Chapter 119: The Most Dazzling Guy on This Street

Selling fruit on Taobao was just a fleeting thought that crossed Cao Jianguo’s mind after hearing about it. Besides, even if they wanted to sell fruit, it would be a plan for next year. Cao Jianguo decided to keep this idea in the back of his mind for now. There were many things he didn’t understand yet and needed to learn. Moreover, without the worry of “not being able to sell,” this matter didn’t seem that urgent.

On the 11th, while Cao Shujie was working in the orchard, he received a call from Zhao Wenyang. Zhao Wenyang informed him that two lawn mowers had arrived at the store in Qingshi Town and asked if they should be delivered directly.

“Boss Zhao, have them delivered directly to Cao Family Village. I’ll wait for you at the village entrance,” Cao Shujie replied.

“Alright, see you in a bit,” Zhao Wenyang agreed readily, hanging up and riding his motorcycle with his team towards Cao Family Village.

Cao Shujie came down from the mountain and sat cross-legged on a stone slab by the village entrance, unconcerned about appearances, waiting for the delivery. Cao Jiancheng, who was strolling down the street, saw him and approached, asking, “Shujie, what are you up to?”

“Uncle Cheng, I bought two lawn mowers. They’re being delivered now, so I’m waiting here,” Cao Shujie explained.

Though he and Cao Jiancheng were distant relatives, the generational hierarchy required him to address Cao Jiancheng as uncle.

With nothing else to do, Cao Jiancheng sat beside him, pulled out a cigarette, and offered it to Cao Shujie. “Want one?”

“Uncle Cheng, my throat’s been acting up lately, and I’m on medication. The doctor advised against smoking,” Cao Shujie declined with a smile.

In truth, his wife couldn’t stand the smell of smoke on him anymore, refusing to kiss him because of it. Determined to avoid a dull life, Cao Shujie resolved to quit smoking.

Cao Jiancheng looked at him skeptically. “Shujie, are you really not smoking?”

“Uncle Cheng, I’m serious. My throat’s inflamed, and the doctor warned that if I keep smoking, it could become a big problem,” Cao Shujie said, feigning a bit of fear.

Cao Jiancheng lit a cigarette for himself, taking a deep drag. “Shujie, I say just listen to the doctor but don’t take it too seriously. Life is long, and without smoking, you’d miss out on a lot of fun.”

“Uncle Cheng, you don’t understand,” Cao Shujie replied with a sigh.

Cao Jiancheng took a couple more puffs and said, “I’m two zodiac cycles older than you. What don’t I understand?”

“Uncle Cheng, smoking is bad for your health and affects relationships…”

Before Cao Shujie could finish his rambling, the sound of a motorcycle horn came from the road leading north. Soon, a motorcycle stopped beside him, and Zhao Wenyang removed his helmet. “Boss Cao, have you been waiting long?”

Cao Shujie stood up quickly, beaming. “Boss Zhao, I just got here myself. You came pretty fast.”

“I came right after we spoke on the phone,” Zhao Wenyang said, pointing to a vehicle behind him.

It was a red high-sided truck. Cao Shujie saw two small, yellow-painted machines secured with ropes on the truck, though the high sides obscured their full view.

Zhao Wenyang asked, “Boss Cao, should we unload here or at your place?”

“Up there!” Cao Shujie pointed to the mountain to the east. “My orchard is up there. There’s a parking area, so just drive up.”

“Let’s go,” Zhao Wenyang said without delay. Seeing no other vehicles around, he added, “Boss Cao, hop on my motorcycle, and I’ll take you up.”

Cao Shujie didn’t hesitate, swinging his leg over the back seat.

He turned to Cao Jiancheng, saying, “Uncle Cheng, let’s chat another day.”

“Alright, you go ahead,” Cao Jiancheng replied, understanding that they had business to attend to. Though curious, he knew better than to intrude.

Riding on Zhao Wenyang’s motorcycle, Cao Shujie directed him along the gentle slope of the road to the mid-mountain parking platform.

Upon arrival, Zhao Wenyang marveled at the expansive view of the orchard. “What a great spot.”

“Haha, it’s not bad,” Cao Shujie replied.

Before they could say much more, the red truck arrived. The driver had been worried about parking and turning around on the mountain, but seeing the paved platform, he was impressed. He realized it was likely a personal project, and looking at the layout, he thought the owner must have a grand vision.

Unloading was straightforward. After untying the ropes and setting up two planks at the truck’s rear, they had the two lawn mowers unloaded in about ten minutes.

Zhao Wenyang made sure to tell Cao Shujie, “Boss Cao, take a good look. If there’s any issue, we can contact the manufacturer for a replacement right away.”

“For any other quality issues, you can exchange them within a month and get repairs under warranty for two years,” Zhao Wenyang assured.

“Alright!” Cao Shujie inspected the mowers carefully. Seeing no scratches or damage on the surface, he was half relieved. Following Zhao Wenyang’s guidance, he even took them for a test run, mowing some grass. Finding no immediate problems, he signed off on the delivery.

“Boss Cao, let’s leave it at that for today. If any issues arise, just give me a call,” Zhao Wenyang said cheerfully.

He was making a profit from the transaction, so he was responsible for ensuring satisfaction.

Cao Shujie understood this business dynamic. It was unrealistic not to let others earn a bit.

He paid the remaining 28,800 yuan to Zhao Wenyang and signed his name on the receipt, finalizing the deal.

Afterward, Cao Shujie wanted to invite Zhao Wenyang to stay for lunch, but Zhao Wenyang declined.

“Boss Cao, I won’t lie. I have matters to attend to at the store, so I need to head back. Let’s have a meal together sometime when I’m not busy,” Zhao Wenyang said.

Seeing the orchard contracted by Cao Shujie, Zhao Wenyang realized something important: this could very well be just the beginning of their collaboration. There would be many more opportunities for them to work together in the future, and he had to seize this client.

As Zhao Wenyang rode away on his motorcycle, with the driver following in a high-sided truck down the mountain, Cao Shujie looked back at the two brand-new tracked lawn mowers, growing more fond of them with each glance.

He drove one of them into the orchard, parked it in a shaded spot, then took the other one in to mow two rounds of grass. The spacing requirements for the kiwi and apple trees left enough room for the mowers to move freely, making the task quite satisfying.

Cao Shujie worked energetically, staying busy until the afternoon. When he got hungry, he went to the old orchard, picked a couple of apples, washed them at the well, and crunched into them with satisfaction.

“Ah, life is good,” Cao Shujie sighed contentedly.

As evening approached, Cao Jianguo arrived at the orchard on his electric scooter and saw his son sitting on one of the new tracked lawn mowers. His curiosity was piqued. “Did this just arrive?”

“It was delivered this morning,” Cao Shujie replied, pointing to the area with the saplings. “Dad, what do you think of the mowing efficiency?”

Following his son’s gaze, Cao Jianguo noticed that large patches of grass in the new orchard area had been neatly cut, leaving only short stubble behind, ready to grow back for another cycle of mowing.

“Did you do all this by yourself?” Cao Jianguo asked.

Cao Shujie nodded. “Just me. This thing is really efficient. The other mower is still parked over there, unused.”

“You finished so quickly?” Cao Jianguo was incredulous.

“Dad, why don’t you give it a try?” Cao Shujie suggested.

Tempted, Cao Jianguo walked briskly over to the other lawn mower and climbed on. He examined the buttons, gear lever, throttle, and brake, finding it surprisingly simple to operate.

After testing all the functions to ensure everything was in order, he drove the tracked lawn mower into the orchard, operating it with vigor. Watching the grass fall in neat rows behind him, he was delighted. “Shujie, this lawn mower is really useful, much better than those handheld ones I’ve seen.”

“How so, Dad?” Cao Shujie asked with a smile.

Cao Jianguo pointed to the rows of fallen grass behind him. “It doesn’t shred the grass.”

Indeed, Cao Shujie was pleased with this design feature as well.

As darkness fell, the father and son parked the mowers, looking at the vast area of cut grass. Cao Jianguo remarked, “With these two lawn mowers, we won’t need to hire anyone to cut the grass anymore. The money we save makes these 30,000 yuan well spent.”

Cao Shujie shared the same thought. It was an easy calculation to make. In the long run, buying these two lawn mowers was a very cost-effective decision.

After dinner, as he was getting ready for bed, Cao Shujie received a call from Song Shuli. She wanted to send him a price list and asked for the most convenient way to do so. Cao Shujie gave her his QQ number.

Soon after, he received a friend request from a QQ account named “Yingke Flowers,” with the verification message reading “Song Shuli.” He accepted the request immediately.

After exchanging smiley faces as greetings, Song Shuli sent over an Excel spreadsheet. Cao Shujie opened it and examined the detailed contents. The prices for the six types of flowers he had discussed with Song Shuli varied, with different varieties, sizes, and ages of the same flower having different prices. This industry was diverse and complex, easily misleading to outsiders.

Fortunately, his wife had experience with flowers and was familiar with the prices. Seeing her free, Cao Shujie called her over. “Take a look at this price list. Do you see any issues?”

“What issues?” Cheng Xiaolin asked, puzzled.

“Just whether the prices are reasonable compared to the market,” Cao Shujie explained.

After carefully reviewing the price list and checking online for unfamiliar items like tree-shaped lavender and trumpet creeper, Cheng Xiaolin said, “These prices are much cheaper than those online. Is this from the flower business owner you mentioned?”

“Yes,” Cao Shujie nodded.

“Based on this price list, this person seems quite honest,” Cheng Xiaolin commented.

“Why don’t you pick out some flowers for us to plant on the mountain?” Cao Shujie suggested.

“Are you planning to plant all around?” Cheng Xiaolin asked.

Cao Shujie nodded. “Since we’re planting, we might as well plant more to avoid future hassle.”

“I think you should ask Boss Song to come over and take a look, to give you a professional plan,” Cheng Xiaolin advised. “We’re not experts, and we don’t know the best way to arrange them.”

Her suggestion made perfect sense, and Cao Shujie agreed readily. “Then I’ll call Boss Song right now and ask her to come over.”

Without delay, Cao Shujie picked up his phone and called Song Shuli, explaining his situation. She responded promptly, “Boss Cao, I’ll come over tomorrow morning.”

“Great, Sister Song. I’ll be at the orchard early to welcome you,” Cao Shujie said with a smile.

After hanging up, he asked his wife, “Are you coming tomorrow?”

“I might as well go and take a look,” Cheng Xiaolin said, enjoying planting flowers and plants.

The next morning, after getting up, Cao Shujie took his four dogs and headed up the mountain. Daha and Erha were now six months old, having grown taller and heavier. The two young German Shepherds had also gained weight rapidly. Though it had only been a little over two months since he got them from Cui Jingguo, they were already half the height of Daha and Erha.

It was evident why they were considered large dogs. Cao Shujie had high hopes for their future. He imagined himself walking down the street with four dogs, intimidating enough that no one would dare approach.

He would undoubtedly be the coolest guy on the street. “Oh dear, just as long as they don’t call me the village bully,” Cao Shujie mused to himself.

Upon reaching the mountain and entering the orchard, Cao Shujie released the leashes, allowing Daha, Erha, and the two young German Shepherds to roam freely.

After some time and repeated training from Cao Shujie, they had learned not to damage the fruit trees and saplings in the orchard, or else they would face consequences.

Once freed from their leashes, the four dogs immediately dashed into the depths of the orchard, burning off their excess energy.

Cao Shujie felt relieved that his place was spacious enough. Otherwise, with their current boundless energy, who knows what havoc they would wreak at home?

Unbeknownst to him, the sun had risen over the eastern horizon and now hung in the sky.

Cao Shujie then led the four dogs, who had been running for nearly two hours, down the mountain and headed home.

After expending their surplus energy, the dogs were much calmer.

Looking at the four of them, Cao Shujie was puzzled by how quickly they recovered, still being so young.

Just past nine in the morning, while Cao Shujie was still at home and hadn’t gone out, his phone rang. He picked it up to see that Song Shuli was calling him.

(End of Chapter)