228 Foreign Guests
“This navel orange…” Eldest Uncle couldn’t help but widen his eyes as he ate the sliced orange on the plate. “The navel orange fragrance is so strong. It’s even better than our oranges. Where did this come from?”
Eldest Uncle came back from the mountain. As soon as he entered, he smelled the rich orange fragrance of the navel orange. Then, he saw a plate of cut navel oranges on the dining table.
He took off his straw hat and hung it on the coat rack. His footsteps quickened as he took a piece from his plate and tasted it.
He was full of praise the moment he tasted it!
He had been growing navel oranges for almost twenty years and had eaten all kinds of navel oranges.
He dared to say that his navel orange was definitely the most authentic in the country. Even if the taste was not the best, it was definitely close.
However, this was the first time he had eaten an orange like this.
This taste was too good!
“Pfft!” Eldest Aunt said in amusement, “Where did this navel orange come from? Of course, it was Mingming who took it out.”
Eldest Uncle had expected this answer.
He did not ask Gu Qingming where this navel orange came from.
After eating one piece, he picked up another piece and then another. In short, he couldn’t stop eating.
In the blink of an eye, there was only one piece left on Eldest Uncle’s hand.
Eldest Aunt’s sharp gaze was fixed on the last piece on Eldest Uncle’s hand.
Eldest Uncle held the last piece. Under Eldest Aunt’s sharp gaze, he did not know whether to eat or not.
Then, he handed it to his wife and said with a smile, “Honey, I’m full. You can eat!”
Eldest Aunt said in amusement, “Alright, we’ve all eaten. We kept this for you to eat!”
Eldest Uncle immediately said happily, “Haha, my wife dotes on me!”
Eldest Aunt chuckled and said, “You’re the only one who knows how to talk! You’re already so old. Aren’t you ashamed?”
Eldest Uncle smiled and said, “What’s there to be embarrassed about? What I said is the truth!”
Eldest Aunt blushed. “Alright, you’re already so old. Don’t talk nonsense here!”
Eldest Aunt looked around and whispered, “Hubby, where do you think Mingming got this unique taste? It’s the same with the pumpkin, the cabbage, and the orange. When Mingming brings them, I feel that it tastes different!”
Actually, Eldest Uncle was also puzzled by this question.
However, her niece did not tell them where these things came from. Instead, she used various excuses.
He felt that these things seemed to have been conjured by a god. The quality and smell of these things were different from what they usually had.
The things she took out looked better and tasted even better. It was as if the best taste in the world was here.
What puzzled him now was that this niece was clearly here. Then where did she get her things?
Eldest Uncle thought for a moment and immediately said with a serious expression, “Honey, it’s fine as long as we know this question in our hearts. Don’t ask again in the future. Don’t ask in front of Mingming in the future, and don’t ask this question to outsiders!”
Eldest Aunt was slightly stunned. Then, she said with a serious expression, “Hubby, I know about this even if you don’t tell me. I’m just nagging at you. I won’t ask again in the future!”
Eldest Uncle sighed lightly and said, “I don’t know where Mingming got these things, but this might involve her secret, right? Since Mingming didn’t say it herself, let’s just be oblivious like before. I believe that if Mingming can tell us, she will definitely tell us.
“Alright, I understand!” Eldest Aunt wanted to roll her eyes, but she said angrily, “You’re Eldest Uncle, and I’m Eldest Aunt. I’ve always doted on Mingming as if she was my biological daughter.”
Eldest Uncle immediately smiled and said, “My wife has a good heart, I know!”
Eldest Aunt said in amusement, “You’re talking nonsense again. When we were young, I didn’t know you were so good at talking. You have to know that I liked you back then.”
Eldest Uncle said very seriously, “It’s good to be honest, but people who are too honest will suffer greatly.”
“Pfft!” Eldest Aunt waved her hand and said, “Alright, I’m going to work. Rest at home. You’ve been tired these past few days.”
Eldest Uncle shook his head and said, “No, there’s still a group of guests from the north in the afternoon! Last year, after they ate our navel orange, they said that they would come to our place to take a look this year. Look, they arrived in the afternoon. I have to receive them on the mountain.”
Eldest Aunt immediately stopped what she was doing and asked, “Then should we invite them to our house and make a delicious meal to entertain them? How many people are there?”
Eldest Uncle shook his head and said, “I heard that there are ten to twenty people! They are all interested in navel oranges.”
“Oh, so many people?” Eldest Aunt asked. “Why don’t we let them come over for a meal tonight? I’ll get Xiaoyu and the others to kill chickens and ducks later.”
Eldest Uncle thought for a moment and said, “Alright, I’ll ask them first.”
Then, he made a call.
After hanging up, he said, “Get someone to prepare it. They promised to come to our house for dinner tonight!”
He looked at the time again, picked up his straw hat, and said, “They’re almost here. I have to pick them up.”
Eldest Aunt immediately said, “Don’t you want to rest for a while?”
Eldest Uncle shook his head and said, “There’s no time. I have to pick them up. Prepare two or three tables!”
“Alright!” Eldest Aunt replied.
After Eldest Uncle went to town to pick up these people, he brought them up the mountain.
A customer asked in a northern accent, “Boss Shi, are all the oranges by the roadside navel oranges? Are these oranges as delicious as yours?”
Eldest Uncle smiled and said, “Actually, many of these fruits are not local fruits. The taste is different. It depends on whether you like it or not!”
A customer immediately said excitedly, “Wait a moment, I’ll get a few catties to try!”
Every day, during the navel orange harvesting season, there were navel oranges on both sides of the town street. Moreover, they were all polished and bright. The orange skin was bright and red, looking very appetizing.
Most importantly, these navel oranges were very cheap.
Those who did not know better would think that the price of the local navel orange was this price. It was the bosses who sold navel oranges in the mountains who scammed these customers.
However, as a local, Eldest Uncle knew very well.
Only a few of these roadside navel oranges were authentic local navel oranges, which might have been sold at home.
Others sold navel oranges. They were either selected sub-standard fruit or shipped back from overseas and sold with the reputation of local navel oranges.
Was it delicious or not? This was probably a matter of opinion.