Daily Life in the Countryside After Being Reborn
Chapter 183 - 13: The Problematic Golden Tangerine Tree (Part 2)

Chapter 183: Chapter 13: The Problematic Golden Tangerine Tree (Part 2)

Stuffing it into the mouth, the very chewy skin mixed with the crispy, fragrant oil, the actual taste of the innermost duck meat somehow got ignored. The greasy taste was neutralized by the green onions, and upon entering the stomach, one could only feel a refreshing fragrance.

"Xiao Xian, don’t rush to wrap it, your hands are all dirty. Let your uncle wrap it, his roast duck roll is much better than ours," Xiao Xian has already gotten used to the way Zhuo Feng and Feng Xing interact. Most of the time, it was the aunt teasing the uncle, and the uncle didn’t retort, just smiled foolishly and obediently followed her commands.

However, seeing the two of them teasing and laughing, Xiao Xian’s heart felt warm.

She was only a dozen or so years younger than Zhuo Feng, but this young couple tried their best in every aspect to give her the best they could, even Xiao Xian’s parents could only do so much.

Still having a bit of the spicy and sweet taste of sweet bean sauce in her mouth, Xiao Xian pursed her lips and secretly smiled. However, thinking of Zhu Shijun far away in Ge Village, her heart felt sour, vehemently reminding herself not to let the present happiness numb her about the true purpose of leaving Ge Village.

The three people left with oily lips, and as they were paying, a few children accompanying diners were playing around the two golden tangerine trees at the entrance, one of the kids was about to pick a fruit.

"You shouldn’t pick that tangerine," the one who spoke out wasn’t a waiter but Xiao Xian beside them.

The two golden tangerine trees about 1.3 meters high in the restaurant served as decoration during the New Year. They had fruit fully coating the branches, looking quite festive.

Seeing that the Golden Tangerines continued to thrive into summer, still ladened with fruits, the manager didn’t remove the potted plants and kept them there. Occasionally some customers, unable to resist, picked one or two, and the waiters had gotten used to it.

The child, reminded by Xiao Xian, paused and pouted, looking like they were about to cry.

"Niuniu, what’s wrong? Mommy will pick one for you." The child’s mother came over, she also heard Xiao Xian’s reminder, thinking to herself that if the server doesn’t care, why should a diner make a fuss.

After the mother picked a tangerine, she stuffed it into her child’s pocket, murmuring before leaving, "Nowadays, some people are just idle and love to meddle in other’s business."

Xiao Xian heard this and got angry, wanting to argue because her warning about not picking the tangerines was for the benefit of the woman’s child, and how could someone talk like that.

"Don’t bother with her; people here are all proud, you’ll get used to it after seeing more," Zhuo Feng came over and comforted.

"Miss, picking one or two tangerines isn’t a big deal, if you like, you can also take a few home," the cashier kindly said.

"What, Xiao Xian, you like tangerines? Then let’s buy a few pounds on our way back. Speaking of which, aren’t there two tangerine trees in the trunk of my car that you brought back from Guizhou?" Feng Xing saw Xiao Xian hauling two tangerine trees all the way back and thought she really wanted to eat tangerines.

Having stuffed themselves with greasy roast duck, eating a few tangerines to moisten the throat and cut the grease would be good.

"Those tangerines are inedible, they’re bitter and astringent, and it’s even worse to place them at the exit, it could be bad for people’s health." Xiao Xian didn’t know how to explain; she had glanced at the golden tangerines when she first entered and mentioned they looked good but were not quite suitable indoors.

The golden tangerine tree that should only bear fruit for a month has had fruit hanging for three months without falling off, there’s definitely a problem.

"Little girl, what you just said isn’t right," with several customers still waiting to check out at the cashier, the cashier became unhappy after hearing Xiao Xian’s remarks. From where did this clean and fair-looking girl come, with such a filthy mouth.

Those two golden tangerine trees were examined by a renowned Feng Shui Master, and their positioning was deliberately chosen, placed right at the entrance to invite wealth and stimulate appetites the moment someone enters the store.

"Xiao Xian, don’t talk nonsense," Zhuo Feng had also heard that the placements in these old shops were meticulously selected, not something an outsider like Xiao Xian could randomly critique. Without letting Xiao Xian finish her sentence, she dragged her out of the roast duck restaurant.

"Aunt, I haven’t finished yet. That tangerine tree isn’t a luxurious golden tangerine, it’s just a commonly grafted Lingnan tangerine, and it bears quite a lot of fruit. Then, its surface was also sprayed with something." The more Xiao Xian spoke, the less Zhuo Feng and her husband believed her, as Zhuo Feng, with a genuine forestry background, couldn’t discern the species of the tangerine tree from just a glance.

"What species are the two tangerine trees in the back seat?" Zhuo Feng didn’t doubt Xiao Xian’s words but shifted the topic towards the two tangerine trees in the car.

"Wenzhou Honey Oranges. Aren’t you from Wenzhou, aunt? How come you don’t even recognize the local oranges," by the time they had walked far, there was nothing much Xiao Xian could do, she had already warned, if something happened, it was the roast duck restaurant that didn’t heed ’Xiao Xian’s words.’

"Let me see, it indeed is Wenzhou Honey Oranges. How did they end up in Guizhou," being in a foreign land, anything associated with one’s hometown feels particularly warm.

When Zhuo Feng and Feng Xing were dating, while she was still a student, they often ate in the commercial street of the university town. One day, a new Wenzhou restaurant opened on the commercial street. Excited, Zhuo Feng dragged Feng Xing in to have a meal, and as soon as they entered, she requested Wenzhou fish balls, only for the owner to spread his hands and apologize, not having any.

This young lady immediately bellowed, "No Wenzhou fish balls, then why hang a Wenzhou restaurant sign?"

All those were past stories. After leaving the roast duck restaurant, Zhuo Feng pushed her butt from the front seat to the back, pinched a tangerine leaf, "Let’s not talk about the species now, the leaves are already dry, tomorrow is our family’s ’tree planting day’, let’s plant these trees together, next year we’ll have oranges to eat."

Feng Xing responded indifferently, "The persimmon tree you planted last year in the flower bed downstairs hasn’t borne any fruit this year, and you want to plant again? Besides, where is there space at home?"

"What are you talking about?" Zhuo Feng’s face flushed red, although she came from a forestry background, she really didn’t have the knack for planting. Whatever she planted either didn’t sprout, rotting in the mud, or just blossomed without bearing fruit, frustrating to watch, "Who said there were no fruits, there clearly was a cross-shaped one, later it was picked by that annoying old man on the third floor. That odd old man, with all those rotten flowers and weeds at home, just doesn’t bear seeing people planting in the communal flower bed. This year’s tangerine trees can’t be planted downstairs, let’s plant them on the rooftop terrace, see who dares to pick them."

She said this with great assertiveness.

Feng Xing and Xiao Xian shared a smile; Zhuo Feng was a classic case of a firecracker that only smokes without exploding.

Where to actually plant those two tangerine trees would still need further discussion when they got back. Xiao Xian glanced back at those two golden tangerine trees one last time with a thoughtful expression.

**

Monday again, another hard week to battle, persistently soliciting votes—recommendation ticket, Fan Ticket, and what else, hmm, also comments. (To be continued. If you like this work, feel free to head to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation ticket, monthly ticket. Your support is my greatest motivation.)