Chapter 225: Langka

Duojie told him about Langka’s matters. In the very beginning, Bai Zimu still listened seriously, but later it became a bit outrageous, and Bai Zimu couldn’t resist interrupting to say:

“Is there really a person with such great strength, able to drag a car out of a mud pit? And also the matter of him doing business, if you have a feud with Langka, how could you inquire so clearly?”

“Let me finish speaking!”

Duojie waved his hand, returning to his state from just now and lowering his voice to imitate Langka saying:

“And then once that batch of goods arrived, Langka began to struggle in his heart, what to do about this, on one side is a friend who showed me kindness, on the other side is my brother, kindness and righteousness are hard to fulfill both, there always has to be an unlucky bastard coming out, then it can only be—”

Bai Zimu interrupted him again: “Langka personally told you?”

“That isn’t so,” Duojie was very honest, shaking his head and saying:

“Some of it was also what I heard from others, but the matters of doing business were told by a very reliable friend, absolutely trustworthy.”

Bai Zimu didn’t believe a single bit of this section.

This kind of content from old-fashioned magazines made his scalp numb; if he were Langka, relying solely on this section of inner drama spoken through the mouth of another person would be enough to make him furious.

As for other matters, after Bai Zimu sifted through them, he obtained a bit of useful information.

This person called Langka was a business prodigy. Moreover, what was different from other people was that this person seemed silent, but was decisive in killing and attacking, having courage and resolution, as well as daring. Matters that other people didn’t dare to easily attempt, he dared; businesses that other people didn’t dare to throw money at, he could also spend a thousand gold pieces without batting an eye.

When Duojie spoke of him, he both respected and hated this person.

He respected and feared his smart brain, doing business always victorious without fail; he hated that his appetite was too large, wishing he could swallow the entire grassland into his belly.

If it were in times of war and chaos, this person would probably be an ambitious warlord, handling matters without rigidly adhering to any methods, ruthless enough to others and to himself. Nowadays the world was at peace, so these methods of his were placed on doing business, carrying a few fractions of Jianghu atmosphere. Generally speaking, he indeed had some ability.

There was still another point, which was that this person grew up looking not bad.

On this point, Duojie was especially certain, emphasizing repeatedly:

“I’ve seen Langka, he really grows looking very handsome. Although you look good, your age is too small, you’re still a child. Langka is not the same, he is a man.”

Bai Zimu raised his head to take a glance at him:

“I am an adult, moreover Director Qu said, you aren’t much older than me, right?”

Duojie raised his chin, letting him see his own beard:

“Even if our age difference isn’t that big, I have a beard, see this or not? This is what a true man is, very impressive.”

Bai Zimu narrowed his eyes: “Langka also has a big beard?”

Duojie was somewhat deflated, saying in a low voice:

“…That isn’t so, he is a man without a beard, very tough.”

Bai Zimu crossed his arms over his chest, raising his chin slightly and saying:

“Speak more clearly, I want to know all of Langka’s information.”

Duojie thought for a moment about the only one or two meetings he had with Langka, scouring his memory and trying hard to describe him:

“Langka grows looking handsome, moreover he cares about his own face especially much. He even went to do plastic surgery because the bridge of his nose wasn’t high enough, hearing it said it wasn’t just once, and he would also periodically go for beauty treatments. He is a person who cherishes his appearance very much.”

Bai Zimu couldn’t quite figure it out: “How old is he?”

Duojie: “About thirty-some years old? He altered his face too many times, so he looks quite young.”

Bai Zimu’s expression was somewhat strange:

“It’s still my first time hearing of a man who loves beauty like this.”

Duojie was actually self-righteous, asking in return: “Why can’t men love beauty?”

Bai Zimu didn’t want to chat with him about this. Duojie had a set of his own theories, and he didn’t want to waste too much time on this kind of trivial matter, so he asked Duojie to go find some data and materials to bring over, continuing to flip through and read them. These business receipts and bills were truly too few; Bai Zimu flipped through several sheets, and looking at the largest denomination on them being bills of a few hundred yuan, he was speechless for a moment.

Duojie scratched his head: “Our business is not done very well.”

Bai Zimu said: “It’s fine, it can be seen that it has also been running for many years. Like this, you go ask Director Qu and see if it’s convenient to bring some account books for me to look at.”

Duojie agreed with a sound and went out, very quickly carrying a stack of account books over. These were all preserved by their village, only that the majority of the accounts were in Tibetan. Even with Duojie translating, it was still muddled and confused, and some places even had circles drawn on them.

Bai Zimu asked him: “What does this mean?”

Duojie: “Couldn’t remember.”

Bai Zimu: “You go ask Director Qu.”

Duojie: “It was Director Qu who recorded it. He previously even worked as an old accountant for a period of time, but he’s old in age, so his memory is not good.”

Bai Zimu: “…”

Bai Zimu had no choice but to have him bring all the account books over. Organizing them once with him himself, he gained a general understanding of this place.

The local specialty product was cordyceps, and what sold best was also this. In addition, there were also a portion of medicinal herbs like safflower, as well as a small amount of turquoise and the like. However, the necklaces made from turquoise did not sell very well. On one hand, this was because the craftsmanship was slightly crude; on the other hand, it was because the mainland did not favor turquoise too much, so generally it was sold to locals.

Bai Zimu roughly formed a plan in his heart. Those turquoises of good quality could be inquired about with Baohua Silver Building to see if they would acquire them. Ordinary defective goods could be made into pigments, for which major universities and calligraphy and painting studios would provide a portion of the outlets.

There was also the traditional Chinese medicinal herbs portion, which could be made into high-end gift boxes; there would be no need to push sales outward, as they themselves could acquire them. Baichuan Supermarket’s side still lacked a portion of high-end products like this, so this would actually make up for it perfectly.

Bai Zimu pondered for a moment, listing items on paper, and beginning to calculate years and production value.

Bai Zimu organized the materials for nearly a week’s time, creating a data chart.

While Duojie was thinking about how to suppress Langka, Bai Zimu had already figured out how to sell these specialty products. After he asked Duojie for the prices, he discovered there was quite a large profit margin in between. He couldn’t resist associating it with the matter Duojie had mentioned previously; if Langka truly transported these to the mainland, he indeed earned a large sum of money.

Duojie rubbed his fists and wiped his palms:

“This year having your help, we will definitely be more formidable than Langka, and we won’t let him be awe-inspiring on the grassland!”

Bai Zimu smiled a bit, putting down the pen in his hand:

“The grassland is very big, and the world outside the grassland is also very big. We don’t need to fight against Langka; we can even cooperate together.”

Duojie looked at him suspiciously, his brows furrowing tightly: “Are you afraid?”

Bai Zimu: “Mn?”

Duojie said indignantly: “You want to cooperate with Langka, to make friends with him!”

Bai Zimu shook his head and laughed a sound, patting his shoulder:

“No, I just feel that we can let Langka help us make money while he does business. Do you know about acquisition?”

“Acquiring cordyceps from herders?”

“About the same, but we can acquire from Langka. Let’s go, let’s chat while walking.”

Duojie went out together with Bai Zimu. Following what he said, he took him to look at the village and the warehouse together. He grew up tall and sturdy, but he also knew Bai Zimu’s brain was smart. Just now, when Bai Zimu was calculating the account books, he had seen it all, and he felt somewhat admiring in his heart.

In this one week of time, those account books and those numbers, Bai Zimu could see them clearly with a single glance. It was as if those characters were naturally printed there, and only he alone could see them.

Duojie didn’t understand mathematics, but he could also see that what Bai Zimu wrote under his pen flowed like floating clouds and flowing water, carrying a kind of special aesthetic feeling.

When Duojie heard Bai Zimu simply talk about several methods to “utilize” Langka, his eyes even carried awe and reverence.

It was he who had underestimated this Han-compatriot; he truly had guts.

Duojie tried hard to listen to the words Bai Zimu said, but there were still places he couldn’t keep up with. [Read on RanaTranslations🌸] On the surface, he pretended to be calm and nodded, but in his heart, he was already somewhat panicked. When Bai Zimu turned his head over to ask his opinion, Duojie inhaled a breath of air, bracing himself to imitate Director Qu as he said:

“We definitely must develop the economy, and also that, that make our specialty products move towards the market!”

Bai Zimu, who had been calculating money the whole time just now:

“…Right.”

Someone came to call them, using the local dialect to say something. Only, when his eyes saw Bai Zimu, that half-grown youth’s face reddened a bit, and he very quickly ran away.

Duojie said: “Let’s go, Director Qu prepared food, calling us to go eat.”

Bai Zimu followed him walking all the way over. He discovered that almost everyone in the entire village, without exception, was looking at him whenever he encountered them. In the very beginning, he thought his clothes were dirty, and he even subconsciously brushed them a bit. These past few days, the conditions truly did not allow for cleanliness, otherwise he wouldn’t have let himself become this wretched.

Duojie took a glance at him, grinning as he said:

“Don’t be uncomfortable, they are all looking at you because you are pretty, that’s why they keep looking.”

Bai Zimu was stunned for a moment. When he raised his head and saw a young girl, the other party indeed smiled at him a bit, and then hid back among her companions.

Director Qu made a table of food, enthusiastically inviting the two of them to sit down and eat.

On the table was placed a pot of matsutake chicken soup, along with some baked cakes and tsampa, all specially prepared for the guest.

“Matsutake is past its season, so I only found this much. Next time, if you come two months earlier, there will be more. You taste and see!”

Director Qu said somewhat embarrassed, “I also don’t have any good things to entertain you with, so just make do eating a bit.”

Bai Zimu hurriedly said:

“It’s already very good. The things are very delicious, and your craftsmanship is also very good.”

Director Qu scooped soup for him. [Read on RanaTranslations🌸] Seeing that he liked to eat it, he sliced the remaining fresh matsutake into thin slices, stir-frying them with butter until they were golden yellow, and picked them up for him to eat.

Bai Zimu’s mouth was picky. Previously, Lei Dongchuan, in order to coax him to eat a bit more food, had also made matsutake soup before. Although this bowl of chicken soup couldn’t compare to Lei Dongchuan’s craftsmanship, the taste of the butter-fried matsutake was very different. It was Bai Zimu’s first time eating fried matsutake like this. Not knowing if it was because it was freshly picked locally, the flavor was unique, carrying a milky fragrance. It was crisp, refreshing, fresh, and sweet in the mouth, and very delicious.

Bai Zimu hadn’t eaten something so suited to his appetite for a long time, so he ate a bit more.

Seeing him eat fragrantly, Director Qu was very happy, smiling incessantly without stopping.

After eating the meal, his entire body warmed up.

They stayed here for a moment. As Director Qu and Duojie were speaking, Bai Zimu went to make another phone call home. Aside from the people from the Eleventh Bureau inquiring, temporarily there was still no news of Lei Dongchuan. However, hearing that Lei Dongchuan had brought a convoy entering Tibet, his heart also settled a lot.

With that temper of his brother’s, if he didn’t see him, he would turn any place upside down no matter where it was. With this kind of display, they would be able to run into each other sooner or later.

Director Qu knew they had been busy for several days and was very moved. He repeatedly said to Bai Zimu:

“Don’t be too overworked. Young people, staying cooped up in the room is not good. Matters of doing business lie in the long days; they cannot be rushed. Let Duojie accompany you to go out for a walk and move around a bit!”

Difficult to reject such gracious hospitality, Bai Zimu thought going out for a stroll would also be good, and so he went together with Duojie.

Bai Zimu walked slowly. The injury on his foot used the village’s plaster, and after recuperating for these few days, it had already almost recovered. The two walked while chatting idly. Only, even with Duojie slowing his footsteps, he still stopped and started while walking, and he was unable to resist asking:

“In the past, did you also walk this slowly?”

Bai Zimu took a glance at him, saying: “My foot was twisted and broken.”

Duojie corrected him: “Not twisted and broken! It’s injured; just, sprained a bit, resting a few days and it will be fine… in the past, you’ve never been injured before?”

“Never.”

Bai Zimu slowly followed up.

He was protected very well in the past; not a single finger had ever been injured before.

Duojie turned his head resentfully, muttering the phrase “rich young master.” Although saying this, he still slowed his steps a bit more.

Duojie brought Bai Zimu climbing up a small hill. On this small hill, the grass and trees were gradually turning autumn. Standing at a high place, one could overlook a lake separated quite far away, while at the windward place of the small hill, five-colored prayer flags were tied, currently fluttering with the wind.

While Bai Zimu stood on the hill, still overlooking the snowy mountains in the distance, Duojie went over to the prayer flag side, worshipping piously and solemnly.

Bai Zimu walked over; seeing Duojie cleaning around the prayer flags, he also helped a bit.

Duojie told him to also worship a bit. Bai Zimu said:

“I don’t quite understand your blessing rituals. Do I need to silently recite whose name in my heart?”

Duojie said solemnly: “Prayer flags hang above mountain peaks, and they hang between mountain passes. They pray for peace for all living beings. There are so many people in the world, how can you only recite one person’s name?”

He spoke too seriously, and Bai Zimu couldn’t help smiling, laughing and nodding his head as he said:

“Alright, I will also pray for all living beings.”

He pressed his palms together, closing his eyes to pray.

Not far away were the snow-capped sacred mountains. The wind blowing through the valley carried the prayer flags and lungta (prayer beads), drifting all the way into the distance.

If possible, he wished that all living beings’ prayers would become reality.

Wishing for peace.

Wishing for compassion and kindness.

Wishing to never again have the suffering of parting.

After praying for blessings, not knowing if it was an illusion, Bai Zimu felt his shoulders lighten a bit.

Duojie took him, changing to a flatter road to walk down. Bai Zimu once again saw that lake, asking:

“What is over there?”

Duojie said: “Oh, Goddess Lake.”

Bai Zimu, however, asked: “Is it a freshwater lake?”

Duojie was baffled, looking at him and saying: “Of course it’s freshwater, what’s wrong?”

Bai Zimu took another glance, withdrawing his gaze and saying:

“Nothing, I just feel that the water source here is very good, and the environment is also not bad. If there is an opportunity, I want to go take a look.”

Duojie scratched his head, saying to him:

“Over there is a bit far. If you want to go, tomorrow I will apply with Director Qu a bit to drive a car and take you over. The car belongs to the public; last time I borrowed it. During normal times, I can’t casually drive it out!”

He spoke while sighing with emotion again, “If only we had money, it would be great. Every single one of us wants to buy a vehicle; we don’t even need a car, a motorcycle is fine. Driving it out is impressive!”

Bai Zimu smiled shallowly: “Soon.”

“Why soon?”

“Your motorcycle, I can let Langka buy it for you, do you believe it or not?”

“Ha?!”

On the other side, the snowy mountain.

A convoy of vehicles drove past. The road surface was bumpy, but their vehicles had undergone reinforcement and modification, so they were not affected.

The convoy was extremely familiar with this stretch of the journey, avoiding some potholed and uneven places, trying their best to ensure stability inside the cars.

In an off-road vehicle in the middle of the convoy, a person sitting in the front passenger seat was currently reporting in a low voice to the boss behind. [Read on RanaTranslations🌸] He kept his head lowered the entire time, not daring to look at the other party.

“…We only caught four people, and their things were detained; it’s a black suitcase. The rest of the people ran very fast, and we weren’t able to keep them behind.”

The man sitting behind was half-concealed in the shadow. One could only see him wearing a well-fitted overcoat on his body, the collar turned up and blocking all the way to the position of his Adam’s apple. The exposed small half of his face had a clear jawline, and the corners of his lips were pursed in an austere arc:

“What happened?”

“Originally the people were all detained, but a few were familiar with the environment here. They stole a vehicle in the middle of the night and pried open a hole at the wire mesh fence side. The people keeping night watch didn’t notice, and when they heard the commotion, those few people had already run away.”

The deputy sitting in front was somewhat nervous, closely followed by replying:

“But we also interrogated out some matters. These two groups of people are not together; one group came to do business, while the other group planned to eat black. Besides the scattered cash and jewelry carried on their bodies, the most valuable things are two black suitcases. One contains the money used for the transaction inside, and the other one is said to contain a priceless golden Buddha statue.”

“Was the suitcase opened to look?”

“Not yet,” the deputy slightly raised his eyes, taking a glance from the rearview mirror at the boss behind, grinning and saying:

“Boss Langka, that suitcase we detained has been waiting the whole time for you to return to open. I weighed it, and it’s much heavier than banknotes!”