Chapter 26: Old Osman (1)

  "Hello, hello, my name is Huang Guoliang, I am Xiao Jun's uncle."

  Huang Guoliang warmly greeted Song Wen.

  Song Wen was taken aback, feeling a bit surprised and flattered, as if he didn't know him at all. What's going on? However, he still greeted politely: "Hello, my name is Song Wen, you can call me Ah Wen."

  "What? You also like growing osmanthus?"

  "Hmm..."

  "I'm the same, this Osmanthus fragrans is not only ornamental, but also medicinal. The flowers of Osmanthus fragrans can dispel phlegm and relieve cough; the fruit can warm the stomach and calm the liver. The root of Osmanthus fragrans can expel wind and dampness, and disperse cold. It can be said that it has many uses."

  "I didn't know you were so knowledgeable about osmanthus."

  "Of course."

  Huang Guoliang said with a smile, but in his heart he thought, fortunately, he usually reads books, otherwise who would know what osmanthus is used for? It seems that Uncle Mao's words "reading is power" are indeed true.

  After saying a few words, he felt that Song Wen was quite temperamental, so he put his big hands on Song Wen's shoulders and said in a very generous tone: "Let's go take a look at which osmanthus tree you like, I'll have someone dig it up for you."

  "How can this be good?"

  "There's nothing wrong with it, Xiaojun's friends are my friends." Huang Guoliang said straightforwardly.

  Song Wen felt a bit dizzy and thought to himself, "Uncle, can't we just be from different generations?"

  Huang Xiaojun beside him looked puzzled, and didn't know what was wrong with her uncle. She probably didn't know that this uncle had decided to personally charge forward to gather information about the enemy for her lifelong major event.

  Soon, Song Wen took a fancy to an osmanthus tree in the courtyard, and Huang Guoliang immediately had someone dig it up and tie it up, waiting for it to be transported away.

  After the digging was done, Song Wen looked around the courtyard and suddenly found a osmanthus tree in the corner by the wall. The trunk of the osmanthus tree was thick, with a mottled surface that showed the marks of time, and its body was covered with dry moss, while only one or two leaves on its branches were about to wither away. Underneath the tree, there was a deep hole gnawed out by white ants, as if it were telling people about the helplessness of survival.

  Song Wen remembered that when he read books before, there didn't seem to be this osmanthus tree. He guessed it was planted later and curiously asked Huang Guoliang: "What's wrong with that one? Why is it abandoned there?"

  "That one's dead and useless, we'll haul it out and throw it away later." Huang Guoliang said with a glance.

  Song Wen listened and walked over, scratching the trunk with his fingernail, finding that deep in the bark there was still a hint of green.

  "Alive, how can you not want it." Song Wen asked strangely.

  This osmanthus tree looks like it's about to meet its ancestors, but if I can bring it back and keep it alive, I'll make a fortune. At least 100,000 yuan, that's the price this amateur quoted.

  "It's useless, the roots of the tree are all rotten, and even the trunk is almost eaten away by termites, leaving only a thin layer of skin. Even if we pull it back, it can't be saved, and it would just be a waste of money for transportation." Huang Guoliang explained patiently.

  After listening to his words, Song Wen took a closer look and found that the situation of the Osmanthus tree was more or less the same as what Huang Guoliang said. However, there were still some living roots inside, so he thought of bringing them back to plant. If they could be planted alive, he would have an extra Osmanthus tree for nothing, why not?

  "You don't want it? Then give it to me!"

  "What's the point, you want to take it back and plant it? Don't waste your energy, it won't survive." Huang Guoliang advised kindly as he saw him wanting to take this nearly dead Osmanthus tree back to plant.

  Huang Xiaojun saw them over there pointing and talking, felt curious in her heart, so she walked over.

  "Uncle, what's wrong?"

  "I said this osmanthus tree can't be planted alive, but he still wants to take it back and plant it. Isn't that a waste of effort?" Huang Guoliang said to his niece.

  Huang Xiaojun listened and walked to the Osmanthus tree, carefully examining it.

  After a while, he turned his head and said to Song Wen: "Song Wen, this osmanthus tree has severe water loss, it's actually dead, but now there is still some water inside, so it looks like it's alive. If you take it back, it will die in a few days. Do you really want to take it back and plant it?"

  Song Wen couldn't help but smile wryly. He felt that if he used the water from the Ruyi fan, it might be possible to revive the Osmanthus tree, so he wanted to bring it back and try to save it. Unexpectedly, these two were so enthusiastic, it was really speechless. But this situation wasn't easy to explain to them clearly, so he had to force himself to say: "Yes, I still want to bring it back and plant it, maybe it will suddenly come back to life?"

  "I've planted dozens of trees over the years, and I still don't know which ones will live or die. If you really like osmanthus flowers, I'll give you two more, so you won't waste your energy."

  "Yes, Song Wen. Why don't you pick a couple more to take back? Anyway, I'll just plant them in the garden when I get back, they're not much use."

  Huang Guoliang immediately turned his head to look at Huang Xiaojun, thinking: Good niece, what's useless? This osmanthus tree is worth two or three months' salary of hard work.

  But he didn't dare say it out loud.

  "No need, I just want to take it back and see if it can be planted alive. If it can be planted alive, that's great. If not, it doesn't matter, it can just be used as firewood."

  Looking at the two men who could be said to be old-fashioned and enthusiastic, Song Wenzhi was a bit speechless. He just wanted to take it back and try planting it, but unexpectedly, in their eyes, he seemed a bit like a foolish kid.

  Huang Guoliang wanted to persuade him again, but Huang Xiaojun saw that Song Wen's mind was made up and said to him: "Uncle, since Song Wen wants to take it back and try planting it, let him take it back. It's on the way anyway."

  "Never mind, you won't listen even if I tell you. Don't say I didn't warn you when the time comes." Huang Guoliang waved his hand and said.

  "It doesn't matter, thank you, Uncle," Song Wen hastily thanked him.

  "Uncle..."

  When Song Wen called him uncle, Huang Guoliang and Huang Xiaojun couldn't help but look at him together.

  Song Wen suddenly realized that his title was wrong and hurriedly said: "No, it should be called Fei Ge, thank you, Fei Ge."

  Huang Xiaojun beside him heard this and burst out laughing. Her big eyes glanced at Huang Guoliang's belly, with a playful expression on her face.

  Fat brother? I'm still a white dove! Huang Guoliang thought with a bad temper.

  "Never mind, just call me uncle."

  After finishing speaking, Huang Guoliang also didn't know what he thought of, his eyebrow tail slightly raised towards Huang Xiaojun, with a strange expression.

  Huang Xiaojun looked at him and although she didn't know what he was thinking, it definitely wasn't anything good. She couldn't help but slap this uncle who didn't have any air of a senior about him.

  Calling him "uncle" is not right, calling him "fatty" doesn't work either, Song Wen was completely confused. He thought to himself, it's just a form of address, does it really matter?

  "Otherwise I'll call you Uncle Huang." Song Wen said after some thought.

  This one is not good to listen to (this one is also not better to listen to). Huang Shu, Huang Shu, Huang Mouse Wolf, what did they all become? Huang Guoliang thought gloomily and finally had no choice but to say: "Whatever."

  Otherwise, let him continue shouting, who knows what kind of trouble he will stir up.

  Three people were talking over here, while workers nearby were doing their own thing.

  At this time, Song Wen suddenly saw a worker next to him holding an electric saw and cutting down the mango tree on one side. In just a few cuts, the mango tree was cut down. He shook his head and said, "What a pity! Such a big mango tree was cut down like that. These are all white flowers and can be used as medicine."

  "There's no way around it, this yard is going to be demolished and the trees will definitely be removed. If not, it'll delay the construction schedule and the developer will demand compensation."

  Huang Guoliang is not only engaged in the business of flowers, grass and trees, but also a contractor. This time it was contracted to demolish the old town government, so he had the opportunity to get these flowers and trees for his niece.

  "Otherwise, give me these mango trees too, I'll take them back to plant, so they won't go to waste."

  "Isn't it time to plant mangoes now?"

  "It doesn't matter, take it back and try planting it. Even if it doesn't grow, the worst that can happen is wasting some effort, but you won't lose anything."

  At this point, Huang Guoliang didn't know what to say anymore.

  Seeing Song Wen had said so, he didn't persuade him anymore and went down to instruct the workers to dig up the tree. Seeing how much Song Wen liked planting trees, he simply let the workers dig out the longan in the courtyard for him.

  But he didn't know that this was exactly what Song Wen wanted. It's worth knowing that the longan trees planted in the old town government were all of the best variety in Suiyuan Town, and the longans produced had not only thin skin and thick flesh but also small cores, plenty of juice, and sweet taste, which was what his elder uncle had spent a lot of effort to plant. So even if Huang Guoliang didn't give them to him, he would still have bought from him.

  After a while, Song Wen saw that all the trees he wanted had been dug up, so he called Song Hu and asked him to call a car to take these trees back. However, he was stopped by Huang Xiaojun beside him. She said there were cars in the yard, no need to bother.

  Then she called two cars and loaded the trees.

  Back to Songjiapu, unload the trees, and the sky is already a bit dark.

  When the workers finished unloading the trees, Huang Xiaojun bid farewell to Song Wen, waving his hand and leaving without a cloud.

  Song Wen originally wanted to invite Huang Xiaojun to have dinner at home, but seeing that it was almost dark, he didn't say anything.

  A girl driving home at night is a bit dangerous, especially on quiet rural roads like this where you can't even hear a sound.