Absolute power in officialdom

Chapter 262 Meeting an Old Friend in a Foreign Land

At the entrance of the villa, several huge eucalyptus trees stand like loyal guards, protecting the country villa.

The villa occupies a large area. Australia is sparsely populated and has no shortage of land.

Hu Ruoxi comes from a wealthy family; her father amassed hundreds of millions of assets during his lifetime.

Before leaving the country, she sold her shares in Dadi Company.

Moreover, she owns a company in Australia, which was under her name before the restructuring of Earth Corporation.

In short, Hu Ruoxi is not short of money at all.

Lang Yuanyuan exclaimed, "President Hu, the villa is so beautiful, just like in the painting."

Hu Ruoxi smiled gently: "We hired a local designer, but many of the ideas came up with by my mother and me."

Lang Yuanyuan tentatively asked, "This villa must have cost a lot of money to build, right?"

"It's only a few tens of millions."

The villa is situated on a gentle slope, offering excellent views.

The villa is surrounded by vineyards that stretch out in layers and seem to go on forever.

Different plots of land are planted with different varieties of grapes, which appear in varying shades of green, purple and gold under the sunlight.

In the distance, the river shimmered in the sunlight.

Across the river, there are dark green mountains.

Hu Ruoxi said modestly, "Welcome everyone to Xigu Youju."

The conditions are simple, please don't mind, just make yourself at home.

"Ms. Hu, you're too kind. This isn't just simple; it's a paradise on earth!" Lang Yuanyuan exclaimed sincerely. "After the fright yesterday, being able to come to such a beautiful and peaceful place feels like my soul has been cleansed."

Wen Changcheng nodded and looked around: "It is indeed a good place. Ms. Hu has a good eye."

Hu Ruoxi smiled and led everyone into the villa.

The interior space is spacious and bright, with several abstract oil paintings and Australian Aboriginal pointillism paintings hanging on the walls. Huge floor-to-ceiling windows bring the vineyard and mountain scenery outside into the room without reservation, like a flowing giant painting.

Hu Ruoxi settled everyone in: "Everyone, I've had the housekeeper and servants prepare the rooms. Please rest for a bit."

We'll have lunch on the terrace, enjoying the estate's own produce and wines.

The guest rooms are located in the wing of the villa. Each room is spacious and bright, with a private bathroom and a small balcony, and is decorated in a comfortable and pleasant manner.

After putting away his luggage and washing up briefly, Wu Zhiyuan went to the living room.

Hu Ruoxi was preparing drinks at the bar in the open kitchen. Her mother was sitting on the sofa next to her, looking much better than before, and was chatting quietly with Lang Yuanyuan, who had arrived earlier.

"Zhiyuan, come sit down. What would you like to drink? Freshly squeezed orange juice?"

"How about some of our estate's own rosé wine? It's not very strong and very refreshing," Hu Ruoxi said with a smile.

"Orange juice is fine, thank you." Wu Zhiyuan watched Hu Ruoxi skillfully operate the juicer.

She changed into a beige long dress, her long hair loosely tied up with a few strands hanging down her neck. Compared to a few years ago, she looked more mature and graceful.

"Ruoxi, your manor is quite large," Wu Zhiyuan said casually.

Hu Ruoxi handed Wu Zhiyuan a glass of bright yellow freshly squeezed orange juice, while she herself held a glass of rosé wine: "Yes, it was by chance that we bought this place back then."

At first, I just liked the environment and climate here and wanted to find a quiet place for my mother to spend her later years in peace.

Later, they discovered that the existing vineyards and farms had a good foundation, so they simply invested funds and energy to gradually expand and renovate them.

The estate now covers approximately 800 acres, of which about 400 acres are vineyards, with the remainder consisting of orchards, pastures, vegetable gardens, and a small area of ​​preserved primary woodland.

More than 800 acres, equivalent to four or five thousand mu, is indeed a huge industry.

"It must be very difficult to manage, right?"

Hu Ruoxi nodded: "Yes, but I have hired a professional management team to be responsible for grape planting, winemaking, farm operation and daily management."

My role is more involved in key decisions, such as introducing new grape varieties, determining winemaking styles, and expanding sales channels.

I usually enjoy spending time in the brewery, learning from the brewers, and I also like visiting the farm to see the animals; it's quite therapeutic.

At this time, the others also arrived one after another.

When Li Li saw Wu Zhiyuan, her eyes held a complex mix of gratitude, shame, and something else she couldn't quite put her finger on.

Lunch was served on the spacious terrace.

On the long wooden dining table, there were exquisite silver cutlery and crystal wine glasses.

A Filipino maid serves the food.

Freshly baked whole wheat bread, paired with extra virgin olive oil and herbs from our own olive grove;

The colorful vegetable salad contains tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, arugula, and other vegetables, all sourced from the vegetable garden.

The main courses are charcoal-grilled lamb chops and ribeye steaks, both from free-range lamb raised on our own ranch, with tender and juicy meat.

There are also desserts and cheese platters made with fruits from the estate's orchards.

Hu Ruoxi enthusiastically introduced the wines: "Today we'll try two. This one is a Shiraz dry red, made from the fruit of the oldest grapevines on our sunny slope, with a rich fruity aroma."

This is a Chardonnay dry white wine, with a refreshing taste and aromas of citrus and melon, making it a good pairing for seafood and appetizers.

At this moment, sitting on the picturesque terrace, enjoying delicious food and wine, safe and peaceful, everyone felt a sense of relief and comfort, as if they had survived a disaster.

Even Wen Changcheng's tense face relaxed as he savored the red wine in his glass and nodded: "Hmm, the wine is very good, mellow and full-bodied, with a long aftertaste."

Ms. Hu, the produce from your estate is of a very high standard.

Hu Ruoxi humbly replied, "Mayor Wen, you flatter me. The sunshine and soil in Australia are very suitable for growing grapes. We are just trying our best to respect nature and do our best."

After the meal, Hu Ruoxi led everyone on a tour of the manor.

The tour begins in the brewing workshop.

The workshop is located in several stone buildings not far behind the villa. It is clean, bright, and filled with the rich aroma unique to fermentation.

Huge stainless steel fermentation tanks, neatly arranged oak barrels, advanced temperature control equipment and filling lines.

The winemaker, an elderly Frenchman with thirty years of experience, enthusiastically introduced everyone to each step of the process, from grape harvesting, crushing, fermentation, aging to bottling.

"Ms. Hu has very high requirements for quality. She insists on hand-selecting grapes and controlling the yield to ensure the concentrated flavor."

Our wines have won awards in several international competitions and have been featured in high-end restaurants and hotels both locally and internationally.

Next, they took an electric sightseeing vehicle from the estate to the heart of the vineyards.

Hu Ruoxi pointed to the distant hillside and explained, "Different plots of land, different varieties planted, and different orientations, slopes, and soil compositions all affect the flavor of the wine."

On the sunny slopes, we mainly plant Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon; on the gentler slopes, we plant Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc; and in the slightly more humid areas near the river, we've tried planting some Pinot Noir..."

Everyone listened with great interest, asking questions from time to time.

Leaving the vineyard, the car drove into the farm area.

The first thing you see is a neatly planned orchard, with apple, pear, peach, apricot, and citrus trees planted in different sections. Some trees are already bearing fruit, and a faint sweet fragrance wafts in the air.

Next came a vast pasture, with lush green grass, where a herd of Angus cattle and Merino sheep grazed leisurely, occasionally mooing or bleating, and in the distance, a few beautiful Quarter Horses strolled by.

Further away, you can see beehives, chicken coops, and vegetable gardens where various organic vegetables are grown.

Hu Ruoxi explained, "We have fully realized the ecological cycle."

The lees from the vineyards can be used as animal feed or compost; livestock manure is processed for use in vineyards and farmland; and leftover fruit and vegetable leaves from orchards and vegetable gardens can be used to feed chickens or for composting…

"That's amazing, this is already a small ecosystem," Lang Yuanyuan exclaimed. "Ms. Hu, you're not just running a manor, you're practicing a sustainable lifestyle that lives in harmony with the environment."

Hu Ruoxi smiled and said, "It can be considered an ideal."

Back in China, I was always busy, chasing after many external things.

Coming here, participating in the creation of this land, watching the seasons change, crops grow, and animals reproduce, I feel more at peace and fulfilled.

After visiting the farm, Hu Ruoxi took everyone to the preserved primeval forest on the edge of the estate.

Tall eucalyptus and acacia trees provide ample shade, a babbling brook flows through the forest, the air is cool and moist, and birds sing merrily.

Walking on the soft forest path, it feels as if you are isolated from the outside world, and time slows down.

Hu Ruoxi said softly, "My mother and I often take walks here. Sometimes we don't think about anything, we just walk and listen to the wind, the water, and the birds. It feels very therapeutic."

The sightseeing bus slowly drove away from the tranquil primeval forest, preparing to return to the villa area.

Just as the car was about to drive onto a relatively wide country road, a white Toyota Prado was parked in front of it.

The car's hood was open, and several girls stood beside it, looking helpless.

Hu Ruoxi signaled the driver to slow down and stop.

"It seems the car has broken down. There's no village or shop in sight. Let's see if we can help."

While the Australian countryside is scenic, it is sparsely populated, making it difficult to find a mechanic if a vehicle breaks down, especially for foreign tourists.

Upon closer inspection, Wu Zhiyuan couldn't help but sigh: This world is vast, so vast that many people's separation is forever; yet this world is also small, so small that one can still meet old friends in a foreign land.

Indeed, those destined to meet will always meet.