Unloading, weighing, calculating, transferring—
the whole process was a blur to Jerry's father.
He still hadn't recovered from the shock.
A lifetime of farming on their tiny plot of land had earned him barely ten thousand yuan a year.
And today?
Jerry had casually flipped a load of wild greens into seventy thousand yuan.
Less than two thousand in costs.
Thirty-plus times return.
It felt like he was dreaming.
Reality only kicked back in when Fengner showed up, holding a fat stack of cash.
"Seventy thousand..."
Dad muttered, clutching the bills like a man possessed.
"Uncle, your son's a real genius,"
Fengner said, grinning and giving Jerry's dad a thumbs-up.
"I've been hustling for over a decade,
and I've never seen a young man this sharp!"
Hearing Fengner's praise,
Jerry's dad gave an awkward smile—
too overwhelmed to say much.
But deep inside,
pride exploded like fireworks.
His son could earn real money.
More than anyone in their entire village!
(Granted, his "village standards" were still a bit narrow.)
Sensing his father's speechlessness,
Jerry quickly picked up the conversation.
"Uh, Fengner...?"
Knowing what Jerry meant,
Fengner laughed heartily.
"Relax, little brother!
We're not that far apart in age.
Call me Fengner—or just 'Fatty.'
Whatever's easier."
Jerry chuckled.
Now that's a smart merchant.
Saves me the awkwardness.
With a soul that was mentally forty years old,
he really couldn't bring himself to call a thirty-something man "big brother."
"Alright then,"
Jerry said with a grin.
"Since you're so straightforward, I'll cut to the chase."
"Since we're partners now, let's do this long-term.
I'll handle supply—you handle distribution."
The words hit Fengner like a jackpot bell.
He had been wracking his brain for a way to lock Jerry down for future business—
and now Jerry was handing it to him on a silver platter!
If he secured a steady supply,
he could dominate the local market...
hell, maybe the whole country!
When that happened,
he'd be the king of wild greens.
Set the price however I want?
Yes please!
"Time's still early,"
Jerry said, snapping his dad out of his daze.
"Let's do another run."
"Alright!"
Dad nodded fiercely, fired up by the rush of success.
He didn't understand all the details,
but with seventy thousand yuan in hand,
he trusted Jerry unconditionally now.
On the drive back,
Jerry's old Nokia buzzed.
The caller ID read: Jenny.
Jerry sighed internally.
Of course she was calling—
probably to take him to see her Schnauzer, "Lele."
The timing couldn't have been worse.
Still, he couldn't ignore it.
His plan to steal Sean's girl hinged on building rapport with Jenny.
He hit the answer button.
"Jerry, where are you?"
Jenny's sweet voice came through the line.
"I'm free at lunchtime. Let's go see Lele!"
"Lele?
You want me to see... you?"
Jerry teased, sounding mock-surprised.
Damn, I haven't even tried hard yet,
and Sean's girlfriend is already offering herself up?
he joked silently.
"You dummy!
Lele's my Schnauzer, not me!"
Jenny's shy, slightly angry voice snapped back.
Jerry smirked.
Interesting.
Giving your dog the same name as yourself?
You really are soft for pets, just like the cheat screen said.
Holding back a chuckle,
Jerry lowered his voice, sounding apologetic:
"Sorry...
I can't come.
Something came up back home."
"You're lying to me, aren't you?"
Jenny's voice sharpened instantly.
Disappointment—and a flicker of anger—colored her tone.
"No, I swear,"
Jerry said, layering in just the right amount of bitter helplessness.
"My family's struggling.
If I don't help out,
I might not even have tuition for next semester."
He let out a soft "bitter smile" into the phone.
He wasn't Oscar-worthy,
but for an innocent girl like Jenny,
it was plenty convincing.
Sure enough,
her anger wavered.
Sensing her softening,
Jerry pressed on:
"I only got three days off.
I'm helping build houses in the village to scrape together my tuition."
"When I get back, you can yell at me all you want.
It's my fault.
I broke our promise."
"And...
please tell Lele I'm sorry, too."
"A chance to meet something so pure and lovely...
and I blew it."
That last line?
A double-edged blade.
Jenny's heart skipped a beat.
Was he talking about the dog...
or... me?
"I'm sorry,"
Jenny's voice came back, soft and trembling.
"I misunderstood you."
The way her voice shook—
Jerry knew he had her.
He sighed again.
"No worries.
You probably won't even want me to meet Lele anymore.
I'm not sure I deserve it."
"Don't say that!"
Jenny blurted out, flustered.
"This time was just bad timing.
When you come back, I'll call you again!"
Without waiting for a reply,
she hurriedly hung up, her face burning red.
Staring at her phone,
Jenny clutched it tightly in both hands, heart racing.
Inviting another boy—other than her boyfriend—was crazy enough.
Now, Jerry's ambiguous words were swirling in her mind.
She felt... confused.
Guilty.
And a little thrilled.
Her heart was a complete mess.