The watermelons were being purchased for three yuan per jin...
The news quickly spread throughout the village, sparking heated outrage. In less than an hour, everyone began growing restless, feeling that Chen Xuan had cheated them...
The villagers surged into action, rushing toward the old village chief...
"Village Chief... Was that guy Chen Xuan making a profit off the difference, buying our watermelons for two yuan per jin and cheating my old mother out of the money for her medical treatment? I'm irreconcilable with Chen Xuan! We have to tear up the contract. We don't need him as our agent for these watermelons..."
"Exactly... That Chen Xuan is completely heartless. Back then, when he went to college, I even gave him ten yuan. And now he's making a yuan off us just for a little hard-earned money. We have to tear up the contract..."
"We have to tear it up... He's taking advantage of everyone like this. Isn't he afraid of being struck by lightning?"
A group of villagers raged indignantly, cursing and condemning him. The old village chief's brows furrowed. Sure enough, someone was stirring up trouble. If they hadn't signed contracts, Chen Xuan's family home might have been torn apart.
"Are you all really going to cancel? We're all from the same village, after all, and you signed contracts..." the old village chief urged them solemnly.
"Bah... That heartless guy Chen Xuan will never have a proper son! He even cheats farmers like us out of our few scraps of money. We have to cancel the contracts..." A normally loudmouthed aunt shouted at the top of her voice, and everyone immediately began shouting along.
The old village chief sighed. The village would never know peace again. He couldn't help recalling a story about a loving husband and wife who were content with their simple life every day, until one day someone left them a gold ingot. From then on, both of them harbored ulterior motives, and they bickered and argued endlessly...
The family had fallen into chaos...
A huge group of people marched toward Chen Xuan's home in a threatening manner, carrying hoes, sickles, cleavers, shovels, hammers, and shoulder poles.
"What are you doing?" Dad Chen's expression changed drastically as he saw the crowd blocking the entrance to his home. He flew into a rage.
"What else could we be doing? It's all because that bastard Chen Xuan tricked us into signing contracts, buying our watermelons for two yuan per jin. Now someone in the village is offering three yuan. He's cheating us out of our hard-earned money..."
"Give us our money back... No, tear up the contracts immediately! We're finding another buyer..."
"Call your son out here! He even cheats his own uncles and aunts in the village. He really wasted all that schooling..."
The crowd cursed and swore without the slightest restraint, as if Chen Xuan were a heinous criminal who deserved everything coming to him. Dad Chen was practically torn apart on the spot...
Chen Xuan and Great God Nuwa had also heard the commotion and immediately came out of the house. This triggered another uproar, which the old village chief managed to suppress. Otherwise, the crowd would have stormed inside and caused a huge scene.
"Little Xuanzi... They're saying you cheated everyone. Someone else is offering three yuan, while you're acting as their agent for two yuan. Is that really what happened?" the old village chief asked anxiously.
"That's not what happened. I, Chen Xuan, conduct myself with a clear conscience. Since you say I cheated everyone, then just hand in the contracts. I'll make this clear now: if you regret it... don't come looking for me..."
"I'm acting as your watermelon agent without earning a single cent. Instead, I've ended up being cursed by everyone. Remember what you did today..."
Chen Xuan felt exhausted and helpless. He had originally meant well, but when profits were involved, almost anyone could become an enemy...
"Heh... Regret it? A bastard like you should be driven out of the village! You studied for two years, only to throw away your conscience. Doesn't it hurt? We'll never regret this..." someone immediately shouted.
"I'm canceling..."
Chen Xuan took note of the group and brought out the contracts as well. He tore up the contracts one household at a time. Once they got what they wanted, the group hurried away in a frenzy to cooperate with the buyer offering three yuan per jin.
"What about you?" Chen Xuan noticed that one-third of the villagers still hadn't moved, which surprised him, because most of them were people he knew well.
"Little Xuanzi... We watched you grow up. Since we said we'd let you act as our agent, Third Aunt naturally won't tear up the contract..."
"That's right, that's right... Since you're acting as our agent, so what if we lose a little? You wouldn't harm us..."
"Eighth Uncle supports you. You're the village's only college graduate. Even if I gave the watermelons to you for free, I'd be willing..."
The words of the village elders put Chen Xuan at ease, making him feel the warmth of sunlight. As for familiar people refusing to do business with you, wasn't it simply because they were too familiar...
Only by knowing how to care for one another could people truly support each other...
"Don't worry. This time, I guarantee I'll make them regret it. You'll earn plenty of money too." Chen Xuan was full of confidence.
"Stop talking nonsense, kid... We'll be choosing a new village chief in a few days. I've already spoken with the people above. Just get yourself ready," the old village chief said with a hearty laugh.
"I'll do my best." Chen Xuan smiled helplessly. He had already offended a group of people. He wondered whether he could really become the village chief.
"If you dare cheat your uncles and aunts, then my old Chen family won't have a bastard son like you!" Dad Chen was furious as well. All he had asked Chen Xuan to do was act as their watermelon agent, yet this whole mess had come of it.
Chen Xuan smiled without saying anything. When his father got vicious, he even cursed himself in the process...
Great God Nuwa quietly watched everything unfold and could only sigh. The complexity of human nature and the struggle for profit were not some kind of darkness. They were simply the way all things in the universe worked. No matter how many millions of eras passed, that would never change.
"Boy... I want to return to the primordial world..." Great God Nuwa said calmly.
"Great God Nuwa... We don't even know how to get there yet, so don't rush..." Chen Xuan consoled her. It had been incredibly difficult to bring her here. If she went back right away, how could he develop the future world?
At the Milin Hotel...
After Zhang Yongchang answered the phone, he slammed his palm onto the table, startling the group of managers. He loudly announced, "More than two-thirds of the watermelons from Chen Family Village have been contracted. Announce this to the public immediately: anyone who comes to dine at the Milin Hotel gets a membership card. Top up one thousand and receive two hundred extra. Everything is twenty percent off..."
"You can also enter a grand-prize draw. First prize is a free trip abroad, and make a note that the winner can take a group photo beneath the goddess statue..."
"Yes..." The group of managers immediately went off to make the arrangements.
That evening...
Outside the Milin Hotel, traffic streamed past and the parking lot was packed. Whether at the entrance or through various other channels, the same piece of news was spreading: the hotel was offering the same batch of watermelons as the Junyue Grand Hotel. This attracted many successful people...
Western food was the trend of the time and was closely associated with successful people...
At the Junyue Hotel across the street...
More than half of its customers had been drawn away. The promotional gimmick was simply too attractive. Twenty percent off from the start, along with a grand-prize draw whose first prize was a free trip abroad...
"What do we do? Didn't you say the fruit contracts had already been signed? Why can people buy them at the Milin Grand Hotel?" Zhou Dawei's hands trembled. What he feared most was a rival setting a trap for him. If that happened, he would truly be ruined, and his family would be destroyed.
"I... I don't know either. Let's see what happens first..." Zhou Yanhong was thrown into confusion as well. She sent Chen Xuan a message on QQ and waited for his reply.
She looked out the window at the guests coming and going. Those entering the Milin Hotel wore smiles, and groups of them streamed inside. It was extraordinarily lively...
Ding...
Her phone rang. It was a message from Chen Xuan. He had anticipated this and naturally sent her a signal: "Don't worry. They'll regret it..."
"Really..." Zhou Yanhong was overjoyed. The stone lodged in her throat finally dropped.
"Truer than pearls. I'll make them regret it." His reply came quickly.
"I believe you..." After replying, Zhou Yanhong could no longer hide her excitement.
Zhou Dawei saw his daughter's delighted expression, and his furrowed brows relaxed. "Is there good news?"
"Dad... They said there's no need to worry. We just need to wait and watch the show." Zhou Yanhong nearly jumped for joy.
Sure enough, inside the Milin Hotel...
A group of people had been drawn in by the gimmick. After tasting the watermelons, they all showed disappointed expressions, and several picky customers rudely cursed out the lobby manager.
Zhang Yongchang had originally been excited as he calculated the day's revenue. When he heard the news, he immediately had one of his men bring him a piece of watermelon to taste.
The result was no different from an ordinary watermelon. It was even much blander...
Hadn't they been cheated?
"Damn... Which bastard handled this? Why didn't anyone inspect the watermelons before announcing that the purchase was successful? Isn't this cheating me?" Zhang Yongchang's entire face turned liver-colored as he cursed furiously. "A bunch of idiots."
Before you continue