C32 He Was Addicted to Eating Watermelons.

Sun's father's revelations gave Zhao Yuegu a deeper appreciation for Walden's worth.

He never imagined that such priceless treasures could be hidden deep within the mountains.

The mere title of an ancient Ming Dynasty village was enough to draw in throngs of visitors.

Inevitably, it would also attract investors looking to speculate and profit from the area's potential.

Walden was like a juicy morsel, tempting everyone to come and take a bite.

Was Sun's father harboring similar thoughts?

Zhao Yuegu's eyes fixed on Sun's father with a guarded expression.

Feeling the icy stare, Sun's father experienced a shiver down his spine, as if preyed upon by a wild beast.

Yet, when he turned around, the sensation vanished without a trace.

Zhao Yuegu's face was adorned with a guileless smile.

"There's no greed in his eyes, only deep respect," he thought.

"If he had ill intentions, he could've easily tricked me and taken the rosewood. No need for honesty."

Watching Lin Fu meticulously care for the rosewood furniture, Zhao Yuegu's doubts faded.

After all, this man was a figure of renown throughout Strathmore Province.

Besides...

His daughter had always been right by his side.

He should stick to farming; when the time came, he'd handle whatever needed to be done.

"Once this road is completed, there might not be much money left."

"But that could be an opportunity to lease all the village land."

"With more land under cultivation, the system's rewards will surely increase."

Zhao Yuegu's confidence surged.

The village elders were getting on in years.

Farming was no longer suitable for them.

As long as they had food on the table, they'd gladly entrust their land to Zhao Yuegu.

Perhaps he could even consider building a retirement home and inviting some doctors to the village.

"Still, it'll be a few months before the road is ready."

"One step at a time."

Zhao Yuegu's mind was busy with plans for Walden's future development.

In a way, the whole village was akin to his own estate.

This was his home.

It was at this moment that Sun Ying's exuberant cheers broke his train of thought.

"Boss, Director Xu is finally awake."

Xia Guo looked ashen, her legs shaky and her steps unsteady.

Without knowing she was carsick, one might have thought she'd been through an ordeal.

Xia Guo cradled her head, her gaze toward Zhao Yuegu brimming with gratitude.

In her semi-conscious state, she vividly felt the strength of his back as he carried her onward.

For a moment, her entire world seemed to hinge on that back, and his perfect profile appeared to glow with an endless radiance.

A profound sense of security filled her heart.

Yet, her expression quickly returned to one of impassivity.

Still, a softness lingered in the depths of her eyes.

"Thank you," she said.

Zhao Yuegu responded with a playful tone, "You should be thankful we're deep in the mountains—I didn't sell you off."

His words were light, but his concern for Xia Guo's safety was greater than anyone else's. An incident would surely draw the scrutiny of those above.

Xia Guo's expression darkened at the thought.

"Still, business is business, and personal is personal. If my investigation turns up any issues..."

"Go ahead and investigate," Zhao Yuegu said, spreading his hands nonchalantly. What did he have to fear?

"We've got watermelons at home. Want to check them out now?"

"Sure."

"That'll be five thousand yuan. Pay up."

Xia Guo gritted her teeth but agreed.

After all, five thousand yuan was a trivial sum.

But what came out with the cash was a slew of lab equipment, leaving everyone agape.

Such professionalism for watermelons?

Seeing Xia Guo's meticulous approach to sampling and analysis, even Zhao Yuegu's curiosity was piqued.

"I'm starting to wonder just how different these system-grown watermelons are from the regular ones."

Sun Ying was equally astonished, "Sister Xu, aren't you trained in economics? How do you know how to do this?"

Xia Guo blushed, "I'm just handling the sampling."

Zhao Yuegu rubbed his head in bemusement. All that professional posturing, and in the end, the data was still a mystery to them.

With no signal to send the data back, Xia Guo could only save it for later.

Then, she carefully took a bite of the freshly cut watermelon.

It seemed that, in the end, the true test for a five-thousand-yuan watermelon was as simple as tasting it. The sweetness and refreshing chill washed over her, easing the nausea from motion sickness and clearing the fog from her mind.

"This watermelon..."

With a voracious bite, Xia Guo sank her teeth into the juicy fruit.

The sweltering heat of the summer evening seemed to vanish, replaced by a gentle mountain breeze that brought comfort from head to toe.

Now this is living!

The thought sprang unbidden to her mind.

Zhao Yuegu watched Xia Guo's eager consumption and knew exactly what she was thinking.

So much for the investigation...

Could it be that even the most accomplished among us can't resist the allure of a watermelon they've grown themselves, decorum be damned?

When Xia Guo finally snapped out of her watermelon trance, she was greeted by a table strewn with nothing but rinds.

"How about it? My watermelon is worth the price, isn't it?"

Zhao Yuegu couldn't hide his smugness.

Xia Guo, still savoring the taste, wiped her mouth.

"It's truly delicious."

"So delicious that even I might be getting a little hooked."