Chapter 11
Chen Huan's First Pot of Gold
"Why are young people these days so aggressive?"
"Even if the deal falls through, let's remain friendly and not resort to violence," the slick-haired man replied calmly.
Then he held up three fingers, "How about this number, three thousand yuan? That's really the absolute maximum."
Chen Huan swayed his shoulders slightly, clenched his fist, and immediately made a crackling sound like popping beans.
"You have five seconds left."
The man with the slicked-back hair coughed twice, gritted his teeth, and said, "Four thousand?"
"I only brought this much with me today, consider it making a friend."
Chen Huan stretched out his hand directly, "Deal, pay up."
The man with the slicked-back hair grinned, "I should have said three thousand five hundred..."
Although this guy was long-winded in negotiating, he was quick to pay once the price was agreed upon.
He counted out three thousand five hundred yuan, patted it in his hand, and handed it to Chen Huan, saying, "Count it, young man."
Chen Huan glanced at it, then folded it up and stuffed it into his pants pocket.
"Great job." The man with the slicked-back hair was very satisfied with Chen Huan's decision not to count the money.
Little did they know, Chen Huan had inherited the skills and techniques, and with the addition of true qi, his hearing and eyesight became exceptionally sharp.
The amount of money was so small that it could be counted with just a glance; it wasn't based on trust.
The ginseng was finally converted into money, and although it wasn't much, it was still the first pot of gold I earned.
Chen Huan then prepared to push his bicycle and continue looking for people.
After the man with the slicked-back hair finished wrapping the ginseng, he stopped him.
He took out a rather exquisite little box from his pocket, and inside was a business card with a black background and gold lettering.
"Let's be friends. If you ever have anything like this, you can send it directly to my shop."
"My shop is right at that intersection, in the most conspicuous spot. You'll see it as soon as you get there." After handing out the business card, the man with the slicked-back hair turned around and swaggered away.
"Jin Dacheng, Chairman of Jinyuyuan Antique Store..." Chen Huan read out the title on the business card, a look of disdain on his face.
"Opening an antique shop in this run-down place? They must be out of their minds. They should probably get a ginseng root to nourish themselves."
As soon as I looked up, I heard someone shout, "Isn't that Chen Huan, your brother-in-law?"
Looking in the direction of the voice, one could see Zhao Liping, the village doctor who had spoken, standing next to Li Chunlan, who looked on with surprise.
"Sister-in-law, Sister Liping." Chen Huan pushed her bicycle closer.
Although he had a close relationship with Li Chunlan, Chen Huan still had to call her "sister-in-law" in front of others, and he understood this.
"What brings you here? Where did you get a bicycle?" Li Chunlan asked curiously.
"I borrowed it from our neighbor Miao Cuihua. We agreed to come pick you up, didn't we?" Chen Huan explained casually.
He then reached out and took the things from Li Chunlan's hands.
A small piece of meat, a piece of tofu.
Chen Huan frowned. "So you two spent half a day shopping and only bought this little bit?"
Li Chunlan was a little embarrassed. "There's still some food at home, and there are wild vegetables on the mountain. We can stew tofu when we get back, that'll be perfect."
"And this is all, even though it's paid for by Liping."
Zhao Liping quickly explained, "It's not that I wanted to save money, it's just that your sister-in-law was being too polite to me."
Chen Huan felt a pang of sadness.
The Chen family has really had a tough life. A man-made mining accident killed the older brother and left them mentally impaired.
A once happy family was torn apart, and he himself was reduced to living on meager rations, causing his sister-in-law to suffer as well. In order to save money for his own medical treatment, he was willing to split every penny in two.
"It's all in the past," Chen Huan suddenly said.
"Huh?" Li Chunlan didn't understand.
He even reached out and touched Chen Huan's forehead, afraid that his stupidity had relapsed and he was talking nonsense.
Kun frowned. "I said, the hard times are over."
"With me here in this family from now on, I will never let you suffer in the slightest again."
"I made some money today. It's not much, but I still need to buy what I need. Our lives will definitely get better and better in the future."
While they were talking, Chen Huan took out the 3,500 yuan he had just used to buy ginseng.
"Where did you get so much money?"
"Could it be that he did something bad?" Li Chunlan suddenly became anxious, almost to the point of tears.
She could be poor, she could suffer injustice, but she would absolutely not allow Chen Huan, the only son of the Chen family, to go astray.
In that case, she would be letting down the man who had died.
Chen Huan was somewhat annoyed. "Sister-in-law, what kind of person do you take me for? A mere three thousand yuan, is it really worth driving me down a path of crime?"
"I went for a walk in the mountains and accidentally picked up a ginseng root, which I just sold."
"If you don't believe me, I'll take you to find the buyer and verify it in person."
Li Chunlan blinked her eyes and said, "I believe you. Our Chen family has suffered for so long, it's time for our luck to change."
"This money can't be spent recklessly; it has to be used sparingly."
Chen Huan frowned. "Save some eggplant! We can earn more after we spend it all."
"Why don't you two watch the bicycle for me and find a spacious place to wait while I go buy it?"
After saying that, he turned and walked away without waiting for Li Chunlan's agreement.
As for what to buy, Chen Huan didn't have to worry at all.
Because we have nothing at home, we have to buy everything.
The first problem to solve is the communication issue.
At least I need a mobile phone first, preferably one that can connect to the internet.
The village is remote and difficult to access, but at least there is cell phone signal, so as long as you can go online, you can learn a lot of information.
Only by keeping pace with the times can we make the most of this unique opportunity.
It costs 3,500 yuan in total. Today I still need to buy some groceries and daily necessities. I wanted to buy a new phone for myself and my sister-in-law, but that doesn't seem very realistic.
Chen Huan steeled himself and walked into a mobile phone store not far away.
"Damn, are cell phones this expensive?" Chen Huan glanced at the prices on the counter and his face darkened.
The cheapest one costs 1998.
"What's wrong, little brother? Are you short on money?"
"It's okay, you can use a second-hand one even if you can't buy a new one." The shopkeeper was a woman in her late twenties.
She was dressed in a young and fashionable style, wearing a tank top that exposed her shoulders and low-waisted, tight denim shorts.
With an oval face, high nose, fair skin, and a kind smile, she showed no disgust despite Chen Huan's slovenly appearance.
"Second-hand is fine," Chen Huan said, taking it easy.
They immediately changed to another counter.
Sure enough, the phone rates here are more reasonable.
Many are priced under 1,000 yuan, and their condition is quite good.
"It needs to be able to connect to the internet directly, and it needs to be able to take pictures and not be too slow in response," Chen Huan requested.
"No problem, little brother, these all work. You can try them first." The older sister was very patient and took out several mobile phones, placing them on the counter.
As he bent over, he suddenly frowned and subconsciously reached out to rub the back of his neck.
"Your cervical spine isn't good, is it? You often feel dizzy and have tinnitus, right?" Chen Huan glanced at her and said casually.
"Wow, how did you know?" The older sister blinked, looking surprised.
While fiddling with her phone, Chen Huan replied, "I studied traditional Chinese medicine, so I can tell your symptoms at a glance."
"If you trust me, I can give you a massage. I can't guarantee an immediate cure, but it will at least relieve about 70-80% of the pain and save you from suffering."
The older sister covered her mouth and laughed, her eyes curving like crescent moons, her playfulness revealing a touch of charm.
"Little brother, you're not trying to take advantage of me, are you? I run into one or two people like you every day."
"Even if the deal falls through, let's remain friendly and not resort to violence," the slick-haired man replied calmly.
Then he held up three fingers, "How about this number, three thousand yuan? That's really the absolute maximum."
Chen Huan swayed his shoulders slightly, clenched his fist, and immediately made a crackling sound like popping beans.
"You have five seconds left."
The man with the slicked-back hair coughed twice, gritted his teeth, and said, "Four thousand?"
"I only brought this much with me today, consider it making a friend."
Chen Huan stretched out his hand directly, "Deal, pay up."
The man with the slicked-back hair grinned, "I should have said three thousand five hundred..."
Although this guy was long-winded in negotiating, he was quick to pay once the price was agreed upon.
He counted out three thousand five hundred yuan, patted it in his hand, and handed it to Chen Huan, saying, "Count it, young man."
Chen Huan glanced at it, then folded it up and stuffed it into his pants pocket.
"Great job." The man with the slicked-back hair was very satisfied with Chen Huan's decision not to count the money.
Little did they know, Chen Huan had inherited the skills and techniques, and with the addition of true qi, his hearing and eyesight became exceptionally sharp.
The amount of money was so small that it could be counted with just a glance; it wasn't based on trust.
The ginseng was finally converted into money, and although it wasn't much, it was still the first pot of gold I earned.
Chen Huan then prepared to push his bicycle and continue looking for people.
After the man with the slicked-back hair finished wrapping the ginseng, he stopped him.
He took out a rather exquisite little box from his pocket, and inside was a business card with a black background and gold lettering.
"Let's be friends. If you ever have anything like this, you can send it directly to my shop."
"My shop is right at that intersection, in the most conspicuous spot. You'll see it as soon as you get there." After handing out the business card, the man with the slicked-back hair turned around and swaggered away.
"Jin Dacheng, Chairman of Jinyuyuan Antique Store..." Chen Huan read out the title on the business card, a look of disdain on his face.
"Opening an antique shop in this run-down place? They must be out of their minds. They should probably get a ginseng root to nourish themselves."
As soon as I looked up, I heard someone shout, "Isn't that Chen Huan, your brother-in-law?"
Looking in the direction of the voice, one could see Zhao Liping, the village doctor who had spoken, standing next to Li Chunlan, who looked on with surprise.
"Sister-in-law, Sister Liping." Chen Huan pushed her bicycle closer.
Although he had a close relationship with Li Chunlan, Chen Huan still had to call her "sister-in-law" in front of others, and he understood this.
"What brings you here? Where did you get a bicycle?" Li Chunlan asked curiously.
"I borrowed it from our neighbor Miao Cuihua. We agreed to come pick you up, didn't we?" Chen Huan explained casually.
He then reached out and took the things from Li Chunlan's hands.
A small piece of meat, a piece of tofu.
Chen Huan frowned. "So you two spent half a day shopping and only bought this little bit?"
Li Chunlan was a little embarrassed. "There's still some food at home, and there are wild vegetables on the mountain. We can stew tofu when we get back, that'll be perfect."
"And this is all, even though it's paid for by Liping."
Zhao Liping quickly explained, "It's not that I wanted to save money, it's just that your sister-in-law was being too polite to me."
Chen Huan felt a pang of sadness.
The Chen family has really had a tough life. A man-made mining accident killed the older brother and left them mentally impaired.
A once happy family was torn apart, and he himself was reduced to living on meager rations, causing his sister-in-law to suffer as well. In order to save money for his own medical treatment, he was willing to split every penny in two.
"It's all in the past," Chen Huan suddenly said.
"Huh?" Li Chunlan didn't understand.
He even reached out and touched Chen Huan's forehead, afraid that his stupidity had relapsed and he was talking nonsense.
Kun frowned. "I said, the hard times are over."
"With me here in this family from now on, I will never let you suffer in the slightest again."
"I made some money today. It's not much, but I still need to buy what I need. Our lives will definitely get better and better in the future."
While they were talking, Chen Huan took out the 3,500 yuan he had just used to buy ginseng.
"Where did you get so much money?"
"Could it be that he did something bad?" Li Chunlan suddenly became anxious, almost to the point of tears.
She could be poor, she could suffer injustice, but she would absolutely not allow Chen Huan, the only son of the Chen family, to go astray.
In that case, she would be letting down the man who had died.
Chen Huan was somewhat annoyed. "Sister-in-law, what kind of person do you take me for? A mere three thousand yuan, is it really worth driving me down a path of crime?"
"I went for a walk in the mountains and accidentally picked up a ginseng root, which I just sold."
"If you don't believe me, I'll take you to find the buyer and verify it in person."
Li Chunlan blinked her eyes and said, "I believe you. Our Chen family has suffered for so long, it's time for our luck to change."
"This money can't be spent recklessly; it has to be used sparingly."
Chen Huan frowned. "Save some eggplant! We can earn more after we spend it all."
"Why don't you two watch the bicycle for me and find a spacious place to wait while I go buy it?"
After saying that, he turned and walked away without waiting for Li Chunlan's agreement.
As for what to buy, Chen Huan didn't have to worry at all.
Because we have nothing at home, we have to buy everything.
The first problem to solve is the communication issue.
At least I need a mobile phone first, preferably one that can connect to the internet.
The village is remote and difficult to access, but at least there is cell phone signal, so as long as you can go online, you can learn a lot of information.
Only by keeping pace with the times can we make the most of this unique opportunity.
It costs 3,500 yuan in total. Today I still need to buy some groceries and daily necessities. I wanted to buy a new phone for myself and my sister-in-law, but that doesn't seem very realistic.
Chen Huan steeled himself and walked into a mobile phone store not far away.
"Damn, are cell phones this expensive?" Chen Huan glanced at the prices on the counter and his face darkened.
The cheapest one costs 1998.
"What's wrong, little brother? Are you short on money?"
"It's okay, you can use a second-hand one even if you can't buy a new one." The shopkeeper was a woman in her late twenties.
She was dressed in a young and fashionable style, wearing a tank top that exposed her shoulders and low-waisted, tight denim shorts.
With an oval face, high nose, fair skin, and a kind smile, she showed no disgust despite Chen Huan's slovenly appearance.
"Second-hand is fine," Chen Huan said, taking it easy.
They immediately changed to another counter.
Sure enough, the phone rates here are more reasonable.
Many are priced under 1,000 yuan, and their condition is quite good.
"It needs to be able to connect to the internet directly, and it needs to be able to take pictures and not be too slow in response," Chen Huan requested.
"No problem, little brother, these all work. You can try them first." The older sister was very patient and took out several mobile phones, placing them on the counter.
As he bent over, he suddenly frowned and subconsciously reached out to rub the back of his neck.
"Your cervical spine isn't good, is it? You often feel dizzy and have tinnitus, right?" Chen Huan glanced at her and said casually.
"Wow, how did you know?" The older sister blinked, looking surprised.
While fiddling with her phone, Chen Huan replied, "I studied traditional Chinese medicine, so I can tell your symptoms at a glance."
"If you trust me, I can give you a massage. I can't guarantee an immediate cure, but it will at least relieve about 70-80% of the pain and save you from suffering."
The older sister covered her mouth and laughed, her eyes curving like crescent moons, her playfulness revealing a touch of charm.
"Little brother, you're not trying to take advantage of me, are you? I run into one or two people like you every day."