"It's settled then. Take this," Zhou Yi said, closing the sandalwood box and pressing it into Lin Fan's hands.
"The wine vessel is yours too. Perhaps it can ward off evil spirits in your home. You need it, after all."
"Sister Zhou, this is too precious," Lin Fan said, feeling very awkward.
"Take it. You called me 'Sister,' so I see you as a younger brother. There's no 'yours' or 'mine' between us," Zhou Yi said generously.
"Don't worry, Sister Zhou. I will certainly do as you asked."
In truth, Lin Fan wasn't very confident. Zheng Yue clearly had a no-nonsense, iron-fisted personality and wouldn't be easily swayed.
"That's more like it," Zhou Yi said with a chuckle, showing no signs of having just lost a treasure worth a hundred million US dollars.
"Keep it safe, don't lose it," Zhou Yi cautioned.
"Mhm, I know," Lin Fan nodded.
As he held the sandalwood box, he had a premonition that this item would be of immeasurable value to him.
---
Luofeng Village.
After a day's labor, Tian Mengyao rubbed her sore waist, her steps heavy, reminding the villagers not to leave anything behind.
"Don't worry, Secretary Tian. We won't forget anything."
"The tools of our trade as farmers are not to be lost."
"Secretary Tian, this is for you."
Someone handed her a plastic bag, which was bulging.
"What is this?"
Tian Mengyao knew the villagers had secretly dug up some wild vegetables. She always turned a blind eye, pretending not to know.
"Ma Mici. We picked it on the hillside during lunch."
"For some reason, this year the wild vegetables on Luofeng Mountain are everywhere. Especially Ma Mici, growing in vast patches. We can't pick it all."
Although the villagers couldn't explain the exact reason, they had a feeling that Luofeng Mountain's vitality was recovering.
This meant the medicinal herb planting base would be a success, and their lives could finally improve.
"Ma Mici?" Tian Mengyao opened the plastic bag and looked. The bright green small leaves grew on purple stems, giving it a very appetizing appearance.
"Isn't this what they use to wrap buns..."
"Yes, yes. It's delicious in steamed buns with plenty of lard! It's also good in salads," an elderly woman said with a smile.
A flash of inspiration struck Tian Mengyao.
Didn't Lin Fan say that Luofeng Village had no Chinese toon?
But they had Ma Mici!
"Everyone, hurry back home."
Tian Mengyao tightly clutched the plastic bag, thinking, "Now let's see what you have to say!"
---
Xiao Fan Medical Clinic.
Lin Fan happily clutched the bronze wine vessel and the sandalwood box, waving enthusiastically at the departing Zhou Yi.
"Xiao Fan, don't forget what I asked!" Zhou Yi poked her head out of the car window, reminding him with concern.
"I won't forget!" Lin Fan shouted.
Reassured, Zhou Yi withdrew her head, and the Rolls-Royce gradually drove away.
"What did she ask you to do?"
"Heh, it's about... Mengyao!"
Lin Fan answered, then suddenly realized something was wrong. He turned to see Tian Mengyao standing behind him, staring intently at the receding Rolls-Royce.
"Spit it out, what did Ms. Zhou ask you to do?" Tian Mengyao pressed.
Lin Fan hesitated for a moment, then replied, "Didn't we acquire Borun Pharmaceutical? The company is reopening and might need to expand production."
"Sister Zhou's business hasn't been easy lately, so she asked me to inquire if we need to build factory buildings and employee dormitories. That way, she can make money, and we can save some."
Lin Fan dodged the difficult part and hid the matter concerning Zheng Yue.
Although he knew he couldn't hide it for long, he wanted to delay it for as long as possible.
"So that's how it is."
Tian Mengyao was a little surprised. She came from a scholarly family and could infer useful information from simple news reports.
The cooling real estate market was common knowledge, but she hadn't expected Xinghe Real Estate, the leading enterprise in Shimen County, to be in such dire straits.
"Mengyao, you just came back from the mountain. Come inside and rest. I'll use some medicated wine to invigorate your blood," Lin Fan said solicitously to prevent her from overthinking.
"Xiao Fan, you're always helping others. When will you help your own village folks?" Tian Mengyao lifted her chin, her expression quite displeased.
"I will!" Lin Fan replied perfunctorily. "Once our medicinal herbs are harvested, just you wait. I'll sell them at a sky-high price!"
"Really?" Tian Mengyao looked at Lin Fan listlessly, then suddenly raised her hand and tossed the plastic bag at him.
"What's this?"
Lin Fan's eyes and hands were quick. He caught the plastic bag and was stunned when he opened it. "Ma Mici?"
He immediately reacted. "You want to sell this?"
"That's right!" Tian Mengyao clasped her fingers and stretched languidly, her slender curves revealed, quite alluring.
"What, is it only you who's allowed to sell Chinese toon, but I'm not allowed to sell Ma Mici? Or have you gotten too big for your boots, Lin Fan, and you don't care about me anymore?" Tian Mengyao grabbed Lin Fan's collar, her expression cold, yet full of charm.
"Mengyao, let's talk inside." Lin Fan's heart burned, wishing he could embrace the beautiful woman in front of him and cherish her dearly.
"Don't try anything funny. I know exactly what you're thinking."
Tian Mengyao rolled her eyes beautifully. "Let's discuss business first. The Ma Mici on Luofeng Mountain is almost becoming a plague. Can you find a market for it?"
"I can, but..."
Lin Fan faced Tian Mengyao's displeased gaze and said, "Picking Ma Mici is tedious work. If we sell it at a high price, no one will work for the medicinal herb planting base anymore."
Tian Mengyao frowned deeply.
She had heard from Xia Deya that the villagers in Xiajiagou earned over two thousand yuan in half a day.
At the time, she was shocked because working for the medicinal herb planting base only paid eighty yuan a day.
The people of Xiajiagou picking Chinese toon for one day were equivalent to the people of Luofeng Village working for a whole month.
If picking Ma Mici was also so profitable, who would care about earning dozens of yuan a day?
"This won't work, and that won't work. Are you deliberately making things difficult for me?" Tian Mengyao couldn't think of a solution and, in her frustration, pinched Lin Fan's arm hard.
"Don't pinch, don't pinch! I'm holding something," Lin Fan recoiled, trying to dodge. The two items in his hands tilted precariously, almost falling to the ground.
"Hmph!" Tian Mengyao glanced at the two exquisite boxes, knowing they were gifts from Zhou Yi, and snorted.
Lin Fan nodded towards the clinic door. "My lady, let's go inside. I have an idea, but I'm not sure if it will work. I need your advice."
"If you can't come up with something sensible, just you wait and see how I deal with you," Tian Mengyao said grumpily.
They entered the clinic one after another.
*Click!*
Lin Fan turned on the light, placed the two treasures in the room, and then walked into the living room with a smile.