Song Tan’s Chronicle - Chapter 98

“What kiwi?” Wu Lan asked. “Is it that wild carambola from the mountains? The ones that aren’t even as big as a ping-pong ball? They need to be ripened before eating, which is a hassle.”

“Plus, those things are either rock hard or, if you don’t eat them within two days of ripening, they rot.”

Wu Lan had eaten store-bought kiwis before but hadn’t tried the exotic ones. She only knew they were somewhat similar in size.

Zhang Yanping wanted to explain that those were not the same at all. The kiwis available now were sweet right off the tree. However, since he was more of a fruit seller than a grower, he didn’t fully understand the specifics of cultivation and harvest, so he dropped the topic.

“How about pomegranates then? They store well. During the harvest season, good pomegranates can sell for up to twenty yuan a kilo,” Zhang Yanping suggested.

Wu Lan nodded, “Pomegranates are nice. Their red flowers are beautiful. But will the sellers provide us with proper guidance?”

“The pomegranates we have at home aren’t that good. They’re all oddly shaped and don’t taste great. We need someone to teach us properly.”

Zhang Yanping thought for a moment, “Alternatively, peaches could be a good option. In my circle, high-end lake peaches sell for over forty yuan a kilo!”

“But they’re delicate. We’ll have to be very careful when transporting them.”

As he continued, his enthusiasm grew, “Tan Tan, once your farm gets certified and you open an online store, I can be your customer service rep!”

“I’ll handle all the damaged orders and make sure everything runs smoothly.”

As long as he didn’t have to do farm work, he was happy to deal with customers online for days on end!

“Forty to fifty yuan a kilo? Can peaches really sell for that much?” Wu Lan asked with a hint of skepticism.

She reminisced, “There aren’t many peach trees left in the village. When you kids were little, there were two peach trees by the pond. The fruits were small and green, ripening in June or July. They were sweet and slightly sour with a bit of bitterness, and the pits were red. They were so flavorful.”

When they renovated the pond, those peach trees were cut down, and no one in the area had planted any since. Only a couple of May peaches remained, but they were poorly cared for and tasteless.

Wu Lan sighed, “Times have changed, and food doesn’t taste as good as it used to. Last year, I bought peaches for two yuan a kilo at the market, and they were just so-so. I don’t enjoy them anymore.”

Her description made Zhang Yanping, already tired from a day of work, salivate.

He thought for a moment and then said, “Auntie, there’s a type of peach that’s somewhat similar to those wild peaches you mentioned.”

He showed a picture, “Look, these are ripe and still green, with just a bit of red at the tips. They’re crispy and sweet, without the sourness or bitterness, but they have that peach flavor.”

“They store well, transport easily, and can be kept in the fridge for about a month.”

He handed over his phone, revealing a picture of a green peach, the size of a fist, with a hook-like tip.

“These are Yingzui peaches.”

“Last year, they sold for about ten yuan a kilo online. People say they taste like the wild peaches from our childhood.”

“Growing peach trees is something you all know how to do. With some professional guidance, it should be fine.”

Just then, Song Sancheng returned from outside and, upon hearing about peach trees, asked, “Are we planting peach trees on the hillside?”

“That’s fine. We know how to grow peach trees around here. Shouldn’t be a problem. Just not sure how well they’ll sell… Don’t young people nowadays prefer things like cherries, blueberries, and strawberries?”

Zhang Yanping thought, “With the taste of your produce, there’s nothing to worry about selling!”

He looked at Song Tan with anticipation, “Tan Tan, farming is a big deal. We can’t just throw thousands of yuan into buying seedlings without doing our research. How about I spend the afternoon gathering information? Let’s ensure we don’t make any mistakes!”

Song Tan smiled warmly, “Yanping, there’s no such thing as guaranteed success in farming. We can only learn, listen, observe, and practice seriously. But your good intentions shouldn’t go to waste… How about this: you continue working this afternoon, and we can look up information in the evening. We can’t waste your valuable transformation time.”

Zhang Yanping: …

With a resigned look, he dropped his rake and pulled at his collar, “Tan Tan, it’s April, and I’m still wearing a straw hat! Look at this! Just a couple of days working in the field and look at my tan!”

Honestly, there wasn’t much of a difference. Just two days in the field couldn’t create a noticeable tan. Just a bit of a color clash.

Qiao Qiao laughed, “Brother, you’re getting tan! I’m not afraid of getting tanned.”

Of course, this silly boy never tanned. At most, his skin would turn red and peel. He never got dark. What could he do?

Feeling alone in his misery, Zhang Yanping washed his hands and prepared for lunch, seeing the whole group returning.

Eleven people gathered around a lively table, eating from a big pot of stir-fried Chinese milk vetch with meat, their heads down in enjoyment.

Wu Lan wasn’t stingy; there were also stews and other dishes. But judging by how everyone ate, no one would touch the other dishes until the big pot of Chinese milk vetch was finished.

Song Sancheng handed each person a beer. It was rare for men in the village to work without drinking a bit. He opened a bottle for himself and said, “Buddy, I have something to do this afternoon, so I won’t be going to the mountain. If anything comes up, handle it for me.”

The man called was Zhou, a brother of tea-maker Zhou Maozhu, now in his forties or fifties.

He nodded, “Got it. It’s just clearing a mountain. Nothing complicated. You go handle your business.”

He asked casually, “What are you up to?”

Song Sancheng sighed.

“Remember that family at the bend of the hill, near Daqiao Village? We used to exchange gifts with them. I got a call this morning saying their old lady passed away.”

In the village, everyone was related somehow. Hearing this, the people at the table reacted.

“Oh, that family! Isn’t the man named Zhang Wang? I remember he had a bit of a limp.”

“Yes,” someone replied, “Just a little limp. Didn’t stop him from working. He was quite efficient. They raised two sons and a daughter. The daughter married into the town, and the sons live in the city.”

Talking about life and death, the group felt a bit melancholic. Someone asked curiously, “I remember they were both in good health. How did she suddenly pass away?”

Song Sancheng was puzzled too, “I heard she fell and broke her leg a few days ago. I was thinking of visiting her in the hospital, but then I got this sudden news. I don’t know what happened.”

These discussions and shared memories made the lunch a bit somber but filled with camaraderie. They all knew that life was unpredictable, and they treasured the moments they had.