C22 Zhong Yule

How should he break it to Wang Dali? Tell him that his farming speed had skyrocketed to 100 times the normal rate, thanks to a system from the heavens? How cool would that be?

But that was out of the question. Revealing the existence of the system would inevitably lead to trouble, no matter how he spun it.

Dali had a point, though. If he kept up this supernatural pace of growing crops, and if he frequently sold his produce to Liang Deshun, it would raise eyebrows. Any reasonable person would find it odd.

Sure, he could trade his harvest with the system, but that would only earn him system gold coins, not the much-needed soft currency.

Gold coins had their perks, but they weren't edible. He needed soft currency for essentials like food and clothing.

He had to devise a foolproof plan for selling his future crops.

Riding in the back seat, Dali didn't overthink it. He simply expressed his admiration, "Mr. Liu, you're truly remarkable."

Liu Feng felt a twinge of guilt, but naturally, he couldn't let on.

"Once I've figured it out, I'll grow some for you too. No rush."

"I'm not worried. I have faith in you, Mr. Liu. You'll work it out. I'd say you're the top talent in our town now."

Top talent? That label seemed archaic. Liu Feng silently critiqued it.

"People used to call Town Mayor Lu 'the capable one,' but I think 'Liu the Capable' rolls off the tongue better."

'Liu the Capable'? That nickname sounded a bit off. It gave Liu Feng the uneasy feeling that it carried a hint of insult.

Their casual conversation continued as they reached the town hospital.

After his medication was changed, a nurse fitted Liu Feng with a clear plastic mask to protect his face and help the fractured bones heal more quickly.

"Is Zhong Yule still in the ward?" Liu Feng inquired of the nurse who had just attended to him, the same one who had cared for them both the day before.

"Oh, he's still here."

With a positive response, Liu Feng decided to pay him a visit.

It was an impromptu idea, primarily motivated by the mission. Since making headway with Zhong Yuyuan seemed challenging, he figured he might as well take an indirect approach and learn what he could from her brother. Even if he didn't uncover anything crucial, any information about Zhong Yuyuan could prove useful in dealing with her effectively.

Upon reaching the third floor, they made their way back to yesterday's hospital room.

"How's it going, little brother?"

Zhong Yule had been resting with his eyes closed, but at the sound of the voice, he opened them to see Liu Feng, then promptly shut them again.

"Who's your brother?" His response was unapologetically curt.

Huh, this kid's got some fire in him. I noticed that yesterday, Liu Feng mused.

He glanced at the nameplate at the foot of the bed, which read 'Zhong Yule.'

"So, you're Yule. Here I was thinking it meant 'happy.'"

"Tsk, who would be named after such a terrible pun?" Zhong Yule retorted disdainfully, eyes still closed.

This kid wasn't going to be easy to handle.

"What's with the attitude?" Liu Feng held back, but Wang Dali, standing to the side, was visibly irritated.

Hearing Wang Dali, Zhong Yule opened his eyes and shifted uncomfortably, remaining silent.

"Alright, enough beating around the bush," Liu Feng said, sensing the kid's disdain. He decided to cut to the chase. "Let's talk about your situation. How did you manage to get on Jin Ya's bad side?"

Before Zhong Yule could respond, Liu Feng continued, "I don't need to pry, but now that I'm wrapped up in this mess, and since it's all because of you, I'm here to get some answers."

Zhong Yule glanced at Liu Feng, then at Wang Dali, and after a moment's thought, he began, "I got into trouble with Jin Ya because I stole his money."

"Jin Ya operates a gambling den in the next town over. I used to swipe cash from the gamblers there, but they weren't exactly rolling in dough, so the pickings were slim. That's when I decided to target the casino itself."

"To my surprise, I hit the jackpot on my first try, making off with 35,000 yuan. I figured it'd be a cinch to go back for more, but that's when he caught me."

As Zhong Yule recounted his tale, Liu Feng studied him closely.

He appeared to be just seventeen or eighteen, possibly younger. His build was slight, and he was somewhat skinny, but his eyes were brimming with life, exuding a vibrant energy.

After hearing his words, Liu Feng hesitated briefly before asking, "How old are you?"

"...Fifteen."

Just as he suspected, the boy wasn't even of age.

"Why aren't you in school?"

"No money, and I don't want to go anymore."

"What about your parents?"

"They're gone."

Liu Feng had sensed something amiss when the incident occurred at their doorstep, suspecting that only the siblings remained. Now confirmed, it was indeed just the two of them, leaning on each other for support.

"How old is your sister?"

"…" Zhong Yule glanced at Liu Feng before finally answering, "She's 23."

The same age as Liu Feng, yet the weight she carried was worlds apart.

Liu Feng watched Zhong Yule, unsure of what to say next. Should he inquire about the cause of their parents' death? That seemed too intrusive and could potentially open old wounds. Better to steer the conversation elsewhere.

"The town library, I heard it was built by your father?"

"Yes. And all the books were his."

Really? His father's entire collection? Impressive. Even if it wasn't a grand library, just two stories, it must house thousands, maybe tens of thousands of books.

That was quite substantial.

"Later, my dad donated the library. Now it's managed by the town."

Zhong Yule's spirits visibly lifted when the topic turned to the library.

"So, how do you two get by now?"

"My sister works as a librarian there. The town pays her, and I manage to scrape together some money on the side."

It was the classic blueprint of a tragic family: orphaned siblings fending for themselves, the elder sister shouldering the family burdens at a tender age, working tirelessly to provide and educate her brother, who had dropped out of school and was resorting to petty theft...

It was a grim picture, no matter how one looked at it.

Liu Feng wasn't a philanthropist, nor did he have the means to help everyone struggling through tough times. He could only look after himself and the few within his circle.

However, with the system task now before him, he knew he had to forge a strong bond with the siblings to delve deeper into the mission and unravel the connection between the Zhong family and the farm.

"What about the money you stole? Do you still have it?"

Zhong Yule fell silent, clearly reluctant to bring up the matter, or perhaps unwilling to return the funds.

Even though Mr. Hai had mentioned that he'd handle Jin Ya if he returned, the fact remained that Zhong Yule had taken someone else's money, and there was no justifying that. It seemed unlikely that the issue would be easily resolved.

Despite Mr. Hai's willingness to shoulder the entire burden, Liu Feng couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.