Chapter 11: Mengmeng, This Unlucky Child

“How is that possible? How much money can you make that way?” Cao Shujie shook his head.

Cheng Xiaolin became a little curious: “Then how do you plan to do it?”

Cao Shujie chuckled: “Naturally, I’ll find a way to raise its unit price.”

He said confidently: “Wife, have you heard the saying, ‘Good things don’t worry about selling’?”

Cheng Xiaolin looked up from the foot of the mountain, her gaze falling on the fruit trees. She couldn’t see anything different about these fruit trees at all, so she shook her head: “I really can’t tell what’s so good about them.”

“Alright, I’m going to water them.” Cao Shujie knew that no amount of explanation would be useful; it was better to let the facts speak for themselves.

He poured a measuring cup of the yellow semi-finished nutrient solution he had prepared yesterday into the spray barrel, thinking this amount would be enough. He then started adding clean water to the barrel to dilute the nutrient solution.

After finishing his work, Cao Shujie locked the remaining nutrient solution directly in the toolbox under the Electric tricycle seat. He told his wife: “You can sit in the car with Mengmeng and play, or you can go for a casual stroll On the Mountain. When I’m done, I’ll take you to the river to catch fish.”

“Okay, we’ll just look around here. Let me know if you get tired later.” Cheng Xiaolin was also ready to work.

Cao Shujie nodded with a smile, and walked along the path On the Mountain. Every tree would be sprayed with some diluted nutrient solution.

This stuff wasn’t a magic elixir; no effect would be visible immediately after spraying. But based on Cao Shujie’s experience, it would definitely be effective in two or three days. He just needed to come over more often these two days and observe it constantly.

After spraying one barrel of water, Cao Shujie was a bit tired. Looking at the numerous fruit trees and the vast mountain ahead, he started thinking about how to solve this problem in the future.

Should he lay down spray irrigation pipes, or use drones to spray water, or simply hire people to help him spray water? Once things became formalized, he wouldn’t be doing it himself anymore.

“Husband, how are you doing? I can help you spray for a bit.” Cheng Xiaolin shouted from the foot of the mountain.

She had been looking at the flowers and plants with her daughter nearby. She also went to look On the Mountain, and found a little grey rabbit.

Mengmeng immediately wanted to chase it, but let alone her, even Cheng Xiaolin couldn’t outrun a rabbit On the Mountain. In the end, they watched helplessly as the little grey rabbit ran away.

Mengmeng became determined, clamoring for her dad to help her catch that annoying rabbit!

In short, for a rabbit that Mengmeng valued, catching it would be giving face to the rabbit.

Cao Shujie didn’t know his daughter’s intentions. He came down from On the Mountain, refilled the water, added a measuring cup of nutrient solution, and continued to spray the remaining fruit trees.

Cao Shujie still refused his wife’s offer to help. This work was truly not just ordinarily tiring: “Wife, just look after Mengmeng, I’ll work faster and try to finish by noon.”

“Daddy, little bunny.” Mengmeng suddenly said.

Cao Shujie didn’t understand what she meant. His wife said: “When we went up the mountain just now, we encountered a little grey rabbit. Mengmeng wanted to catch it and take it home to keep as a pet.”

After hearing this, Cao Shujie put on a surprised expression: “Mengmeng, is that true? Did you really see a cute little rabbit just now?”

“Mm-hmm!” Mengmeng nodded very seriously.

Cao Shujie then said: “Okay, then you wait until Daddy is done, and we’ll go home to get tools to catch rabbits for you to play with, how about that?”

“Okay!” Mengmeng urged: “Daddy, hurry up!”

“Alright, you wait.” Cao Shujie was also full of energy now, and quickly went back to work.

He sprayed a total of 5 barrels of water, and only then was the work considered finished.

The morning quietly passed. At this point, not to mention Cao Shujie, even Cheng Xiaolin and Mengmeng, mother and daughter, were so hungry they wanted to go home early.

Cheng Xiaolin watched her husband bending over, leaning on the Electric tricycle and panting, and teased him: “Husband, your body isn’t up to it; you need to exercise more.”

Cao Shujie looked around; there was no one else. He gritted his teeth and said: “You just wait, tonight I’ll let you know if I’m ‘up to it’ or not.”

“Pah, Mengmeng is still here, talking nonsense.” Cheng Xiaolin told him off.

Mengmeng heard a familiar phrase, and repeated it: “Hu shuo ba tao.”

“You’re just a repeater, learning everything you hear.” Cheng Xiaolin extended a finger and tapped her daughter’s forehead.

Mengmeng was quite happy, giggling for a while, then pouted and, spitting a little, repeated: “Hu du ji.”

She spoke too quickly, and some individual words were still unclear.

Cao Shujie watched the mother and daughter playing around. He put the water bucket into the cart, washed his face with the remaining clean water, and immediately felt much refreshed.

Seeing that there was still a small half bottle of nutrient solution left, he locked it back in the toolbox. This was good stuff.

He planned to find a place to plant some green vegetables, use all of this nutrient solution on them, and grow them specifically for his family to eat.

“Wife, get in the car, let’s go!” Cao Shujie was already sitting on the Electric tricycle.

Once his wife got on the car holding Mengmeng, Cao Shujie drove directly towards home.

Mengmeng, with the spring breeze blowing on her, was extremely happy, laughing.

She was like a dancing butterfly, wiggling back and forth in her mother’s arms, even trying to lean out, making “wula, wula” sounds from her mouth, which was particularly amusing.

“Shujie, you’re back.” A villager greeted him on the road.

Cao Shujie slowed down. Seeing it was Cao Jianliang, a paternal uncle who was still within the five degrees of mourning kinship, he called out: “Uncle Liang, I just came back from spraying the fruit trees On the Mountain. What are you up to?”

“Nothing much at home. Your aunt gets annoyed when she sees me, so I might as well come out for a stroll.” Cao Jianliang complained.

Hearing him say that, Cheng Xiaolin smiled.

Cao Shujie then teased him: “Uncle Liang, you need to behave well. ‘When the family lives in harmony, all affairs prosper,’ right?”

“Only you can say that.” Cao Jianliang pointed at him and asked: “Shujie, I heard you’re going to spend over 200,000 to build a house? Why so much?”

“My family’s old house renovation only cost over 80,000. Who’s doing the work for you? Are they taking advantage of your ignorance and ripping you off?”

“No, my Grandpa Zhenggang is supervising the construction. I’m planning to build a small two-story house, plus the later decoration, it won’t cost less.” Cao Shujie explained.

Hearing him say this, Cao Jianliang pointed at him and said: “Shujie, you’re still capable. Those gossipy old women in our village were saying you couldn’t make a living outside, and I immediately scolded them. How amazing our Shujie is! He’s been smart since he was little. Just look at the car you drive, they don’t understand it, they just open their mouths and babble nonsense…”

If he kept talking, it would never end. Cheng Xiaolin reached out and pinched her daughter’s bottom, making Mengmeng immediately cry out in pain.

“Mommy, you’re bad…”

But when she spoke quickly, it was unclear. Cheng Xiaolin quickly added: “What? You’re hungry? Oh, you little rascal, all you know is eating.”

Cao Jianliang didn’t think much of it. As soon as he heard, he quickly said: “Shujie, have you been busy all morning? You can’t let the child go hungry. You two hurry home to eat. Anyway, I heard you’re not going out anymore, so we two old men can chat another day when we have time.”

Cao Shujie didn’t suspect anything, and offered: “Uncle Liang, you’re free now, why don’t you come to my place for a drink?”

“Your family is busy today, I won’t go and cause trouble. Another day then. I’ll find an evening to go find your dad for a drink.” Cao Jianliang said this.

Hearing this, Cao Shujie left first.

After riding to the doorstep of his home, Cao Shujie parked the Electric tricycle, and told his wife: “You two go home first, I’ll tidy up the things.”

But Mengmeng didn’t leave. She ran to her dad to complain: “Daddy, Mommy hit me.”

“Huh?” Cao Shujie was puzzled and asked her: “How did Mommy hit you? Why didn’t I see it?”

Mengmeng spoke and gestured, stumbling through a description of what had just happened.

She even gestured her mom’s action of pinching her bottom. Anyone else would surely have become more confused the more they listened, but Cao Shujie understood what happened. He gave his wife a side-eye: “Wife, you’re really something.”

Cheng Xiaolin was unconvinced and said: “It’s already this late, and you’re still basking in the sun, dawdling endlessly. Mengmeng has been hungry for a while. You should consider the time when chatting, right?”

“Hmm, you’re right. Hurry inside. After we eat, we’ll go up the mountain to catch rabbits this afternoon.” Cao Shujie said this.

When Mengmeng heard her dad say this, her eyes immediately widened. She was already a bit impatient, and even hugged her little belly, shouting: “Daddy, I’m full!”

“…” Cao Shujie was speechless!

(End of this chapter)