Chapter 21: Wan Ping

“Fifty cents for a tomato? Do you think your tomatoes are made of gold?”

“At the vegetable market, tomatoes are at most three cents a jin.”

“Buying one of your tomatoes could buy over ten jin at the market. Your heart is too black. Everyone, tell me, isn't Wan Ping’an’s heart black?”

Jia Zhang glared at Wan Ping’an and mocked him.

Being forced to pay eighty yuan was like cutting a piece of flesh off her; it hurt too much!

“If they weren't good, why did you steal them? Are you blind?”

Wan Ping’an retorted coldly.

Jia Zhang’s face turned red with anger.

“Neighbors, whether my tomatoes are worth fifty cents each isn't for me to say—the taste will tell.”

Wan Ping’an took out a tomato and broke it into small pieces.

The peculiar fragrance spread instantly.

The people around were all drooling.

“Come, I’ll treat everyone to a piece.”

“If it’s good, then you can buy some!”

Wan Ping’an began distributing the tomatoes.

Everyone got a small piece; it didn't take many tomatoes.

“Delicious, really delicious! I’ve lived for more than half a lifetime and have never eaten such delicious tomatoes.”

An old man with gray hair gave Wan Ping’an a thumbs up.

“Mom, these tomatoes taste better than meat.”

A six or seven-year-old child had sparkling eyes.

“No wonder Jia Zhang made Jia Dongxu go steal them. These tomatoes are too delicious. Whether you eat them yourself or sell them, you’d definitely make a fortune.”

Someone sighed and brought up the Jia family.

Jia Zhang’s face turned black.

Eat the tomatoes if you want, why bring up their family?

Jia Dongxu had long since gone home, unable to face anyone.

Jia Zhang snorted at Wan Ping’an and turned to go home.

Wan Ping’an caused her to lose eighty yuan; this wasn't over!

“Ping’an, I have some cucumber seeds, can I trade them?” ===== CHAPTER 45 =====

The gray-haired old man, after tasting the tomato, knew it was worth the price, but asking him to spend money made him a bit reluctant.

After all, at the vegetable market, tomatoes were only three cents a jin.

Wan Ping’an was selling them for fifty cents each.

Too expensive!

Wan Ping’an nodded.

The old man immediately went home and brought back some cucumber seeds.

Wan Ping’an checked them; they were good seeds.

The old man said he had kept too many last year and couldn't bear to throw them away, so he planned to sell them.

Ping’an gave him two tomatoes.

“I have cured meat made from wild boar, can I trade that?”

A woman in her thirties glared fiercely at her son, who was hugging her leg and crying for a tomato.

“You can trade!”

Wan Ping’an nodded.

The woman quickly brought a piece of cured meat, weighing over two jin.

Wan Ping’an gave her five tomatoes.

Her five or six-year-old son jumped for joy, shouting while eating that these tomatoes were much more fragrant than meat and that he would only eat tomatoes from now on.

At the Jia house.

Jia Zhang stood at the door, glaring at the booming business Wan Ping’an was doing.

“Little beast, really a little beast.”

“How can he grow such delicious tomatoes?”

“If our family could grow them, we would definitely become the richest in the Sihe Academy.”

Jia Zhang gritted her teeth.

“Jia Dongxu, you’re really useless.”

“I told you to go steal some tomatoes, and you got caught. Tell me, are you a waste of space?”

Jia Zhang thought of the eighty yuan she had lost, felt a pang of pain, turned her head, and cursed Jia Dongxu fiercely.

Jia Dongxu lowered his head, not daring to refute a single word.

He and his father Jia Gensheng were used to it; at home, Jia Zhang was the empress, and they had to submit, otherwise they would be ruthlessly crushed.

Soon.

The tomatoes Wan Ping’an brought back were all traded away.

He gained fourteen yuan, over ten kinds of seeds, eight jin of cured meat, and over ten chicks.

If he hadn't run out of tomatoes, he would have gotten even more.

“Don’t worry, everyone, there are still plenty of tomatoes.”

“Tomorrow at this time, I’ll bring back more. If you want to trade, you can come find me.”

Wan Ping’an reassured those who still wanted to trade for tomatoes.

“Ping’an, you sold out too fast!”

“Here’s the money, save ten tomatoes for me tomorrow.”

Xu Damao had returned late and watched helplessly as Wan Ping’an handed the last tomato to a child.

“No problem, I’ll bring them back for you tomorrow.”

Wan Ping’an took the five yuan Xu Damao handed him.

Jia Zhang watched Wan Ping’an collect money and goods, her eyes turning red.

Wan Ping’an moved the pile of things he had traded for into his house.

“Putting the money away is fine, and the goods can be kept at home, but what about these chicks?”

“If there’s no one to take care of them, they’ll starve to death.”

“I’ve got it. I’ll take them to Cai Quanwu and let him think of a way.”

Wan Ping’an looked at the sky; it wasn't dark yet.

He borrowed a box, put the chicks inside, and headed straight for his six mu of land.

When he arrived, he saw Cai Quanwu patrolling the land, very diligent and responsible.

“Here, Old Cai, this is a reward for catching the thief.”

Wan Ping’an took out five yuan.

As long as his employees were loyal to him, he was a very generous boss.

If he ate meat, his employees would definitely get to drink meat broth.

“This...”

Cai Quanwu’s eyes lit up.

Wan Ping’an had just rewarded him with a month’s salary.

“Take it, it’s what you deserve.”

Wan Ping’an shoved it directly into Cai Quanwu’s hand.

Cai Quanwu was very moved.

“By the way, look, I traded for some chicks. Do you have any ideas?”

Wan Ping’an asked.

“Only a dozen or so, not many.”

“Just put them in the field and let them eat small bugs.”

Cai Quanwu looked at the dozen or so chicks and casually suggested a plan.

“Since the quantity is small, any way of taking care of them will work; it’s not much trouble.”

“If you want to raise more, that won't work. You’ll need someone to take care of them specifically, otherwise they’ll easily get lost or be snatched away by weasels.”

Cai Quanwu didn't know what Wan Ping’an’s plans were.

Wan Ping’an nodded.

Since the quantity was small for now, he would follow Cai Quanwu’s suggestion and let them roam free.

He would let Cai Quanwu take care of them in the meantime.

“Ping’an, six mu of land—it’s not much, but it’s not little either. I can take care of it alone usually, but not during harvest time.”

“Look, these tomatoes and the rice are too tempting; someone will definitely have crooked ideas.”

“Thieves like Jia Dongxu will definitely appear again.”

“I suggest getting a dog, preferably a fierce and strong one, to scare off thieves, especially at night. Dogs are more useful than people.”

Cai Quanwu made a suggestion.

Wan Ping’an nodded.

The next morning, Cai Quanwu found a big dog that looked fierce and strong enough.

If Jia Dongxu saw it, he would definitely be scared to the point of wetting himself.

Wan Ping’an took the tomatoes and returned to the Sihe Academy to continue selling.

The harvest today was even greater. People from neighboring compounds and even those living further away knew about the magical tomatoes and came to taste them.

Jia Zhang had pink eye.

Her eyes were red!

“Traded for forty more chicks. Cai Quanwu has to watch the land and take care of the chicks—can he handle it?” ===== CHAPTER 46 =====