Gao Yuan took several paper packets from his bag and spread them out on the table. "These are some Dried Tangerine Peel samples I've collected from a few markets recently. Take a look."
Li Xu picked one up and inspected it carefully.
At first glance, the Dried Tangerine Peel in the packets all looked quite good. The peels were whole and the color was deep.
But…
Li Xu picked one up, sniffed it, then gently scraped the surface with his fingernail.
"This one... it's not old enough. It must have been artificially aged."
Li Xu pointed to one of them. "When you scrape it, the oily sheen is too bright, and there's still a lot of volatile oil. It's two years old at most."
"This one... the smell is wrong. The acidic fruit aroma is too strong, as if it were made from unripe green peels that were artificially ripened."
"And this one..."
Li Xu picked up the last piece, his brow furrowed. "This isn't Xinhui Dried Tangerine Peel at all, is it? It's not even from a Chachi tangerine."
