Meng Yan's Transformation

Chapter 658 Stealing Cucumbers

As dawn broke, the summer morning air still carried a hint of coolness. Zhan Mengyan was already busy in her vegetable garden in her small courtyard. Since returning home for summer vacation, she has been getting up early every day without fail, squatting in front of the tomato seedlings, deftly pinching off the excess side branches on the tomato vines, allowing the nutrients to concentrate on the fruit. Her fingertips were covered with moist soil and fresh scent.

The cucumber vines in the garden climbed all over the bamboo trellis. One by one, cucumbers with tender yellow flowers peeked out. Zhan Mengyan carefully selected the long, straight ones with flowers and thorns still attached, and gently pinched them off with her fingertips, breaking them off crisply. She stacked the cucumbers into a willow basket, then picked a few handfuls of fresh, juicy bok choy, and cut some bright green chives, bundling them up and stacking them into the willow basket as well. Her sorting movements were as light and quick as preparing for a meticulous ceremony.

"Brother Zixun, come out for a moment and help me carry this basket." Zhan Mengyan called out towards the house, her voice startling the swallows under the eaves.

Zhan Zixun came out in slippers, his eyes still half-open. He casually picked up a cucumber and put it in his mouth. The cucumber's fragrance filled the morning light. He squinted, as if he were tasting the morning dew.

"Thud!" Zhan Mengyan's hand moved with lightning speed, and the cucumber fell into the basket with a "clatter." Zhan Zixun's brows furrowed, and his fingers unconsciously reached into the basket: "Can't I even have a bite? This cucumber looks so fresh and juicy, it must be sweet!" His eyes sparkled, like two black grapes wet with morning dew.

The moment Zhan Zixun's hand touched the straight cucumber topped with a tender yellow flower, Zhan Mengyan, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, leaped out from behind the wicker basket with lightning speed, snatched the cucumber back.

Zhan Mengyan, like a protective mother hen, spread her wings to shield the basket behind her. Her voice rose several octaves as she stood with her hands on her hips, her brows furrowed. "No means no! You can't eat this straight cucumber! The good ones are saved to make money! If you eat a good one, I'll lose two cents, which is the price of a notebook!" She stood on tiptoe and pulled a crooked cucumber with a wilted, yellowed top from the basket. "If you want to eat this, take it. It was picked yesterday. Anyway, nobody wants it, so it's no use if it rots."

Zhan Zixun bit into the curved cucumber, juice dripping from the corner of his mouth, but he deliberately chewed loudly, rubbing his reddened fingers, and muttered defiantly, "Mom said cucumbers are crispest when picked fresh, so I want to eat this straight cucumber, and it's none of your business..." He reached for a straight cucumber, but Zhan Mengyan grabbed his wrist, pulling him so hard he almost stumbled. In the struggle, the cucumbers rolled around in the basket, the wicker basket crashing to the ground, scattering cucumbers everywhere, some reaching the wall, some to his feet, like a group of mischievous children tumbling about.

"If you touch it again, I won't leave you any, even if it's crooked and messy!" Zhan Mengyan stomped her feet, her voice trembling with urgent sobs. "Brother! If you're making a scene, I'm going to find Dad and Mom to reason with you!" She bent down to pick up the cucumbers from the ground, wiping the dirt off each one gently, her movements as gentle as if she were soothing a frightened baby. But her eyes revealed a stubborn, unyielding spirit. Zhan Zixun squatted beside her, watching her stuff those "ugly" cucumbers into her mouth, juice dripping from the corners of her lips, but he couldn't utter a word.

As the morning light gradually climbed onto the bamboo trellis, casting long shadows of the cucumber vines, Zhan Mengyan put the last cucumber into the basket, covered it with a damp cloth, and turned to Zhan Zixun, saying, "Brother, after I sell all the vegetables, I'll treat you to candy." Her eyes sparkled, as if two stars were hidden within them. Zhan Zixun paused for a moment, then scratched his head and smiled.

Zhan Zixun secretly stuffed the curved cucumber into his mouth, silently thinking, "Hmph, next time I'll definitely eat that straight cucumber!"