Volume One, Chapter 10: Repaying the Debt

With Guo Dong’s guidance, a dozen villagers began picking peaches from the two-acre orchard. The owner was delighted, and his dog, Hei Zi, was just as excited, darting back and forth through the trees and occasionally sneaking a peach to enjoy in some hidden corner.

Xie Minmin was a woman of action. A single phone call brought a large truck to the village, but since the road was blocked by Zheng Weiguang’s truck and no one could find him, the driver had to park on the side of the main road at the village entrance. Xie Minmin was a professional; she had a truckload of foam crates delivered to pack the fruit.

"That Zheng fellow is definitely doing this on purpose!" some villagers grumbled. Although the large truck couldn't have entered the village anyway because of the road blockage, having that vehicle sitting there like an eyesore left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth.

"Don't worry about him. Let’s just weigh the peaches and get them loaded," Xie Minmin said, unbothered. She remained cheerful, directing the work while snacking on a peach and keeping records.

It was clear they wouldn't finish in a single day, as half the orchard had yet to be treated with the spiritual water. Seeing the uncles and elders working so hard, Guo Dong grew worried. He approached Xie Minmin.

"Boss Xie!"

As he began to speak, Xie Minmin, who was still eating a peach, laughed. "Don't be so formal. We’ll have plenty of opportunities to work together in the future. I’m a few years older than you, just call me Sister Min!"

Guo Dong didn't stand on ceremony. "Sister Min, could we delay the rest of the harvest by two days?"

Xie Minmin paused slightly. "Why? Is there a problem?"

Guo Dong scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed. "It’s like this—part of the crop isn't quite ripe yet. I’ve estimated that it will take until the day after tomorrow for them to be fully ready."

She glanced at him, then at her records, and smiled. "Two days? That shouldn't be a big deal, right?"

"This variety is different from others. If they aren't fully ripe, the flavor and texture just aren't there," he explained.

His honesty made her laugh. He was a sincere man. Most fruit dealers would have stayed silent in this situation, yet Guo Dong had proactively pointed out the flaw.

"Fine. You’re the one growing them, so you decide. I don't know much about farming. Three days it is. The contract is signed, after all, you can't run away!"

Although her words carried a hint of a reminder about the contract, Guo Dong felt a weight lift off his chest.

***

With the villagers' help and the crew Xie Minmin had brought, the peaches were loaded quickly. Once the final tally was done, Guo Dong was stunned. Following his instructions to pick only the ripe fruit, they had harvested five thousand kilograms. At the agreed price, the total value of this batch was three hundred thousand yuan.

He had never seen that much money in his entire life! It was a dream come true. When Xie Minmin transferred the payment, he stood there in a daze until Meng Xiaohan nudged him, bringing him back to reality.

"Um... Sister Min, would you like to stay for a meal before you go?"

Xie Minmin could see the shock on his face. To her, it was no surprise that a farmer would be stunned to receive such a large sum at once. Anyone would be overwhelmed by such a high price. The fact that Guo Dong recovered so quickly showed he had a very strong temperament.

"No need for the meal. There will be plenty of time for that later. I have a lot to attend to back home today!" She was a woman of action, efficient and decisive. "Remember, I’ll be back tomorrow. We only have three days! Our company, Le Xiang, is opening chain stores in other cities and we desperately need high-end products to set the tone. We can't afford any delays."

Guo Dong quickly assured her, "Don't worry, Sister Min, there won't be any!"

"Alright, see you tomorrow!"

Watching her leave, Guo Dong let out a long breath. He exchanged a look with Meng Xiaohan, and both of them broke into smiles. It had been a bumpy road, but the result was good—the money was finally in his hands.

"Well? Feeling better now?" Meng Xiaohan teased. Remembering how he had been worrying about money just yesterday, seeing him land three hundred thousand today felt like a dream. She was even a little envious; it was like picking up money from the ground. "Now that you've made the money, is it time to fulfill your promise?"

Guo Dong blinked. "Don't worry, I’ll pay back everything I owe immediately, starting with your family." He turned toward the orchard and called out to the villagers, "Grandpa, gather everyone! Today, we’re paying back our debts!"

Meng Xiaohan was left speechless, amused and frustrated by his misunderstanding. She wasn't actually worried about those few thousand yuan; she had been talking about him treating her to a meal, but he had taken it the wrong way. Was she really that kind of person?

Regardless, the entire Immortal Peach Village was abuzz. Guo Dong had made money and declared he would pay off all his debts at once. No one could have imagined that growing peaches could earn so much in a single year.

When the villagers gathered in the orchard, Guo Dong was taken aback. He had never kept an exact count; he only knew his late father had borrowed money from everyone to fuel his gambling addiction. He knew they owed a lot, but he hadn't realized the scale of it. Almost everyone in the village was a creditor, and some people from neighboring villages had come as well.

He searched the crowd but did not see Li Tianhu. Not dwelling on it, Guo Dong gripped his phone tightly, his heart heavy. Before speaking, he bowed deeply.

"Everyone here is an uncle or elder to me. I’m not good with flowery words. Over the years, I have kept track of every cent my family owes you, even if you never brought it up. I should have visited each of your homes, but there are so many of you that it would take too long. Today..."

"Guo Dong!" his grandfather interrupted. Guo An walked forward, his eyes shimmering with tears, and bowed to the crowd as well.

Because Guo Dong was a junior, the villagers could accept his bow, but seeing Guo An bow made them uncomfortable. "Old man, what are you doing?"

"That’s right, who doesn't have hard times?"

Guo An shook his head, his voice choked with emotion. "I, Guo An, have never owed anyone in my life. I never expected that in my old age, I would be burdened by so much debt and kindness. I won't say much more, but I’ll say this: every cent of the principal and interest owed will be paid. Not a single penny will be missing."

He turned to look at Guo Dong. "Guo Dong, start paying them back. Start with Uncle Hao's debt!"