Chapter 61: The Hidden Craftsman

The remaining residents of Xiangshui Town had been immersed in the joy of their recent harvest. Their farming methods were similar, and their harvests were just as good as George’s. It was one of the few good harvests in recent years.

Liu Yi had been quite helpful, delivering all the maifan stone powder to the ranch. However, spreading the powder was a task Liu Heming had to do himself. Luckily, his land was not extensive. Driving his old, worn-out tiller and playing with the Bear Kids kept him busy.

While everyone else was happy about the harvest, Liu Heming felt a bit anxious recently. He had called Sasha many times during this period, but no one answered. Finally, when he called, her phone was turned off. The same happened when he called Robin.

Without being able to contact them, he couldn’t see his daughter. It had already been over a month, and he missed her terribly. After pushing aside his worries, Liu Heming took the Bear Kids and headed into town.

By now, all the wheat in Xiangshui Town had been harvested, and it was a rare good harvest in recent years. So, everyone organized a small harvest festival in the town.

The small square where the event was held seemed to have been carefully planned back in the day, with flowers and trees likely once surrounding it. Now, only wild grass and withered trees remained, and even the square’s ground was covered with patchy cracks. The weeds on it must have just been cleared, making space for the grills that were set up temporarily.

“What a waste, such a good town lying abandoned like this,” Liu Heming said with a sigh as he accepted the small bread George handed him.

“There’s nothing we can do. The population is too small. Besides Anderson and his family, who else lives in town? I can’t just spend all the town’s money for their sake alone,” George shrugged.

“Are these people here to check things out?” Liu Heming asked, looking at some unfamiliar faces.

“Yes. I really hope they come back to live here, but that might be asking too much of them,” George said with a sad expression.

Liu Heming had already told him that the lake water on the ranch wouldn’t be supplied to any more people. Even if some wanted to return now, they probably wouldn’t dare.

The properties in town had been abandoned by their owners. It was already a deserted town, so houses here weren’t worth much. Many were still waiting to see how the land turned out over the next couple of years, hoping they might sell for a good price like David Roy did.

“So, please stop talking about reviving Xiangshui Town all the time. Keep it in your thoughts. We don’t have the funds for large-scale redevelopment here; we can only work bit by bit,” Liu Heming said with a laugh.

George shrugged and smiled. Even if he didn’t talk about it, he would still keep trying.

“By the way, does this harvest celebration require everyone to chip in? How much should I contribute?” Liu Heming asked next.

“No need. Everyone brought what they could—those with more resources brought more, those with less brought less. Today, you and the two bear cubs just need to eat and have fun,” George said, putting an arm around his shoulder.

“This is everyone’s way of thanking you. Our gratitude might seem humble, just ordinary food, but I believe our lives will keep getting better.”

“Stop, stop! Don’t say any more, or you’ll bring up reviving Xiangshui Town again. I’ll go grab something to eat,” Liu Heming quickly said, breaking away.

George opened his mouth, about to say “revive Xiangshui Town,” but found no one listening. He smiled helplessly. Lately, that was all he could think about, but revival was no simple task.

Liu Heming wandered around, tasting some grilled meat and small pastries. Honestly, he thought the food was just okay. But the atmosphere made up for it, so even average food tasted pretty good.

The happiest were the Bear Kids, who ate to their hearts’ content today. They didn’t even need to fetch their own food; whenever their food bowls were empty, someone would refill them.

“Dexter, George told me your seeder knives are no longer usable. Are you planning to get new ones or regular ones? If you want to keep using them, I can try sharpening them,” John, the repair shop boss, asked as he approached Liu Heming with a plate.

“Can my set of knives be repaired and reused?” Liu Heming asked curiously.

“The best option would be finding an old set of the same model to replace them. But your seeder is an older model, so that might be hard. Even ordering new ones would be expensive,” John nodded.

“I’ll do my best to try. If it doesn’t work, you might have to turn it into a small trailer. Honestly, the hardest part with these farm tools is sourcing parts.”

“Dexter, you might not know, but John is the best blacksmith around here. When he says he’ll maintain them, he means he’ll try to make you a new set,” George said, coming over with a large mug of beer.

“John, really?” Liu Heming asked curiously.

“I used to be able to, making horseshoes for the town’s horses. But I haven’t fired up the forge in years. Even if I make you new ones, they might not be as good as factory-made ones,” John said shyly.

“John, thank you so much. I’m really tight on funds right now,” Liu Heming said gratefully.

Even if the quality wasn’t as good as the original, he didn’t mind at all. That seeder was practically an antique; what more could he expect? Saving money was key, and he was truly short on cash. If it could last another year, that would be great. When he had more money later, he’d get one of those new models that sow faster, are easier to use, and work better.

What puzzled him was that John seemed even happier than he was.

“Dexter, I have to admit, I’ve been itching to do some work. When I was learning from my grandpa as a kid, I found it boring, but after years of not doing it, I kind of miss it,” John said a bit sheepishly.

“Haha, I’ve only seen blacksmiths work in movies. When you start, let me know—I definitely want to be there and take part,” Liu Heming said with a laugh.

He truly hadn’t expected that Xiangshui Town hid a craftsman, and that craftsman was John, who wasn’t particularly burly. Blacksmithing is heavy work—you have to hammer away tirelessly, and it’s really hard labor. It just goes to show, you can’t judge a book by its cover.