Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Rich and Inhumane
Lin Anran was observing her aloe vera potted plant. After several months of hard growth and her cutting an aloe vera leaf from time to time, the aloe vera in the pot was still growing very big, especially the leaves, which were even bigger than the leaves of the green-leaf aloe she had seen in her previous life. It could be said that it was developing very well. The aloe vera also grew some side buds. Now the aloe vera potted plant had overflowed the pot, and it was time to divide and plant it.
This pot of aloe vera is the best experimental subject for studying the golden finger.
"Xiao Lin, I remember today wasn't your day for facial masks?" Aunt Li saw Lin Anran staring at the aloe vera plant motionlessly and looked at her face in confusion. "Your face has become so white now, and the wrinkles are gone. You won't need aloe vera anymore, right?"
"Yes, I'm not applying a facial today. I just wanted to check out the aloe vera. I'll definitely use it again in the future." Lin Anran snapped back to her senses. She turned to Aunt Li and asked abruptly, "Aunt Li, do you usually sleep well?"
"Ah? Sleeping? I always sleep very soundly." Aunt Li was surprised, but answered seriously.
Lin Anran thought for a moment and asked more precisely, "Aunt Li, have you ever suffered from insomnia?"
"Insomnia? No, I do so much work every day and go to bed as soon as I hit the bed every night. How can I have time to think so much?" Aunt Li waved her hand.
It seemed that she was destined not to get an answer from Aunt Li, and she couldn't verify it herself: "By the way, Aunt Li, do you want to try the aloe vera honey gel I made?" Lin Anran made an invitation.
Aunt Li subconsciously looked at Lin Anran's face. Her heart was moved, but she was still a little hesitant: "Xiao Lin, it's not cheap for you to buy wild honey. Otherwise, I will try your aloe vera gel next time. That will be fine."
"It's okay, Aunt Li. An aloe vera leaf is very large, and it can make a lot of aloe vera gel. I can't use it all by myself, and the honey I put in isn't much," Lin Anran explained, then joked, "I'm only inviting you this time. You won't have such a good opportunity next time. Be quick and you'll miss out."
Aunt Li smiled when she heard this and then nodded in agreement.
Lin Anran has a plan. She decided to find more guinea pigs for herself in the future, no, she wants to bring warmth to everyone.
"Xiao Lin, do you need to divide the new sprouts of your aloe vera plant into pots?" asked Aunt Li.
Lin Anran nodded: "I was just thinking about dividing the aloe vera plants for planting."
"With so many side buds, it's not easy to plant them in separate pots." Aunt Li was worried about her.
Lin Anran chuckled: "I have thought of a way."
"What method?"
Lin Anran smiled slightly. Of course, he would move out and live alone as soon as possible, but this was a secret now. These newly grown side buds could only stay with the original aloe plant for a while.
After observing the aloe vera, Lin Anran went to admire her Clivia. She couldn't help but sigh that the buds on the Clivia flower arrow looked particularly cute, and it would definitely be very beautiful when it bloomed.
The dinner was very sumptuous, and Lin Anran, the birthday person, enjoyed the meal very much. Although he had been very busy today, it was a birthday full of surprises and surprises, so he had to have more.
During lunch break the next day, Lin Anran arrived at the teahouse on time, and Cheng Dacai had already arrived in the private room waiting for her.
As soon as she saw Cheng Dacai, Lin Anran immediately noticed that something was wrong with his expression. She pointed it out directly: "Boss Cheng, what's wrong with you?"
"Boss Lin, please sit down first." Cheng Dacai looked at Lin Anran, sighed, picked up the cup of tea beside him and drank it all in one gulp.
Lin Anran asked, "Boss Cheng, your troubles are related to me. I guessed right."
Cheng Dacai wiped his face with a wry smile: "Boss Lin, you have a sharp eye. You saw it at a glance. I was just worried about your Clivia."
"Tell me what you want to hear." Lin Anran calmly refilled Cheng Dacai's teacup and made a gesture of invitation.
Cheng Dacai looked at Lin Anran, then at his teacup, smiled helplessly and shook his head. He raised his teacup and drank it in another gulp. Then he slowly began to explain, "Boss Lin, I didn't come here alone today. She's in the next box."
Lin Anran raised his eyebrows: "It seems that this unknown big shot knows how to respect me?"
"Yes, that person said she really wanted to buy your Clivia. To show her sincerity, she couldn't come to you directly, so she had to come to me. She blocked me yesterday and today. I couldn't bring her here without your consent, so I had to negotiate with her. In the end, we compromised and I brought her to the teahouse. It's up to you, Boss Lin, to decide whether you want to meet her or not."
Cheng Dacai frowned. He had no complaints about the man's lack of respect for him. He was very clear about his current position. If it weren't for Lin Anran, why would that man come to him? He had never dared to think that he could get such a connection before.
Lin Anran sat up straighter. She was curious: "Who is that?"
Cheng Dacai: "That daughter of the Lu Shipping King in Hong Kong, the Lu Shipping King's love for Clivia is well-known. There's a lot of entertainment news in Hong Kong about the Lu Shipping King spending a fortune on Clivia. The girl next door is the Lu family's third daughter, Lu Honghui. I don't know where she got the information, but she made the special trip from Hong Kong to Shenzhen."
Lin Anran thought about it seriously and spread his hands: "I saw a news item about Lu Chuanwang in the newspaper before, but I didn't read it carefully at the time, so I don't know more."
Cheng Dacai took a breath. "I don't know any more than you do, but I called Boss Liu, and he said Lu Honghui went to see his Phalaenopsis orchid. Also, King Lu is about to hold his 80th birthday party, and I'm afraid Miss Lu Honghui wants to buy the Clivia from you as a birthday gift. I think she's very determined to buy it."
"I can feel how determined she is without having to meet her." Lin Anran said, smiling at Cheng Dacai.
Cheng Dacai: “…”
You don't even need to see Lu Honghui in person. You can tell by looking at the person who is being stared at.
"Boss Lin, what do you think? Would you like to meet Miss Lu Honghui?" Cheng Dacai asked with difficulty.
Lin Anran asked with a smile, "Boss Cheng, if I don't agree today, will this Miss Lu continue to stare at you?"
Cheng Dacai: “…Actually, I don’t really want to know the answer to this question.
Lin Anran laughed, then said seriously: "I agree to see Miss Lu, but the Clivia is about to bloom, and I don't plan to sell it before it blooms."
"Boss Lin, does this mean that if you're satisfied with the price offered by Miss Lu, you'll be willing to sell it to her? You don't plan to keep the Clivia for the Lamb Expo competition?"
Cheng Dacai knew that Lin Anran had been raising orchids since the beginning with the intention of participating in the Shenzhen Orchid Expo in February next year. She wanted to send her orchids to the competition to win gold medals, become famous, and sell them for more money. This was the most common path for orchid growers. As a result, Lin Anran's orchids didn't even have to wait until the Orchid Expo to become famous. Her Phalaenopsis was first spotted by Boss Liu and bought at a high price, and now it was the Clivia.
Even though Cheng Dacai considered himself an experienced boss and had made a lot of money over the years, he couldn't help but envy Lin Anran's fortune, and even more so his ability to grow orchids. There were always people who could grow orchids better than their peers. He had to admit that some people in this world were born with more talents than others. It was true that comparing oneself with others would only make one jealous.
"It's hard to say. Let me first hear what price she offers. I'm a little curious."
Lin Anran answered this way, but she had other ideas in her mind, because she really couldn't wait that long. If she planned to send Clivia to the Orchid Expo, it would take almost two months to wait, and there would be too many variables during this period. She planned to move out of the villa and live somewhere else. The security in other places was not as good as that in the villa area, and she could not provide reliable security for Clivia.
More crucially, Cheng Dacai claimed she was famous, albeit only within the orchid community. While Lu Honghui could track down Cheng Dacai and her information, what about others? Could someone have known she had a rare Clivia and was planning to use extreme means to obtain it?
It's not that Lin Anran is too cautious, but the general environment of this era is like this. The children of Hong Kong's top rich people can be kidnapped, and there are all kinds of monsters in Shenzhen. As our ancestors said, it is better to be safe than sorry. It is precisely because of her caution that she has lived in Shenzhen for so long in peace.
Cheng Dacai nodded and said, "I'm also curious about what price Miss Lu Honghui is going to offer."
Miss Lu San really came to Lin Anran sincerely to buy Clivia. She came from the next box and even left her bodyguards outside. Now there were only Lin Anran, Lu Honghui, and Cheng Dacai who acted as the middleman in the box.
Cheng Dacai introduced the two people politely and reservedly.
When Lu Honghui saw Lin Anran as she entered the room, a flash of surprise crossed her eyes. She hadn't expected that the person who had raised that magical Phalaenopsis orchid would be so young and beautiful. She was truly a confident and beautiful woman. The smile on Lu Honghui's face widened a little as she extended her hand first: "Ms. Lin, nice to meet you."
"Ms. Lu, nice to meet you." Lin Anran was also looking at Lu Honghui. Unlike the rich lady she had just imagined, Lu Honghui was not a young rich lady. She had the calmness and dignity that came with age. She was wearing a simple and casual women's suit, had neat short hair, and her eyes were sharp. The first impression she gave was that Lu Honghui should be sitting in an office on the top floor of a commercial building, giving orders.
After the three of them sat down, Lu Honghui got straight to the point and mentioned that she wanted to buy Lin Anran's Clivia. She also said, "Ms. Lin, whatever price you offer, I will buy your Clivia."
"Ms. Lu, you haven't even seen my Clivia yet, but you're determined to buy it?" Lin Anran was puzzled and didn't know where Lu Honghui's confidence in her came from.
Lu Honghui looked at Lin Anran with a smile. "When I saw Ms. Lin today, I knew I had come to the right place. Boss Liu's Phalaenopsis orchids were here before me. I have witnessed their magical and unique qualities with my own eyes. I have no doubt that the Clivia you raise will be just as magical and special. This is what I need."
Lin Anran touched her face and moved her body. Lu Honghui's words were completely a compliment to her. She was very happy to hear the compliment.
But Lin Anran was happy, and she accepted the compliment with a clear conscience. No matter what she said, she would not change her mind halfway: "Indeed, my Clivia is the most unique in the world, but unfortunately, Ms. Lu, I don't plan to sell my Clivia now."
Lu Honghui's expression remained unchanged. She looked at Lin Anran and didn't immediately ask how much Lin Anran would be willing to sell it to her. Instead, she continued, "I heard that Ms. Lin's Clivia almost died? But you saved it in the end?"
Lin Anran nodded: "Yes."
Lu Honghui clasped her hands and spoke slowly, "Clivia is not easy to grow. It is a delicate orchid, but we love it even more because of the beautiful meaning it embodies. My father especially loves the noble and unyielding nature of Clivia. If he knew that Ms. Lin had such a tenacious Clivia, he would definitely be willing to pay a high price for it, no matter how much. I am very lucky to know about your Clivia first. No matter how much it costs, I am willing to buy it."
Lin Anran was a little moved, but not much: "I like Clivia too. I don't want to be perfunctory with you, Ms. Lu. I want to see Clivia bloom. It must be very beautiful when it blooms." This was her true feelings. If she missed the Phalaenopsis, she couldn't miss the Clivia blooming, especially since she was not short of money now.
Not short of money means that she has enough small money, but she still needs big money. However, there is no need to rush to get the big money in the next few days, and after the Clivia blooms, she may be able to sell it at a higher price.
Lu Honghui: "Ms. Lin, I am willing to pay one million to make up for your regret of not being able to see the first bloom of the Clivia."
Cheng Dacai took a deep breath and sat stiffly in the chair, not moving.
Lin Anran was confused. She blinked and asked calmly, "Ms. Lu, you said that this one million is just to buy the opportunity for the Clivia to bloom for the first time?"
"Yes, one million is not the full price of the Clivia. It is a miracle that the Clivia, reborn from the ashes, blooms beautiful flowers for the first time, isn't it? I will pay one million for the opportunity to watch the Clivia bloom for the first time. We can continue to discuss the other prices, Ms. Lin." Lu Honghui looked at Lin Anran with obvious admiration in her eyes. She likes to do business with smart people, and Lin Anran is not only a great beauty, but also a smart person.
The more tense the moment, the calmer Lin Anran appeared outwardly. No one could tell that she was in turmoil. Lu Honghui was worthy of being born into a top wealthy family. She was willing to spend a million just to see the Clivia miniata bloom for the first time. She had only bought the dying Clivia miniata and Phalaenopsis for the sake of cheapness. Who would have thought that this would lead to the miraculous counterattack of Clivia miniata and Phalaenopsis?
Life is truly wonderful.
But Lu Honghui felt it was worth it. It was worth it to spend one million to buy a unique beauty in the world.
"Ms. Lin, are you planning to send your Clivia to participate in the Shenzhen Orchid Expo next year?" Lu Honghui continued.
Lin Anran nodded: "That's what I planned from the beginning."
Lu Honghui: "Once I buy the Clivia, Ms. Lin, you will lose the opportunity to become world-famous in the future. I must make up for my hasty purchase of the Clivia. Two million."
When she heard the number two million, Lin Anran didn't even blink. Okay, okay, now she understood that in the eyes of Lu Honghui, the daughter of a shipping tycoon, one million might be the same as one dollar in the eyes of ordinary people. They use one dollar to buy vegetables, and Lu Honghui uses one million to buy flowers. The principle seems to be the same.
Lin Anran’s inner thoughts: Oh my god!
Even though Lin Anran had always been confident that her orchids were unique in the world, she was still intimidated by the price Lu Honghui quoted. Is this the world of a super-rich woman? Without blinking an eye, she tossed out millions upon millions.
Although, Lin Anran was really tempted. She was reluctant to sell the Clivia before because she didn't have enough money!
As if that wasn't exciting enough, Lu Honghui added, "Ms. Lin, your Clivia is the only one in the world. Its value is inestimable. I also want to buy all of your growth records for this Clivia. These are all your hard work for it, so, two million."
Oh, one million, two million, two million, a total of five million.
The excitement was too great. Lin Anran calculated in his mind for a long time before he finally figured out the bill. Oh, five million, five million, oh...
Just selling the Clivias alone made her much more than she had earned in all her previous hard work. If she were to go back to this day, she should be growing orchids! Haha, it's crazy, even crazier than the stock market!
"Ms. Lu, the price you mentioned really impressed me." Lin Anran admitted frankly, and Lu Honghui's words were really very pleasant to hear.
Lu Honghui looked at Lin Anran's smiling face and couldn't help but admire: "Ms. Lin has great composure." She couldn't tell how happy and excited Lin Anran was. Lin Anran's calmness almost made her think that what she had just said was not five million, but five hundred thousand. Although Lu Honghui was born into a top wealthy family, it did not mean that she was unaware of the weight of five million.
She had never seen the Clivia, but she had seen Boss Liu's Phalaenopsis. She believed that the Phalaenopsis was worth five million, because the Phalaenopsis had brought Boss Liu more than five million in profits now, and would bring him countless five million in the future. Boss Liu said that he had made the most successful deal in his life, and it was absolutely true.
Countless people asked Boss Liu for an invitation, and these people just wanted to see Boss Liu's Phalaenopsis orchid bloom. She only spent one million to buy the opportunity for the Clivia to bloom for the first time, which was too cheap.
Lu Honghui decided to buy Lin Anran's Clivia, not only to make a successful deal, but also to gain more opportunities for herself, but these are not to be told to outsiders.
Clivia, she must get it today.
Lin Anran, who was going crazy in her heart, felt that her ability to disguise herself was indeed remarkable. She said calmly, "Thank you."
"In addition, I will give Ms. Lin another gift." Lu Honghui looked at Lin Anran with a smile.
Lin Anran: "Gift?"
Lu Honghui: "I have a single-family villa in the nearby Mingyuan Villa. I occasionally stay here when I come to Shenzhen. Most of the time, the villa is empty. The villa has a greenhouse garden, which is especially suitable for flower lovers like Ms. Lin."
Lin Anran: “…”
When Lin Anran bought the house, he had already learned about all the villa areas and residential buildings. Mingyuan Villa was indeed nearby, and it was full of luxury houses. Now the lake area of Shenzhen has not been developed for many years, and there are not many villa areas. After the villa areas were built, they were basically bought by bosses from Hong Kong and Taiwan, and most of them were not permanent residents. These wealthy people would only live here for a period of time when they came here to do business. It was very common for Lu Honghui to do this.
But, a second-hand villa! It was the second-hand villa she wanted!
Lin Anran suspected that Lu Honghui had really investigated her, but then she thought about it, she had never revealed that she wanted to buy a second-hand villa, and he was not a worm in her stomach, so it was probably a coincidence.
"Ms. Lin, I have shown you all my sincerity. May I ask to see the Clivia?" Lu Honghui said this, and was also asking Lin Anran in a tactful way whether she agreed to the transaction. If she agreed, Lin Anran would nod.
Lin Anran again: "..."
But, this second-hand villa is the second-hand villa she wants!
It is a second-hand villa that you can move into immediately after completing the transfer procedures!
Lin Anran thought for three full seconds, then stared at Lu Honghui for another three seconds. She suddenly asked, "Ms. Lu, did you bring an orchid expert with you today?"
Lu Honghui was stunned for a moment, then immediately nodded and said, "Yes, Ms. Lin, I am very serious and cautious about this transaction."
"Okay, I agree." Lin Anran said.
Lu Honghui smiled instantly: "Ms. Lin, thank you."
Now that she has made the decision, Lin Anran will not let herself regret it, even if she will never see the beauty of the Clivia's first bloom again. If she sells the Clivia at a high price, it will only make the Clivia receive higher attention, so she does not have to worry about the Clivia being treated poorly in the future.
Lin Anran quickly went back to move the Clivia over. On the way, she kept it in a breathable cloth bag to avoid exposing it to the outside. The temperature in Shenzhen is not low in winter. There was no cold wind today. The temperature was just right at noon and the sun was warm on people. There was no need to worry about the Clivia getting cold.
In the box, the Clivia was displayed in front of everyone. Lin Anran watched the three orchid experts called in by Lu Honghui, and their eyes lit up with astonishing light when they saw the Clivia. They seemed to have seen a peerless beauty, their breathing became slower, and they were reluctant to look away.
Lu Honghui was also amazed by the Clivia. She stared at it for a full minute before looking up at Lin Anran and saying, "Ms. Lin, this is the most beautiful Clivia I've ever seen. It's incredibly charming and has a unique allure. I can guarantee it will be the best birthday gift my father will receive when he turns eighty. Perhaps it will even bloom on his birthday."
Lin Anran, who had not yet agreed to the deal, said: "..." She remembered that she had only agreed to let Lu Honghui see the Clivia.
Well, since she had already moved the Clivia out, she didn't plan to move it back. Lin Anran finally touched the leaves of the Clivia gently, and this action aroused the envy and jealousy of the three orchid experts who could only look but not touch.
Lin Anran: “…” It feels a bit good hahaha.
After Lin Anran nodded and agreed to the deal, Lu Honghui immediately took out the contract and asked Lin Anran to sign it, fearing that if she delayed for a second, Lin Anran would regret it.
Sitting in Lu Honghui's car on the way to the bank, Lin Anran carefully read the contract. After confirming that the detached villa in Mingyuan Villa was also included in the contract, Lin Anran signed it. The group entered the bank and was greeted by the familiar Manager Huang.
Manager Huang, who knew the whole story, was in no less turmoil than Lin Anran before. Manager Huang looked at Lin Anran with eyes full of admiration and awe. Manager Huang helped to complete the formalities very quickly, and then professionally and politely sent Lin Anran and his party out of the bank. Manager Huang's eyes followed the potted plant wrapped in a cloth bag that Lu Honghui was holding carefully in her hand. She felt very sorry. She also wanted to see what the orchid worth five million and a Mingyuan villa looked like.
After completing the villa formalities at the Real Estate Bureau, Lu Honghui asked very considerately, "Ms. Lin, would you like to visit Mingyuan Villa now? Especially the greenhouse garden."
"Excuse me, Ms. Lu." Lin Anran naturally chose to take the free ride.
Lu Honghui: "It's not a problem. My people have already gone to your villa to pack up all my luggage and have done a thorough cleaning. The villa is fully furnished, and the mattress and sofa in the master bedroom have all been replaced with new ones. Ms. Lin, you can move in any time."
Lin Anran was surprised, then smiled: "Ms. Lu, you are so thoughtful."
Lu Honghui smiled. Her care was only directed at specific people, and Lin Anran was one of them.
Lu Honghui sent Lin Anran and Cheng Dacai to Mingyuan Villa. The security staff quickly replaced the owner of the villa with Lin Anran, which means that Lin Anran can enter and exit Mingyuan Villa at will.
Lin Anran couldn't help but sigh once again at Lu Honghui's thoughtfulness. Ms. Lu's work made people feel comfortable and she didn't feel uncomfortable at all. Who doesn't like thoughtful people?
After personally sending Lin Anran to the detached villa, Lu Honghui said goodbye very considerately. Before leaving, she planned to leave a driver for Lin Anran to take him back, but Lin Anran refused.
Lu Honghui took her people away, and Lin Anran and Cheng Dacai stood at the gate of the villa, both of them very quiet.
Until Cheng Dacai broke the silence: "These wealthy people are really, really..."
"That's too extravagant." Lin Anran finished for him.
"Five million..." Cheng Dacai breathed heavily.
Lin Anran said, "Boss Cheng, I made five million from selling the Clivia, but Ms. Lu definitely made more than five million."
From the fact that Lu Honghui was willing to pay a high price to buy the Clivia and treated her so carefully and considerately, all signs indicate that Lu Honghui will definitely make more money.
Lin Anran was not confused by the fact that she had earned five million. Lu Honghui came from one of Hong Kong's richest families and was definitely not a fool. She did not envy Lu Honghui for earning more. That was money that only Lu Honghui could earn, not what she could earn now.
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