They then assumed that they had arrived at the orchard and that the fruits that grew each year were all the same. They felt that even if they bought it, it would end up being a burden on them. Even if he agreed to sell it cheaper, no one would be interested in the end.
At this moment, he was extremely worried.
His son, driving under the influence, had caused a chain reaction, crashing into five or six cars, resulting in four deaths and three injuries, with many vehicles severely damaged.
And his son, due to the drunk driving accident, the insurance company would not pay a single penny.
This debt naturally fell upon his shoulders. To have his son's punishment reduced, he had to obtain a letter of forgiveness from the victims' families.
And to obtain a letter of forgiveness, he had to compensate them; otherwise, it was impossible to get it.
He had taken out all his savings, and still owed more than 1.3 million yuan. It was then that he was forced to sell the orchard.
However, nearly a week had passed, and not a single orchard had been sold. How could he not be worried?
At this point, Liu Yifeng and Su Wanru followed the address.
The two parked their car by the roadside and saw the orchard, which was fenced off. At first glance, it truly seemed endless.
Just then, Liu Yifeng saw an uncle sitting outside, wearing a straw hat. He walked over and asked, "Uncle, is this orchard yours?"
The uncle looked up at the young man before him and nodded. "It's mine. Are you also here to see the orchard?"
"Yes, I heard you wanted to sell your orchard, so I thought I'd come and see if I could buy it. Could you let us in to take a look first?"
Seeing Liu Yifeng express his desire to buy, although the uncle held out little hope, he still led the two inside.
"Follow me!" The uncle stood up and led the way.
The two followed the uncle and arrived at the first orchard, the orange grove.
"Uncle, how many orange trees do you have in total? What is the annual yield?" Liu Yifeng asked.
"There are a total of 8,520 trees, with an annual yield of approximately 600,000 jin."
As soon as the uncle finished speaking, Su Wanru questioned him, "That's unlikely. The yield of oranges from your orange trees doesn't seem very high. I doubt it's even fifty jin per tree. How can you have a yield of 600,000 jin?"
Hearing Su Wanru's words, the uncle knew she was an expert and sighed. "In previous years, the yield was this much. I don't know if it's due to the drought this year, but the oranges haven't grown very well. However, I believe it won't be like this in the future. It's just that the weather has been too hot this year."
Fearing that the two might abandon the idea of buying due to the low orange yield, the uncle quickly explained.
"Then, could you please take me to see the other orchards?" Liu Yifeng said no more.
He had already decided to buy the place. Looking around was just to negotiate a better price.
Although the number of oranges was not high, he had ways to make the oranges large and sweet. If they were too dense, it would instead affect the growth of the oranges.
The uncle couldn't quite figure out Liu Yifeng's intentions. He then led Liu Yifeng to the pear orchard. Since these pears ripened in July and August, all those that could be sold had been sold. What remained were those that didn't grow to full size, only about the size of a Chinese date. They wouldn't fetch a price if picked, so they were left to grow, and would naturally fall off when they rotted.
"Although our orchards are close to each other, the terrain is different. This orchard is at a higher elevation, and all the ripe pears have been sold. What remains are those that didn't grow to full size. However, my pear yield is still quite good. Each pear tree can bear eighty to one hundred fruits. An acre can yield six to seven thousand jin of fruit. I have a total of thirty acres, with a production of about 200,000 jin," the orchard owner explained.
Liu Yifeng observed that the pear trees were not very dense and were quite tall.
Finally, they arrived at the pomelo orchard. The pomelos inside were almost ripe, but their size looked rather small, about the same as the green-skinned pomelos grown in the countryside. These were not easy to sell, as during the Mid-Autumn Festival, people buy pomelos not only for consumption but also as gifts. Naturally, they wouldn't buy small ones, as they wouldn't look good.
"Orchard owner, have your pomelos been pre-ordered yet? The Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching, and many pomelos are already on the market. They can be seen in major shopping malls," Su Wanru asked. Even their fruit shop had started selling pomelos.
The orchard owner's expression was a little awkward. "This year's pomelos are the same as the oranges. I don't know what's going on. Not only are they small, but they're also a bit sour. The bosses who used to order pomelos from me are not willing to accept them anymore."
"Very sour. Can we pick one for you to taste?" Liu Yifeng asked.
The orchard owner nodded. "Of course!"
After speaking, he selected a relatively large pomelo, then cut it open with a fruit knife and peeled it. Soon, the complete flesh was exposed. He gave each of them a segment. As soon as Liu Yifeng took a bite, he almost lost his teeth from the sourness. Su Wanru also frowned as she ate. If it weren't for her good upbringing, she would have spat it out directly. In the end, she forced herself to swallow it. However, she had no desire to eat the remaining pomelo in her hand.
"Orchard owner, your pomelos aren't just a little sour. No wonder no one is buying them. I wouldn't eat them even if you gave them to me for free!" Liu Yifeng was very direct, but he was speaking the truth and not wrongly accusing the orchard owner.
The orchard owner became a bit anxious, fearing that Liu Yifeng would refuse to buy his orchard because of the pomelos. He quickly said, "Young man, our pomelos used to be very sweet. This year's situation, I suspect, is due to the extreme dryness, not absorbing enough moisture. If you are worried that it will be like this in the future, then you can buy my pear orchard and orange orchard. I guarantee you a bountiful harvest next year."
But Liu Yifeng's next words stunned him: "Who said I was only buying the pear and orange orchards? I want this pomelo orchard too."
The orchard owner suddenly became excited, his lips trembling as he asked, "Are... are you serious? But these pomelos..."
"You don't need to worry about the pomelos. I'll find a way to sell them later. I just don't know how much you plan to sell these three orchards for?" Liu Yifeng had plenty of ways to make the pomelos sweeter, and he could also make the undersized pears in the pear orchard grow properly again.
Su Wanru, seeing that he even wanted to buy the pomelo orchard, whispered in his ear, "These pomelos have already formed and ripened. They are simply sour. If you buy the pear orchard now, these pomelos will be stuck with you."
Liu Yifeng smiled indifferently, "It's fine. It's rare to find a suitable orchard, so naturally, I have to buy it."
Seeing Liu Yifeng's insistence, Su Wanru couldn't say anything more. However, looking at so many pomelos, she couldn't help but worry for him.
The orchard owner saw that Liu Yifeng was genuinely intending to buy, and he indeed needed the money. He dared not ask for an exorbitant price. He immediately said, "I won't ask for too much money. I'll sell you these three orchards for 1.5 million yuan. I have a ten-year planting rights here, and you can plant for another five years. You won't have to spend a penny during these five years. How much you earn will depend on your cultivation techniques."
"Isn't 1.5 million yuan a bit too much? To be honest, your pomelos simply won't sell, and your orange yield isn't very good either. The pears are fine, but you've already sold them all. It can be said that I won't earn anything this year, and I don't know what next year will be like!" Liu Yifeng still hoped to maximize his profits.
The orchard owner showed a look of difficulty. "1.5 million yuan is really not much. Don't talk about anything else; you can earn at least 200,000 yuan this year from the oranges. Next year, if the yield of all three orchards is good, you'll recoup your investment. Honestly, if I weren't in urgent need of money, I wouldn't sell it so cheaply."
"May I ask why you are in such urgent need of money?" Liu Yifeng asked curiously.
"Alas, don't mention it. My son was drinking and killed someone, and several injured people are in the hospital waiting for money for treatment. I've spent all my savings, but it's still far from enough. Otherwise, I wouldn't have sold the orchard I've managed for so many years," the orchard owner said with sorrow.
Anyone who experiences such a major upheaval in their family would find it unbearable. This was the hard work of a lifetime!
In fact, Liu Yifeng knew that if he haggled further, he could save about 100,000 yuan. But upon hearing that the money was to compensate the injured and the deceased, he dismissed the idea of bargaining. After all, in his hands, the orchard was a sure profit. Not to mention anything else, as long as he sprayed all the fruits in the orchard with growth enhancers, he could recoup the cost of buying the orchard this year. The remaining five years would all be pure profit. Why bother bargaining with the injured and deceased for a mere 100,000 yuan!