Er Gou, life in the countryside is so carefree!

Li Mei was shy after all. When she woke up, she found that because she had squeezed into the bed during the night, half of her body was leaning on Chen Ergou's arm, right in front of Zhou Caixia. Her cool and intellectual face instantly turned as red as a ripe apple, and even her ears burned.

"I...I need to go back and change! I also need to organize last night's monitoring data! Um...I'm leaving now!" Li Mei grabbed the crumpled white coat, haphazardly put it on, almost knocking her glasses askew, and rushed out of the greenhouse, her back view full of embarrassment.

Watching Li Mei's disheveled figure disappear behind the curtain, Zhou Caixia lazily sat up in bed, stretched languidly, and her joints cracked softly. She was wearing a simple cotton T-shirt and trousers, exuding no ambiguity whatsoever, and her tone was slightly teasing: "That little girl is still too shy; she blushes over the smallest things."

Zhou Caixia tidied her messy hair, turned to look at Chen Ergou, and regained some of her competence: "Ergou, don't just stand there, hurry up and get ready, we should go see the melon king you mentioned. If he's really as good as you say, he'll definitely dominate this auction."

Chen Ergou, who was sitting on the edge of the bed putting on his shoes, nodded upon hearing this: "No problem, I guarantee I'll open your eyes. This melon king is one I carefully cultivated using my unique method; it will definitely make that bastard Zhao Tai's face swell up."

The two quickly tidied their clothes and walked side by side into the depths of the greenhouse. In the innermost corner, there were several cucumber trellises specially surrounded by straw, with a "Do Not Touch" sign hanging next to them. These cucumbers were top-quality ones that Chen Ergou had specially cultivated using the original true energy of the "Dragon King's Secret," and they were the highlight of this auction.

"Right here." Chen Ergou lifted the straw curtain, his movements as gentle as if he were handling a rare treasure.

"Hiss—" Even Zhou Caixia, who is well-informed and has dealt with high-end agricultural products for many years, couldn't help but gasp and her eyes widened.

Hanging from the emerald green vines were three enormous cucumbers. Ordinary jade dragon cucumbers are only about a foot long and as thick as a wrist, but these three were a full half meter long and as thick as an arm! Moreover, they were a deep, dark green, like black jade, with a smooth, delicate surface and faint golden veins flowing through them—clearly extraordinary. Most remarkably, a thin layer of white mist swirled around these three cucumbers, and a refreshing, sweet fragrance wafted from them, invigorating the senses.

"This...this is huge! Is this really a cucumber?" Zhou Caixia subconsciously lowered her voice, reaching out to touch it, but then hesitated, afraid of damaging it. Her fingertips stopped a few centimeters from the cucumber. "Ergou, is this the cucumber king you're going to auction off? With this quality, let alone Zhao Tai, even the big shots in the city would be astonished!"

"That's right, this is my prized possession." Chen Ergou said proudly, carefully picking the largest one, which was heavy and weighed at least three or four pounds. "This is no ordinary jade dragon gourd. I cultivated it using a special method. Not only does it taste amazing, but its health benefits are also top-notch. Let alone beauty and skin care, it can also significantly relieve back pain and fatigue for people who suffer from chronic backaches."

Zhou Caixia's eyes lit up as she looked at the melon in Chen Ergou's hand, her voice filled with excitement: "Great! With this treasure, our auction is a sure thing! Forget the ten million target, I think we could even double it! Zhao Tai wants to compete with us for market share, but this time we'll make him give up completely!"

Chen Ergou carefully placed the melon king into a specially made wooden box, closed the lid, and said firmly, "Let's go, take this treasure to the city. We not only want to win the auction, but we also want everyone to know that what Xiushui Village grows is something Zhao Tai can't even dream of!"

"Okay! I'll do as you say!" Zhou Caixia readily agreed, reverting to her capable and strong-woman demeanor. She took the lead and walked out. "I'll be your driver. Let's set off now and try to get to the hotel as soon as possible. Su Qing is still waiting for us over there."

……

The red BMW X5 roared out of Xiushui Village.

"Ergou, when we get to the hotel, you'll be in charge of showcasing the King of Melons and explaining its effects to the big shots bidding for it. I'll be in charge of managing the process and coordinating with Su Qing." Zhou Caixia quickly assigned tasks while driving. "Zhao Tai will definitely cause trouble. Don't confront him directly. Let's let our strength do the talking and just slap him in the face."

Chen Ergou nodded, holding the wooden box containing the melon king in his arms, his eyes steady: "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. If he knows what's good for him, he'll just watch; if he doesn't, I have plenty of ways to make him lose face."

Zhou Caixia glanced at him and couldn't help but tease, "I didn't realize you were so composed. By the way, did Li Mei have a crush on you? Last night when we were sleeping, she kept leaning towards you, like she was afraid of being pushed off."

Chen Ergou blushed and quickly waved his hand, "Don't talk nonsense. They're experts from the provincial capital. They're just afraid of crowds. You're overthinking it. Let's focus on the auction."

"Tch, don't try to fool me." Zhou Caixia curled her lip, gently pressing the accelerator, and the car's speed steadily increased. "A woman's intuition is always right; that girl's gaze towards you is different. But to be honest, Li Mei is a good girl, reliable and capable, with excellent driving skills. She's a good match for you."

"Sister Caixia, please stop joking with me." Chen Ergou smiled helplessly and changed the subject, "By the way, is everything arranged with Su Qing? Have all the clients for the auction been contacted?"

When work was mentioned, Zhou Caixia immediately became serious: "Don't worry, everything is arranged. Su Qing has extensive connections in the hotel industry, and she's in contact with influential entrepreneurs and health enthusiasts. She can definitely create a lively atmosphere for the auction. What we need to do now is conserve our energy and prepare for the 'tough battle' later."

The BMW drove smoothly along the country road, the poplar groves on both sides rushing past. Sunlight streamed through the car windows, falling on the wooden box containing the melon king, as if gilding the upcoming auction with a halo of victory.

……

At the entrance of the Yuntian Hotel in the county town, a red carpet was laid out and flower baskets lined the streets, creating a grand scene.

Su Qing, dressed in a well-tailored business suit, stood at the end of the red carpet, warmly greeting the arriving guests, but her eyes kept glancing towards the intersection with a hint of anxiety. She had just received news that Zhao Tai had arrived with a group of people, and judging from their demeanor, they were there to cause trouble.

Just then, a red BMW X5 sped up and came to a smooth stop in front of the hotel. The car door opened, and Chen Ergou got out carrying a specially made wooden box, followed closely by Zhou Caixia.

Upon seeing the two, Su Qing's eyes lit up, and she quickly went to greet them: "Er Gou, President Zhou, you've finally arrived! Zhao Tai is already here and is waiting inside, looking quite imposing."

Chen Ergou patted the wooden box in his arms, his eyes sharp as knives: "It's good you're here, saves me the trouble of going looking for him again. Manager Su, please lead the way, let's go 'meet' him now."