Chapter 43
Alex, who heard this, was stunned and confused.
"What's wrong, Mr. Ethan? Is there something wrong with the fruit?"
Ethan, who heard this, couldn't help but Scoff.
"Does he think that I am blind? How can these ugly fruits be sold!"
"Mr. Russell, I'll be honest. The peaches that Mr. Russell cultivates are far from our restaurant's standards, so as a restaurant owner, I can't take them at all."
Seeing the other party's disgusted look as he was practicing at him, Alex started to wonder if Ethan didn't believe in the quality of the fruits he cultivated.
With this, Alex began to contemplate and looked at the fruits hanging on the tree.
Alex, having never grown a peach tree before, wasn't entirely sure how the tree should look whether it was in good condition or not. Considering that the other party might have a better understanding of fruit trees and that Ethan could be suspicious of his intentions, Alex decided to pick the one ripe fruit that was still hanging from the tree.
With a swift motion, Alex chopped the peach with his machete, revealing a yellowish flesh adorned with tiny seeds. The delightful aroma of sweetness and freshness filled the air.
Initially, Ethan wondered what Alex was up to, but as he observed Alex's actions, a sense of déjà vu washed over him. It reminded him of the time when he had underestimated the quality of Alex's vegetables.
Ethan, who caught a whiff of the sweet smell in the air, couldn't help but feel his mouth-watering.
Alex then placed a piece of the yellowish fruit into his mouth.
As a peach farmer, Alex felt a bit embarrassed because he had never tasted the fruit before. He had only blindly believed in the dew of life and the nutrient fluids he had concocted.
With this, the sweet taste of the fruit began to fill Alex's mouth, followed by a slight sourness that enhanced the overall enjoyment of eating peaches. The peach flesh was soft and juicy, and the sweetness had a hint of honey with a tantalizing aroma.
Alex nodded in agreement, delighted with the delicious flavor of the peach. It was his first time eating one, and he subconsciously popped another piece of peach into his mouth to savor it further.
Meanwhile, Ethan, who stood beside him, had been drooling over the peaches for a long time. Just watching Alex eat made Ethan tormented with desire.
Seeing that Alex was about to continue eating and almost forgetting his presence, Ethan couldn't help but clear his throat to get Alex's attention.
"Cough…"
Alex, who was lost in the delightful taste of the peaches, finally snapped out of it and realized Ethan was there.
Feeling a bit embarrassed, Alex apologized, "I'm sorry, Mr. Ethan. I was just tasting the fruit to determine its price, and I forgot you were here."
"It's alright, Mr. Russell," replied Ethan, still eyeing the peaches in Alex's hand.
Alex, noticing the curiosity in Ethan's eyes, immediately understood and cut some peaches for him to try.
Ethan took the piece of fruit and ate it with great anticipation.
As he bit into the peach, Ethan noticed how easy it was to chew, as if the peach had very fine fibers.
Then the abundance of fruit juice made Ethan extremely satisfied with the sweetness that spread in his mouth.
The taste was delicious.
Only then did Ethan realize that with this flavor, it was indeed appropriate for Alex's peaches to be marketed as boutique fruit.
However, Ethan was still puzzled as to why a fruit that tasted so delightful had a worse appearance than ordinary fruit.
While Ethan was thinking, Alex took advantage of the moment to strike while the iron was hot.
"How do you find the quality of my peaches, Mr. Ethan? Does it meet your expectations?" Alex inquired.
Ethan snapped out of his thoughts and naturally nodded, "Yes, the quality is as you described, almost at the level of the vegetables before, but slightly inferior."
"I believe in being an honest farmer and not taking advantage of buyers," Alex assured.
"In that case, Mr. Russell, what price are you looking to sell the peaches per pound?" Ethan inquired.
Alex pondered for a moment. If the fruit was of the same quality as the vegetables, he could charge twenty to thirty dollars per pound. However, given the slightly lower quality, he felt that selling at ten dollars per pound would be reasonable.
"Maybe if the quality of the fruit improves in the future, the price can be increased," Alex added in his heart.
"As an old acquaintance, I won't haggle with you, Mr. Russell. I'm willing to buy the peaches for ten dollars per pound," Ethan agreed, understanding the reason behind the price.
Alex nodded in response, appreciating Ethan's understanding.
"How many peaches do you have in total?" Ethan inquired.
"I have a total of eight to ten tons of fruit," Alex replied.
Ethan considered for a moment and then nodded decisively, "Alright, Mr. Russel, I'd like to purchase all of your fruits for my restaurant."
Alex felt naturally happy upon hearing Ethan's decision. He knew that the fruit was good, but dealing with other people could be quite complicated. Ethan's initial skepticism, despite having experienced the goodness of Alex's vegetables before, served as a reminder of the challenges in the business world.
If Ethan's position had been taken by someone else, especially a foreigner, Alex might have faced even more difficulties. He could have been subjected to prolonged complaints, and worst of all, legal issues might have arisen, possibly involving the police.
With this in mind, Alex was relieved that everything went smoothly with Ethan. It was a good business deal, and he looked forward to building a long-lasting partnership with the restaurant owner.
With the administrative activities completed on the spot, Ethan instructed his team to draft a digital contract. They both discussed the terms and conditions and then signed it together.
"Okay, Mr. Russell, it's been a pleasure doing business with you," Ethan said.
"Yes, Mr. Ethan, the pleasure is mutual," Alex replied with a smile.
The two men shook hands, and Ethan's team departed. The plan was for the truck to come and pick up the fruit the next morning.
With a contented smile on his face, Alex descended from the farm. Having completed a successful trade, he couldn't help but feel delighted. Even though he knew the fruit could sell for a high price, the satisfaction of a smooth transaction was something to cherish.
Once back home, Alex decided to make juice from the peaches he had brought. He threw all the peach seeds into the ring space, hoping they would sprout and grow.
While Alex was busy preparing the juice, Lily entered the kitchen, a little curious about what her husband was up to.
"Russell, are you making Jamu again?"
"No, I'm making peach juice from the fruits on the farm," Alex replied with a smile.
With those words, a sweet fruity aroma filled Lily's nose, making her mouth water.
"Is this from our peach farm? Why do these peaches look so different?" Lily asked in disbelief when looking at the pretty yellow juice.
Alex moved in a different direction and picked up an ordinary-looking, less attractive peach. "Does this look like a fruit from our farm?"
"Yes," Lily confirmed.
Without hesitation, Alex cut the peach and handed it to Lily to taste. She was initially hesitant, fearing it might be sour, but to her surprise, the taste was incredibly delicious and addictive.
With not even a minute yet, Lily had already devoured the peach with great pleasure. After coming to her senses, she was amazed.
"Are these peaches from our garden?" she asked in astonishment.
"Yes, where else would they be from? If you don't believe me, you can visit the farm and see for yourself," Alex replied casually, still busy making peach juice and not paying much attention to Lily.
Upon hearing Alex's relaxed response, Lily became excited. If all the fruits tasted this good, there would be no need to worry about selling them.
"Then tomorrow, let's tell Dad so he can contact his friends to distribute our fruits," she suggested enthusiastically.
"No need for that, all the peaches have already been sold to someone," Alex replied with a smile.
Lily, who heard this, was taken aback.
"Are you serious?" she exclaimed loudly.
"Yes, take a look at the contract on my cell phone," Alex said, showing her the contract.
Lily carefully read through every word in the contract. At first, she was elated, but then she noticed the price of the peaches, and her excitement waned.
"AHH!, is this for real?" she asked in disbelief.
"Yes, it's true. The other party has already made a 20 percent initial deposit," Alex confirmed.
Lily went over the numbers again and couldn't help but be amazed. Her husband had delivered on his promise. Farming could be very profitable if fruit prices continued to be this good.
When Lily was calculating how much money her family had after paying the debt, they suddenly heard the sound of hasty footsteps.
"What's wrong, Mom? Did Dad bully you? Tell me quickly, and I'll tell Grandpa and Grandma too!" their daughter, Lilith, exclaimed as she rushed into the room.
Alex and Lily, seeing their daughter's arrival, were slightly surprised. "No, Lilith, your mother was just surprised to see something on your cell phone," Alex clarified.
Lilith didn't seem to care and quickly scanned the room, looking for any signs of trouble. However, all she found was a glass of yellow liquid. Her face contorted with confusion.
"Mom, if it's just that, I can't help you at all! Don't drag me into this!" Lilith said with a mix of humor and bewilderment. With that, she turned and ran away, leaving Alex and Lily with puzzled expressions.
They had no idea what had just happened or why their daughter reacted that way.
...
thanks to: John_Carlo_Jalasco, yasir321, Jolly_roger, and realkiller11111 for power stone.