“How much per pound?” The young woman glanced around cautiously and lowered her voice.

“Three yuan per pound, plus one pound of grain tickets,” Shen Zhihuan replied with the price she had already planned.

In this era, nothing worked better than various types of ration tickets.

“You want grain tickets too? The department store doesn’t even ask for those,” the young woman said, frowning.

“The withered lychees at the department store can’t compare to mine. These lychees were just picked—see the fresh stems for yourself,” Shen Zhihuan explained quickly.

“Those dried-up lychees lack nutrients and taste awful. You’ll be lucky if they last a day. But my fresh lychees are different. Not only do they taste better, but they also last longer. Store them in your fridge, and they’ll keep for a whole week without spoiling.”

The young woman looked down at the now slightly warm lychees in her hand and nodded. “How much do you have?”

“About ten pounds, plus some plums, peaches, and big cherries,” Shen Zhihuan said, glancing at her heavy back basket.

In the morning, she had been busy in the resort’s orchard, gathering all sorts of fruits. Luckily, with access to cold storage, she didn’t have to worry about the fruit spoiling.

“Cherries at this time of year?” A flash of surprise lit up the young woman’s eyes.

Her picky brother-in-law adored cherries. During cherry season, their household was always stocked with them.

“Maybe we should find a more private place to talk?” Shen Zhihuan suggested with a stiff smile.

The more fruits she listed, the heavier her basket gets. Her bony shoulders were beginning to ache from the weight.

“My home is just in that complex over there. How about we go there?” The young woman pointed to a nearby apartment building.

“Sure,” Shen Zhihuan agreed.

The young woman led the way, while Shen Zhihuan, struggling under the weight of her basket, discreetly sent some of the fruit back to the resort’s storage space.

Once they reached the apartment and the young woman pulled out her keys, Shen Zhihuan quietly retrieved the fruit from her storage space and placed it in her basket.

As soon as they entered the apartment, the young woman closed the door behind them.

Shen Zhihuan placed the basket on the floor and lifted the clothing that covered it, revealing a bounty of red, plump cherries, alongside vibrant lychees and peaches.

“These are cherries?” The young woman picked up one of the large fruits, her expression skeptical.

“Yep!” Shen Zhihuan nodded. “This is a new variety called big cherries, or ‘cherries.’ Try one—they taste much better than the older varieties.”

The young woman brought the fruit to her lips and took a bite. Instantly, the tangy-sweet juice filled her mouth, carrying a rich aroma.

Regular cherries were soft and tart, but these cherries had firm flesh and a sweet flavor with just a hint of tartness, accompanied by a refreshing fragrance.

“This cherry; it’s amazing! How much per pound?” the young woman asked, her eyes lighting up as she finished the rest of the cherry.

“Four yuan per pound, plus one pound of grain tickets,” Shen Zhihuan answered. She had already decided on the price during her walk.

“Alright, I’ll take them all,” the young woman agreed without hesitation.

She had been eyeing the vacant purchasing director position at the hospital for some time and had been looking for an excuse to visit the dean’s home. With this batch of fruit, she finally had the perfect gift to bring along.