the brand-new tractor. In the town, he had been cautious due to the crowd, but now, he was on a deserted road.
"Clang!"
He released the clutch, shifted into fifth gear, and what was initially a slow-moving tractor suddenly transformed into a wild, unrestrained creature, like a horse unleashed from its reins. A rush of acceleration surged through him as the tractor raced freely down the wide road.
The wind howled in his ears, and he watched as the scenery on the roadside rapidly retreated, blurred by speed.
In no time, he reached the village. It was noon, and smoke billowed from chimneys in every household. People were returning from the fields, one by one.
"Hey, isn't that Yang's kid? Did he buy a tractor?"
"Yeah, he did. I heard he made quite a bit of money recently."
"Who knows? Maybe he borrowed it."
Several villagers speculated, and even the elder women chimed in.
Upon entering the village, Yang Feng deliberately slowed down, casually driving toward his home. He wanted to show these gossiping neighbors that he wouldn't succumb to their judgment.
Just as he pulled up to his uncle's house, his uncle happened to step out. Seeing Yang Feng on the new tractor, his expression was clearly uncomfortable.
"Xia Ying, did you buy the firecrackers?"
Xia Ying wasn't sure when he will arrive that why she was sitting on the three-wheeler, eagerly awaiting Yang Feng's return.
"Yeah, here they are."
She lifted a large red plastic bag from the cargo area of the vehicle. Inside were firecrackers, a pack of five thousand loud bangs.
Setting up the firecrackers along the doorway, Xia Ying quickly retreated inside, covering her ears with her hands.
"Fizz—"
As the lighter sparked, the firecracker's fuse burned rapidly. The sound of crackling firecrackers echoed through the tranquil village, crisp and resonant.
The peaceful village was soon filled with the reverberations of firecrackers. Adults and children from every household stepped outside, looking around to identify the source of the noise.
"Hey, which family is setting off firecrackers?"
Aunt Hua, preparing dinner, couldn't resist the curiosity and came out.
"Sister Yang, why does it sound like it's coming from Xiao Feng's house?"
Someone nearby spoke, and Aunt Hua approached them.
"Yeah, just heard from the old man that he saw Yang Feng driving a new tractor."
Upon hearing this, Aunt Hua thought that maybe Yang Feng had bought a new vehicle.
"Let's go and take a look; it won't take long."
Saying this, they persuaded Aunt Hua and headed toward Yang Feng's house.
Right after the firecrackers had finished, a group of mischievous kids came to collect the ones that hadn't gone off.
A crowd had gathered at the entrance, all marveling at the tractor. People kept asking questions here and there.
"You've struck it rich, Xiao Feng! You've bought such a big tractor."
Aunt Hua and a few others arrived at the doorstep at that moment.
"Hey, it didn't cost that much," Yang Feng replied.
Since people had started talking, he felt he needed to explain himself.
"Oh my goodness, this tractor even has a keyhole. I've never seen that before."
Aunt Hua came over and touched it, and everyone around wore envy on their faces. Those who used to look down on Yang Feng were now silenced.
Sometimes, people could be like this; the poorer you were, the more people looked down on you.
"Ding ding ding."
Just as Yang Feng and Xia Ying were about to prepare their meal, Yang Feng's phone rang. He pulled it out to find five or six missed calls, including one from Mr. Qi.
"Hello."
"Yang, do you still have tomatoes?" Mr. Qi asked urgently, his voice frantic amidst the background noise.
"Yeah, I do. What's the current price?" Yang Feng inquired.
"Well, the regular price is six yuan per kilogram now. Rest assured, I'll give you seven yuan. How does that sound?" Mr. Qi deliberately emphasized the number "seven."
"Hah, Mr. Qi, I'll be straight with you. I won't sell for less than eight yuan."
What a joke! With this quality, he was practically giving it away for one yuan more per kilogram; it was as if it had no value at all.
"This…"
"I need to prepare dinner; think it over," Yang Feng said.
*Beep beep beep...*
Hearing Mr. Qi's hesitance, unsure of whether it was genuine or not, Yang Feng hung up the phone.
He and Xia Ying quickly had a simple meal and then went to work in the greenhouse.
*Ding ding ding*
While watering the plants, Yang Feng's phone rang again. It was Mr. Qi calling.
"Hello."
"Yang, I'll go with the price you mentioned. I'll come to pick up the goods tomorrow morning. Make sure to keep them for me."
Listening to Mr. Qi's tone, it was certain the price was going up again. It seemed they would have to limit the sales tomorrow.
"Yang Feng, are you going to sell tomatoes again?" Xia Ying asked.
"Yeah, Mr. Qi just confirmed he's coming to pick up the goods tomorrow morning."
"Seeing such a large batch, it's a bit hard to part with them," she remarked, a touch of reluctance in her voice.
Xia Ying looked at the vibrant red tomatoes and couldn't help feeling attached. After the last sale, the greenhouse had seemed a bit empty.
"..."
In another greenhouse in the village, they were also considering how to sell their tomatoes.
"Dad, should we sell these tomatoes wholesale or retail?" Yang Meng touched the ripe tomatoes. He and his father had practically been living in the greenhouse recently.
"Well, for this many, we should start with wholesale, but we'll also have to sell retail," his father replied.
"Dad, did we get a fake variety? Why is our yield and taste so different from Yang Feng's?" Yang Meng had tasted Yang Feng's tomatoes before; they were sweet like persimmons and very juicy.
Now, eating their own tomatoes, they were not only hard but also sour.
"Sigh, I don't know what's going on. Our yield is at least half of his, if not less," his father said, his frustration evident. These days, Uncle Yang was stressed and had even developed a toothache, making it difficult for him to eat.
Having spent a lifetime farming, Uncle Yang had put his heart and soul into this batch of tomatoes. Yet, in the end, he couldn't match the achievements of a young lad.
"I tell you, it's that pesticide you're using," Yang Meng said after observing the tomatoes covered in insect marks, pondering for a while.
"Nonsense! I don't use pesticides. Right now, you can't even find a single hair on a tomato of yours," Uncle Yang retorted sharply.
To grow this batch of tomatoes, Uncle Yang had frequently gone to town every few days to buy pesticides. It seemed like either the crops were diseased, or pests were ravaging them. They had spent several thousand yuan just on pesticides, without accounting for any other expenses.
