Chapter 47

Peng Da, the boss, understood clearly what Qi Xiang meant. At this moment, his expression changed slightly, as if he was weighing the pros and cons. Almost instantly, he made a decision.

"Ha ha, young brother, what you said is very right..."

Peng Da made a quick decision, his face beaming with a smile, "I'll go with you, let's cash it out!"

"Great, then I thank Mr. Peng."

Qi Xiang also smiled happily, shaking hands with Peng Da, and the atmosphere was very harmonious and perfect.

Peng Da's straightforwardness was not unexpected. After all, the price difference between Zheng Banqiao's Pine and Bamboo painting and Guan Shanyue's High Mountain Red Plum was almost double.

By using the Pine and Bamboo painting as the standard for cashing out, Qi Xiang had given Peng Da enough face. It would be strange if he disagreed.

Qi Xiang naturally knew that the High Mountain Red Plum was valuable, but selling a famous work was not that simple. Even if he got the High Mountain Red Plum, he wouldn't be able to find a buyer in a few days.

And he needed quick money, and couldn't wait that long.

So after careful consideration, Qi Xiang felt that a proper compromise and then cashing out was a good choice.

After the two reached an agreement, they immediately returned to the crowd.

Peng Da didn't waste any time and immediately announced the matter. When he handed over a huge check to Qi Xiang in front of everyone, the entire reception hall instantly boiled up.

"Wow, five million!"

"Rich!"

Although, with China's current national strength and media exposure, everyone knew there were many rich people, and some were billionaires.

A mere five million wouldn't be a big deal for the billionaires. However, for the working class, five million was a huge fortune, something they could only dream of.

Although many people present had substantial assets, they didn't hate this wealth, but they were still quite envious.

Of course, some smart people had a thoughtful look in their eyes, vaguely understanding why Qi Xiang had to talk to Peng Da in private. It turned out he didn't want the prize but the cash.

Some people shook their heads in disappointment, finding Qi Xiang vulgar. Others understood, thinking that no matter how good a work was, it couldn't compare to cash.

Different values led to different views.

Qi Xiang didn't have time to care about what others thought. After getting the check, he immediately found an excuse and left gracefully amidst the complex gazes of the crowd.

As soon as he left the shop, he heard someone chasing after him, calling out, "Mr. Qi, wait for me!"

Qi Xiang turned around and saw Xiao Ding running up, out of breath.

Xiao Ding quickly ran to Qi Xiang and said with a bright smile, "Mr. Qi, congratulations, congratulations, may you have great fortune and wealth!"

"Thanks for your good words," Qi Xiang smiled and said casually, "I have something to do now. I'll treat you to a meal when I have time."

"Is Mr. Qi going to the bank?" Xiao Ding asked eagerly, "I have a car, let me take you..."

Qi Xiang originally wanted to refuse, but then he thought that Xiao Ding was a local and could be a helpful resource. So he changed his mind and nodded, "Sure, thank you for the trouble."

"No trouble..." Xiao Ding was overjoyed and quickly led the way.

Xiao Ding's car was parked near the antique market. He drove Qi Xiang for about ten minutes and arrived at a large, luxuriously decorated bank headquarters.

Qi Xiang went in to cash the check, spent some time on the procedures, and then came out with a smile.

His mood was good, but he wasn't overly excited. After all, he had just gotten five million, and he still had a funding gap to reach his goal.

"Mr. Qi, is it done?" Xiao Ding quickly came up to him.

"It's done," Qi Xiang nodded and smiled, "Let's go, I'll treat you to a meal..."

"How can I let Mr. Qi treat me?" Xiao Ding hurriedly said, "I should be the one to treat you as a local."

"Whatever..." Qi Xiang didn't argue, thought for a moment, and suggested, "Why don't we go for Taihu boat dishes? I haven't had Taihu's three whites in a long time, I miss them!"

"Sure..." Xiao Ding nodded eagerly.

The two got in the car and drove to a dock by Taihu Lake.

Taihu Lake, located in the south of the Yangtze River Delta, is one of China's five major freshwater lakes. It spans Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, borders Huzhou to the south, Wuxi to the north, Yixing to the west, and Suzhou to the east.

The total area of the lake is at least 2,300 square kilometers. The abundant lake resources make Taihu a great place for tourism. In the entire Taihu region, each city has tourism-related industries.

Huzhou is no exception, with small boats docked at the pier, ready to take visitors out on the lake.

There were also some floating restaurants on the lake, swaying gently. Xiao Ding parked the car and immediately found a small boat, asking the boatman to take them to the nearest floating restaurant.

The small boat glided smoothly, breaking the calm surface of the water, like a shuttle.

Xiao Ding started a conversation, smiling, "Mr. Qi, speaking of Taihu's three whites, I had them a few days ago. The taste... it was absolutely amazing... indescribable..."

Xiao Ding reminisced, his mouth watering, almost drooling.

Qi Xiang raised an eyebrow, somewhat disbelieving. The taste of Taihu's three whites was indeed good, but it wasn't as exaggerated as Xiao Ding described.

"Mr. Qi, don't disbelieve. It was that day..." Xiao Ding hurriedly explained, "After Mr. Hai bought the fragrant Buddha, he was very happy and took me to a meal."

"But the place he took me wasn't a restaurant, but a private boat."

Xiao Ding gestured, "It was a very luxurious boat, ancient and elegant. Mr. Hai called, and the boat came to the pier to pick us up, then sailed to the center of the lake."

"The boat owner's surname is Tian, and Mr. Hai calls him Brother Tian..."

Xiao Ding's expression turned mysterious, and he lowered his voice, "To be honest, Mr. Qi, you might not believe this. After Mr. Tian took us to the center of the lake, he actually jumped into the lake and caught fish by hand."

"It didn't take long, and he caught many fish, shrimp, and crabs. Then he personally cooked a lake feast for us on the spot..."

Xiao Ding swallowed, his mouth watering, "The meat was fresh and delicious, a supreme enjoyment. I'm not afraid to admit, I almost swallowed my tongue."

"Really that good?" Qi Xiang was half-believing, half-doubting.

"Really..." Xiao Ding swore, "Mr. Qi, you don't know. After that lake feast, when I went back home, I couldn't even eat my own cooking. It was like pig food, I had no appetite at all..."

"Ha." Qi Xiang smiled, neither confirming nor denying.

At this moment, they arrived at the floating restaurant.

The two went up the gangway, and a waiter immediately greeted them, "Sir, how many people?"

"Just the two of us," Xiao Ding said confidently, "Please arrange a top-floor window seat for us."

"Sure, please follow me..."

It wasn't mealtime, so the restaurant was relatively quiet with few customers.

The two easily reached the upper deck of the boat, where the view was wide and the layout was similar to a land-based restaurant, with seats arranged in rows and separated by bamboo curtains.

Of course, compared to land-based restaurants, the boat hall had limited space, so the seats were smaller and more elegant.

Qi Xiang sat by the window, looking out at the lake. The sun was almost setting, and the light slanted across the clear lake, creating a shimmering, flower-like beauty.

"Mr. Qi, let's order some dishes!" Xiao Ding presented the menu.

Qi Xiang glanced at it and asked casually, "What are the signature dishes here?"

"Crab powder fish wings, lotus leaf steamed meat, drunken white shrimp, and silver fish scrambled eggs!" the waiter quickly answered.

"Let's have one of each," Qi Xiang nodded, "Then add a few stir-fried vegetables, that's it."

Xiao Ding added, "And a bottle of yellow wine, Shaoxing style..."

"Got it." The waiter noted it down and went to prepare.

During this time, Xiao Ding quickly poured tea and asked, "Mr. Qi, you said you would stay in Huzhou for a few days. What are you busy with? If you need any help, just let me know..."

Qi Xiang's heart stirred, and he smiled, "It's rare for me to come to Huzhou, so I want to find a few more items to take back."

"I'm good at this," Xiao Ding quickly said, not caring whether Qi Xiang was telling the truth. After all, his goal was to act as a middleman and earn some commission.

"In that case, I'll have to trouble you again," Qi Xiang smiled, enjoying dealing with locals. After all, they had their ways and knew where to find things.

"Sure, sure..." Xiao Ding smiled happily, pleased that his efforts were not in vain.

As they chatted, two waiters brought out dishes one by one. The steaming hot food emitted a tempting aroma. The dishes looked perfect in color, aroma, and taste.

And of course, there was wine. The fragrant Shaoxing yellow wine, with a moderate alcohol content, was good for health and perfect for a light drink.

Xiao Ding filled a glass of wine and handed it to Qi Xiang, then poured one for himself and raised his glass, "Mr. Qi, thank you for your care, I'll drink first."

Xiao Ding drank in one gulp, tilting the glass to ensure no wine was left.

Qi Xiang also drank to show respect. After drinking, he couldn't resist the temptation of the food on the table.

Taihu's three whites—silver fish, white fish, and white shrimp—were known as the three treasures, and their taste was indeed excellent.

The silver fish had delicate, white, and tender meat, no bones, and no fishy smell. When stir-fried with dried silver fish and eggs, it was fresh, tender, and boneless, making it impossible to stop eating.

As for the white fish, it was also delicious, but it had many bones, making it a bit troublesome to eat.

Qi Xiang's favorite was the white shrimp. Especially the drunken shrimp, also known as wine-soaked shrimp, which, after the chef's skillful cooking, had tender shrimp meat and a rich wine aroma. When chewed, it was incredibly delicious...

...

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