551: Chapter 230: Old Man in the Bamboo Forest_3 551: Chapter 230: Old Man in the Bamboo Forest_3 When Yan Fei heard him call ‘Boss Yan’, he knew sothing urgent must have co up.
He went out and asked the man in while he continued working, “What’s going on?”
Old Zhutou hesitated for a mont, then stepped forward to help and asked, “What else are you planning to grow here?”
“Waterlons.
I’m starting the seedlings here, then I’ll plant them outside.
I’ll have the first ripe waterlons!” Yan Fei casually replied.
“You can stop now and rest!
What’s the matter?
Why so formal?
Did your grandson leave?”
“He left, they all left!” Old Zhutou admitted that he wasn’t able to help much, having tried for a while but only managed to pull out a couple of seedlings.
“It’s so lively when the kids co!
Why don’t you let them co and play here?
I can look after them, okay?”
“What’s happening here?
You want to work for ?” Yan Fei asked, surprised.
“No, not working.
Not working.” Old Zhutou repeated.
“I won’t take any wages, I just want to help you look after the kids…”
He finished his sentence with self-mockery.
“I don’t need the money, my son sends money every month.
What would a dying old man like do with more money?
I just want to see my grandson…”
Yan Fei began to get the picture.
“So this is all because your grandson left and it made you ill?
Why don’t you go and live with your son?
You can see your grandson every day then.”
“I’m not used to city life.
And their place is crowded, even smaller than my chicken coop here.
It costs money to buy everything, even vegetables.
going there would just add to their burden.” The old man said sorrowfully.
“And this bamboo forest has been passed down from our ancestors, I can’t just abandon it!”
“When you are unable to take care of this place, will they co back to look after the bamboo forest?” Yan Fei asked casually.
That careless statent struck the old man’s sore spot.
He instantly looked gloomy, “Yeah!
When I get old, no one will want this bamboo forest anymore.
Things passed down from our ancestors will be lost forever!”
“Don’t you worry so much that you can’t sleep?” Yan Fei asked in a peculiar, comforting manner.
“Eat when you should eat, drink when you should drink and don’t dwell on things.
Just take care of things now, when you get old let others do whatever they want.
As long as you eat well and drink well, that’s enough.
Do you know how nice they have it in the city?
Instead, you stay at ho, brooding over this and that.
Aren’t you tired?
Moreover, running over here to watch other people’s kids, they’re not even your grandkids!”
“What do you care if I’m tired!
I just enjoy watching the kids.
So what?” The old man seed stimulated by these words, a little more lively than before.
“Then why don’t you just go to the school gate and watch?”
“I still have to look after the bamboo forest.
The inheritance left by my ancestors can’t be lost.
I can’t leave it!
Just tell if you agree or not!”
“If you can watch for and don’t want to be paid, why won’t I agree?
Once I start growing waterlons, I need you to look after them so nobody harms my crops!” Yan Fei said indifferently.
In reality, it didn’t matter much whether there was soone to watch over the waterlon crop.
Even if people co to eat the waterlons, how many could they possibly consu?
The main problem was those naughty children who might ss around with them.
“Deal!
We’ve made an agreent then!” The old man looked energized when he got Yan Fei’s agreent.
“How about this, you can keep the tigers over there, by my hut, where there’s empty space.
I can watch over everything there, and it’s easier to manage since it’s smaller.”
“So you’ve already planned to take care of my tigers?
You even picked out a spot?” Yan Fei asked, surprised.
“Hehe… Just tell if you agree or not?” The old man laughed embarrassedly, accepting his words.
“Fine, fine.
Looking at you like this, I can’t refuse.
In my opinion, every generation has its blessings.
You shouldn’t worry so much!” Yan Fei finally said sothing comforting.
“If you really want to set up there, you’ll need to put up a fence to keep people away.
If I’m not around, nobody else will keep an eye on these things.”
“I’ll go and fence off the empty land right away, making it several layers thick to ensure nobody goes near it.” Old Zhutou promised, ready to get to work, looking rather decisive.
“Hey, don’t rush!
I’ve got sothing to discuss with you too.” Yan Fei said after noticing that the old man was about to leave.
“When your bamboo shoots co up in the spring, don’t eat them all.
I’ll need to buy bamboo poles later.
When the waterlon season ends, I want to build a few more greenhouses, so I’ll need quite a few bamboo poles!”
“Alright!
I’ll leave them for you.
Use them whenever you want, for free!” The old man generously said.
“Just be sure not to use them all at once, or they’ll be gone.
When I’m dead, and this place isn’t wanted by anyone, I’ll leave it to you…”
“Heh!
If you’re that capable, give it to now and see if I dare to take it…” Yan Fei found it amusing, this old man was being so bold!
The old man’s confidence lasted for a few seconds, until he reached the greenhouse entrance and then he started to yell, “Little Yan, co and keep an eye on your tigers!
They’re blocking the door…”
Yan Fei laughed out loud, “Just now you were calling Boss Yan, now I’ve turned into Little Yan?
Weren’t you just very bold!
Go on, they don’t bite…”
The old man bounced around nervously, getting more energetic as he got angrier, “If you don’t co over here now, I really am going to leave!
See what you’ll do if anything happens!”
“Off you go, off you go…” Yan Fei chuckled.
“They really don’t bite, don’t worry!
They’re eating fish and at every day, they wouldn’t look twice at the little bit of at on your bones.
Just go, they won’t bite you…”
Having no choice, the old man stomped away, careful to steer clear of the tigers.
Obviously agitated, he was surprisingly more energetic.
After he’d left the greenhouse, he was sweating.
However, he seed to regain his spirit, energetically shouting from outside, “Little Yan, wait and see, I’ll cook the bamboo shoots even the bamboo trees themselves.
You won’t have any bamboo left to build your greenhouse…”
“…” Yan Fei was speechless for a mont before shouting back, “If you’ve got the guts, dig up the roots of the bamboos to cook…”
By now, the old man had walked far away, humming a little tune while chopping bamboos with a worn-out cleaver to make fence posts…
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