Ling Zhenfei was pondering when suddenly a phone call came in.

He glanced at the number; it was Tan Wangdong calling.

Ling Zhenfei was momentarily stunned. He wondered why Tan Wangdong would call at this time.

After thinking for a moment, Ling Zhenfei answered the call.

On the other end, Tan Wangdong's somewhat angry voice came through: "Ling Zhenfei, what do you mean by this?"

Feigning ignorance, Ling Zhenfei asked, "What do you mean? What have I done?"

Tan Wangdong said, "Don't tell me you don't know that the International Auction House has publicly put tickets on sale, and now everyone with a restaurant in the city wants to go to the auction to bid on your Xishan Manor's vegetables.

If you say you didn't know, I don't believe you. You're definitely aware of this."

Ling Zhenfei replied, "Of course I know. Isn't it better for more people to come to the auction?"

Tan Wangdong said, "Didn't we agree that it would be our auction only?"

Ling Zhenfei said, "Mr. Tan, are you kidding me? Are Xishan Manor's vegetables really that worthless, that if only a few of you bid and the others don't, you'll end up getting them for a low price?"

Tan Wangdong was first stunned, then angrily said, "Kid, what are you implying? Do you think I'm that kind of person?"

Ling Zhenfei said, "Mr. Tan, of course you're not. That's why I brought in a few others to ensure nothing goes wrong."

Tan Wangdong was left speechless by Ling Zhenfei's words.

"Ling Zhenfei, while it's normal for you to have your reservations, you should have informed us of such things."

Ling Zhenfei said, "This is just the basic auction process. Why should I mention it? We thought there was nothing wrong with this, so there was no need to inform anyone."

Tan Wangdong angrily said, "Ling Zhenfei, how dare you mess with us!"

Knowing that Tan Wangdong was definitely angry, Ling Zhenfei understood that falling out with him now would be unwise.

Ling Zhenfei said, "Mr. Tan, you should be pleased instead."

Tan Wangdong said, "Why should I be pleased after you tricked us? It's priceless!"

Ling Zhenfei said, "With so many people attending, I'm obviously not just auctioning off some vegetables. I have many treasures for auction."

Curious, Tan Wangdong asked, "What treasures are you auctioning?"

Ling Zhenfei said, "I'm certain that what I'm selling will be loved by restaurant owners or store owners alike, possibly even driving them mad."

Tan Wangdong became even more curious, asking, "What exactly is it?"

Ling Zhenfei said, "I'll be auctioning a genuine Heart-Talk Fruit seed."

Upon hearing this, Tan Wangdong was stunned, "You mean a genuine Heart-Talk Fruit seed? Aren't the seeds inside the Heart-Talk Fruit real?"

Indeed, many had taken the Heart-Talk Fruit home to eat or taken the seeds.

On the black market, Heart-Talk Fruit seeds could fetch tens of thousands. Some reportedly managed to sprout the seeds.

However, Ling Zhenfei believed it wasn't that simple. The places Heart-Talk Fruits originally grew had ample Northern Spiritual Energy. To grow them, you needed to irrigate them with energy-rich liquid.

Ling Zhenfei couldn't comprehend how those who claimed to have grown Heart-Talk Fruit did it.

It's possible that their location was rich in Northern Spiritual Energy, with potent spiritual water underground, allowing the Heart-Talk Fruit to grow.

But this is highly unlikely, as Northern Spiritual Energy is scarce in today's world, and places with such abundance are improbable.

Another possibility is the seeds they obtained were fake, with someone selling them similar-looking seeds.

Upon hearing about the genuine Heart-Talk Fruit seed, Tan Wangdong seemed to understand, becoming excited.

Ling Zhenfei said, "Yes, the genuine Heart-Talk Fruit seed, and I guarantee it will grow into a Heart-Talk Tree."

Despite saying this, Ling Zhenfei withheld some truths. While a Heart-Talk Tree could grow, getting it to bear fruit would be a challenge.

Even with the Xuantian Spirit Spring Pot, they lack sufficient Northern Spiritual Energy, so even if a tree grows, it won't bear fruit.

This was Ling Zhenfei's strategy; everyone knew the Heart-Talk Fruit's value.

Regardless of its taste, its rarity alone demanded a high price.

There are plenty of wealthy people who prioritize nutrition and rarity over taste, much like collectors pursue antiques precisely because they're rare.

Tan Wangdong said, "With such an item, how could you let others grow it into Heart-Talk Fruit?"

Ling Zhenfei said, "If you don't believe me, what can I do? With so many people present, do you think I could lie about this?"

Feeling it made some sense, Tan Wangdong seemed to believe him.

Tan Wangdong said, "Alright then, since it's come to this, I have nothing more to say. You've said it. I'll inform some elites; they'll surely be present. There's no backing out now."

Ling Zhenfei knew this was Tan Wangdong's little ploy, but it played right into his hands.

In fact, Ling Zhenfei's plan was deeper than Tan Wangdong's. Originally, he struggled to find a way to amplify this matter, but Tan Wangdong's call had nothing to do with him.

Tan Wangdong had extensive connections, having lived in the Capital City for many years, knowing many of the city's elites.

He was smart enough to recognize the importance of the Heart-Talk Fruit seed. With it and a few rare Xishan Manor vegetables, he could establish a restaurant rivaling Xi Shan Restaurant.

Xi Shan Restaurant thrived on Xishan Manor's vegetables, poultry, and meats.

But the real draw of Xi Shan Restaurant was the Heart-Talk Fruit, which generated much of its buzz.

Securing this seed guaranteed media interest, making the restaurant's success near certain.

Understanding the seed's value meant intense competition.

Realizing his solo capability wouldn't secure the seed, Tan Wangdong would likely team up with other elites to vie for it.

Ling Zhenfei said, "Once decided, there's no turning back. We'll see what happens."

"Alright, see you tonight."

After hanging up, Ling Zhenfei felt a realization dawn on him.

The idea of the Heart-Talk Fruit seed had crossed his mind briefly, but it turned out to be a brilliant idea.

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