The Happy Farmer Wanderer-Chapter 22 A Rare Opportunity_1

Fatty Hu fired up the computer and, with a reverent touch, pulled out his boasted treasure trove of a vintage disc collection from the back of the cabinet.

"Qingzi, let me tell you, it’s really hard to find these things nowadays." Fatty Hu inserted the disc into the reader, rubbing his hands together with a look of eager anticipation, "Damn, computers don’t even come with a place to put discs anymore, had to get a separate disc reader."

Li Qing had quite a rough few years, so his life was anything but cutting-edge.

But he was aware of these changes.

On the computer screen appeared familiar subtitles, and Fatty Hu exclaimed excitedly, "See? It’s high-def, none of that censored crap!"

Li Qing also couldn’t help but focus intently.

If that was the case, it really was a collector’s edition, one that you might not even find on the internet.

But just as the intro ended and the highlight scene began, suddenly there was a knock at the door.

Both men were startled.

Fatty Hu frantically tried to shut down the computer, wildly signaling with his eyes for Li Qing to stall for time.

Li Qing had no choice but to get up, and after he saw Fatty Hu brutally yank out the computer’s power cord, he opened the door.

"Auntie Yu Lan."

Standing at the door was Yu Lan.

"I’ve prepared some fruit for you. By the way, there’s something else I wanted to ask Qingzi," said Yu Lan.

Li Qing took the plate and curiously asked, "What’s the matter, Auntie?"

"Shall we talk downstairs?" Yu Lan inquired, searching his face.

Li Qing agreed, but he couldn’t help feeling puzzled. By all accounts, Yu Lan shouldn’t have anything she needed to discuss with him directly, but since she had mentioned it, he didn’t feel right about refusing.

Turning back to the room, Li Qing set down the fruit-laden plate, gestured to Fatty Hu to clean up slowly, and then followed Yu Lan downstairs.

"I heard you went with Xiao Wei to the neighboring village today?" Yu Lan asked nonchalantly on the first floor.

Li Qing didn’t expect her to be interested in such things, but he nodded and replied, "Yes, we went together."

"Truth be told, I shouldn’t really be concerning myself with this, but his dad had some business to attend to today and might be away for three to five days," Yu Lan said calmly. "Before he left, he asked me to look after this matter."

"I can’t get a straight answer out of Xiao Wei’s mouth, so I can only ask you, Qingzi," she continued.

Li Qing understood the situation. "Auntie Yu Lan is being too polite. What do you want to ask?" he said.

"Have you seen that girl?" Auntie Yu Lan asked.

"Almost the same as Auntie Yu Lan, a heavenly beauty, with a temperament similar to Yu Lan’s, somewhat aloof," Li Qing replied earnestly.

Yu Lan probably didn’t expect Li Qing to compare her with the girl, and her face turned slightly red.

"What beauty am I..." Yu Lan sighed wistfully. "I’m really just the dregs. His dad always complains that I can’t do anything right and that it would be better to keep a maid just for her youth."

Li Qing laughed, "If Auntie Yu Lan is any more modest, there won’t be any room left for other women to stand."

Yu Lan looked down slightly with a light chuckle, "Qingzi, you really have a way with words."

As she lowered her head, that deep cleavage just happened to be right in Li Qing’s view.

In the middle of the cleavage was a small, pure green pendant.

"Auntie, it’s not that I’m good with words, it’s just that you truly are beautiful," Li Qing said with a smile.

Though everyone was about the same age, the generational gap was there, which made it somewhat awkward for Li Qing to speak his mind.

"Talking about someone else’s daughter, but the topic shifts onto me, do you think Xiao Wei and Wu Xingxing could make it?" Yu Lan shifted the conversation, resting her chin in one hand as she asked.

"I think that girl is quite nice, but whether they can make it or not, that’s hard to say," Li Qing answered honestly.

The thoughts of Hu the Fatty, in his opinion, were completely unnecessary.

Yu Lan moved her perky butt closer to Li Qing, leaned in, and whispered, "Qingzi, do you have any tricks up your sleeve to set them up? Xiao Wei’s dad has taken a liking to that girl."

They were sitting on the same sofa, merely half a meter apart.

With Yu Lan’s shift, she was almost cuddled up next to Li Qing.

But Li Qing didn’t move, even feeling somewhat expectant.

Smelling the faint scent of osmanthus emanating from Yu Lan, Li Qing shook his head and said, "Auntie Yu Lan, I think you shouldn’t rush this. Let’s see how they interact when they meet before making any decisions."

"That’s true," Yu Lan chuckled, "This is the first time his dad has tasked me with something so important, I got too worried."

"Why don’t you go up and enjoy yourself? I see you’re busy all day every day; it’s rare for you to have a moment of rest."

Li Qing agreed, stood up, and was about to head upstairs when Yu Lan suddenly called out to him again.

She handed him a speaker, "You... take this up with you too, it’s connected to Xiao Wei’s computer."

"I know you young folks, but watching... that stuff too often is not good for you. Try showing some restraint."

Li Qing froze.

No wonder there was no sound when he was watching just now.

Turns out the sound was downstairs, and Auntie Yu Lan had heard it.

Li Qing felt as if he’d socially died on the spot, too embarrassed to even look into Auntie Yu Lan’s pure eyes.

Yu Lan stuffed the speaker into Li Qing’s hands, "Speaking of which, you’re also at an age to find a partner. Get yourself a woman, watching that stuff is harmful to your health."

"If you really can’t find someone you like, Auntie can look out for you, I have a few unmarried girls in my extended family."

Li Qing stammered uneasily, "Auntie, I’m... not in a hurry yet."

"We’re about the same age, my husband is nearly forty, and you’re still not in a hurry. If someday you want to find a woman to live with, just tell Auntie. I’ll take care of it for you," Yu Lan said.

Her talk today was unusually plentiful, unlike her usual self, as if she had become a different person.

Li Qing, embarrassed by Yu Lan’s words, kept nodding and said, "I will surely trouble Auntie in the future."

"Go on then, and also advise Xiao Wei to watch less of those films. He should focus on how to get Wu Xingxing to fall for him," Yu Lan suggested.

Li Qing bowed his head, merely agreeing repeatedly.

He was so embarrassed, he wished he could just dig a hole and move into it.

His lifelong reputation was now tarnished, all because he’d just enjoyed a splendid section of his treasured collection of films.

With such an incident, it was only natural that Li Qing and Hu the Fatty ended up not watching films but playing video games instead.

As evening approached, Li Qing made a point of going home around dinnertime.

Passing by the cornfield, Li Qing spotted Caili, the wife of the lame man, from a distance.

She was carrying a handbag and standing on the ridge of the field as if waiting for someone.

Li Qing needed to follow the main road home, unable to avoid her, and he was just about to go up and say hello.

But then he saw Gao Li approaching from the distance...