Chapter 41 Selling Fruit in the Countryside

After chatting with the grandfather and grandson for a few minutes, Su Tangtang and her team continued their work of selling vegetables via live streaming. Inside the greenhouse, workers were busy picking fresh tomatoes and preparing and shipping orders for customers.

Due to the order volume far exceeding expectations, in order to ensure timely delivery, Su Tangtang and her team added more people to the picking and packing work. Everyone worked together and were busy until about 10 p.m. before finally coming to an end.

Grandpa Shuanzhu's family planted a total of ten mu of tomatoes. In just two days, they sold the harvest from nearly five mu of land, and their income was several times higher than before.

At 10:30 p.m., Su Tangtang said goodbye to Grandpa Shuanzhu. Before leaving, she reassured him, "Grandpa, don't worry, we will continue to help sell the tomatoes in the field. We'll come back during next week's live stream."

Grandpa Shuanzhu nodded repeatedly, his eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you so much."

Su Tangtang smiled and waved her hand, "You're welcome, it's my pleasure."

Despite Su Tangtang and her companions' repeated refusals, the old man insisted on seeing them off, following them all the way to the main road before stopping.

Su Tangtang turned around and advised, "Grandpa, it's getting late. You should go back and rest. We'll head back now."

Grandpa Shuanzhu replied, "Okay, drive carefully."

As they reached the bend in the road, Su Tangtang looked back and saw the old man still standing at the intersection watching them go. She couldn't help but sigh to Huo Yizhou, "Grandpa Shuanzhu is truly simple and kind."

Huo Yizhou nodded. "He felt grateful that we helped him."

Su Tangtang gave a soft "Mmm" in a warm tone, "It turns out that helping others within one's own ability is such a joyful thing."

Huo Yizhou glanced at her sideways, his gaze gentle. "Indeed."

Su Tangtang smiled and said, "We'll withdraw the money tomorrow and take it to Grandpa Shuanzhu."

Huo Yizhou readily agreed.

Before long, the two returned to their residence.

After a long day of work, their clothes were soaked with sweat again and again. Despite the rain that day, the high-intensity work still left them drenched in sweat. They took a shower in the bathroom arranged by the production team and then went back to their rooms to rest.

The vegetables in the field have been mostly sold out, and what's left are mostly small vegetables that haven't fully grown yet, and there aren't many left. This live-streaming vegetable sale has basically come to an end. The remaining vegetables can be sold later or kept for personal consumption.

The next morning, everyone gathered at the directing team's location.

The director held up an A4 sheet of paper and shook it gently. "This paper records the sales results of each group during these four live broadcasts."

He got straight to the point, "I'm now announcing the rankings: First place, Meng Meng's group; second place, Su Tangtang's group; third place, Shen Yingying's group; fourth place, Zhou Yan's group; fifth place, Lin Lang's group. Congratulations to Meng Meng's group for winning the trip!"

Upon hearing this, Meng Meng's face lit up with joy, and she exclaimed, "I'm so happy! We got first place!" After saying that, she glanced at Su Tangtang with a hint of pride.

Su Tangtang, however, remained smiling and composed, showing no sign of disappointment. Meng Meng, seeing this, felt somewhat uncomfortable.

At this moment, the director took out five golden vegetables and handed them to Su Tangtang, saying, "Congratulations on winning second place."

Su Tangtang accepted the vegetables and thanked her with a smile. Meng Meng stared at the golden vegetables and almost wanted to snatch them away for a moment.

Su Tangtang picked up a piece and subconsciously wanted to bite it to see if it was real gold, but the director saw through her immediately and stopped her with a smile, "Don't worry, it's real!"

She was momentarily embarrassed, but when she looked up, she saw Huo Yizhou smiling at her and couldn't help but ask, "What are you laughing at?"

Before Huo Yizhou could answer, Zhou Yan chimed in with a smile, "Tangtang, you're so cute!"

Lin Lang laughed and chimed in, "Yeah, I even want to bite it to check if it's real!"

Everyone burst into laughter, and the atmosphere became relaxed and pleasant.

Watching Su Tangtang being surrounded by everyone laughing and talking, Shen Yingying felt a pang of resentment. She felt that all this attention should have belonged to her.

Her face remained gentle and smiling, but inside she was filled with resentment and bitterness: Why was Su Tangtang so annoying? She really wished she would disappear from her sight.

The director then awarded the third-place winner two golden vegetables.

Seeing that the top three had all made some gains, Zhou Yan and Lin Lang couldn't help but show a hint of disappointment in their eyes. Su Tangtang noticed this and gently called out, "Sister Yan, Lin Lang."

She stepped forward and handed the two golden vegetables to them, saying, "I'd like to share them with you."

Both of them were a little embarrassed to reach out and take it.

Zhou Yan quickly waved her hand, "Oh dear, Tangtang, this is something you won with great effort, we can't accept it."

Lin Lang nodded in agreement, "Yes, this is too valuable."

Seeing their refusal, Su Tangtang simply stuffed the golden vegetables into their hands, saying, "I just want to share this joy with you."

She shook their arms playfully, "Please don't refuse me, ladies."

The sweet and gentle "sister" instantly melted their hearts. Zhou Yan felt that she liked this thoughtful little girl more and more.

“Alright then, we’ll accept it,” Zhou Yan said with a smile, examining the golden vegetables in her hand. “But to be honest, these golden vegetables are really exquisite.”

Su Tangtang nodded, "That's right, and the key is that it's pure gold!"

This remark made everyone laugh.

On the other side, Meng Meng leaned close to Shen Yingying and whispered resentfully, "She really fell for her act."

Shen Yingying sighed softly, "She's always been like this."

These words deepened Meng Meng's dislike for Su Tangtang. It made her feel like she was being petty. If she was so capable, why didn't she just divide up all the prizes? The more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt.

In the afternoon, the director gave everyone a half-day off so that everyone could get some rest.

On the way home, Su Tangtang realized that she had acted on her own initiative. She turned to look at Huo Yizhou and asked softly, "I saw that they were a little disappointed that they didn't get any rewards, so I shared our prizes with them without telling you beforehand. Are you angry?"

Huo Yizhou paused upon hearing this, "Do you think I'm that petty?"

Su Tangtang was stunned for a moment, then quickly shook her head, "No."

“That’s good,” Huo Yizhou continued walking forward. “Just remember to tell me, like now. But… you don’t need to be so careful in front of me.”

These words made Su Tangtang's heart skip a beat. She softly hummed in agreement, "After all, this is also the result of your hard work."

“I know,” Huo Yizhou said gently. “As long as you think your decision is right, go ahead and do it. I just need to know the details, and maybe I can give you some advice.”

Su Tangtang was stunned.

She discovered that Huo Yizhou was truly a good person, so good that it warmed her heart.

The thought, "I wish we were a real couple," suddenly popped into her head, making her panic.

How could I have such thoughts? Have I fallen for him?

That can't be!

Even if she really fell in love with him, how could someone like him possibly be interested in her?

Su Sutang pursed her lips, her mind in turmoil.

I wonder what kind of girl he will marry in the future?

She thought, that girl must be very outstanding.

Thinking about this, a vague sense of unease welled up inside me.

Why... can't it be myself?

"Okay, I understand." After a long while, Su Tangtang finally spoke softly.

Huo Yizhou nodded slightly.

Su Tangtang explained, "I chose to share with them because they usually speak up for me and help me argue with Shen Yingying and Meng Meng."

“I guessed it,” Huo Yizhou said.

Su Tangtang's eyes lit up: "You guessed it again?"

Huo Yizhou gave a soft "hmm".

Su Tangtang looked up at him, her eyes shining brightly in the light. "You're so amazing. You can always guess what I'm thinking."

Huo Yizhou smiled slightly. "Yes."

Su Tangtang's heart started racing uncontrollably once again.

She secretly regretted it: Oh no, she probably really fell for Huo Yizhou, otherwise why would she feel so happy when she saw him smile?

"Are you disappointed if you don't get first place?" Huo Yizhou suddenly asked her.

Su Tangtang shook her head. "No."

“We have plenty of money and time, so we can go anytime we want, and we’re sure we’ll have even more fun,” she said cheerfully.

Huo Yizhou pursed his lips, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "You're right. Remember to take me with you when you go out to play."

Su Tangtang looked up at him, her eyes full of smiles, "Okay."

Perhaps... Huo Yizhou also has a little bit of interest in her?

Huo Yizhou said firmly, "Then it's settled."

Su Tangtang nodded, "OK."

In the afternoon, the two tidied up the house together, then went to town to withdraw money and bought some snacks.

They made a special trip to Uncle Shuanzhu's house. The Shuanzhu family was exceptionally welcoming to them. After receiving the money from selling vegetables, Uncle Shuanzhu insisted on sharing some with Su Tangtang and the others, but they politely declined.

The two sides argued back and forth for a long time before finally giving up.

That evening, Shuanzhu's family warmly invited them to stay for dinner. Unable to refuse their hospitality, the two stayed and enjoyed a sumptuous farm-style meal. Su Tangtang ate to her heart's content, almost unable to straighten her back.

After dinner, she and Huo Yizhou took a long walk along the country lanes before going back to rest.

The next day, Meng Meng and Ke Tangshu set off on a trip. After seeing them off, the director announced a new task: "The production team has booked a watermelon field and a peach orchard."

Shen Yingying asked, "Are we going to pick peaches and watermelons?"

The director nodded. "That's right."

"Next, we will split into two groups and go to the countryside to sell peaches and watermelons."

Su Tangtang asked curiously, "Go to the countryside?"

The director looked at her. "Yes."

He then took out a lottery bucket and said, "Now we'll start drawing lots to form groups."

Qu Xian asked, "Who wants to go first?"

Qiu Nan chimed in, "Let's go first."

Lin Lang stepped forward, took out a slip of paper, unfolded it, and read aloud, "Watermelon."

Then Shen Yingying drew "peach".

Su Tangtang's group also drew a peach, while Zhou Yan's group drew a watermelon.

Su Tangtang was surprised to be assigned to the same group as Shen Yingying, and immediately lost interest. She really didn't want to be in the same group as them, especially not to see that neurotic Gu Qingke.

She was unwilling, but Gu Qingke couldn't be happier.

He was just worried about not having a chance to get close to Su Tangtang and win back her heart, and now the opportunity has finally come.

He looked at Su Tangtang with a smile in his eyes. When Su Tangtang looked up, her eyes met his. His gaze gave her goosebumps and made her feel very uncomfortable.

To Shen Yingying, this scene looked like flirting. She was furious and secretly tugged at Gu Qingke, gritting her teeth as she whispered in his ear, "Gu Qingke, don't go too far."

Gu Qingke's face stiffened, and he glanced at her indifferently. He had never found Shen Yingying so annoying before, but now he felt increasingly weary of her.

After the groups were determined, the director continued to explain the rules, "The group that sells the most orders within 14 days will win the golden watermelon. Since watermelons and peaches have different selling prices, we will not calculate based on money, but on the number of orders sold. Each person's purchase will only count as one order."

Su Tangtang exclaimed "Wow!" in surprise. Ignoring the rules, she asked, "How big is it?"

The director sighed, "You'll see when you get first place."

"Although it's a group competition, there are also rankings within each group," the director added. "The first place in each group will also receive a golden peach."

Lin Lang asked, "Director, will all our rewards be gold from now on?"

The director smiled but did not answer.

Everyone tacitly agreed that gold is also a good investment, at least it preserves value.

-

After the rules were announced, the production team led everyone to the watermelon field and peach orchard for a site visit. The two orchards were not far apart. The group first visited the lush green watermelon field, and then went to the peach orchard to see the abundant fruit.

Su Tangtang looked at the director and asked the crucial question, "We'll need transportation to sell fruit in the countryside, right? Will we have to rent a car ourselves?"

The director waved his hand, "No need, the production team has already made preparations. After you finish picking each day, you can drive to the countryside to sell."

Su Tangtang nodded.

At this moment, Qu Xian pondered and said, "I feel that offline sales will not be too easy."

Huo Yizhou chimed in, agreeing, "Indeed, compared to online channels which can reach a wider audience, offline customers are limited, especially since most young people in the village have gone out to work, leaving behind mostly elderly people with relatively low spending power."

Qiu Nan also said with concern, "I'm wondering how many days it will take to sell all this fruit after it's been picked."

Zhou Yan suggested, "If we set the price lower, it should be able to sell, right?"

“Then let’s just set a lower price,” Shen Yingying chimed in. “After all, the final winner will be determined by the number of orders.”

Upon hearing this, the director suddenly interjected, "Oh, right, there's something I forgot to mention. Each group needs to pay a principal of 5,000 yuan upfront."

Everyone looked at the director in astonishment.

"You get your goods from me, don't you have to pay?" the director said matter-of-factly.

A moment of silence fell over everyone.

Su Tangtang pouted, "You didn't mention this before."

The director grinned mischievously, "Well, I forgot to mention that."

Su Tangtang: "..."

This sudden rule immediately dashed everyone's hopes for low-price promotions. If they couldn't even recover their principal, they would suffer huge losses.

"Fourteen days? I don't think we can even earn back five thousand yuan," Lin Lang said with a look of utter despair.

Zhou Yan smiled wryly and encouraged him, "You have to believe in yourself. Maybe you can even exceed your target."

Everyone sighed, unanimously agreeing that the director was too "shameless" and would never let them suffer any loss.

In the afternoon, everyone got busy.

As Su Tangtang picked peaches, she said softly, "These peaches look really delicious." Then she took out a bottle of mineral water and prepared to wash one and try it.

Seeing this, Huo Yizhou put down the basket in his hand, reached out and picked out a peach. Su Tangtang smiled slightly, poured water, and Huo Yizhou carefully washed it.

After washing the peaches, Huo Yizhou handed them to Su Tangtang, who took them and said softly, "Thank you."

Huo Yizhou replied calmly, "You're welcome."

Su Tangtang took a bite, the juice was plentiful and sweet, "It's so delicious, I love this kind of peach."

She looked up at him and asked, "Would you like one too?"

Huo Yizhou gazed at her hair, which was ruffled by the small fan around her neck. The messiness only added to her indescribable beauty. He was slightly taken aback, then replied, "Then I'll have one too."

Su Tangtang nodded and poured him water. He washed himself carefully, and after he finished, Huo Yizhou tasted it and said, "It's really good."

As Su Tangtang ate, she smiled and said, "These bright red peaches are so delightful to look at."

Before she could finish speaking, she caught a glimpse of Gu Qingke and Shen Yingying walking towards them. Huo Yizhou stared at her intently, his voice low and deep, "Indeed, very tempting."

These words seemed to have a deeper meaning, making Su Tangtang's cheeks flush slightly, and she lowered her eyes somewhat uncomfortably.

"We bought ice cream, do you want some?" Gu Qingke approached and offered some ice cream.

Su Tangtang shook her head, "Thank you, but no need."

Huo Yizhou didn't say anything, but just shook the peach in his hand.

Gu Qingke's face darkened, and he withdrew his hand.

Shen Yingying glanced at him, secretly sneering to herself. Before, people would chase after you, but you ignored them. Now that you're clinging to them, why would they pay attention to you? She stood aside, silent, just watching quietly.

Gu Qingke, who was always pampered, was met with a rebuff, and his face grew increasingly grim. He forced himself to suppress his emotions and asked, "Don't you like this flavor?"

Su Tangtang didn't like him much to begin with, and she couldn't be bothered to maintain a polite facade. "No, it's just that I don't like what you gave me."

Gu Qingke gritted her teeth, "Su Tangtang!"

Su Tangtang ignored her completely, not even bothering to give her a perfunctory reply.

"Fine, fine, I'll take it as you throwing a tantrum," Gu Qingke took a deep breath. "I didn't understand my own heart before, but now... can you give me a chance?"

Su Tangtang looked stunned, while Shen Yingying's face turned ashen. Was he not even going to give her the last bit of face?

Huo Yizhou's eyes suddenly turned cold, becoming frighteningly gloomy.

The photographer standing nearby was terrified. Was this something that could be recorded and listened to?

Su Tangtang took a deep breath and looked at Gu Qingke, "You two broke up?"

Gu Qingke paused, thinking of the long talk he had with Shen Yingying a few days ago, which finally led to a conclusion. He sighed, "We've already made things clear, but we're still filming the show, so we can't announce our breakup publicly. We'll need some time to transition after the show ends, otherwise the fans won't be able to accept it."

He softened his tone, with a hint of pleading, "We can be together privately first, and when the time is right, I will definitely give you a proper status and won't let you suffer injustice forever."

Su Tangtang felt nauseous upon hearing this and almost vomited.

Gu Qingke's words made her want to vomit.

"What makes you think I would agree?" Su Tangtang said coldly. "Gu Qingke, I suggest you get your head checked."

Gu Qingke didn't seem to mind. "I know exactly what I'm doing. It might make things difficult for you for now, but I'll make it up to you."

Huo Yizhou had truly reached his limit. He stood in front of Su Tangtang and took her hand in a gesture of asserting ownership. "Gu Qingke, do you think I don't exist?"

Gu Qingke didn't take Huo Yizhou seriously at all, and impatiently said, "Get lost."

Huo Yizhou remained silent, only staring at him with icy eyes. That gaze was so oppressive that Gu Qingke felt inexplicably afraid and unconsciously took a half step back.

Shen Yingying watched as the two men defended Su Tangtang, and she was so jealous that she almost went mad. She bit her lower lip hard, her nails digging deep into her palms, but she felt no pain at all.

Looking at Huo Yizhou's tall back, Su Tangtang felt a surge of warmth in her heart and felt exceptionally at ease. She peeked out from beside him and said to Gu Qingke without any politeness, "You're the one who should get lost."

Gu Qingke was struck dumb, her eyes widening in disbelief. "Su Tangtang, what did you say?"

"Can't you understand human language?" Su Tangtang asked coldly. "How many times do I have to repeat myself?"

Gu Qingke's face turned ashen, and she laughed angrily, "Fine, Su Tangtang, you're really something!" With that, she turned and left in a huff.

Shen Yingying glared at Su Tangtang with disgust, then quickly followed Gu Qingke.

Watching the two figures disappear into the distance, Su Tangtang breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that the air around her had become much fresher.

"Oh my god, they're finally gone," Su Tangtang patted her chest lightly and breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm really impressed with this guy."

Huo Yizhou calmly asked, "Do you need help? I can help you solve this."

Su Tangtang paused in her chest-patting gesture, looked up at him. Of course she believed he had the ability, but that would leave her indebted to him, and she didn't want to owe him anything. She could handle her own affairs.

“No need,” Su Tangtang smiled, “I can manage on my own.”

She paused, then added, "If it really can't be resolved, I will definitely come to you."

Huo Yizhou stared at her for a moment, then finally nodded, turned around and continued picking peaches.

Su Tangtang stared at his tall back for a moment, lost in thought, before getting back to work.

The two chatted casually, and before they knew it, it was six o'clock in the evening.

In summer, the days are long and the nights are short; it doesn't get completely dark until after eight o'clock.

Looking at the half-full truckload of goods, Su Tangtang said, "Let's try selling some tomorrow."

Huo Yizhou nodded, "Okay, let's see how much we can sell in a day."

Su Tangtang responded, her gaze falling on the three-wheeled vehicle, "Do you know how to drive this?"

Huo Yizhou replied, "Yes."

A smile appeared in Su Tangtang's eyes. "Impressive."

Huo Yizhou smiled faintly and strode into the car.

Su Tangtang quickly sat in the back of the car.

"Hold on tight," Huo Yizhou turned around and instructed.

Su Tangtang nodded obediently.

The three-wheeled vehicle roared loudly as it started, instantly shattering the tranquility of the evening.

They arrived at their residence quickly. Huo Yizhou drove the car precisely into the yard, the width of the car being almost the same as the width of the gate, just enough for them to get in.

After parking the car, Su Tangtang jumped out. "Is it okay to go out tomorrow?"

"It's alright, barely passable."

Su Tangtang smiled.

After tidying up briefly, the two started cooking, and when they came out, they were covered in sweat.

Su Tangtang couldn't stand it anymore, so she went inside and changed into a sports short-sleeved shirt and shorts. Her fair and slender legs were particularly eye-catching in the twilight.

"It's much cooler now," she stretched. "Would you like to change into shorts too?"

To protect themselves from the sun during the day, they wear long pants while working.

Huo Yizhou shook his head, "I'll take a shower after dinner, no need."

"There are a lot of mosquitoes."

As soon as he finished speaking, Su Tangtang slapped her thigh, killing a mosquito that was sucking her blood. She held out her palm, revealing a dead mosquito covered in blood. She said, "That's a lot, look how much blood it drank from me."

Huo Yizhou was amused by her actions, so he went inside and got a bottle of mosquito repellent spray and handed it to her.

Su Tangtang reached out and took it. "When did you buy it?"

Huo Yizhou said, "I bought it this morning."

Su Tangtang was taken aback, a sweet feeling welling up in her heart. He was so thoughtful.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Dinner was simple: cold dishes and congee.

After dinner, the two went to take a shower together. On the way, they met Zhou Yan and her husband, and then they went together.

"How was your day?" Zhou Yan asked.

"Not bad, we picked half a cartload," Su Tangtang said. "How about you guys?"

"Pretty much, it's really tiring."

Zhou Yan added, "I'll bring you some watermelon later."

Su Tangtang nodded, "Okay, you can take some peaches back with you too."

Zhou Yan smiled and agreed, "Okay."

As the four approached the production crew, they saw the director holding his phone and making a call. They could vaguely hear his voice saying, "Since you've falsified your sales figures, the travel funds will be cancelled."

The four people looked at each other in bewilderment.

Zhou Yan lowered her voice, "Are you talking about Meng Meng and the others?"

Su Tangtang nodded gently, "I feel so."

-

After arriving in Sichuan and Tibet, Meng Meng hung up the phone with the director. She was so angry that she almost smashed her phone on the ground. Only a last shred of rationality allowed her to barely stop herself.

"How did it get exposed?" She paced anxiously back and forth in the room, her chest heaving with anger, and she even felt a bit dizzy from lack of oxygen.

She grabbed the oxygen cylinder on the table, took a few deep breaths, and tried to calm her rapid breathing.

Ke Tangshu sat to the side, his tone indifferent, "Stop pacing around."

"Do you think Su Tangtang did it?" Meng Meng suddenly stopped, her voice filled with barely suppressed resentment. "We originally wanted to frame her, but although we didn't succeed, we got first place, and she's definitely not happy about it! So she investigated, and she actually found out. Now she's exposed it. It must be her!"

She became more and more agitated as she spoke, her words coming out in rapid succession: "She wasn't actually hurt, so why is she so fixated on this? She's just deliberately trying to make things difficult for us!"

She kept blaming Su Tangtang for everything, and Ke Tangshu's brows furrowed more and more as he listened, until he finally stood up impatiently.

Meng Meng immediately asked alertly, "Where are you going?"

"Go out for some fresh air."

But she grabbed him tightly, saying, "Don't go!"

Ke Tangshu looked at her and said calmly, "If you have to pay for it yourself, then you have to pay for it yourself. It's rare for us to come out and have fun."

These words instantly ignited Meng Meng's anger. "Have you seen the trending topics? Look at how badly they're insulting us online!"

"I don't see many people criticizing me; most of them are criticizing you. To be honest, I've been dragged down by you too."

Meng Meng was speechless for a moment, and her face turned even more unpleasant.

“What’s done is done. What can we do now? We’re already in Sichuan and Tibet. Are we going to go back right now? Will the netizens stop criticizing us if we go back?” Ke Tangshu looked at her and softened his tone. “Why don’t we take this opportunity to have some fun?”

Meng Meng finally calmed down. Although she had to admit that what he said made sense, the hatred she felt for Su Tangtang still surged in her chest. She wished she could tear the woman who had put her in such a predicament to pieces immediately.