Su Ning explained with a smile, "I didn't mean anything by it, I just wanted to ask around, since we haven't had watermelon in a long time."
"I bought two of these watermelons. It was already quite a struggle for me. I guess that person has sold them all by now."
Lin Chaosheng spoke with some difficulty, and seeing a hint of loneliness flash across Su Ning's eyes, he immediately smiled mysteriously: "But it's nothing, Brother Ning, are you busy this afternoon?"
"Not busy, I have the day off today." Su Ning knew that Lin Chaosheng's question meant he needed his help, so he immediately said, "Go ahead, what do you need my help with? Just say it. As long as it's within my power, I'll definitely do it for you!"
"I don't need your help with anything, I just need you to do some physical labor." Lin Chaosheng's mysterious attitude successfully attracted Su Ning's attention, and Su Ning readily agreed, "Okay, no problem!"
Zhao Shufang put the cold noodles into the pot, and after a few seconds, she took them out and rinsed them with cold water.
Su Hang helped by chopping the side dishes, including five tomatoes, two cucumbers, scallions, and cilantro.
Zhao Shufang even boiled eggs, one for each person.
When the icy cold noodle soup was poured over the cold noodles, everyone seemed to feel the coolness of the noodles.
Next, Zhao Shufang placed the sliced braised beef on the cold noodles.
Five large slices were served to each person, which was enough for them to enjoy.
As soon as the cold noodles were served, everyone started slurping. For a moment, the table was filled with the sound of eating noodles, and no one had a chance to speak.
Suning picked up the bowl and ate it in big mouthfuls, eventually drinking every last drop of the cold noodle soup.
"Are you full? If not, Auntie will make you another bowl of cold noodles!"
Zhao Shufang watched Su Ning with a smile. Su Ning let out a burp, patted her round belly, and said, "Aunt Zhao, every time I come to eat here, I eat my fill, but I can never get enough!"
"Yes, Aunt Zhao, your cooking is so delicious!"
Su Hang also cuddled her round belly and said coquettishly, "I feel like my belly is as big as that watermelon now."
"Pfft!" Liang Fu burst into laughter. "It's not that exaggerated. That watermelon must weigh at least eight or nine pounds. My sister's belly isn't even that big!"
Liang Mei usually suffers from severe morning sickness, but she ate cold noodles for lunch, so she surprisingly didn't vomit. Moreover, Zhao Shufang specially placed a few sour apricots on a small plate next to her, which Liang Mei ate without leaving a single one.
"Alright, alright, everyone's finished eating, right? We'll have watermelon again tonight. Now, let's tidy up and get on with our work."
After the meal, everyone helped tidy up. Zhao Shufang was tired after working all morning, so she stopped and went back to her room to rest.
After cleaning up the kitchen and yard, the men went to the county town together.
"Chaosheng, where are you taking us all this way in such a mysterious way?"
Lin Shanhai sat on the donkey cart, and Su Ning left his bicycle at the Lin family's house and rode with them into the city on the donkey cart.
"You'll see when we get there!" Lin Shansheng, whip in hand and urging his donkey, winked mysteriously at Lin Shanhai and Su Ning, "My brother has a big surprise for you. Don't be so surprised your jaws will drop!"
"Look at you, child, you can't even watch what you say! What could possibly be so shocking that it would make people's jaws drop?"
Lin Shanhai didn't take it seriously, thinking that Lin Shansheng was exaggerating, since Lin Shansheng usually liked to exaggerate when he spoke.
But when Lin Shanhai saw the watermelon seedlings all over the ground, his jaw dropped.
Lin Shansheng laughed smugly from the side, "What did I tell you? You didn't believe me, but now you see? Weren't you scared by my brother? Hahahaha!"
Su Ning squatted down, his outstretched hand trembling. He looked at the watermelon seedlings on the ground, his face filled with shock, and said, "Chao...Chao Sheng, these are all..."
"That's right, just as you think." Lin Chaosheng smiled, looking completely nonchalant. "These are all watermelons planted here."
"How many watermelon seedlings are there here? And they've all survived!"
Lin Shanhai could hardly believe his eyes. Lin Chaosheng said, "There are fifty watermelon seedlings here. Since I've never farmed before, I didn't know if these watermelon seeds would survive after being planted, so I bought this small plot of land to try it out. I didn't expect them to actually survive."
"Crops aren't growing anymore, let alone something as rare as watermelons. But you just casually planted one, and it actually survived?!"
Su Ning looked at Lin Chaosheng in shock, realizing that perhaps not all the rumors she had heard before were false.
"Chaosheng, I truly believe what everyone says now. You're practically a man blessed by all sorts of gods!"
Lin Chaosheng quickly waved his hand and said modestly, "What god or not, I'm just luckier than others."
"With so many watermelons, how long will it take us to finish them? Even if we eat five a day, it will take us ten days to finish them all!"
Seeing this, Lin Chaosheng laughed and said, "Dad, how could we possibly eat all these watermelons ourselves? I've made up my mind. If all these watermelons are successfully grown, I plan to sell them."
"Sell it?" Su Ning's eyes lit up as she looked at Lin Chaosheng. "Chaosheng, are you serious?"
“Of course it’s true.” Lin Chaosheng suddenly remembered that Su Ning was the head of the purchasing department of the supply and marketing cooperative, and his eyes lit up. He immediately said, “Brother Su Ning, you…”
"Yes, that's exactly what I mean!"
Su Ning quickly agreed, and the two of them were speaking in riddles, leaving Lin Shanhai and Lin Shansheng, who were standing to the side, completely bewildered.
"Big brother, Brother Suning, what are you two talking about?"
"Your older brother has some watermelons. Instead of selling them piecemeal, why not give them all to the supply and marketing cooperative? I'll apply to the higher-ups, and maybe we can even get your brother a purchasing agent position!"
"Purchasing agent?!" Lin Shansheng exclaimed in shock. "That's a government job! A secure job, brother!"
"I don't even dare to hope for that anymore. I just hope these watermelons can find a market."
Lin Chaosheng, appearing to be concerned for everyone, said, "If the supply and marketing cooperative really takes all my watermelons, it's better than me having to sell them myself. I might end up with a fishy smell, which isn't appropriate. My intention is that I can make some money so that everyone can still have watermelons to eat."
Su Ning nodded, thinking that Lin Chaosheng's awareness was truly high.
"Then it's settled. I'll issue the permit tomorrow to purchase this batch of watermelons from you!"
"Don't rush, my watermelon has just sprouted a seedling, it's not certain whether it will bear fruit later."
"You're right, let's agree on this for now. I'll give you the approval once the watermelons are ripe!"
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