C39 – He Was Surrounded by Fans
Old Mr. Ma had an almost instinctual dislike for Zhao Yuegu, especially since his granddaughter, Ma Yabei, seemed far too close to him. He couldn’t pinpoint exactly when his disapproval began, but it might have been the moment Yabei claimed a single acre of sunflower seeds could yield six acres of oil. To him, that was the talk of a con artist. He hadn’t believed in such absurdities since the days when pigs were said to compete with elephants. Why would he start believing now? It was clearly a scam, and Old Mr. Ma was certain of it.
In his eyes, Ma Yabei was still just a child. “My old buddies will be arriving shortly,” he told her. “They’re seasoned professors in agricultural science, honored with numerous national medals. You’ll see how laughable your sunflower seed claims are when they get here.” He patted Yabei affectionately, intending for these experts to debunk the sunflower seed farce with their authoritative knowledge. He couldn’t bear to watch his granddaughter get in over her head with this nonsense.
“I saw it with my own eyes. There’s no way it’s a fake,” Yabei insisted, pouting on the sofa.
Old Mr. Ma shook his head, confident that once his friends arrived and presented the evidence, Yabei would come around.
Meanwhile, Zhao Yuegu was navigating the bustling snack streets of Everbreach with Sun Ying. The street, with its ancient charm and time-honored shops, was a magnet for tourists, teeming with life and activity. Zhao Yuegu, accustomed to tranquility, felt somewhat out of his element amidst the chaos. Yet, Sun Ying seemed unfazed, her excitement undimmed by the crowds.
“Better to brave the crowd than miss out,” he mused.
The throng was so dense that Zhao Yuegu had no choice but to stay glued to Sun Ying. She clung to his arm, fearing they’d be separated in the sea of people. Then, someone jostled Sun Ying, causing her to stumble into Zhao Yuegu’s embrace. He wrapped his arms around her protectively, ensuring she was safe from the bustling crowd.
“We’ll head out after a bit more fun,” he said.
“Sure, sure,” Sun Ying replied, her attention suddenly captured by a shaved ice vendor in the distance. “I want to try that!”nove(l)bi(n.)com
Zhao Yuegu couldn’t help but feel a twinge of exasperation, yet he acquiesced. He couldn’t help but wonder why he’d ever thought it was a good idea to hire a female driver in the first place.
It must have been a moment of pure brain fog.
But the tasks at hand still needed to be tackled.
It’s just that...
Why were all these girls, phones in hand, snapping photos of themselves?
His towering height and robust build made him stand out like a crane among chickens.
It wasn’t that he was excessively tall; it was that everyone else seemed unusually short.
His rugged good looks naturally drew plenty of stares.
His presence was so unique that it was nearly impossible to ignore him.
“Mr. Watermelon!”
“Mr. Watermelon, can we take a photo together?”
Eventually, he was recognized.
He had, after all, spent some time trending on the search charts.
His striking appearance had won him a legion of female fans.
The crowd of girls around him swelled, many wielding their smartphones.
Zhao Yuegu was acutely aware of the intense scrutiny that came with being a public figure.
He could be spotted anywhere, anytime.
This brought no advantages and only served to derail his plans.
The traffic had even come to a standstill.
He was no match for the fervor of his fans.
The tranquility of the countryside seemed ever more appealing.
“I appreciate the love, folks, but I’m not some celebrity or internet sensation.”
“I’m just a farmer.”
“Please try not to block the road, okay? It’s not a good look.”
Left with no other option, Zhao Yuegu reluctantly wrapped his arms around Sun Ying and made a beeline for the relatively spacious plaza nearby.
Nothing to be done about it.
“I’m still hungry.”
Sun Ying was equally disheartened.
“Let’s find a place to stay and order some food.”
Zhao Yuegu let out a sigh.
Sun Ying looked at him, astonished.
“You know how to order takeout?”
“What’s with that tone? I’m accustomed to rural life, not ignorant.”
Sun Ying gave an embarrassed laugh.
“It’s a good thing your village isn’t accessible by road.”
“Otherwise, those clout-chasers would overrun the whole place.”
“There was this Three-Yuan Noodles Guy who went viral recently. His place got so mobbed he couldn’t even go home.”
At that, Zhao Yuegu’s expression grew stern.
If they fixed the road to his village...
Would all those troublemakers descend on it, disturbing the peace of the elders?
“No, I’ve got to find a way to keep them at bay.”
After much thought, Zhao Yuegu decided to implement a checkpoint.
He was funding the road, so there was no issue with controlling access.
The only potential hiccup might be the county’s approval.
Mulling it over, he turned to Sun Ying.
“I’m thinking of setting up a toll on the village road for its upkeep. Do you think your dad can handle that?”
“Let me check on that.”
Sun Ying promptly made a call.
It was a good twenty minutes before she received a definitive yes.
“We’ll have to handle some paperwork at the county office and pay taxes.”
“That’s fine by me.”
Zhao Yuegu had no issue with that.
The checkpoint was mainly to deter those with ill intentions and maintain Walden’s tranquility.
He was a farmer after all, with no time to be hassled by troublemakers.
And then there was the other concern...
What if unsavory characters decided to swipe watermelons from the fields?
Wildlife would likely be the least of his worries when it came to affecting the yield.
Sure, we live in a civilized era, but uncivilized folks are still around.
It’s not about wishing harm on anyone, but it’s wise to stay vigilant.
Little did he know, as he settled down to rest, that the seeds he had left with the Su family were already causing quite the stir.