"It's even better than I expected!"
Su Jianjun grinned.
"Wu Er is always watching over things, watering and fertilizing meticulously. Brother, look at these cucumbers, they're even fresher than the ones sold in the market in the summer!"
Su Jianguo slowly inspected the field along the ridges, occasionally parting the leaves to check the fruit.
Cucumbers, tomatoes, chives, and bok choy—every single plant is thriving.
The tomatoes in greenhouse number two have already started to turn red, looking like little lanterns hanging on the branches.
The chives in shed number three are lush and upright, emitting a rich aroma.
The bok choy in greenhouse number four has thick leaves with clearly visible veins.
"Jianjun, you did a fantastic job."
Su Jianguo said sincerely.
This was his first entrepreneurial venture after his rebirth, and seeing such gratifying results filled him with indescribable excitement.
Su Jianjun scratched his head and smiled sheepishly.
"Brother, I did everything as you said. I was just keeping an eye on things to make sure no one stole or ruined them."
Stepping out of the greenhouse, Su Jianguo took a deep breath of fresh air.
At this time of year, the market is basically only stocked with cabbage and radishes, but his greenhouse is teeming with such a rich variety of vegetables that he's sure to fetch a good price.
"Honey, dinner's ready!"
Wang Guixiang's voice came from afar.
She walked briskly with a bamboo basket slung over her shoulder, a bright smile on her face.
"It's Gui Xiang."
Su Jianguo greeted him with a smile.
Wang Guixiang lifted the cloth covering the basket, and an enticing aroma immediately wafted out.
"The stir-fried chives and eggs are still warm!"
The three of them sat on the edge of the field and ate cornbread.
The chives are tender, the eggs are golden, and the simple ingredients create a satisfying and delicious flavor.
Su Jianguo was wolfing down his food when he suddenly noticed several new scars on his younger brother's hands.
"Jianjun, what happened to your hand?"
Su Jianjun instinctively hid his hand.
"It's nothing, it just happened last night when someone tried to steal my vegetables, and I bumped into them while chasing them."
"What?"
Su Jianguo put down his chopsticks.
"Someone's trying to steal my vegetables?"
Wang Guixiang sighed.
"That's right. There have been people loitering around the greenhouse every night these past few days. Jianjun and a few other young men have been taking turns keeping watch, and they haven't gotten much sleep."
Su Jianjun quickly replied.
"Brother, don't worry, it was just a few petty thieves. I scared them away. Now everyone in the village knows we have someone guarding this place, so they don't dare come anymore."
Su Jianguo nodded.
Most of the villagers are good people, but there are a few families who can't stand seeing others doing better than them and want to take advantage of them.
After finishing his meal, Su Jianguo checked the vegetables' growth once again.
He squatted in front of a tomato plant, gently squeezed the fruit, and estimated its ripeness.
"Jianjun, I think we can pick them in another two or three days."
He stood up and patted the dirt off his hands.
"So, three days from now, in the morning, you take the first batch of vegetables into town. Pick 200 jin of cucumbers from greenhouse number one, 150 jin of tomatoes from greenhouse number two, 80 jin of chives from greenhouse number three, and 100 jin of bok choy from greenhouse number four."
Su Jianjun immediately took out a small notebook and wrote it down.
"Brother, with so many vegetables, the tractor will have to make two trips, right?"
"Need not."
Su Jianguo pointed to the vegetable baskets by the edge of the field.
"Prepare more of these vegetable baskets, line the bottom with straw, and cover them with damp cloths. One cart can easily hold 500 jin (250 kg)."
He bent down and parted a cucumber leaf.
"This first batch of cucumbers is growing very densely; even picking 200 jin (100 kg) would be considered a small amount."
"I've inspected the tractor and installed wooden planks around it."
Su Jianjun tapped the notebook with the stub of a pencil.
"I'm just worried that the tomatoes will get damaged from the bumpy ride."
Su Jianguo pulled out a half-pack of crumpled cigarettes from his pocket.
"So we have to pick them before dawn, loading them onto the truck before the dew dries. Tomatoes are packed separately, with straw layered between each layer. Chives and bok choy are bundled, sprayed with water, and wrapped in reed mats."
He struck a match and took a puff of smoke.
"Our off-season vegetables are precious; their appearance directly affects their price."
Wang Guixiang walked over carrying freshly picked cucumbers.
"Brother, try this."
The bright green cucumber makes a crisp sound when broken open, and crystal-clear juice seeps out from the cut surface.
Su Jianguo took it and tasted it; the sweet flavor immediately spread across his tongue.
"Great melon!"
Su Jianguo's eyes lit up.
"These cucumbers would sell for at least 50 cents a pound in state-run vegetable stores, but we're taking them to the free market..."
He and his brother exchanged a glance, and they both smiled simultaneously.
Su Jianguo pondered for a moment, then said to Su Jianjun.
"You start picking at 3 a.m., making sure they're fresh. Load the truck by 5 a.m., and try to get to the city gate before 6 a.m. I'll wait for you there. We'll go to Dongdan Market first; it's crowded there, and the prices are better."
"I guarantee there won't be any problems!"
Su Jianjun said with full confidence.
Su Jianguo nodded.
"Oh, by the way, Master Zhao ordered a stone mill. We'll have it delivered together. Yufen is planning to set up a tofu shop, so it'll come in handy."
After everything was settled, Su Jianguo left Sujiatun and returned to Beijing.
The sun is setting.
Su Jianguo rode his bicycle into the alleyway.
He was a little tired after a long day, but the thought of the upcoming bountiful vegetable harvest made him smile involuntarily.
The wheels rolled over the bluestone pavement, making a slight "creaking" sound.
The aroma of families preparing dinner wafted through the alleyways.
Just as he was about to reach his doorstep, a familiar figure appeared in front of him.
Xiaomei was wearing a light pink polyester shirt with a very low neckline, revealing her delicate collarbone.
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