So you made me stop the car on the national highway just to collect these mineral water bottles?
Watching the old man's busy figure, Chen Feng couldn't help but sigh, "You're really outrageous."
After the old man finished picking them up, he came back, carrying a woven bag, and gave Chen Feng an apologetic smile.
"Excuse me, we've finished picking them up. Let's go."
"It's nothing." What else could Chen Feng say at this point? He got into the car and continued driving on the national highway with the old man.
After checking the time, Chen Feng lit a cigarette. This journey would normally take more than two hours, but with the old man in tow, it would probably take almost four hours.
I reckon by the time I get back to the abandoned mine in the hills, Zheng Ping and the others will all be asleep.
After driving for about half an hour, Chen Feng noticed in the rearview mirror that the old man's left turn signal was on again.
Chen Feng squinted at the old man's car. What's going on this time? Is he picking up bottles again?
Chen Feng pulled over and stopped the car. Before he could get out and speak, the old man pulled out his classic woven bag again.
"Wait a minute, there are so many of these, they must be worth seven or eight dollars, my goodness."
The old man carried the woven bag and walked to the side of the road. His eyes lit up when he saw the huge pile of bottles.
Upon seeing this, Chen Feng collapsed, covering his face in despair. He leaned against the car door, utterly at a loss for words.
"Ah...I really..."
Are you really going to get out of the car to pick up these few bottles? What are you trying to do? Are you that short of a few dollars?
Watching the old man bend down and stuff the contents into his bag, Chen Feng leaned against the car door with his arms crossed and rolled his eyes in annoyance.
Normally, Chen Feng wouldn't just stand by and watch; he'd at least help him pick it up. But now Chen Feng was angry, so why should he help? He could just pick it up himself.
At his age, Chen Feng really couldn't say anything to him. Otherwise, given Chen Feng's temper, he would have said something rather unpleasant.
After a while, the old man finished picking up the bottles and realized that his behavior was not good. He walked back with an embarrassed smile.
"I'm sorry to bother you, but I just felt it was a waste not to pick up all these bottles. If there were fewer, I wouldn't have asked you to stop," the old man said, rubbing his hands together.
"Let's go after we've finished picking them up." Chen Feng didn't say anything else, turned around and got into the car.
The old man, carrying a woven bag, pursed his lips and took a deep breath.
The two drove on the national highway again. This time, the old man was much more obedient. Even when he saw another pile of bottles by the roadside, he didn't make Chen Feng stop.
As Chen Feng passed by the pile of bottles, he glanced at the rearview mirror. Only after seeing that the old man had stopped flashing his left turn signal did he breathe a sigh of relief, roll his eyes slightly, and drive on.
The old man gripped the steering wheel in his car, looking back at the pile of bottles that were gradually moving away from him, his eyes filled with regret.
After driving for about another hour, Chen Feng's phone rang.
He picked it up and saw it was an old man, so he answered and turned on speakerphone.
"Fengzi, pull over quickly."
The old man's voice sounded somewhat hurried.
Chen Feng frowned and looked outside. There were no bottles by the roadside. Something must really have happened.
"Okay, okay, I understand."
After Chen Feng finished speaking, he pulled over and got out of the car again.
The old man got off the bus, but this time he didn't take the classic woven bag. Instead, he took out a new woven bag from the back of the bus.
Under Chen Feng's questioning gaze, the old man walked towards the back of the car, turning back to speak as he went.
"I think I see a lot of scrap metal on the side of the road behind me. Wait for me, I'll pick it up and come right back. There's a lot of it."
"Wait for me, I'll be right back!" the old man said, almost running off as he finished speaking.
Upon hearing this, Chen Feng put his hands on his hips, his face darkening completely. He took a deep breath in anger, turned his head away, and then turned back.
He was truly speechless, utterly speechless.
Are you saying you're never going to stop?
If we keep walking like this, we won't get home until midnight. Are you kidding me?
After a while, the old man came back from across the street carrying a bag, which looked quite heavy.
Seemingly noticing Chen Feng's sullen expression, the old man walked over and explained, "Fengzi, I'm sorry, we're just trying to make a little money."
However, Chen Feng's attention was not on the old man at all, but on a car with its headlights on in the distance.
The old man has only gone halfway; if this continues, he will be in danger.
"Watch out for the car, watch out for the car, hurry up and leave!" Chen Feng waved and shouted at the old man.
"I know, I'll hurry up, we'll be home soon." The old man didn't see the approaching car and thought Chen Feng was urging him on.
"You know nothing, right? There's a car coming from behind, hurry up and get out of the way, don't dawdle in the middle of the road!"
Chen Feng was really anxious now, and he cursed loudly.
Only then did the old man hear what Chen Feng was saying. He quickly turned his head to look at the driveway and struggled to pull the woven bag to the side of the road.
"Beep beep!"
The car sped past, and the old man walked to the side of the road unharmed.
"What are you trying to do? Can't you see how dangerous this is? If you want to pick it up, just pick it up over here. Why are you going to pick it up on the other side of the road? Are you crazy?!"
"You might find some money there, is it even worth it?"
This infuriated Chen Feng, and he could no longer hold back, angrily berating the old man.
The old man knew he was in the wrong and that he was indeed at fault. He lowered his head and scratched his arm sheepishly.
"Hey, I just saw there were still quite a few over there, so I thought I'd pick some more. I didn't expect to end up picking so many; I can barely move them anymore."
The old man explained it to himself and took a deep breath.
Hearing these words only made Chen Feng angrier.
"Is it because the bag is heavy? You eat pancakes every day and you feel so weak that you have no energy left. What kind of healthy person can have energy eating like that?"
"You're considered healthy by all standards. If our village chief ate like that, he'd be dead at home by now, and he wouldn't be able to pick up any garbage!"
Chen Feng had wanted to say this for a long time, but he had been holding back until now.
This time he was angry, and his words were very harsh. Normally, he would never have said that.
"Why…"
Faced with Chen Feng's words, the old man couldn't say anything and could only sigh in the end.
Seeing the old man bowing his head and remaining silent, Chen Feng took a deep breath, feeling a pang of pity, and didn't continue speaking.
He simply waved his hand, calmed himself down, and said, "Alright, get in the car, we'll be home soon."
"Hmm." The old man nodded, carried the bag of scrap metal to the trunk, and then got into the car.
Chen Feng glanced at the rearview mirror and only started the car after seeing the old man get in, slowly driving forward.
This time, Chen Feng was determined. Even if the old man's left turn signal flashed repeatedly, he wouldn't stop. Screw him.
The old man seemed to sense Chen Feng's attitude, and he didn't flash his left turn signal again along the way, nor did he call Chen Feng.
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