Chapter 338 - Xiao Chen Whose Position Had Dropped Sharply


    ?Su Ming arrived home and promptly tossed the clothes he had worn while working over the past two days into the washing machine for a quick wash. Afterward, he hung them out to dry on the balcony. Settling into his recliner, he soaked up the sun''s warmth. Surrounded by lush green rice seedlings and the asional sight of fish darting through the water, apanied by the soft clucking of chickens, he reveled in the serene atmosphere. It was delightful!


    Before he knew it, Su Ming had drifted off to sleep, not waking until night had fallen. He awoke to find ayer of dew covering him. Luckily, he had taken a Body-stretching Pill, which bolstered his robust health, sparing him from catching a cold.


    After rising, Su Ming surveyed hisnd briefly before heading to the breeding zone to feed the animals. Later, he retreated indoors and spent several hours gaming, quickly ascending to the rank of top yer. It wasn''t until well into the night that he finally sumbed to a deep sleep.


    Come morning, Su Ming opened his eyes, freshened up, and enjoyed his breakfast. Stepping outside, he noticed that the two buildings behind his house had been demolished, exining the newfound spaciousness. Workers were busy preparing the foundations, which would soon be filled with soil, readying thend for cultivation.


    Donning the new water boots he had purchased the day before, Su Ming set out to weed his farnd. As he worked diligently, the sound of approaching footsteps caught his attention. He walked to the door and was greeted by Xiao Chen''s smiling face.


    “Brother-inw,” Xiao Chen greeted cheerfully.


    ?”What brings you here?” Su Ming inquired with a smile.


    “Brother-inw, my sister apanied our grandfather today and couldn''t make it,” Xiao Chen exined.


    ?Su Ming couldn''t help but roll his eyes discreetly. His question had been directed at Xiao Chen''s presence, not the absence of his sister. Misinterpreting Su Ming''s reaction for disappointment, Xiao Chen quickly added, “Don''t worry, brother-inw, my sister will be here this afternoon.”


    “Scram!” Su Ming responded, a mix of amusement and exasperation in his voice.


    ?Realizing his oversight, Xiao Chen pped his forehead and said, “Brother-inw, I got so excited seeing you that I forgot to discuss the important matter. My dad sent me to inform you that the buildings were demolishedst night, and the workers are currently preparing the foundation. In two days, you''ll be able to start farming on these plots.”


    “They''re simultaneously building walls as they tear down the two buildings. The new walls will match the existing ones.”


    “Their work pace is impressive!” Xiao Chen eximed.


    “I''m not particrly concerned about the speed,” Su Ming said with a smile. He had done the math; once the six acres ofnd were consolidated, all of his crops would be perfectly ripe for harvesting. All except for that one special nt, which needed a few more days to reach maturity. Su Ming was filled with anticipation, eager to see the transformation of thend once it wasbined. He nced at Xiao Chen and noticed the dark circles under his eyes. “Did you not get any sleepst night?” Su Ming inquired.


    Xiao Chen''s expression turned to one of self-pity. “Brother-inw, let''s not talk about that.” He was beginning to feel like the lowest-ranking member of his family. Just the previous night, he had been cozily in bed when his father summoned him. “Go to the construction site and supervise the workers for Mr. Su!” So, Xiao Chen dutifully headed to the site and pulled an all-nighter. If he had spent the night gaming at an inte cafe or partying at a club, he wouldn''t have been nearly as worn out. The construction site was dusty, surrounded by steel and concrete, and he was among workers wearing hats, their faces smeared with grime. He stood there, as still as a post, but his presence made a difference. Without him, the workers wouldn''t have demolished the buildings so quickly; his watchful eye kept them from cking off.


    “Hold on a second,” Su Ming said with a chuckle, then went inside to retrieve a bottle of the Body-stretching Pill. Xiao Chen eyed the dark liquid warily. “Brother-inw, we don''t have any bad blood, do we?” he joked. “Rest assured, I''d happily leave all my inheritance to my sister and not take a dime for myself. Do I really have to drink this?” The sight of the ck liquid made him uneasy; it looked toxic, and in the sunlight, it seemed to emit a greenish glow—no consumable liquid should ever look like that. Su Ming gave Xiao Chen a yful tap on the head and urged, “Stop the nonsense! Drink up, it''s beneficial for you.”


    Xiao Chen nodded in agreement.


    He couldn''t help but think, “Great, another person to keep me in line. As if my grandfather, parents, and sister weren''t enough. My luck just keeps getting worse.”


    Despite his trepidation, he epted the bottle.


    He was concerned that rejecting Su Ming would lead to aint to his father, which would surely result in punishment.


    ?With a sigh, he resigned himself to his fate.


    With a look of resignation, Xiao Chen took a swig.


    Su Ming chuckled at the sight.


    ?Contrary to his expectations, the ck liquid wasn''t bad at all. In fact, after just one gulp, his exhaustion vanishedpletely, leaving him feeling invigorated with boundless energy.


    ?”Brother-inw, what is this stuff?”


    Su Ming yfully tapped Xiao Chen''s head once more.


    “Don''t ask about things that don''t concern you!”


    Xiao Chen noddedpliantly.


    Su Ming observed Xiao Chen''s reaction with a smile. He found the act of patting his head quite satisfying and gave in to the urge to do it again.


    Xiao Chen was utterly baffled.


    “Brother-inw, why are you doing that?”


    “The sensation of patting your head is quite pleasant; I just couldn''t resist,” Su Ming admitted with a heartyugh.


    ?”Brother-inw, you''re picking on me.”


    ?A look of hurt crossed Xiao Chen''s face as he imagined a bleak future filled with such teasing.


    “Are you upset?”


    Su Ming gave him a stern look, his hand poised for another pat.


    ?”I''m thrilled!” Xiao Chen quickly shielded his head and retreated three steps.


    Then something urred to him, and he blurted out, “The workers unearthed a mouth of spring at the construction site. I''m not sure if we should seal it. Would you like to check it out?”


    Su Ming''s interest was piqued at the mention of a mouth of spring—a valuable find.


    ?He envisioned drilling a well there, freeing himself from the need to use tap water. After all, spring water is surely purer.


    ?”Let''s go have a look.”


    “Sounds good!”


    Xiao Chen took the lead, with Su Ming following close behind.