Happy Little Farmer
Chapter 29 - 29 29 The Neighbor's Deal

29: Chapter 29: The Neighbor’s Deal 29: Chapter 29: The Neighbor’s Deal Fu Xuebing always looked like he was up to big things when he was outside, always fixing up his suit and leather shoes.

But normally, this guy’s pockets were cleaner than his face, barely having anything valuable on him.

A few days ago, Yang Fan heard Zhao Laoer’s wife complaining that this kid hadn’t even settled her bill from last year yet, and whenever she asked, it was always “right away”, who knows how many “right aways” it had been.

However, it wasn’t Yang Fan’s place to interfere in other people’s affairs.

Since it was a business that came to him, he did what he needed to do.

Opening the bag that Fu Xuebing brought, Yang Fan checked the quality and appearance of the astragalus root.

The kid didn’t talk big today, the quality of the astragalus root was indeed good, and it wasn’t tricky or anything complicated.

He put the bag on the scale and after weighing it, Yang Fan said, “Old Fu, it’s neither more nor less, just about two hundred and fifty, but that number doesn’t sound nice.

Let me make it two hundred and fifty-five for you, consider it a few cigarettes extra.”

“How much?

Fanzi, we’ve been neighbors for so many years, don’t cheat me too.” Fu Xuebing threw his cigarette butt on the ground, pressed it forcefully with his foot, and leapt to the scale to weigh it himself.

“Relax, my scale is definitely accurate, and the price is fair.

You can ask around anywhere,” Yang Fan said indifferently from the side.

“As a neighbor, I’m being honest, I really didn’t push the price down at all.”

“Two hundred fifty-five, let me calculate,” Fu Xuebing said, scratching his thinning hair and looking up, lost in thought.

“Hey, wait a minute, I asked around in the market too.

Isn’t the price about twenty-four now?

According to your price, isn’t that just nineteen?

Fanzi, that’s not very honest of you, you’re still ripping people off!”

Yang Fan looked at his neighbor who was intentionally making trouble, with a face full of speechlessness.

He had sold it before last year; how could he not know the specifications of the astragalus root?

About one centimeter in diameter, and lengths less than forty, how could they be considered as premium goods?

If someone didn’t know any better, they might have this question; after all, because of its high price, the grades are very detailed.

He was meticulous in these details, and those who bought his goods were even more so, that’s just how it was.

“Old Fu, if you want to sell, I’ll buy.

If you don’t want to sell, go find someone else who offers more.

Let’s not argue about this.

I’m making a small profit here; it’d be better if you just robbed me outright,” Yang Fan said.

“I just looked, and the average is about one point two, barely medium grade, but the length isn’t even forty.

Honestly, you probably can’t get the price for medium grade anywhere else,” he added.

Fu Xuebing frowned, and not convinced, he started picking through the astragalus roots again, muttering, “Is it really divided that finely?”

“You’ve been planting it for a year; don’t tell me you can’t distinguish the grades of astragalus roots!” Yang Fan said impatiently.

It really felt like this guy was here to sharpen his wits today.

“I know shit; if I had known, I wouldn’t have done it like last year, selling the whole lot and ending up not having a single pair of underwear left.

I should learn from you in the future; I realize there’s deep knowledge and intricacies here,” Fu Xuebing snapped a piece of astragalus root and shook his head as he spoke.

“You really have a cheeky hand, why snap it if it’s not necessary?

I’m not letting those five yuan slide!” Yang Fan complained.

Fu Xuebing was stunned, “Even this isn’t okay?”

“I sell them as whole roots, not slices.

Do you think people won’t pick through them?” Yang Fan said.

Actually, this wasn’t a big deal at all.

It was just that he was a bit annoyed with the kid, and didn’t want to just give away those five yuan.

Fu Xuebing annoyingly grabbed a handful of his hair, shaking his head and chuckled, “Okay, my hand really is a bit cheap.

Two hundred forty-nine, others all call me a fool, and yet you rounded it up to just that, which is an unlucky number.

I’ll let you off one yuan!”

“This isn’t my doing, you brought the goods; if anything, you rounded it up for yourself.” Yang Fan said with a laugh.

The old man really doesn’t speak a single truth; he’s been around for a year, and Yang Fan couldn’t believe he hadn’t grasped this common knowledge and was still here playing dumb and naive—who was he trying to fool?

“Come on, take the money!”

Yang Fan took out his mobile phone, prepared to transfer the money to Fu Xuebing, when suddenly he grinned sheepishly, whispering to Yang Fan, “Fanzi, scan five hundred yuan, I owe you two hundred fifty.

No, make it five hundred five, so I owe you three hundred, how did it round up to two fifty again!”

Yang Fan was directly amused.

His hunch wasn’t wrong at all.

He said he’d let off one yuan, but that was bullshit.

This old man directly wanted to make him shell out three hundred and one.

Getting back money that Fu Xuebing lent out was as difficult as Zhao Laoer’s gossipy wife berating, almost harder than digging out a calf in a cow’s rump.

“When do you plan to pay me back, give me a time,” Yang Fan asked, while subtly turning on the recorder on his phone.

This old man sounded all good now, but he’d deny it later; Yang had to be prepared in advance.

Three hundred yuan isn’t a big sum, but not lending it would be awkward, given they were neighbors and all.

But to just lose it for no reason, Yang Fan wasn’t willing.

Fu Xuebing pursed his lips, “Fanzi, that kind of talk is a bit hurtful, man.

We’re neighbors separated by a wall, would I really owe you three hundred yuan and not pay back?

Just one month, I just need some small change for playing mahjong, you think I’m that broke!”

“If you don’t pay me back in a month, I’ll take your wife as a deposit, how about that?

Three hundred yuan for a sister-in-law, you’d be making a killing, isn’t that enough of a commitment?”

“Commitment my ass, you’re all talk and no action, can you even decide for your wife?” Yang Fan cursed, then transferred the money, “Three hundred and one, if you don’t pay up, I’m coming to your house to haul away the herbs.”

“Alright, alright, even taking all from my house is fine, I’m off,” Fu Xuebing collected the money and walked away chuckling.

His departure was swift and decisive, not delayed for even a moment.

Yang Fan felt a bit gloomy; getting this money back was probably going to be difficult.

But still, this was the first time Fu Xuebing had borrowed money from him; three hundred yuan, not lending it really wouldn’t look good.

Yang Fan shook his head, took out the astragalus root that Fu Xuebing had brought, and began sorting it.

Just as he picked a few, a tall figure suddenly burst in, urgently asking, “Fanzi, has my man been here?”

Yang Fan turned his head to see, first noticing two pale, long legs swinging before his eyes, and looked up to finally recognize the person.

It was Fu Xuebing’s wife, Li Jia, a slender woman well over one meter seventy.

“He was just here, what’s up, sister-in-law?” Yang Fan asked, standing up puzzled.

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