A husband found in the village? I bought a regent for a penny!

The neighbor auntie pulled Gu Xixi aside and chatted on and on about what she had recently discovered about the Qin family.

Gu Xixi listened and was genuinely happy for Sister-in-law Qin. "No wonder Sister-in-law Qin has been so busy lately that she hasn't had time to visit anyone."

The neighbor aunt looked at Gu Xixi with a smile, as if she were a delicious treat, her eyes full of affection.

She sighed, "My son has no vision. If he had followed you back then, he could have made a lot of money and lost all these... what kind of fruit trees are these?"

He Jinglan said with a laugh, "Auntie, what do you mean by 'a waste of money'? It's as if our Xixi is a sucker."

The auntie quickly chuckled and slapped her own mouth, "Oh dear, look at my mouth, I really don't know how to talk."

“But when you mentioned planting fruit trees at the local temple, our whole family never said a bad word about it.”

“Recently, I’ve been scolding my son a lot. He’s so muddle-headed and has no guts. He’s cowardly as a mouse! Xixi gave you fruit tree seedlings for free, and you should have accepted them with both hands and followed her to learn how to do things.”

"You're something else, running around with those idiots, believing everything they tell you. Now you regret it, don't you?"

Gu Xixi and He Jinglan exchanged a glance.

They all knew what this aunt was up to.

Gu Xixi said casually, "He doesn't necessarily have to follow me. Everyone has their own destiny. There's still a long time ahead, and your son will definitely encounter good opportunities in the future."

As she spoke, she wore a polite smile and pulled He Jinglan outside.

The aunt was a little disappointed that she didn't get a definite answer from Gu Xixi, but she still chased after her, saying, "Take care, you two. Come to my house when you have time, and I'll stir-fry some beans for you!"

Once she reached the main road and could no longer see the old woman, He Jinglan breathed a sigh of relief.

"Really..."

"Back then, you faced opposition and skepticism; few families were willing to plant fruit trees. Where did all those people go?"

"Now that they've seen the real benefits, they've all turned around and are practically showering you with praise."

Gu Xixi laughed and said, "It's understandable that everyone has a desire for profit."

She paused, then said, "Whatever they think, let's talk about it next year."

He Jinglan smiled slyly, "Let those who are watching and those who are regretting it continue to temper their patience?"

Gu Xixi looked at her, "Not only that, but next year, perhaps I can give them another option."

As the two walked forward, nearing Old Qian's orchard, Gu Xixi turned her head several times, subtly glancing back.

He Jinglan sensed something was wrong and asked in a low voice, "What's wrong? Is someone following us?"

Gu Xixi said, "Yes, I saw it when I arrived at the Qin family's house."

"This man idles away his days, is unmarried at an advanced age, and is known as an old bachelor."

He Jinglan was a little scared, "What does he want to do by following us!"

Gu Xixi smiled reassuringly, "Don't be afraid. The people in the village are simple, unlike the complicated people in the city. It's broad daylight and we're outside, he wouldn't dare to do anything to us."

He Jinglan breathed a slight sigh of relief, but still clung nervously to Gu Xixi.

As I walked out of the orchard, I saw Old Qian and Aunt Qian shoveling chicken manure in the garden.

Gu Xixi felt reassured and whispered to He Jinglan, "Just you wait and see, we'll scare him too."

As she spoke, Gu Xixi pulled He Jinglan along and quickly walked into the orchard. "Auntie! Uncle Qian, Jinglan and I are here!"

Aunt Qian and Old Qian immediately came over with shovels.

"coming?"

"These chickens and ducks eat insects and grow quickly. We started collecting their eggs yesterday. Their droppings can also be used to fertilize the land. We collect the excess to use as fertilizer next year."

Gu Xixi said with a smile, "Chicken manure is an excellent fertilizer. It is best used to strengthen seedlings and can also improve the soil, making it less prone to clumping and ensuring long-lasting fertility."

"Once the manure is ready, I'll be the first to buy it."

Aunt Qian was pleasantly surprised, "This thing... can be traded?"

Gu Xixi said, "Of course, wealthy families in the city have estates and gardeners."

"Where did they get so much fertilizer? They must have bought it."

Old Qian and Aunt Qian looked at each other, overjoyed. "We never imagined that once this orchard was built, every nook and cranny would be a place where money could be made!"

After chatting for a few more minutes, Gu Xixi glanced behind her and whispered a few words to the couple.

Aunt Qian spat, "Pah! That old bastard did something shameless, he's really disgraced our village!"

"Leave this matter to our Black General; he'll keep him completely under control!"

He Jinglan asked curiously, "What is the Black General?"

Gu Xixi kept everyone in suspense, saying, "You've met him, you know him."

Outside the orchard, the old bachelor leaned against the fence, watching the group talk from afar before walking into the depths of the woods.

He could barely see anything and was getting anxious. After much hesitation, he finally mustered his courage and crept into the orchard...

Before long, the old bachelor was heard roaring, "Don't chase me! Ah! Ahhhh!!!"

"Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Help!!!"

Lao Qian, Gu Xixi, and others emerged from behind the tree.

Watching the old bachelor being chased around by a rooster and a goose.

The rooster flapped its wings and flew higher than the old bachelor. It seemed to have its eye on the old bachelor's hair and kept flying up to peck at it.

The goose chased after the old bachelor, persistently pinching his buttocks.

Because the garden was full of fruit trees, the old bachelor panicked and ran around aimlessly, unable to find the exit.

He Jinglan opened her mouth slightly. Ah, it looks...very painful.

She asked, "Is this the Black General chicken?"

Aunt Qian smiled and agreed, "That day you said it was a very good fighting rooster, and my husband said, 'A fighting rooster that doesn't want to be a general isn't a good fighting rooster.'"

"Plus the black feathers around its neck, it's called the Black General."

He Jinglan looked at the old bachelor whose hair had been pecked again not far away, and clapped her hands, saying, "Good name."

Seeing that the time was almost right, Gu Xixi said to Lao Qian, "Uncle Qian, it's ready."

Old Qian whistled and shouted, "Old Hei, come back!"

I wonder if it's because Old Qian named the fighting rooster.

The chicken now obeys him.

With a flap of its wings, Black General reached Old Qian's feet in a few leaps.

Old Qian stroked Black General's smooth, oily neck with his fingers. "Let's go eat."

Just then, the goose chased after the old bachelor and ran up to him.

Aunt Qian skillfully lifted the goose by the neck, thus rescuing the old bachelor.

The old bachelor, looking up in a disheveled state, gasped for breath and met four pairs of unfriendly eyes.

He was already exhausted from running, and seeing this, his legs gave way and he sat down on the ground.

Old Qian shouted, "Speak! What were you trying to do, secretly following those two girls in broad daylight?!"

Gu Xixi said, "Wasn't it you who was spying outside my house that afternoon when Gu Youfu caused trouble?"

The old bachelor glanced at He Jinglan, his eyes darting around.