Xiao Lu and Sun Yue also arrived. Judging by Xiao Lu’s dark circles, it was clear they had been quite active the previous night.
“Everyone’s up? Shall we head back then?” Guo Xuyang said.
“I’ll call them and then we’ll go,” Li Minyu said, looking at everyone. He turned and went to his room to call Xu Xiaoyu and Wu Shuchen.
Xu Xiaoyu was already dressed, but she felt an emptiness inside. It was all Guo Xuyang’s fault; her clothes had been ripped by him during their passionate encounter the previous day.
When Wu Shuchen saw Xu Xiaoyu return in her pajamas earlier, looking annoyed, she knew something was amiss. However, she didn’t ask anything. They were all adults, and intimacy between men and women was normal. Moreover, Xu Xiaoyu was clearly upset, so Wu Shuchen wasn't about to poke the bear.
“Let’s go. The other three are waiting outside,” Li Minyu said, picking up his handbag.
“Sister-in-law, does your second brother really have so many lovers out there?” Xu Xiaoyu asked.
“Perhaps. He’s been sailing abroad for a long time; it’s unavoidable.”
“Then he hasn’t fallen for anyone? Isn’t he married yet?”
“I really don’t know. This is the first time we’ve met since I got married. To tell you the truth, when Liu and I got married, Second Brother was always at sea. If Liu hadn’t had his accident, I might not have even met Second Brother. However, Liu did mention that his brother is quite capable, not just as a sailor, but also with women. He’s the type that women find very attractive.”
“But, but…” Xu Xiaoyu started, but couldn’t finish her sentence.
“I went over to ask him something this morning and accidentally stumbled upon your little rendezvous. Honestly, it’s just a brief affair between a man and a woman. You’re smart, you know how to advance or retreat. Since this has happened, there’s no going back. If you want to develop this further, communicate with him more. If you’re unwilling, just consider it a night of drunken indulgence. While he was enjoying himself, weren’t you also enjoying it? I often heard Liu say a phrase: ‘There are only oxen that die from exhaustion, never fields that are plowed too much.’ If you can just accept it, it’s nothing.” Li Minyu offered some half-hearted advice.
Seeing Guo Xuyang and Xu Xiaoyu’s situation, it was obvious Guo Xuyang had played a trick. But given Guo Xuyang’s current identity, she couldn’t expose him and could only offer guidance. Besides, she herself didn’t know what the future held with Guo Xuyang, so she couldn't worry about this matter. From past experience, Xu Xiaoyu would definitely fall into Guo Xuyang’s hands eventually. Whether he would marry her or keep her on the side was another question.
Xu Xiaoyu felt a sense of loss. Her body, which she had guarded for over twenty years, had been inexplicably taken. She had no idea what had happened, which was what she found most repulsive and infuriating. Not to mention the so-called enjoyment Li Minyu had spoken of. Moreover, she wasn’t a woman of loose morals. She now deeply regretted coming out with Sun Yue, and even more, she regretted not going home earlier yesterday. Every encounter with Guo Xuyang brought her trouble. The first time he wanted to sleep with her, and the second time that scoundrel had succeeded. Despite her thoughts, Li Minyu had called for them, and she and Wu Shuchen had no choice but to follow.
“Mr. Liu, shall I take you to talk with the farm owner later?” Xiao Lu was discussing the farm purchase with Guo Xuyang.
“Let’s send them back first. We’ve been out all night, and we shouldn’t delay their studies today,” Guo Xuyang said.
“Buying a farm? Where?” Sun Yue asked when she heard Guo Xuyang was going to buy a farm.
“There’s a farm to the east of your school. It’s been on the market for a long time without being sold. Mr. Liu wants to buy it this time, so I thought I’d take him to talk to the owner,” Xiao Lu said.
“If done well, a farm can be more profitable than anything. The main advantage here is the high degree of mechanization, which requires a skilled workforce but not too many people, making it relatively easier to manage,” Sun Yue said.
“Are you interested in farms?” Guo Xuyang asked.
“I’m majoring in winemaking, so I pay attention to nearby vineyards and farms.”
“There’s such a major?”
“Yes. Many winemakers and sommeliers have studied this major at our school.”
“So you’ll be pursuing this profession in the future?”
“It’s hard to say. It depends on the circumstances.”
“I was planning to buy this farm and have Xiao Lu help manage it. If you can grow grapes, that would be great too. In the future, we can establish a dedicated winemaking company to produce wine and create our own brand,” Guo Xuyang said.
“Really? Can I really plant grapes on your farm?” Sun Yue asked, a little surprised.
“Of course. I’m here for a very short time, only once or twice a year. In the future, I’ll send people to liaise with you. It will be mainly managed by you,” Guo Xuyang said. He was laying the groundwork for his future visits. After all, he was currently in Liu Yifan’s appearance and couldn’t maintain it indefinitely. Moreover, the real Liu Yifan was still waiting for him to return at the hotel.
“Then can I go with you to see the negotiations?” Sun Yue asked.
“There’s nothing much to see, it’s mainly about the price. If the price is right, Mr. Liu will sign the contract directly,” Xiao Lu said.
“How much do they want?”
“It seems to be four hundred and fifty thousand US dollars.”
“How big is it?”
“Over one hundred and sixty acres. What do you mean?”
“The current market price for farms is generally about two thousand five hundred US dollars per acre. If the seller is eager to sell, you can negotiate down, but not below two thousand three hundred US dollars at the lowest. This also depends on the location and overall environment,” Sun Yue said.
“It seems you’ve done your research on farms,” Guo Xuyang praised.
“I need to research the soil quality for grape cultivation, otherwise, it might all be in vain. So, I’ve coincidentally investigated farms in the United States.”
“Good. Let’s go see the farm together first, and then we’ll negotiate the contract. Will this interfere with your studies?”
“Our studies are relatively light right now. Following you for research is also a form of study, and it will allow me to enter practical application sooner.”
“Alright, let’s go to the farm once they come out.”
As Guo Xuyang was speaking, Li Minyu, Xu Xiaoyu, and Wu Shuchen walked over.
“They’re here. Let’s go see the farm first, and then we’ll go negotiate the contract.”
“The emperor doesn’t starve his soldiers. You need to find a place for us to eat. We haven’t had breakfast yet,” Li Minyu said.
“Since Sister-in-law has mentioned it, let’s find a place to eat first. Xiao Lu, you’ll pay, and I’ll transfer all the money to you later,” Guo Xuyang said to Xiao Lu.
“Mr. Liu, you’re too kind. I can afford breakfast,” Xiao Lu replied.
“I mean I’ll transfer the money for buying the farm to you. You need to sign the contract,” Guo Xuyang said.
“You definitely need to transfer it to me. I don’t have that much money to buy a farm,” Xiao Lu’s comment caused everyone to burst into laughter.