Contracting an orchard

  It's winter, the river water has frozen, so Bai Xinyi doesn't need to go out to wash clothes. She just uses hot water to scrub the clothes at home, then takes them to the well and rinses them clean with cold water.

  However, in the cold winter, the water press also has some problems. The top layer will freeze and ice up, so when you want to get water, you need to pour some hot water on it and wait for the ice to melt before you can press out the water.

  Watching her aunt busy outside, Yuexi couldn't help but sigh. Her beautiful aunt wasn't easy either. If she had a child or a man who loved her, maybe life wouldn't be like this.

  She held a peanut in her small hand and carefully peeled it to get the kernel inside. She couldn't do anything else, so she started from the smallest thing.

  When Bai Xinyi came back with the washed clothes, Yu Xi stuffed a handful of peanuts into her mouth.

  "Auntie, come and warm up on the kang for a bit, it's very cold outside."

  Bai Xinyi covered her hands with a hot compress and hugged her little niece, this child is so considerate that it's heart-wrenching, although some people in the family have biases, but this child's performance really makes one speechless.

  In the evening, Bai Xinyi told her brother about the fruit garden contract. Bai Wenli's hand holding chopsticks suddenly stopped, and after a moment of consideration, he said, "Sister, I'll go out tomorrow to ask around. Geng Mei, you also go visit the instructor's home, aren't you supposed to bring gifts for your sister-in-law? Send them over tomorrow."

  Bai Xinyi couldn't figure out what was going on in her brother's mind, "Wen Li, aren't you guys still planning to dig for gold next year? I think you should just give up, this time you almost lost your lives, who knows what will happen next time?"

  Bai Wenli smiled and said, "Sister, I've thought it through. We're not going to dig for gold anymore. You don't know, but I heard from others that next year they'll be cracking down on stealing and digging for gold. Why should I take this risk?"

  "Alas, digging for gold is also a matter of risking one's life, and the local situation is complicated. I don't want to get involved in this muddy water again. As for taking over the orchard, it's not as easy as you think. Everyone should be clear about how much the orchard can produce each year, and I'm sure many people are eyeing this fat meat. Let me go take a look tomorrow and try my best to get it, so that our family can also enjoy some fruit."

  Bai Xinyi suddenly remembered what was going on after listening to her brother's words. The orchard in this area would be assigned the best technical guidance, and the winter fruits were basically all pre-sold. According to their previous practices, the apples from this side were mainly used for export due to their good taste. So currently, the orchard is like a piece of fat meat that everyone wants to take a bite of.

  Thinking of this, her heart didn't hold much hope for the contract anymore. However, seeing her brother's calm and collected expression, Bai Xinyi felt that he seemed determined to make it happen.

  Bai Wenli and his wife took out the gifts they had bought the day before and went for a walk, especially Bai Wenli didn't return until after dinner, but he was a bit drunk.

  Geng Mei was somewhat dissatisfied with her husband's behavior, and she couldn't help but mutter to herself, "You're really something, you've got an injury on your arm and yet you don't know how to take care of yourself. Didn't the doctor say not to drink?"

  Bai Wengu's nagging at his wife seemed somewhat impatient, but seeing his elder sister by her side, he didn't blow up, "It's nothing, I've got it in mind."

  It's estimated that he hasn't had a day off in a long time. After washing his feet, Bai Wenlie fell asleep immediately, giving the impression that he was very tired.

  "Brother and sister, has he succeeded or not? Why isn't he saying a word?"

  Geng Mei smiled wryly, "Elder sister, you're not unaware of your younger brother's personality. If he doesn't want to say something, we can't get it out of him no matter how hard we ask. I reckon this matter hasn't come to a head yet. Besides, with so many people competing and scrambling, it's not that easy. Forget it, let's hurry up and sleep. If it really happens, we'll know about it later."

  Bai Wengui's temper was most understood by the two women at home. Things that didn't work out were generally not spoken of, but for several days afterwards he didn't stay home much either, always going out to chat with friends or drink wine. Geng Mei and Bai Xinyi really couldn't figure out what kind of medicine he had in his gourd.

  Bai Wenli is also anxious about this matter, but to get it done, he needs to start from the root and work his way up bit by bit. It's not something that can be begged for from just anyone, and if you beg the wrong person, it will only make yourself more passive.

  This time he had already thought it through, and the trend of contracting an orchard was inevitable. On the surface, he went to drink with old friends, but in reality, they had already made arrangements with each other. He still had some money, after all, he had been out for two years, and he had saved up a bit, but only his wife knew about it, there was no need to tell others.

  At the end of the year, Bai Wenli had just finished dinner and said to his wife and elder sister, "Everything is settled, I signed the contract yesterday. Our family's ten-acre orchard will probably not be so easy next year."

  Bai Wenli announced the good news they had been longing for with ease, and Bai Xinyi and Geng Mei were both delighted and surprised.

  "Wen Li, is this all you've done? I didn't see you busy with this matter at all?"

  Bai Wen smiled and said to his wife, "You guys are just worrying for nothing. Can I not care about this matter? Before it's done, of course, I couldn't tell you, or else you'd spread the word and ruin everything."

  The person who knows Geng Mei best is still her husband, Bai Wenli. After so many years of being with his wife, he can understand her personality even with his eyes closed.

  Bai Xinyi secretly enjoyed this, her brother's wife was good in every way, except for this mouth of hers which lacked a gate, and not to mention that she liked to meddle in other people's business, but the thing was that she wasn't good at lying, no matter what you asked her, she would tell the truth, her heart was too straightforward, if you said this one point, her brother saw it very clearly.

  Look at big sister's sneaky pleasure, Geng Mei felt a bit embarrassed, "Sister, I really am like your brother said, isn't this a bit too much?"

  Bai Wenli and her brother couldn't help but laugh at the sight, while Yu Xi felt a little sympathetic towards her mother. To say that Geng Mei's personality was quite good, but her father wasn't wrong either.

  "Mom, don't forget who told others where dad was fishing last time."

  Yu Sai's reminder made Geng Mei feel a bit embarrassed. Last time, her husband discovered that there were many fish in a pond, and Bai Wenli caught some back at first. Originally, he wanted to wait for the water to dry up a bit before going again, but unexpectedly, his own daughter-in-law had let the cat out of the bag. By the time he thought of going again to catch more, those fish had already been scooped up by others.

  Everyone in the family remembered this matter, and Geng Mei was also a bit embarrassed. "I didn't mean to say it, I just accidentally let it slip out. If others ask me, I couldn't just make something up, next time I'll be more careful."