"Mom and Dad, Third Brother!" Zhang Zhengrong, Ye Cuihua, and a young couple appeared from the crowd, pulling suitcases. Zhang Guodong spotted them immediately.
Ye Cuihua, Zhang Zhengrong's mother, has changed quite a bit, and Zhang Zhengrong seems to have become several years younger as a result. Wearing a shiny leather jacket, she exudes a modern, contemporary vibe.
The young couple were Zhang Guohao, the third brother, and his girlfriend, Ye Wan. She was a rather quiet and pretty girl with a gentle demeanor. Zhang Guodong was immediately delighted; his third brother, with his looks and circumstances, had actually found such a wonderful girlfriend—impressive!
"Second Brother!" Zhang Guohao exclaimed happily as soon as he saw Zhang Guodong. The brothers hadn't seen each other for a year.
When the family gets together, the scene becomes lively.
The fat man seized the opportunity to squeeze out from behind and introduce himself.
"Hello, Uncle and Aunt, I'm Wang Kang, Guodong's college classmate and good friend. You can call me Fatty, hey!" Fatty was very sweet-talking and showed great respect for Zhang Guodong, which touched Zhang Guodong deeply.
However, this guy was just pretending to be well-behaved, and he restrained himself considerably, appearing very respectful.
Seeing the confusion on his parents' faces, Zhang Guodong chuckled and explained, "Mom and Dad, this guy heard you were back and insisted on coming to pick you up. He and your son are very close, so you can just call him Fatty. He won't feel comfortable calling him anything else!"
Upon hearing that it was her son's good friend and college classmate, Ye Cuihua became very enthusiastic. She seemed quite familiar with the saying, "When you're away from home, you rely on others for help."
"This child, how can you talk like that? Xiao Kang, don't take Guo Dong's words to heart!" Ye Cuihua glared at Zhang Guo Dong, but was very enthusiastic towards the fat man.
"Hehe, it's nothing!" the fat man said.
The fat man took a suitcase.
Li Yun, who was standing next to Zhang Guodong, was a little annoyed. Zhang Guodong hadn't introduced her yet, so Li Yun immediately greeted him obediently, "Hello, Uncle and Aunt, I'm Guodong's friend, my name is Li Yun!"
Upon hearing this, Ye Cuihua realized that the beautiful girl had come with Zhang Guodong. She was even happier and glanced at Zhang Guodong, thinking to herself, "My son's choice of wife is so beautiful! I used to worry that my son wouldn't be able to find a wife, but now all three of my sons have found someone."
Seeing his mother Ye Cuihua's delight, Zhang Guodong knew exactly what she was up to and immediately felt a headache coming on. In rural customs, it's easy to consider a girl who comes to one's family as a potential partner. Moreover, the concepts of "partner" and "wife" are very vague; it's generally a matter of lifelong commitment. Unlike in the city, where boyfriends and girlfriends change frequently, and the concept of a wife is far removed from reality.
Mom must have taken Li Yun as his girlfriend.
As expected, Ye Cuihua was overly enthusiastic towards Li Yun's 'well-behaved' nature, treating her differently. Li Yun supported Ye Cuihua, while Ye Wan was on the other side, leaving only Zhang Guodong, Fatty, their father Zhang Zhengrong, and their third brother Zhang Guohao pulling their suitcases.
"Waaah!"
Big Black and Little Black were unhappy about being ignored. They seemed very dissatisfied, but when they saw that people were paying attention to them, they tried to get close to them.
"Dad, these are my two puppies!" Zhang Guodong said with a smile, and Dahei and Erhei became even more excited, showing great intelligence. However, this was not the place to talk, so everyone squeezed out of the crowd.
A red Porsche, a black Mercedes, and a luxury van slowly drove away from the West Railway Station.
Ye Wan was in Li Yun's car, Zhang Guohao was in Fatty's car, and Zhang Zhengrong and Ye Cuihua were in Zhang Guodong's van. Obviously, Fatty and Li Yun knew to give them space. At the same time, Zhang Zhengrong and Ye Cuihua also had some questions to ask.
"Guodong, what's the deal with Li Yun?" Ye Cuihua asked with interest.
Knowing this matter needed to be clarified, Zhang Guodong laughed and said, "Mom, we're just good friends, not a couple, so please don't get involved!"
Ye Cuihua objected: "Am I that old? What do you mean by 'interfering'? You just chase after girls you like. This girl is pretty and has a good figure. I'm quite satisfied with her!"
Zhang Guodong hurriedly replied, "Not old at all, still young! 'Son' is just a respectful way of addressing you, hehe!"
Ye Cuihua was finally satisfied, but she still wouldn't let go of the topic of her daughter-in-law: "Li Yun is a good person, beautiful, and rich. Son, you'd better hurry up and make a move!"
Listening to the conversation between the mother and son, Zhang Zhengrong also felt that his wife was making unfounded accusations of matchmaking, offering advice without even understanding the specifics of Guodong's relationship with the other person. He knew that many young people these days date, but very few actually end up together; they all believed in getting to know each other first before discussing marriage.
That woman!
Big Black and Little Black squatted down, very obediently, as if they were listeners.
Zhang Zhengrong coughed before saying, "Don't meddle in the affairs of young people. Guodong, how's business at the store lately?"
Zhang Guodong usually doesn't talk much about Green Treasure Pavilion's business. Every time they talk on the phone, he says it's doing well, so Zhang Zhengrong and Ye Cuihua don't feel comfortable asking for details.
Selling vegetables in that prime location must cost a fortune in rent alone, right? It's hard for the two elderly people to imagine making money from it; their thinking is rather limited in this regard.
Zhang Guodong said, "Our customer base is quite stable and still growing. Earning three or four thousand a day is no problem, and on busy days we can even earn seven or eight thousand!"
Zhang Zhengrong was moved upon hearing this.
Ye Cuihua asked doubtfully, "Is selling vegetables really that profitable? Earning eight thousand a day is more than many people earn in a month! That's two hundred and forty thousand a month! My God!"
This is a huge sum of money!
Zhang Guodong felt a chill run down his spine. He knew his parents' capacity to accept information, so he had underreported the amount by more than half.
"Ha, only 240,000, not much. Your son's shop sells only the best vegetables, that's why they're expensive!"
These things were discussed on the way, and time passed quickly.
To get back to their home in the telecommunications bureau's residential compound, they had to pass by Green Treasure Pavilion. The two elders would only feel at ease if they went there first. Zhang Guodong immediately remembered something and said somewhat sheepishly, "Mom and Dad, there's something I need to remind you of—"
"What is it?" Ye Cuihua was still thinking about how much 240,000 yuan was. She was calculating in her mind that 240,000 yuan a month would amount to 720,000 yuan in three months, which would be enough to buy a house in three months! That would be four houses in a year.
"Um, you guys didn't know, did you? Big Black and Second Black are actually two Tibetan Mastiff puppies—"
"Tibetan Mastiff, I feel like I've heard that name somewhere before—" Ye Cuihua thought for a moment, but couldn't remember. She didn't usually pay attention to this kind of thing.
Zhang Zhengrong, however, was more knowledgeable and immediately said, "Is it one of those very expensive Tibetan Mastiffs? They say on TV that some Tibetan Mastiffs are worth millions!"
"A million?!" Ye Cuihua's mouth dropped open.
Now they looked at Dahei and Erhei differently; they hadn't expected these two dogs to have such a prestigious background. They were worth much more than people!
"Yes!"
"However, there's something else I should mention: I actually keep five pets in my shop—"
Ye Cuihua was displeased: "If you speak all at once, but hesitate and stammer, does that mean you also own a Tibetan Mastiff? Isn't that money?"
Absolutely hilarious!
Zhang Guodong was momentarily stunned before saying, "It's not a Tibetan Mastiff, but a wolf, one adult blue wolf and four cubs. A while ago, Fatty, Li Yun, some of their friends and I went hunting in the Qinling Mountains and brought them back!"
It's a wolf!
It's still a fully grown blue wolf!
Wolves, once they grow up, retain their wild nature; unruly and untamed are the hallmarks of these wild beasts. Zhang Zhengrong and Ye Cuihua were shocked by their son's situation, unable to process it for a long time. Could a wolf really be raised as a pet?
So I became worried.
But when they arrived at Green Treasure Pavilion, the two elders were in much better spirits. Seeing that the store was very beautiful, they felt relieved and appeared very at ease and satisfied.
Zhang Guodong went upstairs first, and soon after, he led everyone upstairs.
"What a huge wolf!"
When Lao Qing saw someone coming up, it raised its head, its beastly eyes filled with hostility. But as Zhang Guodong reprimanded it, Zhang Zhengrong, Ye Cuihua, the third brother, and Ye Wan trembled and stroked it. The hostility quickly disappeared. Lao Qing was very intelligent and continued to crawl around, pretending to sleep.
Seeing that the opportunity was too good to pass up, Fatty and Li Yun also took the chance to do the same and touch it a couple of times.
Si Xiaoqing was a mischievous child. Under the guidance of Dahei and Erhei and with Zhang Guodong's scolding, he quickly became familiar with everyone and competed for favor with Dahei and Erhei. However, for some reason, although Lao Qing, Si Xiaoqing, Dahei and Erhei no longer regarded Fatty as an enemy, they were not close to him and would even bare their teeth and threaten him.
This incident made the fat man extremely resentful.
In comparison, Li Yun received much better treatment.
After spending some time at Green Treasure Pavilion, Ye Cuihua suggested going home immediately. Li Yun hesitated for a moment, but couldn't resist Ye Cuihua's persuasion and agreed to go. As for Fatty, no one needed to persuade him; he had already planned to go and freeload a meal anyway.
That fat guy is really cunning.
"Guodong, this is a small family reunion. If the food isn't good, we won't go. I'll cover the drinks!"
This guy has his eye on the black carp and eel that Zhang Guodong once mentioned. Unfortunately, he's never actually seen them; he just assumes Zhang Guodong is hiding somewhere.
Snakehead fish, also known as piranha, is a relatively precious fish species. Its flesh is coarse, but has a unique flavor and is highly nutritious, possessing medicinal value. Furthermore, historical records indicate that snakehead fish has a high meat yield, thick, white flesh, little red muscle, no intramuscular bones, and a delicious taste. It is typically used to make fish fillets, with winter harvests considered the best.
In this northern region, snakehead fish are rarely seen in the market, let alone wild-caught ones, making them a rare delicacy.
Clearly, it is a level above common freshwater fish such as grass carp.
Wild-caught eels are no ordinary fish; there's a saying that "eels eaten during the Lesser Heat (Xiaoshu) are as good as ginseng," referring to their medicinal properties. Regular consumption of eel meat has significant brain-boosting and health-enhancing effects. Research institutions have indicated that regular consumption of eel meat can improve memory by up to 20%. Furthermore, eels contain a natural substance called "eel protein," which has beneficial effects on diabetics. In addition, eels are remarkably high in vitamin A, which can enhance the body's metabolism.
Speaking of delicious food, eel stands out even more, with its tender and flavorful meat, making it a top-grade delicacy. And the black carp and eel prepared by Zhang Guodong are sure to be on an even higher level, which is why Fatty's mouth is watering.
In addition, Fatty knew that Zhang Guodong currently had a large wild boar in storage, as well as roe deer meat, rabbit meat, pheasant meat, and half a wild goat. These things were treasures; you might not be able to eat them even if you had money. Zhang Guodong had brought quite a lot of wild game from Manager Yang.
Zhang Guodong smiled and nodded in agreement.
The snakehead fish and eels have actually multiplied. The pond doesn't seem as small as it appears; the aquatic creatures released into it are thriving. The abundance and rapid reproduction of grass carp and common carp have provided ample food for the snakehead fish and eels. As a result, there are now hundreds of snakehead fish and eel fry, the largest already the size of a palm. Zhang Guodong plans to take out a large snakehead fish and a large eel, which should be enough for everyone to eat. Each one weighs several kilograms; there are only a few large ones in Peach Blossom Spring.
The family compound of the telecommunications bureau.
The Zhang family was celebrating as if it were Chinese New Year. The five members of the Qinglang family—Dahei, Erhei, Fatty, Li Yun, Zhang Zhengrong, Ye Cuihua, Zhang Guohao, and Ye Wan—were all busy.
Some helped in the kitchen, while others watched TV and chatted enthusiastically. In particular, Fatty brought a case of Moutai, a rare collectible, and Zhang Guodong, Zhang Zhengrong, Fatty, and Zhang Guohao opened it and started drinking.
On the coffee table was a large plate of cold-cut roe deer meat, a cold tomato platter sprinkled with sugar, a plate of fried and salted peanuts, and a store-bought assorted cold dishes.
Three ladies were busy in the kitchen.
A large black carp, a large yellow eel, river shrimp, and crab—four kinds of aquatic products—all come from Taoyuan. A large piece of wild boar meat, a wild rabbit, a pheasant, and a dove—these are wild game. Tomatoes, large green peppers, and wild vegetables like ferns also come from Taoyuan.
Zhang Guodong even obtained a three-year-old wild ginseng from Taoyuan.
The fat man was a little tempted. Zhang Guodong was actually stewing wild ginseng and eating it fresh. How extravagant!
This amused Zhang Guodong.
Actually, this was originally a two-year-old wild ginseng. After growing in Taoyuan for about twenty days, it actually grew a third five-leaf ginseng, which means it has reached the age of a three-year-old wild ginseng.
The benefits of this product to plants are at least tenfold, while its benefits to animals are only slightly enhanced. Still, that's quite astonishing!
The other wild ginseng plants have also aged by one year. The oldest, five years old, has already begun to bear fruit. The youngest are one-year-old wild ginseng plants that have sprouted from seeds still in the soil. There are about ten of them in total.
Five wild Hewu plants were found, two of which were five years old and three of which were one year old. The latter were newly grown from seeds that had fallen into the soil.
The Golden Snake Grass Fruit plant was extremely rare, and since it was a newly sprouted plant, no seeds were left in the soil, leaving Zhang Guodong disappointed. However, thanks to the help of Peach Blossom Spring, it has now successfully grown into a two-year-old plant.
It's fair to say that Taoyuan is full of treasures now, and it's hard to imagine how much it will grow in the future.
P.S.: It's the last day of the week. As requested by everyone, I'll try to release another update. Please support me with all your might!
This chapter is 4,000 words long, so I'm presenting it to you all early. Please shower me with recommendation votes and favorites! I'm not counting on donations right now, sorry, but I'll ask for your support through subscriptions once it's officially released.
Also, two great readers spent Qidian coins to rate this book with flowers, and I'm very grateful, hehe. However, it seems I won't get that money; I only get half of the reward money, the other half goes to Qidian, haha.
However, I'll accept all tips; I'll try to get the first "Apprentice" level reader on the book's fan ranking list. That way, people will see, "Hey, an 'Apprentice' already appeared before the book is even released!" Not bad, and it'll satisfy Tiandao's vanity a bit.
Oh, I almost forgot the last thing. I guess the number of favorites should have reached around 1000 last night, right? There's a major urban fantasy film coming out next week, and I've set a lower goal for myself: to get the number of favorites to 5000. I wonder if I can achieve that.
Level 1 readers' QQ group: We will notify you in the group as soon as possible.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com