Farming boy with a magic ring

The next day, Ethan Yang found a new place to rent — a house with a large backyard. The yard wasn't just spacious; it even had a structure built with colored steel plates, resembling a small warehouse. It was perfect for what he had in mind.

After negotiating the rent, Ethan paid for three months upfront and signed the contract. The landlord tossed him a set of keys and left without much fuss. Ethan had only rented it for three months because once he earned enough startup funds, his plan was to return to his hometown's mountains and help lift the village out of poverty.

He returned to his old place, packed his things into the Ring Space, said goodbye to the old landlord, and rode off on his electric scooter. Once settled into his new home, he headed to the market and bought three large plastic barrels and a long plastic hose. He connected one end of the hose to the tap in the yard, making it easier to fill the barrels with water.

That afternoon, Henry Wang drove back with the second-hand box truck they'd bought. His belongings fit into a single half-old bag.

"Boss, give me some of those apples soaked in the magic water, along with the test results. I'll hit the supermarkets and restaurants now to negotiate deals," Henry said eagerly, barely waiting to unpack. Ethan handed over the apples and the test sheet, watching as his friend hurried off.

At three o'clock the next morning, Ethan drove the truck to the wholesale market to stock up. In one go, he filled the truck with tens of thousands of dollars worth of goods, stashing most of it in his Ring Space. The haul included fresh vegetables, meats, live poultry, and aquatic products.

What surprised him was how the live animals reacted to the well water in his Ring Space. The moment they got within three meters of the mystical well, a golden light shot out, sending them rolling back. It seemed the spiritual energy of the water kept them at bay.

By the time he returned home, dawn was breaking. Henry was already up, helping soak the vegetables in the well water. Half an hour later, Henry drove off to deliver the goods while Ethan slipped into the Ring Space for a quick drink from the well. After practicing the Ease Immortal Spell a few times, he collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep.

It was already noon when he woke up. Pulling out some rice and freshly-soaked vegetables from the Ring Space, Ethan was about to cook when his phone rang.

"Hello? Ethan Yang?" A girl's voice rang out.

"You? Who is this?" Ethan frowned in confusion.

"Seriously?! You heartless guy. I gave you the chance to play hero the other day, and now you've already forgotten me?" The girl huffed. "Tell me where you live. My friends and I are coming over. If you're as good-looking as I remember, we'll make do with Zoe."

The barrage of words left Ethan speechless, but he reluctantly gave her his address.

Before he could take a bite of his freshly cooked meal, he heard the honking of car horns. Peeking outside, he saw four luxury cars pulling into his yard. Ethan sighed. "Guess I'm not eating anytime soon."

A group of girls poured out of the cars. Zoe Night led the pack, pulling Ethan into a side-hug like they were old friends. "Ladies, meet my handsome little hero!" she announced.

The bespectacled girl adjusted her glasses and gave Ethan a once-over. "Hmm, not bad. His eyes are pretty. Clear and deep… He could charm a lot of girls with those eyes."

"Pfft, what's so great about him?" scoffed the short-haired girl. "Still, those eyes…" She trailed off, giving him a playful smirk.

Another girl, chubby with a sweet face, stood starstruck. The bespectacled one waved a hand in front of her face. "Lily, stop drooling. You're embarrassing yourself."

Lily Tang snapped out of her daze and clung to Ethan's arm. "Brother Ethan, what kind of work do you do?" she asked sweetly, her voice soft enough to melt anyone's heart.

"I just sell vegetables," Ethan replied, gently pulling his arm free.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" the short-haired girl, Zara Night, asked loudly.

"No," Ethan answered, feeling a bit overwhelmed.

"No wonder! Such a pretty girl hugs your arm, and you don't even try to take advantage? You're such a blockhead. From now on, I'm calling you 'Wood,'" Zara declared with a grin.

"I'm not Wood. I'm Ethan."

"Whatever. Ethan's for other people. To me, you're Wood."

Ethan sighed. "Why am I even arguing with her?"

"Wow, what smells so good?" Wendy Dong, the girl with glasses, sniffed the air.

"Smells amazing!" Lily Tang added, practically drooling again.

The girls swarmed the table, diving into the dishes Ethan had prepared. Zara even grabbed food with her hands.

"Can you not use your hands?!" Lily scolded… while grabbing a chicken drumstick herself.

Wendy and Zoe had a bit more restraint, waiting for chopsticks, but once they started eating, there was no stopping them. Realizing there wouldn't be any food left for him, Ethan quietly slipped back into the kitchen to cook more dishes. He knew better than anyone — once someone tasted food soaked in the well water, there was no way they'd stop after just one bite.

As he cooked, he could hear the girls laughing and chatting, their voices filling the house with warmth and chaos.

Ethan sighed, shaking his head with a small smile. "Guess my peaceful days are over."