Chapter 23: Chapter 23

C23 – Not Pure!

“Hello, my name is Zhao Yuegu.”

“Dong Qingqing, Mr. Lin, you’re even more handsome in person than in your videos.”

Her alluring eyes swept over Zhao Yuegu, lingering appreciatively.

Dong Qingqing couldn’t help but feel a bit thrilled.

She was fond of scrolling through short videos herself. Upon discovering Zhao Yuegu’s clips, she became quite smitten.

She had even left a comment once.

“Little brother, hurry into my arms.”

But…

She never imagined she’d actually meet Zhao Yuegu face-to-face.

Life has a way of surprising you.

They shook hands and took their seats.

Yet…

Zhao Yuegu could tell Dong Qingqing was visibly excited.

The road construction was finally looking hopeful!

After discussing the matter, Zhao Yuegu was clued in on the specifics.

The engineering companies capable of road construction had all been in talks with the road authority of Zeffari.

But the outcome was always the same: the town wouldn’t foot the bill.

Even with substantial discounts offered.

The projects always fell through, one after another.

The stumbling block, as always, was money.

“To construct this road, we’ll need to excavate a tunnel with a shield machine.”

Zhao Yuegu probed, gauging the resources at Dong Qingqing’s disposal.

“Don’t worry, we have two shield machines ready to go, and we can get our hands on more if needed.”

“We’ve worked on the Everbreach subway line and built its elevated highways. Building a road to Walden Village will be no issue for us.”

“The only thing we’d need is to tap into Mr. Watermelon’s online popularity.”

“That won’t be a problem,” Zhao Yuegu responded promptly.

Online traffic didn’t mean much to him.

The road construction, however, was a priority.

“When can you start? I’m ready to pay a deposit now.”

Sun Ying’s brow furrowed.

“You’re a farmer, aren’t you? How can you afford so much money?”

She had been biting her tongue, but finally, she couldn’t keep it in any longer.

“Pretending to be a farmer is just one of his quirky hobbies,” she blurted out.

Sun Ying had been itching to make that point!

Could a farmer shop in malls as if stocking up on supplies?

Could a farmer purchase a six-million-yuan car without batting an eye?

Could a farmer use a presidential suite as a storage room?

Are you kidding me?

There’s no such farmer in the world.

Yet Zhao Yuegu just smiled and had the hotel bring over a card reader.

It seemed necessary to show off the account balance.

“Is that enough?”

Sun Ying immediately nodded.

“I’ll call the company right now!”

Zhao Yuegu watched Sun Ying rise and walk away, her slender waist swaying, as she communicated with the company.

Before long, she returned beaming with happiness.

“The company’s survey and assessment team will arrive tomorrow.”

“Good, once the survey is done, I’ll pay the deposit. The faster we get this road fixed, the better.”

“No problem, Mr. Lin. How about dinner together tonight?”

But then, Yang Suyu tugged at Zhao Yuegu, speaking on his behalf.

“No, we have other plans later.”

“Could I at least get your contact information?” Dong Qingqing asked, a touch of disappointment in her eyes.

After exchanging details, Zhao Yuegu was whisked away by Sun Ying.

“What’s the rush?”

Zhao Yuegu gave Sun Ying a teasing look.

“Her gaze at you wasn’t innocent. I didn’t want you to be taken advantage of.”

“What could I possibly lose?”

“She’s quite old.”

“…”

Zhao Yuegu was at a loss for words.

Since when is late twenties considered old?

Dong Qingqing was just a woman with a mature allure…

This young lady was spoiling his chances.

He shook his head, dismissing the thought.

Such matters couldn’t be forced.

Besides…

He wasn’t the type to be frivolous.

“Tomorrow, I need to drive into the mountains, but I’m worried these tires won’t cut it. They need to be changed.”

The Lamborghini Urus might be categorized as an off-road vehicle, but its tires were low-profile, meant for paved roads.

They’d be useless in the mud!

The best solution was to switch to a set of off-road wheels and tires.

“Should we install a luggage rack too?”

“That would be perfect.”

“My brother owns a garage; he can get it all sorted for you today.”

Sun Ying playfully stuck out her tongue.

She might not understand Zhao Yuegu’s reasons, but if he wanted to splurge on his hobbies, who was she to question it?

Of course, when the mechanic started fitting the off-road wheels and lifting the vehicle, everyone else was taken aback.

A six-million-yuan Lamborghini going off-road?

Do all wealthy people indulge in such extravagant hobbies?

The car’s body was damaged by stones, and the cost of repainting was more than half a year’s income for them!

I just can’t wrap my head around it.

Neither can Zhao Yuegu.

In any case, the car was being used as nothing more than a workhorse.

And why didn’t he opt for something cheaper?

Well, it’s because the pricier eight-cylinder engine packed more power. Even the Mercedes-Benz G-Class has gone down to four cylinders, and there’s a real fear of it getting bogged down in mud on mountain roads.

Moreover…

The space in the back of the car was pretty generous, perfect for hauling vegetables in the future.

It would save the hassle of always borrowing the village chief’s cow.

Of course…

Maybe there’s something about that raging bull emblem on the Lamborghini that appeals to him.

What farmer doesn’t have a soft spot for bulls?

Before nightfall, the car was all set.

“You’re probably the only one brave enough to take this car on mountain roads.”

Sun Ying pressed her hand to her forehead.

But Zhao Yuegu just chuckled.

Aren’t cars meant to be driven?

They’re of no use sitting in a museum.

And that roof rack could certainly carry a hefty load.

Zhao Yuegu was quite pleased with that.

After Sun Ying dropped Zhao Yuegu back at the hotel and they agreed on a time to meet the next day, she headed straight home.

She had a room in the suite, sure, but her parents were waiting at home…

There was no way she’d risk spending the night out.

Her parents would have her hide!

Lying in the hotel bed, Zhao Yuegu curiously scrolled through his phone.

He checked out information about Everbreach and gauged his own trending status.

“Huh, made it to the hot search list already? And at number two?”

He tapped into the post nonchalantly. It was a candid shot of him at the mall.

Ah, it must be from when he was shoe shopping.

Over two million likes and upwards of 140,000 comments.

Wow.

These netizens sure have a lot of time on their hands!

Zhao Yuegu browsed through the comments.

“A sales clerk in the mall claimed Mr. Watermelon is worth billions.”

“Mr. Watermelon is all about the hype, isn’t he?”

“Why does Goddess Yabei insist Mr. Watermelon is the real deal farmer?”

“I seriously doubt that was anything but a setup by the program team.”

“Don’t be so cynical. Mr. Watermelon has made a tidy sum from selling watermelons.”

“How many watermelons would it take to amass a fortune over a hundred million?!”

By and large, aside from a few unscrupulous and relentless female fans, the positive feedback was scarce.

Zhao Yuegu remained unfazed.

He tended his own land, made his own money, honestly and fairly. Let them talk as they pleased.

Yet, the controversy had an unexpected silver lining—it thrust Walden into the spotlight, igniting hope for the long-awaited road construction. That, Zhao Yuegu found quite heartening.

Maybe this was the true power of the internet.

It had the ability to bring issues to light and capture the public’s attention.

It offered their secluded little village, once cut off from the world, a renewed chance to reconnect!

Still.

What he looked forward to even more was the arrival of the survey team the next day.