Chapter 57

The name "Dongyuan Alley" has quietly existed in Tianyuan City for many years without being widely known. In Donghu, only those who have reached a certain level might be familiar with it.

Although it is called an alley, Dongyuan Alley is not narrow. A long, modern road runs through it, lined on both sides by two-story villas that look to have some history.

Despite their age, these villas do not appear dilapidated. On the contrary, they give a sense of solidity. Living in Dongyuan Alley for a few years is a phrase that has been circulating in Donghu's political circles for many years.

"Beep beep beep"

A gentle doorbell rang, and a visitor appeared outside one of the villas in Dongyuan Alley. As the gate opened, a voice inside called out joyfully, "Xiao'e is back! Have you had breakfast?"

"Good morning, Auntie Zhao." Still dressed as she was yesterday, Xiao'e, a female student from the Art Department of Donghu University, hugged the woman who opened the door and pouted, "I want to eat the egg pancakes Auntie Zhao makes. I'm almost starving!"

"Oh, my little princess, Auntie Zhao will make them for you right away. You're a scholar, you can't go hungry!" Auntie Zhao's face showed a doting smile as she agreed.

Xiao'e smiled smugly, and the two walked into the living room together. The large living room was simply furnished, with the most prominent feature being a large, over forty-inch TV placed against the wall.

"Girl, why are you back?" A middle-aged man in a suit came down the stairs, his voice calm and his expression unchanged, but his eyes were unusually gentle.

"Dad, Merry Christmas!" Xiao'e laughed mischievously, ran a few steps to the man, and pulled out two beautifully wrapped golden Christmas apples as if by magic.

The man's usual sternness vanished instantly. Xiao'e was his beloved daughter, and she seemed to have a natural charm that brought joy wherever she went.

"Girl, you've grown up and know how to buy things for your dad. Yes, having a daughter is really great!"

"Of course. Dad, you promised to take me out to play during New Year's Day!" The seemingly quiet and reserved Xiao'e pounced and hugged the man's neck playfully.

"Alright, I'll try to make time and spend a day with you!" The man patted his daughter's head lovingly, but his tone suggested that the promise might not be easily kept.

"Dad, don't let me down this time! Where's Mom?" Xiao'e's good mood vanished, as her father was always too busy, and she had little time with him.

"Your mom has gone to work." The man smiled and said, "Auntie Zhao, please call Director Chen and tell her that our little princess is back, and ask her to come home as soon as possible."

"Sure, I'll go buy some more vegetables too." Auntie Zhao agreed and went to make the call.

It was rare to hear her father joke, so Xiao'e looked at her cartoon watch in confusion and asked curiously, "Dad, Director Chen has already gone to work, why are you still at home?"

"I have some things to take care of." The man frowned.

"Dad, what's bothering you?" Xiao'e hugged her father and said with a smile, "My dad is the all-powerful dad, unafraid of wind and rain, and nothing can trouble my good dad..."

Xiao'e's teasing made the man laugh heartily, and his face relaxed.

"Xiao'e, what's inside this?" The man, not wanting to dampen the mood, picked up the golden ball his daughter had given him and asked.

"Peace apple!"

"Peace apple? I've eaten many apples, but I've never heard of a peace apple." The man laughed and started to unwrap it. "I'll have to taste it today."

Seeing her father struggle to open the packaging, Xiao'e quickly took it and, with her two white hands, swiftly removed the golden wrapping, revealing a large, red apple.

"Isn't this just an apple?" The man laughed and picked up the apple, examining it. "Packaging apples so beautifully to sell is a good idea. This apple must cost at least two yuan, right?"

Xiao'e smiled and said, "Dad, you're too bureaucratic! Two yuan just to look at it."

"Does it cost five yuan then?" The man widened his eyes, looking incredulous.

Xiao'e felt a sense of pride at her father's shock. The image of the man who had explained the price of the apples on the steps of the Cultural Palace flashed in her mind.

"Dad, it costs twenty yuan each." Saying the price, Xiao'e felt a warm feeling in her heart.

The man examined the apple in his hand, feeling quite moved. Despite his high position, he was not oblivious to the people's lives. An apple usually cost no more than fifty cents, so how could it sell for twenty yuan?

"Only a silly girl like you would buy such an apple!" The man smiled indulgently.

"Hmph, Dad, you underestimate people. These apples sold very well last night. Our stall alone sold two hundred of them!" Xiao'e's words made the man even more puzzled, his facial muscles tightening.

Xiao'e, seeing her father's confusion, explained the whole story in detail.

"That's a good marketing idea!" The man nodded in agreement, praising it.

"Yes, Brother Cheng is really impressive. We calculated that he made quite a bit of money. We sold about five to six thousand apples from thirty-three stalls, and we weren't even the top sellers." Xiao'e smiled, thinking of the "bedtime chat" in the dormitory, where her roommates marveled at Cheng Jemin's earnings and joked that they would marry a man who could make money like that.

The man, sitting on the sofa, calculated aloud, "Over a hundred thousand yuan, just in one night. The young generation is truly formidable!"

As he spoke, he tossed the apple and turned on the TV. The news was on, and the man sitting in the living room appeared on the screen. "This morning, Deputy Governor Yang Zibo conducted a survey in the mining area..."

"Dad, you look good on camera!" Xiao'e pointed to Yang Zibo wearing a safety helmet on the TV screen and said with a smile.

"You little girl, always trying to make your dad happy!" The man waved his hand.

"Dad, why aren't you at work today? What's bothering you? Come on, tell me, and I'll help you!" Xiao'e said with a playful smile.

"It's all because of these apples! Last night, the old party secretary of Sunjiagou called me, saying that the village has been growing apples for the past two years. They've had a good harvest, but there's no market for them!" Yang Zibo sighed. "I know the old village chief's character. When I was a young worker in the village, he was the village chief and always said, 'Relying on heaven and earth is not as good as relying on oneself.' He wouldn't have called me for help if he wasn't in trouble."

Xiao'e laughed and said, "Dad, you wouldn't be bothered by just a few apples, right? Even if you didn't say anything, Mom could have sold them for you."

"Of course, I'm not worried about these apples. What concerns me is that the county has planted eighty thousand acres of apple trees, aiming to become an apple capital. They've been shouting slogans, but they haven't thought about the market. Now, most of the apples in the county are unsold. I can help sell the apples from Sunjiagou, but what about the other farmers?"

Yang Zibo's voice grew louder, clearly angry about the situation.

Xiao'e, seeing her father's anger, was about to comfort him when the phone rang. She was about to answer it, but Yang Zibo had already picked it up. "This is Yang Zibo."

But then, his usually formal face lit up. "Old Village Chief, I'm working on the apple sales issue. Don't worry... What? All the apples are sold? Old Village Chief, are you kidding me?"

"Really? You've already received the money? Oh, that's wonderful. Yes, if I have time during the New Year, I'll definitely come back to visit everyone. Take care of yourself in this cold weather!"

Xiao'e had been observing her father's expression and, seeing him hang up with a smile, asked softly, "Dad, did you tell anyone about the apple sales?"

"No, I only received the call last night." Yang Zibo shook his head. "I was just about to mention it today, but I didn't expect all the apples to be sold!"

Xiao'e wanted to say something but didn't know what. At that moment, the TV screen changed, showing a scene from the night square. More prominent than the square was the colorful Christmas tree.

"... Last night was Christmas Eve, and some merchants have already started targeting..."

"Dad, that's where we worked last night!" Xiao'e pulled Yang Zibo's hand and pointed excitedly. "Look, that's me! When was this photo taken?"

Yang Zibo, seeing his daughter's excitement, relaxed. "Girl, during the New Year, let's take a trip to Sunjiagou and show you where your dad once fought."

PS: Please recommend, collect, and click on all kinds of tickets!

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