Over the past few days, Liu Chuan has often teased Zhuang Rui with those two Tibetan mastiff puppies. Zhuang Rui doesn't mind using the little guys to give Liu Chuan a good beating, to see if he'll dare to show off in front of him again.
"Come here, let Brother Liu Chuan give you a hug."
At this moment, Liu Chuan looked like an uncle trying to abduct a young girl, with a fawning smile on his face, reaching out to hug the little one on the bed.
"Aww..."
As Liu Chuan let out a roar comparable to that of a golden retriever king, his outstretched hands were pulled back with lightning speed, leaving only a row of tiny teeth marks on the web of his right hand, almost breaking the skin.
"Damn it, are you a dog?"
As soon as he said it, Liu Chuan burst out laughing. It was just a dog, wasn't it?
The little white lion barked defiantly at Liu Chuan a few times, jumped off the bed, and squeezed next to the two black-haired Tibetan mastiffs. The two little guys had opened their eyes now, and when they saw the little white lion running over, they quickly made room for it. Even the strips of meat that Liu Chuan had spent a lot of effort tearing off were given to them by the two little guys.
"Wood, aren't you going to keep an eye on your dog? It's a complete tyrant."
Liu Chuan actually adored the little white lion. Compared to the two Tibetan mastiffs he had acquired, this little guy was clearly more endearing. However, this little rascal didn't give him any face at all. Apart from barely letting Qin Xuanbing hold him for a while, he stayed close to Zhuang Rui the rest of the time.
"By the way, you rogue, now that everything's done, we should head back. My vacation's almost over, and I won't be back in Pengcheng for more than a few days before I have to go back to work."
Zhuang Rui was too lazy to argue with this guy anymore. The gains he had made from this trip to Tibet were simply too great, so great that he couldn't describe the joy in his heart. Now Zhuang Rui didn't even want to go to the Potala Palace anymore. Anyway, the treasures there were something he could see but couldn't touch, so going there wouldn't be much of a point.
Another point is that Zhuang Rui harbored a sense of awe towards the mysterious place of Tibet, fearing that his secrets might be seen through by some powerful lamas.
He hadn't felt this way before, but after his conversation with the old lama today and the initiation ceremony, Zhuang Rui felt that the old lama's pure eyes seemed to be able to see through people's hearts. From this, Zhuang Rui realized that there were still many things in this world that he didn't understand. If just a Living Buddha was so amazing, what about the reincarnated Panchen Lama? Zhuang Rui couldn't guarantee that he could keep the secret of his eyes in front of him.
"Lei Lei and the others will go to the Potala Palace tomorrow morning and take an afternoon flight back to Nanjing. Bai Meng'an will also be leaving. As for the rest of us, we can leave whenever we want. However, a friend of mine called me and said there's a black market for trading cultural relics here. Do you want to go check it out?"
Liu Chuan's words surprised Zhuang Rui. He hadn't expected Qin Xuanbing and the others to leave by plane. They were all young people, and they had gotten along very well these past few days. Upon hearing this news, Zhuang Rui felt a little disappointed.
"An antiquities black market?"
Zhuang Rui was hearing this term for the first time and was about to ask further when a knock came at the door.
"Qin Xuanbing? What brings you here? Didn't you just say you were going to rest?"
Liu Chuan's voice came from the doorway. Upon hearing it, Zhuang Rui quickly put on his shoes and got off the bed, as his posture just now was not very presentable.
"I'm looking for Zhuang Rui, why are you blocking the door?"
If it were the Qin Xuanbing of the past, she would never have explained anything to Liu Chuan. But after spending these days together, the indifferent aura on Qin Xuanbing seemed to have disappeared. At this moment, she was like a girl next door, well, she should be a very pretty girl next door.
"Xuanbing, what's wrong? We're going to the Potala Palace tomorrow, why aren't you getting some rest?"
Zhuang Rui pushed Liu Chuan aside and looked at Qin Xuanbing. His eyes lit up. Qin Xuanbing must have just taken a bath. Her hair was not completely dry and was still a little damp. Instead of tying it up as usual, it was casually draped over her shoulders. Even though he was more than two meters away from Qin Xuanbing, Zhuang Rui could smell a faint woman's fragrance. Qin Xuanbing's fair face, without any makeup, looked so bright and beautiful.
Qin Xuanbing was dressed casually, wearing a tight-fitting jacket and jeans. Her long legs and round, high buttocks perfectly outlined her beautiful figure. Seeing Qin Xuanbing's outfit, if they hadn't been together so often lately, and if he hadn't been so immune to beautiful women, Zhuang Rui would probably have embarrassed himself again.
"I can't sleep and I want to go for a walk. Do you have time?"
When Qin Xuanbing spoke, her face was slightly flushed. She lowered her head and looked at the tips of her shoes. Although Zhuang Rui was a novice in matters of the heart, Qin Xuanbing was not necessarily any better than him, and might even be worse. It took Qin Xuanbing a lot of courage to invite him this time. After saying these words, she was almost out of strength.
"Yes, I have time. This kid just told me he couldn't sleep."
Before Zhuang Rui could answer, Liu Chuan started shouting behind him.
"Okay, Xuanbing, let's go out for a walk."
Zhuang Rui returned to his room and put on a coat. The temperature in Lhasa in March was still quite low.
The two walked out of the hotel one after the other, with a small white lion running back and forth behind Zhuang Rui.
Their hotel was located on Barkhor Street, which was bustling with activity at night. Zhuang Rui and Qin Xuanbing did not speak to each other, but simply walked along the street, watching the vendors haggling over prices and the tourists with satisfied smiles. The two of them felt a sense of peace in their hearts.
"Let's go sit there for a while..."
Zhuang Rui and Qin Xuanbing simultaneously pointed to an open-air cafe ahead and spoke. Hearing that the other had the same idea, they both laughed. Their bodies, which were initially a little far apart, moved closer together, and an unspoken understanding arose between them. After entering the cafe, a young man with long hair and an artistic temperament greeted them. Zhuang Rui chatted with him for a few words and discovered that the owner of the cafe was actually a Hong Konger.
Judging from his appearance, the boss didn't seem very old, but upon asking, he turned out to be over forty. After hearing that Qin Xuanbing was also from Hong Kong, the two started chatting in Cantonese, leaving Zhuang Rui, who was listening nearby, completely confused.
“I was saying that the pace of life in Hong Kong is too fast. I’ve been in Tibet for two years now, and I’m living a very peaceful and happy life here.”
The coffee shop owner spoke fluent Mandarin and didn't ignore Zhuang Rui. After chatting with Qin Xuanbing for a few minutes, he explained the conversation between the two of them to Zhuang Rui.
"Boss, you're so lucky. Not many people in this world can choose the lifestyle they want. Everyone is busy making a living every day."
Zhuang Rui thought back to his life a few months ago and couldn't help but sigh. It was really tough back then. Every day, he had to rush to catch the subway and bus to and from work, and when he got back to his cold rented room, he still had to cook for himself. Compared to his life now, with a beautiful woman by his side and a car at his side, it was like heaven and earth.
"Young man, everyone's standards for satisfaction are different. A person only needs to eat three meals a day and sleep in a space of no more than three to five square meters. I believe most people can do that, but there are still many people who are not satisfied. For me, I am happy to chat with my friends here every day."
The boss replied with a smile, but it made Zhuang Rui fall into deep thought. Could it be that the life he was pursuing was wrong?
"That's not how it works. If everyone were content with the status quo, society wouldn't develop, and there wouldn't be so many people coming to your place to spend money. Your current actions are also creating benefits for society."
Qin Xuanbing's unusual rebuttal to the boss's words made Zhuang Rui's eyes light up. It's not wrong for her to pursue a more comfortable life. A comfortable life means spending money to create it, which is also a form of consumption. At this moment, Zhuang Rui's way of thinking is getting closer and closer to his million-dollar net worth.
Surprisingly, the first floor of the cafe also had a barbecue area, where many tourists gathered, and the smoke rose, making it very lively. Zhuang Rui and Qin Xuanbing, led by the owner, came to the second floor of the cafe. On the second floor, opposite to the street, there was a small garden, surrounded by unknown flowers. In the middle of the flowers, there was a Western-style round table and two chairs. In the owner's words, this was his place to relax in his spare time.
The night sky in Lhasa was bright and tranquil. The silvery moonlight bathed the earth in a bluish-white glow, making the trees, houses, and streets appear as if they were coated with mercury. The twinkling stars in the sky seemed to be falling down, as if they were right above people's heads, shimmering with light. The owner quickly brought over two cups of coffee, which he said were completely hand-ground. Sipping the sweet and slightly bitter coffee, looking at the clear night sky, and listening to the laughter of the people around them, Zhuang Rui and Qin Xuanbing remained silent, deeply immersed in the beautiful night.
"Waaah..."
The little white lion's voice broke the silence between the two. The little guy darted into the flower bushes but got pricked by a prick. He then ran to Zhuang Rui's feet and started acting cute. His adorable appearance made Zhuang Rui and Qin Xuanbing laugh.
We're leaving tomorrow.
Qin Xuanbing's melodious voice came through the room. To Zhuang Rui, it sounded like it came from another world, appearing incredibly ethereal in this quiet yet noisy environment.
“We’ve developed a plan in Nanjing, and it’s about to be implemented. Leilei and I need to be there.”
For some reason, Qin Xuanbing immediately began to explain why she left. She herself felt a little strange. Did she really care about what the man in front of her thought?
Qin Xuanbing couldn't find the answer. Ever since the night she encountered the wolf pack, she felt a comfortable feeling when she was with Zhuang Rui, just like when she was a child with her grandfather. It was warm and safe.
"Da Chuan told me that after visiting the Potala Palace tomorrow morning, you will leave in the afternoon. It must have been hard for you all on the way."
Zhuang Rui wasn't just being polite. In the vast, uninhabited grasslands, none of these young ladies complained about the hardship or fatigue when they were cooking over a fire.
"We will be holding a jewelry promotion event in Zhonghai in April. Will you be there?"
Qin Xuanbing didn't respond to Zhuang Rui's words, but instead asked a question.
"It doesn't matter whether I'm in Zhonghai or not, you have a branch office in Zhonghai, don't you!"
Zhuang Rui's words almost made Qin Xuanbing jump up in anger. This petty man actually remembered what she had said. However, seeing Zhuang Rui's smiling face, she realized that he was joking.
"You stingy person!"
Qin Xuanbing kicked Zhuang Rui under the table with her toe, but the little white lion saw it and actually barked at Qin Xuanbing. Zhuang Rui was both amused and exasperated. He quickly bent down, picked up the little tyrant and put him on the table, pointing at his nose and saying, "You're not allowed to be mean to Aunt Xuanbing anymore, understand?"
"Who is the auntie? Who is the older sister?"
Qin Xuanbing glared at Zhuang Rui, embarrassed and annoyed. As if Zhuang Rui understood what she said, the little white lion ran to Qin Xuanbing's side, licked her affectionately with its tongue, and then quickly ran back, dodging Qin Xuanbing's hand that was trying to hug it.
"Zhuang Rui, have you ever had any worries?"
Qin Xuanbing's soft voice drifted over, startling Zhuang Rui. Without thinking, he blurted out, "Of course I do! Who doesn't have troubles?"
However, after careful reflection, Zhuang Rui realized that his troubles were all trivial matters that he would forget as soon as they were over. It seemed that there were no troubles that he could really remember.
Qin Xuanbing seemed not to hear Zhuang Rui's answer and said to herself, "My grandfather went to Hong Kong from the mainland. When he first arrived in Hong Kong, he was very poor and looked down upon. So my grandfather worked very hard. He started as an apprentice in a jewelry store and later opened his own gold shop, which gradually developed into its current scale."
My grandfather was always very busy after I was born. It was only in recent years, when his health deteriorated, that he had more free time. But as far back as I can remember, my parents were also very busy. I would only see them no more than five times a year. If it weren't for their photos, I probably wouldn't recognize them even if I met them.
When I grew up, my family arranged for me to attend a girls' school in England to study jewelry design. Although I love designing jewelry, I really don't like having my life arranged for me by others, you understand? I want to have my own life, as free as a bird.
At this point, Qin Xuanbing became somewhat agitated, but quickly calmed down and continued, "Coming to Tibet with you was the best decision I ever made in my life, Zhuang Rui. Can we still be friends?"
"Friends? We're friends now, and we'll definitely be friends in the future."
Zhuang Rui was a little confused and answered blankly, thinking to himself, "How can these people's thoughts jump around so quickly?"
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's answer, Qin Xuanbing, who had been feeling somewhat sad, suddenly laughed and said to Zhuang Rui, "Close your eyes."
"Close your eyes? Dude, I didn't use my spiritual energy to examine your body."
Although Zhuang Rui was somewhat confused, he still closed his eyes. Just as he closed his eyes, he felt a fragrant breeze, followed by a soft pair of lips pressing against his own. But before Zhuang Rui could even process what was happening, the soft lips had already disappeared. When Zhuang Rui came to his senses and opened his eyes, the seat opposite him was already empty.
"This...this was my first kiss, no, it was stolen by that kid's dad."
Zhuang Rui snapped out of his daze, glaring fiercely at the little white lion. He remembered his first kiss, which seemed to have been stolen by that golden Tibetan mastiff.
Chapter 86 The Grassland Black Market (1)
Zhuang Rui, holding the little white lion in his arms, sat in the passenger seat of the Hummer and asked Liu Chuan, who was driving, "You rascal, is your friend reliable? What we're doing is illegal."
Liu Chuan was driving a Hummer through Lhasa. In front of them was a Santana, which was leading the way for the Hummer.
After visiting the Potala Palace yesterday afternoon, Qin Xuanbing, Lei Lei, and Bai Meng'an, the siblings, took a plane and left Tibet. Qin Xuanbing didn't speak to Zhuang Rui again until she left, leaving Zhuang Rui no chance to relive the moment of their intimacy. He had secretly cursed himself for being such a blockhead for the past two days.
After consulting with his boss, Zhou Rui decided to stay. Firstly, having two cars traveling together would provide mutual support and make the journey much safer. Secondly, Zhou Rui was somewhat worried about their plans to go to the black market for antiques in Lhasa. Having gone through thick and thin together over the past few days, they had developed a good relationship. Zhou Rui decided to go with them, confident that his skills would protect them should they encounter any double-crossing.
"Brother Song's connections, do you think they're reliable? If he had the time, he would have flown over to participate in this black market auction. I heard there are a lot of good stuff there. I'm telling you, Brother, this time it's all up to your luck. If you can snag another good item, we'll be set for life. Oh, and Brother Zhou too, we should get a share this time. Breaking the law? What do you mean by breaking the law? I didn't steal from a tycoon, I didn't rob a bank. I'm just buying things, who dares say I'm breaking the law? Besides, if someone like Brother Song dares to go to the black market, what do we commoners have to be afraid of?"
As Liu Chuan drove, he kept rambling on and on. He hadn't known about the news before. After all, he was a pet owner and had no connection with the antique business, nor had he ever considered it. It was only when Liu Chuan talked to Song Jun on the phone the day before yesterday and told Song Jun that he had acquired a good mastiff that Song Jun casually mentioned it. Thinking about Zhuang Rui's incredible luck lately, Liu Chuan decided to try his luck.
Liu Chuan had been hanging around the flower and bird market for several years and had long heard about black market auctions. Now he wanted to see it for himself. Anyway, with Zhou Rui, a master of unpredictable skills, he wasn't afraid of being cheated by those who ran black markets. Besides, the three guns in the Hummer were no joke.
As for whether buying and selling things on the black market is illegal, Liu Chuan wasn't stupid. He specifically asked Song Jun, who said that even if the police caught them in the act, the responsibility would lie with the black market organizers. At most, the buyers would have to recover the items they purchased, but they wouldn't bear any criminal liability. Moreover, with a little connections, they could even get their money back.
With Song Jun's words, Liu Chuan finally made up his mind to go. He knew that the profits in the antique business were many times greater than those in the pet trade. In the past, it was Old Man Lü and his ilk who looked down on him and were unwilling to bring him into the business. Now that his own brother had this ability, Liu Chuan naturally wanted to make a good deal of it.
After contacting the organizers of the black market in Lhasa using the phone number given by Song Jun, they waited for news from them until this morning when they received a call saying that a car would pick them up. Liu Chuan and his group didn't want to ride in the man's Santana, so they followed in their Hummer.
"I just hope nothing bad happens. I've heard of the black market trade you mentioned before, but in Tibet, it mostly involves Tibetan antelope hides and some precious medicinal herbs. As for antiques, I've heard of them less often before."
Zhou Rui didn't drive the Desert Prince; instead, he sat in the back of the Hummer. Although he couldn't carry a gun, his ever-present knife was hidden in a place no one knew about. A trip to the black market was nothing to Zhou Rui.
"Damn it. Who pays for the gas you guys are wasting by going around in circles like this?"
The Santana leading the way kept circling around Lhasa. They had been out since around 8 a.m., and it was now almost 10 a.m., and it was still taking them in circles. Liu Chuan got angry and picked up his phone to make a call.
"Mr. Liu, don't be angry. This is for safety and it's good for everyone. Okay, we'll be there soon."
The other party's voice came through the phone, and then they hung up, making Liu Chuan so angry he almost threw the phone away.
However, the Santana in front must have sensed that there were no other vehicles following it, so it stopped circling in the city, turned around, and drove straight out of the city. Liu Chuan cursed and followed it.
"This is the road to Gyantse."
Zhou Rui glanced at the direction the other party was driving and said to Liu Chuan that he was very familiar with this place, to the point that Zhuang Rui and Liu Chuan both wondered what he used to do. It seemed that there was no place in Tibet that he hadn't been to.
"Boss, could you please slow down?"