OFR – Chapter 115 The aura of the rich.

Mu Bai understood Han Mengyun’s intentions and the reason for her interest in establishing a farm. After all, any large-scale flower exhibition hall without its own farm would always be at the mercy of others.

Although called exhibition halls, these businesses rely heavily on selling flowers and plants for profit. The key difference between an exhibition hall and an ordinary flower shop is that the former sells higher-grade flowers and plants at much higher prices.

For an exhibition hall like Feng Yun, relying solely on acquiring flowers for resale was not a sustainable approach.

As for Han Mengyun’s suggestion of Mu Bai contributing technical expertise as equity, it was essentially a request for the involvement of his “mysterious friend.” Little did she know, this friend was a fabrication of Mu Bai’s own creation.

However, after some thought, Mu Bai decided against agreeing. On one hand, his current identity was already sufficiently secure, eliminating the need for a farm to serve as a cover. On the other hand, agreeing to such a partnership would inevitably invite unnecessary complications—something he wanted to avoid.

Thus, after considering her offer, Mu Bai smiled and replied, “I’m just an ordinary citizen. Joining as a partner wouldn’t make sense. But if you ever need rare flowers, feel free to contact me on WeChat.”

Though his refusal brought a flicker of disappointment to Han Mengyun’s eyes, his follow-up reassurances seemed to appease her. After a brief moment of thought, her smile returned, and she said cheerfully, “Alright, I was just asking on a whim. I knew my Little Mu wouldn’t let me down.”

Her main purpose for inviting Mu Bai out had been to thank him for his assistance at the last exhibition event. As for the farm idea, it had only crossed her mind due to running into Ren Chenhua at the hotel.

Hearing Mu Bai’s response, she decided to shelve the idea entirely. After all, while she might be able to invest in a farm on her own, profiting from it would be another matter altogether.

Meanwhile, Ren Chenhua, observing that neither of them was particularly keen on the farm idea, excused himself after some polite conversation. Throughout his stay, his demeanor had been notably reserved, his gaze fixed mostly on his teacup.

As Ren Chenhua departed, Mu Bai couldn’t help but shake his head and remark, “That guy seemed… awfully reserved.”

“Don’t you remember how reserved you were when we first met?” Han Mengyun teased, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips at the memory.

“Hmm, that’s true,” Mu Bai admitted, playfully adding, “I must’ve forgotten there was such a beautiful lady in front of me. It does make one feel self-conscious.”

Their conversation continued in a light-hearted tone, and during the meal, they reached an agreement: Mu Bai would provide Feng Yun Exhibition Hall with 30 premium-grade plants each month. This arrangement delighted Han Mengyun.

After finishing their meal, the two descended to the hotel lobby. During this time, Mu Bai couldn’t help but notice the elegant and intricate wristwatch on Han Mengyun’s wrist.

It was a women’s watch—beautiful and exquisite. It reminded him of how much his childhood friend, Mu Xiaoxiao, had loved watches. Back then, she couldn’t afford anything fancy and often cherished cheap digital watches costing only five or six yuan.

Sensing his gaze, Han Mengyun raised her fair wrist and smiled, asking, “Little Mu, do you like this watch?”

“It’s alright. What’s it called, and how much did it cost?” Mu Bai asked candidly.

“This is a Vacheron Constantin. It’s one of their more affordable models—just over 1.3 million yuan.”

“What? A watch costing over a million?” Mu Bai exclaimed, taken aback.

He wasn’t short on money, but the idea of a single watch costing over a million yuan was beyond his comprehension. To him, even a gold watch shouldn’t fetch such a price.

Han Mengyun chuckled and added, “Yes, and their most expensive models go for over 20 million.”

This revelation left Mu Bai speechless. For the first time, he felt like his imagination had been limited by his perception of wealth.

“Alright, I guess the world of the rich is beyond me,” Mu Bai joked. He truly didn’t have much experience with luxury items.

Han Mengyun, however, removed her watch and handed it to him with a playful smile. “If you like it, I’ll give it to you. After all, I like you.”

“Stop joking. I don’t want it,” Mu Bai quickly waved his hand, refusing the offer.

His interest in the watch had more to do with the idea of buying a similar gift for Mu Xiaoxiao than owning it himself.

“Hmm, so you don’t want the watch, or is it me you don’t want?” Han Mengyun teased, still holding out the watch.

Even though she assumed Mu Bai’s refusal stemmed from embarrassment, she eventually put the watch back on her wrist after some back-and-forth.

After chatting for a while longer, the two parted ways at the hotel entrance. But instead of heading straight back to his apartment, Mu Bai paused as glowing text appeared before his eyes.

“Ding! Although you’re a virtual tycoon, you need to project the aura of a real-life magnate. Due to your poor performance today, a side mission for developing a magnate’s aura has been triggered.”

“Ding! The first phase of this side mission is the Luxury Watch Task. The host must purchase and wear a watch worth no less than 8 million yuan. Upon completion, a surprise consumption reward package will be awarded. Completing this phase will unlock the next stage.”

Mu Bai glanced at the glowing text, both amused and exasperated. It seemed his earlier shock over the watch prices had offended the system’s perception of what it meant to be a magnate.