Chapter 33: What a Coincidence
Chapter 33: What a Coincidence
Zhou Chenglei led Jiang Xia into the orchard.
The orchard's owner was a man around Zhou Chenglei’s age, his skin tanned from years of tending to the fruit trees. He beamed at the sight of the two, his teeth gleaming white. "Group Leader, what brings you here today?"
He then turned to Jiang Xia, smiling. "Is this your wife? Welcome, Mrs. Zhou! You’re so beautiful! Welcome to our orchard!"
No wonder the Group Leader has such a stunning wife!
She’s more beautiful than any flower!
Whiter than the clouds in the sky!
Jiang Xia smiled. "Hello."
Zhou Chenglei introduced her. "This is Jiang Yang, my former comrade-in-arms."
Jiang Xia nodded. "Brother Jiang."
Jiang Yang was flustered and waved his hands. "No, no, please, Mrs. Zhou, just call me Little Jiang."
Jiang Xia smiled again.
Zhou Chenglei handed over the alcohol and cigarettes to Jiang Yang.
Jiang Xia gave him half a rack of ribs and two pineapples.
Jiang Yang waved his hands in protest. "No need, Group Leader, you didn’t have to bring so much, no need..."
Zhou Chenglei gave him a stern look, and Jiang Yang immediately stopped protesting, standing straight and accepting the gifts obediently.
Jiang Xia found it amusing, her eyes crinkling with laughter.
Jiang Yang glanced at her, then at Zhou Chenglei, thinking they were a perfect match! Such a perfect match!
Zhou Chenglei asked Jiang Yang, "What kinds of fruit trees do you have here? Do you have grape saplings?"
Jiang Yang responded immediately. "Yes, yes, we have many kinds of fruit trees. If we don’t have what you need, I can find it for you. What kind of fruit tree are you looking for, Group Leader?"
Zhou Chenglei looked at Jiang Xia. "What kind of fruit tree do you want to plant?"
Jiang Yang added, "Whatever fruit tree you want, Mrs. Zhou, I’ll show you around. If we don’t have it, I’ll find it for you."
Jiang Yang led them through his orchard, chattering excitedly as he showed them the "kingdom" he had built since returning from the military.
He had leased a large plot of land and planted various fruits, including peaches, guavas, grapes, pomegranates, mangoes, and wax apples.
Apart from the grapes and mangoes, which would bear fruit this year, the other fruits would take another one or two years.
It was clear that he was deeply passionate and hopeful about his orchard.
Jiang Yang, being a talkative and enthusiastic person, told Jiang Xia that many of the fruit saplings were ones he had brought back from different places while on duty. He had gone to great lengths to purchase and nurture them because his wife loved fruits, and he had finally managed to grow them successfully.
After about an hour of walking through the orchard, Jiang Xia picked a pomegranate tree, a guava tree, a persimmon tree, a grape sapling, and a few strawberry saplings.
Initially, Jiang Xia had wanted a peach tree and a longan tree, but Jiang Yang advised against it. He said that peach trees were often associated with spirits, and longan trees attracted stink bugs.
Jiang Xia wanted to enjoy peaches and longans, so Jiang Yang promised to send her the fruits when they were ripe.
Jiang Xia didn’t know much about these things and decided to trust Jiang Yang’s advice.
Grape cuttings could be easily rooted, but Jiang Yang had already prepared some ready-to-plant grape saplings, which would bear fruit in one or two years.
Jiang Xia loved fruits and had wanted to plant many more, but her yard wasn’t large enough. She thought about buying a bigger yard to plant more varieties.
In addition to the fruit saplings, Jiang Yang’s wife, Yang Mei, had planted various colorful roses, roses, bougainvilleas, cockscombs, begonias, and sunflowers. Seeing Jiang Xia’s interest, she gave her some of each to plant.
Jiang Yang, with a mock scowl, said, "Mrs. Zhou, take more if you like, but don’t take up space where I grow my fruits!"
Yang Mei glared at him. "My flowers are planted in the corners, they don’t take up much space. You’re the one who takes up the most space! Get lost!"
Jiang Xia laughed, seeing the clear affection between the couple.
They even had lunch at the orchard that noon.
Jiang Xia helped prepare the meal, making a sweet and sour pineapple chicken that was both tangy and refreshing. She also made a braised spare rib dish and a purple perilla goose, which the couple lavishly praised, making her blush with embarrassment.
When they left, Jiang Yang gave them a large bag of fruits, including mangoes, grapes, two large watermelons, a few cantaloupes, and two geese. The geese had particularly large heads, but Zhou Chenglei refused to accept payment for them.
Jiang Xia then gave each of the couple's two children a 10-yuan red envelope.
Luckily, although the furniture took up a lot of space, there were still enough gaps to fit the fruit trees and fruits. Otherwise, there wouldn't have been any room left.
Jiang Yang and his wife watched as the tractor drove away. Jiang Yang's wife was tall and sturdy, with a sun-tanned complexion from years of tending to the orchard.
She remarked, "Zhou Chenglei's wife is so delicate and beautiful. Now that Zhou Chenglei has retired and returned to the village to fish for a living, he's no longer a colonel. I wonder if he can really take care of such a delicate wife."
Villagers preferred to marry women who were strong and hardworking, as they could handle the labor and take care of the household.
Jiang Xia, however, seemed too delicate and would likely struggle with the village's hardships.
"Our colonel's wife is the youngest daughter of our former commander. Of course, she's beautiful. Our colonel is capable; he'll manage just fine," Jiang Yang replied confidently.
Yang Mei glanced at him and said, "Have you heard that the colonel's delicate wife tried to elope with another man but was caught by him?"
Jiang Yang was speechless for a moment. "......"
Zhou Chenglei and Jiang Xia returned to the village around two in the afternoon, when the heat was at its peak. The scorching air made Jiang Xia's skin feel like it was on fire.
The courtyard gate was closed. Zhou Chenglei jumped off the tractor and opened it.
Zhou's mother heard the noise and came out, surprised to see a tractor full of items. "Why did you buy so much? Did it cost a lot?"
The great-grandmother also heard the commotion and came out from the neighboring courtyard, smiling. "Oh my! You bought so many stools! It's good to buy more; it makes the house feel like a home."
Zhou's mother thought about the long, empty living room and agreed that they should indeed buy more.
The items on the tractor were tied down with ropes. Jiang Xia, while untying the ropes, smiled and replied, "The living room was too empty, so we decided to buy some furniture on the market day today."
The great-grandmother nodded. "Yes, yes, an empty living room doesn't attract wealth! It's a good idea! No wonder Xia caught a red snapper on her first fishing trip!"
Zhou's mother had nothing to add, as the two women had already covered everything.
Jiang Xia struggled with the knots, which she had never seen before, and couldn't untie them no matter how long she tried.
Zhou's mother and the great-grandmother were moving the fruit tree saplings into the courtyard.
Zhou Chenglei, having untied the other ropes, walked over to Jiang Xia. "Let me help."
He had tied these knots, and they were difficult for others to undo.
Jiang Xia stepped back and let him take over.
However, as she moved, her shoulder brushed against a bamboo chair on the tractor. The chairs, which had been stacked and secured by the ropes, became unstable once Zhou Chenglei untied them.
Jiang Xia's bump caused the chairs to start falling.
Instinctively, she reached out to catch the chairs, but another one was still falling from above.
"Be careful!" Zhou Chenglei reacted similarly, reaching out to catch the chairs and using his other hand to protect Jiang Xia's head from being hit.
Jiang Xia found herself enveloped in his embrace, the crisp scent of the sea and the fragrance of soap from his sleeves filling her nose.
The great-grandmother and Zhou's mother hurried to help steady the chairs.
"It's okay! It's okay! We've got them!" Zhou's mother said.
Zhou Chenglei then let go, and Jiang Xia turned to look at him.
At that moment, Zhou Chenglei's arm, which he had rolled up, brushed against Jiang Xia's lips as he lowered it.
(End of Chapter)
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