52: Sell to Me If You Have More

Lu Jie was peeling garlic when she suddenly heard the doorbell ring. She quickly put down the garlic and got up to open the door.

When she opened it, she saw an elderly man in his sixties standing outside, accompanied by a handsome young man in his early twenties. Surprised, she asked, "Who are you looking for?"

The older man, Zhou Peiyuan, smiled and said, "We're here for Shen Hao. We've already spoken with him."

At that moment, Shen Hao's voice came from the bedroom.

"Let them in."

Lu Jie nodded. "Please, come in."

As the two guests stepped inside, Shen Hao walked out of his room.

Zhou Peiyuan handed him a gift box with a smile. "This is some tea someone gave me. I don't usually drink tea, so I'm giving it to you."

Shen Hao was momentarily surprised. He hadn't expected the old man to be so considerate, knowing not to come empty-handed. With a smile, he replied, "You're too kind, Mr. Zhou. Have a seat."

After sitting down, Zhou Peiyuan didn't act superior due to his age. Instead, he treated Shen Hao as an equal.

"Shen Hao, I must say, you look even better than last time. Your complexion is excellent, full of vitality. It's rare to see a young man take such good care of himself."

Shen Hao shook his head. "You're flattering me, Mr. Zhou. I just make sure not to stay up late."

Zhou Peiyuan chuckled. As Shen Hao reached for the teapot to pour tea, Zhou waved his hand.

"No need for that. I came today mainly to buy ginseng. Let's take a look at it first."

The young man beside him also looked at Shen Hao with anticipation.

Shen Hao nodded. "Alright, wait here. I'll be right back."

He stepped into his bedroom, taking his time before returning a couple of minutes later.

Shen Hao carried out a wooden box and placed it in front of Zhou Peiyuan and the young man. When he opened the box, a rich, fragrant aroma filled the air.

Zhou Peiyuan couldn't contain his excitement as he picked up a ginseng root to examine it. The more he looked, the more satisfied he became.

"Excellent! Excellent!"

He plucked a thin strand of ginseng root and chewed on it. His eyes lit up in astonishment.

"This is pure wild ginseng! Its medicinal properties are incredibly strong. An absolute treasure!"

His words were filled with admiration.

After checking another root, he nodded with even greater satisfaction.

"They're all top-quality. No doubt about it. Truly amazing!"

Shen Hao said calmly, "I wouldn't joke about something like this."

Zhou Peiyuan studied Shen Hao's youthful and composed face. He couldn't help but admire him but also found it puzzling.

After all, Shen Hao lived in the northwest, far from the regions where wild ginseng grew. How did he manage to get such rare and high-quality ginseng?

However, with his years of experience, Zhou Peiyuan knew better than to ask too many questions. If he pushed too hard, he might lose the opportunity to work with Shen Hao in the future.

Clearly, Shen Hao had his own sources and connections. That was all that mattered.

Genuine, high-quality wild ginseng was incredibly difficult to find.

"Shen Hao, if you ever get more of this ginseng, be sure to contact me. I'll pay top market prices—no matter how much you have, I'll buy it all," Zhou Peiyuan said earnestly.

With climate change and worsening environmental conditions, wild ginseng was becoming increasingly rare. Many Chinese medicinal herbs were expensive now simply because wild varieties were disappearing.

Even among cultivated herbs, the best quality ones were often exported to Japan, leaving lower-quality ones in the domestic market.

As an experienced traditional Chinese medicine doctor, Zhou Peiyuan cherished truly authentic wild ginseng. The more he looked at it, the more he loved it.

Shen Hao simply nodded without saying much.

At the moment, he still had eight more wild ginseng roots in his special storage space. But he had no intention of selling them all at once.

If he flooded the market, their value would drop. Rarity made them precious.

"Don't worry, Mr. Zhou. If I have more in the future, I'll definitely let you know."

"That's great! It's a deal then, Shen Hao. Don't forget!"

With that, Zhou Peiyuan carefully transferred the ginseng from Shen Hao's box into his own specialized container. Only after securing it did he finally relax.

Finding such potent wild ginseng in this day and age was truly a rare stroke of luck.

In fact, after studying Shen Hao's ginseng for some time, Zhou Peiyuan realized it was even more effective than those from Changbai Mountain.

Thanks to the last batch of ginseng, combined with top-tier medical treatments, the old master of the Xiao family had recovered and regained consciousness.

However, the hundred-year-old ginseng and the fifty-year-old one they previously acquired had already been used up.

Out of desperation, Zhou Peiyuan had reached out to Shen Hao again. He hadn't expected much, assuming wild ginseng was too scarce.

But life was full of surprises. To his delight, Shen Hao actually had more!

Overjoyed, Zhou Peiyuan transferred the payment immediately and drove over as soon as possible.

Now, with the transaction complete, he was fully satisfied.

He turned to the young man and said, "Xiao Ran, now that the deal is done, let's go."

However, the young man, Xiao Ran, was staring at Shen Hao's wooden box with keen interest.

He couldn't help but ask, "Shen Hao, can I take a look at that wooden box?"

Shen Hao nodded and handed it over without hesitation.

Xiao Ran eagerly took the box and examined it closely. The more he looked, the more excited he became.

Running his fingers over the surface, he felt the smooth, delicate texture. He lifted it slightly, noting its heavy weight. His expression grew even more pleased.

"Shen Hao, this box is made of Hainan Huanghuali wood. The grain is exquisite, and the quality is outstanding.

The craftsmanship doesn't look like it's from the Ming or Qing dynasties, but it has a classic, vintage feel. It's worth studying.

I really like it. Would you be willing to sell it to me?"

Shen Hao was surprised. This wooden box originally belonged to Wen Ren Yiyi, used for storing gold.

From his memory, the wood wasn't particularly valuable.

But now he had learned that it was actually made of Hainan Huanghuali—one of the most prized hardwoods.

Although Shen Hao wasn't knowledgeable about antiques or furniture, he had seen enough short videos online to pick up some random bits of information.

He knew that woods like Golden Phoebe (Jinsi Nanmu), Small-leaf Red Sandalwood (Xiaoye Zitan), and Huanghuali were all highly valuable.

Even though Jinsi Nanmu and Xiaoye Zitan were the preferred materials for imperial furniture in the Ming and Qing dynasties, Huanghuali was even rarer and sold by the gram.

Of course, he had no idea about its exact market value.

As for the craftsmanship, he had no good explanation for it either. The best he could say was that it came from a skilled artisan.

After a brief thought, he replied, "I'm not a collector. If the price is right and you like it, I'll sell it to you."