The Cherry Kingdom and the Naive Heiress
I brushed aside my stray thoughts and continued the lecture for my parents.
"You don't need to worry too much. I'll be doing the heavy lifting at first, so Mom and Dad, you just need to watch and learn by observing."
My parents wore expressions of concern at my sudden confidence, but since I had been doing so well lately, they didn't dampen my spirits with any more words of worry. Instead, Dad began to ask even more proactive questions.
"Then how should we handle the acetic acid fermentation?"
"That's simpler than you'd think. Once the alcohol fermentation is finished, you just need to ensure the liquid has good contact with the air, and the acetic acid bacteria in the atmosphere will turn the alcohol into vinegar. See right here?"
I pointed to the air vent at the top of the tank.
"Once the alcohol fermentation is done, you just leave this cap open to allow for proper airflow. The most important things are maintaining cleanliness and temperature control, but I'll be checking those meticulously, so don't worry."
Mom, looking relieved, gave Dad’s arm a light pat.
"What do you think, dear? Doesn't our son seem even more amazing than we thought?"
"I know, right... When did he learn farming methods and how to make vinegar like this? Do they really teach this kind of stuff in such detail at American high schools?"
"This is exactly why everyone keeps singing the praises of studying abroad."
I couldn't help but offer a bitter smile at my parents' reaction, as they were unaware of the true circumstances.
"Once it's all set, there really isn't much else to do. The key is patience, I suppose? It takes several months from the initial fermentation until the vinegar is complete. Roughly four to six months? I can't say for sure right now because I have to monitor the state of it. But regardless, the quality will be excellent."
"So, can we sell this for money?"
"Of course. I'm going to get it stocked in department stores."
"Oh my... I really hope it turns out just like you said."
And so, our family of three began making vinegar from grapes that lacked marketability. It was a process I had performed countless times in my past life, and since we were doing it with more professional equipment this time, I had no fear of failure.
After spending a few days shuttling between school and the vineyard to handle the juicing and fermentation processes, the weekend finally arrived.
On a sunny weekend morning, I arrived at the cherry orchard, and once again, everything felt fresh.
"It's so vast..."
Redwood Vineyard is 15 acres (roughly the size of six soccer fields), so it’s not exactly small, but that’s by South Korean standards. In the U.S., a 15-acre farm is considered quite small.
On the other hand, the scale of Chloe’s family cherry orchard was on another level. Located in the Brentwood area, an hour and a half drive from Napa Valley, the farm featured endless rows of perfectly manicured trees starting right from the entrance.
"Wow... at this rate, it’s practically a cherry kingdom."
As I slowly drove along the path in the center of the farm, Chloe spotted me from afar, waved her hand, and beamed. Her bright blonde hair sparkled in the morning sun.
"Brian, over here!"
Today, unlike her usual sophisticated look, she was dressed in comfortable casual wear—light jeans, a white t-shirt, and a flannel shirt draped over her shoulders—yet her signature beauty remained undiminished.
"Hey, Chloe."
"Thanks for coming out early on a weekend. Honestly, I couldn't think of anyone else to turn to in such a rush..."
Chloe smiled, brushing her hair back as if she were a bit nervous. It was a side of her rarely seen in the school's 'Queen,' so it felt a little strange.
"What's the matter? Is there a problem?"
"It's not so much a problem as it is... just follow me."
Chloe frowned slightly and led me to a small log cabin-like structure tucked away in a corner of the farm.
While Korea has pavilions and huts, in the U.S., these log cabins—which often look like they’d be crawling with bugs and mice—serve as storage sheds for farm equipment and resting areas.
Sitting on a chair in front of the cabin, which provided a welcome shade from the pouring sun, I could see the cherry trees at a glance.
Chloe, sitting on a creaky chair, looked a bit different from the 'hot girl' I saw at school, but that didn't mean I felt any overwhelming attraction to her. Even in my past life, I never really felt drawn to Western women; it wasn't for any special reason, just a matter of personal taste.
"My dad started a strange competition this year."
"A competition?"
Chloe crossed her arms, sighed lightly as she looked at the young trees beside me, and began to speak.
"He divided the farmland into equal parts for my brother and me, and he wants to see who can harvest more cherries this year. This side is my zone, and that end over there is my brother's zone."
She pointed, but I couldn't actually see the end. That’s how vast the place was.
"You have a brother?"
"Yeah, that big, lazy slob Brandon."
As soon as she mentioned her brother, Chloe pouted and rolled her eyes. The sibling rivalry was clearly visible.
"Does Brandon know much about farming?"
"No, he has no interest in it. But the manager assigned to his side is my dad's most trusted employee. He could probably just lounge around all day and still get a high yield."
Only then did I understand why Chloe had called me. In reality, she knew absolutely nothing about farming, and she was desperate to win the competition against her brother.
It was a scene straight out of a movie, drama, or novel, but Chloe's face looked quite serious.
"Does this affect your inheritance?"
"Probably?"
I understood why she, who seemed to have no interest in anything other than her football-player boyfriend, was so intent on winning.
"So, you want me to help you?"
"Yeah. I saw you in class, and you seemed to know a bit about agriculture. What do you say? If you help me..."
She suddenly put on a sexy expression, which was almost laughable.
"I helped Armando with his work, so of course I should help you. But are you sure? Just because I give you advice doesn't mean you'll see immediate, massive results."
"No effect?"
"It's not that there's no effect; it's that you might not see a massive effect right away. There’s a big difference between the two."
Chloe looked displeased, but she nodded shortly after.
"I understand."
She looked like she didn't really understand, but I cleared my throat and provided the solution.
"Farming is simple. It's all about sticking to the basics and managing consistently. Don't be greedy from the start; you have to follow the fundamentals thoroughly. Then the results will surely follow."
"What do you mean by basics?"
"For example, regular weed management, using natural pesticides for pest prevention, and precise irrigation control. And cherries are especially sensitive to temperature, so you need to check temperature changes from now on and observe the trees' condition carefully."
"Ugh... why is there so much to do? I thought I just had to water them well?"
Chloe looked at me with a shocked expression, and I was left even more dumbfounded.
'She really has absolutely no concept of farming!'
Suppressing my irritation and managing my expression, I answered calmly.
"I think I know why your father set up this competition between you and your brother. Farming is, in the end, a battle with oneself. The person who is more diligent and puts in more effort takes more. Your father is testing you and your brother. He wants to see who cares more about the farm. And he’s likely planning to give the farm to the one who cares more."
As I said this, I looked at the cherry orchard again. The thought that this endless expanse of cherry trees belonged to Chloe's father made me swallow hard.
'Lucky girl...'
"Forget that, isn't there some kind of fertilizer that gives cherry trees a special boost?"
For a moment, I almost shouted in Korean, "What a greedy thief!" Seeing her look for a shortcut to results without any intention of sticking to the basics reminded me exactly of John Anderson, who drove Redwood Vineyard to ruin.
"...The basics come first."
"So there is one?"
She wasn't very bright, but she was quick-witted. However, I had no intention of telling her everything. There were even some farming techniques I knew that were too valuable to share at this stage, so I had no plans to spill such high-level information.
"One thing."
"Huh?"
"I'll tell you just one thing. That alone should be enough of a positive factor, so just stick to the basics I told you..."
"I got it, so hurry up!"
Chloe looked at me with eyes full of anticipation.
'She's so impatient...'
I fell into deep thought for a moment, then shrugged.
"But this doesn't feel balanced for me to teach. You just called Christina over once, but the information I'm giving you today is incomparable to that."
"So?"
"I'm saying... shouldn't there be something more? Oh, and take that weird look off your face. I have no intention of experiencing how strong your football-player boyfriend's fist is."
"Tch...!"
"Yeah?"
Chloe bit her lip, pondered for a long time, and then said,
"If I win and get a lot from my dad, I'll give you one day's worth of revenue. How's that?"
In this massive orchard, one day's revenue would be astronomical. That meant this foolish girl was babbling away without even knowing what she was promising.
What farm owner would ever agree to honor their daughter's boastful promise?
"It's no good unless you get a promise from your father."
"Then?"
"Hmm... if you win, send some of the cherries to our farm, at cost."
I thought she would agonize over it, but—
"What? Is that it? I'll just give them to you."
"What are you talking about? I'm not asking for some for my family to eat; I'm asking for them for the farm. I'm planning to make wine."
"Oh... wine? Then, a huge amount?"
"Not a huge amount. Hmm... about a ton and a half?"
"Sure."
Chloe nodded so easily that I felt uneasy.
"Aren't you deciding too easily?"
"A ton isn't much, is it? If it were 10 tons, maybe. Would harvesting from here to here be about a ton?"
She waved her finger and pointed to a section of the orchard.
"......"
American farm owners really are in a different class.
With that settled, I felt at ease.
"Soil acidity is important for cherries. They prefer a pH of 6.0 to 7.0; if the acidity rises, nutrient absorption becomes difficult, simply put. In cases like this, using acidifying fertilizer can restore the efficiency of water and nutrient absorption. This alone will have an effect. Of course, you'll have to keep following the basics while adding this tip."
"Huh? What was that?"
"Write it down."
Only then did Chloe scramble to grab the notebook and pen she had prepared. Should I be praising her just for having the foresight to bring them?
"Cherries need proper soil acidity..."
I explained it just as I had before, and as Chloe scribbled it down diligently, I stood up.
"Huh? Where are you going?"
"I told you everything, didn't I?"
"So you're just leaving?"
"Yeah. You don't expect me to do the farming for you too, right?"
"That's not it, but..."
I suppose the guys she'd asked for favors before had probably helped her with everything, as if they'd give her their own livers. But I was different from those idiots. And crucially, this farm wasn't mine, was it?
As I walked away, I heard Chloe's voice from behind.
"You said you don't even have anything to harvest and sell at your farm, right? So aren't you free? If you help me instead, I'll pay you a good daily wage."
I was so dumbfounded that I turned around slowly.
"What? A daily wage?"
"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean it like that. It's just... I thought I might have more to learn from you."
"Sorry, but I have things to do when I get back. I'm making vinegar."
"Vinegar? Does that... make money?"
"Ahem! You must think grapes are only for making wine, right? You really know nothing, do you?"
"Sorry... honestly, I don't know much."
"Just wait a little. I'll show you when Redwood Vineyard's vinegar gets stocked at South Coast Plaza."
"......"
I turned to leave, but then I stopped dead in my tracks and looked back.
"Oh, by the way, how did you know? That we have nothing to harvest at our farm."
"Oh, that... Elena told me. That your farm was struggling."
"Elena?"
"Yeah, you didn't know? Elena is the daughter of the Silveroak Hills owner."
"Is that so?"
I had learned some new information.