C13 The Fruit Tree Seed and Ginseng Seed

"If I can get Jiaang Zili to try my homegrown vegetables and he ends up praising them, wouldn't that be the ultimate endorsement?" Zhao Lei mused as he pedaled his way home. "Brother Li mentioned that Jiaang Zili would be visiting in a month, which gives me just enough time. This is an excellent opportunity!"

Zhao Lei wasn't the least bit concerned about whether Jiaang Zili would enjoy his vegetables. Given the success of his jujubes, he was confident that the vegetables grown with Immortal Dew would be exceptionally tasty.

However, the popularity of the jujubes served as a reminder to Zhao Lei that he needed to prioritize his fruit tree planting plans. With the help of Immortal Dew, the trees he planted this year were sure to bear fruit the following year, promising a significant source of income. With this in mind, he made a stop at the county's Agricultural Technology Station on his way back to the village to inquire about fruit tree saplings.

The owner of the Agricultural Technology Station, Mr. Wang, had sold vegetable seeds to Zhao Lei a few days earlier, and they had become acquainted. Upon Zhao Lei's arrival, Mr. Wang greeted him with a warm smile and stood up, saying, "Young man, welcome back. How did those seeds fare? Did you get a good sprouting rate?"

Zhao Lei nodded, "They did well, with a germination rate of over 90%."

Mr. Wang offered a piece of advice, "With this weather, it's tough for the seedlings to thrive. Make sure you're managing your fields carefully."

With a grateful smile, Zhao Lei replied, "Thanks for the tip. I'll keep that in mind. Actually, I'm here today to see if you have any fruit tree saplings available?"

The mention of fruit tree saplings immediately piqued Mr. Wang's interest, as it was a lucrative business. He asked eagerly, "Which type of fruit tree are you interested in?"

Zhao Lei had already given it some thought, aiming to plant a variety that was not only expensive but also well-suited to the local climate.

Without hesitation, Zhao Lei responded, "Cherries!"

Currently, cherries were far from cheap, with premium cherries fetching between fifty to sixty yuan per catty. Zhao Lei was convinced that cherries nourished with Immortal Dew would taste even better, and doubling the price wouldn't be an issue. It was a far better investment than growing apples or oranges.

Boss Wang nodded and remarked, "You've got a good idea there. Cherries are quite pricey these days, and growing them could be quite profitable. How many saplings are you looking to purchase?"

Zhao Lei had done his research and found that the typical planting density for cherries was about 230 trees per acre. The village had allotted him a little over three acres of mountainous land, which amounted to roughly seven hundred trees.

Upon learning how many saplings Zhao Lei needed, Boss Wang reflected for a moment before saying, "There are different varieties of cherries, you know. For the top-quality American cherries, I'll charge you eight yuan for each one-year-old sapling, twelve yuan for two-year-olds, and seventeen yuan for three-year-olds. Does that work for you?"

The pricing was in line with what Zhao Lei had expected. He nodded slightly and inquired, "The price seems fair. I'm interested in the three-year-old saplings. When can you deliver?"

"The saplings are ready in the nursery and can be shipped at any time," Boss Wang informed him. He then cautioned Zhao Lei, "However, transplanting saplings during the peak of summer heat is a surefire way to kill them. I'd recommend waiting until the fall."

This time, Zhao Lei didn't push for immediate delivery. He nodded in agreement and said, "Okay, I'll get back to you when I'm ready to take the saplings."

Truth be told, Zhao Lei wasn't concerned about the survival rate of the saplings. With the Immortal Dew at his disposal, he was confident that not a single sapling would perish. The real issue was that he was short on cash. Over seven hundred three-year-old saplings would cost more than ten thousand yuan. Even though he had made some money selling dates, there was still a significant shortfall.

This realization made it clear to Zhao Lei that he needed to find a way to make money quickly. However, as his eyes scanned the shelves, he spotted a glimmer of hope for his financial dilemma.

Picking up a packet of seeds from the shelf, Zhao Lei asked, "Boss, you're selling ginseng seeds as well?"

Boss Wang, ever the straight shooter, replied, "I was curious, so I got some to try growing them myself." He then leveled with Zhao Lei, "But ginseng is hard to grow around here with our hot summers."

While ginseng might be a challenge for most to cultivate, Zhao Lei, armed with the Purple Gold Gourd, had no such worries. Without hesitation, he asked Boss Wang to sell him twenty ginseng seeds.

Boss Wang didn't overcharge Zhao Lei, only accepting fifty yuan for the seeds. As he handed over the neatly packaged seeds, he remarked, "These are genuine ginseng seeds, already sprouted. It's too bad they're not suited to our local climate; otherwise, planting them for a few years and using them to make wine would be excellent."

"I'm just dabbling for fun; I never expected to get rich off this," Zhao Lei said, though not entirely truthfully. He obtained Boss Wang's phone number and WeChat, mentioning he'd get in touch when he needed cherry tree saplings, and then he departed from the Agricultural Technology Station.

Despite not acquiring the fruit tree saplings, Zhao Lei felt quite content with his acquisition for the day—ginseng seeds. To Boss Wang, these seeds might just be a hobby, but with the Immortal Dew, they promised to yield substantial profits for Zhao Lei. He intended to plant them as soon as he got home, eager to discover the surprises they might hold.

While biking through a narrow street in the county town, Zhao Lei unexpectedly spotted Chen Lan.

The Beautiful Widow, however, didn't see Zhao Lei. She appeared extremely anxious, clutching a small parcel and hastening after a smug-looking middle-aged man into a secluded alleyway.

"What could Ms. Lan be up to?" Zhao Lei wondered, his curiosity piqued. He swiftly secured his tricycle to a post and followed her to find out what was happening.

Chen Lan and the man walked a short distance into the alley before she hesitated, suggesting, "Let's just stop here; there's no need to go any further."

The man turned back with a grin, "There's a hotel just up ahead. Let's go there to do the exchange."

At the mention of "hotel," Chen Lan recoiled as if struck, shaking her head emphatically, "I'm not going to a hotel!"

Feigning concern, the man pressed, "Don't be nervous. You said you had some good stuff to sell me, right? I need to take a proper look, and a hotel is a safer place for that!"

Chen Lan, though inexperienced in such matters, was no fool. She sensed the man's ill intentions and stood her ground, "Never mind, I've changed my mind. I'm not selling anymore!"

Realizing his cover was blown, the man abruptly seized Chen Lan's wrist and snarled, "You're going to sell today, whether you like it or not! To be frank, I couldn't care less about your junk, but a beauty like you... heh, come with me now!"

Chen Lan fought desperately, but as a woman, she simply didn't have the physical strength to match a man's, and she was forcibly pulled along.

As he dragged her away, the man boasted, "Why should a woman like you have to sell belongings to get by? Just keep me happy, and I won't need anything else. I'll even give you two hundred yuan. Isn't that a great deal?"

Chen Lan shook her head vehemently, "Let go of me, I'm not that kind of woman!"

"Heh, they all say that at first," the man dismissed her protests, "but once you get a taste of the good life, you'll change your tune!"

Before Chen Lan could respond, Zhao Lei's voice cut through the air, icy and close by, "Whether she changes her mind is unclear, but if you don't change yours, you're certainly going to regret it!"