The Fantastic Little Farmer

Chapter 199: Chapter 199: Major Ginseng Client

After observing for a while, Zhang Yun lost interest. She was still wrapped in her bathrobe. The hotel’s bathrobe was made of a thick, sweater-like fabric, so even though it was completely soaked, it still covered her perfectly.

He wondered what the surface of her body would look like under such high temperatures. Would the toxins from the Poison Needle be forced out through her muscles and skin, or would they circulate and be expelled through her pores along with her sweat? How would the subcutaneous bruising from the kick dissipate? Since none of this was visible, he could only observe her neck, collarbone, and face. However, her face remained unchanged despite the intense steam, which meant she wasn’t wearing any makeup. Otherwise, it would have been ruined by now.

Based on Zhang Yun’s own Experience, her process would take quite a while. After adjusting the water flow to a steady balance, he headed down to the buffet restaurant for breakfast.

”Brother Zhang Yun!” He Xiong was also in the restaurant. Having already finished his breakfast, he immediately hurried over when he saw Zhang Yun.

”Boss He, thanks for the room. I haven’t transferred the room fee to...” Remembering this, Zhang Yun quickly took out his phone.

He Xiong grabbed his hand and feigned anger. ”Are you looking down on me? It’s just a small amount, no need for that! The room is booked until Ming Tian. If you need it longer, you can just extend it at the front desk anytime.”

”That won’t be necessary. Thanks!” Seeing him act like this, Zhang Yun didn’t stand on ceremony. He could afford it now, and He Xiong wouldn’t care about such a trivial expense anyway.

”I’m the one who should be thanking you!” He Xiong looked excited as he lowered his voice. ”Did you know? With the second ginseng you gave me, I absolutely dominated the entire venue yesterday! Our family’s experts appraised it as a two-hundred-year-old ginseng, and the first one was a centennial ginseng too.”

Zhang Yun smiled faintly. ”I told you, I just lack Experience and can’t determine the exact details. But I have a general grasp of it, and I would never deceive you.”

”Our branch of the family has suddenly gained immense importance. In the coming year, our authority in all aspects will increase. You helped me achieve all of this, my brother!” He Xiong excitedly patted Zhang Yun’s shoulder. When he had returned last night, he wanted to invite Zhang Yun out for drinks; he was even more thrilled back then.

”Boss He...”

”Don’t call me Boss, it’s too distant. Look, I’ve stopped calling you Young Boss Zhang. Just call me He Xiong.” He Xiong clearly wanted to draw them closer.

Zhang Yun smiled faintly. ”Brother He, you don’t need to thank me. You spent millions buying them. This just shows your good eye and boldness!”

”Haha, that makes sense. We have a very pleasant partnership. To be honest, now that I’m highly valued, my pressure has also increased significantly. High-grade ginseng over a hundred years old is still quite rare nowadays. Whichever pharmacy owns more of them—and of higher quality—demonstrates true strength.

”In other words, we don’t rely on them to make money. Small profits and quick returns on ordinary medicine are the foundation of our profits. But these are our gimmicks, our signature items. They are what bring in stable partnerships and massive orders...”

Seeing He Xiong’s tactful hesitation, Zhang Yun finished the thought for him. ”You want to ask if I can get my hands on more century-old ginseng, right? Or perhaps even older old ginseng, like five-hundred-year-old ones?”

”Yes, exactly! I was almost too embarrassed to ask. After all, everyone knows that Bijia Mountain’s wild ginseng is incredibly rare; it’s something you can only stumble upon by luck, not seek out. But you’re no ordinary person, brother!” He Xiong was brimming with anticipation.

Zhang Yun nodded slightly. ”Working with you has been a pleasure, Brother He. You trust me, pay promptly, and have never thought about investigating, tracking, or double-crossing me. I can help you!”

He Xiong was thrilled to hear this. ”Naturally! We’re collaborating for a win-win situation. I’d never do something as stupid as killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. Money can be earned, and we can earn it together. But scarce resources are truly precious!”

”So...” Zhang Yun asked with a smile. ”Do you want quantity, or do you want age?”

”What do you mean?” He Xiong was taken aback. It wasn’t that he didn’t understand; it was simply unbelievable! He firmly believed that Zhang Yun knew of some untrodden place where he could pull up more ginseng. But from the sound of it, if He Xiong wanted a lot of century-old ginseng, Zhang Yun could provide it; and if he wanted wild ginseng that was three or five hundred years old, he could provide that too?

”Legends say that thousand-year-old ginseng will gain sentience and run away, making it incredibly difficult for diggers to catch them. There are even tales about needing to tie them down with a red string. Of course, these are just exaggerations limited by the times. But!”

He Xiong listened intently, holding his breath. This was very likely the secret to digging up ginseng!

Meanwhile, Zhang Yun continued spouting nonsense. ”The older the ginseng, the more spiritual it truly is! They can camouflage themselves. Sometimes you might look at a spot and think it’s just some weeds and saplings, but there might very well be an old ginseng hidden among them.

”You might think this is nonsense, that they just survived because they were harder to find. While that’s certainly part of the reason—the tallest tree in the forest catches the most wind, so the most conspicuous ones are dug up first—over the course of centuries, vegetation goes through countless generations. The fundamental reason they can survive for so long is their ability to blend in with their surroundings, remaining inconspicuous and making themselves look like mere blades of grass.

”I can’t explain it clearly, and there’s no scientific basis for it either. To put it simply, some are located in unexplored, uninhabited areas, while others are easily ignored even when people search right in front of them. However, I have my own secret method to seek them all out!”

He Xiong was half-skeptical of this plausible yet mystical theory. After all, there really were camouflaged animals and plants in nature. However, he suspected that Zhang Yun was intentionally making it sound mysterious—a mix of truth and fiction—so as not to reveal his entire secret. Conversely, this proved that Zhang Yun truly possessed the knack for finding centennial ginseng and was confident in providing high-quality ones!

He had also heard from Zhang Youcai that Zhang Yun hadn’t just sold to him. The rumors about the million in cash were precisely about Zhang Yun selling ginseng. Furthermore, many people from Tianxin Village and Wa Village had gone to Bijia Mountain to dig for ginseng, yet no one could dig up such Advanced Level ones. Zhang Yun was acting mysterious, but his Energy was very real!

”Understood! Only kids make choices; our Six Records obviously wants it all!” He Xiong had originally bought the ginseng out of his own pocket, but now he could speak on behalf of the large family. Even if he paid upfront, he could get reimbursed. He could even make a profit from the price difference!

”How many do you want?” Zhang Yun asked casually.

He Xiong was stunned. He had meant he would take however many there were, but Zhang Yun was implying he could provide however many were needed! This meant the amount Zhang Yun could procure exceeded his wildest imagination!

”Wait a minute... I need to report this.” He Xiong couldn’t stay calm. He could make the call for ten or twenty million, but anything more required reporting.

Zhang Yun reminded him, ”While you’re at it, discuss the prices for the different grades as well, so we can both mutually decide.”

”Understood!” He Xiong nodded hastily. He had previously paid a million for each, but if they bought in bulk, they could negotiate a discount. However, those of differing qualities—like two hundred or three hundred years old—couldn’t be priced the same way.

It was rare enough to bump into Zhang Yun, and it would be inconvenient to disturb him later once he finished eating and went back upstairs to hook up with the girl. Seizing the moment while Zhang Yun was still eating breakfast, he immediately ran to a secluded corner to make his report.

Zhang Yun decided that once he got back, he would transplant a new batch of ginseng into it...