After coughing several times, Lin Fan finally recovered his breath.
Then he double-checked the system's appraisal result.
"One... two... three... four…"
He counted the digits repeatedly—yes, it was indeed nine digits.
Two hundred million. Confirmed.
"Waiter," Lin Fan raised his hand. "Could you please call that girl over?"
The waiter blinked. "You mean… her?"
"Yes," Lin Fan nodded. "Tell her I'm interested in the recipe she's selling."
The waiter gave him a strange look. "Are you serious?"
Lin Fan didn't respond further, only nodded again with calm assurance.
The waiter looked at him skeptically, muttering in his heart:
What a joke. Must be trying to flirt with a pretty girl. Heartless fellow.
He turned and walked off, carrying a bit of disdain for Lin Fan.
Lin Fan, of course, didn't know what the waiter was thinking. Even if he did, he wouldn't care.
A recipe worth hundreds of millions is right in front of everyone, and they don't even recognize its value.
Next to him, Xiao Kang raised an eyebrow. "Xiao Fan, are you really interested in the recipe… or just the girl?"
Lin Fan gave a light cough and replied solemnly, "Of course… the recipe."
Xiao Kang rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right. Only a ghost would believe that."
Soon, the waiter returned with the girl.
Now that she was up close, Lin Fan got a proper look and was slightly stunned.
She's really a beauty… and loli-style at that.
"Hello! Are you really interested in the recipe?" the girl asked cautiously, her voice soft and crisp.
The moment she spoke, Lin Fan and Xiao Kang were both stunned.
Not only did she have a baby face, but she even had a baby voice...
If someone had that combination... it would definitely feel— Ahem!
Lin Fan snapped himself out of it and focused on the paper in her hands—the one that held a 200 million yuan secret.
"Hello, I'm Lin Fan."
Seeing that the girl seemed a little reserved, he took the initiative to introduce himself.
"You… Hello, I'm Su Yue'er," the girl said softly.
Even Su Yue'er herself didn't know why she gave her full name. Normally, she just called herself Xiao Su at this restaurant.
Maybe... because Lin Fan looked really trustworthy.
Without wasting time, Lin Fan asked, "Can you tell me more about the recipe? How are you planning to sell it?"
Su Yue'er answered, just like she had told the boss earlier.
"I want 10 million yuan. Not a cent less. And I want it all in one payment. That's it."
She quickly added, "You can rest assured. Once I sell it to you, I won't sell it to anyone else. We can even sign a legal contract."
Lin Fan nodded thoughtfully, but didn't immediately agree.
Instead, he smiled and said calmly, "Can I take a look at the recipe first?"
Su Yue'er immediately shook her head.
"No. You can only see it after full payment."
Lin Fan wasn't angry. He simply smiled and said:
"If you keep doing business this way, you won't be able to sell it."
"It's not about the price. The problem is—no one even knows whether your recipe is real or not. Who would pay such a huge sum without any proof?"
"If someone actually buys it like this… they're either filthy rich, or a complete idiot."
Su Yue'er bit her lip. She knew her method wasn't ideal, but she didn't have a choice.
If she showed it and someone memorized it, wouldn't that be a huge loss?
"This is my bottom line, Mr. Lin," she said. "But if you're truly sincere, I can make a sample of the seasoning for you to try."
"I really need this money for surgery. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here trying to sell something so precious."
Seeing her pleading look, Lin Fan could tell she was genuine.
Su Yue'er continued anxiously, "Back in our hometown, everyone loved this recipe."
"Long ago, someone tried to buy it, but my father refused. He said it's a family legacy."
"Even now, though he needs surgery, he wouldn't agree to sell it. This copy… I made it secretly."
Lin Fan stayed silent for a moment, then said calmly:
"I understand. But think about it—how many people can casually take out 10 million yuan?"
"That's not pocket change. Many people never make that much in their entire lives."
"So even if your recipe is good, how can people believe it based on just your word?"
"If you let me look at it, I'll believe you."
"Business is built on mutual trust. Since you're ready to sell it, you should be ready to open up."
For a second, Su Yue'er stared into his eyes—those bright, sincere eyes—and for reasons she didn't quite understand, she nodded.
Lin Fan took the piece of paper, though he didn't immediately read it.
Truth was, from the moment he saw the system's value tag, he had already decided to buy it.
But when he saw this girl—kind, beautiful, and brave—he wanted to remind her of something simple but important:
Trust.
She might not even know how valuable this recipe truly was.
If she did, she wouldn't be selling it for 10 million… and definitely not in a BBQ joint like this.
"Mr. Lin… have you decided?"
Su Yue'er looked at him nervously as he held the recipe without reading it.
She feared he would suddenly lose interest and back out.
Lin Fan returned to his senses and smiled.
"Whether the recipe is real or not, just based on your filial piety—I'll take it."
"Thank you! Thank you so much!"
Tears welled in Su Yue'er's eyes as she bowed gratefully.
However, just then, Lin Fan raised a finger.
"But—there's one condition."
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