Chapter 113: Friends Cooperate Happily

Several seedling merchants looked at Gu Xixi with eager anticipation.

Like a traveler who has endured a long trek across the desert and finally sees a pool of clear water.

However, Gu Xixi's words came to an abrupt halt.

She covered her mouth and yawned, "I was exhausted from rushing over the past two days and still have no energy; I need to go back and get some sleep."

The merchants stared blankly at each other.

They certainly knew how valuable the ideas Gu Xixi had proposed were.

If any one of them were implemented, it could easily change the pattern they had stubbornly maintained for over a decade without progress.

What if they learned all of them?

A sweeping, earth‑shattering transformation? A great accomplishment that several generations have failed to achieve?

Thinking of this, everyone could not suppress their inner excitement, their hands trembling slightly.

Seeing that Gu Xixi was about to reach the mule cart.

An Qingyu whispered a reminder, "The Da Ye people worship the Wealth‑bringing Child."

"Miss Gu must be the Wealth‑bringing Child sent by the True God to us,"

"Everyone, if we let her go today, we may never have a chance in this life—or the next, or the one after that."

The others, as if waking from a great dream, hurriedly chased after her.

Gu Xixi had just untied the reins when several burly men surrounded her.

They stared at her with solemn expressions, "Miss Gu, you've come all this way—don't think you can leave!"

Gu Xixi frowned, and one hand slipped into her small cloth bundle, gripping the medicine bottle tightly.

"What are you doing, everyone?"

"Could it be that the roads of Yunling County were built by you?"

Although she was confident in the bait she had thrown out.

But it was heard that Western Region merchants swaggered about in Yunling County, extremely domineering; if they were unwilling to pay the price, they might even force her to serve as a technical instructor.

An Qingyu sensed the atmosphere was off and hurriedly pushed aside a few companions.

He put on a smile, nodded and made a bow, fearing that his goodwill might not be enough and would make Gu Xixi even more unhappy.

"Miss Gu, don't misunderstand—we aren't trying to forcibly stop you."

"We're trying to persuade you to stay!"

An Qingyu raised both hands, giving everyone a look: "Laugh, quick, laugh!"

The others suddenly understood and hurriedly laughed, their smiles all odd and varied, showing how hard they were trying to make that expression.

"Yes, we want to persuade Miss Gu to stay!"

"Your surname is Gu, so let's call you Boss Gu—may Boss Gu honor us with a banquet?"

"People need to eat; even if Boss Gu is tired, shouldn't he eat before resting?"

Gu Xixi secretly let out a breath of relief, and the hand gripping the medicine bottle loosened.

"No reward without effort—there's no need for you to trouble yourselves; I'll take my leave first."

Trying to keep someone without showing any sincerity—there's no such cheap trick in the world.

Just as she turned around, An Qingyu shouted, "Boss Gu, we've sold the fruit trees you wanted!"

This time, everyone in the merchants association had no objection; instead, they smiled at Gu Xixi and kept nodding.

Gu Xixi stood firm and suddenly burst out, "Will you sell me the Pinpo fruit tree seedlings?"

Several people nodded again, their movements uniform to the point of being impossible.

Boss Geshu boldly said, "No problem! Dig up whichever family's you like!"

Gu Xixi continued, "I want the seedlings to all be at least two years old."

Boss Yuan chuckled, "What's the difficulty? Just look at our land—the strength is right there!"

Gu Xixi suddenly burst out again, "But I've changed my mind about the total number of seedlings."

"I want one thousand."

Several people were first shocked, then showed difficulty, looking at each other.

They had never before encountered a customer who wanted that many seedlings all at once!

After a moment, Boss Geshu laughed and said, "One thousand is no small number."

"Let's not stand here catching a cold; why don't we find a place to sit and discuss in detail?"

Gu Xixi nodded and agreed, "All right."

The merchants association members were overjoyed and vied to show their enthusiasm.

"If you're hungry, let's eat! I'll send someone to book the best private room at the restaurant!"

"Boss Gu, ride in my carriage—it's spacious and warm; I'll squeeze into Xiao An's carriage."

Gu Xixi responded to everyone's kindness in turn, and still drove her mule cart back to the county seat.

In the restaurant's private room, because Gu Xixi insisted on drinking no alcohol, everyone substituted tea; after two rounds, the contract had been discussed and drafted by both parties.

An Qingyu said, "Two‑ to three‑year‑old Pinpo fruit tree seedlings, a total of one thousand, to be delivered between the end of March and early April; after Gu Xixi inspects the goods on the spot, the Yunling County Seedling Merchants Association will escort them to Huachi Du Cun in Qing Tian County."

"At the appropriate time, Boss Gu will first pay fifty percent of the payment as a deposit."

"Repayment is to be made within one year."

"Moreover, if the guidance Boss Gu provides—bagging technique and highland nursery propagation technique—shows initial results, the remaining fifty percent of the payment need only be settled with an additional ten percent."

"The remaining forty percent of the payment shall serve as remuneration for Boss Gu's technical guidance."

The contract also has an appendix, densely filled with writing on a whole sheet of paper.

These were all dictated by Gu Xixi, concerning the positive development and changes of Pinpo fruit bagging and nursery propagation.

Take this as the final assessment standard to avoid pointless wrangling.

In other words, both sides have no objections; as long as the conditions in the appendix are met, Gu Xixi need not repay forty percent of the goods payment.

But if it is not achieved.

Gu Xixi would not only have to exhaust her savings, but also take on debt.

She has confidence in herself.

The pingpo fruit of this era is what later generations know as the apple.

Modern planting techniques are already quite perfected.

What's more, is the Great C Country still the world's top apple exporter, having held the top spot for many years?

Gu Xixi, having been in this book for over half a year, has been continuously inspecting and testing the soil and climate of Huachi Du Cun.

The village's climate is very suitable for growing pingpo fruit.

Moreover, the soil composition is a perfect match, so the final planting result is likely even better than that of Yunling County.

Of course, Gu Xixi has temporarily concealed this point a little.

Both parties signed the contract, in two copies, each keeping one.

With the major matter settled, the atmosphere at the dinner table immediately relaxed.

Boss Geshu called in a few huji to come in and play music and dance.

"Boss Gu, from now on we will be in a long-term cooperative relationship!"

"I believe, with you here, our Yunling Seedling Merchants Association will surely grow bigger and bigger!"

"I'll substitute tea for wine to wish us prosperity, great prosperity!"

Gu Xixi clinked glasses with the several bosses, saying, "Happy cooperation, great prosperity!"

Afterward, Gu Xixi's itinerary in Yunling County was forced to be delayed by another two days.

Because various invitations kept coming one after another, from the upper and lower levels of the Seedling Merchants Association to other merchant associations and other Western Regions caravans.

Banquets, inspections, invitations, social engagements, and so on.

Gu Xixi was overwhelmed, though exhausted to the point of exasperation, yet she enjoyed it without tiring.

She bought cucumber seeds (that is, cucumber), ornamental tomato seedlings (that is, tomato), grape seedlings, coriander seeds……

An Qingyu, considering herself a close friend of Boss Gu, voluntarily acted as a guide, accompanying Gu Xixi as she walked around.

"A friend as beautiful as a rose."

"Can you tell me why you bought so many fruit trees at once?"