Every family has its own troubles. Xie Sui wasn't going to worry about the affairs of his neighbors. Wouldn't it be better to spend more time with his wife and children?
"Sigh..."
It's just that his wife seemed unhappy, having sighed several times already.
If Xie Sui didn't care now, he'd truly be a fool.
"Who's making my Wanwan sigh like this? Tell hubby, and hubby will solve your problems. There's nothing your husband can't handle."
Lin Wanwan rolled her eyes at him. "If I asked you to die, would you?"
"Sure, how does my wife want me to die? Stuff myself with tofu until I'm dead, or choke on water? Or perhaps old age is fine too, we can be buried in the same coffin."
Xie Sui said with a cheeky grin. Lin Wanwan actually felt a bit embarrassed. She shouldn't have made such a joke; it was a bit much.
She made up her mind then and there not to say such hurtful things again. Xie Sui had truly changed for the better, and life had to move forward.
"It's just that no one is sending peaches anymore. Today, it's only a little over ten catties, what's that for?"
Even though they had money from selling scorpions and wild game, Lin Wanwan felt unaccustomed to not having anything to do.
Besides, it wasn't pleasant to have a good business snatched away.
"Are you really going to let Zhao Tielin steal our canning business?"
Lin Wanwan was very curious. Xie Sui was even more petty than her, yet this time he could endure it.
"Your husband has a broad mind. The cake is this big, I can't eat it all by myself. If he wants to do it, let him. People don't know how difficult business is until they try."
"You won't turn back until you hit the south wall. Not everyone has a brain as brilliant as your husband's, capable of achieving instant fame with one move."
"Stop your flippancy. Go call the children back, I'll steam some buns, and when they get back, I'll pick some eggplants. We'll have garlic mashed eggplant. I bought tofu at noon, we'll make braised tofu, okay?"
"Okay, wife, get ready. I'll do the cooking. This braised tofu looks simple, but it takes skill to make it well. The tofu needs to be soaked in salt water to remove the beany smell."
"I know. Our son is a bit unhappy because he broke his tin frog."
"Buy him another one."
"Isn't that going to cost money?"
Lin Wanwan waved her hand, shooing him out. She then got up to knead dough.
Xie Sui hummed a tune, a blade of grass in his mouth, and headed towards the foot of the mountain where the children liked to play to find them.
On the way, he encountered Zhao Tielin. Their eyes met, filled with scrutiny and hostility. Then they smiled again, a cordial smile, as if they were long-lost relatives.
Xie Sui: Old fox, tasted defeat, have you?
Zhao Tielin: Little fox, you're digging a pit for me!
"Uncle Tielin, out for a stroll?"
"Mmm, Xiao Sui, have you sold all the canned goods?"
Zhao Tielin gritted his teeth in hatred. This brat had already lowered the price to one yuan and fifty cents. When he went to sell, he was mocked endlessly, called greedy. The villagers chided him, saying that Xie Sui sold them for one yuan and fifty cents, and he was trying to make an extra thirty cents – did he have no conscience?
Zhao Tielin naturally wouldn't sell the canned goods himself. After all, he had been a team leader before and valued his reputation. He sent his eldest son to sell them, that is, Zhao Xiaoshan's father – Zhao Youfang.
"Xie Sui also started selling them at one yuan and eighty cents. It's the same. He's deliberately selling at a lower price to squeeze me out!"
"Who said that? Xie Sui said that with the peach harvest being so good now, lowering the price is to sell more and find a market for everyone's peaches. Xiao Sui is a benevolent child!"
Zhao Youfang wanted to curse, but he held back. Would the word "benevolent" not be blasphemed when used for Xie Sui?
No matter how fiercely he cursed, the canned goods still wouldn't sell. It was completely different from the expected great fortune!
Zhao Tielin heard his son's complaints and had no solution. He came out for a walk and bumped into Xie Sui.
Enemies on a narrow road!
"Xiao Sui, Uncle is your elder. Don't be so selfish. Let everyone make money together. If you sell at a lower price, aren't you losing out yourself?"
What hypocrisy! When you were undermining me, you weren't talking about being an elder or being selfish. Now you're telling me to make money together, do you have any shame?
He cursed inwardly but smiled outwardly. "Uncle Zhao, I'm not competing with you. I want to do something practical for everyone. Seeing the peaches are ripening in large quantities, and the villagers have tasted them all, who has so much money that they'd eat canned goods as a meal?"
"Therefore, lowering the price is inevitable. Small profits but quick turnover benefit everyone. How is that selfish?"
"If we're talking about selfishness, it seems to be you, Uncle Zhao, right?"
Zhao Tielin was provoked into anger. "Little brat, you insist on competing with me, fine. There will be a day you cry. I'll lower my price too. If you dare, you follow and lower yours!" Sudan Novel Network
Xie Sui's face darkened. "Old man, calling you uncle is giving you face! You want me to cry? You should be the one crying!"
"You bought so many peaches ahead of me. This time of year, how many days can they last? If they rot, that's money down the drain!"
"Why should I lower my price along with you? My canned goods are sold out, hehe. I'm done playing, you play by yourself."
"What I've finished with, you pick up and treasure. If you can't hold on, come find me. If I'm happy, I might help you, won't let you lose too badly."
When had Zhao Tielin ever been insulted like this? He raised his hand as if to hit him. "You dare insult me? Today, I'll teach you how to be a man!"
The onlookers saw that a fight would not be good and tried to dissuade them. "No, let's talk it out. No fighting."
"That's right, you started the insults. Are you allowed to curse but not allowed to be cursed back!"
Xie Sui got energized. With so many people, a fight definitely wouldn't happen. If he didn't infuriate this old man to death, his surname wouldn't be Xie!
"You want to teach me how to be a man? You be a human first. You're jealous of me making money and stealing my business, you're the shameless one."
"I'll put it here today: if you, Zhao Tielin, can make money, I, Xie Sui, will take your surname."
"If you don't have water at home, you must have urine, right? Go back and pee on yourself and see what kind of person you are. Do you remember how you bullied the villagers when you were the team leader?"
"Someone as black-hearted and shameless as you, it would be against heavenly principles if you got rich!"
Many people's expressions changed. They remembered the good deeds Zhao Tielin had done and further tried to mediate, preventing him from bullying Xie Sui.
"You, you little brat, I, I'll deal with you and take your surname!"
"Don't be absurd. Our Xie family doesn't want an unfilial descendant like you. Our ancestors would be angry."
Zhao Tielin felt his vision blacken. Xie Sui smirked provocatively, looking incredibly annoying.
"What are you all doing? Are you full of leisure? Have you finished your work in the fields?"
Zhao Tiegang arrived just in time and pulled Zhao Tielin away. He looked at Xie Sui disapprovingly. "Respecting elders and cherishing the young, haven't you ever thought about learning that? Making a little money has made you so arrogant. Can't the village tolerate you anymore?"
Xie Sui squinted. "Village head, can't you be a little less biased? If you're so biased, will everyone obey you as village head? Helping your own brother bully a junior like me. This is a new society now. If you want to cover the sky with one hand, you have to ask the villagers if they agree!"