Chapter 714: In a previous life, Xia Yu was a tree

'Awen, go to the field and call your father back.'

'Okay!'

Before Xia Yu could stop him, Xia Dongwen ran out.

Xia Yu gathered his thoughts and sat down again, chatting with Gu Yue Di about family matters.

He did have some business to discuss with his previous life's grandfather, Xia Xinhua, and Gu Yuedi alone could not make decisions.

After a while, Xia Yu saw a young man with dark skin enter the courtyard, then drop his hoe and come running in. When he saw Xia Yu, he grinned, revealing a simple and honest smile.

'Mr Xia, you're here. Eh, don't get up, sit down, sit down!'

'I've just been working in the fields, I kept you waiting!'

'That's fine, I should be the one to apologise for interrupting your work and making you come back here.'

...

While they were chatting and laughing, Xia Xinhua also sat down at the table, while Gu Yuedi sat down with the three boys and one girl in the chairs nearby.

Xia Yu also gathered himself and asked with concern, 'Uncle, there are six people in the family now, right? Do you have enough food?'

Xia Xinhua smiled and said, 'There are six people here, and we have enough food. We can barely go hungry. Things are better here than in other villages. After all, the clan takes care of things, there are fewer lazybones in the brigade, and we produce more food each year.'

Xia Yu nodded thoughtfully.

This was not yet the era of the household contract responsibility system. Each village had a production brigade, the land belonged to the farmers, and everyone worked together to eat from the communal pot. Over time, there were bound to be more people just going along for the ride, and food production and efficiency would be lower.

I still remember that at this point in time, it had only been a year since Xiaogang Village secretly implemented the distribution of land to households. The millet harvest had just been completed not long ago, and the annual grain output was equivalent to that of the past few years.

It seems that he needs to stir things up a bit to better implement his plan.

Xia Yu asked again, 'Uncle, does the village have any fruit trees?'

Xia Xinhua didn't know why Xia Yu was asking, but he answered honestly, 'The commune only grows 50 mu of peaches and 50 mu of chestnuts. Last year, they started planting 20 mu of tangerines, but each family also planted a bit of miscellaneous fruit on their own mountain, and they don't expect to sell it.'

Xia Yu nodded and asked again: 'So you grow tangerines. I wonder if you know navel oranges?'

'Navel oranges? You mean the kind with a belly button at the bottom?'

'Yes!'

'No, but I heard that there are some in the town next door. They have planted 600 mu of mountain forest to grow tangerines, and among them there is a small proportion of navel oranges. I have seen them but have never eaten them, so I don't know how they taste.'

'Are these navel oranges selling well?'

Seeing Xia Xinhua's puzzled expression, Xia Yu nodded with a smile and affirmed, 'Very well. A few years ago, they were sold at the Canton Fair, and the price in Hong Kong reached 18 Hong Kong dollars per kilogram, which is about 15 yuan in renminbi.'

Xia Xinhua's eyes widened in disbelief, and he said, 'Seven and a half yuan a catty?'

Xia Yu nodded: 'Yes, but there is also the reason that the quantity is too small. If the quantity increases, the price will go down, but if it is exported outside the mainland, it is not a problem to sell it for a few yuan a catty.'

Xia Xinhua's breathing became rapid, and his face turned red, but because of his dark complexion, it made his face turn red and black.

Seeing this, Xia Yu's mouth corners rose slightly.

He had deliberately said that to provoke Xia Xinhua's thoughts.

This was the way Xia Yu had found a way out for his family in his previous life, and for the entire Xia village, after much consideration.

In his previous life, every household in Xia village grew navel oranges, but Xia Yu's family had always been unlucky.

It was in 2003 that they started growing them. Xia Dongfang, Xia Yu's father, was full of drive and started planting 500 trees on a mountain. When they bore fruit in 2007, they sold for a lot of money and half the cost was recovered.

But then, in 2008, there was the once-in-a-century snowstorm. Because of some mishaps, the harvest was seven or eight days late, and the snowstorm came. The navel oranges, which could have sold for 1.3 yuan per kg, were not collected at 30 cents per kg. The frost damaged most of the fruit, and in the end, he lost all his money.

After a few years of recovery, Huanglongbing, also known as citrus cancer, struck, killing all the fruit trees.

Those who still had fruit trees sold them for high prices of 40 to 50 yuan.

After ten years of hard work, Xia Yu's parents could only find odd jobs to grow food to support the three brothers' education.

However, in their previous life, the family lacked not effort but luck. In this life, Xia Yu could make up for it.

'Well, Yu, navel oranges are so valuable, if we grow them, can we sell them?'

Xia Xinhua rubbed his hands together, a little embarrassed.

Xia Yu nodded and said, 'Of course you can sell them, as long as the fruit is grown well, you won't have to worry about no one buying them. I know a lot of people and can help sell them.'

Xia Xinhua was extremely surprised, but still worried, 'I can go to the next town to ask about the seedlings, but I'm not sure if they'll be willing to teach me the planting techniques.'

Xia Yu laughed and said, 'Uncle, please find out more about this first. I also hope to find a way out for the whole village. If we grow the trees together, that would be best. Having a large scale would also make it easier to find a market.'

Xia Xinhua said gratefully, 'Yu, thank you for worrying about the village!'

'It's only right!'

After saying this, Xia Yu asked Xia Xinhua to come out alone again, and they went under the cypress tree in the courtyard.

'Uncle, I want to discuss something with you. I want to buy this cypress tree.'

Looking at the cypress tree in front of him, Xia Xinhua was a little confused and muttered, 'Buy? How do you buy this tree?'

'Do you want to dig it somewhere to plant it? Just dig it directly. It's too strange to say you want to buy it!'

Yesterday, he also received a big red envelope from Xia Yu, and he was very grateful to Xia Yu. Now Xia Yu wants a tree, although the request is very strange, but he can't possibly want Xia Yu's money.

Xia Yu laughed and said, 'Uncle, I don't want to dig. I just want to buy this cypress tree, take a wooden plaque, write my name on it, and hang it up.'

'I'll find you a wooden board right now to nail it to.'

With that, Xia Xinhua went to find the nails for the board.

Xia Yu pulled him back and said hurriedly, 'Uncle, just let me finish!'

'I don't need the money. I just like this tree. Just keep an eye on it for me, so it doesn't die. Here, take the money.'

With that, Xia Yu took two wads of banknotes from his inside pocket, and from a hidden angle, slipped them into Xia Xinhua's hands. He whispered, 'Uncle, just take the money and don't tell anyone. Just grant me this wish.'

Xia Xinhua looked at Xia Yu, then looked down at the money in his hands. His eyes widened, and he looked up at Xia Yu sharply. Taking a deep breath, he asked in a low voice, 'Yu, what are you doing? I can't take your money. Yesterday you gave me a big red envelope, and I can't take your money again.'

Saying this, Xia Xinhua struggled to stuff the money back into Xia Yu's hands.

Xia Yu tightly grasped Xia Xinhua's hand, staring straight at him and solemnly said, 'Uncle, of the whole village, I feel most at home with your family. With so many children, it won't be easy for you to start a family in the future. Leave them some savings. If you want to start a business, it will be easier. Your family's well-being is the greatest repayment you can give me.'

Hearing Xia Yu's heartfelt words, Xia Xinhua was silent. His eyes reddened, and he nodded heavily, 'Okay, Ah Yu, your kindness will never be forgotten by my family!'

'Uncle, just plant the tree for me. Put the money away. It's not good to let outsiders know.'

Xia Xinhua knew Xia Yu was referring to Xia Yongquan in the house. He nodded and stuffed the money into his pocket, pulling up his shirt to cover it.

Afterwards, Xia Yu and Xia Xinhua re-entered the house, finished their tea and then said goodbye. Xia Xinhua insisted on seeing Xia Yu out.

'Uncle, I'll go first. I'll come visit again when I have time!'

'You must come over, and make yourself at home!'

'Okay!'

Xia Yu nodded with a smile, then turned and left.

With the 2,000 yuan, Xia Xinhua's family in his previous life could also live better. This tree is like him in his previous life, accompanying them!

Just like the evergreen cypress, quietly accompanying them!

Because Xia Yu understands, from the moment he arrived in Xia Village, at his previous life's grandfather's house, his previous self will no longer exist!

But he has no regrets. In this life, because of his presence, the fate of countless people in the world has been changed. This will lead to the disappearance of many people who were supposed to appear in the world, and it will also cause the appearance of many people who were not supposed to appear.

It is no longer clear what is right and what is wrong!

In his previous life, his family suffered. Whether it was for his parents or for his three brothers, actually living in that environment was a kind of suffering, just living for the sake of living.

The same was true of his two uncles' families!

Now that he has arrived in this life, he just hopes that this family can live a happy life and that the next generation can also live well, so that living has meaning.

As for whether he will reappear in the future, it is no longer important.

The money he gave out of the blue was also his hope that Grandpa Xia Xinhua could use it as capital to become the leader of Xia Village in the future and enjoy the even more blessings he would bring.

He knows that Xia Xinhua is not lacking in drive, but he also won't give him too much money to ruin him. Two thousand yuan in this era is already enough!

As for the future, he will still pay attention to this family and do his best to help where he can, which is also a way of giving his past self a perfect account.