551: Chapter 230: Old Man in the Bamboo Forest_3 551: Chapter 230: Old Man in the Bamboo Forest_3 When Yan Fei heard him call ‘Boss Yan’, he knew something urgent must have come up.
He went out and asked the man in while he continued working, “What’s going on?”
Old Zhutou hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward to help and asked, “What else are you planning to grow here?”
“Watermelons.
I’m starting the seedlings here, then I’ll plant them outside.
I’ll have the first ripe watermelons!” Yan Fei casually replied.
“You can stop now and rest!
What’s the matter?
Why so formal?
Did your grandson leave?”
“He left, they all left!” Old Zhutou admitted that he wasn’t able to help much, having tried for a while but only managed to pull out a couple of seedlings.
“It’s so lively when the kids come!
Why don’t you let them come and play here?
I can look after them, okay?”
“What’s happening here?
You want to work for me?” Yan Fei asked, surprised.
“No, not working.
Not working.” Old Zhutou repeated.
“I won’t take any wages, I just want to help you look after the kids…”
He finished his sentence with self-mockery.
“I don’t need the money, my son sends me money every month.
What would a dying old man like me do with more money?
I just want to see my grandson…”
Yan Fei began to get the picture.
“So this is all because your grandson left and it made you ill?
Why don’t you go and live with your son?
You can see your grandson every day then.”
“I’m not used to city life.
And their place is crowded, even smaller than my chicken coop here.
It costs money to buy everything, even vegetables.
Me going there would just add to their burden.” The old man said sorrowfully.
“And this bamboo forest has been passed down from our ancestors, I can’t just abandon it!”
“When you are unable to take care of this place, will they come back to look after the bamboo forest?” Yan Fei asked casually.
That careless statement struck the old man’s sore spot.
He instantly looked gloomy, “Yeah!
When I get old, no one will want this bamboo forest anymore.
Things passed down from our ancestors will be lost forever!”
“Don’t you worry so much that you can’t sleep?” Yan Fei asked in a peculiar, comforting manner.
“Eat when you should eat, drink when you should drink and don’t dwell on things.
Just take care of things now, when you get old let others do whatever they want.
As long as you eat well and drink well, that’s enough.
Do you know how nice they have it in the city?
Instead, you stay at home, brooding over this and that.
Aren’t you tired?
Moreover, running over here to watch other people’s kids, they’re not even your grandkids!”
“What do you care if I’m tired!
I just enjoy watching the kids.
So what?” The old man seemed stimulated by these words, a little more lively than before.
“Then why don’t you just go to the school gate and watch?”
“I still have to look after the bamboo forest.
The inheritance left by my ancestors can’t be lost.
I can’t leave it!
Just tell me if you agree or not!”
“If you can watch for me and don’t want to be paid, why won’t I agree?
Once I start growing watermelons, I need you to look after them so nobody harms my crops!” Yan Fei said indifferently.
In reality, it didn’t matter much whether there was someone to watch over the watermelon crop.
Even if people come to eat the watermelons, how many could they possibly consume?
The main problem was those naughty children who might mess around with them.
“Deal!
We’ve made an agreement then!” The old man looked energized when he got Yan Fei’s agreement.
“How about this, you can keep the tigers over there, by my hut, where there’s empty space.
I can watch over everything there, and it’s easier to manage since it’s smaller.”
“So you’ve already planned to take care of my tigers?
You even picked out a spot?” Yan Fei asked, surprised.
“Hehe… Just tell me if you agree or not?” The old man laughed embarrassedly, accepting his words.
“Fine, fine.
Looking at you like this, I can’t refuse.
In my opinion, every generation has its blessings.
You shouldn’t worry so much!” Yan Fei finally said something comforting.
“If you really want to set up there, you’ll need to put up a fence to keep people away.
If I’m not around, nobody else will keep an eye on these things.”
“I’ll go and fence off the empty land right away, making it several layers thick to ensure nobody goes near it.” Old Zhutou promised, ready to get to work, looking rather decisive.
“Hey, don’t rush!
I’ve got something to discuss with you too.” Yan Fei said after noticing that the old man was about to leave.
“When your bamboo shoots come up in the spring, don’t eat them all.
I’ll need to buy bamboo poles later.
When the watermelon season ends, I want to build a few more greenhouses, so I’ll need quite a few bamboo poles!”
“Alright!
I’ll leave them for you.
Use them whenever you want, for free!” The old man generously said.
“Just be sure not to use them all at once, or they’ll be gone.
When I’m dead, and this place isn’t wanted by anyone, I’ll leave it to you…”
“Heh!
If you’re that capable, give it to me now and see if I dare to take it…” Yan Fei found it amusing, this old man was being so bold!
The old man’s confidence lasted for a few seconds, until he reached the greenhouse entrance and then he started to yell, “Little Yan, come and keep an eye on your tigers!
They’re blocking the door…”
Yan Fei laughed out loud, “Just now you were calling me Boss Yan, now I’ve turned into Little Yan?
Weren’t you just very bold!
Go on, they don’t bite…”
The old man bounced around nervously, getting more energetic as he got angrier, “If you don’t come over here now, I really am going to leave!
See what you’ll do if anything happens!”
“Off you go, off you go…” Yan Fei chuckled.
“They really don’t bite, don’t worry!
They’re eating fish and meat every day, they wouldn’t look twice at the little bit of meat on your bones.
Just go, they won’t bite you…”
Having no choice, the old man stomped away, careful to steer clear of the tigers.
Obviously agitated, he was surprisingly more energetic.
After he’d left the greenhouse, he was sweating.
However, he seemed to regain his spirit, energetically shouting from outside, “Little Yan, wait and see, I’ll cook the bamboo shoots even the bamboo trees themselves.
You won’t have any bamboo left to build your greenhouse…”
“…” Yan Fei was speechless for a moment before shouting back, “If you’ve got the guts, dig up the roots of the bamboos to cook…”
By now, the old man had walked far away, humming a little tune while chopping bamboos with a worn-out cleaver to make fence posts…