Chapter 106: Returning to the City
“Fellow villagers!”
“Listen up, everyone! Comrade Zeng Xiaofan’s cultivation project is one our town fully supports!”
“Comrade Zeng is also one of the top ten outstanding young people officially recognized by our town!”
“He’s personally the young man I admire and support the most!”
“His medicinal herb cultivation employs patented technology — this is a great thing! A very good thing!”
“I’ve had colleagues from the Forestry Bureau take samples for inspection; there’s zero pesticide residue. It’s perfectly healthy!”
“Everyone can rest assured! Please, I urge you all to give your full support!”
Lin Chunhua shouted loudly, then flashed a flattering smile at Zeng Xiaofan.
The crowd, hearing the mayor’s endorsement, immediately erupted in chatter.
“Ah? So... we really misunderstood Xiaofan?”
“So when Xiaofan invited us to invest earlier, he genuinely wanted to help us make money...”
“It’s all Zhao Qinglong and Laliwen’s fault — those bastards spreading lies and causing us to miss a good opportunity!”
“Exactly! It’s all their fault!”
“Scoundrels!” The villagers quickly turned their accusations toward Zhao Qinglong, Laliwen, and Village Chief Jin Youcai.
The three men’s faces turned even uglier than if they had swallowed something foul.
Seeing this, Zeng Xiaofan stepped forward and spoke clearly:
“Enough. Fellow villagers, you were misled before, which is why you attacked me.”
“Now that the truth is out, I won’t hold it against anyone. My previous offer still stands.”
“Anyone who wants to invest, please register with Sister Li Bixian!”
At these words, cheers broke out across the crowd.
“Xiaofan! It’s so good that you’re helping us make money!”
“Xiaofan! I love you!”
“Xiaofan, you’re truly a good young man!”
“I want to invest!”
“Me too, me too!”
Several young and pretty village girls gathered around Zeng Xiaofan, all urging him to let them invest.
Zeng Xiaofan couldn’t help but chuckle, thinking mischievously.
“Xiaofan, what are you laughing at?”
“Sis wants to invest, huh? What, you won’t let her?”
“Come on, invest in your sister’s share!”
“All right, all right... I’ll invest, I’ll invest...”
Zeng Xiaofan smiled and shook his head, handing over the investment matters to Li Bixian.
Jin Youcai, Zhao Qinglong, and Laliwen, faces shifting from red to green, finally couldn’t resist sneaking over to Li Bixian.
“Heh heh... Sister Xian, how about letting us three in on a share?” Jin Youcai, after all, dropped his pride for the chance to earn money.
Before Li Bixian could reply, Zeng Xiaofan snorted coldly:
“Anyone in the village can invest — except you three!”
“Ah? Why?” Zhao Qinglong protested with an unwilling expression.
“Hmph! Why? You tell me why?”
“This morning, you three conspired to burn my medicinal herbs and even wanted to burn me alive. Have you forgotten that so soon?”
“You’re the ringleaders stirring up trouble! Want to invest? Not a chance!”
Zeng Xiaofan’s words were merciless. The three could only leave sullenly.
“Hmph... fine, no investment for us, big deal.”
“With these swollen herbs, even if they’re not toxic, no one would buy them!”
“They look scary. Who’d buy them? Anyone investing will lose money!”
“Fools...”
The three grumbled bitterly as they walked away.
What’s said without intent is often taken to heart; some villagers overheard this and had their enthusiasm dampened, harboring doubts.
Zeng Xiaofan paid it no mind. Taking paper and pen from a staff member, he quickly wrote a prescription and approached Lin Chunhua.
“Mayor Lin, no matter what, thank you for today.”
“It’s nothing, it’s what I should do!”
“As long as I can help you carry out your work smoothly, that’s my greatest satisfaction!”
“Brothers don’t need to talk about thanks… heh heh heh...” Lin Chunhua said casually, then suddenly changed tone as if by accident:
“By the way... Xiaofan, I have to give you a thumbs up again!”
“Last time you said I had some stomach issues, so I went to the provincial hospital for a checkup... and it’s true...”
“It’s stomach cancer... and the doctor said it’s late stage... Brother might not have long to live...”
Zeng Xiaofan, ignoring the veiled implications, handed over the prescription and said calmly:
“Get the medicine according to this recipe. One course is seven days. Take it for forty-nine days straight, and your stomach cancer will be completely cured.”
Lin Chunhua was overjoyed instantly:
“This... this... I really can’t thank you enough!”
“Xiaofan, you’re my lifesaver!”
“From now on, you’re family to me! Your matters are my matters!”
“Please accept my bow, brother!”
Zeng Xiaofan waved him off coolly:
“Cut that out. You’re a mayor now; you need to watch your image.”
“All right, you helped me once, I’ll help you once. No need to talk about favors.”
“By the way, when you have the time, have the driver take me to the county seat.”
“I want to bring some herbs to the market and test the waters, expand sales.”
“Hey, hey! No need for the driver, I’ll personally drive you there!” Lin Chunhua said eagerly, opening the car door for Zeng Xiaofan.
Zeng Xiaofan gave Li Bixian a few instructions, had a batch of five-fingered hairy peach picked, then got in the car.
“Hey~! That girl~” Zeng Xiaofan called toward a youthful figure in the crowd.
Chen Lini blinked her clear, bright eyes: “Are you calling me?”
“Am I coming along too?”
Zeng Xiaofan snorted coldly: “Of course. What are you still doing here?”
“Better get you home quickly. Who knows what trouble you’ll cause if you stay a couple more days!”
Chen Lini pouted and coquettishly said: “No! My dad told me to stay with you and study hard for a few days!”
“I haven’t studied enough yet!”
“And I helped you just now too. How can you be like this...”
“You only use people when it’s convenient, and when it’s not, you don’t!”
While saying this, she swayed her body, her charming figure tender and alluring.
Zeng Xiaofan watched her pouty red lips and felt a thrill in his heart...
He recalled that just last night, it was those two tender lips that had been on him...
Even enveloping him...
Though only for a brief moment,
Though it was a misunderstanding that led to it,
Still, the thought sent chills down his spine...
Stirred by this, Zeng Xiaofan’s resolve to send Chen Lini away only grew stronger.
He immediately got out, grabbed Chen Lini, shoved her into the back seat of the car, then sat down himself and said in a low voice:
“Let’s go!”