Chapter 42: Do We Know Each Other?

Chapter 42: Chapter 42: Do We Know Each Other?

Zhang Lifeng’s weathered face sank. "What are you talking about! You want a centennial ginseng, but no one can be certain about this root. If you don’t want it, I can’t let Zhang Yun suffer a loss. Besides, we already had an agreement that he would show me any ginseng he dug up first!"

Hearing him say this, He Xiong grew even more convinced that Old Zhang had been deliberately ambiguous earlier just so he could flip it for a profit!

He Xiong laughed. "HAHA! I already made an agreement with Young Boss Zhang yesterday. I’m definitely buying this. I won’t use a few years more or less as an excuse to drive down the price!

"Young Boss Zhang, if you say it’s a century old, then I believe you! One million, I’m buying it! Of course, I still want you to find me that root with double the age you mentioned. I’ll pay for that one as well!" he immediately said to Zhang Yun, eager to prevent Zhang Lifeng from competing.

Zhang Yun tossed the snakeskin sack he had just picked up back onto the ground. "Since Boss He is so straightforward, then I have nothing else to say. I’ll dig up another root with double the age for you, and it’ll still be one million!"

Although they all felt this was highly unlikely, his words were incredibly pleasing to He Xiong and the two old men!

If this current root really turned out to be only seventy or eighty years old, it would be Zhang Yun’s failing, which meant they could reasonably negotiate the price down. Right now, their main fear was that Zhang Lifeng would snatch it away or that it would be sold to a rival next door.

But if there was a root that was around a hundred and fifty or two hundred years old, that would be even more extraordinarily rare—impossible to buy even for two million. If Zhang Yun still sold it to them for a mere million, that meant he truly knew how to conduct business and was letting them reap a massive profit.

"Alright! You’ve got yourself a friend!" He Xiong shook Zhang Yun’s hand enthusiastically. "Younger Brother Zhang, if this centennial ginseng can help me hold my head high, I will definitely reward you further!"

While they were overjoyed, Zhang Lifeng was sour!

A million was a lot, but it wasn’t like he couldn’t afford it! If he bought it, he could wait for an opportunity to sell it at a premium. Used in medicine, it could generate even greater value through wealthy and noble patients. Now that He Xiong had gotten this steal, he could only stand by and watch!

Taking a sip of tea, Zhang Lifeng couldn’t help but make a sour remark. "Didn’t you two old fossils say you couldn’t appraise it accurately? Then what are you fighting for? You’re deliberately making things difficult for me!"

"HEHE, we must be honest with our boss. If we aren’t certain, we aren’t certain. This is our problem, of course, but we never said it definitely hasn’t reached a century.

"We purchase medicinal herbs! Let alone this kind of treasure that’s many decades old, even for wild ginseng that’s just a few years old, our Six Records will always offer a good price!"

He Xiong then added Zhang Yun on WeChat, and Zhang Yun sent over his bank card number.

"Transfer eight hundred thousand, and give me two hundred thousand in cash," Zhang Yun said. Remembering how his father had reacted when receiving ten thousand in cash from Zhang Youcai, he wanted to bring back some physical bills to make the old man happy.

"No problem!"

Although mobile payments were very common nowadays, many elderly people in the countryside still preferred cash for buying and selling herbs, so Six Records always kept some on hand.

With the deal struck, everyone parted on excellent terms. After He Xiong paid, he immediately offered to treat them to a meal. However, no one was interested.

Zhang Lifeng was far too sour to have any appetite; he just wanted to head straight back to the county hospital. The two old experts now had all their attention focused entirely on the ginseng. Since the item was in their hands, they couldn’t just casually bag it up like Zhang Yun had; they needed to protect and process it using the highest standards.

Zhang Yun also declined. "I don’t have time either. Relatives came to visit right as I was leaving the house. I prioritize business, but now I have to go back."

"Alright! We’ll see each other again in three days anyway. I’ll treat you to a meal then!"

The two hundred thousand in cash was placed in a black plastic bag. Zhang Yun casually tied it in a knot and tossed it into the snakeskin sack.

Seeing him act like this left He Xiong and the others completely speechless. Was he just a rustic bumpkin, or was he a genius? A thief wouldn’t even give a fertilizer sack like that a second glance!

Using the excuse of going to the restroom, Zhang Yun sent a message to Zhang Lifeng, telling him not to go far and to wait for him by the roadside outside of town, as he had more ginseng to sell him! He then went straight into the Peach Blossom Spring Space from the restroom and dug out another ginseng.

"Um, well..."

Just as Zhang Yun entered the storefront from the back of Six Records, the Shopkeeper stepped forward with a deeply troubled expression.

"What is it?" Zhang Yun looked at him suspiciously. He wondered if this Shopkeeper was playing dumb to catch him off guard. Could the man see right through his snakeskin sack? Did he think he had stolen the ginseng back?

"Young Boss Zhang, I’m so sorry, what a terrible coincidence... We always shoo away any kids that get close, but we just happened to miss one a moment ago, and..."

Zhang Yun’s face darkened. He cursed inwardly, "Damn it, I just bought that motorcycle yesterday, and today is the first time I’ve ridden it to town! Shit! I shouldn’t have jinxed it on my way here!"

Upon walking out the door, he saw that his motorcycle had already been picked up by a store clerk. However, it was visibly dented, and the paint was scraped off!

The sight made Zhang Yun wince in pain. The whole reason he hadn’t bought a new one in the county city the day before yesterday was because he had been afraid of exactly this happening. It wouldn’t have mattered with his old bike.

"This is the boss’s motorcycle." A pharmacy employee was standing guard, making sure the culprits didn’t run away. He pointed at Zhang Yun.

Zhang Yun walked down the steps and swept his gaze to the side. Anyone capable of knocking over a motorcycle couldn’t be a kindergarten kid. Sure enough, it was two seven- or eight-year-old boys. They looked remarkably similar and seemed to be twins.

"I’m so sorry. Our children are too naughty and pushed your bike onto the ground. I’ve already lectured them. How much should I compensate you?"

Only upon hearing her speak did Zhang Yun notice the parent standing beside them, and he immediately cursed himself for his lack of focus! Even though it was a new motorcycle, he had completely lost his composure over some scraped paint, failing to even notice the exceptionally well-endowed young mother standing right there!

Indeed, as his eyes drifted over, Zhang Yun could only focus on her generous proportions... Her chiffon dress looked as though it were about to burst at the seams.

All of Zhang Yun’s depression and anger vanished into thin air. With the parent possessing such a broad heart and apologizing so politely, how could he possibly be narrow-minded?

Zhang Yun smiled and nodded. "They definitely need to be strictly lectured, but you have to focus on what’s important. A motorcycle falling over and getting a few scrapes and dents is nothing; there’s no need for compensation. The most important thing is the children. If they had hit their heads or faces while bending over, or been crushed when it fell, that would be terrible."

The pharmacy employee had been instructed to guard the bike and not let anyone escape, which had attracted a small crowd of onlookers. It was obviously a new motorcycle, and though it wouldn’t be ruined just from falling over, they had estimated a compensation of fifty to a hundred bucks for a new paint job.

Yet Zhang Yun was not only completely amicable, but he even cared about the children’s safety first. He instantly won everyone’s applause and praise.

"What a good-tempered and kind-hearted young man."

"This young lad has great character! Even though it hurts to see the motorcycle damaged, the children are what truly matter!"

"Bullshit! Just a minute ago, you were saying he’d definitely fleece them for a few hundred bucks!"

"Thank you, thank you so much!" the busty young mother said. After expressing her gratitude, she pulled the two children forward. "Quickly, apologize to the uncle!"

"Uncle... we’re sorry... we won’t do it again," the twin boys apologized in quiet, nervous voices.

Zhang Yun originally wanted to tell them to just call him "Big Brother." Wouldn’t calling him "Uncle" make him sound old? But upon second thought, if the twins called him "Big Brother," wouldn’t he have to call this young mother "Auntie"? By being called "Uncle," it would be perfectly natural for him to call her "Big Sister"!

Zhang Yun took a closer look and realized that this busty young mother, who appeared to be around thirty, looked a bit familiar... Alright, his focus just hadn’t been on her face earlier.

"Hey, Big Sister, you look very familiar. Do we know each other?"

As soon as these words left his mouth, a chorus of low boos immediately rang out from the crowd. And here they had been calling him an outstanding youth—he was actually just a horny young man! To think he would actually start hitting on a woman right in front of her kids. Pah! So shameless!