"Alright then, one point five million it is. Can we sign the contract tomorrow afternoon?"
The park director, expecting Liu Yifeng to haggle, was surprised by his quick agreement and was moved to tears. "Really? Thank you so much! You're my benefactor!"
Liu Yifeng felt a bit sheepish, as he was essentially here to reap a harvest. However, he reasoned that even without him, the orchard would still be sold, and likely not for as high a price. With that thought, he felt at ease.
He then agreed with the park owner to sign the contract at 2:30 PM the next day, with the payment to be made immediately upon signing. The park owner nodded repeatedly, having never expected the orchard to sell so quickly. While he felt some reluctance, it was all worth it for his son and to provide closure for the deceased and injured.
Leaving the orchard, Su Wanru couldn't help but ask, "Are you really planning to take over the pomelo orchard? Honestly, the fruit trees here look rather ordinary. They don't seem like they could produce high yields. Especially these pomelo trees, the fruit is inedible. If they grow like this this year, they might do so again next year. You're being too impulsive."
Liu Yifeng knew Su Wanru was looking out for him, but he wasn't worried. His willingness to take it over stemmed from his confidence in making it profitable. "Ms. Su, you might not believe me, but I have a way to make these pomelos big and sweet. I guarantee you'll want more after tasting them, just like watermelons."
Su Wanru was stunned. "What method could you possibly have? Mid-Autumn Festival is only about half a month away. Even a deity couldn't turn these sour-as-lemon pomelos into big, sweet ones in such a short time!"
Liu Yifeng smiled mysteriously. "Some secrets are not meant to be revealed. You'll know when the time comes."
Su Wanru didn't understand his intentions, but seeing his unwavering confidence, she didn't press further. "Since you're so confident, I'll wait and see."
In the afternoon, on the way to pick up Tongtong, Liu Yifeng asked, "Tongtong, Daddy acquired a few orchards this afternoon. The fruits there aren't growing very well. Will your growth agent have any effect on them?"
"Of course! Any fruit or vegetable, once it encounters my growth agent, will grow big, sweet, and be packed with nutrients."
With Tongtong's affirmative answer, Liu Yifeng's spirits soared. He couldn't wait to spray the growth agent in the orchards. However, it was a massive undertaking. Spraying it alone wouldn't suffice; he'd need to hire more help.
Upon returning home, Tongtong busied herself with preparing more growth agent for her father. Due to the large area of the orchards and the abundance of fruit, a significant amount of the agent would be required, far more than what was previously made. Fortunately, the raw materials for the growth agent were common, otherwise, it would be difficult to prepare it quickly.
While Tongtong was busy with the growth agent, Liu Yifeng called Du Ziheng to inform him of his need to borrow money. Du Ziheng, upon hearing this, immediately asked, "Borrow money? No problem, how much do you need?" He had complete trust in Liu Yifeng's character.
Liu Yifeng was direct, stating his need for 1.5 million. Recognizing the substantial sum, he added, "Brother Du, rest assured, I won't borrow it for free. I'll pay you the same interest rate the bank charges."
Du Ziheng was immediately displeased. "What are you saying? What's our relationship? You're borrowing money from me, and I'm going to charge you interest? When do you need the money? I'll transfer it to your card from the bank."
"I need to pay it tomorrow afternoon, so it's best if the funds arrive by tomorrow morning."
"Alright, I'll go to the bank first thing tomorrow morning." Du Ziheng didn't inquire about the purpose of the loan, knowing that to maintain a good relationship with Liu Yifeng, he had to lend him the money. Moreover, since they started collaborating, his business had been booming. The profits from selling crayfish alone were close to a million, and with the commission from the vegetables, the total was nearing 1.5 million. And their cooperation was ongoing, so there would be plenty more profits to be made. To him, Liu Yifeng was like a god of wealth. Falling out with him would mean cutting off his own financial lifeline.
"Thank you, Brother Du. Let's have dinner together sometime." Liu Yifeng was deeply touched by Du Ziheng's immediate agreement to lend him such a large sum without hesitation. He understood that 1.5 million was a significant amount, and even a wealthy businessman would consider the borrower's repayment ability. But Du Ziheng didn't. His immediate agreement and trust made Liu Yifeng determined to ensure Du Ziheng wouldn't lose out. Therefore, Liu Yifeng decided to include interest when repaying, and even offer a slightly higher rate than the bank's. He believed in reciprocity; when someone was good to him, he would repay them tenfold.
The next morning, Liu Yifeng received the transfer notification for 1.5 million. Knowing it was from Du Ziheng, he immediately sent a thank-you message. At that moment, Du Ziheng was on his way to the vegetable market and didn't have time to check his phone.
Subsequently, Liu Yifeng drove to the real estate bureau. They had arranged to meet at the entrance of the bureau at 9 AM. When he arrived, Chen Xiufen and others were already waiting, each holding their property deeds, clearly eager.
"Aunt Chen, you're here very early. Have you had breakfast?" Liu Yifeng asked with a smile as he got out of his car.
Chen Xiufen nodded repeatedly. "Yes, we have. By the way, where are your other friends?" She scanned the surroundings, not seeing anyone else.
Liu Yifeng explained, "They're on their way. Let's wait a moment!" Soon, Wan Hui arrived, followed by Su Wanru and Liu Kaichen.
Seeing that everyone had arrived, Liu Yifeng led the way into the real estate bureau's hall. Wan Hui knew people at the bureau and had made arrangements the previous day, so they had dedicated staff to assist them. Normally, they would have to queue and wait in the hall, which would take a considerable amount of time. In the end, with thirty-four properties, they completed the transfers to their names in just one morning.
The staff at the real estate bureau were puzzled by Liu Yifeng and his group buying so many properties in the Delta area. There were no rumors of demolition, so why spend so much money buying properties there? Two staff members became suspicious. After discussing it, they concluded that this group's decision to buy properties there couldn't be for nothing; they might have known something in advance. Therefore, they decided to also invest in a property in the Delta. Little did they know, this bold move would triple their investment in just two months. But that's a story for another time.
After the properties were transferred to their names, Liu Yifeng and his group contacted the bank staff to transfer the money from their accounts to the respective bank cards they had provided earlier. Soon, Chen Xiufen and the others received text messages from the bank, confirming that the full amounts had been transferred. Their faces lit up with joy. Now, they no longer had to worry about their properties being unsellable. They had finally escaped the Delta and could go elsewhere to buy new homes and start their lives anew. Upon receiving the text message, Chen Xiufen immediately called her son: "Son, Mom has received the money from selling the house. You can go look for a house now. We'll buy it outright."