Chapter 180
Qing Mengzhu: "Yes, if you don't want to buy my chili peppers, you can use this kind instead."
Di Xing: "I'll buy them all. Your chili peppers taste really good; they're practically unique in the world."
Qing Mengzhu: "Whatever you want, we welcome whichever you buy."
Di Xing looked up and smiled at Qing Mengzhu, "Speaking of which, if I introduce clients to you, can you give me a discount?"
Seeing his seriousness, Qing Mengzhu decisively said, "Hit! We'll give you an extra discount!"
Author's Note:
That's all for 2024, see you in 2025!
Chapter 180
Di Xing said he would bring clients, and he actually brought several foreigners.
On the day they arrived, Qing Mengzhu and Zhao Hexi were brewing fresh bamboo sap.
It's been raining and a bit chilly these past few days. Zhao Hexi have been running around doing business and have been drinking heavily at several parties, which has caused them to catch a cold and develop a fever.
Now his voice is so hoarse he can't even speak, and he's completely listless.
Qing Mengzhu then went up the mountain and cut down two bamboo stalks from the outer edge, intending to brew some fresh bamboo sap for him, so he could drink some now and save some to drink slowly.
They were brewing fresh bamboo sap in the backyard, with fresh bamboo placed on a charcoal fire and a bowl on each side, looking very rustic.
When Di Xing brought those foreigners over, they all looked at the pristine scene with expressions of doubt.
Qing Mengzhu noticed, but pretended not to see it and simply asked Di Xing to introduce them.
Di Xing introduced them to each other, and then, curious about the simmering fresh bamboo sap, asked, "What are you making?"
Qing Mengzhu briefly explained the effects and uses of fresh bamboo juice, then changed to a new bowl, took down the half-bowl of fresh bamboo juice she had received, filtered it briefly, and handed it to Zhao Hexi.
Zhao Hexi held the bowl, tested the fresh bamboo juice with her lips to make sure it wasn't too hot, and then downed it in one gulp.
Then, he let out a long sigh of relief, a relaxed expression on his face. "I'm feeling better."
Qing Mengzhu took the bowl he handed back and patted his back reassuringly.
This made everyone even more curious.
Di Xing: "Is fresh bamboo juice really that effective?"
Qing Mengzhu glanced at them. "Would you like to try some?"
At this, the foreigners nodded in unison, clearly understanding Chinese.
Qing Mengzhu then went inside and brought over a few disposable cups, giving each of them a small half-cup of fresh bamboo juice.
They didn't refuse and downed their drinks in one gulp.
Immediately afterwards, everyone showed a look of surprise.
One foreigner even patted his chest with his hairy hand, looking both amazed and bewildered.
Zhao Hexi stood up and said in a hoarse voice, "You guys talk, I'll go back first."
Qing Mengzhu nudged his shoulder. "Go on, get some rest. I'll have someone bring you food later."
Di Xing and his group were still carefully savoring the wonders of fresh bamboo juice.
Seeing Qing Mengzhu looking over, Di Xing exclaimed, "This fresh bamboo juice is truly amazing! Just one sip and my throat feels so relaxed, so cool and refreshing!"
Qing Mengzhu: "Yes, traditional medicine is amazing, and nature is amazing too. What kind of dishes are you coming to see today?"
Di Xing: "Aiersi and the others want to see the chili peppers."
The foreigner who was called out gestured and said, "May we see your chili peppers in their natural state? If it's convenient, we'd also like to try some."
Qing Mengzhu: "No problem, just a moment. We can go over after I finish brewing the rest of the fresh bamboo sap. Please have a seat, would you like some tea?"
Di Xing's eyes lit up. "Drink!"
Qing Mengzhu drew water from a well, boiled it, and brewed tea to entertain them.
Di Xing had tasted tea from Qing Mengzhu's family and liked it very much.
Several foreigners were drinking it for the first time, and their faces were full of disbelief as they sipped the fragrant tea.
One foreigner couldn't resist opening the teapot for a closer look, and when he confirmed that it contained only tea leaves and water, his expression became even more incredulous.
With fresh bamboo juice and tea as a base, the group of foreigners who had come from afar no longer looked down on them.
They followed Qing Mengzhu to the fields.
Qing Mengzhu and his family had planned their farmland very well. The field paths, which could accommodate tricycles, divided the farmland into plots, each of which was neatly planted with crops.
At this time, the crops are in their flowering or fruiting period, with either flowers in full bloom or fruits hanging heavily on the branches, and many bees and butterflies fluttering around them, making it look very beautiful.
Lotus flowers bloomed in the ponds nestled among farmland, and many white geese looked exceptionally leisurely in the fields and ponds.
The foreigners looked at Qing Mengzhu's company and his family's farmland, and their expressions of surprise returned.
These farmlands are so well-managed, they're practically like gardens, completely different from the farmlands they've seen elsewhere.
Qing Mengzhu ignored their thoughts and led them directly to the chili field.
Five acres of chili fields is already quite large. At this time, the chilies are still in their peak fruiting period. Standing in the chili field is like standing in a sea of chilies.
As soon as they entered the field, several foreigners did what Di Xing had done before—picking chili peppers, breaking them in half, and putting them directly into their mouths to taste.
The chili peppers from Qing Mengzhu's family are medium spicy, while fresh chili peppers are spicier.
Several foreigners took a bite and immediately hissed and blushed from the spiciness.
A foreigner's eyes welled up with tears from the spiciness and he tried to wipe them away, Qing Mengzhu quickly grabbed his hand. "Wait, don't wipe them, they'll burn your eyes."
The foreigner puffed out his cheeks. "Thank you. Oh, that's so spicy, so exciting!"
Qing Mengzhu picked some tomatoes for them. "Eat these tomatoes to warm yourselves up."
After thanking him, everyone took the tomatoes from his hands and slowly recovered as they ate the juicy and sweet tomatoes.
Qing Mengzhu asked, "How are our chili peppers?"
"So spicy, such a strong chili flavor!"
"I think it's fantastic, uh, that word is, yes, very vibrant, it will definitely have a special effect in dishes."
"I can taste the aroma inside. I heard that dried chilies taste even better, is that true?"
Qing Mengzhu nodded. "Yes, after drying, it will have a bright chili aroma. Some people also think it has a hint of nutty and sweet aroma. Personally, I think it's just a pure chili aroma."
One foreigner exclaimed, "Wow, that sounds amazing! I can't wait to try it!"
Qing Mengzhu then invited, "How about we have lunch at our farm? We have dried chilies and other farm produce."
Everyone agreed and thanked him for his hospitality.
Qing Mengzhu called Zhou Yan and asked him to prepare dishes for six people, dishes that would include chili peppers, and also mentioned that there were four foreigners among the guests, asking him to make arrangements.
Zhou Yan agreed and told them to come at all times.
When Zhou Yan was at the original company, his boss was particularly fond of Western food and tempura, so he specially hired people to train him and also sent Zhou Yan and his colleagues out to learn.
Now, Zhou Yan's team is also doing a good job with Western food, but they don't make a lot of it.
A few foreign guests were no problem for them; they didn't need to pay special attention to them and could just prepare the dishes as usual.
Qing Mengzhu led the foreigners around the field, showing them not only their own tomatoes and peppers, but also other vegetables.
Several foreigners, seeing the various fresh vegetables, asked if they could pick some to make salads at the farm.
These vegetables look so tempting—tender, green, and delicious.
Qing Mengzhu told them to pick as many as they wanted, as long as they didn't damage the seedlings.
So, the foreigners picked everything from cabbage to lettuce, from tomatoes to pumpkins, each carrying a bag of vegetables.
Qing Mengzhu glanced at them and felt that they were no different from the other members who had come to visit.
When Qing Mengzhu and the others drove to the farm, they brought vegetables with them.