"Wow, the candy barterers are here! The candy barterers are here!"
The children who were kicking houses and playing with stones under the tree heard the shouts and rushed towards the village entrance.
The children became instantly excited when they saw the candy displayed on the peddler's bamboo basket.
"Wow, it really is candy! I remember we have chicken feathers at home!"
“My family has them too. My grandma even keeps the chicken feathers from the Lunar New Year!”
"Hmph, don't try to take it from me! My family has the most chicken and duck feathers, so I'll definitely get the biggest candy in exchange!"
The speaker was Fu Xiaolong, who had recently gone to the breeding base to do bad things. He was very proud of himself. A while ago, he went to Yu Guixiang's place and secretly hid all the chicken and duck feathers she had stored, just to wait for the peddler to come and exchange them for sugar.
Qian Xiaohua's son, Fu Yaozu, listened with envy. His family used to raise many chickens and ducks, but they all died because of the poisonous crabs.
Those chickens and ducks couldn't be eaten either, so Qian Xiaohua buried them all in the ground.
Ah, if only those chickens and ducks hadn't been poisoned, he would not only have chicken to eat, but he could also trade his feathers for candy and glass beads!
"Kids, we'll trade chicken feathers and duck feathers for candy or toys! Bring any chicken feathers or duck feathers you have at home!"
The peddler tapped his small gong and called out to a group of children.
Fu Ling and Qin Mingzhu exchanged a glance; their family also had quite a few chicken feathers.
"Uncle peddler, can you wait here for us? I'll go home and get some chicken feathers right now!"
"Me too, I'll go tell my grandma!"
The peddler nodded in agreement, and Fu Ling grabbed Qin Mingzhu and Fu Honghong and ran home.
The other children ran home, but Fu Yaozu stood next to the peddler, staring at the candy in the bamboo basket and swallowing hard.
The peddler looked up and was somewhat puzzled.
"Kid, why don't you go home and get some chicken feathers?"
“I don’t have any chicken feathers in my house,” Fu Yaozu replied without hesitation.
"All the chickens in my family were poisoned, and I haven't eaten chicken for a year."
The peddler Hu Wanshan found it strange. Looking at Fu Yaozu's sturdy build, he didn't seem like the kind of person who would be stingy with chicken!
"Chickens can be poisoned? Kid, you're not kidding me, are you?"
Fu Yaozu shook his head, then his eyes darted around and he said, "I'm not lying to you, Uncle. Do you want to know how the chicken was poisoned?"
After Fu Yaozu finished speaking, he swallowed hard. Hu Wanshan, being the kind of person he was, saw through his little scheme at a glance.
"I'm in a good mood today, so I'll give you a small piece to try!"
After saying that, he found a piece of candy about the size of a peanut under the candy and handed it to Fu Yaozu.
Fu Yaozu took it and immediately put it in his mouth. This candy was actually maltose, which was sweet and sticky.
"Now you can tell me why your chickens died, right?"
"Um... Last year, my mother caught a poisonous crab. That crab poisoned all our chickens and even drove my stepfather away."
“My mother said that chickens that have been poisoned cannot be eaten and can only be buried. Otherwise, I would have lots and lots of chicken feathers to exchange for candy.”
Hu Wanshan narrowed his eyes as he looked at Fu Yaozu's foolish appearance.
"Kid, why haven't I heard you mention your real father?"
"Oh, my biological father died at sea, and now my stepfather has run away, so I have no father anymore."
As Fu Yaozu was speaking, an idea suddenly came to him.
"Uncle peddler, why don't you be my father? As long as you give me candy, I'll definitely take care of you in the future, and I'll smash your pot when you die!"
Hu Wanshan found the first few sentences amusing, but when he heard the last sentence, his face darkened.
What's wrong with this kid's intelligence? He looks like a sturdy kid, but he talks like an idiot.
However, his desire to acknowledge himself as his father coincided with Hu Wanshan's initial thought.
“Kid, you look so pitiful. I’ll give you some more candy. After you eat the candy, I’ll decide whether or not I want to be your father.”
"Really, give me back my candy?"
Fu Yaozu's eyes lit up. It was already evening, and the villagers were either at the dock or cooking dinner at home. There was no one else on the road for a while.
Hu Wanshan looked around and thought to himself that this was truly a stroke of luck. He had only come to scout things out, but now, there was no reason not to accept goods that were delivered to his door. He immediately removed the lid from the bamboo basket and took out a bag of candy from underneath.
This candy looks smaller and is more yellow than the previous one.
Unfortunately, the surrounding environment was a bit dark, and Fu Yaozu didn't notice anything amiss.
He took the candy without even looking at it and stuffed it into his mouth.
"Hmm... Uncle, this candy tastes a little bitter!"
"If it's too sweet, it'll easily become bitter. Eat two more pieces, and it definitely won't be bitter anymore."
Upon hearing that he could eat two more pieces, Fu Yaozu immediately felt that the bitterness was no longer so bad.
Before he could finish the second candy, he suddenly felt a strong wave of drowsiness wash over him, and the next second, he knew nothing more.
"Hmph, you want to be my son? Go be someone else's son then!"
Hu Wanshan sneered, and taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, he quickly scooped up Fu Yaozu, hid him behind a tree, and stuffed him into a bamboo basket.
The bamboo basket was empty, but there was still plenty of room to stuff in a child who was a few years old.
After stuffing it all in, he put the lid back on, clapped his hands, and prepared to pick up his load and leave.
Why bother changing the feathers? We have stock today!
"Uncle peddler, wait for me!"
Hu Wanshan felt a pang of anxiety upon hearing this, but when he turned around and saw that it was a little girl who looked only a few years old, he immediately felt relieved.
"Oh, kid, do you want to trade for candy too? Where's your chicken feather?"
Fu Honghong nodded. "My grandma said the chicken feathers were too big for me to carry, so she asked me to take you to her house to get some."
Upon hearing this, Hu Wanshan instinctively refused.
"Going to the village? I won't go then. Look, it's already dark, I have to go home too."
After saying that, he looked at the cute and obedient Fu Honghong, and suddenly a wicked thought came to his mind again.
Kidnapping one is kidnapping, kidnapping two is still kidnapping, and you can get a lot of money from a little girl.
“Kid, here’s what I’ll do. I’m in a hurry to get back. You look so cheerful, I’ll give you some candy instead of going to your house to get the chicken feathers.”
Fu Honghong's eyes widened. Such a good thing?
"Uncle, really?"
"Of course it's true. Why would I lie to you for no reason?"
As Hu Wanshan spoke, he took out the bag of candy he had used earlier.
Without even counting, he grabbed a handful and shoved it at Fu Honghong.
Without a second thought, Fu Honghong thanked her and then counted the candies in her palm.
One, two, three, that's exactly three pieces. She eats one piece, and then gives one piece each to Lingling and Sister Mingzhu.
"Kid, hurry up and eat!"
Seeing Fu Honghong dawdling, Hu Wanshan couldn't help but feel a little anxious.
Normally, people in their line of work finish one order and leave, but today he had two rare good deals and didn't want to give them up so easily.
Fortunately, Fu Yaozu in the basket ate a big piece, so he definitely won't wake up anytime soon.
"Uncle, I'd like to eat later."
Fu Honghong explained in a low voice that she didn't know why, but the kind and friendly uncle from just now looked somewhat ferocious.
She took a half step back, turned around, and tried to run home, but Hu Wanshan grabbed her from behind and covered her mouth.
"Ugh, let me go!"
Hu Wanshan quickly pulled out a handkerchief and covered Fu Honghong's mouth and nose. Fu Honghong instantly lost her strength. In a daze, she heard someone calling her.
"Honghong!"
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