CHAPTER 248: CHAPTER 246: YIELDING

Upon returning to his hometown, Chen Xin naturally received a warm welcome from his relatives. Even though the mountain village refuge lacked abundant supplies, these relatives still offered what they could and warmly hosted Chen Xin.

Chen Xin’s second uncle, who was the village head, even arranged for someone to tidy up a room for Chen Xin so he could settle in comfortably.

However, Chen Xin refused his kind offer, stating that he wouldn’t be staying at the refuge: "No need to go to such trouble. I drove here, and I’ll just sleep in the car overnight."

"How can sleeping in a car compare to a bed! Don’t say anything more, I’ll find someone to clear a room for you, and you can settle in for the night." The second uncle clearly assumed Chen Xin had driven an ordinary car, and thus insisted on persuading him: "Don’t worry, it’s just setting up a room, not much trouble, and everything’s ready-made, just delivered this morning, all new, no problem."

Being so eagerly persuaded by his second uncle, Chen Xin really had nothing much to say and could only accept his second uncle’s goodwill.

However, he still mentioned to his second uncle that there were things in his car that he had brought back, asking him to send someone to help move them.

"You said you’re back and that’s great, but why bring things! Our town sends supplies every week, and the greenhouse you had us set up before the disaster also yields quite a bit of produce each month, which can be exchanged at the town. We don’t lack anything, keep your things!" The second uncle immediately refused, not wanting anything from Chen Xin.

Yet Chen Xin just shook his head and said nonchalantly, "It’s just some food that friends gave me when I passed through three towns on the way. I can’t finish it myself, and it spoils easily in the car, so I’d rather share it with family! I still have my own."

Hearing Chen Xin say this, the second uncle couldn’t insist any further and had no choice but to let Chen Xin’s two cousins go to help move the items.

The two cousins had no objection to this, and pulled a sled from the refuge, following Chen Xin out the door.

"This sled was sent by the town, supposedly for transporting supplies and travel for every refuge, but in reality, it’s rarely used because it only relies on manpower now. Our refuges hardly have extra resources to keep sled-pulling animals, and while transporting supplies works somewhat, using it for going out is impractical." Chen Xin wasn’t too familiar with these two cousins, but the elder cousin was rather warm toward Chen Xin.

The younger cousin also politely told Chen Xin, given that he had hurt his hand, he could just watch them carry the things.

Chen Xin simply smiled at this, and led the two cousins to his car parked at the village entrance.

Upon seeing Chen Xin’s armored tracked RV, both cousins visibly froze, looking at Chen Xin in disbelief that this was what he meant by ’car’.

"Ah Xin, is this your car?" Though the elder cousin’s face was mostly hidden by a mask, the surprise in his eyes was unmistakable: "How much did this car cost! No wonder you could drive back from Xiang Province, with such a badass car, there’s no fear of snow blocking the mountains!"

Chen Xin didn’t say much, just smiled modestly and opened the trunk, saying to the two cousins: "I modified this car myself, didn’t cost much. And nowadays, what’s valuable is supplies."

Upon hearing this, the two cousins finally put away their surprise and approached the trunk to prepare to move the items.

However, seeing the pile of items in Chen Xin’s trunk, they glanced at him, waiting for him to indicate which could be moved.

"This, this, and this..." Chen Xin pointed to two boxes of refuge food, a bag of his own homemade dehydrated vegetables, and some dried meat and fruits obtained in the three towns: "Bring these back."

"Huh? All of this back?" The younger cousin evidently did not expect Chen Xin to be so generous in having them move so many things.

"It’s nothing, these were all gotten from friends. If I didn’t have to save some food for the return journey, these items could all be shared with everyone," Chen Xin, indeed, seemed very generous about this, since it’s merely some food which he truly didn’t concern himself with.

Seeing Chen Xin so magnanimous, the two cousins exchanged a glance and said nothing more, deciding to first move the items back. As for whether the items would be kept or returned, that was for the elders to decide, and at most, it would only require another trip for them both, not much hassle.

After moving the items Chen Xin pointed out to the sled and binding them with a rope they brought, the two cousins waited for Chen Xin to close the trunk before dragging the sled back.

The items on the sled were evidently heavy, especially on such snowy ground relying on human strength, and the two cousins couldn’t help but pant, but their hearts were very delighted. With so many items brought back, even if the elders decided not to keep all, some parts would certainly be kept.

This, for the village’s small refuge, even just keeping a part, is a strong supplement to the supplies.

Upon returning to the refuge, sure enough, the second uncle and several managing relatives expressed dissatisfaction at Chen Xin bringing so many things, demanding he take them back without even seeing what Chen Xin had brought.

But Chen Xin just shook his head and smiled, saying: "Second uncle, you should keep these things. To me, these items truly are nothing. If I need more, I can get them from friends."

After they hesitated back and forth, ultimately it was Chen Xin’s father who spoke up, prompting the second uncle to finally accept the items.

After accepting the items, a check caused the second uncle to be stunned by Chen Xin’s generous offering.

Two boxes of refuge food were certainly no remarkable thing, as in proportion, they made up a significant portion of the supplies delivered by the town weekly, also being the refuge’s current major food reserve.

The dehydrated vegetables were genuinely prized goods, as although the village’s refuge also had a greenhouse yielding quite a few vegetables each month, most of these had been decided by the second uncle to be taken to town for exchange for other supplies, leaving little behind for consumption.

And the dried meat was even more astonishing, as they hadn’t seen real meat for over half a year.

"Ah Xin, this is too precious! We cannot take it!" The second uncle, despite his own craving for the large box of dried meat, still immediately wanted to return the items to Chen Xin.

To this, Chen Xin purposefully put on a stern face and said to the second uncle: "You’re returning what’s been given after accepting it, second uncle, is this you looking down on me?"

The conversation reached this point, leaving the second uncle without a choice but to have the items stored in the warehouse.

Though Chen Xin’s parents were surprised by Chen Xin suddenly bringing out so many items, they questioned him: "Son, where did you get all these things?"