Chapter 94: The Deal Is Done, Profits Made!

Three minutes later, footsteps echoed, and a lean middle-aged man entered the room with the thin man from earlier.

“It’s her.”

The thin man pointed at Ming Dai and spoke softly.

Qin Wuye studied Ming Dai for a moment. To him, she looked like an ordinary old woman.

“Take Granny Liu outside first,” he instructed.

The thin man responded immediately, stepping forward to support Granny Liu as they left. Soon, only the two of them remained in the shed.

Qin Wuye sat across from Ming Dai, his gaze naturally falling on the busy street outside, where pedestrians passed by from time to time. His wariness deepened.

“Old sister, may I ask what kind of customer we are dealing with?”

Ming Dai remained silent. Instead, she reached into her basket, pulled out a piece of paper, and handed it over with trembling hands.

Qin Wuye noticed the age spots covering her hands and felt slightly more at ease.

He took the paper and unfolded it. As he read its contents, his eyes lit up.

“Did the customer mention when they would arrive?”

With a hoarse voice, Ming Dai replied, “They’re already here, resting at the train station.”

A glint flashed in Qin Wuye’s eyes. This business deal just became even more significant to him.

If the goods could be transported out by train, that meant this customer had some strong connections. He had long wanted to use the railway to smuggle goods to the south, but he had never been able to break into that network.

Perhaps this was his opportunity.

Without hesitation, he agreed to the terms written on the note.

“Old sister, the price is fine, but would it be possible for you to introduce me to the customer?”

Ming Dai shook her head. “The customer said the situation is sensitive and they won’t meet anyone. This time, we hand over the goods directly. As for the future, we’ll see when the time comes.”

Qin Wuye felt a bit disappointed, but securing this batch of grain meant he could enjoy a prosperous year.

“Alright, we’ll do it exactly as the customer instructed!”

Hearing this, Ming Dai pulled out another piece of paper and handed it over.

Qin Wuye took it with a puzzled expression. As soon as he opened it, he almost gasped aloud.

Suppressing his excitement, he asked, “Did the customer say these arrived together?”

Ming Dai nodded. “Yes. The customer instructed that if you agreed to the first note, you would receive the second one. If you tried to bargain, you wouldn’t get the second note at all.”

A cold sweat broke out on Qin Wuye’s back.

Luckily, he had resisted his greed. Otherwise, he would have missed out on an opportunity that could change his fortune.

If the inventory listed on the second note was real—so many ready-made clothes and shoes—he wouldn’t just dominate the county’s market; he could push into the city as well.

He had been eyeing the city’s market for a long time, but he had always lacked the right opportunity to break in.

Now, that opportunity had landed right at his doorstep!

“Old sister, could you give me some time to gather the money?”

Ming Dai thought for a moment before replying, “Five o’clock this afternoon, at the county train station warehouse entrance. I’ll be waiting there. If you’re late, the deal is off.”

Qin Wuye nodded. “Alright, I’ll be there on time!”

Ming Dai said nothing more. She got up and walked away, her steps unsteady and trembling.

Qin Wuye no longer dared to underestimate this frail old woman. At this moment, she seemed deep and unfathomable, someone he couldn’t afford to offend.

He quickly left and returned to the black market, gathering his men for a meeting. Before long, numerous people were dispatched, spreading out across the county.

Meanwhile, Ming Dai turned into a narrow alley. Making sure no one was around, she entered her secret space.

Zhou Sinian saw her appear and walked over from the vegetable garden, holding a water hose.

Diligent as always, Zhou had not only fed the sheep and cleaned the pen but also watered the vegetables.

Standing a few steps away, he didn’t move closer. Instead, he silently observed her, his gaze scanning her from head to toe.

It wasn’t until Ming Dai spoke in her normal voice that Zhou Sinian finally followed her.

Ming Dai took off her cotton-padded jacket, still maintaining the appearance of an old woman. “Let’s rest for a bit. I still have to go out later. You wait a little longer, and tonight, I’ll make lamb soup for you!”

Lamb soup!

Zhou Sinian’s eyes lit up instantly. He rolled his eyes playfully. “I also want roasted lamb ribs!”

Ming Dai was speechless. He was even making requests now!

“Fine!”

Zhou Sinian immediately perked up. He put the water hose back and went to the storage room to fetch some lamb ribs and meat. Ming Dai followed him to the kitchen to start preparing.

Soon, the lamb soup was simmering, and the lamb ribs were placed in the oven.

After making sure no one was coming out of the space, Ming Dai once again took on her elderly disguise and carefully made her way toward the train station.

She didn’t go to the warehouse right away. Instead, she took a small path around to the back of the county train station. After crossing a few railway tracks, she reached a pine forest.

The trees were dense, and there were no villages nearby. Other than the occasional train roaring into the station, it was rare for anyone to come here.

She found a spot covered in wild grass, placed the agreed-upon goods there, and carefully inspected them to ensure nothing looked suspicious from the outside. Only then did she leave with peace of mind, heading toward the train station warehouse entrance.

Once she arrived, she crouched in a sheltered corner to wait. Before long, Qin Wuye’s figure appeared.

Ming Dai stepped out from the shadows, and Qin Wuye quickly approached her.

“Old sister, I’ve prepared the payment.”

Ming Dai nodded and took the lead, walking toward the outside of the train station.

Qin Wuye was momentarily confused. “Old sister, didn’t you say the goods were in the warehouse?”

Ming Dai shook her head and simply said, “Follow me.”

Qin Wuye frowned slightly. But this was his territory—there shouldn’t be any trouble. Thinking this, he stepped forward to follow. Behind him was the same thin man, while the workers waiting to transport the goods scattered into the crowd, blending in unnoticed.

As they entered the forest, Qin Wuye finally realized what was happening.

Qin Wuye glanced around, feeling a bit regretful. He had lived here all his life—how had he never noticed such a perfect place for transactions?

Ming Dai thought to herself: No need to regret it. In your last life, you did find this spot too—just a little later than this time.

They entered the forest and soon reached the location of the goods.

Ming Dai said, “Go ahead and check.”

Without hesitation, Qin Wuye and the thin man carefully counted the grain, ready-made clothes, and shoes.

Once they finished, excitement was evident on both their faces.

This was it! This was their big break!

Qin Wuye took off his military coat, then removed the thick cotton-padded jacket underneath. He flipped it over and placed it on the ground.

Tearing open the inner lining, he reached inside and pulled out stack after stack of cash.

Who would have thought that this ordinary-looking cotton jacket was stuffed not just with cotton but also with wads of banknotes?

“Old sister, count it. 6,890—I rounded it up to 6,900. Consider the extra a treat for tea.”

Ming Dai knew he was trying to secure future business, so she didn’t say much. She gave the money a quick count, placed it in her basket, waved her hand, and turned to leave.

Qin Wuye watched as she hunched her back and slowly crossed several railway tracks.

In the distance, a train whistle echoed, and a locomotive roared past.

As the train pulled into the station, the old woman’s figure had already disappeared.

What a capable person!

Qin Wuye once again felt relieved that he hadn’t entertained any dishonest thoughts.

The owner of this batch of goods was likely watching from somewhere beyond the trees. If anything had seemed suspicious, the deal might have been called off entirely.

Taking a deep breath, he smacked the still-dazed thin man on the back of the head. “Hurry up! Go gather everyone. Get the carts and take the back route through the forest. Deliver everything straight to Liu Po’s house!”

The thin man immediately sprinted toward the back of the forest, disappearing from sight within moments.

Qin Wuye wandered around the area once more, marveling again at how perfect this place was for transactions.

Inside the hidden space, Ming Dai removed her disguise, changed back into her usual clothes, and, seeing that the coast was clear, took Zhou Sinian out. The two quickly left the train station.

By now, the sky had darkened. Carrying baskets on their backs, they made their way back to the guesthouse.

At the entrance, Liu Laosan was idly pacing. The moment he saw them, he darted inside.

A moment later, Liu Dazhu and his two companions emerged to greet them.

Ming Dai felt a little embarrassed. “Uncle, sorry about that. We lost track of time while wandering around!”

Liu Dazhu first glanced at Zhou Sinian’s expression. Seeing that he seemed to be in a good mood, he let out a sigh of relief.

“It’s fine, it’s fine. We didn’t wait long. You two haven’t eaten yet, have you? We already had some dry rations. You should grab something to eat. There’s hot water in the tea room—free of charge. Go get some.”

Ming Dai nodded, then led Zhou Sinian back to their room.