The orchard run by Li Ying's parents-in-law was called Old Jia Orchard.
The meaning was simple and clear: her father-in-law's surname was Jia, so that was what they called it.
"Please, come on in, Boss Lin, and you two beauties."
Li Ying gestured for Lin Zhe and the two women to enter, smiling as she introduced her family's orchard.
"Our orchard covers over fifty mu, and we've been running it for more than thirty years."
"We have peaches, nectarines, apples, pears, apricots..."
As Li Ying chatted away, Lin Zhe learned a little about Old Jia Orchard.
"Apricots are my favorite! Do you still have any?"
"No apricots now. You'll have to wait until around May next year. Come then, and I'll take you to pick them straight off the trees and pop them right into your mouth."
"Yes, yes! I'll definitely come next year!"
They chatted as they walked, pushing open the wooden gate and entering the orchard.
Just inside the orchard stood a small wooden cabin with a pointed roof.
The cabin covered a little over twenty square meters and was divided into an inner and an outer room.
The inner room had a simple bed with two sets of pillows and quilts on it, while the outer room held some cooking utensils.
It looked as though someone lived there long-term.
Outside the cabin was a row of wicker fruit baskets.
Some were empty, while others held fruit such as peaches and apples.
"Oh! Ying's here! And you've brought so many guests!"
"Sorry, sorry, we haven't prepared a proper welcome! Please bear with us!"
An elderly man wearing a conical hat and a white undershirt came over to greet Lin Zhe and the others with a beaming smile.
He was tall and thin, wearing army-green trousers and yellow rubber