kingnovel Chapter 726 Beloved Family and Friends
Chapter 726 Beloved Family and Friends
Lin Bufan ran to the fence in a few steps. When the white horse saw him approaching, it instinctively wanted to back away, but after Lin Bufan glanced at it, it immediately froze in place, wagging its tail uneasily and looking at him with its big, wet eyes trying to please him.
"Brother Ma, don't be afraid, we're friends now." Lin Bufan reached out and stroked the white horse's neck, its fur smooth to the touch. Under his caress, the white horse gradually relaxed and even nuzzled Lin Bufan's hand with its head.
At this moment, Chen Nanxing caught up, panting, and lightly punched Lin Bufan: "You...you run pretty fast!"
Lin Bufan raised an eyebrow smugly and casually pulled Chen Nanxing toward the white horse: "Come on, let's take a picture with our Brother Ma to commemorate this unexpected friendship."
Xu Hongdou also came over and looked at the white horse's docile appearance with some surprise: "It's so well-behaved now, completely different from how it was yesterday when it was frightened."
"That's right, look who's here." Lin Bufan said shamelessly, putting his arms around Xu Hongdou and Chen Nanxing's shoulders, and grinning as he was about to take a selfie next to the white horse.
Just then, a clear, cheerful male voice came from behind them:
"It seems the little cutie really likes you guys."
The three turned around at the sound and saw a tall, well-built young man in a simple white T-shirt and casual pants standing not far away, looking at them with a gentle smile. He had healthy tan skin, clean features, a hearty smile, and exuded a sunny and down-to-earth aura.
Yes, that's right!
The person who arrived was Xie Zhiyao.
To borrow a famous quote from Zeng Xiaoxian—he is a good man, he is Xie Zhiyao!
The little sun of the entire Yunmiao Village!
Lin Bufan recognized Xie Zhiyao at a glance, but pretended to be puzzled on the surface.
Xie Zhiyao stepped forward, first nodding to Xu Hongdou and Chen Nanxing as a greeting, then his gaze fell on Lin Bufan, and he introduced himself with a smile: "Hello, my name is Xie Zhiyao, and I am the person in charge of this horse farm. This white horse is called Little Cutie, and it is very gentle."
"Gentle?" Upon hearing this, Chen Nanxing couldn't help but point at the white horse, his tone filled with disbelief: "That doesn't seem right, does it? The little boy who chased the horse yesterday didn't say that. He said this horse has a very fierce temperament and doesn't usually let people ride it!"
Xie Zhiyao paused for a moment, then realized and explained with a smile, "You mean A Yuan, right? That makes sense. That kid was naughty before and scared Xiao'er with firecrackers, that's why Xiao'er doesn't like him!"
"Is that right?"
While Xie Zhiyao and Chen Nanxing were talking, Xu Hongdou noticed that Lin Bufan was making faces at the little cutie with very expressive expressions. She couldn't help but ask curiously, "Lin Bufan, what are you doing now?"
Without even turning his head, Lin Bufan pointed at Little Cutie and replied, "I'm mocking it! Listen to this, Little Cutie? Such a big, majestic horse, and it has such a name, it's such a disgrace to our male compatriots! If I were it, I wouldn't even have the face to stay in this horse farm, I would have dug a hole and buried my head in it long ago!"
As soon as Lin Bufan finished speaking, the white horse named "Little Cutie" seemed to understand. It snorted in dissatisfaction, shook its head, and pawed at the grass with its hooves. Its big eyes looked at Xie Zhiyao with grievance, and then glared at Lin Bufan angrily.
Xie Zhiyao, who was standing to the side, was also dumbfounded. Dude, are you serious?
Xu Hongdou and Chen Nanxing both put their hands to their foreheads, their faces showing a helpless expression that said, "I don't know this guy," and they felt a strange sense of embarrassment.
Seeing that the situation was a bit awkward, Xie Zhiyao changed the subject at the right time and asked with a smile, "Are you guests staying at Youfeng Courtyard?"
Chen Nanxing was somewhat surprised: "Yes, but how did you know?"
“I heard it from Xiaochun,” Xie Zhiyao explained in a friendly and natural tone. “She’s my sister, and she often tells me about the interesting guests who have come to the courtyard. I heard her say that two women and one man were going to stay, and I guess it’s probably the three of you!”
Hearing Xie Zhiyao's explanation, Chen Nanxing finally realized: "So Xiaochun is your sister! No wonder!"
Xie Zhiyao, one of the owners of Youfeng Courtyard and the "Little Sun" of Yunmiao Village, warmly greeted Lin Bufan and his companions after confirming their identities: "Welcome to Yunmiao Village. If you need any help, feel free to ask me anytime."
Lin Bufan then approached, putting an arm around Xie Zhiyao's shoulder in a friendly manner: "Little Xie, your horse farm is pretty good. I think this little cutie and I click. How about you name your price and I buy it?"
The little cutie seemed to understand, snorted, and took a few steps back uneasily.
Xie Zhiyao was taken aback by Lin Bufan's sudden suggestion, then gently shook his head: "That won't do. My little darling is my beloved family and friends, my brother and sister. I will not sell him."
As Xie Zhiyao refused, the little cutie looked at him with her big, wet eyes, full of dependence, and gently rubbed against Xie Zhiyao's arm in a pleading manner.
However, Lin Bufan did not give up easily. With a playful smile, he said, "Xiao Xie, don't refuse so readily. Although you two are very close, what if I invest 100 million yuan in Yunmiao Village to develop the local tourism economy, improve infrastructure, and support your local industries... what do you think?"
"How...how much?" Xie Zhiyao's body stiffened abruptly, doubting that he had misheard, his voice trembling slightly.
"One hundred million. That's the initial investment; we can add more if needed."
As soon as Lin Bufan finished speaking, Xie Zhiyao almost instinctively grabbed his hand, which hadn't fully retracted yet, with a movement so fast it created a gust of wind. The resolute look on his face was instantly replaced by immense surprise and excitement; his eyes shone almost like a Transformer's, and his voice rose eight octaves with excitement:
"It's a deal! Mr. Lin! No, Brother Lin! This little cutie is yours from now on! No, I mean, cooperation! This cooperation must be finalized!"
This sudden turn of events left Xu Hongdou and Chen Nanxing, who were standing nearby, dumbfounded.
The adorable little horse, who had been so quickly "transferred," froze instantly, its affectionate rubbing against Xie Zhiyao. It stared wide-eyed in disbelief at Xie Zhiyao, who was practically jumping for joy, then at Lin Bufan, whose face held a knowing "I knew it" expression. The massive horse shook its head, letting out a mournful, almost indignant neigh, as if protesting this fake "brotherly bond." It stamped its hoof, turned its head, and faced Xie Zhiyao with its rear end, its tail swishing loudly, its entire body radiating an air of utter frustration, as if saying, "I misjudged you."
……
The setting sun cast long shadows of the three as they chatted and laughed as they left the horse ranch, which reeked of betrayal, and returned to the village where smoke curled from the chimneys. Passing a small restaurant, Lin Bufan stopped: "We've been walking around all day, we must be tired. How about we grab something to eat outside?"
Chen Nanxing, however, pointed eagerly to the supermarket next door: "No way, let's go buy some groceries and cook at home! It's cleaner and more affordable!"
Lin Bufan didn't reply, but turned his head and stared silently at Chen Nanxing, his eyes filled with inquiry and a profound sense of "I have seen through everything".
Chen Nanxing felt uncomfortable under Lin Bufan's gaze, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she pushed him away in annoyance and embarrassment: "Hey! Why are you staring at me like that?"
Lin Bufan then slowly spoke up: "I was wondering, are you planning to embarrass yourself, or... are you planning to let me take the initiative to cook dinner?"
When her little scheme was exposed, Chen Nanxing's face flushed red. She stamped her foot awkwardly and said stubbornly, "I... I just don't know how to do it! If I knew how, wouldn't I have done it myself?" As she spoke, she secretly reached out and tugged at Xu Hongdou's sleeve, casting a pleading look at her.
Xu Hongdou received her best friend's signal and, recalling Chen Nanxing's effusive praise of Lin Bufan's cooking skills that morning, couldn't help but feel intrigued. She smiled slightly, looked at Lin Bufan, and said in a gentle but teasing tone, "I always heard Rose say that you're a great cook, and I thought she was exaggerating. I didn't expect that even Nanxing's stomach has been conquered by you. Chef Lin, how about... showing off your skills today and letting me see for myself?"
Upon hearing Xu Hongdou speak, Lin Bufan's face immediately lit up with a bright and enthusiastic smile, his change of expression incredibly fast. He patted his chest, his tone extremely generous and eager: "No problem! Absolutely no problem! Since it's our Dou'er who asked, what else is there to say? Let alone cooking one meal, even if it's cooking every day, every single meal, we'll arrange it! We guarantee you'll be satisfied!"
Lin Bufan's drastically different attitude infuriated Chen Nanxing. With her hands on her hips, she demanded angrily, "Hey! Lin Bufan! What do you mean? Why did you refuse when I said no, but agree so readily when Hongdou said no?"
Lin Bufan winked at Chen Nanxing, revealing an extremely irritating smile, and slowly reminded him, "Have you forgotten? You said it yourself—I'm only particularly enthusiastic towards pretty girls."
Chen Nanxing was taken aback at first, then realized—Lin Bufan was subtly implying that she wasn't pretty!
"Lin Bufan! You stop right there!" Chen Nanxing's cheeks puffed up with anger, and she grabbed her small bag and threw it at Lin Bufan.
Lin Bufan had anticipated this, and laughed as he nimbly dodged the attacks.
The setting sun cast its warm golden rays onto the cobblestone path, bathing the figures of the two chasing and playing in a gentle glow. Their laughter drifted far away on the evening breeze. Xu Hongdou watched this scene, shook her head helplessly, but couldn't help but smile slightly as she slowly followed.
As the last rays of the setting sun completely disappeared behind the mountains and night quietly enveloped Yunmiao Village, the communal kitchen in Youfeng Courtyard was brightly lit and bustling with activity.
Lin Bufan, wearing an indigo-dyed apron he'd found somewhere, skillfully processed the ingredients he'd just bought from the village supermarket. His knife skills were dazzlingly fast, the sounds of chopping rhythmic and precise. Chen Nanxing and Xu Hongdou assisted him, washing vegetables and handing him plates, their teamwork surprisingly smooth.
"Wow, Lin Bufan, your technique... it really looks like the real deal!" Chen Nanxing exclaimed in amazement as he watched Lin Bufan's smooth and skillful movements.
"Basic stuff, don't be silly." Lin Bufan didn't even look up. With a flick of his wrist, the ingredients in the pot tumbled and danced in the flames, releasing an instant burst of aroma. "Nanxing, pass me the garlic. Hongdou, get me a small bowl and make a sauce."
Xu Hongdou handed over the bowl as instructed, and as she looked at Lin Bufan's focused profile and the fine beads of sweat on his forehead, a hint of appreciation flashed in her eyes.
There's no way around it, men who can cook are just so charming!
Soon, a variety of delicious dishes were served on the wooden table in the center of the courtyard: the steamed chicken soup was golden and clear, the stir-fried mushrooms with cured pork was savory and fragrant, the local specialty braised pork belly with preserved plum was fatty but not greasy, and the stir-fried seasonal vegetables were bright green and crisp... A wide array of dishes were laid out on the table.
The rich aroma of the dishes wafted through the air, like an invisible hand tickling one's heart.
The first one drawn in was Hu Youyu, who sniffed the air and crawled out of the room: "My God! It smells so good! President Lin, are you preparing a Manchu Han Imperial Feast?"
Immediately afterward, Nana and Ma Qiushan followed the aroma and came out. Nana looked at the table full of dishes in surprise: "Lin Bufan, did you make all of this? That's amazing!"
Although Ma Qiushan maintained his composure, his Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily as his gaze swept across the table, and he murmured, "Well done... the warmth of human life is most comforting to the human heart."
Even Da Mai, who usually keeps to himself, timidly pushed open the door and stood in the shadows of the corridor, quietly peeking in this direction.
Seeing this, Lin Bufan smiled and waved to Da Mai, who was standing in the shadows of the corridor: "Da Mai, don't just stand there watching, come and eat with me, try my cooking."
Da Mai hesitated for a moment, but under the dual temptation of Nana's encouraging gaze and the enticing aroma wafting from the table, she finally lowered her head, moved slowly closer somewhat shyly, and whispered, "Thank you..."
Just then, the courtyard gate was pushed open, and Xie Xiaochun rushed in, carrying a folder. She immediately noticed the lively scene in the center of the courtyard and the table laden with dishes, and paused for a moment, "Wow, so lively? Is this...someone's birthday?"
Nana explained with a smile, "Sister Xiaochun, it was Lin Bufan who cooked this. Please try his cooking."
Lin Bufan also warmly invited, "Manager Xiaochun, you've come at the perfect time! Why don't you join us for a bite? It'll be more fun with more people!"
Xie Xiaochun looked at the table full of delicious-looking dishes, then at the smiling faces of the people sitting around the table, and readily nodded: "Sure, then I won't stand on ceremony! I happen to have something to discuss with Nana, let's eat and chat." As she spoke, she naturally sat down.
The meal proceeded in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. Lin Bufan's culinary skills indeed won over everyone's taste buds. Even Da Mai, who was initially a bit reserved, gradually relaxed under the influence of the delicious food and the laughter of the group, occasionally chiming in with a few quiet words. Hu Youyu, in particular, praised Lin Bufan's cooking skills highly, repeatedly saying that he would come to "mooch" meals from him often in the future.