?58: Chapter 58 The Villain 58: Chapter 58 The Villain Seeing that Liu Hun had fallen silent, Mo Wen exploded like a firecracker thrown into a latrine, “Do you think this is a trivial matter?

    This is a serious issue!

    A really big deal!

    Let me tell you, punk!

    These fallen fruits are nothing, but if these orange trees start dying off on a large scale, that would be a catastrophe!”

    Mo Wen, feigning concern like a cat crying over a mouse, said, “So many orange trees!

    Think about how many years our village chief has taken care of them, only to have them killed off by a curse!

    It’s truly sinful!

    So sinful!”

    Liu Hun couldn’t stand Mo Wen’s pretentious act and thought to himself that he’d have to deal with him sooner or later, so he turned the conversation around and said, “Mo Wen, since you’re so concerned about the village chief’s business, how about you come up with a suggestion.”

    Ye Canghai, listening to this conversation, also turned to Mo Wen and said, “Detian, think of something, will you?”

    Instantly, Mo Wen started acting like he had climbed up to a shrine, and with sarcasm said, “To be honest, village chief, this really isn’t something I should care about.

    But some people who should, end up being incompetent instead.

    If you can’t hack it, why pretend?”

    After mocking Liu Hun, Mo Wen continued, “Village chief, last time I made a suggestion, but it was vetoed by your wife.

    Not only was it vetoed, but I, Mo Wen, was also mocked by her openly and covertly.

    If you expect me to speak up, I dare not.”

    Seeing that Fen Ran wasn’t there, Ye Canghai immediately took charge and said, “Speak up!

    Say whatever you want!

    I’d like to see who dares to object today!”

    With Ye Canghai’s encouragement, Mo Wen started speaking with a swagger, “Village chief, I know a boss in the town with the surname Xu, who specializes in the agri-business trade.”

    “Boss Xu?

    Which Boss Xu?” Liu Hun immediately interrupted to ask.

    Mo Wen gave Liu Hun a disdainful look and said, “Which Boss Xu do you think?

    How many Boss Xus are there in Taiping Town?”

    Liu Hun ignored Mo Wen’s sarcasm and hurriedly said to Ye Canghai, “Village chief!

    You definitely shouldn’t deal with people like that.

    My uncle’s family has been cheated by him!

    That Boss Xu is no good!

    The seeds he sells are fake; what good can come from dealing with him?”

    “Tsk tsk tsk!

    Look at you, punk, isn’t that enough?

    Is Qu Jia Shan’s small issue big enough to blame on someone else like Boss Xu?” Of course, Mo Wen knew about the Qu family’s purchase of substandard seeds.

    Liu Hun had already been thinking about how to deal with Mo Wen, but for the moment, he needed to convince Ye Canghai, so he spoke up, “How can it not be his fault?

    He promised my uncle the same germination rate as the Cooperative’s, that’s why my uncle dared to buy from him!

    He said it himself.

    Is he trying to weasel out of it?!” It was this very issue that led Qu Jia Shan’s family into financial difficulties this year, which then caused a fair amount of trouble.

    Mo Wen sneered and said, “Said it himself?

    Is there a contract?

    Any written evidence?

    Does the contract specify the germination rate?

    Punk, that was just Qu Jia Shan trying to cut corners for a cheap deal, which led to buying bad seeds.

    Can you blame others for that?

    Blaming the squat toilet when you can’t poop, I think you’re the same kind of person!”

    “Alright!

    Enough about the seeds, what’s done is done.

    It’s a case of Zhou Yu hitting Huang Gai—willing to give and to take a beating!

    Accountant Mo, tell us what’s up with Boss Xu?

    Continue.”

    Mo Wen, pretending to be full of plans and ideas, said with his head raised, “Village chief, right now, as we see it, these fruits aren’t going to be saved.

    The only way to secure an income is to harvest immediately.”

    “Harvest immediately?

    How would that work?

    They aren’t even ripe yet.

    Would they sell?

    Would anyone buy them to eat?

    Besides, the Cooperative won’t accept them,” Ye Canghai shared his concerns with Mo Wen.

    Mo Wen dismissed it entirely and said, “Village chief, don’t worry, let me explain!

    Why should we sell to the Cooperative?

    Let’s sell directly to Boss Xu!”

    “But these unripe fruits, what would he want them for?

    And would he even be willing to buy them?” Ye Canghai thought it sounded unreliable no matter how he considered it.

    Mo Wen said proudly, “As long as I step in, this deal is as good as done!

    You don’t have to worry about what he does with them.

    As long as you sell them, isn’t that all that matters?

    Of course, the price won’t be as high as for ripe oranges, but compared to earning nothing at all, it’s a thousand times better.”

    Hearing this, Ye Canghai was tempted.

    The idea of getting rid of the unripe fruits and earning something rather than nothing was appealing.

    As long as he didn’t lose money, that was fine; and this wouldn’t fall back on Liu Hun, his wife wouldn’t nitpick, and Liu Hun wouldn’t have grounds to complain.

    But as it turned out, Ye Canghai was wrong.

    Liu Hun immediately stood up in opposition and said, “Village chief, I absolutely disagree with Accountant Mo’s proposition!

    We simply cannot deal with people like him.

    Even if we sold our oranges, we can’t guarantee he won’t use these half-ripe fruits to cheat others.

    Our village has suffered at his hands, we can’t assist him in harming others...”

    “Heh!

    I genuinely hadn’t realized you’re such a living Bodhisattva!” Mo Wen immediately sneered, “Punk, great living Bodhisattva, if you don’t want to sell to Boss Xu, what do you propose?

    Expect the village chief to handle it all on his own?

    Why don’t you show the village chief some kindness?”

    Ye Canghai, upon hearing Mo Wen’s words, felt there was much sense in them and smacked his lips before saying to Liu Hun, “Hun, I think the accountant Mo’s suggestion is feasible, why can you be so sure that Boss Xu will definitely cheat with these half-ripe oranges?

    You’re too arbitrary!

    Since there’s such a win-win opportunity, we should agree to it!”

    Liu Hun still wanted to argue, but Ye Canghai directly overruled him, “I know you don’t want to carry the blame, so fine!

    I’ll handle this!

    I, Ye Canghai, will play the villain!

    You two don’t need to worry about this, just come help with the harvest when it’s time!”

    Liu Hun knew that Ye Canghai was now fixated on the glistening silver and that whatever he would say would be in vain.

    Although he could absolutely use Qi Force to sell the oranges for the best price, he was actually planning to use this opportunity to thoroughly deal with Mo Wen and also teach Ye Canghai a lesson, so he left the Zheng Family’s place.

    In the past few days, Liu Hun was truly nonchalant, as if the sky falling down were no more than a blanket, completely calm and unruffled.

    He just waited to see what tricks Mo Wen would pull.

    Initially, it wasn’t a good choice to deal with Mo Wen in front of Ye Canghai, as it would not only humiliate him, whom he was in cooperation with, but also disrespect the village, which would complicate his actions in the community in the future.

    As Liu Hun pondered, he walked into the orchard.

    As long as he guarded the Orange Garden, he could stay unshaken by any changes, no matter how much Mo Wen stirred the pot.

    “Ouch, be gentle, you’ve already sweated so much, just look...”

    “Hurry, hurry, this is a critical moment, we can’t stop, the faster the better...”

    “It’s too much, too deep, faster, faster...”

    “...”

    Liu Hun suddenly froze, listening carefully to the Orange Garden where several women’s heavy breathing could be heard, and it seemed to be Qin Yue and the others.

    The more he listened, the more inappropriate it sounded—like the cicada’s cry in the summer heat, it made one’s body feel restless.

    He had to take a look!

    Liu Hun thought to himself and approached the source of the voices step by step.

    Upon arrival, several women were indeed drenched in sweat with flushed faces and heaving breaths.

    He immediately asked, “What are you all doing?”

    The women, startled like frightened sparrows, shivered and turned around to see it was Liu Hun.

    Qin Yue, patting her heaving chest, scolded and teased, “Hun, where did you pop out from?

    You almost scared our souls away!”

    Seeing the bamboo baskets by the women’s side filled with fallen fruit, Liu Hun instantly understood what they were doing and quickly walked over to Du Yueling, who was about to pick up more fruit from a deep pit, “Those aren’t a big deal.

    Come over and rest a bit, you look exhausted.”

    “Hehe,” Du Yueling smiled and said, “Picking up more means we can recover some of the loss.

    And you...

    get to work a little less.”

    Liu Hun’s heart instantly softened.

    Many things came to his mouth but couldn’t be expressed, like a reservoir with closed floodgates—full of surging water that just wouldn’t pour out.

    Qin Yue, oblivious as a log, didn’t notice the atmosphere between the two and blurted out, “Hun, look how much we’ve picked.

    We really owe it to Teacher Du’s idea.

    Otherwise, we would still be in a panic.”

    So the idea had been Du Yueling’s, which moved Liu Hun again.

    Looking at the three baskets of oranges on the ground, he said to Fen Ran, “Yue, let’s leave these three baskets of oranges here for now.

    At the latest by tomorrow, I’ll find a way to deal with them.

    You go back to your house to take a break and change your clothes.”

    The women glanced at each other, all tired like draught oxen.

    They laughed sheepishly and, seeing they had picked up all the oranges on the ground, went back to their homes.

    After seeing Bai Lian and Qin Yue help Du Yueling away, Liu Hun was reassured.

    He squatted down to inspect the oranges in the baskets; many were rotten and leaking juice, while others weren’t thoroughly ripe.

    Ordinary people would probably end up either giving them away for nothing or feeding them to pigs.

    Heh, if I let these three baskets of oranges be fed to pigs, could I still call myself Liu Hun?

    Liu Hun thought to himself, and casually grabbed a split orange, Qi Force surging into it immediately.

    Just like a magic trick, the bruised spot quickly rounded out and plumped up, becoming shiny, full, and tempting to anyone who would surely praise it with a “good”!

    “Hun, what are you still looking at?” Fen Ran, who had quickly changed her clothes, immediately returned to the orchard.

    “Yue, you changed so fast?

    Just in time to try this.” Liu Hun got up and handed the orange in his hand to Fen Ran.

    “Eh!

    Let me try.” Fen Ran peeled the orange and put it in her mouth, only feeling its juicy richness and tender flesh without a hint of tartness, and couldn’t help but burst into a smile, “Hun, are these oranges from our orchard?

    How come they’re so delicious?

    I haven’t tasted such delicious fruit in years.

    If people knew, they’d fight over them.” She continued, tossing the rest into her mouth eagerly.