Chapter 112

Xi Bei wind swept over the nursery, making a rustling sound.

Someone wrapped tightly in a fur coat complained, 'In such freezing weather, why did you call us out here to do what?'

Others chimed in, 'Yeah, what can't be said at the association?'

'Not at the association, renting a private room at a teahouse would also work.'

Someone well-informed glanced at An Qingyu and said, 'I heard Little An happened upon a master; today you want to ask this master for a few pointers?'

The tone was entirely teasing.

An Qingyu only took over his father's position last year; in the Seedling Merchants Association, he is the youngest and least senior.

Others have always considered themselves his uncles and elders, and no one believes this greenhorn could actually find a master to give guidance.

An Qingyu naturally noticed these contempts; he smiled and said, 'Whether to give pointers or not is up to each person's judgment.'

'The other party is ultimately a merchant; two hundred Pinpo fruit saplings—neither many nor few—so why not listen to what she has to say, just treat it as casual chat?'

Someone snorted coldly, 'Little An, you should know the association's rules; I heard the person you found has no background…'

Before he finished speaking, a mule cart slowly stopped not far away.

The woman driving the cart wore a white fox-fur cape, got off the carriage, and came over leisurely.

Before her face could be seen clearly, her hearty laughter was already heard: 'Sorry, sorry, to keep you all waiting.'

The radishes sold by the roadside were exceptionally fresh and juicy; my donkey Lucky craved them terribly, so I had to buy a basket of radishes to coax it, which is why I was late.

An Qing tried not to laugh as he introduced her to the others, "This is Miss Gu, and Lucky is her beloved pet donkey."

The merchants sized up Gu Xixi, all with a hint of disdain.

Using a donkey as a pet and even giving it a name? Hmph, just a woman's domestic affair!

Gu Xixi stepped forward and clasped her hands in a greeting.

She deliberately made up an excuse to be late, just to let these people first taste the cold wind.

No matter what prejudices they hold, calming the mind beforehand makes it easier to understand when listening to others speak.

Now both sides can be considered acquainted.

However, several of the sapling bosses remained silent, clearly intending to leave Gu Xixi hanging.

An Qing hurriedly brought up the topic, "Miss Gu, what exactly do you mean by the temperature difference you mentioned?"

Gu Xixi smiled, "Empty talk is useless; better to give a concrete example."

She pointed respectively to the northern orchard on higher ground and the southern orchard in a low-lying area, then asked, "May I ask whose orchards are these two?"

A short, stout middle-aged man stepped forward, "The north is mine, the south belongs to Boss Yuan. What's the matter?"

An Qing said, "Miss Gu, this is Boss Geshu. Next to him is Boss Yuan."

Gu Xixi gave a slight nod to the two, "The same variety of Pomi fruit, planted in nearby locations, fertilized the same way, irrigated with the same water, yet the resulting fruit tastes quite different."

Boss Geshu and Boss Yuan exchanged a glance and said, "Each tree's fruit is naturally different; what's so surprising about that?"

Gu Xixi chuckled, "The difference indicates unstable quality control, which can be entirely resolved by human intervention—but that's a topic for later."

"For now, let's just talk about the natural temperature difference."

"Boss Geshu's Pomi fruit has a crisp texture, its fragrance rich and exceptionally distinctive; occasionally, when a fruit is cut open, the center shows a translucent state, like rock candy embedded within, clear and sparkling."

"Unfortunately, it lacks sweetness and is rather sour."

"Boss Yuan's Pomi fruit is sweeter, but its texture is solid and hard, not crisp, and its fragrance is also insufficient."

From the expressions of the two bosses, it was clear that Gu Xixi had hit the mark.

Boss Geshu glared at An Qing, "Did you tip her off beforehand, letting her come here to play mysterious?"

Before An Qing could answer, Gu Xixi said, "I have no need to play mysterious."

"Based on the terrain and the temperature difference, making such a judgment is as simple as can be."

Boss Yuan showed some interest, "Temperature difference? Isn't that just cold or hot?"

Gu Xixi said, "Why is it that the Pomi fruit, which thrives abundantly in your western regions, becomes varied in appearance and unstable when brought into the territory of Daye?"

"The most fundamental problem lies right here."

"During the fruiting period, early mornings and evenings are cold, while noon to afternoon is warm with ample sunlight."

"Only when the Pomi fruit daily undergoes such temperature fluctuations does the resulting fruit manage to balance texture and sweetness."

Several bosses fell into contemplation.

Boss Yuan said, "I'm in the south, where the terrain is low-lying and relatively warm, so the mediocre texture is easy to understand."

"But the north is higher ground, with colder mornings and evenings, giving sufficient temperature difference—so why isn't it sweet enough?"

Gu Xixi smiled, "That is the next question."

She glanced at the several people and said, "Since we've met by fate, I might as well answer one more."

"Although the north does not lack sunlight, its soil differs from that here; to improve it, we must start with fertilizer."

Boss Geshu blurted out impatiently, "What kind of fertilizer?"

Gu Xixi sighed, "If I taught you all everything, what would I have left to make a living from?"

"You're all businesspeople; you should understand what things are worth, right?"

The several people exchanged glances, and Boss Yuan said with a smile, "Although what Miss Gu said earlier makes sense,"

"but how can we know that the solution you're offering isn't a deception?"

Gu Xixi gave a half-smile, "Whether you believe me or not is entirely up to you."

"Back then, you didn't hesitate to leave your homes, investing time and money to develop saplings in Yunling County—wasn't that all down to your own judgment?"

The others were still hesitating, but An Qing was the first to voice his stance, "I believe Miss Gu!"

Gu Xixi said calmly, "In that case, I'll also teach you a handy trick for free."

"Bagging the Pomi fruit not only frees it from pest troubles, but also makes its exterior smooth and its shape attractive."

Someone immediately retorted, "Nonsense! Bagging the fruit? Without sunlight, how could the Pinpo fruit grow into a beautiful red?"

"Don't rush." Gu Xixi said, "After bagging, naturally we must remove the bags at a specific time, letting the Pinpo fruit undergo sun exposure to color up and let the sugar settle."

The bags need only be made of the cheapest coarse cloth, slightly larger than a mature Pinpo fruit. Compared to the price of selling perfectly shaped fruit, this cost is negligible.

Boss Ge Shu stroked his beard and nodded, "That's actually a good method."

Just dealing with pests on the Pinpo fruit each year is enough to give them a headache.

Moreover, when harvesting, large numbers of speckled, misshapen fruit can only be sold cheaply.

If we simply put on a small cloth bag, it can both keep pests away and make every fruit look that beautiful.

It's truly a sure profit, no loss.

An Qingyu, however, thought of the key point: "Miss Gu said we remove the bags at a specific time—but exactly when is that?"

And there's also the timing for bagging—surely there's a limit to that as well?

"Smart!" Gu Xixi praised, smiling with narrowed eyes.

"Actually, your current seedling method is also a bit slow; if you want to satisfy your ambition to expand outward……

Several people were overjoyed, speaking in unison, "Do you have a solution?"