Chapter 60 It is not that we cannot afford to eat them, but that we cannot buy the genuine ones.

Chapter 60: It's Not That People Can't Afford It; It's That You Can't Buy the Real Thing.

"Qin Lin, are you drinking honey water?" Zhao Moqing walked in from outside, accompanied by Lin Fen, who was holding Wangcai on a leash.

Wangcai seemed to have caught a scent. It trotted right up to the bar counter and sniffed intently at the spot where the pure wild honey was placed.

"Have a taste!" Qin Lin handed the cup of honey water in his hand to Zhao Moqing.

Zhao Moqing took the cup, took a sip, and immediately looked surprised. "Qin Lin, this honey water is amazing!"

Qin Lin was not surprised by her reaction.

With attributes of Taste +2 and Deliciousness +2, combined with Fatigue Relief +2, just a single sip gave one a subtle feeling of refreshment and clarity of mind.

It was undoubtedly a miraculous sensation.

"Mom, you should try some too." Zhao Moqing handed her own cup of honey water to Lin Fen.

Lin Fen took a sip and felt an equal sense of wonder. "Xiaolin, this isn't ordinary honey, is it?"

"Mm, it's pure wild honey!" Qin Lin nodded and replied.

"Awoooo!~" Wangcai's anxious whining rang out at that moment.

It hopped up and down in front of Lin Fen, fixing its gaze firmly on the honey water as if it were saying, "It's my turn, it's my turn!"

"I've never seen such a foodie dog!" Lin Fen complained verbally, but her hands moved deftly as she pulled a specialized transparent pet water bottle from her bag, poured some honey water into it, and placed it right in front of Wangcai.

It was clear that Lin Fen was pampering the dog more and more. For elderly people whose children were too busy, it was very easy to form deep emotional attachments to pets.

The dog sniffed the water and eagerly began to lap it up. A moment later, it was jumping and whining again, as if expressing that this stuff was simply top-notch and delicious.

"Boss, there are more and more people coming. We need to hire new staff; we can't keep up with the rush," Gao Yaoyao said, wiping sweat from her forehead as she entered the lobby to complain to Qin Lin.

"Thank you for your hard work, I'll arrange it as soon as possible." Qin Lin smiled, grabbed a cup, and brewed a fresh cup of honey water for Gao Yaoyao as well.

He knew indeed that it was time to hire more people.

The resort fire and the ensuing buzz on Douyin were still trending heavily, causing the number of tourists to increase daily.

"Thank you, Boss!" Gao Yaoyao said sweetly. Since the boss had personally poured her a drink, she felt too embarrassed to keep complaining.

However, after gulping down a large mouthful of the honey water, she too experienced its unique properties and let out a gasp of astonishment. "Boss, this honey water..."

She found it simply unbelievable. The honey water tasted incredible, and the post-drinking sensation was far more refreshing than any commercial beverage on the market.

Could this really just be ordinary honey water?

***

Gao Yaoyao's exclamation attracted the attention of quite a few tourists in the lobby.

An elderly man who was feeding medicine to a little girl clutching her stomach looked over. He then walked up somewhat sheepishly and asked, "Excuse me, may I ask, is what you're drinking honey water?"

"Yes, old sir," Qin Lin replied very politely.

The old man asked with a hint of embarrassment, "I hope you don't mind me asking, but could I possibly trouble you for a cup of honey water? My granddaughter here has chronic gastritis, and her condition suddenly flared up out of nowhere. Honey water can nourish the spleen and stomach, and help relieve the pain of gastritis."

Qin Lin glanced at the little girl.

Wasn't this a coincidence?

The pure wild honey he had possessed the exact effect of Treating Chronic Gastritis +2.

Being a generous person, he immediately said to the old man, "Old sir, please wait a moment."

With that, he quickly brewed a cup of honey water and handed it to the old man.

"Thank you!" The old man clearly possessed good manners. He expressed his gratitude before taking the honey water over to his granddaughter and handing it to her.

The girl took the cup and began to drink. After just a few sips, she said in pleasant surprise, "Grandpa, this honey water is so delicious. You should try some too."

Seeing his granddaughter act so filial, the old man took a small sip as well. "Oh, this flavor really is exceptional!"

In terms of flavor and mouthfeel, this honey water was definitely better than any beverage he had ever tasted in his life!

Before long, the little girl had finished the entire cup of honey water.

She was also pleasantly surprised to find a warm, comforting sensation in her stomach. She joyfully exclaimed, "Grandpa, is this medicine even better than before? It doesn't hurt nearly as much anymore."

"Really?" The old man was equally astonished, though he cast another thoughtful look at the empty cup.

As a doctor, he knew that the medicine was the same as before, which meant the relief must have come from the honey water. Having tasted it himself just a moment ago, leaving aside the marvelous flavor, the refreshing clarity it brought to his mind told him this honey was far from ordinary.

Yet, for it to have such a pronounced therapeutic effect, could it be medicinal-grade honey?

Such honey was extremely rare; cheap varieties cost over five hundred per catty, while expensive ones exceeded a thousand. Most people couldn't afford it, but more importantly, you simply couldn't buy the genuine article.

Because medicinal honey was produced in such tiny quantities, the market was flooded with counterfeits, and ordinary people lacked the expertise to tell the difference.

"Grandpa, this honey water is so delicious. Can I have some more?" After finishing her cup, the little girl looked up at the old man with a pair of pretty, pleading eyes.

Holding the empty cup, the old man walked back to the bar with some embarrassment and said to Qin Lin, "I'm terribly sorry to bother you again. I know this is medicinal honey of yours—might I trouble you for one more cup? I'm willing to pay for it."

The old man's words surprised Qin Lin. The fact that the old man recognized it as medicinal honey meant that the wild honey produced by the game system truly was of medicinal-grade quality.

"You're too polite, old sir. It's just a cup of honey water, no need to pay." Qin Lin wasn't one to sting over a cup of honey water, so he immediately brewed another cup and handed it to the old man.

***

Medicinal honey was a special type of honey with higher health benefits, greater value, and genuine medicinal properties.

Medicinal honey also came in different grades. Ordinary varieties had mediocre effects and often carried a distinct medicinal odor.

Premium varieties, however, not only retained the natural sweetness of honey but also possessed superior medicinal value that allowed them to be used directly as medicine, fetching prices upwards of a thousand per catty.

Qin Lin knew that the honey harvested by his game wasn't technically classified as traditional medicinal honey, but with attributes like Fatigue Relief +2, Constipation Relief +2, and Chronic Gastritis Treatment +2, it was certainly no less effective than those rare medicinal honey treasures.

Moreover, given how exceptionally delicious this honey water was, it sparked an idea for a brand-new profitable venture.

He remembered that in the game, once the bees appeared, honey would basically reset and refresh every single day. He would check the situation tomorrow.

Seeing that Lin Fen's cup of honey water was empty, Qin Lin took out two more cups and brewed fresh batches for both Zhao Moqing and Lin Fen.

"Awooo!" Seeing this, Wangcai stood up on its hind legs again, holding its transparent water bowl in its mouth and placing it right on the bar counter.

Qin Lin was stunned.

The dog's intentions couldn't have been more obvious.

This rascal!

Lin Fen laughed and stroked the dog's head. "My good girl is so smart."

"..." Qin Lin was left speechless. He poured a small portion of honey water into the dog's bowl and set it down.

Why was his mother casually adopting a dog as her daughter?

What did that make him then?

Siblings with Wangcai?

"Xiaolin, Moqing's parents are coming over to the house tomorrow. Remember to prepare the dishes," Lin Fen reminded him, suddenly recalling the arrangement.

Her words brought a shy blush to Zhao Moqing's face. Tomorrow's gathering would serve as the formal meeting between both families.

If she and Qin Lin hadn't already secretly obtained their marriage certificate, this first official meeting would have been the stage for discussing their engagement.

"Mom, I know. Everything is already prepared," Qin Lin immediately nodded. Now that his relationship with Zhao Moqing had finally gained parental approval and understanding, how could he possibly slack off on such an important matter?

The Quality 2 vegetables, Quality 2 fish, Quality 2 fruits, and Quality 2 Xiangshui Tribute Rice were all ready to go. He would just need to prepare a few additional dishes and seafood for the occasion.

As they were chatting, Qin Lin saw Chen Li walking in accompanied by the young man from earlier. They had presumably come back regarding the revitalization fund.