Chapter 109

Lin Meng spotted something, walked up to Zhang Yufan, and patted his shoulder.

"Hey, future village official, have you been studying hard lately?"

Zhang Yufan didn't expect Lin Meng to approach him on her own; instinctively he wanted to step back. He now felt somewhat inferior, as if only he was standing still.

But a voice in his heart urged him to lift his head; he shouldn't act timid in front of the girl he cared about.

So Zhang Yufan slowly lifted his head, forced out a smile uglier than crying, and said to Lin Meng:

"I study every day; I'll work hard."

Lin Meng: "..."

It seems the civil service exam is really tough; look, it's got the child so worried he can't even smile...

After thinking, Lin Meng encouraged:

"Don't worry, relax; you're still young, you have many chances—if not this year, then next year, you'll definitely make it!"

"Exactly, exactly, Xiao Meng is right; our village has few who study well, just you and Xiao Meng are outstanding—you'll surely inherit your grandfather's mantle."

Wang Dame also came to encourage and comfort Zhang Yufan, feeling warm inside, but she didn't dare continue the topic, quickly changing the subject:

"Lin Meng, are you back in the village for something? Do you need help?"

Getting down to business, Lin Meng stopped talking about other things and said to the two:

"Are the crops in the village fields ready for harvest again? I'm back to purchase; this time I want to buy all the vegetables and fruits from the neighboring villages."

Upon hearing this, Wang Dame was overjoyed and immediately said:

"Alright, Auntie will go talk to the neighboring villagers for you; I'll tell them you're straightforward, so they'll be happy to charge a bit less. If you want everything, they'll surely be glad to deal with you directly rather than having to call each little boss and pick and choose."

Wang Dame immediately set off in a flurry to help Lin Meng arrange things with the neighboring villages.

Zhang Yufan, however, frowned and said:

"Those people in our village treat you like that—do you really want to make money off them?"

He felt Lin Meng had no need to be polite with the villagers; they often gossiped about her, and Lin Meng and her parents had never received any favor from those villagers, so why bother with them?

Lin Meng naturally wouldn't be that kind; she curled the corner of her mouth and gave a cold laugh.

"I want to ask you for a favor."

"Go ahead."

Lin Meng had no intention of letting the villagers benefit from her; after thinking, she said:

"Go tell those in the village who have produce to harvest that I, Lin Meng, want to purchase agricultural and sideline products in bulk; anyone with goods to sell can sell them all to me at once, but I will only offer them 70% of the market price. If they're unwilling, they don't have to come; I, Lin Meng, won't force a sale."

"Also, for the produce of those three old farming households earlier, please trouble you to round up a few willing workers to help gather it; I'll pay the wages, and I won't discount the vegetables from those old farming households."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yufan finally relaxed; in his view, this was appropriate—buying at 70% of market price was already a bargain for them.

Wang Dame and Zhang Yufan acted swiftly; soon, the villagers of Lin Jia Cun and several surrounding villages had heard the news.

For a while, the people of the neighboring villages all praised Lin Meng; conversely, in Lin Jia Cun, aside from those three ostracized old farming households and Wang Dame's family, nearly every household was cursing Lin Meng.

"This white-eyed wolf, after all is still a member of our Lin Jia Cun—how can she be so generous to other villages yet so stingy with us?"

"She wants to buy all the vegetables I've sweated over for months at just 70%? Why doesn't she just go rob them? Damn her, go dream!"

"Listen up, everyone: don't let that lowly bitch get any advantage; whoever lets her purchase is a son of a bitch!"

Zhang Yufan secretly noted down the households that shouted the loudest and told Lin Meng.

By the open space beside the village entrance, the neighboring villagers had already set up their stalls early.

They gathered around, inviting Lin Meng into the stall; the weighing tools, packing straw ties, and various baskets and sacks were all ready, just waiting for the big boss to arrive and take charge.

Lin Meng hadn't expected the people from several neighboring villages to be so enthusiastic; upon inquiry she learned that this year the number of small purchasers coming here had dropped by thirty percent, and many of the villagers' vegetables and fruits were unsold.

Soon, villagers came one after another carrying their own produce, each being weighed and the accounts recorded.

Lin Meng knew these villagers were skilled at growing vegetables, their produce was quite good, so she didn't inspect each batch individually.

She paid them the market price on the spot.

After the first few households sold their goods and received payment on the spot, more and more villagers came running.

For a moment, Lin Jia Cun was livelier than ever before.

The Village Head, assisted by Zhang Yufan, also arrived at the scene to help maintain order.

Seeing this thriving scene, the Village Head smiled so broadly he couldn't close his mouth.

Regardless of whether they were from Lin Jia Cun or the neighboring village, everyone were farmers who lived off the land, and none of them had it easy.

Seeing their joy at the harvest, the Village Head's eyes reddened.

Wang Dame's and the three old farming households' produce were also gradually placed on the scales; because there were many people, Lin Meng didn't give them extra money.

Even though she bought their goods at market price, Wang Dame and the elderly men and women of those three farming households all broke into smiles.

The three old farming households had previously taken a larger deposit from Lin Meng; this time they gave back every cent, insisting on returning the surplus to her.

Lin Meng waved her hand, firmly refusing.

"Just keep it; I'll be purchasing your crops long‑term, and any extra money will always be treated as a deposit—consider it you holding it for me."

The elderly folks, hearing this, finally stopped insisting and felt grateful to Lin Meng from the bottom of their hearts.

Seeing this, the neighboring villagers all praised Lin Meng for having a good heart.

"Their Lin Jia Cun has produced a real philanthropist! If I were from Lin Jia Cun, I'd also get to share in the blessing."

"Yeah, who would have thought that our long‑poor Lin Jia Cun would also have such a promising young person—this Lin Meng girl is really great; not only does she look like a fairy, but her heart is also so kind—I wonder if she has a sweetheart?"

The village woman who makes a living as a matchmaker started gossiping about Lin Meng's birth date and time, and many other women with young sons in their families also began to have designs on Lin Meng.

Wang Dame, however, wouldn't stand for it, taking every opportunity to tell them off.

"You lot with sons at home, stop scheming about our Lin Meng, or she might refuse to buy your vegetables."

Upon hearing Wang Dame's threat, the aunties dared not speak another word, fearing Lin Meng might really refuse to buy their produce.

At that moment, someone shouted out.

Huh, how come I don't see a few people from Lin Jia Cun coming?

Upon hearing this, everyone looked around and discovered that, up to now, they really hadn't seen a few people from Lin Jia Cun.

On the contrary, it let those from the neighboring villages get the advantage first.

Meanwhile, the people of Lin Jia Cun were suffering greatly.

They watched helplessly as smiling faces from the neighboring villages appeared, more and more people came to sell their harvested crops, and even those selling baskets and bamboo containers they wove themselves—Lin Meng actually bought everything on the list!

In a short while, the people of Lin Jia Cun began to feel restless.

Until a few households could no longer bear it, they secretly hopped on a small tricycle and went to sell vegetables, only to be discovered by others.

Thus, more and more people from Lin Jia Cun who could not resist the temptation rushed to the fields to harvest, fearing they would be late and miss Lin Meng's purchasing opportunity.

Those few households that had scolded the most fiercely were still gritting their teeth and persisting.

Hmph, a bunch of spineless weaklings—I can't just indulge Lin Meng, selling to her at a 30% discount; I'd rather wait a few more times for those small bosses to come collect, it's just a matter of being a few days late.

Lin Meng didn't urge them; she packed up her stall when the sun set.

Those from Lin Jia Cun who didn't come to sell vegetables had their field crops mostly stolen by thieves within a few days, their intestines turning green with regret.