When couples go shopping, they just walk back and forth along the street. It's just a leisurely activity. Zhang Xixi doesn't have a boyfriend, but sometimes she wonders what it would be like to stroll with a handsome guy. Now she understands that there is nothing sweet about it; it's just tiring! She doesn't understand why shopping is considered women's territory, yet Jia Simiao can shop better than most women.

Shen Jun'ao is busy with work while Tang Ziyu likes to shop and insists on dragging Zhang Xixi along. Every time, Zhang Xixi complains of exhaustion, but following Jia Simiao around makes her even more tired.

The weather was hot and the sun was scorching without any breeze in sight. Zhang Xixi's face was flushed red and sweat dripped down her forehead. Her T-shirt clung to her back, revealing clear bra strap marks. She held a small floral umbrella and wore flat sandals but couldn't take it anymore; she stopped walking forward and exclaimed loudly: "Jia Simiao, what are you trying to do? You said we were going for supplies shopping! This aimless wandering is too torturous when I'm thirsty and exhausted."

Jia Simiao asked: "Xixi, how do you feel right now?"

Zhang Xixi glared at him angrily: "I want to beat you up until your teeth fall out so that you'll swallow them!"

Jia Simiao laughed: "I can imagine that feeling well enough myself! But before beating me up, don't you want some cold drinks or watermelon or ice cream?"

"I do."

"I'll treat you then."

There was an ice cream store ahead where they had some cold drinks followed by two slices of chilled watermelon each which cooled off Zhang Xixi's anger as well. She giggled saying: "You know how to please me."

Jia Simiao smiled faintly: "In business, you have to understand opportunities. Now do you understand why I brought you out shopping?"

"What do you mean? Hey, are you trying to make me sell ice cream and cold drinks with you?"

Jia Simiao laughed: "What's wrong with selling ice cream and cold drinks?"

Zhang Xixi said: "We can only sell a slice of watermelon for two yuan. Even if we work ourselves to death, how much money can we make?"

"Selling watermelons is just one aspect; our main focus will be on selling cold drinks. According to my calculations, the heavens will help us out. We should be able to save enough money for rent in front of Yanjing Medical University within a couple of weeks; it won't be a problem."

Zhang Xixi grinned and shouted: "A couple of weeks? Are you kidding or teasing me?

Jia Simiao smiled faintly and said, 'You don't believe me?'

Zhang Xixi replied, 'Of course I don't believe you. A whole watermelon can be cut into 8 pieces and sold for only 16 yuan when a single slice of watermelon is sold for only 2 yuan. The cost price of one watermelon is 10 yuan. That means we only make 6 yuan by selling one watermelon for 1 yuan. How much more can we sell even if we sell it to death in the next few weeks?'

Jia Simiao said, 'I have read the newspaper long ago. There are many melon farmers in the western suburbs who send trucks to buy watermelons every day and then distribute them to the fruit wholesale markets in the city center that we see along the street. In other words, by the time they get their hands on them, these watermelons have already changed hands three times. You tell me how prices won't increase.'

Excitedly Zhang Xixi said,'Oh, I understand now! Your idea is that we should directly purchase from melon farmers so that we become first-hand dealers and prices will definitely be much lower! Do you know how much per kilogram melon farmers wholesale their products?'

Jia Simiao replied,'50 cents.'

'Ah? Only...only fifty cents?!' Zhang Xixi immediately lowered her head and fiddled with her fingers while exclaiming,'Isn't this too unfair? We buy watermelons from fruit shops at one yuan per kilogram!'

'The principle of making money in business is to try to get the lowest price possible and then try to sell at as high a price as possible...'

'Then what are you waiting for? Are we buying second-hand refrigerators or going to check out those farms in western suburbs?'

'We don't have that much money at hand, so let's go to the western suburbs and buy watermelons first.'

As soon as money was mentioned, Zhang Xixi became disheartened like a frost-bitten eggplant. She came out of her house with only a few coins in her pocket just to prove that she could support herself and show her family what she was capable of. Neither of them were willing to take a taxi and they took public transportation directly to the western suburbs. The bus went straight to its destination.

After leaving the city outskirts, there were many watermelon fields on both sides of the road, and many melon farmers had set up sheds by the roadside where they stacked their watermelons for sale. When they asked about prices, retail price was 80 cents while wholesale price was slightly lower but required large quantities.

Neither of them spoke and continued walking forward while listening. These melon farmers seemed to have agreed on a price beforehand, all offering the same amount. Zhang Xixi whispered, "Jia Simiao, if it's only fifty cents, we might as well deduct the shipping cost. It won't be worth it." Jia Simiao chuckled and replied, "No rush, let's keep going."

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Suddenly, a piercing scream tore through the air from beside them: "Help! Help! My dad fainted!" Most of these melon farmers came from other places to rent land and grow watermelons. Life was not easy for them; they lived directly in their melon sheds. Upon hearing the cry for help, they rushed over one by one.

After exchanging greetings with Zhang Xixi, Jia Simiao followed suit and leaped across the ditch into the watermelon field.

The person who had fainted was an elderly man in his sixties lying on his back in the field with a pale face and cold limbs that were twitching uncontrollably. This situation startled even Zhang Xixi; she watched as these helpless melon farmers became increasingly anxious.

"I'll take a look," said Jia Simiao loudly. "I'm a doctor." A thin young man nearby burst into tears upon seeing him like he had found salvation: "Doctor please save my father! What happened to him?"

Without taking his pulse first or anything else customary before treatment began in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), Jia Simiao took out two silver needles from his backpack and inserted them quickly into acupuncture points such as Qihai acupoint (CV6)and Baihui acupoint (GV20). His needle technique was fast-paced like pounding garlic cloves continuously onto old man’s body.

Everyone including Zhang Xixi stared at him dumbfoundedly; this is how you treat a patient? After a few tens of seconds, the old man suddenly groaned and finally regained consciousness.

What? It's amazing! Just by inserting a few needles like that, he woke up?

While these people were still in shock, Jia Simiao bent down and picked up the old man before running towards the fish pond next to the watermelon field. They both jumped into it together; only his head was left above water while his body was submerged. Is this how you treat patients? Zhang Xixi squatted on the shore and kept signaling him with her eyes not to kill anyone.

The melon farmers crowded around the edge of the pool nervously. The son of the elderly man pointed at Jia Simiao excitedly and asked anxiously: "What are you doing? Are you going to hurt my dad?"

Jia Simiao smiled reassuringly and replied, "Don't worry, everything is fine."

"Fine? Let me tell you something; if anything happens to my father because of what you did, I'll fight with you!"

"What are you talking about?" said Old Man Liu as he spoke for himself. "I'm feeling great now.

Jia Simiao carried the old man out of the fish pond and placed him in the shade of the melon shed without letting him change his soaked clothes. He also asked people around to disperse and keep ventilation. Strangely enough, the old man looked normal and had fully recovered.

Zhang Xixi exclaimed, "Jia Simiao, what happened to the old man?"

Jia Simiao smiled and said, "He suffered from severe heatstroke, which is called sunstroke."

As its name suggests, sunstroke occurs when a person is directly exposed to intense sunlight for an extended period of time. The strong sunlight penetrates through the skin on top of their head and skull causing damage to brain cells leading to congestion and swelling in brain tissue. Since it mainly affects the head area, initial symptoms include severe headache, nausea/vomiting, restlessness followed by unconsciousness or convulsions if left untreated; this can be life-threatening.

The son of the old man knelt down before Jia Simiao with gratitude pouring out as he thanked him profusely saying: "Benefactor! You are my father's savior..."

Jia Simiao quickly helped him up while lightly smiling saying: "I didn't do much; it was just a small effort."

Li Ergou was very excited about meeting them that he insisted they stay for dinner along with Zhang Xixi. Old Li also joined in persuading them earnestly since they owed their lives to Jia's help; not inviting them over would be impolite. Zhang Xixi felt ecstatic at such hospitality being shown towards her husband who had come from a big city where people often look down upon those living in rural areas.

Li Ergou grinned widely as he rushed off buying meat while Jia Simiao chatted with Zhang Xixi under melon shed along with Old Li among others present there. They learned that they all came from a mountain valley called Lijiaao. It was too poor there that some young people had to go out and work as day laborers while others rented land to grow watermelons, which was considered good.

Old Li didn't quite understand why Jia Simiao and Zhang Xixi would come to such a place on such a hot day.

Jia Simiao smiled awkwardly twice, but Zhang Xixi couldn't wait any longer and said: "We want to buy some watermelons and do some small business when we return."

Tsk tsk, look at these city folks; who says they look down upon rural people? This couple is so simple-minded!

Old Li laughed and said: "We don't have anything else here except for watermelons. How many do you want? I'll give them to you."

Zhang Xixi replied: "How can we accept it? We heard that you deliver fruits to the wholesale market for 50 cents per kilogram. Can you sell them to us for 50 cents per kilogram? My boyfriend and I are currently tight on money.

Jia Simiao was somewhat speechless. This girl is really good at doing business, she can lie without even blinking her eyes. They just met yesterday and today they are already in a romantic relationship, this is too fast.

Old Li insisted on giving them watermelons as a gift, but Jia Simiao and Zhang Xixi couldn't just accept it for free. When Li Ergou came back, he readily agreed to sell the watermelons for 0.4 yuan per kilogram.

Jia Simiao and Zhang Xixi looked at each other with joy in their hearts.

Li Ergou asked: "How many kilograms do you want? I have an idea when I pick the melons tomorrow morning."

Zhang Xixi didn't know how much to ask for, so Jia Simiao pondered and said: "This is our first time doing business like this, we don't know how much we need. How about you keep 500 kilograms for me?"

One watermelon weighs around ten kilograms, so five hundred kilograms would be more than fifty watermelons which cost two hundred yuan - something that Jia Simiao and Zhang Xixi could afford right now.

Li Ergou smiled and said: "Okay. I go to the fruit wholesale market in West City every day at four o'clock in the morning. Where do you live? I'll deliver them to your home.