Chapter 51: Boss Qin, You've Been Duped! There's No Way You Could Have Bought So Many Genuine Ones

Chapter 51: Boss Qin, You’ve Been Duped! There’s No Way You Could Buy So Many Genuine Products!

The attributes of taste, mellow aroma, rich nutrition, and deliciousness were all basically ignored by Qin Lin. His gaze was fixed solely on the anti-aging property of vitamin VPP.

Only now did he finally understand why Xiangshui Tribute Rice could overshadow those more expensive varieties to become the exclusive supply for the top figures in the capital city.

The system’s attributes were added on top of the item’s inherent qualities, which meant that Xiangshui rice itself already possessed anti-aging effects.

This was truly a rare rice of priceless value—expensive and requiring a discerning eye—because most of what was sold on the market was counterfeit, or simply rice from Xiangshui but not the genuine Tribute Rice.

To the eye, Xiangshui rice and Xiangshui Tribute Rice differed by just one character, yet the difference was enormous.

Due to the game’s settings, the rice before him had been automatically packaged into bags—two bags in total, each weighing fifty jin—with the words “Xiangshui Tribute Rice” boldly printed on them.

Qin Lin stepped forward and opened one bag to inspect.

The grains were jade-green and translucent, resembling white jade, distinctly different from ordinary rice.

He carried one bag of Xiangshui Tribute Rice out of the game, along with the promised quality-2 okra, yam, and broccoli for Ma Liwen.

There wasn’t much yam or broccoli, and though there was a bit more okra, it was only just over ten jin.

Even if he wanted to do some favors for Chen Shengfei and Ma Liwen, he hadn’t given them excessively.

Giving too much this time would make it difficult to ask for favors again in the future.

After loading everything onto the tricycle, he drove to the villa.

By noon, the villa had become livelier.

Tourists from other places, after admiring the bougainvillea sea, usually stayed to barbecue or cook their own meals on the grills and stoves provided.

That was the full enjoyment of coming to such a place.

Qin Lin parked the tricycle outside the hall, where Chen Dabe immediately came forward.

“Carry this rice inside,” Qin Lin instructed directly, then took the quality-2 okra, yam, and broccoli with him into the hall.

Chen Dabe and the security guard quickly set to work.

Qin Lin entered the hall and saw Chen Shengfei and Ma Liwen. Approaching them, he said, “Mr. Chen, Mr. Ma, I’ve brought back the okra, yam, and broccoli you requested, as well as the Xiangshui Tribute Rice. Please try it at lunch and notice the difference.”

Chen Shengfei and Ma Liwen were also very much looking forward to the Xiangshui Tribute Rice.

They knew the backstory and understood just how difficult it was to acquire this rice. Even locals found it hard to get the genuine Tribute Rice.

It was all harvested and sent straight to the capital. In a place like the capital, the tables where such Tribute Rice was served were well known. They had once attended a high-end wealthy gathering where a newly rich man, having heard of the rice, casually asked to buy twenty jin just to try. Everyone there looked at him with special smiles in response.

At that moment, Chen Shengfei and Ma Liwen spotted Chen Dabe carrying a bag of rice inside. When they saw the bag boldly labeled “Xiangshui Tribute Rice,” both were stunned.

“???” Chen Shengfei.

“???” Ma Liwen.

Xiangshui Tribute Rice?

Qin Lin then instructed Chen Dabe, “Set this rice aside, have Chef Lin specially prepare a dish using this rice for Mr. Chen and Mr. Ma.”

“Understood, boss!” Chen Dabe nodded and carried the rice into the kitchen.

At this point, Chen Shengfei frowned and said, “Boss Qin, you might have been duped.”

Ma Liwen also nodded and spoke gently, “Yes, genuine Xiangshui Tribute Rice is very rare. Old Chen and I can only occasionally use connections to buy some, and never more than ten jin.”

That bag was fifty jin, wasn’t it? Buying so much genuine Tribute Rice at once was a joke.

It was simply impossible.

There were indeed many fakes on the market, and many unsuspecting people were easily deceived into buying counterfeit rice.

If you thought about it carefully, it made sense. The total production was limited, and after transporting the harvest to the capital, how could any be left to trickle onto the market?

Qin Lin was stunned by their words, realizing he might have been tricked.

But his rice was real.

Still, thinking it over, without the system, he too would have thought he was duped when seeing over fifty jin of Xiangshui Tribute Rice.

This served as a wake-up call: such rice shouldn’t be brought out in large quantities. At a hundred jin a day, that would be three thousand jin a month. The annual production of Xiangshui Tribute Rice was nowhere near that. One and a half tons a month? Was he some kind of god? Or could he produce it himself?

With that thought, he recalled the seeds from the game and immediately decided to get some from the game to try growing them himself.

What if he could indeed produce it on his own?

However, upon hearing Chen Shengfei and Ma Liwen’s words, Qin Lin feigned surprise and said, “That can’t be, right? I’ve known you both a long time, and you’ve never lied to me before.”

His act was quite convincing, as if he truly didn’t know. After all, he couldn’t have asked them to verify it earlier and now claim with certainty it was genuine Tribute Rice.

Chen Shengfei and Ma Liwen smiled and said no more, knowing that Qin Lin was probably feeling upset about being deceived.

Qin Lin didn’t press further and was about to head back outside when Zhao Moqing entered, holding a Hanfu carefully wrapped in plastic.

She greeted Gao Yaoyao, “Yaoyao, when you have some free time at noon, put on this outfit. I’ll take some videos for you.”

“Okay, Moqing,” Gao Yaoyao nodded and took the Hanfu inside carefully.

Qin Lin approached Zhao Moqing with a smile and asked, “Moqing, have you made up your mind? Come help me at the villa. I really don’t trust handing the finances to anyone else—I only trust my own wife.”

Zhao Moqing huffed, “Don’t rush me. I’ll talk to my uncle-in-law tonight. If he agrees, I’ll resign tomorrow. Is that good enough?”

...

In the kitchen,

Chef Lin and his assistants were already busy. This was the busiest time of day, as many tourists didn’t cook for themselves and would order after seeing the bougainvillea sea.

Suddenly, Chef Lin was drawn by a rich aroma of rice—it seemed to be the rice steamed specially for Mr. Chen and Mr. Ma.

“So fragrant!”

“You smell that too? I thought I was imagining it.”

“...”

The assistants also caught the scent and looked surprised.

Rice does have a mellow aroma, but modern methods like electric rice cookers usually don’t release it. In the past, using wooden steamers and wood fire, the rice’s fragrance would naturally permeate.

But this aroma was clearly different.

Less than a jin of rice steamed, yet the fragrance was so rich—it was astonishing.

At noon,

The hall grew lively, and tables were full. However, seating was limited, so many had to leave the villa to dine in the county town.

Chen Shengfei and Ma Liwen were enjoying quality-2 watermelon and strawberries—such a delightful pre-meal treat.

When a quality-2 crucian carp dish arrived, their appetites were whetted, and they eagerly picked up their chopsticks.

“Gentlemen, our boss specially arranged this rice for you!” a waiter brought the rice out.

Chen Shengfei and Ma Liwen exchanged glances.

This must be the Xiangshui Tribute Rice that Boss Qin was duped into buying, right?

“Quite fragrant,” Ma Liwen said in surprise.

Chen Shengfei also nodded, “Yes, the aroma is very strong.”

Both were clearly attracted by the rice’s fragrance.

They began to eat, but moments later, their eyes showed utter disbelief as they instinctively exchanged looks.

The taste, the texture—

How could this be?

(End of chapter)