VIP Volume, Chapter 116: Don’t Believe the Polite Talk

Having eaten and drunk their fill, and after everyone had played enough, they prepared to leave. With an extra person in tow, Tietou’s group was quite perceptive and all scrambled to find the three-wheeled scooter.

Guan Ling glanced secretly at Ye Xiaoxuan, then said to Ye Dajun, “Brother, if you’re free, come to the village to visit. I’m quite bored after work. Tell Jia Ran to come find me to play too!”

Ye Dajun nodded, “Alright! If you’re not busy, come to the village. At night, Jia Ran will make you fried cicada pupae—they’re really delicious!”

Guan Ling nodded, pouted her lips, and said, “Then I’ll be going…” She turned to leave, but Ye Xiaoxuan called out, “Wait a moment!”

Guan Ling’s face flushed, and she gave Ye Xiaoxuan a sidelong glance. “What is it?”

Ye Xiaoxuan pointed toward the distant Qi Yun Building. “You’d better stay away from there. Whatever troubles they have, don’t get involved. Spend more time with your father. You’re a girl after all; don’t go stirring up trouble for no reason—it won’t do you any good.”

Even Yuan Caiyi, who usually wasn’t keen on listening, bristled at this, as did the young policeman. Both said in unison, “What’s wrong with being a girl?”

Guan Ling huffed angrily, “I don’t want to bother with those hooligans! As long as they don’t break the law, I don’t even want to acknowledge them!”

Ye Xiaoxuan sneered, “Even if they do break the law, that’s not for you to handle! Listen to your father more, don’t always go against him. He’s looking out for you! For a girl, once something happens, it’s no small matter!”

Guan Ling snorted, about to retort, but the words caught in her throat. Her large eyes rolled thoughtfully, and somehow a smile crept onto her face. She shot Ye Xiaoxuan a glance and whispered, “Alright, I get it. I’m heading back now. When I have time, I’ll come to the village to see you guys!”

Chen Ergou was still driving, with Chen Tianfeng in the front passenger seat, Ye Xiaoxuan and Yuan Caiyi in the back. The others had all left on the three-wheeled scooter.

Yuan Caiyi appraised the car and said, “Xiaoxuan, I really didn’t realize before how capable you are, even bought a Guangben!”

Ye Xiaoxuan smiled wryly at her, “Are you mocking me? Always taking advantage, huh?”

Yuan Caiyi frowned, “What do you mean? I’m not like that!”

Ye Xiaoxuan, sensing her sincerity, pointed at the car cabin. “Doesn’t this car seem familiar to you?”

Yuan Caiyi shook her head. “A little from the outside, but I can’t remember where I’ve seen it. Maybe I never have. Cars of the same brand all look alike anyway.”

Chen Tianfeng in the front couldn’t help but turn around and ask, “You don’t recognize that this is Brother Lei’s car?”

Yuan Caiyi shook her head, “How would I know? I’ve never ridden in it!” Seeing the two men’s doubtful expressions, she huffed, “Really! I’ve never been in his car or gone out alone with him!”

Ye Xiaoxuan calmly said, “I believe you.” Chen Tianfeng sighed deeply, “Poor Brother Lei, after all this, he’s just a one-sided admirer.”

Ye Dajun’s group sped ahead on the three-wheeled scooter, whistling at the car as they passed.

Chen Ergou laughed and shook his head, “A Guangben that cost over a hundred thousand can’t even outrun a three-wheeler that cost less than a thousand—that’s a joke!”

Suddenly, Ye Xiaoxuan said to Yuan Caiyi, “Caiyi, I need to ask you a favor.”

Blushing, Yuan Caiyi said, “You just saved me, so what favor? We’re old classmates. If you need help, just say it!”

Ye Xiaoxuan pointed outside, “I want your father to step forward and gather funds to repair this road. Can you help talk to him about it?”

Yuan Caiyi smiled slightly and looked at Ye Xiaoxuan. “I didn’t expect you to care so much about the villagers. Actually, I’ve heard my father talk about fixing this road for a long time, but repairing a road isn’t simple. Even if it’s a village road, four or five meters wide, do you know how much it costs per kilometer?”

Ye Xiaoxuan shook his head, having no knowledge in this area. Yuan Caiyi held up one finger. Ye Xiaoxuan gasped, “Ten thousand? That expensive?”

Yuan Caiyi rolled her eyes, “Add two zeros—one million! For asphalt!”

“My goodness!” Ye Xiaoxuan, Chen Tianfeng, and Chen Ergou all exclaimed. One million per kilometer! From the village to the township is at least twenty kilometers—that’s over twenty million! Even if Ye Xiaoxuan sold everything he owned, he couldn’t raise that kind of money!

Yuan Caiyi sighed, “Now you understand why my father only talks but does nothing. I know he’s not very popular as village chief and hasn’t done much for the villagers, but he does think about everyone—he just lacks the courage! Raising that kind of money from the villagers would be a huge burden for everyone.”

Ye Xiaoxuan nodded. Yuan Desheng was the kind of leader who was well-meaning but without much achievement or failure. The villagers probably appreciated this and re-elected him year after year.

Unlike Chen Tianlei, who had done many bad things but also some good. At least the orchard Ye Xiaoxuan now managed was approved by him, regardless of whether it was to facilitate his own corruption.

Seeing Ye Xiaoxuan’s stunned expression, Yuan Caiyi laughed. Ye Xiaoxuan squinted his big eyes into a line, his originally delicate and refined appearance softened into something approachable and endearing. His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly looked away, asking, “What are you laughing at?”

Yuan Caiyi smiled, “Laughing at how you didn’t even inquire properly before deciding to do this and that, and how you collapse at the first difficulty.”

Ye Xiaoxuan snorted, “Who said I collapsed? We just don’t understand these things yet, but that doesn’t mean we’re giving up!”

Yuan Caiyi looked at him curiously, “What? You still want to repair the road? Where will you get such a huge sum?”

Ye Xiaoxuan took a deep breath, gazing out the window, and said resolutely, “The road must be fixed! If we can’t raise the money, I’ll find a way to borrow it! Without a good road, we’ll always be mocked as backward hillbillies! We can never allow our lives to change drastically for the better!”

Chen Tianfeng clapped his hands, “Boss, just for that sentence, I’m fully on board with you!”

Chen Ergou added, “Once the road’s repaired, it’ll benefit several villages. Of course, I’m unconditionally supportive!”

Yuan Caiyi looked at Ye Xiaoxuan, her heart stirred. This was the village’s so-called worthless kid, who grew up under the scornful eyes of others, but his heart thought about how to benefit the whole village—a passion her father lacked.

Yuan Caiyi turned and asked Ye Xiaoxuan, “Xiaoxuan, why don’t you become village chief? My father has wanted to step down for a long time. You could lead everyone to fix the road!”

Ye Xiaoxuan laughed heartily, “I’m not interested in being village chief! Don’t think of me as some great man. If the road isn’t fixed, I can’t sell my apples, and I can’t start any other venture! I’m just trying to make money for myself. Don’t believe those flowery words I said earlier!”

Yuan Caiyi was speechless...