Chapter 21: If I had that kind of money, I would go out and buy a Golden Pillow durian!

Fan Zhicong was a young man with a bachelor's degree, a fairly handsome face, and a decent physique. Especially when dressed in a suit, he exuded the aura of a domineering CEO. Coupled with his talent for deception and a silver tongue, he was particularly skilled at pleasing women. This was how he had been brought under the wing of the wealthy socialite Zhang Lijuan, becoming her sixth lover.

Zhang Lijuan had seven lovers in total, each assigned a specific day of the week to attend to her. Today was Saturday, which happened to be Fan Zhicong’s turn. Zhang Lijuan was so furious her face turned green. She had been on her period for the past week, and her body was practically bursting with pent-up desire. She had planned that as soon as her period ended this morning, she would drag Fan Zhicong off for a nine-hundred-round marathon. She had even prepared two little blue pills, certain they would keep him tilling the paddy fields for a solid three hours.

Who could have expected this turn of events? Her number six lover had actually been tossed out onto the street in broad daylight by some country bumpkin! She couldn't help but wonder if his face had been scratched up.

He Lianhua maintained a smile. "Ms. Zhang, Mr. Fan has found a better opportunity. He resigned an hour ago."

"It's obvious that your Manager Song fired Mr. Fan for the sake of that country bumpkin, and you still have the nerve to quibble!"

Faced with Zhang Lijuan’s verbal barrage, He Lianhua’s expression remained composed. "Ms. Zhang, why not try our premium red-fleshed guavas? They have medicinal properties that clear the heart and moisten the lungs. They are quite effective for long-term smokers and those with impaired lung function."

"Screw you! Mr. Fan is gone, and you think I’d still spend money at your fruit shop? Keep dreaming!" Zhang Lijuan shoved He Lianhua aside and stormed out of the shop. She immediately pulled her phone from her bag and sent a voice message to a group chat labeled 'Seven Little Cuties.'

"Number one, two, three, four, five, and seven—everyone meet at the Tianhao Hotel immediately!"

Inside the fruit shop.

"Excuse me, did you just say these red-fleshed guavas of yours can treat lung dysfunction caused by smoking?" A woman in professional attire wearing a face mask pointed at a guava the size of half a cantaloupe, staring at He Lianhua with wide eyes.

"Yes, ma'am!" He Lianhua enthusiastically began introducing the Taoyuan guavas.

"These Taoyuan red-fleshed guavas are our signature fruit. They grow in the deep mountains in an environment completely free of pollution, absorbing the essence of the sun and moon and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. They possess medicinal properties that clear the heart and moisten the lungs. We have samples for tasting; would you like to try a piece?"

Although He Lianhua had eaten the Taoyuan guavas and knew they were incredibly delicious, she had no way to verify their medicinal claims. However, if Manager Song and Manager Lin said they were medicinal, then they were! That was beyond doubt.

The woman was full of skepticism. Despite her higher education, which should have led her to immediately conclude that these claims were merely marketing hype, the man at home was a heavy smoker suffering from chronic coughing, phlegm, and wheezing. His condition had worsened recently, and the doctor had warned that it might be developing into asthma. She was out of options. Regardless of whether it was true or fake, she had to try everything!

"Give me three!" Pressed for time, she didn't even bother with a sample and bought three immediately.

"Certainly!" He Lianhua picked three and put them on the scale. "Ma'am, that's 14.1 pounds, totaling 1,410 yuan."

"What!" The woman was so stunned by the price her eyes nearly popped out. Three guavas cost 1,410 yuan? She had been so careless she hadn't checked the price tag. She turned to look and realized the guavas were priced at 100 yuan per 500 grams!

The woman was caught in a dilemma—paying felt wrong, but walking away felt worse. After hesitating at the register for a long while, she gritted her teeth, opened her phone, and scanned the payment code.

After the woman left, several customers stood in front of the Taoyuan guava display, whispering incessantly. "That woman is so stupid, believing whatever the clerk says! How could a mere guava treat a cough?"

"Exactly! If this fruit were that powerful, hospitals would have gone out of business long ago! Even the doctors would be out of a job and back on the farms!"

"Domestic guavas for 100 yuan a pound? Are they really treating us customers like meat on a chopping block?"

"If I had that kind of money, I'd rather buy a Golden Pillow durian!"

However, despite their grumbling, the refreshing, rich aroma of the Taoyuan guavas and their vibrant, translucent appearance still left them quite impressed.

"Everyone, our Taoyuan guavas are available for sampling." He Lianhua opened the cover of the container, skewered pieces of cut guava with toothpicks, and respectfully offered them to each customer.

Thinking it was a free taste, the customers each took a piece. The moment the fruit touched their tongues, their eyes lit up, and their expressions became incredibly lively.

"The aroma is so intense!"

"The flesh is so crisp! The juice is so sweet!"

"It really is delicious! I’ve never tasted such a good guava! And it's locally grown, too!"

"My throat was a bit raspy, but now it feels so lubricated and comfortable!"

"My stomach feels warm! These Taoyuan guavas really do have medicinal effects! No wonder they cost 100 yuan a pound!"

The other customers nearby were astonished, yet they still wore expressions of disbelief, muttering things like, "They must be plants," "The Oscars owe them each an award," or "Their acting is good enough to be extras on a film set."

"Give me one! I’ll come back to support the shop after I get my paycheck next month!"

"I'll take two! My husband and father-in-law both smoke and cough from time to time."

"Oh, I'll grit my teeth and buy two as well. These Taoyuan guavas are actually better than ribs or trotters."

After paying, the customers left the fruit shop feeling quite satisfied. One of them took out their phone and made a call.

"Hey, Old Liu, isn't your son always coughing? I found a 'miracle fruit' called Taoyuan guava at the Xinqing fruit shop that can treat coughs. You should bring your son over to try it."