Chapter 37: Fatty Ye’s Got A Big Job!
Wu Xie and Lin Yan exchanged a glance, both a bit dumbfounded.
Once Fatty found the jade and brought it back, wouldn’t that be like getting it for free? If they found another suppression method in the underwater tomb, what if this jade became useless? Sell it again?
Huh? It didn’t seem like a bad idea. If they didn’t find another method this time, it would be better to stock up more in advance to avoid not being able to get any if something unexpected happened later.
But they didn’t expect Fatty, as the middleman, to be a bit too dutiful.
He didn’t bring just one person, but a string of them, each holding a box in their hands, some even holding two.
As soon as they entered the door, numerous bosses emerged one after another from behind Fatty. This grand procession stunned Lin Yan and the others; the visual effect was probably like a van full of people piling out, you know the kind.
Lin Yan stiffly looked toward Wu Xie: Do you have enough money?
Wu Xie nodded with difficulty: Probably maybe perhaps enough.
He thought to himself, the money from Wu Shan Ju definitely wasn’t enough, but adding the Wu Family’s, it should be. Plus, he had some savings himself. This wave of spending really hurt, hoping the auction money from the jade burial suit would come through and make him rich.
As five or six bosses came in with their things, Fatty’s small shop was immediately packed full. But when seven or eight boxes were lined up on the table, for some reason, Lin Yan had the illusion that the shop was suddenly glowing.
He looked up, oh, it was because Fatty had turned on the lights. Never mind then.
He didn’t understand these things. Wu Xie was already squatting beside them, picking one up with a white cloth for close observation. Clearly younger than all the bosses present by a generation, but his steady movements and unchanging expression made everyone understand that this seemingly young colleague was definitely not someone they could easily fool.
One of them pulled Fatty aside and whispered: “Boss Wang, is this guy into stones? He looks unfamiliar.”
Fatty’s eyes darted, and he quietly told him: “Old Qian, this guy’s something else. Grandson of Dog Fifth Master from the Southern Sect Nine Gates’ Ping Three Gates, current head of the Wu Family. Though Wu Family Third Master is still out front now, anyone with eyes knows it’ll all be handed to him soon. Don’t let his young age fool you; that eye of his was trained from childhood, sharp as hell.”
The one called Old Qian nodded slightly, his gaze toward Fatty clearly different now, his tone more polite: “Didn’t expect Boss Wang to be connected with him. Please give me some pointers in the future.” As he spoke, his right hand hidden under his sleeve made a five gesture, meaning five percent profit on future business.
Fatty, sharp-eyed, caught it and grinned wider: “No problem, no problem!”
Wu Xie finished looking at one and set it down without a word, then picked up the next. Besides Lin Yan idly sipping tea in a daze, everyone’s attention was on him. When he reached the fifth one, someone was already getting impatient.
The people present were usually bosses with some weight at Panjiayuan; otherwise, they wouldn’t dare deal in something eerie like blood-infused jade. Dragging them all over on a big afternoon to crowd around watching a young guy appraise naturally didn’t please them. But businessmen value harmony for wealth, so though impatient, no one spoke up. When Wu Xie finished, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
A few exchanged eye contact, then looked to Fatty. They were all brought by Fatty, so only he could talk to this buyer.
Fatty looked around, saw everyone waiting for him, and quickly stood up: “So, young comrade, see anything you like?”
Wu Xie nodded then shook his head, pointing to the third and fifth boxes: “These two. Which boss do they belong to? May I ask the going rate?”
Hearing this, several frowned immediately.
One slightly thinner than Fatty, with short hair and a wooden thumb ring on his plump hand, an old man over sixty straightened up and lightly knocked his teacup on the table: “May I ask this young brother, my jade pendant is pure Kunlun mutton-fat jade, aged a millennium, extremely rare. Why choose my brother here’s green jade instead? Is there a flaw in mine?”
Wu Xie listened with a stern expression, nodding slightly: “To let you know, old man, there is indeed a slight imperfection in the quality.”
He picked up that jade pendant, held it under the light, and pointed to a scratch: “This knife mark has an extremely fine crack, easily overlooked without the reflection, which causes the infusion color to be uneven.”
He spoke unhurriedly, his innate scholarly poise unmistakable. That boss fell silent as if hesitant, then said no more. Seeing this, the others who wanted to challenge also quieted down. Only one had eyes gleaming—it was Boss Qian, who had spoken to Fatty earlier.
He stood and cupped his hands to Wu Xie: “I’m the head of Guangyuan Ji at Panjiayuan, surname Qian. May I ask this young brother, the current market price is this much—”
He held up five fingers: “How about it?”
Wu Xie pondered briefly, then nodded: “Fine.” He then pulled out the check Zhang Qiling had given him from his pocket and handed it over.
Boss Qian took the check, glanced at it, and grinned, cupping his hands again: “Young brother, you’re straightforward and decisive. Next time you have time, I’ll treat—please don’t refuse.”
More friends, more paths. Though Wu Xie did business in Hangzhou, he couldn’t avoid dealings with Beijing. He thought about it and agreed, not expecting him to actually solve some issues later.
Seeing Boss Qian complete the deal with Wu Xie, the owner of the remaining pearl one also stood, mimicking Boss Qian with a cupped-hand salute: “Head of Baogu Xuan at Panjiayuan, surname Fu. Honored that you like my goods, young brother; I can give you a discount.”
He made an eight gesture. Wu Xie considered and agreed.
Lin Yan on the side was stunned. Not to mention their flowery speech, even the pre-speech cupped-hand salute felt like watching a play. But when that guy made the eight, he nearly spat out his water.
After Boss Qian’s gesture earlier, he knew the number meant that many tens of thousands—eight tens of thousands gone just like that! Thinking of this, his heart raced. Great, now he owed Zhang Qiling tens of thousands, nearly another hundred thousand to Wu Xie this time, not forgetting Wu Xie paid for the Beijing plane ticket too! Would his jade burial suit money still cover it?
He suddenly felt an urgent need to go tomb raiding right now. No choice, too poor. If he didn’t dig up some treasure to sell soon, he couldn’t afford it!
Though Zhang Qiling and Wu Xie probably wouldn’t press him—these friends were incredibly generous. Hadn’t they seen the equipment money? Besides Fatty’s own, everything else was from Wu Xie or the Wu Family. Not to mention this small sum of a hundred thousand.
For some reason, thinking of this gave him a déjà vu of living off a soft rice.
However, Lin Yan, whose thoughts had been led astray by the tomb raiding trio, didn’t realize that when he first arrived, he meant to be a corporate drone earning honest money, but now he subconsciously wanted to tomb raid and sell.
No way around it, tomb raiding paid fast! Dangerous, sure, but sticking with the protagonist meant no big issues, at worst some scratches.
Though untrained now, his moves couldn’t match Fatty or Panzi, but in senses, he could crush Wu Xie!
Cough, of course not comparable to Zhang Qiling—that guy’s a cheat, can’t compare to cheats. After all, he’s the human limit combat power under Third Uncle, nicknamed “God Walking the Earth”! No match, no match, goodbye.
By the time Lin Yan snapped back, only he, Wu Xie, and Fatty remained in the shop. Fatty was holding the check, grinning ear to ear: “Not unworthy of Wu Family Third Master Xiao, so generous!”
Hmm? What happened? Wasn’t Wu Xie the one making deals? What did it have to do with Fatty?
He peeked over, but Fatty alertly covered it: “What are you doing?”
Lin Yan pursed his lips: “Can’t even look? Did Wu Xie give this to you? You sold him stuff too?”
Wu Xie, back from brewing tea in the back, heard and set the teapot down beside him, explaining: “Just think of it as a broker’s fee. Without Fatty, we might not have found so many. Even if we could, how much time would it take? Solving it in hours is thanks to him, so he deserves it.”
Fatty chimed in: “Exactly! Without Fat Ye running around—”
Lin Yan eyed him, frowning, sensing it wasn’t simple: “Without you waving the Wu Family banner for scams?”
Fatty shut up instantly: “What scam? That’s reasonable resource use.”
Wu Xie shook his head with a wry smile: “True, without the Wu Family name, probably not so many would come. But this stunt means lots of people will know Wu Family folks are in Beijing.”
Fatty chuckled awkwardly: “Not lots, just two or three know. One’s an old acquaintance, won’t blab; the other’s timid, probably won’t say either.”
“Timid? Boss Qian?” Wu Xie thought and pinpointed him; he’d felt the guy was too slick during contact.
Fatty nodded: “Him.”
Lin Yan, while their attention was elsewhere, quickly glanced at the check: “Whoa, four zeros—ten thousand!”
Fatty swiftly pocketed it: “What’s that? Easy for Fat Ye to earn? Ran around and can finally rest—five figures, so what?”
Lin Yan thought about it and didn’t argue; after all, the thing was ultimately for his use.
Wu Xie picked up the jade pendant and asked him: “Use it now, or in a few days?”
Lin Yan thought: “How long will we be at this tomb?”
Wu Xie considered: “Round trip on the road maybe two or three days, plus tomb time, probably four or five days total. Why?”
Four or five days? Last pearl was four days ago; eating early should be fine, right? Lin Yan weighed it and decided to play safe.
“Then how about storing it with Fatty? Pick up on return? If there’s space, the coffin too?”
Wu Xie then remembered they had a coffin at the hotel! Leaving tonight, couldn’t leave it there—better store with Fatty.
Fatty blinked: “Eh, you guys heading down again? Fat Ye took a big job too, can store here fine; I’m leaving tonight too. Don’t worry, no one’ll come.”
Wu Xie nodded, deal set. Lin Yan could handle the blood-infused jade from A Ning and them first, then seamless on return—no issues.
Matters settled, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Wu Xie thought, he’d figured A Ning and them would get Fatty to join, but Fatty had a big job clashing schedules, so they failed. Good outcome—underwater tomb unlike underground palace, underwater far more complex. Fatty had raided many over years, mostly like Lu King’s Palace ground ones; little underwater experience.
Truth be told, if not for Third Uncle, he’d never go to this underwater tomb. Curious, especially with the twenty-year tie-in, but he wouldn’t joke with his life. Last time with Third Uncle, prepared yet so rough; this time clueless, blind— who knew what awaited. Fatty not going was good.
But he didn’t expect that soon, he and Fatty would dramatically reunite in an unexpected spot, both dumbfounded.
Lin Yan quietly watched Fatty, knowing his big job was the underwater tomb. Soon, maybe airport reunion, facing each other hilariously.
Casually finishing tea, Wu Xie called the hotel for luggage delivery; Fatty and Lin Yan discussed dinner.
By the time Wu Xie packed essentials, hotel luggage collected, coffin placed under direction, those two still undecided.
Just a tiny issue: barbecue or homestyle dishes?
Lin Yan wanted homestyle—full of oil from noon roast duck, evening needed light; Fatty wanted barbecue—homestyle oily too, better barbecue with lots of veggies. When Wu Xie arrived, they were still debating hotly, leaving him helpless.
“Since it’s so hard to decide, how about I choose?”
Lin Yan and Fatty agreed: “What’ll it be?”
Wu Xie thought, then sided with Fatty: “How about barbecue? Haven’t had in ages.”
Fatty beamed, smugly at Lin Yan: “See? Let’s go?”
Lin Yan pursed lips, muttering “barbecue’s no good” “evening eats cause heatiness,” then at Fatty’s call: “Get me extra king oyster mushrooms!”
Departing evening, they didn’t eat out, had Fatty get takeout to shop—lest A Ning not find them. But Fatty left first after eating.
“Young brothers, Fat Ye off first! See you back at shop!”
Wu Xie and Lin Yan watched him lock up from the door, dragging luggage feeling adrift; Lin Yan paused, asked Wu Xie: “Did A Ning say when to pick us? Hope not hours of waiting?”
Wu Xie waved his mobile phone: “Coming now—perfect timing, just finished eating.”
As he spoke, two headlights shone over.
PS: Self-added settings gotta be resolved by self, original plot is head-balding
