At that moment, Chu He called, saying that they were almost at the edge of the village. Ling Zhenfei hurried out to meet them and soon saw a few cars approaching from a distance, which stopped at the entrance of Xishan Manor.

Chu He, Li Ru, and Zhang Kang stepped out of the cars, all three with smiles plastered across their faces, clearly happy to see Ling Zhenfei.

After greeting them, Ling Zhenfei invited them inside, and the three followed him into the manor.

Zhang Kang said, "Brother Ling, we've come to discuss cooperation this time, not just to enjoy the scenery. You'll have to give us a proper tour to see what changes you've made these days."

Li Ru replied, "Haven't you noticed the change? The number of cars at the entrance today is more than double what it was last time we came. That's a change."

As Ling Zhenfei walked with the three guests, he said, "Your words last time enlightened me a lot. Now, I've rented out the entire mountain behind Xishan Manor. We're organizing road construction, and it will be a great place for leisure in the future."

"What's inside the fence over there?" Chu He asked, pointing ahead.

Ling Zhenfei looked and replied, "That large area is for free-range chickens and ducks like that. Further back, there's a vast forest where I plan to raise some wild boars and plant medicinal herbs."

"Impressive, Boss Ling, in the blink of an eye, you've started diversifying your business," Li Ru said with a laugh.

Chu He was obviously in much better spirits this time than on his previous visit. Last time, they had come for leisure, but this time they were here for investment, which of course made a difference. He asked more detailed questions than before.

After inquiring about the affairs of Xishan Manor and nearly reaching noon, Ling Zhenfei led the three guests to a newly built wooden pavilion, which was closer than the stone pavilion from last time but more exquisite.

The three guests specifically requested Ling Zhenfei to cook for them. Having enjoyed a meal prepared by Ling Zhenfei during their last visit, they were haunted by its memory for days and now, being back at Xishan Manor, they definitely wanted to savor dishes made by Ling Zhenfei himself.

Ling Zhenfei entered the kitchen, where Bai Lin was preparing ingredients. Upon seeing Ling Zhenfei walk in, Bai Lin hurriedly greeted him.

"Master, you've come."

Ling Zhenfei was taken aback, "Since when did I become your master?"

Bai Lin chuckled and said, "Didn't you say last time that if I could perfectly replicate one of your dishes, you'd take me on as your apprentice? Now, I can make two of them, so shouldn't you accept me as your apprentice?"

Ling Zhenfei suddenly remembered that he indeed had said those words, and he was not one to go back on his word.

"Alright, the guests today are the same three from last time. Cook two excellent dishes; if they approve, I'll accept you as my apprentice."

"You said it, no going back on your word." After saying that, Bai Lin got busy with the task at hand. With two dishes affecting his future, he would not dare to be negligent.

Not one to idle while Bai Lin was cooking, Ling Zhenfei noticed a plucked chicken in a basin and asked Bai Lin, "Where did this chicken come from?"

Bai Lin responded, "This is from our own manor. Sister Zhou Yun instructed us to prepare for honored guests, so it was freshly slaughtered this morning. It is just a bit on the smaller side, though; this is the biggest one I could find."

Confident about the chickens from his own manor, which were all drinking Spirit Spring Water, Ling Zhenfei knew they grew quickly and would surely be delicious.

With chicken available, it was the perfect opportunity to add a substantial dish. Ling Zhenfei personally took to the kitchen and, following the cooking methods from "Five Organs and Six Delicacies," prepared a chicken dish. The process wasn't too complicated, aiming to keep the natural flavors as intact as possible.

He whipped up two more dishes casually, and served them alongside the ones Bai Lin had made. The three from Chu He at the table were already itching to dig in, and when the dishes were brought out, they started eating without any concern for their image.

"Delicious, delicious, this chicken is absolutely fantastic."

"This green vegetable is so tasty, I've been craving exactly this flavor for days."

Hearing the trio's comments, Bai Lin happily made a victory gesture toward Ling Zhenfei—the green vegetable dish that had just won approval was Bai Lin's own creation.

Ling Zhenfei nodded his head as well, knowing Bai Lin had imitated his cooking style, but managing to reproduce his flavor meant substantial effort had been put in, and taking on a disciple wasn't that big of a deal.

After the meal was devoured as if a storm had passed through, someone came and cleared all the dishes and chopsticks, and the four sat around the table sipping tea and chatting.

"I won't beat around the bush. I'm here this time for investment. Brother, I'm committing ten million in my personal capacity," announced Chu He, who had already given his word during his last visit.

Li Ru and Zhang Kang exchanged glances, and Li Ru said, "Manager Zhang and I are prepared to invest ten million as well, as initial construction funds, but we have a condition."

"What's the condition?" Ling Zhenfei knew Li Ru and Zhang Kang were professionals; if they decided to invest, they would have certainly considered everything meticulously.

"The money we invest needs to be managed by a professional company. Every penny must be planned; no blind spending."

"Sister knows I didn't study this field, and I don't have the time to manage this, so I don't know if you have any good suggestions or know of any reputable planning companies."

Li Ru glanced at Chu He and said, "I've already found someone suitable. What do you think about Chen Qian?"

Chu He's expression suddenly changed upon hearing this. "You persuaded Chen Qian?"

"That's right, I've convinced him," said Li Ru, her face full of excitement.

Ling Zhenfei was a bit puzzled, "Who are you two talking about, looking so happy?"

Chu He chuckled and said, "You're in luck, brother. Sister Li Ru has found you a very reliable planner. You can rest assured and be a hands-off owner from now on."

"Who is this incredible person?" Ling Zhenfei knew that anyone both Chu He and Li Ru held in such high regard must be extraordinary.

"This person is called Chen Qian, a genius in investment management. I've persuaded him, and he's ready to invest ten million for a big gamble," Li Ru said with a giggle.

"He's already on his way. He's a bit of a playful guy. He didn't want to come with me, preferring to travel on his own. I don't know where he's off to now, but once he gets to Binyang, of course he'll get in touch with you. Putting our money in his hands, with the two of you working together, this venture is sure to succeed."

Ling Zhenfei nodded, appreciative of the thorough consideration from Li Ru and the others. Four million as starting capital, with each contributing a million—if things went well, they were certain to build something great.

Having arranged everything, the three of them left Xishan Manor. Ling Zhenfei saw them off to the village entrance and didn't turn to walk back until the car was out of sight.

That's when Zhou Yun called him, urging him to hurry back as there was something important.

Ling Zhenfei had no idea what had happened, and hurried back to Xishan Manor. As soon as he returned, he immediately saw Wang Changhe, who at that moment was talking non-stop about something to Zhou Yun and others.

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