amaotonovel Chapter 19 No Way to Start
Chapter 19 No Way to Start
Old Xiao arranged a private room for Ouyang and the old Taoist priest to have hot pot. After finishing his work at the shop, Old Xiao took some time to spend with them.
The hot pot was steaming hot, its aroma filling the air. The old Taoist priest, however, had no appetite for the food, repeatedly expressing his desire to buy the related fruit. Old Xiao patiently explained, "This fruit was a gift from a fellow practitioner; there are only a few left. If you still need more, he said he asked his friend, but hasn't received a reply yet. He'll let you know once he gets an answer. Don't worry."
The old Taoist priest said anxiously, "Old Xiao, you must ask around for me. This fruit is too important to me."
Old Xiao smiled helplessly: "Old Taoist, don't worry, I'll let you know as soon as I have any news."
For a moment, the atmosphere in the private room became somewhat awkward. The old Taoist priest was full of anticipation, while Lao Xiao was in a dilemma.
After finishing their meal at Lao Xiao's hotpot restaurant, Ouyang led the old Taoist priest to a property under Ouyang's name. This property, which had been renovated, had never been lived in. It was a courtyard in the style of a Jiangnan water town located in an ancient town, or more precisely, a villa.
The old Taoist priest followed Ouyang into the secluded courtyard. There were white walls and black tiles, winding paths leading to secluded spots, and a small pond in the courtyard where several koi carp swam leisurely.
Ouyang opened the door and welcomed the old Taoist priest into the room: "Master, please stay here for now. The environment is quite quiet. We'll wait for news from Lao Xiao."
The old Taoist priest looked around and nodded in satisfaction: "Not bad, not bad, this is truly a good place."
The room was simply yet elegantly furnished, with all the necessary furniture. The old Taoist priest chose a room facing the courtyard, put down his luggage, and then went to the window to admire the view outside.
After giving some instructions on daily life, Ouyang left. The old Taoist priest sat alone in the house, silently hoping that Lao Xiao would bring good news soon.
As soon as Ouyang left the courtyard where his master lived, he turned right and arrived at a villa courtyard of a different style. This courtyard was built in the architectural style of Rongcheng. It lacked the elegance of the water towns of Jiangnan, but it had the unique customs and symbols of Rongcheng.
The interior design follows a modern minimalist style, which is more suitable for young people than the classical Chinese style of the Jiangnan water town where the craftsman lived.
Stepping inside, bright lighting, clean lines, and a predominantly white and gray color scheme create a fresh and comfortable atmosphere. The open-plan kitchen connects to the living room, making the space feel even more open. The living room features a plush sofa and a large television, with a sound system tucked away in a corner.
The bedroom features a simple and elegant bed, a cleverly designed wardrobe with ample storage space, and a clean and tidy bathroom complete with modern amenities. Several potted plants adorn the balcony, adding a touch of life to the space.
Ouyang wandered around the various rooms with satisfaction, thinking to himself that each style had its own charm.
In the evening, Ouyang Hanrui sat on the balcony of the master bedroom on the second floor, enjoying the unique breeze of Fuzhou and looking at the beautiful night view of the city in the distance, but felt a little sad.
Ouyang took out a bottle of red wine and sat on the balcony, his thoughts drifting aimlessly. He was thinking about his beloved, who had gone to heaven in a plane crash. He couldn't help but wonder if, if his beloved hadn't gone to that exhibition, if he had stopped her, would she have survived? They had known each other since high school, spent their youth together, went to university together, and their company, which they founded after graduation, flourished. They might have had a perfect family, one or two children, living a happy and fulfilling life. But now, he was all alone in the world.
Memories flooded back like a tide, causing Ouyang Hanrui's heart to ache. He picked up his wine glass, took a small sip of red wine, and the bitter taste seemed to mirror his current mood.
Finally, Ouyang grew weary of worldly troubles and chose to cultivate himself. Because his beloved had left him, he felt that all the world's splendor had lost its color, and only in cultivation could he find a moment of inner peace.
~~~Cute dividing line~~~~
What is Lin Yue doing at this moment? Lin Yue is currently in his virtual space, looking at the golden rice and wheat that are ripe. However, he feels that it is a bit impossible for him to harvest them himself, so he plans to buy a harvesting machine tomorrow.
Just as the idea of buying a harvesting machine came to her mind, she thought it would be great if it could be harvested automatically. Then, an unexpected thing happened. The rice and wheat were automatically harvested, threshed, and bagged in the air, then placed bag by bag into the warehouse.
This miraculous moment left Lin Yue in disbelief; this ability had never existed in her space before. Why did this ability appear? Lin Yue kept asking herself. Suddenly, Lin Yue exclaimed, "Remnant Soul Snow Sun, how did this space suddenly develop this ability?"
The remnant soul Xueyang said, "Because your cultivation has improved, it means that the virtual space connected to your soul may also have improved."
Upon hearing this, Lin Yue suddenly understood, her heart filled with joy: "So that's how it is! It seems my efforts haven't been in vain." She excitedly walked around in the space, looking at the full warehouse, and looking forward to a better life in the future.
The old man from the Fire Cloud Immortal Cauldron jumped out and said, "Don't be too happy yet. Haven't you noticed? Your rice and wheat are very different from those in reality. Look at your rice, it's first-grade spiritual rice. Ordinary people would explode and die if they ate too much of it. It can only be eaten by cultivators. Look at the wheat, it's ground into flour, and its strength is much, much better than ordinary wheat. These two crops you're growing can't be sold on the market at all, because they are only suitable for cultivators. For example, your family members have become very healthy because of their long-term use of crops from this virtual space, so they can eat the first-grade spiritual rice you grow, but not too much. That is to say, if we consider a month, they can eat the first-grade spiritual rice at most half the time, and the rest of the time they must eat ordinary rice. Otherwise, your three children will not be able to handle it, and your husband may also have nosebleeds or other health problems."
Upon hearing the old man's words, Lin Yue's smile froze instantly, and the joy that had just welled up in her heart vanished in an instant. She frowned and said worriedly, "Oh dear, what should we do? I was thinking of selling it to earn some money to supplement our household income."
The old man from the Fire Cloud Immortal Cauldron snorted, "You're thinking too simply. This spirit rice is different from ordinary grains; you can't just sell it anywhere. You should think carefully about how to properly manage your family's consumption, lest this cause health problems for them."
Lin Yue nodded and said earnestly, "Grandpa, I understand. I will pay attention." Then, she fell into deep thought, considering how to better utilize these special crops.
Lin Yue was worrying about the spirit rice when she received a call from Lao Xiao that evening. Lin Yue felt like someone had delivered a pillow just when she was about to fall asleep.
Old Xiao said, "Today, that old Taoist priest came to see me and had a meal at my hot pot restaurant. He kept asking about the spiritual fruit."
Lin Yue said, "Then tell the old Taoist priest that there are no more fruits, but there are first-grade spiritual rice and flour that are specially for cultivators. Ask him if he needs them. If he does, the price is negotiable."
Old Xiao hesitated for a moment and said, "Will this work? Would the old Taoist priest even consider using spirit rice and flour?"
Lin Yue answered confidently, "Why not give it a try? Anyway, the fruit is really gone, and this spiritual rice is also beneficial to cultivators. Maybe the old Taoist priest will be interested."
Old Xiao thought for a moment and replied, "Alright, I'll talk to the old Taoist priest tomorrow."
After hanging up the phone, Lin Yue felt a little relieved and hoped that the spirit rice could be sold smoothly and solve her problem.
After Lao Xiao finished his phone call with Lin Yue, he sent another message to the old Taoist priest at noon the next day, saying: "I asked my friend who is cultivating. He said that there are no more spiritual fruits, but there are spiritual rice and spiritual noodles. They are all first-level rice and flour. He said that ordinary people cannot eat too much of them, or they will explode and die. But for you cultivators, it is okay."
The old Taoist priest said, "How much does he have? Could you give us a pound or two to try first?"
Old Xiao said, "I don't know how much he has, but I'll ask him for a pound or two so you can try it and then decide if it's okay."
The old Taoist priest said, "Then ask your friend who practices cultivation how much it costs per pound. Sell me two pounds of spirit rice and spirit flour first, and let me try it. If there are no problems, then we can talk about the larger quantities later."
Old Xiao said, "I don't know the exact amount, I really don't know. Don't think about buying in large quantities yet. Buy a pound or two to try first, and see if it's the kind you want."
The old Taoist priest replied, "Alright, that's settled then. Please ask around for me as soon as possible." After agreeing, Lao Xiao prepared to contact Lin Yue.
In the evening, Lin Yue had just picked up her child from school and was cooking dinner. While she was cooking, she received a call from Lao Xiao, who asked if it was a convenient time to talk. Lin Yue said it wasn't convenient right now and she would call him back later.
Lin Yue placed dinner on the table, letting her child and husband eat first, before going to the master bedroom to call Lao Xiao. After locking the door, Lin Yue stood by the window and quietly called Lao Xiao, asking, "Lao Xiao, what's up with that call?"
Old Xiao said, "I contacted that old Taoist priest. He wants to buy a pound or two to try before deciding whether to buy in bulk."
Lin Yue agreed: "Okay, I'll pack two pounds for you in small bags. Should I take this to your hot pot restaurant, or will you come up to get it?"
Old Xiao said, "I'll come up and get it. Lin Yue, how much do you want to sell it for per pound?"
Lin Yue thought for a moment: "I don't know either. Ordinary rice is only two or three yuan per kilogram now, and the best is only about ten yuan per kilogram. I don't know how much I'll sell this for per kilogram. How about this, Lao Xiao, you say this first: let the old Taoist priest eat for free and let him name his price. If I can accept his price, then we can talk about the bulk order. Let me tell you clearly, the bulk order won't be much."
Old Xiao replied, "Alright, then we'll do as you say. I'll tell the old Taoist priest later."
The next morning, after 10 a.m., Lao Xiao drove to Lin Yue's apartment complex, climbed the elevator to the 18th floor, and arrived at Lin Yue's home.
Lin Yue handed Lao Xiao two bags and a basket containing tomatoes, some leafy greens, lettuce, cilantro, scallions, green onions, and some chili peppers—seasonal vegetables. She gave them to Lao Xiao to pass on to the old Taoist priest. Lin Yue clearly told Lao Xiao, "Tell the old Taoist priest that your friend who practices cultivation has a spiritual field where he can grow some things, but not much. He can only produce a small amount each year, so the price might be a bit higher. Tell him this, and after he tries it, he can discuss the details with you."
Old Xiao stood at the door, about to open it, then stepped back and closed it, saying, "Lin Yue, have you thought about the spiritual rice you sold him? You need an account to receive the money. You can't expect him to give you cash for everything, can you? Doing that too often won't do you any good, and you'll be under the bank's supervision."
Lin Yue said, "Then what should we do?"
Old Xiao pondered for a moment and said, "You could open a limited company that sells fruits and vegetables. How about this? That way, when they make payments, it will be under the guise of purchasing fruits and vegetables from you."
Lin Yue thought for a moment: "Old Xiao, give this to the old Taoist priest first. For the smaller orders later, we'll settle in cash or gold. I'm thinking about whether to register a company. I'm worried about potential problems later. I want to learn more about starting a company."
Old Xiao nodded: "Okay, then let's do it your way." Afterwards, Old Xiao picked up his things and left Lin Yue's house.
Old Xiao carried the things back to his home. He thought for a moment; it would definitely take time for him to get the things, and if they were so fresh, the old Taoist priest might guess he lived close to his friend, which wouldn't be good. He decided to give them to the old Taoist priest on the weekend, when the vegetables in the basket would be wilted. That way, the old Taoist priest wouldn't be able to determine when or how far he was from visiting his friend.
When the weekend came, Lao Xiao sent a message to the old Taoist priest: "I brought the things over from my friend. Tell the old Taoist priest where it would be convenient to give them to you."
The old Taoist priest said excitedly, "I'll go get it right away."
Old Xiao said, "Okay, then let's meet at that hot pot restaurant we ate at last time. We'll wait for you there."
After hanging up with Lao Xiao, the old Taoist priest immediately called Ouyang: "Ouyang, come pick us up and we'll go to the hot pot restaurant we went to last time."
Ouyang said, "Yes, Master, I'll be there soon."
Ouyang drove to his master's villa. The master got out and sat in the passenger seat. Ouyang quickly drove to Lao Xiao's hot pot restaurant. Lao Xiao handed the old Taoist priest two kilograms of rice, two kilograms of flour, and a basket of vegetables. Then he led them into a private tea room. He sat down and said to the old Taoist priest, "These are from a friend. The vegetables are a little wilted. Please eat them first. I don't know how to explain it to you. Try them first."
The old Taoist priest said, "We have no one to make it for me."
Old Xiao said, "But you can't just come to my hot pot restaurant and cook for me."
Finally, Ouyang said, "Master, let's take it back first."
The old Taoist priest and Ouyang arrived at his villa. Ouyang took out rice and flour, noticed the vegetables, but saw no meat. He called his housekeeper and asked her to buy some beef and mutton and cook him a meal with five dishes.
The nanny said she'd be there soon. When she arrived at the villa where the old Taoist priest lived and started cooking, she noticed the difference in the rice; it was larger, rounder, and each grain was translucent. Considering the old Taoist priest and Ouyang's appetites, she cooked a pound of rice. Half a pound per adult would be about right, so she cooked half and put it in the rice cooker. Then she took out a pound of flour and made a pancake. She made several pancakes with the flour, then used fruits and vegetables, beef to make a small pan-fried beef dish, lamb chops, tomato and egg, and stir-fried vegetables, using all the seasonings and vegetables. But during the cooking process, the nanny discovered an intense aroma, a fragrance she had never smelled before in her life. This attracted the old Taoist priest and Ouyang to the kitchen, who watched her cook as if afraid she would steal some food. The old Taoist priest stood behind the nanny with his hands behind his back, and the nanny suddenly felt a sharp gaze on her from behind. The nanny, with trepidation, prepared and served the five dishes.