Chapter 98: Eagle-Beak Peaches

"What kiwifruit?"

Until Wu Lan asked: "Is it that kind of wild starfruit in the mountains? It's not even the size of a ping-pong ball, and you have to cover it to ripen it when you eat it; it's so troublesome."

"And this thing is hard when it's not ripe; no matter how you bump it, it stays rock-hard. Once it's ripe, if you don't eat it for two days, it rots."

She had eaten the kiwifruit on the market; it was just that she hadn't eaten that "kiwi" thing. She only had a rough understanding, thinking it should be more or less the same.

Zhang Yanping wanted to explain that they weren't the same thing; the fruit now is sweet the moment you get it.

But he was a fruit seller, not a fruit grower. He didn't understand the specifics of how to harvest them, so he simply put that aside.

"Then how about pomegranates? Pomegranates are okay; they store well. During the harvest season, good pomegranates can sell for twenty yuan a jin."

Until Wu Lan nodded: "Pomegranates are fine. When pomegranates bloom, they're bright red and fiery; how beautiful! But will the seller provide us with guidance?"

"The pomegranates by our front door grow all crooked and aren't tasty; they have to teach us."

Zhang Yanping thought for a moment: "Otherwise, planting peaches is also an option. The high-end lake-view peaches in my social circle this year cost over forty yuan a jin!"

"It's just that this thing is soft and mushy; we have to be very careful when shipping it out."

But the more he spoke, the more animated he became: "Tan Tan, once your family farm qualifications and certificates are down, and the online shop is opened, I'll be your customer service!"

"I guarantee all damaged orders will be handled perfectly for you."

As long as he didn't have to work in the fields, he could argue with people online for three days and three nights!

Being a sympathetic big sister was also fine.

"Forty or fifty a jin? Can peaches really sell for that much?"

Until Wu Lan felt a bit sentimental again:

"There aren't many peach trees left in the village. When you were little, there were two hairy peach trees by the pond. The fruit was green, only ripening in June or July, and they were small. Taking a bite was sweet, with a hint of sour and a tiny bit of bitterness, and the pit was red—it was so flavorful."

Later, when the pond was renovated, those two hairy peach trees were cut down. In this entire area, she hadn't heard of anyone planting them anymore.

At most, there were two May peach trees left, but with no one to care for them, they tasted bland.

Until Wu Lan became more sentimental as she spoke: "Life is better now, but food doesn't taste as good as before. The peaches I bought on the street last year were two yuan a jin, and they were really just so-so. I don't even like eating them now."

This description made Zhang Yanping, who was already tired from working for half a day, instantly salivate.

He thought for a moment and really came up with an idea:

"Aunt, if you're talking about peaches that are a bit like those, I really know of one kind."

He pulled up a picture: "Look, they're green when ripe, with just a bit of red at the tip. They taste crisp and sweet, not sour or bitter, but they have that distinct peach flavor."

"They're storage-resistant and transport-resistant; they can be kept in the fridge for a month."

He handed over his phone, showing a fist-sized green peach with only a few red dots at the tip, and a hook-like sharp beak on top.

"Eagle-beak peaches."

"These were sold online last year, seemingly for ten yuan a jin. Everyone says they have the taste of those hairy peaches from childhood."

"Planting peach trees, you and Uncle surely know how, right? If you listen to professional guidance, they definitely won't be bad."

Just then, Song Sancheng returned from outside. Hearing about peaches, he subconsciously asked: "Are we planting peach trees on the back hill?"

"That's fine. We all know how to plant peach trees here; it won't go wrong. I just don't know if they'll sell well... Don't young people nowadays love eating cherries, blueberries, and strawberries?"

Zhang Yanping thought to himself: With the taste of your family's produce, are you worried about selling?

In short, he looked over with anticipation:

"Tan Tan, farming is a big deal. You can't just throw ten thousand yuan for saplings blindly. Why don't I spend the afternoon researching thoroughly? Let's make it foolproof!"

Song Tan also smiled gently: "Cousin Yanping, there's no such thing as foolproof in farming. We can only say we should learn, listen, and watch more, and practice earnestly—but I can't let your good intentions go to waste... How about this, you work as usual this afternoon, and research in the evening. I can't just waste your transformation time for nothing."

Zhang Yanping:...

He threw down the rake in his hand with a weathered look, then pulled his collar down: "Tan Tan, it's April! I'm still wearing a straw hat! Just look, after just two days of torture, what's the contrast in my skin tone?"

Actually, there wasn't much contrast. He had only worked in the fields for two days; how much could he have tanned? It was just a slight clash of colors.

Qiao Qiao laughed triumphantly: "Cousin, you've tanned. Qiao Qiao isn't afraid of the sun."

That was true. No matter how much this silly boy tanned, his skin would at most turn red and peel; he just wouldn't darken. What could be done about that?

Zhang Yanping was isolated and helpless. Seeing the main force had returned, he had no choice but to mournfully wash his hands and prepare to eat.

Eleven people sat around a lively table, everyone eating without lifting their heads, focusing on the large basin of stir-fried Chinese milk vetch with meat in the center.

Until Wu Lan hadn't been stingy; she had arranged for braised ribs and braised meat. But looking at how everyone was eating these past two days, until that basin of Chinese milk vetch was finished, no one touched the rest.

Song Sancheng diligently handed everyone a bottle of beer. Men in the village rarely didn't drink a couple of glasses when working. He also got one for himself and said:

"Chestnut, I have something to do this afternoon and need to go out, so I won't go to the mountain first. If anything comes up, you handle it."

The man named Chestnut was surnamed Zhou, a relative of Zhou Maozhu who stir-fried the tea. He was now in his forties or fifties.

He nodded upon hearing this: "Fine. It's just tidying up a mountain; what could happen? You go do your business."

After finishing, he asked casually: "What are you going to do?"

Song Sancheng sighed.

"You know that family by the corner of the slope on our back hill, bordering the neighboring Big Bridge Village? We used to exchange gifts. I heard them on the phone this morning; they said the old lady has passed away."

People in the village are all related in some way. Once he said this, everyone at the table realized:

"Oh my, that family! Isn't that... the man named Zhang Wang? I remember he has a slight limp."

"That's right."

Someone nearby chimed in: "Just a little bit, it doesn't affect his work; he's very capable. He raised two sons and a daughter. His daughter seems to have married into town, and his sons are both in the city."

They were all around the same age, so they felt a bit sad talking about life and death. They couldn't help but ask curiously:

"But I remember both of them were in good health. How did it happen so suddenly?"

Song Sancheng was also puzzled: "I did hear two days ago that Aunt Zhang accidentally fell. They said she broke her leg or something."

"I was thinking of finding time to go to the town hospital to take a look. With this sudden news, I don't know what happened."

———Author's Note———

Not many comments these past few days...

Eagle-beak peaches are my favorite fruit this year; the green ones are crisp and sweet, really delicious.

The character about to appear will be Tan Tan's first long-term employee, and it's adapted from a true story, so I'll write a bit more.

Old Man Li doesn't count; that was only for this year, and we'll renegotiate next year.

7017k ===== CHAPTER 99 =====