"Ten million yuan isn't a small amount," Lin Fan said with a smile. "I'll give you one million as a deposit first. Use it for whatever you need urgently. I'll pay the remaining amount in full tomorrow."
He paused, then added calmly, "If you agree, I'll transfer the one million to you right now. If not, that's fine too. I haven't seen the recipe yet, so you won't be losing anything. You can always find someone else."
Su Yue'er hesitated, her expression unreadable.
During this time, she had visited countless restaurants, spoken to countless people—but none had been as direct and decisive as Lin Fan.
One million yuan could solve many of her immediate problems.
After a brief silence, she raised her head and looked at Lin Fan.
"...Alright. I trust you."
Lin Fan chuckled and extended his hand.
"Business is built on trust, don't you think? Happy cooperation!"
Su Yue'er seemed a bit awkward, hesitating for a moment before finally reaching out with her slender hand.
"Hap... Happy cooperation..."
Her shy and stiff reaction made Lin Fan feel she was even more adorable.
After that, Lin Fan sent Zhou Xiaokang home first and took Su Yue'er to a reputable law firm.
The two officially signed a contract. Su Yue'er carefully checked the amount and timing of the transaction—everything matched what Lin Fan had promised, and there were no hidden clauses.
Seeing how serious and professional Lin Fan was about the matter, Su Yue'er's wariness faded little by little. Before leaving, she even gifted Lin Fan a small bottle of her secret seasoning that she had brought from home.
For Lin Fan, signing the contract was the smartest move.
After all, if he played his cards right, this recipe could easily be worth 200 million yuan in the future.
If someone tried to go back on their word later, this contract would be solid proof.
After wrapping everything up, Lin Fan transferred the full ten million yuan directly to Su Yue'er's account. They exchanged contact information, and Su Yue'er left in a hurry—it was obvious she had urgent matters to deal with.
Watching her figure disappear into the crowd, Lin Fan began to plan.
The secret recipe was valuable, but to truly realize its full worth, he'd need to operate a business—open a restaurant, expand with branches... If he didn't act, having the recipe would be meaningless.
Unless—he could find someone who understood its value and was willing to pay top dollar.
Just as he was lost in thought, a System notification popped up:
> [Searching for precise target audience. Please wait...]
A progress bar quickly filled up, and a moment later, a list of potential buyers appeared before his eyes.
> [Precise buyers within 100 km radius for the secret recipe identified!]
[Name: Wang Defa]
[Gender: Male]
[Age: 55]
[Identity: Chain Sichuan Restaurant Owner]
[Highest Offer: 100 million yuan]
[Distance: 5.1 km]
---
[Name: Wang Quande]
[Gender: Male]
[Age: 50]
[Identity: Tiantian BBQ Chain Store Owner]
[Highest Offer: 150 million yuan]
[Distance: 10 km]
---
[Name: Ma Hongjuan]
[Gender: Female]
[Age: 42]
[Identity: CEO of Yuedi Lao Hot Pot—National Chain, Publicly Listed Company]
[Highest Offer: 220 million yuan]
[Distance: 20.1 km]
Lin Fan's eyes gleamed.
The System had not only identified potential buyers but also displayed detailed information—name, gender, business identity, distance, and even their maximum offer.
The only problem was—how was he supposed to find them?
As if reading his thoughts, the System chimed in again:
> [As long as the Host wishes to locate a buyer, the System will provide real-time navigation.]
Hah! So even that's possible?
His thinking had been far too limited!
Without hesitation, Lin Fan selected the nearest location—5.1 km away.
Ding~
A real-time navigation map popped up in front of him, complete with a small route guide. It looked just like a high-end map app, offering walking, cycling, and driving options.
Very convenient.
Lin Fan selected "walking mode," and a text description appeared beside the map.
> [Walk straight for 50 meters, then turn left.]
Following the System's directions, Lin Fan walked the indicated distance.
> [Walk straight for 100 meters, then turn right.]
...
Step by step, he followed the route until he arrived at a large, grand-looking restaurant with a sign that read "Sichuan Restaurant".
From the exterior alone, it had a rich, traditional Sichuan aesthetic—it was clear this wasn't just some ordinary place.
As soon as he walked in, a waiter enthusiastically greeted him.
"Welcome to Sichuan Restaurant!"
Lin Fan nodded slightly. Above the head of a middle-aged man about ten meters away, a floating label appeared.
> [Wang Defa—Owner, Sichuan Restaurant Chain]
The man was currently sitting and watching short videos on his phone.
Lin Fan pointed at him and said to the waiter,
"I'm here to see your boss."
The waiter, seeing that Lin Fan could recognize the boss so easily, assumed he was a friend and didn't question him further. He simply gestured for Lin Fan to go ahead.
Lin Fan walked up to Wang Defa.
"Hello, Boss Wang."
Wang Defa looked up, puzzled.
"Do we know each other?"
Lin Fan smiled and replied with confidence,
"I was introduced by a friend. I've got a family-inherited secret seasoning that I'm looking to sell. My friend said your chain's business is booming and that you're both capable and trustworthy, so I came directly to you."
Wang Defa nodded, motioning for him to sit.
"Sounds like your friend is one of our regular customers. So you're selling a secret seasoning? I'd be interested to know what it tastes like."
Before coming here, Su Yue'er had taught Lin Fan how to use the seasoning: simply mix it into any dish and stir well.
Lin Fan hadn't tasted it himself—but if the System valued it at 200 million yuan, then the flavor was guaranteed to be top-tier.
He said confidently,
"You can rest assured about the taste. Just make any dish and mix in a bit of this. You'll know the difference immediately."
With that, he pulled out the small bottle of secret seasoning.
Seeing Lin Fan's confident demeanor, Wang Defa, who had initially been a bit dismissive, now sat up a little straighter.
After all, in the restaurant business, taste was everything.
---