Chapter 234 : Comrade Old Lin: I wasn’t prepared either!
Chapter 234: Comrade Old Lin: I wasn’t prepared either!
“Mm~~ your watermelon is so sweet, and it doesn’t even have seeds. I was just about to ask you—where did you buy it?”
In the small courtyard, the three of them had arranged their chairs side by side under the jujube tree, cooling off while eating watermelon.
The watermelon, chilled with well water, had an excellent taste. Coupled with the “happy all day” effect, one bite made a person feel refreshed all over, so one bite led to another—it was impossible to stop.
The watermelon weighed nearly twenty jin. Lin Mo gave away half, and the remaining ten jin were shared among the four of them, which they managed to finish clean.
Even the two women who usually paid great attention to their figures didn’t eat any less.
“Yeah, this watermelon tastes better than the ones we buy at home. What variety is it? I’ll ask the housemaid to buy a couple later,” Liu Rushuang said, holding a piece of watermelon with both hands and taking small bites.
Each time she took a bite, she squinted her eyes slightly. When a person tasted something delicious, joy naturally followed.
Lin Mo felt the same. Although he knew this might be due to the special effect of the Kirin watermelon, it didn’t stop him from enjoying the happiness.
Even the grief from his friend’s passing, which lingered yesterday, had vanished completely. If not for this effect, even if he could act calm on the surface, he wouldn’t have felt truly relaxed inside.
But now, he actually did. Yesterday, he was miserable to the point of death, and even before eating the watermelon, his smile had been forced—but now, he was genuinely happy, at least for the time being.
Suddenly, Lin Mo thought that if this watermelon could be mass-produced, he could make a fortune by selling it to people suffering from depression—though, of course, those “little fairies” pretending to have it wouldn’t count.
Indeed, anything with a special effect was never ordinary. The only thing that could stop him from getting rich was not the product, but the quantity.
“This morning, when I went for a jog, I found a watermelon stand near the People’s Square. You guys don’t know—this was the King of Watermelons, about forty jin. My dad and I carried back half, and I gave away another half. The four of us barely finished the rest.
As for the variety, the seller said it’s the Kirin seedless watermelon. If you want some, keep an eye out for that variety—I think it’s great.” Lin Mo finished his slice and casually tossed the rind over the wall into the abandoned vegetable garden outside.
As for whether that story was true—how could they verify it? If they bought some later and didn’t feel the same effect, it just meant they bought the wrong ones—no one else to blame.
“Hey, can you be careful? Don’t litter,” Liu Rushuang said, rolling her eyes at him.
Lin Mo sneered. “It’s just an abandoned vegetable patch outside. The watermelon rind will rot in a few days and even serve as fertilizer. What’s the problem? But you—you made my dad so drunk he couldn’t even stand. Was that polite of you?”
“I couldn’t help it! Besides, who would’ve thought Uncle’s alcohol tolerance was only slightly better than yours? I used to think your drinking problem was personal, but now I see—it’s hereditary.” Liu Rushuang refuted confidently.
Lin Mo: …
He had to admit, though his dad could drink, his tolerance wasn’t great either—usually about three taels of white liquor. Today, after one and a half cups and some beer on top of that, no wonder he went down.
“Alright, drop it. He’ll wake up after a nap. By the way, what brings you to South City?” Lin Mo asked.
Liu Rushuang smiled. “I was bored at home, and I heard someone was striking gold here—so I came to check.”
Lin Mo turned sharply toward his cousin, Su He, eyes narrowing.
“What? I just mentioned it casually. Anyway, you seem much better today. Feeling better?” Su He said with a smile.
Both women had noticed his good mood—there was no sign of sadness.
If Su He hadn’t sent that video, Liu Rushuang would’ve thought he was joking.
“What’s there to feel better or worse about? It’s sad when a friend dies, sure, and maybe what she left behind hit me hard. But so what? Life goes on—I can’t just emo every day.” Lin Mo stood and smiled.
It was then he realized just how powerful the watermelon’s effect was. He knew he should still be mourning, but the “happy all day” effect left him unable to feel sad at all—in fact, even a bit euphoric.
It didn’t cloud his mind, just forcibly flipped his mood. Had he not known about the effect beforehand, he wouldn’t have noticed anything strange.
Hearing this, the two women exchanged glances and followed him down a small path through the vegetable field to the river.
The river was clear enough to see the bottom, barely ankle-deep, and the babbling sound of the water was soothing.
“Wow, the water’s so cool! If I’d known, I would’ve worn sandals and gone wading!” Liu Rushuang said, dipping her hands in the stream with delight.
The scenery here truly was lovely—lush greenery and fruit trees everywhere. In spring, it turned into a sea of flowers. Though not a tourist spot, many city folk came each spring to take photos.
Lin Mo chuckled. “You might not want to. This is the downstream section. The water you’re playing in might’ve been peed in by some kid upstream!”
Liu Rushuang: …
“You did that on purpose!”
“No, really—ask my cousin.” Lin Mo spread his hands helplessly.
He wasn’t lying. These rural streams might look clear, but you never knew what was in them.
Only in recent years had the village improved, with designated trash spots. Before that, people dumped wastewater, garbage, even sewage right into the river.
And even now, you couldn’t stop kids from peeing in it. Honestly, if the two women weren’t here, he might have done the same.
“I can vouch for that. When my cousin was little, he peed on a goose while bathing in this river—and got bitten on the butt,” Su He raised her hand and said.
Lin Mo: …
Liu Rushuang’s eyes lit up as she stifled laughter. “Did—did it hit any vital spots? Hahaha!”
“Go to hell! It just nipped my butt twice!” Lin Mo protested.
“I don’t believe you!”
“Believe it or not. Anyway, I’m heading to the village shop. You two want ice cream?”
He turned to leave. He’d had enough—too many embarrassing stories here. Better to get away before his cousin said more.
“I want one—fruit flavor!” Su He called out.
Liu Rushuang thought for a moment and followed. “Wait, I’m coming too. Su Su, you stay and watch the house!”
Su He smiled faintly. The process might’ve been unexpected, but the result was just fine—though her second uncle had suffered a bit for it.
Soon, Lin Mo and Liu Rushuang were walking side by side along the newly paved village road.
“Your hometown’s village looks pretty nice,” Liu Rushuang said, hands clasped behind her back, skipping as she walked.
Maybe it was her outfit, but she looked rather youthful today—there seemed to be no age gap between them.
Lin Mo glanced at her, not sure what had gotten into this woman. “It’s been renovated bit by bit in recent years. Used to be dirt roads. The scenery’s nice, so my dad plans to rebuild the old house when he retires and live here.
If my grandparents were still alive, I’d probably even have my wedding here someday.”
“That’s not a bad idea. I saw your old house—the land’s good. Tear down the old building and build a courtyard villa; it’d be great. But little brother, you’d better earn more money—or find a rich lady,” Liu Rushuang said, winking.
Lin Mo widened his eyes in mock surprise. “You mean—”
Liu Rushuang nodded. “Exactly!”
Lin Mo: “Sister Yuan? My Sister Yuan is a rich lady—and generous too!”
Liu Rushuang: “Get lost! She’s flat-chested—how could she compare to me?”
Lin Mo: “But she’s got money.”
Liu Rushuang: “And I don’t?”
Lin Mo: “I made two million from her a few days ago.”
Liu Rushuang: “I—”
That shut her up. It was true, after all. Even if she’d been the one buying, she couldn’t have offered that kind of price.
“By the way… that girl who passed away—do you regret it? Su Su said she left you a lot and liked you too. Knowing that, do you feel any regret?” she asked softly after a pause.
Lin Mo lowered his voice. “Maybe a little. It’s a pity—she was young, with a whole life ahead of her.
But when I saw her tombstone with my classmates and teachers yesterday, I realized it was really over.
I think my regret isn’t about her as a person, but about the memories I had. Besides, we already said our goodbyes, didn’t we?”
When the rose petals scattered last night, he’d suddenly understood something—you couldn’t approach people with ulterior motives.
Just like he wouldn’t care what he’d eaten for lunch three years ago—it was long forgotten, though it had become part of him.
The past wasn’t meaningless. At least he remembered someone who’d once made his final high school days so happy. That was enough.
Tighten your fists—there’s nothing there. Open them—and the world rests within.
Liu Rushuang, hearing this, felt relieved. He wasn’t drowning in grief, nor was he pretending. At least he didn’t treat that girl as a lost “white moonlight.” Otherwise, that would’ve been awkward.
Just then, an old man carrying a hoe walked toward them. Lin Mo was about to greet him when Liu Rushuang suddenly grabbed his hand.
He turned, startled—it was her.
“You—”
“Eh? Aren’t you Junmin’s boy?” the old man asked.
“Yes, Great Uncle, it’s me! Are you heading to the fields?” Lin Mo greeted quickly.
He didn’t know why, but even though his appearance had changed so much that his own mother barely recognized him, every elderly villager did—saying he looked exactly like his dad in his youth, only fairer.
“Yeah. So, you’ve brought your girlfriend home?” the old man asked with a smile.
Lin Mo: “Uh…”
“Hello, Great Uncle! I’m his girlfriend. Would you like a cigarette?” Liu Rushuang said, taking out a pack and handing him one.
The old man laughed happily, taking it and nodding approvingly. “Pretty and polite girl,” he said before heading off to the fields.
By the time they reached the only grocery shop in the village, similar encounters had happened several times.
When they returned with ice cream, the village gossip network had already gone wild—Lin Mo had brought home a girlfriend.
Given Liu Rushuang’s looks and temperament, everyone assumed she was a rich city girl. The rumors quickly evolved:
“Did you hear? Lin’s boy brought home a college girl from the city!”
“I heard they’re classmates—wedding’s set for the end of the year!”
“No, no, she’s pregnant—they have to get married!”
“Wasn’t that boy still in school? Damn, these young folks!”
Liu Rushuang had merely followed Su He’s suggestion to “go along with it,” but she had no idea how terrifying rural gossip networks could be.
Lin Mo usually went out of his way to avoid these people—yet she’d gone and chatted with them first. If she got “pregnant,” that was her own fault!
“What’s with you two?” Su He asked curiously when they returned, seeing Lin Mo glaring daggers at Liu Rushuang.
“Ask her!” Lin Mo said grumpily.
Thanks to the watermelon, though, he couldn’t even get properly angry.
Liu Rushuang, looking guilty, raised two fingers and made a tiny gesture. “Heh, just… showed a little something.”
Su He: “???”
“Showed what? What’d you show to make him look like that? Did you grab his—?”
Liu Rushuang: “???”
Lin Mo: “Cough, cough! Shut up already! Where’s my dad? Wake him up—we’re leaving!”
He didn’t fully catch the dialect, but he got the gist—and decided it was best to retreat.
He rushed inside, shook his father awake, and prepared to escape.
Once Liu Rushuang realized what Su He’s words meant, she chased her for 200 meters before calming down.
At 3:30 in the afternoon, before Comrade Old Lin fully sobered up, two cars drove out of the village one after the other.
In the city, downstairs at Lin Mo’s apartment complex, Comrade Old Lin was much clearer-headed now, though still a bit unsteady.
“Uncle, this is my first visit, and I didn’t prepare much. This tea is just a small token,” Liu Rushuang said, taking two boxes from the trunk and handing them to him.
“No, no, what would I need your gifts for? You’re Xiao Su’s classmate—that makes you my junior,” Comrade Old Lin said, his mind mostly clear. At least he didn’t call her something weird, which made Lin Mo sigh in relief.
Liu Rushuang, however, refused to back down. “You said I’m your junior—so it’s only right I bring a gift for an elder, especially during the holidays! Please take it. I’ll come drink with you next time!”
Su He added helpfully, “Alright, stop arguing. Second Uncle, just take it. My friend here’s from a good family, and they’re very traditional about etiquette. She’s brought gifts to all the elders she’s met—my parents included!”
Maybe because he wasn’t fully sober, Comrade Old Lin was easily persuaded. Holding the boxes awkwardly, he said, “Well, I didn’t prepare anything either, so how about…”
He turned to his son—then suddenly pushed him forward.
“Son… you go!”
Lin Mo: “???”
Wait—what? Even if you don’t have a return gift, you can’t just give me away! Are you sure you’re my dad?!
Liu Rushuang was overjoyed: ╰(°▽°)╯
Su He was shocked: Σ(⊙▽⊙“a
“Dinner’s on you tonight!”
Liu Rushuang: →_→