A Divine Farmer

C10 – How Did You Move?

Nonetheless, once they settled into their respective seats, there was no sign of anything out of the ordinary from them. Their glances only occasionally brushed over this way.

The car halted twice in succession. A group of young men boarded. The leader of the pack sported gleaming earrings on his ears and even rings adorned his nose.

It marked the first instance Zhang Xiaoloong had seen someone with so many piercings on their body, particularly their nose. In his memory, he’d only witnessed a cow getting a ring in its nose when it was being used for farming. He found city folk quite peculiar for enduring this kind of piercing without showing any pain.

These individuals shook their heads and sought seats at the back. The guy with the nose ring, leading the group, suddenly spotted the girl next to Zhang Xiaoloong. His eyes instantly brightened. He walked up and gave Zhang Xiaoloong’s shoulder a friendly pat. “Make room for another seat.”

Zhang Xiaoloong felt a little perplexed. He had initially believed he recognized this girl, but when he turned to look and found his daughter scowling at him, he quickly caught on to the situation.

“I prefer sitting here,” Zhang Xiaoloong stated as he lifted his head, his gaze meeting hers.

“Hey, hey, are you disrespecting Big Brother Bi?” The group of young men who had approached earlier all rose to their feet with a resounding thud.

The young woman beside him also regarded Zhang Xiaoloong with unease, uncertain of his next move.

A hint of arrogance gleamed in Big Brother Bi’s eyes. “Buddy, you’re from the countryside, right? In Qingyang City, very few people are unfamiliar with Big Brother Bi. If you run into any issues, don’t hesitate to seek me out. How about joining my pals over there?”

“No,” Zhang Xiaoloong responded this time, his attention not even wavering from his initial position.

“What’s going on? You’re returning me my seat, aren’t you?” The others chimed in, attempting to embrace him in conversation.

“What’s the matter here? He’s my little brother.” The young woman interjected suddenly. Her voice was melodious yet held a hint of annoyance. “I’m sitting with my little brother willingly. What gives you the right to have him switch?”

Upon hearing her words, Big Brother Bi gestured for the group to take their seats and turned a smile to the young woman. “Ah, so you’re the beauty’s little brother. It was a misunderstanding.”

He extended his hand, producing a one-hundred-yuan red note from his pocket and playfully dangled it in front of Zhang Xiaoloong. “Brother, I need to have a word with your sister. How about we trade seats?”

“I have nothing to discuss with you!” The young woman’s irritation deepened.

“Hehe, miss, I didn’t tell you… I am talking to my buddy.” Big Brother Bi handed over the red ticket to Zhang Xiaoloong. “What do you say, buddy? Switch seats. This cash is for you. Did something good happen for you in the city?”

Curious glances from all around the vehicle landed on them, but silence prevailed. It was clear that Big Brother Bi wasn’t someone to be messed with. With his entourage in tow, no one wanted to invite trouble.

Regarding Zhang Xiaoloong, anyone could see at a glance that he wasn’t the girl’s sibling.

Although the girl wore oversized sunglasses, their resemblance couldn’t be ascertained. But based solely on Zhang Xiaoloong’s unsophisticated attire, it was evident he was a recently arrived rural lad. He was a distinct figure from the girl.

“Why are you offering so much just to switch seats?” Zhang Xiaoloong displayed a look of surprise.

“Exactly. That’s why you encountered me right after entering the city. It seems you’ve got yourself a patron. Take the money and be on your way,” Big Brother Bi proclaimed, lifting his eyebrows proudly towards the woman inside. He was evidently flaunting his influence.

The girl was genuinely vexed, not just by Big Brother Bi, but also by Zhang Xiaoloong. Her opinion of him had significantly soured. A man who could be swayed with a mere hundred yuan had lost all her respect. She had earlier believed him to be more straightforward.

“I can’t accept this money.” Handing the money to Big Brother Bi, Zhang Xiaoloong explained, “You’re right. I’m a farmer, and this is my first time in the city. But us farmers live by the principle of hard work and honest earning. Swapping seats is simply an action; there’s no need to be compensated so heavily.”

“I must admit, you carry yourself with quite some dignity,” Big Brother Bi commented, a smile forming. He surmised that Zhang Xiaoloong had just had a realization.

If Zhang Xiaoloong actually accepted his hundred dollars and left the vehicle, Big Brother Bi would undoubtedly assign someone to keep an eye on him, serving him a generous portion of fist-based cuisine.

“It’s not some grand gesture. Us farmers are all like this,” Zhang Xiaoloong replied with a sincere smile.

The young woman beside him found herself in a mixed state of amusement and exasperation. She realized that this seemingly naive guy was truly “simple-minded.” Initially, she believed his motivations were rooted in greed, only to discover that it wasn’t greed but rather a missing piece in his thinking.

Onlookers standing nearby assumed that Zhang Xiaoloong had backed down. Their reasoning was understandable. It was the first time a country bumpkin had ventured into the city. How could he possibly dare challenge these local troublemakers? Nonetheless, the girl by his side would probably have to endure some injustice.

However, after waiting for a minute, Zhang Xiaoloong didn’t make any move. Big Brother Bi’s patience wore thin. “Kid, why haven’t you made your move yet?”

Zhang Xiaoloong appeared baffled. “Why should I make a move?”

“Weren’t you the one who said you’d work diligently to earn every cent? If you had to switch seats, you’d do so. Now you’re asking me for money, and you want to switch seats, isn’t that it?” Big Brother Bi sensed something amiss. His eyes widened, his tone bordering on menacing.

“But I’ve never taken a penny from you. So why should I give you money to change seats?” Zhang Xiaoloong responded calmly.

Big Brother Bi’s facial expression twitched. He finally grasped that the other party was messing with him. “Young man, do you think the money isn’t enough? I’ll add two more to it.”

Zhang Xiaoloong didn’t waver, holding his gaze steady. He asserted resolutely, “We farmers have our principles. We won’t lose a single cent of what’s rightfully ours, and we won’t take a single cent that we shouldn’t have earned.”

“Well said. You carry the steadfastness of a farmer who knows their worth!” A middle-aged man in his forties from the opposite row stood up. His attire was simple, and his face showed signs of age. Yet, his voice was clear and forceful, exuding confidence. Pointing at Big Brother Bi and the others, he remarked, “This young man has chosen not to change, so you shouldn’t push him.”

“Who do you think you are? Mind your own business. I’ll pay to change my seat. It’s due to your ancestral grave, isn’t it?” Big Brother Bi felt frustrated. Why were these nuisances showing up today? He pushed the middle-aged man into his seat and then turned his attention to grabbing Zhang Xiaoloong’s ear. “I’ll ask you one more time. Do you want to… Ah…”

But before he could finish his question, Big Brother Bi’s voice turned into a shout. Instead of clutching Zhang Xiaoloong’s ear, his outstretched hand seemed to get caught in a massive iron clamp. The sensation was as if his hand’s bones were on the brink of shattering.

“I won’t budge!” Zhang Xiaoloong gave a slight push. Big Brother Bi, with one hand caught and a few steps backward, had to struggle to regain his balance.

The young girl seated by the window exhibited a peculiar gleam in her eyes. She hadn’t expected Zhang Xiaoloong, this seemingly “naive” boy, to possess some skills.

“Guys, give this kid a good loosening!” Big Brother Bi’s face couldn’t handle it any longer. He couldn’t even handle a rustic country bumpkin. How could he ever hold his head up high from now on?

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