After listening for a while, Yun Que'er couldn't help but speak up. "Second Brother, you can't just brag without any basis."
"Who's bragging?" Yun Jianzhou was quite unhappy. "You say I'm bragging without even asking what I've been up to?"
"You should admit when you're being frivolous. Don't take it out on little sister," Yun Fu Jin immediately came to Yun Que'er's defense.
Yun Jianzhou rolled his eyes. "Come on, Big Brother. You don't need to say anything. Everyone in the family knows you cherish little sister like the apple of your eye. I was just having a little banter with her. There's no need for you to react like this."
"Then do you think you're right?" Yun Fu Jin retorted. "Tell me, what did you do when you went out?"
"I'm not going to tell you!" Yun Jianzhou flipped onto the bed, pulled up the quilt, and wrapped himself up.
Yun Fu Jin was really fed up with him. "It's summer, and you're all sweaty. You don't even know to take a shower. Get off the bed right now!"
In the end, Yun Jianzhou was driven off the bed by Yun Fu Jin and chased to the kitchen to wash up.
Before leaving, Yun Jianzhou was still complaining.
"I'm not some young girl getting ready to get married. I don't need to be grooming myself all day long!"
Yun Fu Jin threw a broom used for sweeping the kang. It hit Yun Jianzhou right on the back. He let out a yelp of pain, rubbed the sore spot, and scurried away.
Yun Que'er gave a silly smile. "Big Brother, don't you think Second Brother has been acting really strange lately?"
"It's as if he's ever acted normal," Yun Fu Jin murmured.
But Yun Que'er had noticed something.
Her second brother was always coming and going mysteriously, but he didn't seem to be just wasting his time. Maybe he really had some hidden talents.
Yun Que'er yawned and flipped onto the bed.
Yun Fu Jin went out to the yard to tend to the newly planted saplings.
A short while later, Yun Jianzhou finished washing up and came into the room. Seeing that Yun Fu Jin wasn't there, he went straight to Yun Que'er's side and roused the drowsy Yun Que'er from under the covers.
"Second Brother, what are you doing..." Yun Que'er complained sleepily. "I'm about to go to sleep. Can't you wait until I wake up to say what you want?"
Yun Jianzhou rubbed his hands and gave an embarrassed smile.
"I've got something on my mind, and I'm eager to discuss it with you. Listen to Second Brother. Don't go to sleep yet. Let's have a chat first."
Yun Que'er was reluctantly picked up by Yun Jianzhou and sat on the edge of the bed.
She took a couple of sips of water to wake herself up, then asked crossly.
"What's the matter?"
"I've come up with a way to make money lately," Yun Jianzhou said seriously. "Don't think that your Second Brother just wanders around aimlessly all day. I've really given it a lot of thought."
Yun Que'er gave Yun Jianzhou a sidelong glance. Judging from his serious expression, it seemed like he had really found a way.
Actually, Yun Que'er couldn't deny that Yun Jianzhou was quite smart in this regard. For example, it was Yun Jianzhou who came up with the idea for him and Yun Yi to sell wood carvings.
"Then tell me, how are we going to make money?" Yun Que'er asked.
"Look, now that the household - contract responsibility system has been gradually implemented, everyone will definitely need to buy seeds. I was thinking that we could also sell them and make a fortune while we can."
Seeing Yun Jianzhou rubbing his hands eagerly, Yun Que'er instinctively poured cold water on his idea.
"Second Brother, your idea is good, but it's a bit too late. Not to mention how long the household - contract responsibility system has been in place, almost every household has already bought their seeds. And this isn't some special way to make money. If you can think of it, others can too. Maybe someone has already started selling seeds before us."
Usually, Yun Jianzhou seemed quite quick - witted. Why was he being so slow - witted this time?
Yun Que'er couldn't help but doubt her own judgment.
But Yun Jianzhou really had his own thoughts.
"Of course I've thought about what you said," Yun Jianzhou quickly defended himself. "I'm not going to do a losing business."
"So?" Yun Que'er spread out her hands. "Second Brother, how do you plan to stand out among all the seed vendors?"
"If it were normal times, Second Brother really wouldn't be so confident. But we have you, a little fairy, in the family," Yun Jianzhou looked at Yun Que'er greedily, scaring her so much that she couldn't help but shrink her neck.
"You're not going to sell me, are you?"
"Of course not," Yun Jianzhou waved his hand vigorously. "Stop talking nonsense. Second Brother would never give you away. What I mean is, since you were able to take out so many saplings from your little treasure trove before, can you also take out some special - variety seeds? Not to mention anything else, as long as our seeds are of better quality and have a higher yield, then making money will be just around the corner."
Yun Que'er didn't know whether to laugh or cry. It turned out that this was the method Yun Jianzhou had come up with.
It wasn't really Yun Jianzhou making money. It was clearly Yun Que'er who would be making money!
"It might work," Yun Que'er nodded.
Seeing that Yun Que'er agreed with his idea, Yun Jianzhou beamed with joy.
"So, little sister, don't hold back. Hurry up and take out your treasures."
"However," Yun Que'er suddenly changed the subject. "Whether the seeds are good or not isn't up to us to decide. Even if I can vouch with my head that these are definitely good seeds, the common people may not think so. And words alone don't count for much. We have to let them really see the results before they'll believe us."
"Then let them see," Yun Jianzhou didn't take this seriously. "Little sister, Second Brother knows your capabilities. The things you take out are definitely of high quality."
But the key wasn't whether Yun Jianzhou believed that the things Yun Que'er took out were good or not.
"Second Brother, you're still too naive," Yun Que'er let out a sigh. "When we say 'let them see', it means we have to plant the seeds and wait for the crops to grow. This takes time. The vegetables being planted now are the last batch for this summer. In order to make money, everyone will definitely choose seeds with a short growth cycle. And Second Brother, you have to understand that good things don't come easily. The good seeds may not yield results until next year or even a year and a half later. Then making money will be a long - shot."
Yun Jianzhou was stunned. "Who, who said good things take a long time to achieve?"
"But you've also participated in farming in previous years. You've seen it with your own eyes."
Yun Jianzhou was completely speechless. He slapped his forehead.
"Damn it. It seems this way really won't work."