Wu Lingyu clasped the girl's hand, genuinely understanding how she felt at that mont. When she had been an ugly duckling, she too felt inferior while visiting Wan Ningyi's ho.
But now the ugly duckling had transford into a swan, a swan that wouldn't migrate with the seasons and would forever stay by Brother Fan's side.
It was a mutually beneficial arrangent with Xiao Jianbiao, as most of Haowei Group's drivers were ex-military personnel. Take, for instance, the middle-aged woman currently driving the car, unassuming in appearance but once known as a driving god in the army.
The car maintained a smooth yet swift pace, and before long, they arrived at the Stone Beach area.
Guided by Xie Rui, they quickly navigated through the twists and turns to reach a village.
After Xu Qingfan opened the car door for her, the girl pointed in the direction of her ho and said to them, "Over there is my house. Wait for , we have pogranates planted, the really sweet local kind. I'll go pick so for you!"
"Are they those soft, extra fragrant pogranates? I've rarely seen them for sale anymore. So, your family grows them!" Xu Qingfan pretended to be surprised.
"Yes, yes, the soft ones are super delicious!"
"Thank you, Siri!"
The five girls were not the kind to scorn the poor and love the rich, so they also expressed their gratitude.
"Alright, I'll get you a bit more!" Xie Rui said bashfully, a shy smile on her face before she ran back ho with her backpack.
Soon, the group of six saw Xie Rui return ho, followed by four little kids, three girls and a boy, who erged to skillfully climb the tree and pick the few remaining fruits.
It was a special type of pogranate native to the south, known as Rouge Red, or sotis called Chicken Dropping Fruit.
The forr na was due to its rouge-tinted pulp, while the latter wasn't because it slled like chicken droppings, but because a ripe Rouge Red was as fragile as tofu and would smash when stepped on, looking almost like chicken droppings on the ground.
However, due to transportation challenges and a susceptibility to pests, fewer and fewer people had been planting it in recent years.
The limited pogranates were quickly picked clean by the group, and Xie Rui returned with her siblings, jogging back.
"This is all that's left. If you like them, I'll pick more for you next year when they're ripe," she said, handing over a big bag of pogranates with an apologetic face.
The three little girls, with the oldest guessing to be about third grade and the smallest just over a ter tall, along with the only little boy barely reaching Xie Rui's thigh, hid behind her and sneakily peered at the five fairy-like sisters.
"Sure, the duck neck marinated by Xiao Yu's mother is also really tasty. I'll bring you so next ti," Xu Qingfan said, nodding and smiling as he accepted the pogranates.
"What are you doing! Giving away our hogrown pogranates as if they're worthless!" It was at this mont that a disgruntled male voice bellowed at them.
Xie Rui's hand, passing the pogranates to Xu Qingfan, visibly trembled, and the three little girls who were curiously blinking their big eyes began to shiver with fear.
Soon, a middle-aged man reeking of alcohol with a clearly unsteady gait appeared in front of them.
Xu Qingfan frowned displeasedly, but quickly composed himself again, and politely said, "What should I call this uncle? Is this pogranate tree yours? We were just passing by and wanted to buy so."
The middle-aged man glanced at the car in front of him and started to curse, "Buy what? The secretary from the eastern part has already reserved these pogranates. If you pick them all now, do you know how much money I'm going to lose!"
"Dad...." Xie Rui felt humiliated at this mont, with a lump in her throat and an overwhelming urge to cry.
"Go ho and cook, don't think you're better than anyone just because you've read a few books!" The middle-aged man unapologetically slapped her.
Lin Wanning and the others were startled at first, then quickly showed expressions of anger.
"Dad, they are my...."
Xie Rui didn't want her newly-made friends to be scamd, so despite feeling aggrieved, she continued to speak, only to be interrupted by Xu Qingfan.
"I'm really sorry, I had no idea this was happening. How much should I compensate you to settle this issue?"
The middle-aged man's eyes lit up, continuing his pretentious act, "The secretary originally agreed to buy it for fifty yuan, you give a hundred and we'll call it even, or else!"
Xu Qingfan choked, he was already prepared for the other party to try to fleece him and then to report them for extortion. But goddamn, just a hundred yuan didn't even et the threshold for filing a case.
He glanced at the man's swollen eye bags, thinking it couldn't really be this lodramatic— a gambling-addicted dad, a sick mom?
"I'm so sorry, truly sorry, it was our mistake for not asking clearly. Here, take a hundred yuan as our apology." Since Xie Rui was Xiao Yu's friend, Xu Qingfan tried to maintain a friendly deanor throughout.
"Hmph! Learn your lesson for next ti. I'm being nice here. If it were Li Dashazi from the head of the village, you wouldn't even think about leaving!" The middle-aged man snatched the money from his hand with a grin and walked away without looking back.
"I'm sorry... I... I will pay you back the hundred yuan when I go to school." Xie Rui said with red eyes, choking up.
Xu Qingfan winked at her playfully, "The one I just gave to your dad was counterfeit, I never thought I'd be scamd myself, I've been keeping it as a collectible in my wallet."
"Look~" He turned his wallet inside out for her to see, "It was always tucked in here, and now it's gone."
"What?" Xie Rui was dumbstruck, and though the one scamd was her father, she inexplicably felt a thrill of pleasure.
"Ha ha, it's true! Brother Qing Fan always kept the counterfeit note right here, and now it's gone!" Lin Wanning leaned in to look and her eyes sparkled instantly.
"I also testify, it's true!"
"Ha ha ha I testify too!"
The atmosphere in the car suddenly beca jolly, prompting Xie Rui not to cry anymore.
"That's good, that's good, if it's counterfeit then I don't have to pay you back a hundred yuan, right?" Xie Rui said, relieved.
"Why pay back counterfeit money, just don't secretly report ." Xu Qingfan laughed.
"I would never!"
"Ha ha ha ha..."
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