Chapter 21 We wanted to get intimate, but it wasn't convenient...

When the alarm clock rang, it was already broad daylight.

Su Tangtang quickly dressed and had just entered the main room when she bumped into Huo Yizhou, who was returning from his morning run. He looked unwell and his brows were slightly furrowed.

Su Tangtang stepped forward and asked, "What's wrong? Why are you back so early today?"

She got up a little earlier today, thinking she could get ready quickly so that Huo Yizhou could come back from his morning run, buy bamboo poles in town, and then plant them in the field.

“Some of the cucumber seedlings have been destroyed,” Huo Yizhou said in a deep voice.

Today, instead of running to town as usual, he jogged along the road where they grew vegetables. As he passed the vegetable patch, he glanced at it and noticed that the cucumber seedlings in the front section had been pulled up. Some of the pulled-up seedlings were trampled on the ground, while others looked like they had been taken away.

Upon hearing this, Su Tangtang was both shocked and furious. "Who did this? That's so despicable!"

Huo Yizhou shook his head. "I don't know."

Su Tangtang's mind raced, and she looked at Huo Yizhou, saying, "It can't be..."

Because the photographer was taking pictures, she didn't say anything in the end, but Huo Yizhou understood.

He nodded. "It's not impossible."

Su Tangtang stomped her feet in anger, "I'm going to go check on the fields!"

“I’ll go with you,” Huo Yizhou said, taking a few steps to get on the electric tricycle in the yard.

Su Tangtang got into the car nimbly, and the two drove towards the fields, facing the morning breeze. At seven o'clock in the morning, the sun had already spread across the earth, warm and inviting.

Before long, they arrived at their destination.

Before the car had even come to a complete stop, Su Tangtang jumped out, and Huo Yizhou quickly reminded her, "Slow down."

Su Tangtang didn't respond and walked quickly towards the greenhouse, with the photographer behind her following closely behind.

Upon entering the greenhouse, the scene before her eyes was disheartening. Although the area of ​​damage was not large, the sight of the seedlings that had been maliciously trampled and pulled out still stung her eyes.

The photographer whispered, "Could it have been done by villagers from nearby?"

Su Tangtang gave a soft hum, "Not really."

Huo Yizhou walked in, his tone calm, "At most, the villagers would pull them up and replant them. They wouldn't deliberately destroy them like this. They farm themselves and know how difficult it is to grow things."

“This is difficult,” the photographer sighed. “There are no security cameras around here, so we can’t find out who did it.”

Su Tangtang didn't speak, but she smiled coldly to herself.

Isn't that exactly what the other party targeted? There was no surveillance, few traces, and no results could be found. The harm was minimal, yet they precisely managed to upset the person.

If the damage is too severe, it might actually spur a determination to investigate thoroughly; but it's precisely because of such small-scale damage that if a search yields no clues, the matter will likely be left unresolved.

After spending some time in the field, Su Tangtang, Huo Yizhou, and the photographer set off to return.

Instead of going straight back to their accommodation, they went to the production crew's meeting point first.

Everyone else had already arrived and were chatting in small groups.

Su Tangtang glanced at Wu Xiaojia and saw that the three of them were engrossed in their conversation and hadn't looked at her once.

She already had a pretty good idea of ​​what was going on.

However, there is no evidence.

She walked up to Zhou Yan and the others, deliberately raising her voice to curse, "I don't know which lunatic ruined part of our greenhouse vegetables!"

Everyone turned to look at them.

Zhou Yan asked, "What happened?"

While explaining the situation, Su Tangtang kept an eye on Wu Xiaojia's movements out of the corner of her eye.

"That's just too unethical!" Lin Lang exclaimed.

Su Tangtang said helplessly, "That's right, it's so rude, it's not something a human being would do. Didn't their parents teach them how to be a decent human being?"

As she said this, her gaze fell intentionally or unintentionally on Wu Xiaojia and Zhao Zhiyi.

Zhao Zhiyi was clearly a little guilty. Seeing that she was staring at him and saying such unpleasant things, he couldn't help but frown. "Why are you looking at me like that!"

Su Tangtang raised her eyebrows slightly, "I just wanted to remind everyone to be careful so that the food doesn't get ruined. Besides, I didn't just look at you. I was looking at Sister Zhou Yan when I was talking to her, and she wasn't as agitated as you."

She paused, then softly asked, "Could it really be that you did it?"

Zhao Zhiyi was speechless. "How could that be! Don't make false accusations!"

Wu Xiaojia chimed in, "That's right, Su Tangtang, you can't just suspect people because your food was ruined, can you?"

Su Tangtang chuckled lightly, "Who did I suspect? Did I specifically name you?"

Wu Xiaojia's expression froze, and she forced a reply, "I was just saying it offhand."

Su Tangtang gave a faint "Oh" and said no more.

It was originally only a 70-80% guess, but there's still 20% uncertainty left.

But seeing their reaction, she was now 100% certain.

Wu Xiaojia unconsciously clenched her fists. She hated Su Tangtang the most for always saying a casual "oh," which was enough to choke someone.

She gritted her teeth inwardly: Since we don't admit it, they can't produce any evidence. They're going to suffer this loss in silence!

Su Xiaotang suddenly remembered the scene last night when she and Huo Yizhou bumped into Shen Yingying, Wu Xiaojia and Zhao Zhiyi acting suspiciously. At the time, she wondered what they were doing together. It turned out they were up to no good.

Does she really think she can't do anything to them without evidence?

They're mistaken.

She's someone who doesn't like to cause trouble, but she's never afraid of trouble either.

A subtle silence fell over the scene.

Just then, Qu Xian suddenly spoke up calmly, "Aren't you afraid of retribution for doing such a thing?"

Qiu Nan then added, "Some people do too many bad things, and nightmares will probably come knocking on their door."

Zhou Yan added calmly, "They'll have to pay it back sooner or later."

Lin Lang nodded in agreement, "Definitely."

The group chatted amongst themselves, and although they didn't name names, their words were like invisible needles, making Wu Xiaojia and Zhao Zhiyi's faces grow increasingly grim.

Shen Yingying's expression was also somewhat unnatural.

Everyone had spoken up, and if she didn't say something, it would seem like she had something to hide, so she reluctantly opened her mouth, "I really didn't expect there to be such a person, they're awful."

Her words, ironically, put Wu Xiaojia and Zhao Zhiyi in an even more obvious position.

Wu Xiaojia's smile was somewhat stiff as she tried to change the subject, "It's strange, really, why did it have to be your family that got ruined?"

Su Tangtang crossed her arms, tilted her head slightly to look at Wu Xiaojia, her eyes clear and bright, "Yeah, I was wondering the same thing, why did they specifically target us?"

Feeling guilty under her gaze, Wu Xiaojia subconsciously looked away and whispered in agreement, "I don't know, but people who do this kind of thing are really wicked."

However, she avoided Su Tangtang and Huo Yizhou's gaze. Su Tangtang's gaze was alright, but Huo Yizhou's was frighteningly cold. Looking into his eyes made her legs go weak involuntarily.

Su Tangtang chuckled softly.

It's really interesting that he can be so unfazed when he criticizes himself.

It was impossible for everyone to keep discussing this matter indefinitely, so after a while, they all dispersed to attend to their own affairs.

Su Tangtang and Huo Yizhou left first, planning to go to town to buy some bamboo poles to build trellises for the cucumbers.

Su Tangtang was holding back her anger and remained silent the whole way until she arrived at the bamboo pole shop in town, where she managed to bring her mind back to the important matter.

"Boss, how much are these bamboo poles?" Su Tangtang asked, pointing to the bundled bamboo poles on the ground.

The owner was about forty or fifty years old, slightly overweight, and spoke with a simple, local accent, saying, "Two cents a stick."

Su Tangtang smiled and said, "We're buying a lot, can we get a discount?"

The boss hesitated for a moment, "How many do you want?"

"We planted ten acres of cucumbers. How many do you think we need?"

The owner estimated that, "Based on the usual amount of customers buying, it would be about one to two thousand sticks."

He paused for a moment, then readily agreed, "Since you want a lot, I'll make it 15 cents a stick. Take 1,500 sticks first, and bring more if you need more."

Su Tangtang readily agreed, "Okay."

She turned to Huo Yizhou and said, "Pay."

Huo Yizhou nodded. "OK."

He took out his wallet from his pocket and quickly paid for the goods.

The shop owner agreed to deliver the goods to their door, and the two paid and left.

They went to the supermarket again, bought some food and vegetables, and then set off back to the village.

Upon returning to the village, Su Tangtang and Huo Yizhou went to find several middle-aged women, aunties, and grandmothers who often did odd jobs.

Everyone was happy to take on the work, especially since Su Tangtang offered higher wages than usual garden chores, making it even more special.

"Okay, shall we start tomorrow?" Grandma Zhang asked with a smile.

Su Tangtang nodded, "Yes, tomorrow."

Grandma Zhang's son and daughter-in-law both live in the city, so it's usually just her and her husband at home.

Grandma Zhang's husband has difficulty walking and cannot work, so most of the family's expenses are covered by Grandma Zhang's occasional odd jobs in the vegetable garden.

The elderly couple were unwilling to ask their son for money, always thinking that it wasn't easy for him to work hard outside, and that he should manage on his own if he could.

Fortunately, the couple doesn't spend much. They grow their own vegetables in the yard and receive a few hundred yuan in retirement pension each month, which is barely enough for their daily expenses, and they can even save a little bit occasionally.

"Speaking of which, Lao Ma and I couldn't sleep last night, so we went out for a walk and saw you two working hard in the greenhouse," Grandma Zhang said with a smile. "These days, there aren't many young people as hardworking as you two."

Upon hearing this, Su Tangtang subconsciously looked at Huo Yizhou, only to meet his gaze. The two exchanged a glance.

She composed herself and asked softly, "Grandma, do you remember approximately what time you saw it?"

Grandma Zhang thought for a moment, "I can't say exactly what time, but it's pretty late, what's wrong?"

Su Tangtang remained calm and smiled, "It's nothing, I was just asking. I can't remember what time it was."

-

When Su Tangtang returned from Grandma Zhang's house, she casually blocked the photographer from entering through the door.

The photographer outside reminded everyone, "Our production team requires filming to continue throughout the day..."

Su Tangtang opened the door, raised an eyebrow at him, and said, "We want to get intimate, but it's not convenient."

The photographer was stunned: "..."

Huo Yizhou, who was inside the room, paused and fell silent: "..."

The photographer glanced at Huo Yizhou, then at the composed Su Tangtang, and could only rub his nose. "Fine, then you two...get intimate."

Su Tangtang slammed the door shut and then turned off all the cameras and microphones inside the house.

Huo Yizhou leaned against the wall, arms crossed, a faint smile in his eyes. "Want to get intimate?"

Su Tangtang's ears burned, but she forced herself to remain calm. "It's just an excuse he can't refuse."

Huo Yizhou chuckled softly, "I thought you really wanted to."

Su Tangtang glanced at him, "Our relationship is a contractual one, it's fake."

Huo Yizhou's smile faded, and he said calmly, "I know."

Su Tangtang coughed lightly, then said seriously, "But to be honest, I really can't swallow this insult without teaching them a lesson."

Huo Yizhou nodded, "We've already let the last theft go, but we can't let this one off so easily."

Su Tangtang's eyes lit up, and she leaned closer to him, lowering her voice to quickly say something.

After saying that, she looked up, a sly glint in her eyes. "How was it?"

Huo Yizhou looked at her slightly flushed face and bright eyes, and gently raised the corners of his mouth, "Okay."

-

When Su Tangtang pushed open the door, the photographer was waiting outside. He asked with an "I understand" look on his face, "Did you finish kissing?"

Su Tangtang's lips twitched slightly, but she replied without changing her expression, "Yes, it's over."

Around 3 p.m., the bamboo pole seller delivered the goods to the field on time.

The two men helped unload the vehicle and neatly stacked the bamboo poles by the field.

After tidying up, they didn't rest but worked for a while until the sun gradually set before packing up and heading back.

Back home, Su Tangtang put on an apron and started cooking, while Huo Yizhou skillfully sat in front of the stove to tend the fire.

Smoke rose from the chimney, and a simple yet warm dinner was quickly prepared. The two invited the photography team to join them for a home-cooked meal.

For these photographers who follow Su Tangtang and Huo Yizhou, being able to work with them is like having the best food ever.

Colleagues from other groups couldn't help but complain every time they finished work, saying they were never full, and some even lost several pounds.

Only the two of them, whenever the topic of food came up, couldn't help but indulge in a little "Versailles" moment, saying with a hint of boastfulness, "We ate really well."

-

At nine o'clock in the evening, the two tidied themselves up and quietly left the house.

Instead of taking the main road, they used the cover of night to pass through the grove of trees.

As they walked, Su Tangtang suddenly stopped, turned to look at Huo Yizhou, and asked in a low voice, "You said... did they also leave from here last night?"

Huo Yizhou nodded slightly. "That's possible."

Su Tangtang said with certainty, "It's not just a possibility, I'm sure it is."

The dim moonlight filtered through the gaps in the branches and leaves, illuminating her puffed-up face and making it appear exceptionally vivid.

Looking at her like that, Huo Yizhou felt a strange urge to pinch her cheek, but that would be too impolite.

His fingers twitched slightly, but he ultimately restrained himself.

The two said no more and continued to move forward quietly, making their way to the edge of Wu Xiaojia's vegetable garden.

Su Tangtang shoveled the soil into the ground, her voice low but unable to conceal the fierceness in her tone, "Today I'll teach them what it means to give them a taste of their own medicine."

After saying that, she pulled out a shovel and deftly crawled into the other party's greenhouse. Huo Yizhou followed closely behind. The tomato seedlings in the greenhouse were growing well. Su Tangtang did not hold back and with one shovel, she directly uprooted a seedling with the soil still attached.

Huo Yizhou accepted it tacitly and carefully put it into the bag he had brought with him.

Su Tangtang kept moving, planting one plant after another.

In no time, they had dug up forty or fifty trees.

The two continued working until the number of cucumber seedlings they had destroyed was equivalent to the number of seedlings they had destroyed, at which point they stopped.

Su Tangtang nodded in satisfaction. "Let's go."

Huo Yizhou responded in a low voice, carefully picked up the bag of tomato seedlings, and the two quickly left.

They hurried back to their greenhouse and then planted the tomato seedlings one by one in the places where the destroyed cucumber seedlings had been.

By the time all the planting was finished, it was already midnight.

"Water it again tomorrow," Su Tangtang patted the soil off her hands, "it should survive."

Huo Yizhou nodded. "Let's go back to sleep."

Su Tangtang smiled and her eyes sparkled: "Okay, let's go home and sleep."