Liu Ruyan's gentleness caused Fan Xueer's big eyes to flicker for a long time. She saw a hint of something in Liu Ruyan's gaze, but being both intelligent and discerning, she knew how to maintain her composure! If you want to be liked by boys, don't do the things they dislike the most.
What do boys dislike the most? Of course, it's women who make a fuss at inappropriate times!
The minivan returned to the county town. Fan Xueer was unusually quiet all the way, her gaze fixed on the window, lost in thought.
"Lu Fan! I have something to discuss with you! Let's go to my office!" As soon as the minivan stopped, Bai Xuemei appeared before Lu Fan, her usual cold demeanor replaced by a gentle tone.
"Alright!" Lu Fan replied, carrying a basket of immortal peaches out of the car.
Fan Xueer's big eyes flickered again. She caught the same look in Bai Xuemei's eyes as she looked at Lu Fan, a look that Liu Ruyan had when she looked at Lu Fan. This made her feel a little flustered, realizing that she wasn't the only competitor.
The two women were no less beautiful than herself, and one was the village chief while the other was the hotel owner's wife, both rumored to have powerful family backgrounds. How could she compete?
"Xiao Fan! Do you still like the motorcycle?" Bai Xuemei asked, glancing at Lu Fan in the office.
"I do! I saw this motorcycle at the motorcycle shop last time, and it's very expensive. However, I don't have a license yet, so I haven't dared to ride it!" Lu Fan nodded.
"Then you should go and get a driver's license!" Bai Xuemei said urgently.
"Mm! I plan to find time to sign up!" Lu Fan replied quickly.
"I know the principal of a driving school. I'll sign you up later!" Bai Xuemei said eagerly.
"That would be great!" Lu Fan exclaimed with joy. Once he had the license, he could ride around.
"Boss! Someone outside wants to buy peaches. Fan Xueer has raised the price of peaches to fifty yuan a jin and is preparing to sell them all," a waitress rushed in to report.
"Fifty yuan a jin?" Lu Fan's spirits immediately lifted. This was good news... However, these peaches had brought many customers to Bai Xuemei...
"Let's go out and see!" Bai Xuemei also stood up abruptly. Fifty yuan a jin was a sky-high price. It seemed there had never been such a price before. However, upon reflection, it wasn't surprising. It wasn't the peach season, and there were no peaches on the market. Following the logic of off-season sales, this price was acceptable. Some fruits were even more expensive.
At this moment, a crowd had gathered at the hotel entrance. Since the hotel hadn't opened yet, these people were all there to buy nectarine peaches.
"Dear friends! I apologize profusely! Because these peaches have been pre-ordered by some of the hotel's guests, only a small portion can be sold. How about this: if you can pay to pre-order, I can speak to the boss and arrange for an increased delivery tomorrow." Fan Xueer stood in the middle of the crowd and said loudly.
"I'll pay fifty yuan a jin. Sell me that small portion that can be sold, five jin! And I'll pre-order another five jin!"
"Fifty yuan a jin, I want them too. I'll take five jin. I'll pre-order ten jin!"
"I'll pre-order ten jin!"
The surrounding crowd immediately took out their crisp banknotes, shouting one after another in a rush.
"Alright! Everyone, don't worry, one by one." Fan Xueer said, calling Xinxin over to collect money and keep accounts, while another waitress weighed the peaches.
In a short while, over two hundred jin of peaches were sold out. Additionally, three hundred jin were pre-ordered.
"Xueer! Why did you sell all the peaches? Won't the hotel's supply for today be gone!" Lu Fan said as he approached Fan Xueer.
"No one in the hotel pre-ordered, so why are you worried! Besides, at this time of year, we are the only ones offering them, so thirty yuan a jin for peaches isn't expensive. Today, we'll just inform them that the peach supply is insufficient, and those who want good peaches need to pre-order. And it will be fifty yuan a jin!
Don't worry, there aren't many poor people who come to this kind of hotel; this amount of money is nothing to them! Moreover, they are eating not just for the taste, but for the status! Let alone these peaches, even if the hotel's consumption standards were raised, they would still come. And more people might come!
I've collected the money, so you just prepare three hundred jin of peaches for tomorrow!" Fan Xueer said, flicking two stacks of banknotes in her hand and giving Lu Fan a slightly smug look.
"Xiao Fan! I'm planning to open a fruit supermarket across the street. Wait for me, and we'll go see if we can take over that shop," Fan Xueer suddenly said, stuffing the money into Lu Fan's hand and pointing to a small snack shop opposite.
"You want to open a fruit supermarket?" Lu Fan asked in surprise.
"What? She can open a restaurant, and I can't open a fruit supermarket?" Fan Xueer glanced at Bai Xuemei.
"Alright! We'll go take a look later! But, this way... aren't you going back to the provincial capital?" Lu Fan was a bit speechless, but with his ability to create such magical fruit, opening a fruit supermarket was indeed logical. Although these peaches had indeed brought many customers to Bai Xuemei, the hotel's main focus was medicinal cuisine.
Bai Xuemei, standing nearby, smiled slightly. Fan Xueer considered her a competitor. But then again, this girl looked quite shrewd when she was serious! What she had said earlier was not unreasonable. Wealthy people want not only good taste but also class. If this were in the provincial capital, the consumption of such a hotel could be increased by at least twenty percent.
"I've already asked an agent to sell the house in the provincial capital. Why would I go back!" Fan Xueer gave Lu Fan a look. For this boy, she not only didn't want to go back to the provincial capital but also didn't want to go abroad. This boy was asking the obvious!
After everyone had a simple breakfast, the hotel prepared to open for business. The Yixiangge Grand Hotel now opened not much later than the breakfast shops, as customers started queuing up at the entrance very early, especially some patients. It was like queuing for a hospital registration.
As soon as the hotel opened, Lu Fan, Lin Fang, and Xinxin were preparing medicinal cuisine for the first batch of guests when they heard a commotion outside, as if someone was arguing.
Lu Fan walked towards the entrance and saw Wang Hai, the vice president of the county hospital, arriving with many doctors. They were being stopped by the security guards at the entrance.
"What are you doing here again? If you're trying to cause trouble, we'll call the police!" Lu Fan shouted at Wang Hai.
"Lu Fan... Lu Fan...! We're not here to cause trouble, we're here to invite Lin Fang back to the hospital! Our director said he's willing to reinstate Lin Fang's position as attending physician and even promote her to specialist! Let us see Lin Fang, we want to have a good talk with her!" Wang Hai shouted urgently upon seeing Lu Fan.
"Oh... that's good news! Lin Fang! Come out and talk to them!" Lu Fan shrugged and called out to Lin Fang inside with a slight shake of his head.
Lin Fang walked out from inside with a cold expression, standing beside Lu Fan. "Wang Hai! I, Lin Fang, have never valued fame and fortune so highly! I just want to dedicate myself to promoting Chinese medicine, saving lives, and healing the sick. I just didn't expect that what I couldn't achieve in the hospital, I've achieved in the hotel. You... should go back!"
"Lin Fang! Think carefully, this is an opportunity to soar!" Lu Fan whispered in Lin Fang's ear. He hadn't expected Lin Fang to be so stubborn. Saving lives and healing the sick – in this era, this phrase had long been forgotten! Wasn't everyone striving for profit?
"As long as I stay by Master's side, and Master doesn't drive me away," Lin Fang said faintly, then turned to go back.
"Lin Fang... Lin Fang... Don't go! Tell us any conditions you have, and we'll consider them..." Wang Hai shouted from outside the gate.
"Huh...?" Just then, Lu Fan suddenly saw a figure, frail and white-haired, walking towards them. But the moment his gaze fell on this person, a sense of great danger arose! Killing intent? He had felt this feeling from Brother Hu and Sister Yao. Lu Fan couldn't help but frown!