The Little Life of a Big Landlord

Because the tomatoes had gained some fame in this vegetable market, they sold very quickly. Taking advantage of this, Yang Ming made a sign and put it up in front of his stall. The sign read: Tomatoes are 10 yuan per jin. We also have new sweet potatoes and potatoes. Today is a trial sale. The original price is 15 yuan per jin, but the trial sale price is 1.5 yuan per jin.

People love to see the unusual, and Yang Ming's tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and potatoes were all enormous. His stall quickly drew a crowd, but few dared to buy them. The tomatoes were alright; their size wasn't too strange, and it wasn't the first time he'd sold them. They sold out in just three hours, mostly from regular customers. But the sweet potatoes and potatoes were a different story. Their unusually large size instilled a sense of unease. One or two wouldn't be a problem, but so many were of average size. Something so unusual seemed suspicious, and who wouldn't be cautious about food?

Yang Ming handed the 40000 yuan from selling tomatoes to Wei Qingqing and told her to keep it safe. Wei Qingqing had never handled such a wad of cash before. Most importantly, Yang Ming's action showed that he truly treated her as his wife. She excitedly stuffed the money into her small shoulder bag, making it bulge so much that it couldn't be closed.

"Young man, are these really sweet potatoes and potatoes? How come they're so big?" An old man in his sixties stood with his hands behind his back, head down, eyes squinting as he carefully examined the strangely large sweet potatoes and potatoes.

"Of course, sir, these are all new varieties, so they're quite big and taste great. Would you like some?" It was almost noon, and they hadn't sold many sweet potatoes or potatoes at all. Only a few of their regular tomato customers had tried buying a couple.

The old man hesitated for a moment and shook his head slightly. "I...I'll take another look..." he said, stepping aside.

"Are you hungry?" Yang Ming asked Wei Qingqing.

Wei Qingqing hadn't eaten breakfast and was starving, but hearing Yang Ming's concerned inquiry filled her with a sweet feeling. Her previously uncomfortable hunger was now replaced by happiness, and she replied, "I'm not hungry yet!"

"I'm hungry. Go buy a few pounds of steamed buns, two bottles of mineral water, and other snacks. Pick whatever you like." Yang Ming looked at her somewhat worried expression and knew she was lying. It had been a whole morning; how could she not be hungry?

"Okay!" Wei Qingqing responded obediently and went to buy food.

"Put your bag in the car, be careful someone doesn't snatch it," Yang Ming warned. Bag snatching often happens in busy areas. Look at Wei Qingqing's small shoulder bag, it's so big it can't even close properly, you can see stacks of money from the outside, she'll definitely get robbed if she carries it out.

"Oh!" Wei Qingqing pulled out a fifty-yuan note from her shoulder bag, opened the truck door, put the bag inside, and then squeezed through the crowd to buy food.

"Brother, I'm back again! Luckily, you still have all your sweet potatoes, otherwise I would have made a wasted trip..." Just as Wei Qingqing left, a voice rang out again. Yang Ming turned to look and saw it was the middle-aged woman who had been the first to buy his tomatoes. She was already picking up a large sweet potato from the ground: "Brother, here you go, Yueyue..."

"Auntie, you're here again?" Yang Ming felt that this middle-aged woman was his lucky star, and quickly put the sweet potato on the electronic scale.

"What's wrong? Aren't you welcoming Auntie?" the middle-aged woman said with a smile.

"No, how could that be? Of course I welcome your support..." Yang Ming said with a smile.

"Are these sweet potatoes all 1.5 yuan per jin today?" the middle-aged woman asked, looking at the sign.

"Yes, we're having a trial sale today, so it's cheap. Tomorrow it'll be fifteen yuan a pound." Yang Ming quickly weighed it; each sweet potato weighed a good 20 pounds. "20 pounds, 30 yuan."

In fact, similar crops grown in the farm space are basically the same size, but even if you know they are the same size, you still have to weigh them.

The middle-aged woman paid, then asked, "How many sweet potatoes and potatoes do you have left in total?"

"We still have about 1800 kilograms of sweet potatoes and about 1900 kilograms of potatoes left," Yang Ming said.

"Hey buddy, let me tell you, you can take all of these to our place. We run a small restaurant, and your sweet potatoes and potatoes are pretty good quality and not expensive at all. How about I take advantage of you today?"

Yang Ming thought about it and figured that at the current rate of sales, the sweet potatoes and potatoes might not be sold out even by the time the market closed at night. So he decided to sell them all to this supportive auntie and said, "Okay! I'll sell them all to you."

"Alright, brother, in my opinion, these agricultural products of yours shouldn't be sold in the market at all. They should be supplied to those big hotels. This tomato weighs five jin, and at ten yuan a jin, that's fifty yuan. Not everyone can afford that. And this sweet potato, it must weigh about twenty jin, right? At fifteen yuan a jin, that's about 300 yuan. Who would spend 300 yuan on a sweet potato for no reason?" the middle-aged woman said.

"Auntie is right. I also think it's not good to sell vegetables at the market every day. But I don't know any of the big hotel owners. From what you're saying, you mean you want me to supply vegetables to you in the future?" Yang Ming said with a smile.

"Your vegetables taste good, but they're too expensive! Our restaurant is small, and our customers can't afford this kind of food. However, I do know a few owners of big hotels, and I can introduce you to them." The middle-aged woman felt that she got along well with Yang Ming, so she didn't mind helping him out.

The owner of a small restaurant knows the owner of a big hotel? What does "knows" mean? It doesn't mean you know them but they don't know you; it means you've had interactions or even collaborations. Yang Ming isn't stupid; he can understand the meaning behind the middle-aged woman's words.

"Thank you so much, Auntie! If this really works out, I won't have to squat here every day anymore!" Yang Ming said happily. "I don't know how to thank you enough for helping me like this. If you'd like, I can supply vegetables to your restaurant at half price, how about that?"

"That's exactly what I was waiting for! You're a clever young man. If you ever have any trouble in the future, just call me..." The middle-aged woman immediately smiled and handed Yang Ming a business card. Yang Ming quickly took it with both hands and saw that it only had a name and a phone number on it.

"Zhang Yingning? Why does this name sound so familiar?" Yang Ming thought to himself as he looked at the name on the business card.

"Brother, load it up. After you get it to my little restaurant, we'll weigh it again, and I'll settle the bill for you!" Middle-aged woman Zhang Yingning picked up a large sweet potato and started loading it onto Yang Ming's truck.

"Young man, you're not selling it anymore?"

"Isn't this a trial sale? How come you've sold to only one company?"

The onlookers, who had been hesitant about buying a sweet potato or potato to try, became a little anxious when they saw a woman buy them all in one go. That's how people are; when you don't care about something or are undecided, the attention others show can influence you to care too, even if you don't know whether it's worth it. In short, it's about following the crowd. If others think something is good, I'll grab a few regardless of whether I need them.

Wei Qingqing quickly ran back with a bag of food. She saw her husband and an aunt loading the car and was a little surprised. After asking what was going on, she also helped load the car.

"Zhang Yingning? So it was him?"

As evening fell, Yang Ming drove his empty truck toward the outskirts of the city. He was still quite unsettled, never expecting that the famous celebrity entrepreneur would personally go to the market to buy groceries.

When Yang Ming, pulling a cart full of goods, arrived at the entrance of a five-star hotel under Zhang Yingning's directions, he saw the five large, golden characters on the building that read "Yingning Hotel." Only then did Yang Ming remember who Zhang Yingning was. This Zhang Yingning was simply a legend in the business world. Starting from a street stall, she gradually built her business up until she now owned a five-star hotel, more than a dozen four-star hotels, and hundreds of three-star and lower-level hotels. Her hotels were practically all over S City, and even in the entire H Province, she was a prominent figure. Her name often appeared on television, but her face was never shown.

Zhang Yingning and Yang Ming agreed to meet at the Yingning Hotel at 8 a.m. tomorrow to discuss the specific long-term supply agreement. Some hotel owners might also be involved, giving them one night to prepare.

"Honey, I want to..." Wei Qingqing said hesitantly, sitting in the passenger seat of the truck.

"What's wrong?" Yang Ming was focused on driving, with the headlights already on, shining very brightly. If there were no obstacles in front, the light could definitely illuminate several kilometers away.

"Let's get a divorce?" Wei Qingqing whispered.

"Reason?" Yang Ming asked casually, his tone indifferent, as if what Wei Qingqing had told him was not a major issue like marriage at all.

"I'm not good enough for you. I don't know what came over me. It's like I'm under a spell. I just stubbornly clung to you. You're a good person, and you won't be an ordinary person in the future. You'll definitely have a beautiful and virtuous wife... I know myself. This morning, I deliberately spiteed you so that I could hold onto that pride and have a more justifiable reason to cling to you. Without that pride, I probably wouldn't have the courage to face you... I've calmed down today, and I realize how selfish I've been... I also know that you eventually accepted me because I discovered your secret, so you had no choice but to accept me... I had a very happy day today. It's the happiest day I've ever had since I was born... I can promise you that I will keep your secret." As Wei Qingqing spoke, she choked up, and tears streamed down her face.

After a day, Wei Qingqing had figured it out. In the morning, she took the opportunity of arguing with him to quickly go through the marriage procedures. This was the result she subconsciously wanted. At that time, even if she hadn't discovered his "elopement," she probably would have deliberately found a reason to make things happen and consummate the marriage! Now that she thought about it, her mentality was really too despicable.

She also knew that in Yang Ming's heart, she was not his ideal partner. The reason Yang Ming accepted her was because she had discovered his secret. Who would keep a secret? One is the dead, and the other is the closest person. He could not kill her, so he could only accept her.

What's the point of a marriage formed out of spite or compromise?

"Are you done talking?" Yang Ming asked calmly.

"Mmm!" Wei Qingqing nodded, sobbing.

"Now that you've finished talking, go home and sleep. Are you going to sleep at home tonight, or at my place?" Yang Ming said.

"Hmm?" Wei Qingqing turned to look at Yang Ming with teary eyes.

"Hmm what? I'm asking you, where are you sleeping tonight?" Yang Ming said.

"You don't mind me?"

"With the lights off, who can see what you look like?" Actually, after Zhang Yingning said those words to him, he accepted Wei Qingqing from the bottom of his heart. No matter what she looks like now, at least the son she gave birth to won't be too ugly. Rural people always value the next generation more, and Yang Ming is no exception.

"You're so annoying!" Wei Qingqing burst into laughter through her tears and playfully punched Yang Ming on the shoulder.

"Hey hey hey hey, I'm driving, be careful of traffic accidents..." Yang Ming was so shocked by the punch that he almost drove the car into the ditch, but luckily he managed to turn around in time.

Wei Qingqing was so frightened that she immediately dared not fight Yang Ming.

Once they reached a secluded spot, they turned off the car lights, plunging the surroundings into complete darkness. Yang Ming pulled Wei Qingqing out of the car and then returned it to the warehouse in the farm's storage space.

"How dare you interfere with me while I'm driving? Do you want a beating?" Yang Ming reached out and lightly pinched Wei Qingqing's cheek. However, this pinch caused her to feel something like blisters burst on her face. There were quite a few of them, dozens, as if her face was covered with small bumps.

"Oh! You broke it! You broke my pimple! It's a little pit now! Oh no, I'm going to have pockmarks now!" Wei Qingqing screamed.

"Why don't you just stop looking in the mirror? I'm the only one looking, I don't mind..." Yang Ming said helplessly.

"Hmph! How annoying!" Wei Qingqing turned away in a huff.

"Does it hurt?" Yang Ming gently stroked her face, feeling that the skin on it was extremely loose. He couldn't help but pinch it lightly and actually pinched off a layer of skin.

"Oh..." Wei Qingqing cried out in pain, her body instinctively pulling back, and a layer of loose skin on her face was ripped off.

"I...I didn't mean to!" Yang Ming was also dumbfounded. He didn't expect that he would actually tear off her face.

"Ouch! That hurts!" Wei Qingqing covered her cheeks with both hands, feeling the sticky liquid on her hands. She was terrified and choked out, "Get the truck out of here, I want to look in the mirror."

Yang Ming quickly got the truck out again, and the two of them climbed inside, turned on the interior lights, and started looking at themselves in the rearview mirror.

"Your face is disgusting, it's covered in pimples." Under the light, Yang Ming saw a face covered with pimples that were either yellow or white. However, the skin color on the face was much better, with a touch of fair white, no longer the swollen purplish-red.

Wei Qingqing was disgusted with herself, so since she was already out, she might as well wipe it all off! So, Wei Qingqing took out a tissue from her small shoulder bag and gently wiped her face in front of the rearview mirror.

"Oh! My face..." Wei Qingqing exclaimed in surprise as she wiped her face clean.

Yang Ming quickly looked over, and was immediately stunned. Aunt Zhang Yingning was right; he had truly gotten a great deal by marrying Wei Qingqing. Wei Qingqing's face, which had been covered in acne, had mostly disappeared. The pimples around her eyes, chin, and lips were all gone, leaving only a few scattered small red bumps on her forehead and cheeks. However, they were no longer an eyesore; her skin was pinkish-white and exceptionally smooth.

When her face returned to normal, Wei Qingqing was overjoyed. She hugged Yang Ming and cried for a long time before she finally calmed down. After crying, the two got out of the truck and walked towards the city under the cover of night.

Although the city has a well-developed transportation network, it doesn't mean there are no dirt roads, especially in the suburbs. The muddy dirt roads are full of potholes, and because of the heavy rain last night, they are still muddy. You can easily step into mud in the dark.

"Honey, do you think we should live in the city or the countryside in the future?" Wei Qingqing asked sweetly, clinging to Yang Ming's arm.

"Of course it's in the city. If I went back to the countryside, my parents would be laughed to death by the villagers. You don't know if you've lived in the village. There are only so many people in the village. If you have any embarrassing secrets, people will talk about them for the rest of their lives. And a lifetime isn't enough. They'll tell your embarrassing secrets to their sons and grandsons as jokes..." Yang Ming was very familiar with the affairs of the village because he grew up listening to jokes about so-and-so in the village.

"Is it that terrifying?" Wei Qingqing asked, feigning fear.

"Of course, there are a lot of people in the city, so if you make a fool of yourself, people might not even recognize you. But in the village, everyone lives in a smaller circle, so everyone knows each other."

"How about we buy a house in the city, have our parents live there, and we'll move to the village? Then no one will laugh at us!"

"What you said makes sense, but if we leave our parents in the city and go back to the village, the villagers will have a different opinion of us, as if we don't want to live with our in-laws."

"What should I do? I hate the city's exhaust fumes the most. My face has just recovered. What if it flares up again in this environment?" Wei Qingqing said coquettishly.

"I don't mind. Didn't I tell you? It's all the same with the lights off..."

"Hate……"

Just as the two were flirting, the sound of a bicycle bumping came from behind them, followed by a low sob: "My son! Why are you so unlucky! There's not a single good person in your Zheng family. When I die, there won't be anyone to visit my grave or burn some paper money for me..."

"Alright, alright, Zhengjia Village, we're never going back. Let's save up some money and buy a plot in the cemetery, so that our graves won't be neglected after we die and get flattened by the wind and rain." An old man's voice came over, filled with sorrow.

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