"So beautiful! They’re like a work of art!"
The translucent grapes were like jade beads the size of a fingertip. Their tempting, fruity aroma made you want to take a bite the moment you smelled them.
Lin Feng went right ahead and picked a bunch, lifting it up and biting a grape from the bottom.
POP.
The grape burst gently in his mouth, its sweetness instantly filling his senses, followed by a refreshing and captivating fragrance.
"This is incredible! What kind of Immortal Grapes are these?!"
He hadn’t expected the specialty product he received as a reward to be this delicious.
He quickly devoured the entire bunch, then picked another and kept on eating.
He only stopped when he felt full, though he was still craving more.
’These are explosively good! How much could I sell these for per pound?’
Gazing at the huge patch of grapes, Lin Feng’s eyes practically turned into dollar signs.
Without another word, he silently began picking them and placing them into his character’s inventory.
More than two hours later, Lin Feng rubbed his lower back and looked at the harvest in his inventory.
2,493 bunches of grapes. There should have been 2,500 in total, but he had eaten 7 of them.
’Looks like the number of Jade Grapes is fixed. I just wonder if they’ll grow back.’
’I didn’t expect picking grapes to give experience points... no, wait, this must be quest experience.’
On his status panel, his Level now showed (20/100). He only got 10 experience points at a time.
Back in the village, he drove the minivan from outside into the village proper. Tonight, he would have to sleep in the van.
’I need to get the house built as soon as possible.’
He claimed the Jade Wine recipe he’d been rewarded for picking the grapes, and a stream of memories flowed into his brain.
[Jade Wine: Greatly boosts spirit, significantly relieves fatigue, whitens skin and resists aging. Long-term consumption may slightly improve Constitution.]
’So it just enhances some of the effects. I wonder how potent it really is.’
Unfortunately, to brew the wine, he needed a Restaurant.
A two-story wooden Restaurant required 60 cubic meters of wood and 20 cubic meters of stone as basic materials.
With all the other miscellaneous materials added in, he simply didn’t have the money to buy everything right now.
’First, I make money. Then, I develop. It’s useless to overthink it now.’
Early the next morning, Lin Feng drove his minivan toward Wuyuan County.
He had stayed in Wuyuan County while handling his paperwork to come back, so he was very familiar with the area.
As for why he didn’t go to Mountain Ridge Town, with the price he had in mind for the Jade Grapes, the people there simply couldn’t afford them.
Wuyuan County wasn’t particularly developed, but it still had some wealthy people.
He planned to price the Jade Grapes at 888 per bunch. Certain Japanese grapes, after all, could be auctioned for 50,000 a pound and retailed for as high as 170 a pound.
His grapes weren’t just delicious; they had all sorts of special effects. 888 a bunch was practically a bargain.
He checked the map and chose a villa district where wealthier people tended to live.
There was a place called Wanfu Square here that was usually very lively.
He parked in a spot along the road by the square, opened the back of the van, and took out everything he had prepared.
He hung a cardboard sign he’d written himself on the van, detailing the functions and price of the Jade Grapes.
"Specialty of Lin Xian Village: Jade Grapes. Provides a small boost to spirit, relieves fatigue, whitens skin, and resists aging. Long-term consumption may slightly improve Constitution. 888/bunch."
On a flat wooden board, he spread a black cloth and arranged five bunches of Jade Grapes on top.
The man selling toys next to him glanced over, turned his head back, then whipped it around again, staring in astonishment at the information on the cardboard sign.
"Holy shit! 888 for one bunch of grapes? Are you selling Immortal Fruit or something?"
His shout instantly attracted the attention of the other small stall owners nearby.
One by one, they all looked over at Lin Feng, curious to see what 888-a-bunch grapes looked like.
"Are those grapes carved from jade?"
"They’re so beautiful. Are they handicrafts?"
"What handicrafts? Didn’t you see the sign? It says Jade Grapes. This price... he’s got some nerve."
"What! Grapes for 888 a bunch? Who would buy that?"
"Nobody’s going to buy them at that price. This kid has no idea how to do business."
"Heh, setting up a stall and daring to sell something for that much."
"Keep your voice down. He might not be all there..."
Unfazed by the surrounding skepticism, Lin Feng simply took out a bunch for himself and started eating.
A faint, fruity aroma drifted in all directions on the breeze.
Though the scent was light, anyone who caught a whiff couldn’t help but search for its source.
Watching Lin Feng eat with such enjoyment and smelling that faint, fruity aroma, the surrounding stall owners subconsciously gulped.
Even if they wanted to try some, they wouldn’t be willing to spend that kind of money.
"Mom, I want to eat that! Yummy, yummy!"
A little girl, about two or three years old, with big, watery eyes and a round little face, was staring in his direction. She wore a pink dress, her hair was tied in a bun, and her eyes sparkled.
She wasn’t steady on her feet, wobbling like a little duckling as she called out in a tiny, milky voice, revealing a few little white teeth.
’So cute. What color sack should I pick to carry her away?’
Her mother followed behind her, also wearing a creamy white dress. She was gentle and beautiful, with bright, almond-shaped eyes fixed on her daughter, a small, straight nose, and full, pink lips curved into a faint smile.
Her long hair was pinned up, and she wore a pearl necklace around her swan-like neck. She carried a purse in her right hand, a bracelet on her wrist, and a pair of sparkling high heels on her feet.
"Yueyue, slow down. Don’t fall."
Although the little tyke’s steps were small, they were very frequent, and in just a moment, she had run right up to Lin Feng’s stall.
Her sparkling eyes were fixed on the grapes, her expression clearly showing how much she wanted to eat them.
Her mouth moved unconsciously, and a little bit of drool trickled from the corner of her lips.
Turning to see her mother approaching, she cried out in her tiny voice, "Mom, eat! Yummy, eat!"
The little one’s urgent voice drew her mother’s attention from the cardboard sign on the van to the grapes themselves.
The moment Wu Xin saw the grapes, she thought they were beautiful. They didn’t look like fruit, but more like jade handicrafts.
She had also smelled the faint, fruity aroma, and it was indeed very pleasant.
"Hey there, cutie, want to try one?"
Lin Feng picked a few grapes and handed them to the little girl’s mother.
"Thank you."
Wu Xin took a small bottle of Evian mineral water from her purse, rinsed the grapes, and tried one herself first.
The instantaneous sweetness and refreshing fragrance brought a look of surprise to her face.
"Mom, Mom, eat..."
"Okay, okay, I know."
Wu Xin peeled one slightly and popped it into her daughter’s mouth, then subconsciously ate another one herself.
Seeing her mom’s actions, Zhou Yueyue began to chew faster.
The two of them finished the few grapes in no time.
Zhou Yueyue saw that her mom’s hand was empty and turned her gaze back to the grapes on Lin Feng’s stall.
Seeing the little girl’s longing gaze, Lin Feng was about to pick a few more when Wu Xin stopped him.
Wu Xin wondered if it was just her imagination, but she had been feeling a bit tired after carrying her daughter for a walk in the park. After eating the grapes, her fatigue seemed to have noticeably lessened.
Even her daughter, who had just tired herself out playing, seemed to have a lot more energy.
"Sir, are you sure these grapes have these effects? And that you haven’t added something else to them?"
Lin Feng was speechless. He simply picked a few more grapes and ate them.
"Miss, I eat them myself. I guarantee there are no additives, not even pesticides. They’re a completely organic product. I can also guarantee the effects. If there’s any problem, you can call the police on me."
Wu Xin was torn. She didn’t actually think the price was that expensive—she’d eaten pricier fruits before, and the boutique fruits she bought daily weren’t cheap either.
If they truly had the effects described on the sign, she would even consider the price cheap. A single bottle of skincare cream could buy several bunches.
It was just that the effects of eating the grapes sounded suspiciously similar to the descriptions of certain illicit substances, which made her hesitate.