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Pomegranates were quite common, yet because they had low yields and nearly every wealthy family had them in their back gardens, the common folk didn’t bother growing this fruit that neither sold for much money nor staved off hunger.

Thus, sisters Lin Wei had never actually tasted pomegranates before.

"Hey, why did you pick it? That’s my pomegranate. Didn’t you say you didn’t want the residence?" Xia Zheng raised an eyebrow, somewhat annoyed that he hadn’t successfully teased Xiao Linshuang, but quite pleased with Lin Yuan’s response that followed.

"Didn’t you give the residence to me? If you gave me the residence, naturally the fruit trees inside it are mine as well."

Xiao Linshuang didn’t bother with the subtle disputes between her older sister and the others, as long as there were tasty things to eat.

She happily took the pomegranate from her older sister’s hand, and before Lin Wei could say anything, Xiao Linshuang had already flashed her shiny little teeth and taken a bite.

"Hiss!" Lin Yuan and Xia Zheng, having tasted the bitter flavor of pomegranate skin before, couldn’t help but grimace.

"Ew, this tastes awful! Ptooey, ptooey!"

Upon seeing Xiao Linshuang’s little face wrinkle up, Xia Zheng couldn’t help but burst into laughter, his hands cradling his stomach.

Lin Yuan also couldn’t resist laughing; she took the pomegranate from her little sister’s hand and began to peel it carefully, explaining, "You see, with pomegranates, you’re supposed to eat the seeds inside, not the outer skin.

And moreover... Huh, what are you doing? "

Before she had time to peel the pomegranate, it was snatched away by a hand.

Xia Zheng sneered, "With your strength, you wouldn’t have it peeled by nightfall!"

After belittling Lin Yuan, Xia Zheng suddenly felt an urge to bite off his own tongue. Why did he snatch it away? He should have just let the little girl struggle with the pomegranate until nightfall; then he could stay with her longer. Ah, what stupidity!

On the other hand, Lin Yuan was stunned for a moment.

Although the comment was rude, she still felt grateful to him; after all, that pomegranate hadn’t cracked open yet, and it would indeed have taken a great deal of effort to peel.

Watching Xia Zheng’s slender, pale fingers deftly peel away the pomegranate skin, Lin Yuan smiled slightly and continued to chat with her little sisters.

In addition to the pomegranate tree, the courtyard also had two apple trees. Compared to the pomegranates, the apples grew quite well, each plump and a rosy red, suggesting the previous owner had taken good care of them.

The apple trees were pruned quite low, allowing Lin Yuan to reach up and pick them with ease. Thinking of her parents back home, she decided to pick a few more to take back for them to eat. Of course, to thank Xia Zheng, she naturally prepared some for him and Lao Fan as well.

With both apples and pomegranates in hand, Xiao Linshuang had already scampered off to sit on a stone bench to enjoy herself.

Lin Yuan, worried that her little sister might eat too quickly and choke on the seeds, quickly asked Lin Wei to watch over her.

The little sisters ate with such gusto and joy.

"How is it? The residence I chose isn’t bad, right?

" Xia Zheng stood in front of Lin Yuan with his arms crossed, a self-congratulatory air about him. Before Lin Yuan could even speak, he eagerly continued, "Forget it, no need for the compliments. I’ve heard enough of them. I understand all that, and I’m tired of it.

Besides, you never manage to say anything more impressive. "

Lin Yuan’s mouth quirked up; she had indeed been planning to say some words of thanks, since the house truly suited her, and even Lao Fan might not have been able to find such a fitting one.

But as soon as she heard that the Young Master’s sickness had flared up again, Lin Yuan couldn’t resist playing along.

She intentionally stood on her tiptoes so that Xia Zheng, with his chin held high, could clearly see her rolling her eyes before she said, "Since you’re tired of hearing it, then I won’t say it.

Besides, this house is just so-so, far from what I imagined. "

Xia Zheng’s breath caught in his throat, and it took him a good while to regain his composure. "What you imagined? Hmph, a sheltered little girl like you could imagine a better house? It wouldn’t happen to be that shabby thatched cottage with three rooms, would it?"

"What about a thatched cottage? Wait till I turn it into a big house; just don’t set your sights on it and refuse to leave!"

"I would take a fancy to your thatched cottage? Haha, cough cough, you really, you really know how to crack jokes!"

The two sisters, who were happily munching away, saw that their eldest sister and he were at it again, and both shook their heads like little adults.

Xiao Linshuang’s eyes darted around, and clutching her half-eaten apple, she approached her eldest sister to defuse the tension, "Eldest sister, eldest sister, try this: apples and pomegranates together are so delicious, it’s a whole new flavor! "

Lin Yuan then stopped her banter with Xia Zheng and looked at the apple and pomegranate in Xiao Linshuang’s hand, suddenly breaking into a sly grin.

She asserted with a straight face, "Yes, indeed, if apples and pomegranates were to grow together, they’d be called Applegranates.

This Applegranate, you see, looks like an apple on the outside, but once you cut it open, it’s full of bright red pomegranate seeds, and these seeds don’t have any pits.

Bite into it, and wow, the crisp apple skin mixed with the sour and sweet pomegranate juice, the flavor, oh, it’s simply divine! "

Xiao Linshuang’s mouth started to water again.

And not just hers; Xia Zheng couldn’t close his mouth either.

But it wasn’t the delicious taste he was craving; it was the Applegranate Lin Yuan had described!

"That, where can I find these Applegranates? How come I’ve never heard of them?

Is it a new variety? This thing would definitely sell for a lot of money, wouldn’t it?

Hey, hey, little girl, where can I find this, will you sell it to me, please?

How ’bout this? Let’s partner up: fifty-fifty shares, how does that sound?

No good? Then, forty-sixty, you sixty, I forty! "

Seeing Lin Yuan laughing without a word, Xia Zheng became anxious and stamped his foot resolutely, "Fine! You win! Seventy-thirty split, you seventy, I thirty!"

Seeing Xia Zheng’s pained expression, Lin Yuan finally couldn’t hold back. Originally, she’d just been teasing him, not expecting his greed to run deeper than she thought. Firming her resolve, Lin Yuan decided to indulge his fantasy.

"These Applegranates, well, no one has really managed to grow them yet; I only had the luck to plant them once before. However, since the Young Master is so earnest, I might as well sacrifice a bit and give you the cultivation secret."

Seeing Xia Zheng nodding vigorously, Lin Yuan pointed seriously at the pomegranate and apple trees, gesturing as she spoke, "You press a small branch against the base of the pomegranate, and once it’s grown a bit, then you cut a notch on the branch of an apple tree and graft the pomegranate branch onto it.

That’s how the Applegranate will slowly grow out.

What do you think? I’m sure with your unmatched cleverness, Young Master, you’ll definitely be able to cultivate the Applegranate.

Right? Lin Yuan is here to congratulate you in advance on your triumph and your rolling wealth! "

Xia Zheng was completely captivated by Lin Yuan’s description of the Applegranate, barely taking in any of the complimentary words she said afterwards.

He clapped his hands gleefully, "Aha! Once I’ve cultivated this Applegranate and become the overlord of the Dayong Dynasty, let’s see if the old man will still obstruct my business aspirations! Haha."