Chapter 52 Heart Soaring with a Brick in Hand

“What? You let him sleep over for so many days and didn’t get a single cent out of it?”
The man’s reaction was agitated and his voice was loud, drawing the attention of many nearby people.
Some had already begun to whisper among themselves, as if they’d guessed what the two of them were up to.
There were plenty of couples like this around these days, out hustling for money.
The man didn’t work; instead, he encouraged his own woman to lure in gullible men.
Once someone took the bait, the man would shamelessly emerge to extort them.
Such men had no sense of shame or honor—there was nothing they wouldn’t endure for money.
And they seemed to relish it, outdoing even the most notorious gigolos.
Seeing that the people around them were beginning to gossip, Xiong Dan felt deeply embarrassed and quickly snapped, “Shut up! Are you doing this on purpose?”
“Do you not want to make up with me?”
The man’s face twisted with frustration. “Dandan, don’t get me wrong. I’m just angry on your behalf. How could you be so foolish?”
“You didn’t get a penny—can that hick really be so poor?”
Xiong Dan frowned. “I thought he was well-off—he was always eating meat and fish.”
“But after I slept with him, I found out that all the money he spent belonged to his friend, and he didn’t have a cent to his own name.”
“Then go sleep with his friend! Why waste time on him?” the man said impatiently.
Xiong Dan was exasperated. “Do you really think I need you to remind me? The problem is, I literally stripped down and got into his friend’s bed, and he just threw me out.”
“What else could I do?”
“Don’t push me—I suspect they bought a lot of subscription certificates. Once I get my hands on those, I’ll come find you.”
“In the meantime, stay away from me!”
“And what about Old Ni—what’s the situation there? Is he still looking for me?”
The man sighed. “What do you think? That old man is completely obsessed with you.”
“I heard he’s got a lot of people out searching.”
“But Dandan, after thinking it over, maybe you should just stay with Old Ni. He’s loaded, and then we’ll have something to fall back on.”
Xiong Dan reacted sharply. “All you ever think about is money!”
“Do you have any idea how twisted he is? Those days, my body was covered in whip and candle marks—are you blind, can’t you see? I almost lost my life!”
“Come on, Dandan…”
And so the two continued to bicker endlessly.

Chai Jin sat quietly, sipping his tea.
Only after they’d left did he take a deep breath. “So she really is just some roadside floozy.”
“Monkey, Monkey—if you can’t handle this, you might as well go back to work at the Yuanli County Distillery.”
This was Chai Jin’s way of testing Monkey.
He’d brought Monkey out to make money, and in the future, he’d inevitably have to deal with all sorts of people.
If he could be run in circles by a woman like that, with so little cunning, how could he follow Chai Jin through stormier seas ahead?
So, during this time, when Liu Qingwen didn’t seek out Chai Jin, Chai Jin also didn’t go looking for him.
Even though their rooms were only a few doors apart.
Afterward, he got up, paid the bill, and left.

On the way, Chai Jin thought about it. He still wasn’t used to carrying around a phone the size of a brick.
But in those days, there really wasn’t much choice.
A pager wasn’t much better. At most, someone could send a short message, but he couldn’t reply directly and still needed to find a public phone nearby to call back.
So, with no other option, he bought a “big brother” mobile phone.
Carrying it in his hand drew plenty of attention—after all, the average person would have to go without food or drink for nearly a year to afford one.
Back at the guesthouse, he first called Cai Weiqiang.
Cai Weiqiang’s black-market exchange had become the largest in the area.
This guy already had the connections—once he got involved, he was bound to become the boss of the trade.
Over the phone, on Chai Jin’s advice, he’d bought up more than a thousand subscription certificates himself.
He was thrilled. “Fifteen hundred, Chai Jin, this thing is nuts.”
“It’s no worse than the early days of the stock market.”
“Do you think it’ll go higher?”
Chai Jin chuckled. “Yes. Don’t be hasty to sell—keep buying, as much as you can, and wait another month.”
“Alright, I trust you!” Cai Weiqiang was in awe.
Everything Chai Jin had predicted so far had come true.
Then, as if remembering something, he asked, “By the way, did you meet with that guy from the airline? How did it go?”
“Did he show you any respect?”
Chai Jin gave a wry smile. “He was in a hurry, so we barely spoke. Still, I made a first impression. He didn’t trust me at all on our first meeting, but next time will be different.”

Cai Weiqiang was silent for a while, then said, with a hint of anger, “So, he didn’t give you any respect, or me either?”
“What do you want to do about it? I’ll handle it.”
Chai Jin felt a headache coming on and quickly replied, “Let it go, brother. We’re out here to make money, that’s what matters.”
“Besides, his reaction was normal. We’ll have to deal with him again in the future.”
Cai Weiqiang cursed a few times, then relented. “Alright. If you say so, I won’t push it.”
“Just remember, if you’re ever wronged, tell me.”
“I can’t guarantee anything in Zhonghai.”
“But if anyone from Shenzhen comes, and I want to cause them trouble, I’ll always find a way to make them pay.”
Chai Jin laughed and hung up.
Afterward, his thoughts turned to the distillery.
So he made another call, and sure enough, this phone had become Wang Xiaoli’s personal line.
No matter where she was, even if downstairs, she’d run up the moment it rang.
It was obvious to everyone at the factory that Wang Xiaoli liked their boss, Chai Jin.
And everyone thought they made a perfect couple.
By now, it was an afternoon in April, and the weather in Yuanli County had grown warm.
Outside the window, tender green buds swayed in the gentle spring breeze.
Occasionally, a gust would drift into the old office, bringing with it the fresh scent of spring earth, lifting the spirits.
Wang Xiaoli’s profile by the window, tinged with a blush, was reminiscent of Maggie Cheung.
“Oh, alright. You remember to eat too.”
“There’s no need to worry about the factory—we’ve hired many new people.”
“With so many orders coming in, we’ve never once lost control.”
Chai Jin, holding his heavy phone in the guesthouse, suddenly felt a sharp ache in his shoulder.
The thing really was enormous.
He switched hands, flexing his joints, and said, “Once I finish my business in Zhonghai, I’ll find a place to settle in Shenzhen.”
“When that time comes, you and your sister should come visit. And Xiaoshan too—she’s never seen the ocean since she was born. I’ll take you all to see the sea.”