Everyone just gathered together for a while and then dispersed soon.

The news of the car purchase was accidentally mentioned by Xu Fuqiang when he was talking to his uncle last night. Grandpa happened to be there and heard about it. He waited there today and set off firecrackers when he saw the new car.

It’s the same for every family in the village who buys a new car. When they drive it home for the first time, they set off firecrackers to celebrate and then give a red envelope to symbolize good luck.

There was a funny thing in the past where someone drove back and set off firecrackers, but it turned out to be just a passing car.

Xu Fuqiang did not forget what he had to do. He put the chairs away and said, "I have to pick the vegetables quickly. I need to send them out today so that others can receive them tomorrow."

Xu Qingzhi packed the remaining snacks on the plate into bags.

Xu Dongru asked her quietly, "Are you really not going back to the city?"

"Well, I won't go back. Our Taoshui Village is so nice, with beautiful mountains, water and fresh air. I will just grow vegetables and raise chickens and ducks at home, which is enough for my life." Xu Qingzhi said.

Xu Dongru was like an old child, and whispered in a low voice: "It's been so long since you came back, and I haven't seen you go to Grandpa's house to sit for a while."

"Then did Grandpa buy me some snacks? I won't go if there are no snacks at home. It's only two or three miles away and it will be too hot to walk." Xu Qingzhi said this deliberately to tease him.

The old man snorted and said, "Whether you want to go or not, I don't welcome you. Grandpa has received a lot of biscuits and cans from others. If you don't go, they will all be eaten by mice."

"That won't work. After we finish picking the vegetables, let Dad take you back. I'll stop by your place and eat all the food on the way."

The old man had a smile on his face, and in his eyes his granddaughter seemed to always be a little girl. "Every time you go to my place, it's like bandits entering the village. My goodness, if your grandma were still alive, she would inevitably nag you to behave like a girl."

"Grandma won't say anything about me, it's you who says it."

"Yes, your grandma is the one who spoils you the most. In our Xu family, you and your brother were the youngest and were studying at that time. Your grandma and I hid all the good things for you and your brother." The old woman kept mumbling, "If only your grandma were still alive. A few days ago, I dreamed that your grandma asked me if Junjun had been admitted to a good university. I said there was still a year before the exam."

When faced with the grief of life and death, words of comfort are the palest.

Therefore, Xu Qingzhi said softly: "With my brother's stupid appearance, it's not certain whether he can pass the exam or not."

"You, you..." The old man laughed angrily.

Xu Fuqiang had already changed his clothes and walked out. It was the first time he drove his new car home today, so he wore new clothes on purpose, but it was inconvenient for him to work. He waved his hand, "Dad, please sit down for a while. Qingzhi and I will go pick some vegetables."

"My old bones are still capable. I'll help you pick them."

"Grandpa, you sit down, my dad and I will go pick them." Xu Qingzhi refused.

Elderly people hate falling. When her grandmother was picking cucumbers in the field, she fell and punctured a blood vessel in her hand and injured her ribs. After lying in bed for a year, she never got up again and died of bone marrow cancer.

"I can pick them, don't worry. I go to the temple on the mountain to worship the Buddha on the first and fifteenth days of every month. I can walk up and down the dozens of steps." The old man is really stubborn. You can tell from the fact that he refuses to live with his sons and insists on living alone. He doesn't listen to anyone's advice.

Xu Qingzhi couldn't stop him either. Knowing that he was in good health, he could only respond, "Okay, then you watch the road and be careful."

Three people picking vegetables are obviously much faster than two people.

Xu Dongru has been farming at home for many years. Although he is over 70 years old, he is still very straight and strong. He is a person who can't sit still and likes to walk around. When picking vegetables, his movements are more agile than Xu Fuqiang.

Soon, the three people picked dozens of kilograms of vegetables.

Xu Fuqiang was cleaning the yellow mud off the tails of the green vegetables. After all, at two hundred yuan a pound, it would not be good to let people get dirty vegetables.

When buying vegetables, they always order ten kilograms. However, vegetables will lose water, so Xu Qingzhi will put more in when packing them, so the actual amount received will be a few ounces more than ten kilograms.

The most taboo thing when selling vegetables is off-weighing. It’s okay if they are a little more expensive, but if they are under-weighed, buyers will feel cheated and will never buy from them again next time.

Xu Fuqiang looked at the few plastic bags at home and frowned, "Qingzhi, I always feel that when we sell them to those people, we should package them better. If more and more people buy them later, these plastic bags will probably be complained about."

"Okay, I'll buy a batch of hard-shell cartons online." Xu Qingzhi agreed quickly, simply because he felt that every time he looked for plastic bags, it was as difficult as looking for treasure at home, too much trouble. And after all, it was express delivery, so the better the packaging, the less damage on the road.

The three of them prepared the dishes, packed them, and put them all in the trunk of the car.

The trunk of this car is very large, so it is no problem to put dozens of kilograms of vegetables in it.

Xu Fuqiang went to drive the car, and Xu Qingzhi opened the right door, "Grandpa, you sit here, I'll go over there."

"I don't want to take a ride. It's only a few miles. I'll walk back in a while. This car may not be faster than my feet." Xu Dongru turned around and was about to leave.

Xu Qingzhi persuaded him, "You may not have hot wheels under your feet, get on board quickly, or I will be angry and ignore you."

Xu Dongru then got into the car reluctantly and awkwardly.

Xu Qingzhi got in from the left, closed the door, and the car drove forward.

The old man got on the car, still muttering: "I just picked some vegetables, my feet and body are dirty, don't damage the new car."

"My dad and I also picked vegetables. Where is it dirty? You don't have thorns on your body, so you won't damage the car."

"I am an old man, not like you."

"We are all human beings, what's the difference?"

"You devil, I won't listen to you."

In the first round, Grandpa was completely defeated.

Xu Fuqiang laughed out loud. His father was such a stubborn guy that he had to be dealt with by Qing Zhi.

The car drove for a while, went uphill, turned a corner, and arrived at Grandpa's house.

Xu Qingzhi got out of the car first and pushed open the wooden door of the yard. A familiar feeling came over him. What came into view were two bluestone paths and two one-story old brick houses next to each other. On the left was Grandpa's house, and on the right was Xu Qingzhi's old house, which was now uninhabited.

Next to the yard there is a large and lush old persimmon tree, full of light yellow flowers.

The persimmon tree outside her house was grafted from this old persimmon tree.

Xu Dongru came over and saw Xu Qingzhi looking at the persimmon tree. He gestured in the air with his hands and said, "When I planted this persimmon tree, you were only this tall. Time flies. In the blink of an eye, you are already taller than Grandpa."

(End of this chapter)