As soon as I entered the conference room, I saw Lei Laosi sitting with a foreigner who looked to be around 30 years old. Lei Laosi was very respectful, and the foreigner was also very cheerful. When he saw me come in, the foreigner stepped forward and shook my hand, saying, "Mr. Xiao, it's a pleasure to meet you." Judging from his voice, he was the one who had just called me.
I shook hands with him reluctantly, then leaned close to Lei Laosi and whispered, "How come you still have connections with foreigners?"
Although we've had our disagreements, I believe that as Chinese people, now is the time to unite against external threats; that's what we call national righteousness.
Lei Laosi pointed to the foreigner and introduced him to me, saying, "This gentleman has a Chinese name, Gu Debai. Mr. Gu specifically asked to see you during his trip to China. Brother Xiao, I didn't realize you were so famous."
I glanced at Goodbai; he was a very ordinary foreigner, just like the countless tourists I'd seen at Yucai, except he was slightly shorter than Europeans and Americans.
I laughed and said, "Goodbye—that name isn't considered very auspicious by Chinese standards."
Goodbai laughed and said in fluent Chinese, "Really? A fortune teller gave me that name. My real name is Gerpes."
I frowned and said, "Kick-up and die? Literally speaking, it's not as good as Goodbai."
Lei Laosi stood up and said, "Since you two get along so well, then you can chat." With that, he walked out.
Seeing that Lei Laosi was now acting like someone's henchman, I became even more cautious and asked Goodbai directly, "Anyway, since you speak Chinese so well, just say what's on your mind."
Good said, “Mr. Xiao, let’s be frank. You have a lot of items that interest us, so I’ve brought you here. If you’re willing, let’s discuss the price now. Of course, it’s reasonable that you don’t trust us, so you can name your terms and choose any bank account. We can pay first and then receive the goods…”
I quickly waved my hand and said, "Wait a minute, I don't understand a word you're saying. What exactly do you want?"
Goodbai probably had a lot of experience dealing with people, so he wasn't annoyed at all. He spread his shoulders and said casually, "Antiques, huh?"
I asked, "Who exactly are you?"
Goodbai said, "I'm not alone..." So he wasn't alone after all. Goodbai continued, "We are a group of like-minded people with a great passion for antiques, especially Chinese antiques. What we do now is collect antiques scattered among the people because we feel obligated to give these historical treasures better care. As for the price, you can rest assured. We are quite wealthy and won't shortchange any of our friends. Also, many regulations in the Chinese government may restrict our transactions, so you don't need to worry about any minor troubles that may arise. From the moment you hand over your items to us, this matter is completely unrelated to you. Even if questioned, we will never reveal your information. This is the reputation of our organization. If anyone dares to break this reputation, our internal staff will handle and recover any losses caused to third parties."
Holy crap, I get it now. Don't let his refined manner fool you; beneath that polite exterior lies a chilling intent. Yes, this guy really is a member of the Mafia!
I suddenly asked, "What's your educational background?"
Goodbai paused for a moment, then said, seemingly confused, "A double master's degree in electrical engineering and economics and management. Why are you asking this?"
Yes, the Mafia, no doubt! A master's degree is their minimum requirement. No wonder Lei Laosi could only be their henchman; that's the difference between organized crime and the Mafia!
I immediately thought of what Fei Sankou had told me; it seems that those people who dig up graves with iron bars are this kind of people. These bastards have been causing all sorts of trouble in China, but they never expected to run into me, a righteous person and a potential god—I've decided, if he pulls out a gun, I'll just pretend to agree to it first.
As I took out my phone, I changed the subject, saying, "Where did you hear that I have antiques?"
Goodbai immediately noticed my subtle movement; his pupils contracted, but he made no further move. He probably deduced from the shape of my pocket that what I was about to take posed no threat to him. But judging from the speed of this kid's reaction, he was indeed not simple.
I dialed the number in my pocket, pretended to check the time, and used my mind-reading ability on him. The result was infuriating: besides the image being abstract and incomprehensible, the text was also incredibly convoluted. If it were English, I could at least guess, but this was clearly a language outside the top ten languages.
This kid can even use computer programming terminology to think about problems!
Seeing my strange expression, Goodbai said, "Mr. Xiao, are you in a hurry? I have no comment on your question. In short, we know you have it; the rest is up to you whether you're willing to cooperate with us."
I stood up and said, "Then go buy it from whoever told you that, I don't have it anyway."
Goodbai wasn't in a hurry at all, and smiled, "We didn't expect you to agree so quickly either. Let me know when you've thought it through."
As I walked to the door, I suddenly turned around and said, "Oh, by the way, if you really want it, I do have something that's been around for a long time."
Goodbai's eyes lit up: "Mr. Xiao, have you made up your mind? When will you bring the item for us to appreciate?"
I pointed to the car I had driven outside and said, "Are you interested in that? Although it's not from the Tang or Song Dynasty, there's definitely no car in our country that still has four wheels running that's older than it."
Chapter 52 Air Force One
After I sold the money, I was still wondering why I had become so bold, and how I could have broken up with the Mafia after only a few words.
However, I sold the car to them out of good intentions. Who hasn't ridden in that car? Even if a single hair on the backrest belongs to Wu Sangui, it's still hundreds of years old.
But how did they know I had a treasure, and why were they asking for hundreds of millions right off the bat? This means they've pretty much figured out my background. If all I had was a bowl my grandfather used to beg for food when he went west, they wouldn't have gone to such lengths. There's only one explanation: that old bastard He Tiandou gave my most valuable possession to these foreigners.
Although we've had our share of conflicts, I've never considered him a true enemy. From Liu Laoliu, I vaguely gleaned some details of the situation: He Tiandou apparently suffered some injustice while in his divine form, leading to his banishment to the mortal realm and constant antagonism towards the Heavenly Court. He wasn't targeting me. Most importantly, he didn't truly intend to kill me. My first job involved dealing with the conflict between Jing Ke and Qin Shi Huang, then Liu Bang and Xiang Yu. Relatively speaking, Liu Laoliu caused me more trouble, so I've always been rather indifferent to the distinction between enemies and friends. But this time is different. If he reveals the information about those antiques to foreigners, the situation will become far more complex. Undeniably, spending time with Fei Sankou has unconsciously instilled a lot of patriotism in me. If those antiques fall into the hands of foreigners, it would undoubtedly be a disaster for our country, and even more so for me! Therefore, He Tiandou is yet another major traitor I've encountered after Qin Hui and Wu Sangui!
I grumbled as I tried to start the car. This time it took two tries to get it going. My car was really beyond repair, and since I was already out, I decided to go check out the car.
Arriving at the city's largest car market, I browsed the showroom for a while. The displays were mostly mid-to-low-end sedans, none of which were within my budget. Since I usually travel with at least six or seven people, I needed a car that was both good-looking and spacious enough to carry many passengers. After circling the hall twice, I caught the attention of a young salesman. I explained my intentions to him, and he led me to their test drive area, asking, "Sir, what price range of car are you looking for?"
Looking at the rows of large SUVs and commercial vehicles, I still glanced around and said, "As for money, as long as it's reliable, that's fine." I'm really tired of driving those leaky, beat-up vans. I've decided to splurge this time and get a proper car.
The experienced salesman immediately recognized that the customer in front of him was a wealthy man. With a beaming smile, he led me to a Mercedes-Benz SUV and said, "The only one I can solemnly introduce to you is this classic G-Class Mercedes-Benz SUV. Many people say that no matter whether you need it or not, you should have one."
"Why would I need to buy one?" I said, though I was genuinely tempted. It was a boxy, rugged car, with a Mercedes-Benz badge—it was exactly the kind of car I wanted.
The salesman, fanning the flames, said, "Judging from your personality, sir, you're the kind of person who knows everyone. This car is made for men like you, serving only the most successful people. You might think driving the latest BMW 8 Series is flashy, but even for high-end parties, I guarantee a Mercedes-Benz Jeep will better showcase your taste. Think about it, do girls these days prefer a BMW reeking of money, or this sophisticated and aloof black steed?" The salesman opened the car door and said in a very persuasive tone, "Get in and talk to it. Sometimes cars choose their owners!"
I got into the car without thinking, started it, and drove around the area twice. Hey, how come this car is so easy to drive? The steering wheel—turn left and it goes left, turn right and it goes right, absolutely no hesitation! The horn—one honk and it rings; the gears—one shift and it rings; and you'll never mix up fourth gear and reverse…
Later, I reflected on it and realized it wasn't that I was blindly worshipping foreign things; it was mainly because my starting point was too low. It's like someone who eats steamed buns and pickles every day suddenly finding a bowl of instant noodles to be a delicacy. Anyway, after driving it around twice, I decided it was the one. The price was a bit high, a little over 1 million, but I could barely afford it.
As soon as the car stopped, I took out my ID card and checkbook. The salesman looked at me with starry eyes. Just then, my phone rang. I told him, "I want this car. I'll sign the contract in a bit."
I answered the phone: "Hello?"
Liu Laoliu asked in a sly tone, "Xiao Qiang, where are you?"
"I'm buying a car, is there something you need?"
Liu Laoliu asked, "Why are you buying a car?"
"Of course! Sometimes when I drive my car back and add the spare tire, there are only four wheels left. If I don't replace it, what can I do?"