Chapter 95: What Is She Here For?

Hua Daling had no idea just how important this news was to Chu Xuan.

“Auntie Hua, let’s keep this between us. Don’t tell anyone else. If you get a chance to find out exactly when she’s going to Haishi, let me know right away.”

Hua Daling promised earnestly, “Don’t worry! From now on, I’ll only talk to you about Feng Chunhua. I’m off!”

“Alright.”

After seeing her out, Chu Xuan said a few words to her younger brother, packed a lunchbox of boiled peanuts, and headed to the village entrance to wait for the horse cart.

She planned to go to town to find Uncle Long.

Before long, Grandpa Qi drove up with his horse cart and came to a stop.

A dozen or so villagers got off one after another.

When they saw Chu Xuan, they all greeted her warmly.

Chu Xuan smiled and greeted them back.

Lately, her reputation in the village had been getting better and better.

After all, the fact that the village could build a grilled fish factory was half thanks to her.

Some of the villagers had invested, some would work at the factory, and everyone’s household income would improve, one way or another.

After watching everyone leave, Chu Xuan climbed onto the cart. “Grandpa Qi, I’d like to hire the whole cart.”

Grandpa Qi had already guessed she might want to do that, so he hadn’t gotten off the cart. He replied kindly, “Hiring the cart is fifteen cents.”

“No problem.”

“Hold on tight,” Grandpa Qi reminded her, then called out to the horse, “Giddy up!”

The horse started trotting.

Just then, Feng Chunhua came running over in a hurry, trying to jump on the cart. “Old Qi, stop! Take me to town! I have something urgent!”

Grandpa Qi didn’t even look back. “Sorry, Chu Xuan has hired the cart. Giddy up! Giddy up!”

The horse understood and sped up.

Feng Chunhua stood with her hands on her hips, shouting after them, “Old Qi, just you wait! See if I ever ride your cart again! Old geezer…”

After cursing, she muttered under her breath, “Just wait till I get a bicycle ticket and my own bike—let’s see how jealous you all are!”

She had no choice but to walk to town.

A few minutes later, the village tractor drove past her.

Feng Chunhua saw that Liu Dapeng was driving and quickly called out, “Wait! Give me a ride to town, I’ll pay you!”

Liu Dapeng recognized her right away. “No time!”

He sped off.

He didn’t like Feng Chunhua at all—anyone who treated Chu Xuan badly, he wouldn’t help.

Feng Chunhua stamped her foot in frustration. “None of you give me any respect! Just wait, you’ll regret it someday!”

About ten minutes later, Chu Xuan paid for the cart and headed to Uncle Long’s shop.

Grandpa Qi didn’t think much of it, assuming Chu Xuan was just there to pay off a debt.

He drove his cart to his usual spot to wait for customers.

When Chu Xuan walked into Uncle Long’s shop with her lunchbox, she didn’t see Uncle Long, only Xiao Huan.

“Brother Xiao, is Uncle Long in?”

Xiao Huan pointed to the backyard, grinning. “He’s out back talking over a big deal.”

He poured Chu Xuan a cup of tea and handed her a plate of sunflower seeds.

“Thank you.” Chu Xuan handed him the lunchbox. “There are boiled peanuts inside—try them with Uncle Long.”

Xiao Huan took it with a smile and opened the lid. “These are the first peanuts of the season, right?”

“That’s right.”

Xiao Huan shelled a few and popped them in his mouth. “Delicious! I’m lucky to be here today. Fresh boiled peanuts aren’t something you can buy just because you have money. Honestly, both Uncle Long and I love these. I remember your village’s land can’t grow peanuts—tell me where you got them, I’ll go buy a few dozen pounds and eat them every day.”

“Just ask Liu Dapeng from our village. His uncle’s family grew them, but I’m not sure exactly where.”

“Liu Dapeng? I know him—the tractor driver from your village, skinny as a monkey, drives past town two or three times a day. I’ll wait for him at the town entrance later.”

“Even if you buy some, you can’t eat them every day. Your stomach won’t take it.”

“I know.”

Xiao Huan kept shelling and eating peanuts.

Chu Xuan grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds and started cracking them, tossing the shells precisely into the spittoon at her feet.

She sipped her tea now and then, refilling her cup as needed.

After waiting for over an hour, Uncle Long finally came in.

Chu Xuan stood up and greeted him softly, “Uncle Long.”

Uncle Long beamed at her kindly. “Xiao Xuan, you’re here! Sit down!”

Xiao Huan stood up too, grabbed a handful of peanuts, and stuffed them into Uncle Long’s hand. “Chu Xuan brought these—they’re amazing! Did the customer leave through the back door?”

Uncle Long found a chair and sat down, cracking open a peanut with his teeth as he replied, “That’s right. We made a clean ten thousand yuan on this deal. He’ll come pick up the goods tonight.”

He didn’t hide anything from Chu Xuan.

Xiao Huan was delighted. “Great, I’ll come over then. I’ll leave you two to talk.”

He grabbed two more handfuls of peanuts, stuffed them in his pocket, and dashed out the door.

He was afraid if he was too slow, Uncle Long would take them back.

Uncle Long shook his head helplessly. “That kid!”

He kept eating peanuts.

After a while, he started reminiscing. “These fresh peanuts are just so good! When I was a kid, my family was poor. I craved peanuts so much that I begged my grandpa to buy me half a pound. After boiling them, I couldn’t bear to throw away the shells. I’d eat the tender ones, and for the hard shells, I’d suck on them for a while before finally feeding them to the pigs.”

Chu Xuan couldn’t help but say, “Uncle Long, you were luckier than me. My little brother and I only got to eat boiled peanuts for the first time this year. Even when our parents were around, we never got any, because Feng Chunhua controlled all the money. My brother and I didn’t want to make things hard for our parents, so no matter how much we wanted something, we never asked.”

“You and your brother were too good back then. You should have said something. Parents are so busy every day, it’s hard for them to guess what you want, and they don’t have the time to figure it out.”

“True.”

“You must have something important to talk to me about today?”

“Yes. I heard Feng Chunhua is going to Haishi next month, but I don’t know the exact date yet. As soon as I find out, I’ll let you know.”

“Alright. I’ll send someone to follow her to Haishi. Maybe we’ll actually find something.”

“Uncle Long, do you know about my mom’s illness?”

Uncle Long shot to his feet, knocking over his chair. He didn’t even care about the peanuts or the chair. “I had no idea! Why didn’t your mom tell me? She promised to mail me some wild game, but it never came. Did something happen? Tell me what’s going on.”

“I just found out myself. My mom left back then because she was seriously ill and didn’t want to burden me and my brother. Two years ago, she had surgery, and just a few days ago, she had another operation overseas. In three months, she should recover and will come back to see me and explain everything in person.”

“Does she have enough money for treatment? Which country is she in? I want to go see her!”

“She has enough money. I don’t know which country yet—I didn’t have time to ask Uncle Wu. He had something urgent and hung up. Next time, I’ll be sure to ask.”

“Alright! You must tell me.”

“I will.”

They chatted for another ten minutes or so before Chu Xuan took her leave.

After walking a short distance, she ran into Feng Chunhua coming the other way.

Feng Chunhua shot her a vicious glare but didn’t say a word, heading straight for Uncle Long’s shop.

Chu Xuan was puzzled. What’s that old woman doing here?

Is she here to buy jade?

Or maybe to stir up trouble?

Chu Xuan pretended to leave, then circled back quietly.

She was determined to find out what Feng Chunhua was up to!"