Business Negotiations

Lily Evans had prepared a table full of delicious dishes, so tempting that Leonard Li nearly swallowed his own tongue.

This young nobleman was truly carefree—his belly was already round from eating, yet he still clamored for more.

"Oh, Leonard, don't overeat! If you want more, I'll make it for you next time!" Lily Evans laughed and tried to persuade him.

Leonard Li grinned, "Dishes made by Lady Evans aren't something you get to eat every day. If I don't stuff myself now, I'll regret it when I get home."

Lily Evans replied, "That's easy—once we're business partners, you only need to say the word if you want my cooking."

Leonard Li touched his nose and laughed, "Oh, you clever lady! I haven't even brought up business and you've already roped me in. Looks like I have no choice but to work with you!"

The three of them turned to business. Lily Evans intended to partner with Leonard Li to sell her dried mushrooms in the capital. With so many wealthy people there, once she expanded production, she’d have plenty of buyers for her mushrooms.

Leonard Li was intrigued, "Wow, mushrooms can be made into dried mushrooms? That's a novelty—I've never heard of it before."

Lily Evans explained, "Fresh mushrooms spoil quickly after picking. But if you sun-dry them, you can store them for a long time. When you need them, just soak them in water—they taste almost the same as fresh."

"Oh, did you come up with this idea yourself?" Leonard Li's eyes lit up as he stared at the pretty young woman before him.

"Yes, I did." Lily Evans replied with a proud smile. Her confident charm was so dazzling that even Leonard Li, who was used to beautiful women, couldn't help but be drawn to her.

"But how do you guarantee a steady supply of mushrooms? Once the trade route opens, you'll need to supply the capital's famous restaurants, and that means your stock must be reliable. As far as I know, mushroom picking depends on luck—sometimes you get plenty, sometimes nothing at all. If you want to seal deals with those big restaurants, you have to promise them a stable supply." Leonard Li had only been casually interested at first, since he was wealthy and didn't need to do business. But Lily Evans's serious attitude drew him in, making him want to match her earnestness.

Lily Evans smiled gently, "I can absolutely guarantee it. Leonard, not only can I keep my family's mushroom supply steady, I can even provide fresh mushrooms in the dead of winter! That means the restaurants who sign with me will have mushrooms for their dishes even in winter—a clear advantage for them."

"Really? How can you guarantee that?" Leonard Li's eyes lit up. He'd never seen anyone promise a steady mushroom supply before, but Lily Evans was so confident that he couldn't help but be curious about how she'd pull it off.

"You want to know?" Lily Evans blinked, her smile turning sly.

"Of course!" Leonard Li gazed at Lily Evans's radiant smile, feeling as if a kitten was scratching at his heart.

Lily Evans leaned in and whispered, "I have a Mushroom House. With it, I can grow mushrooms year-round, no matter the season. That's my secret weapon."