The ecstasy on Xu Jianguo and Xu Jianjun's faces froze instantly, then turned ashen and filled with despair!
"No...no! Xiao Kuo! We were wrong! We were really wrong!" Xu Jianjun realized what had happened, knelt down at the bottom of the pit with a thud, and ignoring the mud and pain all over his body, kowtowed repeatedly to Xu Kuo, tears and snot instantly streaming down his face.
"We were just confused for a moment! Please! Please give us another chance!"
"Xiao Kuo! Third Brother! Please forgive us this time, for the sake of our blood ties!" Xu Jianguo panicked, filled with regret!
If they had known Xu Kuo would soften his heart, why would they have resorted to such a desperate measure?! He rushed to the edge of the pit, trying to grab Xu Kuo's trouser leg, but he couldn't reach anything. He could only futilely pound on the pit wall and wail loudly.
"We know we were wrong! We'll never do it again! Please, please pull us up! Give us a way out!"
The brothers' cries and pleas for mercy echoed in the morning air, filled with regret and despair.
The villagers at the edge of the pit watched coldly, not one of them stepped forward to help, and some even couldn't help but spit.
He brought it on himself! He deserved it!
The villagers' disdainful gazes pierced Xu Jianguo and Xu Jianjun's hearts like real thorns. Their cries and pleas for mercy garnered no sympathy whatsoever.
Xu Kuo listened to their cries without feeling a ripple of emotion. He waved to Niu Erbao and the others behind him.
"Alright, bring them up."
Upon hearing this, several villagers, though reluctant, found ropes and hurriedly pulled the two people from the bottom of the pit.
As soon as they were freed, Xu Jianguo and Xu Jianjun, disregarding the mud and pain covering their bodies, immediately rushed to Xu Kuo, their faces showing a mixture of fawning and regret.
"Xiao Kuo! Third Brother! We really know we were wrong! Please give us some food, not much, just enough to feed us!" Xu Jianguo lowered his posture to an extremely humble level, almost kneeling down.
“Yeah, yeah! Brother Kuo! Look at how badly we fell… our bones are almost broken, we have to get something to eat, right?” Xu Jianjun echoed with a mournful face, pointing to his bruised arm.
Looking at their behavior, Xu Kuo felt nauseous. He took a step back, avoiding their outstretched, filthy hands, his eyes filled with undisguised disgust.
"Free? Not a single vegetable!" His words left no room for negotiation. "Don't talk to me about brotherhood, do you even deserve it?"
Xu Jianguo and Xu Jianjun's faces turned deathly pale instantly.
Xu Kuo looked at their despairing eyes and sneered inwardly, then changed the subject: "However..."
A glimmer of hope instantly rekindled in their eyes!
“…If you want vegetables, that’s fine too,” Xu Kuo pointed to the vegetables that were about to be loaded onto the truck, “you’ll buy them at the market price, just like the other villagers! Not a penny less!”
Buy at market price?!
Their newly ignited hope was extinguished like a bucket of cold water! They were penniless; where would they get the money to buy groceries? What difference was there between this and a direct rejection?
"Xiao Kuo..." Xu Jianguo wanted to say something more.
"Get out!" Xu Kuo shouted in a low voice, like a thunderclap. "Don't get in my way! If you don't leave, believe me, I'll throw you all back down there!!"
Sensing the undisguised murderous intent and determination in Xu Kuo's tone, Xu Jianguo and Xu Jianjun trembled. Looking into Xu Kuo's cold eyes, they knew that continuing to speak would only bring them further humiliation, and they might even be thrown back into the pit.
The two exchanged a glance, their hearts filled with resentment and bitterness, but dared not utter another word. They could only support each other and slink away, limping and dejected. The villagers who had gathered watched their retreating figures scoffed disdainfully.
After chasing away the flies, Xu Kuo immediately called to the others.
"Alright, forget about them! Let's hurry! Niu Erbao, you take a few men to the usual spot in town. The rest of you come with me and we'll set up a stall at the village entrance!"
"Alright, Master!"
The crowd responded in agreement and quickly got to work, loading the selected fresh vegetables onto the cart. Some followed Niu Erbao, pushing the cart toward the town; others followed Xu Kuo, finding a prominent spot at the village entrance and swiftly arranging the vegetables.
The morning sunlight shone on the emerald green vegetable leaves, making them gleam invitingly. Soon, villagers who had heard the news gathered around, some who hadn't managed to buy any yesterday, and others who wanted to buy more, and the scene became lively again.
"Hey, give me two pounds of cabbage!"
I want that radish!
While Xu Kuo deftly weighed the vegetables and collected money, he chatted and laughed with the villagers, creating a harmonious atmosphere.
However, this good fortune did not last long.
Less than half an hour later, a young villager who had gone to town with Niu Erbao to sell vegetables came running back, panting and looking anxious.
"No...something's wrong! Brother Kuo! Something's happened!"
Xu Kuo's heart skipped a beat. He stopped what he was doing, his brows furrowing. "What happened? Tell me slowly, don't rush me!"
The villager, panting heavily, pointed in the direction of the town: "The vegetable market...a group of people came and caused trouble over there! They blocked our stalls and wouldn't let us sell, insisting...insisting that we cheated them out of their vegetables!"
Scammers?
Xu Kuo's eyes narrowed, and a thought flashed through his mind. He immediately understood.
"Are they the same vendors from the Shijixing vegetable market before?"
"Yes, yes, yes! It's them!" The villagers nodded repeatedly. "The ones leading them are a few familiar faces, and they look very aggressive. Erbao and the others can hardly stop them!"
Xu Kuo snorted coldly. "Just as I thought, these are the same people who betray their principles for profit. Back when there was the panic over the infectious disease, they begged me to buy up all the vegetables that had flooded the market. Now that prices have recovered, they want to back out? They've really got a good shrewd plan!"
"Come on! Take a few men and come with me to take a look!" Xu Kuo waved his hand at the few strong villagers who were helping him, his eyes becoming sharp.
Leaving a few people behind to continue guarding the stalls at the village entrance, Xu Kuo led five or six burly villagers and hurried toward the town's vegetable market.
Before we even arrived at our destination, we could hear a commotion and noise from afar.
Squeezing into the market, they indeed saw Niu Erbao and his friends surrounded by a large crowd, their vegetables scattered haphazardly in front of their stall. The crowd was red-faced, spitting as they pointed at Niu Erbao and his friends, hurling insults.
"Where's the guy surnamed Xu? Tell him to get out here!"
"Damn it! They cheated us out of our vegetables and then resold them at a high price! They're scoundrels!"
"Give us back our food! Or you're not leaving today!"
This group of people were the same vendors from the Shijixing vegetable market where Xu Kuo had bought vegetables at low prices. Now, looking at the vegetables that had once belonged to them on Xu Kuo's stall, now worth exorbitant prices, their eyes were red with envy and their hearts were filled with regret!
"Xu Kuo is here!" Someone in the crowd with sharp eyes spotted Xu Kuo walking in.
"Whoosh!"
All eyes instantly focused on Xu Kuo, filled with anger and greed.
"Xu Kuo! You damned bastard! You finally dare to show your face!" A vendor with a scar on his face rushed to the front, pointing at Xu Kuo's nose and cursing, "You despicable scoundrel! You took advantage of our misfortune! You swindled us out of our hard-earned vegetables! Give the vegetables back right now!"
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