He smiled gently, spotting the cherry-sized red berries in his hand. This reminded him of the wild fruits he used to pick as a child. Since Li Su'e had a long queue at the village committee to process paperwork, Du Fei decided to explore the area instead of waiting in the car.
Behind the Li Village committee building lay Mount Yiyun. With his sharp eyesight, Du Fei spotted familiar sights from his childhood from afar and headed towards the mountain. As he got closer and picked the berries, he confirmed they were the same wild fruits he and his sister used to pick and eat, instantly evoking childhood memories.
He wiped them with his hand and popped one into his mouth. A slight tang of sour juice immediately filled his mouth. Even after twenty years, Du Fei's memory told him the taste was just as he remembered it from his childhood. Clutching a few more berries, he continued his stroll up the mountain, popping one into his mouth every so often.
As he ascended further, Du Fei noticed that the trees on the mountainside were thriving, their branches lush and full. Suddenly, he crouched down, scooped up some soil, rubbed it between his fingers, and then brought it to his nose to smell. A look of pure ecstasy spread across his face.
Ring ring. Ring ring.
Du Fei's phone rang. It was his mother, Wu Chunmei, asking why he wasn't in the car. Du Fei replied that he was just looking around nearby and would be back soon. After descending Mount Yiyun, Du Fei drove his mother and Li Su'e home, then immediately drove to Gong Chengbin's company.
Upon arriving, he met Gong Chengbin's secretary. "Mr. Du is here to see our boss? He's in a meeting right now. Why don't you wait in his office?" The secretary, familiar with Du Fei, led him directly to Gong Chengbin's office and poured him a cup of tea. Du Fei thanked her with a smile. Before leaving, the secretary assured him she would inform Gong Chengbin of his arrival as soon as the meeting concluded.
Du Fei marvelled at the luxuriously decorated office, filled with international brand-name items. "Gong Chengbin sure knows how to enjoy himself," he muttered. He looked at the office chair, made by a top European leather supplier, handcrafted over a month. It cost over a million, but its comfort was undeniable, offering excellent support and a snug fit.
After a while, the office door opened, followed by a hearty laugh. "What's up? Think my chair is comfortable? I'll give you one if you like it."
"Forget it. You're the big boss, you keep it. My humble abode can't afford such an expensive chair," Du Fei replied with a smile. They then sat opposite each other on the guest sofas.
"Du Fei, you took Shishi to eat hot pot a couple of days ago and ran into Wenwen and Catherine? Was it intense? Are you okay after that?" Gong Chengbin asked with a mischievous grin, glancing Du Fei up and down as if checking for injuries. Du Fei responded with a universal hand gesture, knowing Gong Chengbin was trying to gloat and extract gossip.
Seeing Du Fei's silence, Gong Chengbin's smile faded. "Du Fei, I was just concerned. After you met them, Wenwen asked me to call and see if Catherine caused you any trouble. But I was afraid you were busy, so I didn't call. Since you're here today, I thought I'd ask. Don't overthink it." In truth, Gong Chengbin hadn't called because he feared Du Fei's scolding, as he also bore some responsibility for the situation. However, he figured a few days had passed, and any anger should have subsided.
"It's fine. As long as Shishi wasn't upset, that's what matters. Otherwise, I'd feel terribly guilty." Du Fei then recounted Liu Shishi's reaction, which indeed surprised Gong Chengbin. However, he quickly remembered that Liu Shishi had always struck him as a gentle person, not prone to temper tantrums or unreasonable behavior, so it didn't seem so strange after all.
After satisfying Gong Chengbin's curiosity, Du Fei turned to business. "A Bin, what do you think about setting up a medicinal herb cultivation base?"
"A medicinal herb cultivation base? Why the sudden idea? Is there a problem with Uncle Jiang's herb supply? That shouldn't be the case. I spoke with his daughter a couple of days ago, and she said to let her know if we needed to increase our order." Gong Chengbin's first thought was that their supplier had issues.
Du Fei waved his hand, indicating that wasn't the case. He then explained his visit to Li Village earlier that day, his discovery of the flourishing trees on Mount Yiyun behind the village committee, and his subsequent soil analysis, which revealed the land was exceptionally fertile and ideal. This led him to consider establishing a cultivation base, as similar ventures existed elsewhere. If successful, having the entire process from raw materials to production and sales under their control would be a significant advantage. Although Du Fei had saved Jiang Shan's life, and Jiang Yan wouldn't act maliciously, business was unpredictable. Furthermore, concentrating all their resources in one place was a major business faux pas.
"Alright, if you think it's a good idea, I'll rearrange my schedule and go with you to take a look. If it's suitable, we'll discuss contracting the land with the locals." Gong Chengbin trusted Du Fei implicitly. Du Fei's medical skills were superb, and he understood medicinal herbs far better than Gong Chengbin. If he said it was viable, it undoubtedly was.
"Yes, but this is still a preliminary idea, something I thought of when I was on Mount Yiyun today. We'll need to consult with professionals for the specifics." Du Fei had anticipated Gong Chengbin's approval. However, as the saying goes, "Even brothers should keep clear accounts." If they were to work together, it was important to inform each other of such matters to avoid any misunderstandings. Du Fei was not an impulsive person and stated his intention to consult experts first. Gong Chengbin wholeheartedly agreed.