The reborn of paranoid boss cannon fodder wife(71-75)

Chapter 71: Love the House and Its Crow

Xiao Cheng is determined to go down the river to beat bamboo.


The water in the small river is not deep, less than a meter, clear to the bottom. Stepping in, the muddy bottom is not shallow, barely reaching the knees, and the water level reaches the tall and strong thighs.


As Xiao Cheng calmly walked upstream, the counter-flowing water separated from his legs and gently dispersed on both sides, creating a serene scene.


Bai Lu sighed in relief, holding the black coat he took off, hanging it on the fence by the vegetable garden.


Then, using the hatchet brought by Xiao Wei from the kitchen, she split the small bamboo whips bundled on the ground.


Picking up five or six bamboo sticks, she walked upstream.


Xiao Wei also dragged three bamboo sticks, following behind.


Naturally dried long bamboo and flowering bamboo are heavier than dry bamboo damaged by disease or ant infestation. They are thicker inside and out, making them less prone to soaking and rotting when inserted into the water.


Xiao Cheng took the dried bamboo handed to him by Bai Lu, raising an unexpected eyebrow. She actually knows how to choose bamboo...


As each bamboo stick was inserted into the water, the flow noticeably slowed down but did not stop. There were tiny gaps between the bamboos, preventing the water from becoming stagnant.


Half of the bamboo was used just to intercept the upstream flow.


When they reached the downstream, Xiao Cheng continued walking downstream without stopping, covering more than twenty meters through the center of the vegetable garden.


It seemed like he wanted to intercept a longer distance, but a little further downstream would lead to Wang Cuihua's backyard.


Wang Cuihua's backyard also faced this small river.


"We can stop here; going further down will be someone else's backyard," Bai Lu didn't want to deal with Wang Cuihua's staring eyes again.


However, Xiao Wei thought she misunderstood something and explained, "The small river is public property, not someone's territory. We can encroach a bit more; she won't stop Big Brother."


Of course, she wouldn't stop "Brother Xiao Cheng."


She was eager for "Brother Xiao Cheng" to encroach further.


Bai Lu rolled her eyes in her heart.


Seeing her slight displeasure, Xiao Cheng took a few steps back and said to Xiao Wei, "Bring me bamboo."


Xiao Wei was dumbfounded.


Looking at Bai Lu standing by the small river with bamboo in her arms and then at his empty hands, Xiao Wei wondered why Big Brother didn't ask Bai Lu for bamboo.


Just now, Bai Lu said the bamboo was too heavy, and she didn't need his help. As soon as he picked it up, Bai Lu took it away from him.


Now, suddenly, Big Brother asked him for bamboo?


Xiao Wei ran back with question marks all over his mind, panting with all his might, and dragged five bamboo sticks over.


When he arrived, he found that Big Brother had already taken the bamboo from Bai Lu and was steadily inserting it into the river.


Xiao Wei: "..."


So, the bamboo in his hands...


"Give it to me," Bai Lu smiled and took it, saying softly, "Rest for a while. There aren't many bamboo sticks left. I'll go get them."


Xiao Wei looked at his Big Brother's cold face and thought it might be better to be more diligent.


"It's okay; I can still carry them."


After saying that, he ran back at lightning speed.


When he came back, he dragged five more large bamboo sticks.


Bai Lu took the bamboo in a daze, and his petite figure "whooshed" back again, as fast as lightning.


However, this little lightning was tripped by the weeds by the fence halfway, almost falling.


Stumbling like a drunkard, his left and right feet collided a few times, and then he returned to normal, continuing to run to get bamboo.


A playful smile flashed in Bai Lu's eyes as she handed the bamboo to Xiao Cheng. "Xiao Wei is so obedient and diligent. He already knows how to help us with many things at the age of seven."


Xiao Cheng's hand receiving the bamboo paused.


Raising his eyes, her clear and clean eyes were still pure, without any impurities, as if she was just casually complimenting, with no other intention.


Xiao Cheng lowered his eyes, took the bamboo, remained silent, and continued to insert it into the river.


The water in the river, stirred by the strong bamboo, created some ripples, splashing onto the riverbank.


The relationship, like frozen ice, thought it could be repaired with just a few bamboo sticks. It's not that easy.


Bai Lu sighed.


She turned around with Xiao Wei to get more bamboo.


After inserting bamboo sticks upstream and downstream, they probably enclosed a distance of several tens of meters. Now, it not only provided enough living space for snails but also allowed fish to be raised.


Bai Lu happily washed her hands. However, when she looked up, she saw the big shot destroying the flowers.


"Wait a minute, that seems to be pink roses."


On the opposite side of the river, there were several clusters of lush wild roses, not yet in bloom but already with many flower buds. Without any surprises, they would bloom next month, along with the chestnut trees.


At this moment, still standing in the water, Xiao Cheng on the riverbank, at some point, took a hatchet. His well-defined forearm was about to exert force on the base of the wild roses.


Hearing Bai Lu's words, he paused for a moment.


Turning around, he looked at her with indifferent eyes, and calmly said, "Do you like it?"


Bai Lu hesitated for a moment, nodded, and said softly, "Pink roses are beautiful when they bloom. They have already formed flower buds now. At most, next month, and even later, they won't bloom until the month after. When pink roses bloom, cut some and put them in a vase. Placing them in the house can make the air fresher, and the faint fragrance can fill the whole yard."


Xiao Cheng looked at her without saying a word.


After the incident with the bamboo, Xiao Wei didn't want to talk anymore. However, thinking about the last time Bai Lu was scared and jumped, he hesitated and reminded, "The flower bushes grow too densely, and it's easy to hide snakes and insects."


"The flowers are on the opposite side. Now that we've inserted bamboo into the river, soon the flower branches will climb along the bamboo. By then, they will reach the vegetable garden..."


The vegetable garden would hide snakes.


The rest didn't need Xiao Wei to say. Bai Lu's feet were already getting chilly, and the hairs on her body stood on end.


Subconsciously shaking her head, "No, no."


"There are plenty of beautiful and fragrant flowers in the world. The rapeseed flowers in the vegetable garden are also beautiful and fragrant when they bloom. Soon, the broccoli and chestnut flowers will bloom, even more beautiful. You can see them by just opening the window. Forget about the rose flowers."


"After cutting the snails, I also added some salt. Now they should have spit out all the mud. I'll go back to clean the snails. Let's go back quickly."


Bai Lu didn't want to stay a moment longer, rubbing her arms with chicken skin bumps, turning around, and leaving.


She wasn't attached to the pink roses at all.


In fact, just now, she was just reminiscing about her home.


Just recalling the beautiful pink rose wall in her grandmother's vegetable garden.


Remembering when she was a child, her mother asked her to stand in front of the rose wall, and they took many happy photos together.


Grandma's rose wall had no snakes or pests. There must have been measures taken to repel snakes and insects all along.


The small river here is too long, flowing through the entire small town. It can drive away the upstream but not the downstream.


Forget it... Anyway, there's no going back.


Flowers, just forget them.


Xiao Cheng watched the girl's hurried departure, a deep thought flashed in his eyes as he put away the hatchet at the flower root.


"Go to the storage room and get some snake repellent powder."


Xiao Wei was assigned another task.









Chapter 72: Courteously Delivered


Returning to the miscellaneous room, he flipped through the snake repellent.


Xiao Wei hesitated for a while and finally mustered the courage to speak, "The snake repellent loses its effectiveness as soon as it rains."


"And, it can only drive away snakes in our backyard. If there are snakes upstream or downstream, they will still come over."


Before Bai Lu came to fuss in the vegetable garden, Xiao Wei had encountered snakes a few times in the weeds by the river. Although he drove them away each time and used snake repellent, the rain would wash away the powder, and the snakes would return.


Xiao Cheng glanced at the little guy standing by the river. Originally, he didn't want to bother, but seeing the worry on his face and recalling what Bai Lu had said earlier, he spoke in a calm tone, "Surround the roses with bamboo and then sprinkle the powder."


Xiao Wei looked down at the remaining bamboo, only eight pieces left, and his little eyebrows twisted.


"But we don't have enough bamboo." There are so many flowers.


Xiao Cheng raised his eyes slightly and looked at the chestnut tree on the edge of the vegetable garden, and the large branches on the tree.


"Bai Lu said that pruning the branches at this time would harm the chestnut tree." Xiao Wei decisively threw out Bai Lu's original words, dissuading Xiao Cheng from the idea of cutting branches to surround the flower bed.


Xiao Cheng clicked his tongue impatiently, glanced at him coldly, "Go to the woodshed and bring some firewood."


Xiao Wei turned and ran. After running a few steps, he suddenly remembered something, stopped, and turned back.


"Long." Xiao Cheng said.


The small figure ran away like the wind.


There weren't many long firewood in the woodshed. If there were, Bai Lu wouldn't have had to borrow from Wang Cuihua's house.


However, after picking and choosing, there were still about a dozen pieces, but it wasn't enough!


How should big brother surround the flower bed?

Xiao Wei hurriedly ran out of the woodshed with the long firewood, almost bumping into Bai Lu, who was collecting clothes.


"Why are you carrying firewood?" Bai Lu held a clothes pole in one hand and held the clothes of the three people in the other, looking puzzled.


Xiao Wei adjusted the long firewood that almost poked her, and said seriously, "I don't know."


"Big brother asked for it."


After saying that, he ran towards the backyard with the firewood.


Mysterious.


Bai Lu was a bit curious and wanted to go and see. Suddenly, there was a rhythmic knocking on the door outside.


She had to put the clothes back in the main house and go to open the door.


When Aunt Wu Xiuyun saw Bai Lu, she immediately smiled and greeted her, handing her a black plastic bag.


"Bai Lu, this is the preserved duck and duck legs we brought back from the countryside yesterday to worship our ancestors. The taste is especially delicious. They are ducks raised in our own field. The duck meat is very chewy. Take it home and try it."


Before Bai Lu could refuse, the plastic bag was already in her hand, not tied, and everything inside was visible.


Three large preserved ducks and six duck legs.


In this town nowadays, even eating meat is a luxury, and she is giving away three whole ducks and duck legs without opening the package.


No gain without work. Bai Lu couldn't accept such a big gift. "Aunt Wu, you are too polite. Chopping two duck legs into pieces is already a large plate. Ah Wei and Ah Cheng can't eat much. Just trying two duck legs is enough."


"You are going to set up a fruit stall, and the children at home have to go to school. The ducks should be taken care of by the elderly in the family. How can I be so bold as to taste so much? If you insist on giving them all to me, then I can only ask about the price first."


Ask about the price, and the next step is definitely to pay.


Paying means buying, not receiving as a gift.


Wu Xiuyun hurriedly said, "No, all were given to you. How can I ask for money? Giving money is no different from buying in the street. There are still many preserved ducks and duck legs in our house. I can't finish eating until the next trip of ducks. This bag only contains three ducks and six duck legs. It's not enough for dental floss. Just take it back and taste it for Aunt Wu's sake. Don't be polite with Aunt Wu."


Knowing that Bai Lu didn't like to beat around the bush or receive gifts for no reason, and worried that she might be talked about by neighbors if this continued, Wu Xiuyun explained everything and asked Bai Lu to taste the freshness when she took it back.


Bai Lu understood.


Smiling tacitly, she replied, "There is good news. Ah Cheng and I have ordered a batch of chestnuts from the countryside. The flesh is plump, soft, and sweet, with almost no bad fruits. It's as high-quality as the last batch."


Wu Xiuyun was delighted, "That's great! You don't know, during the time when the goods were out of stock, customers couldn't buy candied chestnuts. They went to Li Shuixian's house opposite to buy some chestnuts to satisfy their cravings. As a result, one by one, after eating, they all came to me to complain, saying that they regretted it."


"They said it didn't taste the same at all. At first, they couldn't swallow it, and later, even if they managed to swallow it, the taste was always wrong, never the same as what they wanted."


"One by one urged me not to sell fruits and quickly go home to roast chestnuts. No matter how many, they wanted them all..."


Wu Xiuyun pulled Bai Lu's wrist and smiled with rejuvenated wrinkles, "My husband also took some candied chestnuts to let customers in the city taste them fresh. You don't know, in the time of one Qingming Festival, they ordered more than we sold candied chestnuts in the past few days."


She turned her head to look in the direction behind her.


Following her gaze, Bai Lu saw a motorcycle parked there, with a kind middle-aged uncle on the motorcycle, smiling and nodding to her.


Bai Lu also smiled and nodded in response.


Although everything was expected, receiving good news so quickly was still somewhat unexpected.


Moreover, the quantity of preserved ducks and duck legs... Bai Lu speculated that Wu Xiuyun probably had something more to say.


Sure enough, after reporting all the good news one by one and chatting casually about daily life, Wu Xiuyun finally, in a low voice, asked, "Bai Lu, Aunt Wu is selling fruits at the stall today. She saw Wang Cuihua next door going to the street to buy vegetables. She told everyone she also wanted to do business and was asked by others about what business she was doing."


"She said she also sells candied chestnuts... and she said the taste is exactly the same as the ones we sell, both the most authentic..."


Wu Xiuyun omitted some of what she said.


At that time, Wang Cuihua's answer was that she was in the same place as Bai Lu, holding the same authentic candied chestnuts.


Wang Cuihua lived next door to Bai Lu, and her deceased husband had been a longtime brother with Xiao Cheng.


For these most authentic candied chestnuts, in addition to going to Bai Lu's place, where else could she get them?


Wu Xiuyun's heart tightened at that time. If Bai Lu's business partner changed to Wang Cuihua...


What about those old customers who had been pampered by authentic candied chestnuts and developed picky tastes?


How could she fulfill the many orders she and her husband had made if they couldn't provide the most authentic candied chestnuts?


If Wang Cuihua occupied the market, would those customers who returned to her for candied chestnuts turn around and go to Wang Cuihua, no longer patronizing her business?


Thinking about these heavy losses, Wu Xiuyun couldn't sit still. She quickly sent the preserved ducks and duck legs that she had originally promised to sell to the old customers to Bai Lu as a gift and took the opportunity to inquire about the news.








Chapter 73: Profound Taste


While listening to Wu Xiuyun, Bai Lu's mind was also working, outlining a general idea.


She also understood the reason behind the valuable gift in her hands.


"Aunt Wu, rest assured, our cooperation remains the same," Bai Lu replied with a smile. "When Ah Cheng goes to the countryside tomorrow to bring back chestnuts, our candied chestnut business will open its doors again. Wang Cuihua doesn't sell candied chestnuts in our town; she goes to the neighboring Dashizhen to sell them."


Wen Xiuyun's big worry finally lifted, and her furrowed brow gradually relaxed.


She knew that Bai Lu was about to open up a dual sales channel.


She quickly brought up her husband: "Bai Lu, the orders from your wealthy uncle are increasing, and the customers are getting anxious. Can you check when you can deliver the goods?"


"Let's do it together tomorrow."


Bai Lu looked at the sky, "The sun has set, and the new house isn't finished yet. You'll need some time to go back to the countryside. Come over tomorrow to pick up the goods, and we can discuss the city's prices in detail, setting a suitable price for candied chestnuts."


Wu Xiuyun happily agreed to the plan.


Finally, everything was settled.


After agreeing to meet tomorrow, she quickly walked towards her husband's motorcycle, afraid that Bai Lu might want to reciprocate.


As they drove away, Wu Xiuyun couldn't help but praise with a smile, "Looking at this girl who seems to be in her teens, she handles things more smoothly than us, who are a whole generation older. Not only is she smart, but she also knows etiquette. It's hard to imagine what kind of family can raise such an outstanding daughter."


"That's right."


Wen Xiuyun said, "Since we started building a house in the town, neighbors occasionally come to buy fruits from me, and we chat sometimes during leisure. I've heard them mention a few times that Bai Lu's family is not wealthy, and her parents favor boys over girls, often scolding and hitting her."


"When she first moved to the Xiao Cheng family, Bai Lu was so timid that she dared not go out, never interacting with neighbors. It was only last month that she began to change gradually."


"Probably, after leaving her parents' home for a long time, she finally adapted to a life without abuse, slowly opened up, and became more enlightened. But Bai Lu is truly clever; who would have thought of the off-season sales route, and turning chestnuts into candied chestnuts better than ordinary dishes? No girl in town can achieve that."


Wen Fu Gui also had to admit that Bai Lu's mental agility put her far ahead of her peers.


"Don't even mention girls of her age, even older folks like us can't think of this lucrative opportunity. Though the town is small, it still harbors clever girls."


When Xiao Wei helped Bai Lu carry plastic bags, and saw inside the bag legs of cured duck larger than her face, her calm face instantly turned into shock. Someone was sending gifts to Bai Lu again.


Moreover, three large cured ducks and six legs of cured duck this size.


Xiao Wei had never seen duck legs cut from a duck that weren't just a single leg.


Bai Lu's surplus food was increasing.


His big brother also became much more pleasant than before.


As Xiao Wei looked at the courtyard, in front of the broken water jar, a girl was picking mint, and a man was dealing with fish by the well. Little sparks flickered in his eyes.


He really hoped things would continue like this.


For dinner, Bai Lu made boiled fish. The fish was large, and there were many side dishes, filling up a big pot.


She made the stir-fried snails she had been craving. After adding chili, ginger, green onions, and various other ingredients, she scooped a few into a bowl and handed it to Xiao Cheng, who was stoking the fire in front of the stove.


"Try it and see if it's flavorful enough. I should have added salt and soy sauce. I didn't use much chili."


Xiao Cheng saw that she had added a large bowl of chili.


Then he saw a small snail, shiny, fragrant, and bigger than his face, right in front of him. He opened his mouth.


"Is it delicious?" Bai Lu looked at him expectantly.


A little spicy.


Xiao Cheng, with a calm expression, said, "It's okay."


Okay means good. Good means delicious!


Bai Lu had already mastered the scoring system of the big brother and happily picked up another snail, handing it to Xiao Wei, who brought the dishes.


"Try something delicious."


Xiao Wei sneaked a glance at the man calmly throwing snail shells into the stove and silently took the spicy snail.


Oh... a spicy mouthful of stir-fried snails.


"Delicious, I've never had such delicious stir-fried snails!"... He really hadn't eaten stir-fried snails before.


Although it was a bit spicy, it was really delicious. The taste of stir-fried snails was different from pork, fish, and chicken.


Especially fragrant, with a hint of mint aroma, the combination of oil, salt, chili, soy sauce, and a mysterious fresh fragrance.


But it's a bit tough on the teeth.


Bai Lu heard the cracking sound and turned her head. Both eyes were stunned.


"How did you crush the shells?"


"If I don't crush them, how can I eat the snail meat?" Xiao Wei honestly replied, then corrected, "I just cracked them open."


Bai Lu poked the little guy's slightly bulging cheek with her finger, her face full of disbelief.


"You can try sucking the snail meat out in your mouth."


"I can't suck it out in my mouth." Xiao Wei was honest; he didn't have the snail-sucking skills of his big brother.


After a turn of the cheek, the snail shell moved from the slightly red corner of his mouth and fell onto the small palm spread out.


Xiao Wei didn't dare to cross Xiao Cheng, throw the shell into the stove, turned around, and took it out to throw it into the trash can.


When she came back, Bai Lu gave him a toothpick.


And said to him, "When you eat stir-fried snails later, use your hands to pick up the snail and suck it. If you can't suck it out, use a toothpick to pick out the meat from the shell. Biting the shell may damage your teeth. Using a toothpick is faster and more convenient."


Xiao Wei understood.


The method he just used to eat snails was wrong. But Bai Lu always spoke very tactfully, never making anyone feel embarrassed.


So, three pounds of stir-fried snails were quickly finished, and even the chili soup was not left.


A large pot of boiled fish was also finished.


Rice and crust were all gone.


When Xiao Cheng went to wash the dishes, Bai Lu and Xiao Wei, who were full, took a walk in the yard to aid digestion and enjoy the moonlight.


The sound of gently clinking bowls and chopsticks came from the kitchen, like strings played lightly on fingertips.


With the moonlight in the sky and the gentle swaying


 of the girl's hair as it fell, Xiao Cheng's gaze was fixed on her graceful profile.


In the past, when he and Luo Shiliu went to the city for business, if there was no time for dinner, they would eat supper together at a street stall. Stir-fried snails were on the menu sometimes.


Not often, and the taste was vague.


Just to fill the stomach when there was no other choice, it wasn't about whether it tasted good or not; it just needed to be swallowed.


But today's stir-fried snails had a profound taste.


...


When Bai Lu finished her bath and returned to her room, she found a few sheets of paper pressed down by a water cup on the table. The paper wasn't clean and blank but covered with ink from a ballpoint pen.


Coming closer, at the top of the paper, a few large, powerful characters caught her eye.


"Pingcheng Price List."









Chapter 74: Thoughtful Details


On the price list of Pingcheng without horizontal and vertical tables, where all text is written both horizontally and vertically, various prices for essential food items such as fruits, snacks, rice, flour, oil, pastries, and vegetables in the market were recorded.


Prices for street-roasted sweet potatoes, restaurant dishes, breakfast, and late-night noodles were all listed, covering a variety of ranges.


The last sheet of paper included quotes for clothing in all four seasons, as well as comprehensive statistics on various appliances and sales volumes.


Three densely filled sheets of paper disclosed the economic level of the entire central Pingcheng area, linking people's living standards to prices, covering every detail.


Certain industries even had quotes for market competition, distinguishing between different price ranges when there were more or fewer people.


Consideration was given to every aspect, with meticulous attention to detail. Overall, it was clear at a glance, providing a comprehensive overview.


Bai Lu found it hard to believe that Xiao Cheng, who was usually quiet, reserved, and indifferent, with little interest in anything, could be so attentive.


After reading these three price lists, she wouldn't need to consult with Wu husband again; she could determine the pricing directly.


Pingcheng was a county town, better than the town but far worse than the prefecture-level city Nanshi. Price fluctuations wouldn't be too significant.


The price of sugar-coated chestnuts could double, but the price of pork in the city was not much higher than in the town, less than twice as much. Selling too expensively would be seen as a luxury in this economically underdeveloped and modest town, making people think that buying pork was more worthwhile than buying sugar-coated chestnuts.


After all, snacks and three meals a day, which one was more important? The common people who had become accustomed to tough times were not fools.


She was very clear in her mind.


Bai Lu already had a suitable price in mind.


At this moment, footsteps approached from behind.


The tall and straight figure of a man, surrounded by long shadows under the dim light, gradually approached.


Bai Lu immediately put down the price list, turned around, and greeted with a smiling face, "Ah Cheng, did you get the price list today when you went to buy rice from the rice shop owner?"


She usually didn't call him Ah Cheng without a reason.


Not to mention being so considerate as to help him take off his coat, neatly fold it, and place it on a wooden chair.


Xiao Cheng looked at the busy figure in front of him, as diligent as a little bee, and couldn't help but chuckle.


When she turned around, he nodded slightly to confirm her guess.


Bai Lu became even more attentive, immediately supporting Xiao Cheng's arm like an emperor being assisted, step by step towards the bed.


She even praised, "You're amazing. You got such a detailed price list by going to the rice processing plant once. If it were me, I would definitely have to put in a lot of effort."


"Are you thirsty? Shall I pour you a glass of water?"


Xiao Cheng had just sat down, not yet had a chance to refuse, and Bai Lu had already poured a cup of hot water and returned with it.


She added two malt candies to it.


Eyes shining, she stared at him, holding the water cup in her hands and personally bringing it to his lips, saying, "It's been several days since I made malt candy water. You must be missing it. I don't know if two malt candies are sweet enough. If not, I'll go get another one. Try a sip first."


Xiao Cheng lowered his gaze, glanced at the malt candy water, and a sweet aroma wafted up, causing his brows to unconsciously furrow.


Damn!


Bailu finally realized, seeing his reaction; the porcelain cup seemed to be a bit hot, and he must find it too hot.


She immediately took back the cup, lowered her head, and blew gently, two times, three times.


"It's not hot anymore."


Xiao Cheng: "..."


She finally realized that blowing it two or three times had the same effect as not blowing it at all.


Bai Lu didn't care if he was satisfied or not, just handed him the cup, comforting him in a soft voice, "You just washed clothes, your hands must be cold. Holding a warm cup can make you feel a bit warmer. After drinking the sugar water, your body will warm up even more."


Xiao Cheng pursed his lips, considering whether to refuse this cup of malt candy water once and for all.


A slender jade-like finger suddenly reached the bottom of the cup, pushing it upwards at a moderate and polite speed.


Slowly pushing it to his lips, the girl with smiling eyes spoke softly, "If you don't drink it now, it will get cold."


"If it gets cold and you drink it, it won't warm your stomach. It's already late; drink it quickly and go to sleep..."


She was a bit sleepy, and her eyelids were lazily fighting.


Xiao Cheng finished the malt candy water, went to the table, poured a cup of pure hot water, shook it, and drank it in a few sips.


When he returned, the white deer, who should have been standing by the bed or sitting down, had already lain down, covered with a quilt, and closed her eyes completely after saying "good night."


She fell asleep in no time.


Xiao Cheng stood in front of the bed, raised his hand to pinch his brow, and lightly said, "Don't need your feet?"


The voice was too low, and the girl wrapped in the quilt didn't hear it, didn't open her eyes, but mumbled unconsciously.


"Um..."


Still mumbling?


Xiao Cheng stared at the reddish face sleeping on the bed, the corners of his eyes inexplicably smiling, turned around, retraced his steps, opened the drawer, and took out a bottle with a strong medicinal smell.


...


Bai Lu's foot was healed after three days of eating wontons.


The price of sugar-coated chestnuts in Pingcheng was also determined yesterday when Aunt Wu and Yu Fugui came to pick up the goods, set at six yuan.


Yu Fugui was initially worried that Bai Lu, who hadn't understood the local prices, would set the price too high.


However, when the price of six yuan was announced, he immediately acknowledged and approved, realizing that the young lady was not only thoughtful but also had great business acumen, focusing on long-term development rather than seeking quick profits.


Life was difficult, and Wang Cuihua, who couldn't afford to buy salt, took a day off yesterday to make a big deal. Early in the morning, she took a motorcycle to the city.


Spending 518 yuan, she bought a brand-new Phoenix brand 28-inch bicycle.


Still in the city, she spent the whole day being taught how to ride a bicycle by the owner of the bicycle shop. Eventually, she successfully taught the boss back the advanced skill of riding a bicycle and brought this valuable skill back home.


The new town was the nearest small town to Pingcheng.


Wang Cuihua rode from sunset to dark, finally bringing the newly bought 28-inch bicycle home.


Early the next morning, she rode her bicycle to Bai Lu's house and knocked on the door

shouting, "Bai Lu."


"Bai Lu, Bai Lu."


"I'm here to get the sugar-coated chestnuts."


"Hurry up and open the door."


The knocking sound was as annoying as a death warrant, relentless and thunderous.


So much so that.


After the door opened.


The man's gloomy face, like Yama coming from hell to reap lives, his gaze sweeping, like a cold and sharp blade, cutting through the space, sweeping the surrounding eight hundred miles.


Wang Cuihua felt as if she were being cut into pieces, hurting all over. She quickly moved her bicycle aside.


No longer daring to block the central doorway.


What she liked was the cold and ruthless Xiao Cheng, who had a normal face. Not the Yama king in front of her, who seemed ready to kill.


Wang Cuihua struggled to maintain a smile on her face, but her tongue couldn't stop trembling. She stammered, "I see it's almost dawn. I thought Bai Lu, who is usually so diligent, must have gotten up early and fried the chestnuts. I also have to come early to take the sugar-coated chestnuts to sell..."


"Did Big Brother Xiao Cheng also go to work so early?"










Chapter 75: Boss Drives People Away


Xiao Cheng's deep eyes were as cold as a frigid pool, his tone devoid of warmth: "If you don't learn to be more sensible, don't come back again."


Wang Cuihua's smile froze.


It was as if a bucket of cold water had been poured from head to toe, freezing her entire body. The hand gripping the handlebar of her bicycle was gradually covered in frost.


Ever since she married Xiao Zhongbiao, she knew that Xiao Cheng was the leader of their small group.


Cold and ruthless in character, brutal in actions, he rarely spoke, indifferent to the petty conflicts among women, especially disinterested in matters between women.


Not to mention speaking to her like this, unprecedented, sounding like he was driving her away.


After saying this, he didn't leave immediately, as if intending to drive her away.


Wang Cuihua felt that Xiao Cheng wasn't trying to drive her away, at least not in front of the deceased brother, Xiao Zhongbiao.


Perhaps she arrived too early and disturbed him and Bai... Xiao Wei having breakfast.


"I remembered that there's porridge still cooking on the stove at home. The fire hasn't been turned off yet. It's probably boiling by now. I need to go back and check. I'll come back later to find Bai Lu..."


Wang Cuihua hastily explained and left.


Pushing her brand-new bicycle with a speed that seemed as if ghosts were chasing her from behind.


Xiao Cheng turned to close the door, and a figure with a backpack hurriedly ran over. Squeezing through the half-closed door, not daring to look up at him, he greeted while running away.


"I'm going to school."


The trailing sound faded away with the small footsteps.


As he was about to close the door, footsteps echoed in the courtyard again. Xiao Cheng raised his eyes slightly.


A girl with long hair tied in a low bun, wearing a sky-blue apron, hurriedly came out of the kitchen, holding a spatula. She found the large basket in the corridor and lifted it back.


Soon, the kitchen resounded with the sound of spatulas, sand, and chestnuts colliding. Chestnuts and sand were sifted with a large spoon into different baskets, making a distinctive sound.


The door slowly closed, blocking all sightlines. Xiao Cheng turned around and walked out, his eyes lowered in contemplation.


When Wang Cuihua came to Bai Lu's house again, it was almost noon, and she had purposely finished lunch before coming.


Knocking on the door, a wave of sweet and fragrant smell hit her. Upon entering, the entire courtyard was filled with the aroma, as if she were immersed in a pile of sugar-coated chestnuts.


Sweet but not cloying, with a strong aroma of roasting.


Wang Cuihua couldn't help but salivate just by smelling it. She couldn't resist the temptation to take a taste, satisfying her appetite.


But she remembered the morning incident and resisted.


Bai Lu sat down on the old wooden chair beside the large baskets filled with sugar-coated chestnuts. She swung her tired right arm and massaged her sore left arm.


Seeing Wang Cuihua standing in front of the four large baskets filled with sugar-coated chestnuts, looking left and right, she hesitated for a long time without deciding which basket to choose. It seemed as if choosing the wrong one would lead to a loss.


"You take the leftmost basket. It only has fifty kilograms. The other three baskets each have seventy kilograms. It's your first day, and selling out early means you can go home sooner."


Upon hearing this unfair distribution, Wang Cuihua immediately protested, "Why can't I take seventy kilograms?"


"There are three baskets of seventy kilograms each, and Aunt Wu can't sell that much. Besides, Li Shuixian's cheap sugar-coated chestnuts are competing in the town. Leaving so much for Aunt Wu would be a waste if she can't sell them all."


"I'd rather take a seventy-kilogram basket. Aunt Wu wants two seventy-kilogram baskets and one fifty-kilogram basket. I'll go to Dashizhen next door to sell them. People there haven't tasted sugar-coated chestnuts yet, and business will definitely be good. I'll definitely sell faster than Aunt Wu."


Today was the third day of opening up a new market for sugar-coated chestnuts. Bai Lu didn't want to talk about unlucky things related to money.


She calmly said, "Aunt Wu takes one seventy-kilogram basket, and you take one fifty-kilogram basket. The remaining two seventy-kilogram baskets belong to Yu Fugui. He already has a large number of pre-orders in the city."


The two seventy-kilogram baskets were still not enough.


Aunt Wu's order quantity was not only this small, and after Bai Lu finished her lunch, she had to continue picking pomelos and working hard.


Otherwise, Aunt Wu would run out of stock in the afternoon.


During the Qingming Festival, Wen Xiuyun and Yu Fugui separately accumulated hundreds of kilograms of orders. It must be said that the purchasing power of customers accumulated over more than ten years was powerful.


Wang Cuihua felt that Bai Lu was favoring Aunt Wu and Yu Fugui and not letting her earn big money on the first day.


Regardless, she ignored it, picked up a seventy-kilogram basket of sugar-coated chestnuts, and ran outside without saying a word.


Usually weak and pitiful, needing help with everything, when it came to grabbing things, she ran faster than the young men.


She also made a solemn promise,


"Bai Lu, rest assured, I will definitely sell faster than Aunt Wu. With only seventy kilograms of sugar-coated chestnuts, I can earn all the money back before the sun sets!"


As soon as she finished speaking, she was already riding her bicycle, with a large basket on the back seat, flying away.


Bai Lu didn't bother to chase after her, got up and went to the firewood room to continue bringing out chestnuts to roast.


Yesterday, when Xiao Cheng went to the countryside to exchange for chestnuts, she and Xiao Wei had cleared out the firewood room and cleaned it up.


It was used to store the chestnuts brought back by Xiao Cheng and would serve as a dedicated space for chestnuts in the future.


Xiao Cheng brought back six carts of chestnuts, filling the firewood room to the brim. A glance revealed a small brown mountain.


Bai Lu squatted on the ground, holding a large iron shovel the size of a faceplate, and shoveled chestnuts into a bamboo basket, one by one.


At this moment, she missed the powerful big brother who had cooked seventy kilograms of sugar-coated chestnuts for her early in the morning, and had only left after being interrupted by a knock on the door.


Because of the surge in the quantity of goods supplied, the large pot that the original homeowner had left unused in the corner of the firewood room had been cleaned by her. Two pots were used simultaneously.


Not only did Xiao Cheng have astonishing arm strength, but he could also manage two pots of chestnuts, allocating the most suitable intervals for flipping them. From start to finish, not a single pot was burnt.


The chestnuts that came out of the pot


 made the kids next door cry with longing.


Unlike her, who had a mishap when trying two pots for the first time.


Those sugar-coated...charcoal chestnuts were so burnt that they couldn't be scraped off the wall.


Fortunately, Bai Lu knew her own level. She didn't fry much for the first time, and the old mother hen in the backyard was also considerate, not picky with food, helping her finish all the charcoal chestnuts.


Otherwise, wasting food was a heinous crime that she couldn't forgive herself for... The grandparents and grandmothers living in the countryside were still filling their stomachs with chestnuts for three meals a day.


How many people still couldn't eat...


"Bai Lu."


The courtyard door wasn't closed, just slightly ajar. Aunt Wu lightly knocked three times, greeted, and entered.


Yu Fugui followed closely behind.


Seeing the three large baskets of sugar-coated chestnuts still emitting a hint of hot, sweet aroma in the courtyard, both of them revealed happy expressions.


This time, Bai Lu only fried two pots of ten kilograms each, and she temporarily didn't have the strength to flip two pots of twenty-five kilograms. She needed to take it slow.


She moved the twenty kilograms of chestnuts she had just divided into the winnowing basket and poured them into the fifty-kilogram large basket.


"Aunt Wu, Uncle Fugui, please take these sugar-coated chestnuts to fulfill the orders. All three baskets are seventy kilograms each. I'll fry some more in the afternoon."

The reborn of paranoid boss cannon fodder wife(76-80)