The old man took a sip of tea and chuckled, “This old man happens to be surnamed Xiao.”

He paused briefly before continuing, “Although you brought Mingyang back to me, the grapes in this vineyard can’t be sold to you.”

Wang Xiaoke had already suspected this upon seeing the vineyard, but she hadn’t expected such a straightforward refusal. Surprised, she looked at him.

“Sir, could you tell me why? We’re willing to pay a price higher than the market rate.”

“It’s not about the price,” the old man replied with a smile. “I don’t have many hobbies, but I enjoy experimenting with winemaking in my spare time. These grapes are for my own use, so naturally, I can’t sell them to you.”

He chuckled softly before adding, “But I am curious. With the internet being so developed nowadays, don’t you have other options?”

Hearing his words, Wang Xiaoke smacked her forehead in realization. “You’re a lifesaver, sir! I’ve been so anxious that I completely overlooked such a simple solution. By inviting businesses to supply grapes through a public tender, we can save a lot of time and won’t be restricted to sourcing from just Xinyun City. Everything will fall into place.”

The old man smiled warmly as he saw the spark of inspiration in her eyes.

“Sir, I’ll remember your advice. Once I’ve resolved this issue, I’ll treat you to a nice meal,” Wang Xiaoke said excitedly as she stood up.

“This old man merely made a casual suggestion. Compared to you bringing my grandson back to me, it’s nothing,” the old man said modestly.

He glanced at the gradually setting sun and, knowing Wang Xiaoke still had things to attend to, waved her off. “Go on with your business. This old man is just a carefree person. Just knowing you thought of me is already enough to make me happy.”

With a new solution in mind, Wang Xiaoke decided not to visit every household anymore. She planned to return to Xinyun City and immediately implement her new approach.

However, the walk back to her car was still a considerable distance. By the time she reached her vehicle, the sun had already dipped below the horizon.

A crescent moon hung in the night sky, its light draping the land like a delicate veil. Her shadow stretched long across the ground. Breathing in the unique fragrance of the mountain grass and listening to the chirping of insects and birds, she felt an unparalleled sense of tranquility.

But that calm was abruptly shattered the moment she saw her car.

As she approached, three to five thuggish-looking men surrounded her.

“Well, what do we have here? A pretty little thing,” sneered a pimple-faced thug as he rubbed his hands together, leering at Wang Xiaoke from head to toe.

“Nice body and good looks. Quite the catch,” another thug added, licking his lips with a lewd expression.

“Hey, how about spending some quality time with us? What do you say, sweetheart?” one of them said, reaching out to grab Wang Xiaoke.

“Are you trying to force me?” Wang Xiaoke asked coldly, her expression unreadable as she stared at the men.

“Yeah, we’re interested in you. What can you do about it?” growled a man with a scar on his face, who seemed to be the leader.

Could this be a gang of sexual predators? Wang Xiaoke wondered, her mind racing.