Chapter 21: You Are Quite Interesting

Chen Jie had no intention of selling all his remaining ginseng at once. Even if he wanted to cash out on all his "wild mountain ginseng," he certainly could not afford to be in a rush. Selling a few roots would not be an issue, and no one would scrutinize it, but selling dozens of them would be a different story. Especially since this was his first transaction with the other party, he had to be cautious.

He knew that wild resources in the deep mountains were strictly regulated. If a large quantity of such items appeared, it would be all too easy to find himself being "invited for tea" by the authorities. It wasn't just about wild ginseng; even digging a private well and selling the water could lead to fines or a stint in prison. The laws protecting mineral and natural resources were not merely for show—any natural resource was off-limits for private profit.

Wild mountain ginseng was a rare medicinal herb. As long as he only sold a few roots from his existing stock and kept a low profile, no one would likely take issue with it. However, if a large batch hit the market, it would disrupt trade and invite jealous reports, leading to serious consequences. Moreover, recent regulations strictly prohibited private foraging for wild mountain ginseng.

Typically, such rare medicinal herbs were traded only within elite circles. Chen Jie was just an ordinary person who had graduated from college six months ago; had it not been for the purchase request posted by the "Rongji Traditional Chinese Medicine Hall," it would have been nearly impossible for him to sell even a single root. Because of this, the fact that Rongji had offered a price that satisfied him without trying to swindle him was something he felt deeply grateful for.

***

After leaving the city of Guangzhou, Chen Jie took a high-speed train back to Hengyang that afternoon. Now that he had money, he headed straight for "Old He’s Gold and Silver Jewelry Shop."

He Xiaoyuan was leaning against a chair by the counter, idly playing with her phone. Business had been poor lately. Ever since the rise of online shopping and live-streamed sales, physical retail had become increasingly difficult. Jewelry shops were particularly struggling; young people were no longer interested in wearing gold or silver, and even those who were preferred to buy from large chain stores. A small shop like hers could only survive by taking on custom processing jobs.

Suddenly, she felt a shadow fall across the shop entrance, blocking her view of the phone. She looked up abruptly, then her eyes lit up as she exclaimed in surprise, "You—you're here?"

"Long time no see, did you miss me?" Chen Jie greeted her with a teasing smile.

After saying it, Chen Jie paused for a moment. In the past, he would never have said such a thing. His personality had been dull, even somewhat antisocial, and he had never liked making small talk. He used to feel inherently awkward around women and could never let his guard down. Outside of strictly professional matters, he rarely spoke to them at all. But just now, he realized that upon seeing He Xiaoyuan, he had teased her subconsciously.

This realization flashed through his mind, and he suddenly grasped a truth: his previous reclusive and dull nature was simply due to being poor. When people are poor, they are afraid to speak up and carry an inherent sense of inferiority. With money, however, came confidence; he walked with a spring in his step and spoke with a resonant voice.

"Of course I did! Wait, why do you look so much fairer? And you seem to have grown a bit taller, too!" He Xiaoyuan greeted him with a smile. Her eyes brightened as she couldn't help but look him over. She had brushed off his teasing without a second thought.

Thanks to the "medicinal baths" he had been using, Chen Jie was radiating vitality. His skin had brightened, and his overall state had improved significantly. Now that he had money, his confidence was soaring, giving off an irresistible charm. In reality, beyond physical appearance, the most important trait in a man was confidence. A confident man commanded an aura of power. Some men were handsome but lacked self-assurance, wearing a look of misery that pegged them as losers. Chen Jie had never been bad-looking, but after practicing martial arts, his spirit, energy, and vitality had all been greatly enhanced.

"Chen Jie, what have you been up to lately?" He Xiaoyuan asked with a smile.

Chen Jie stared into her eyes until she felt a flutter in her heart, then he replied with a grin: "I remembered you saying last week that you often suffer from stomach aches, so when I happened to be in Guangzhou, I brought you some fresh seasonal black tea."

"No, you don't have to! I couldn't possibly accept that!" He Xiaoyuan flashed a soft smile. When she saw him take a tin of high-end black tea from his backpack, she was clearly delighted. "Thank you! You really are quite thoughtful."

Chen Jie smiled. "It's just a small token of appreciation for our second meeting."

He Xiaoyuan arched an eyebrow, holding back a laugh. "You're truly funny. Why would you think to give me a gift?"

Chen Jie laughed and, locking eyes with her, blurted out, "Does one need a reason to give a little gift? I wanted to give it, so I did!"

"Pfft!" He Xiaoyuan couldn't help but laugh. "Alright! Thank you. You're quite attentive; I only mentioned my stomach ache once, and you actually remembered."

"Let's talk business," Chen Jie said, dropping the teasing tone. "I need to get more silver rounds this time."

He Xiaoyuan kept her smile and asked, "How many?"

Gifts never go amiss. Chen Jie knew well that he would be dealing with He Xiaoyuan many times in the future. He needed a vast amount of silver, and perhaps gold as well, so maintaining a good relationship with her was essential to avoid unnecessary trouble.

"Fifty kilograms or more," Chen Jie said. "Following the design I gave you last time, I need another two thousand silver rounds."

He Xiaoyuan was stunned. A single silver round weighed 26.5 grams, so two thousand would be 53 kilograms. Why did he need so many? She had heard about many scammers lately; surely he wasn't planning on using all this silver to deceive people? She couldn't help but look him up and down again, but no matter how she looked at him, he didn't seem like a con artist.

"Chen Jie, tell me the truth," she asked, looking suspicious. "What exactly do you want with so many silver rounds?"

Watching her expression, Chen Jie smiled and explained, "Don't worry, I won't do anything illegal!"

He Xiaoyuan stopped questioning him and pulled out her calculator. *Click-clack!* After a moment, she said, "Two thousand silver rounds, based on the current price of silver plus the processing fee, will come to 376,600 yuan. Let's round it down to 370,000."

"Just pay a 50,000-yuan deposit for now, and it will be ready for pickup in a week."

Chen Jie didn't hesitate and immediately paid the 50,000-yuan deposit. He Xiaoyuan then wrote him a receipt. Business was business; no matter how good a verbal promise was, it wasn't as effective as a receipt.

By the time they finished negotiating, it was already evening. Thinking about the large profit from today's order, He Xiaoyuan was in high spirits and cordially invited Chen Jie to dinner. To be honest, they weren't particularly close, but she had a very favorable impression of him. Handsome, tall, wealthy, and confident—in every respect, Chen Jie’s current state could be called excellent. She wanted to share a meal with him, hoping to get to know him better.

Unfortunately, Chen Jie declined once again. He had to rush to the hospital to pay some bills; he had no time to spare.