Volume 1, Chapter 30: The Businessman

"Hey, Lanlan, you're free lately, right?"

"It’s nothing major, I just wanted to invite you over for a meal."

"Yes, homemade. At my place. I bought the ingredients myself; consider it a chance to practice your culinary skills!"

"Great, I'll be waiting for you then. We’ll each cook one dish!"

After hanging up, Xie Minmin, dressed in casual attire, sat on her sofa, swinging her legs slightly with a faint smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

This recent incident had caught her a little off guard.

When she left Xianghe Hotel, she had taken that basket of vegetables and examined it again and again. Eventually, she couldn't resist having someone prepare a dish with them. The taste was so extraordinary that she was completely stunned. In just a few moments, a way to make money had crossed her mind.

That was why she called Liu Lan immediately—to act as a middleman and take a cut of the profits. As for how to do it or how much she would make, wasn't that entirely up to her? That was the way of a business person; always thinking about how to turn a profit. As long as she had a grip on Xianghe Hotel, she would never have to worry about money.

She sat at home waiting quietly until Liu Lan arrived, bursting with energy. Upon seeing the table full of vegetables, Liu Lan was completely bewildered.

"Sis, are you playing games with me? I thought we were having a dinner party? You really expect me to do the cooking?"

Xie Minmin burst into laughter, slipped on her slippers, and quickly pushed Liu Lan onto the sofa. "What's wrong? You’re the young lady of the Xianghe Hotel; don't tell me you can't even stir-fry two dishes!"

Liu Lan retorted, "What kind of game are you playing? Even if you want me to cook, how is just two dishes enough?"

The table was covered in vegetables, but there were only two varieties: baby bok choy and spinach. No matter how talented she was, there was only so much she could do with that!

"Don't be so impatient. Just try cooking them, whatever comes out, comes out. If it’s truly inedible, we can just order takeout!"

Fine. Liu Lan could see it now; Xie Minmin was doing this on purpose. Even so, she put on an apron, tied back her hair, and started working. As Xie Minmin said, her family owned a hotel, so cooking was her specialty. Having grown up surrounded by it, she had at least some skill.

"Min, where did you buy these vegetables? They look quite good! Though, if you focus too much on appearance, it doesn't necessarily mean the taste is great. You must have paid a high price for these, right?"

As she cooked, Liu Lan kept the conversation going, though she was secretly feeling suspicious.

The quality of these vegetables was exceptional. Especially under the lights, they looked as translucent and pristine as jade.

"A friend gave them to me," Xie Minmin said, not telling the truth.

Soon, a plate of stir-fried baby bok choy was placed on the table. Before even sitting down, Liu Lan pinched a piece and popped it into her mouth. After just one bite, she stood frozen on the spot, unable to react for a long time.

"Well? Do you feel like your cooking skills have improved?"

Hearing this, Liu Lan snapped back to reality. She turned to look at Xie Minmin, then back at the pile of vegetables. If she didn't understand why she had been invited here by now, she would be truly foolish.

"You really are something, Xie Minmin. Inviting me to dinner was just a ruse; you're actually looking for a favor, aren't you?"

Xie Minmin carried the dishes to the table, then returned to the kitchen, draped her arm over Liu Lan's shoulder, and asked, "So? If this kind of vegetable were sold to your Xianghe Hotel, what kind of price could you offer?"

Liu Lan responded quickly, holding out her palm. "Five yuan. If I talk to my dad, I can definitely secure that!"

Xie Minmin curled her lip in annoyance. "Forget it then. I’ll just go talk to that guy surnamed Zhou instead!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Lan balked. "Sis, you know what that guy Zhou is like. If you cooperate with him, you'll be sick to your stomach."

Xie Minmin chuckled. "Whether it's sickening doesn't matter, as long as he pays well!"

Liu Lan was so frustrated that she threw the kitchen knife onto the cutting board. "I'm done cooking!"

With her appetite ruined, she had no heart left for cooking. "I'm taking these vegetables back. You know I don't have the final say at Xianghe Hotel. We'll see what price my dad is willing to offer!"

Xie Minmin nodded in satisfaction. "That works. I'll wait for your good news! But you should keep an eye on the clock. I don't have much time; give me an answer by tomorrow at the latest. I still have to provide a quote to the farmers."

After saying this, she walked to the door, pulled it open, and gestured for her to leave. "Young Lady Liu, I won't keep you any longer!"

Liu Lan left with a sour face, fuming. She had traveled all this way, hadn't even eaten a bite, and had even ended up cooking a dish for someone else. Well, she did leave with a lot of vegetables. She knew deep down that if her father saw these, he would surely ask where they came from. If he found out they came from Xie Minmin, he would be at the Xie household to find Xie Jingrui by tonight.

...

Songji Food Stall.

Guo Dong and Meng Xiaohan sat at a table. Two small side dishes and a soup were laid out before them. Guo Dong was dejected. This trip to the county seat hadn't just failed to achieve his goal; he had even lost his basket!

"Alright, don't be angry anymore. You didn't handle this right either. If you had told me earlier, I definitely would have stopped you." Meng Xiaohan served him a bowl of soup and handed it to him.

"You don't understand. Back then, Liu Lan said it herself—if I ever came to the county seat, I just had to mention her name and I'd get a free grand meal!" Guo Dong pouted and said indignantly, "I mentioned her name, and what happened? They didn't even bother to ask. I'm starting to doubt if she's even the daughter of the chairman of Xianghe Hotel."

Meng Xiaohan giggled. "Just think about it, with so many chain locations, do you really think every employee knows who she is?"

Guo Dong realized she was right, but he couldn't shake the embarrassment. Today had been humiliating. He had tried to be friendly, only to be met with cold indifference and nearly get beaten up!

"I'm not selling to them anymore. Even if they come begging me, I won't sell! Tomorrow, I'll take the vegetables straight to our town to sell! Good wine doesn't fear a deep alley; I don't believe such high-quality vegetables won't sell!"

Listening to Guo Dong's complaints, Meng Xiaohan shook her head with a wry smile. However, she truly admired him. The vegetables looked so beautiful; even after sitting in the basket for so long, they still looked like works of art. Just based on their appearance alone, such items could fetch a high price!

"Alright, tomorrow I'll go with you, and we'll set up a street stall in town!" Meng Xiaohan served him another bowl of rice.

Guo Dong's mood improved significantly. He looked at Meng Xiaohan and suddenly said, "Don't move!"

Meng Xiaohan was slightly startled, freezing in place with her chopsticks raised. "What's wrong?"

"I'm going to take a picture of you, to prove that we've been to the county seat, right?" As he said this, he pulled out his phone.

The moment he took his phone out, it began to ring.