Chapter 282: 282: I Was a Fool to Begin With_1
Chicken, duck, fish, meat, and all kinds of agricultural and sideline products were available in abundance.
Nearby farmers slaughtered their home-raised poultry and livestock to sell in town for a good price, hoping to purchase some New Year goods to take back home.
Compared to previous years, there were far fewer villagers from Peach Blossom Village.
After inquiring, Greg learned that, due to the profits from the vegetable and herbal fields, villagers from Peach Blossom Village had earned quite a bit more money, and their lives had improved significantly compared to past years.
Therefore, they did not bring their poultry and livestock to sell; instead, they kept them to enjoy for their own New Year’s feast.
“Greg is back?”
Uncle was helping out at the entrance of the vegetable store when he saw Greg and couldn’t help but smile, saying,
“Freya is inside the house, you should go in quickly. She’s been talking about you these past few days.”
“Uh, then please carry on.”
Greg smiled slightly and walked into the Peach Blossom Supermarket.
With half a year of operation, and with the help of Lois, Lindsey Wolfe’s small vegetable shop had successfully transformed into a small supermarket.
In addition to vegetables, they also sold daily necessities like cooking oils, seasonings, and condiments, and the business was thriving.
When Greg walked in, Lindsey was busy with the accounts.
Even though she had made a good amount of money, her clothing was still simple, and her hair was merely tied back in a straightforward ponytail.
Even so, her beauty could not be concealed.
Lindsey was working so attentively on the accounts that she didn’t even notice Greg approaching.
A strand of her hair fell loosely over her forehead, gently swaying with her movements, and a faint scent of her hair slowly drifted through the air.
Greg deeply inhaled, and the sound of his breath caught Lindsey’s attention.
She looked up and was startled to see someone standing in front of her, causing her to shrink back instinctively.
Seeing Greg with a look of bliss on his face, her cheeks instantly flushed with color as she scolded, “You… why do you walk without making a sound?”
Greg laughed and said, “I just walked normally. You were the one who was too focused.”
Lindsey rolled her eyes at him, put away the account book, and said, “You should go home first. Esther only had a half-day of school today; she should be arriving home soon.
I will just finish arranging things here and will be back shortly.”
“Sure, what do you feel like eating? I can buy it directly from town and cook it for you,” Greg said with a smile.
Lindsey chuckled and replied, “How can you be such a fool? We own a supermarket, where else would you need to go to buy?”
Greg couldn’t help but grin, responding, “I guess I am really a fool.”
When Lindsey thought about the times when Greg had been foolish and she herself had once actively flirted with him, she felt her face and ears turn even redder and spat out,
“Alright, enough chit-chat with me. Go inside and see for yourself. Take whatever you want to eat, and I’ll just put it on your tab.”
“Okay.”
Greg smiled, casually grabbed a basket, and walked deeper into the supermarket.
It must be said, Lindsey’s little supermarket was well-established, with a very comprehensive range of goods, including common seafood that could be found here.
Though just frozen products, they were still quite a rarity in this small town.
Greg specifically took a look in the vegetable section and noticed it was divided into two areas. The smaller one was a premium zone featuring high-quality vegetables from Peach Blossom Village.
The larger section was dedicated to common vegetables acquired from the surrounding areas.
He picked up some shrimp, scallops, and other seafood, along with some vegetables and meat, before heading to the cashier.
The cashier, who was also hired from Peach Blossom Village, tallied the goods and then smiled at Greg, “Silly Greg, you’ve been away for so many days without returning, you’ve got your aunt worried sick.”
“Allison Milton, keep talking nonsense and I’ll dock your pay,”
Lindsey warned her with a glance, her cheeks blooming red as she told Greg, “Hurry on home, I’ll be there soon.”
“Alright.”
Greg chuckled and, carrying the groceries, left the supermarket.
The family courtyard was tidy, and the bright tiled house was equipped with heating. The small boiler connected to the stove was stocked with firewood, making it feel warm the moment one stepped inside.
Greg set down his things and removed his coat, then he began to prep the ingredients.
After a short while, the sound of light footsteps approached. Esther hadn’t even entered the house when she shouted, “Silly big brother Greg, have you come back?”
Greg peeked out from the kitchen and saw Esther with her two little braids swaying as she walked in from outside.
“You really are back! I saw the car outside and knew you had returned.”
Greg ruffled her red-cheeked face from the cold and laughed, “Ha-ha, go wash your hands and get ready for dinner, I’ll start stir-frying in a moment.”
“Don’t pinch my face, you’ll stretch it out!”
Esther moved away unhappily, rubbing her face, and said, “What are you making? Can I help?”
“No need, just wash your hands and wait to eat.”
Greg smiled and turned back to start cooking.
The ingredients were already prepped, so stir-frying was quick. Before long, three dishes and a soup were served on the table.
Cashew shrimp, sautéed chives and scallops, sweet and sour ribs, tiger vegetables, and a basin of lamb meat made up the three dishes and a soup.
“Wow, that smells amazing, can we eat now?”
Greg’s cooking skills had improved significantly after his time at the Reverie Inn and Dreamscape Garden, as evidenced by the delicious looking dishes.
Esther’s eyes shone with excitement, and she nearly drooled.
Greg ruffled her hair and said with a laugh, “No, you can’t eat yet, we have to wait for mom to come back.”
“Alright, I’ll go serve the rice!”
Esther swallowed her saliva and dashed into the kitchen, returning quickly with three bowls of rice.
At that moment, Lindsey walked in and saw the table full of dishes, her face lighting up with a smile.
Greg smiled and said, “Go wash your hands and let’s eat.”
“Mm.”
Lindsey smiled, nodded, washed her hands swiftly, and brought a bottle of homemade rice wine to the table.
The corners of Greg’s mouth twitched slightly, a hint of wariness in his eyes, as he laughed, “We’re drinking too?”
“It’s a holiday, let’s have a little.”
Lindsey looked at Greg teasingly and said, “What, are you scared?”
“Uh, no.”
Greg laughed awkwardly, “Let’s eat.”
“Time to eat!”
Finally able to eat, Esther held her little bowl and happily started eating.
Greg and Lindsey chatted while eating, occasionally sharing some amusing stories from Jamae City, which made the mother and daughter giggle.
The three of them felt like a real family, gathered around the table, filled with laughter and joy.
And the newly built small courtyard finally had a touch of warmth.
Lunch was late and rather lengthy, so by the time they finished, it had grown darker outside.
When they stepped outside, they found it had already started to snow heavily.
Esther, stepping on the thick snow, was bubbling with excitement, clamoring to build a snowman.
Greg and Lindsey exchanged a smile, went back to put on thicker clothes and gloves, and joined Esther in the yard to build a snowman.
Late at night, an exhausted Esther fell asleep in Greg’s arms after playing crazily all evening.
He gently stood up and carried her back to her room.
As he came out of the room, a figure with a faint scent of alcohol flung herself into his arms.