Chapter 10

Qiping had already given Luo Yi the address, but he certainly couldn't just sit at home waiting; he still needed to welcome these guys, especially since Ramona was quite remote. This would make him seem like a warm and hospitable host.

Qiping also knew that although the forest farm looked incredibly high-end—it was originally a recreational forest farm—there was actually nothing here, and it could be considered quite barren. It might not be very appealing to Luo Yi's friends, for a simple reason: life here could be quite monotonous.

Finally, he saw Luo Yi, who indeed looked like he was ready for a vacation, wearing a sun hat and a pair of sunglasses. Clearly, although California had plenty of sunshine, it was only mid-May, and it wasn't really hot yet. This guy was just putting on a show, a very exaggerated show!

"This is Chris and Douglas, and this beautiful lady is Gianna," Luo Yi said with a smile, introducing them to Qiping. They were his colleagues and friends, all looking forward to this wonderful weekend at the forest farm.

Qiping smiled and bumped fists with Chris and the others. Although he hadn't been in the U.S. for long, he had learned some American ways of greeting. This wasn't a formal or business meeting, so it was more casual, and bumping fists was just right.

"We've been looking forward to this for a long time, buddy. Spending a fun weekend at the forest farm is really enjoyable. I've been looking forward to it for a long time, but unfortunately, Luo has been busy," Chris, a black man, said with a wide grin, showing his white teeth. He was a very warm and outgoing person, and even though it was their first meeting, he already seemed like a good buddy. "Qi, you're a great guy, thanks for the invitation."

"Thank you for coming. I just bought the forest farm, and there's not much interesting stuff here yet. It might disappoint you, but I'll do my best to make it a fun weekend. You are the first guests of the forest farm, and I'm looking forward to your visit," Qiping, who was essentially a playful and outgoing person, said warmly.

They chatted and laughed, and Qiping needed to buy some things in town. The forest farm was really quite barren, and the only interesting thing might be his four-wheel drive off-road vehicle. So, he needed to find some interesting things to enrich this weekend.

"Your forest farm is really nice. The air here is great. I think being here will definitely make people feel good, with air quality that Los Angeles can't compare to," Douglas and his girlfriend Gianna enjoyed it here. It was very quiet and had a great environment, allowing them to enjoy something that couldn't be found in a big city.

"Big cities have their advantages; they are more lively and have more fun things to do. The forest farm is very quiet and indeed more comfortable. But I think not every young person can get used to life in the forest farm; it's too quiet. That's why I didn't choose Maine or Iowa, even though the forest farms there are cheaper, but they are too quiet. California is great, with its sunshine and beaches," Qiping's humor made everyone laugh.

"No wonder you bought a forest farm here, you were eyeing the West Coast. This is indeed great; the coastline in San Diego is fantastic, and it's very lively. You're close to San Diego, just over an hour to the beach to see the bikini beauties," Luo Yi joked, knowing some of Qiping's thoughts.

The West Coast is indeed great, especially the environment in California. Living here is really enjoyable, although most of the time he enjoyed the quiet and comfortable life in the forest farm, but if he got restless, he could go to San Diego, which is also very lively.

"Our lunch will be a fun barbecue party, guys. I think it will be fun to barbecue and chat while basking in the sun. And I have some good CDs; we can enjoy a great party," Qiping said after arranging the rooms, starting to plan the specific activities for the weekend.

"Wow, that's great. Guys, trust me, my barbecue is really good. Qi, what's in the fridge?" Chris clapped his hands and said enthusiastically, "I hope you prepared barbecue sauce; it makes the meat more delicious. And I know Gianna makes great pizza; I envy Douglas for often enjoying those delicious pizzas."

Chris's exaggerated words made everyone laugh, and the atmosphere started to heat up. Now they could really enjoy this relaxing weekend. They would have a barbecue party for lunch and then consider other fun activities.

"Your forest farm seems to be starting operations. I saw people busy when we came. What are your plans? Start with some small things?" While brushing the barbecue sauce, Luo Yi asked about Qiping's plans.

"First, I'll open a small plot of land to grow some lettuce, which has a good market. And I need to start preparing other vegetables. I'm applying for a license, and if everything goes well, I'll get the operating rights for the forest farm soon. I need some capital, or I won't be able to develop the forest farm," Qiping said simply.

Operating the forest farm requires money, and Qiping was short of money, especially if he wanted to increase the development of the forest farm, which would require a lot of funds. This was something Qiping needed to prepare for.

"Lettuce is quite popular here, but it's just a common vegetable. Are you growing organic vegetables? Otherwise, you might not make much money. Cabbage is very cheap, and carrots aren't expensive either. Think about it; although vegetables in the U.S. are expensive, they aren't really that valuable," Luo Yi counted on his fingers, wondering if vegetables in the U.S. were as valuable as he thought.

Qiping looked speechless at Luo Yi. He knew that these vegetables might not be very valuable, but they still had a market. As long as he could grow high-quality organic vegetables, there was a good profit to be made. The simplest thing was that although these vegetables might only cost less than a dollar per pound, an acre of land could produce two to three thousand pounds of vegetables, which was quite substantial.

Moreover, Qiping knew that this was just the price of ordinary vegetables. If it was organic vegetables, and if they were of higher quality than the ordinary organic vegetables on the market, they would be even more popular, and he would make a lot of money. So there was no need to worry, even if the numbers seemed small. As long as he had good products, he would definitely get a good return, without a doubt.

Qiping knew that his trump card was the magical heritage, so he didn't need to worry too much. Other farms might not have high returns, and they might just earn a living. But Qiping knew that once he became a top-tier farm, he would definitely have a huge return, and he would make a fortune!

"Qi, do you have country music? This is the time for country music, with simple tunes, steady rhythms, warm and passionate, and not lacking in popular elements. This is more suitable for the current atmosphere; we don't need Eminem's rap," Douglas, who was helping his girlfriend make pizza in the kitchen, came out. The atmosphere was great, and it would be even better if the annoying Chris didn't just like rap.

"It's all in the sound system, guys. Relax, you're at your best friend's house. You don't need to hold back; you can do what you like. This isn't the atmosphere of being at a good friend's house; you don't need to ask my opinion for everything. Guys, please; I just want you to have a relaxing and enjoyable weekend. I'm not that rigid," Qiping smiled and reiterated.

"That's why I said, Qi is a great guy," Chris hummed a song while flipping the barbecue. This weekend vacation was great, and he had met a great friend, making it even better!