Farming boy with a magic ring

The old man's sudden outburst left the entire bus in stunned silence.

The round-faced girl looked at him with a hint of grievance. "Sir, you're only fifty-three years old. Look at this gentleman — he's at least sixty or seventy. He even got on the bus before you. Naturally, I'd offer him the seat first."

"Make way! Make way! Always making way for others! Is he your man or something? Worth protecting so much? You little tramp!" the old man spat, his insults growing nastier by the second.

Tears welled up in the girl's eyes as the passengers shifted uncomfortably. No one dared to intervene — not because they were afraid of him, but because they didn't want to get dragged into the drama. The old man grew bolder, his finger jabbing dangerously close to the girl's forehead, making her shrink back even more.

The elderly man who'd been given the seat stood up anxiously, trying to de-escalate. "Sir, please… take my seat. There's no need for all this."

But the old man wouldn't back down. He kept advancing toward the girl, his voice growing louder with every insult.

Finally, Ethan Yang couldn't take it anymore. "Enough!" His cold voice cut through the commotion, silencing everyone. "What's your problem? She gave up her seat to someone who needed it. And you? Acting like a thug because you think age gives you a free pass? You're fifty-three — not ancient. What's wrong with you?"

The old man spun around, ready to retort, but froze when his eyes met Ethan's. There was something in Ethan's gaze — a quiet, terrifying intensity. The old man felt a chill creep down his spine, his body trembling uncontrollably. Then, to everyone's shock, a dark stain spread across the front of his pants as he lost control of his bladder.

The stench filled the bus instantly. People recoiled in disgust, shouting for the driver to stop. At the next station, everyone scrambled to get off. Even Ethan followed suit, wanting to escape the unbearable smell.

As the bus drove off, a soft voice called out behind him. "Hey… thank you for standing up for me."

Ethan turned to see the girl standing there, her cheeks flushed. "It was nothing," he replied with a modest shrug.

"No, really. I'm Rachel Ma, by the way." She smiled shyly. "And you are…?"

"Ethan. Ethan Yang." He smiled back.

Rachel hesitated for a moment. "Can I… get your number? I'd love to treat you to a meal sometime."

Ethan gave her his contact information, and after exchanging a few pleasantries, they parted ways. Ethan caught another bus and headed straight home.

Once there, he entered his mysterious ring space and pulled out the vegetables, meat, and apples he had soaked in spiritual water earlier. He carefully packed them onto his electric scooter before giving his best friend Henry Wang a call, asking him to meet at David Zhang's lunchbox shop. To his surprise, Henry was already there, hanging out. Without wasting time, Ethan set off.

The moment he walked into the shop, Henry cracked a joke. "Boss, you're bringing your own groceries to a restaurant now? What's next — bringing your own chef?"

Ethan laughed. He, Henry, and David had been college roommates, and the three of them had stayed close ever since. Ethan was the oldest, earning him the nickname "Boss." Henry, a chubby man with small eyes, was second in line, while David, short and skinny, was the youngest. Their fourth roommate, Ling Feng, had moved abroad after graduation.

Life hadn't been kind to them. Ethan had spent his years slogging away in an office job, barely making ends meet. Henry bounced from one sales job to another, never lasting long anywhere. David had fared slightly better — he'd gotten married and opened this small lunchbox shop, though business was slow due to its out-of-the-way location.

"Got off work early today?" David asked, handing Ethan a cigarette.

"Actually…" Ethan lit the cigarette and exhaled slowly. "I quit."

"What?! Why?" Henry exclaimed.

Ethan waved off their concerns. "Forget about that. We're here for something more important. Try these apples first." He opened the bag, handing one to each of them, as well as to David's wife, Emily.

The moment they bit into the apples, their reactions were priceless. Emily's eyes widened, and she stood frozen for a moment before devouring the rest like a woman possessed. Henry and David soon followed, each taking huge bites and letting the sweet, crisp juices drip down their chins.

"Where did you get these?" Henry asked between mouthfuls. "These are insane!"

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about." Ethan leaned forward, his tone serious. "I've developed a special solution — a treatment that not only removes pesticides but also enhances flavor and nutrition. I took samples to a testing center. The results blew their minds. Here, see for yourselves."

He handed over the test sheets. Henry and David pored over the numbers, their excitement growing with each passing second.

"We're gonna be rich!" Henry slammed his palm on the table. "This stuff is revolutionary!"

David swallowed nervously. "Boss… what's the plan?"

Ethan's eyes gleamed. "It's simple. Henry, you're great at sales. I want you to handle marketing. David, you'll keep running this place, using my treated produce. Word will spread like wildfire. People will flock here once they taste the difference."

The two nodded enthusiastically, but Ethan's expression darkened. "One thing, though — no shortcuts. If either of you tries to cut corners, I'm out. I mean it."

Both men raised their hands in solemn agreement. "No funny business," David promised.

The three of them spent the next hour ironing out the details. As they talked, Emily prepared a meal using the treated ingredients. Every bite only confirmed what they already knew — they had something truly special on their hands.

As the night wore on, the three friends clinked their glasses together. For the first time in years, they felt hopeful.

Their fortune was about to change.