Chapter 138: So you’re using me as a bargaining chip, huh?!!

Ming Dai followed the direction of Zhou Sinian’s gaze, but only saw a small black sedan.

"There's nobody there, is there?"

Zhou Sinian looked at the car and said with certainty, "They are in the car. Should we follow them?"

Ming Dai watched the car pulling away. "Our two legs definitely can't outrun their four wheels."

Zhou Sinian was about to retort, but then he looked at Ming Dai’s legs and nodded in agreement. "You’re right!"

Ming Dai: What is that supposed to mean?! So my short legs are holding you back?!

Deciding not to bicker with him, Ming Dai looked at the main gate of the municipal government building. "Let's come back tonight. Mayor Wei should return before he gets off work. If he doesn't, I’ll find the guard and try to chat him up to see if I can get the address of Mayor Wei’s home."

Zhou Sinian nodded.

A minute later, a pair of grandfather and grandson walked into the alley. The grandfather was hunched over, leaning on a cane, his steps trembling as he walked.

The grandson supportively held his arm, constantly reminding him to walk slowly because the road was slippery.

By all appearances, they were a very loving pair of grandfather and grandson.

In reality, Zhou Sinian whispered, "Ming Dai, do I have to tremble while walking? This is a bit difficult."

Ming Dai wore a simple, honest smile on her face, while her mouth fired off ruthless instructions: "You must tremble. Follow my rhythm. Come on, one-two-one-tremble, one-two-one-tremble..."

The two of them kept their eyes on the old men and women carrying bags and baskets on the road, following them for several streets until they found a hidden entrance.

Before they even went inside, Ming Dai spotted a familiar figure.

Master Qin the Fifth.

He looked rather unkempt, likely having pulled an all-nighter; his eyelids were swollen, but he was flushed with excitement.

Before he could enter, a man who looked somewhat like him came out to greet him.

Ming Dai helped Zhou Sinian quicken his trembling pace and followed them inside.

The thug searching people at the entrance chuckled as he watched the grandfather and grandson being let in: "Is the old man having a stroke? Those little trembling steps are actually quite rhythmic."

Once inside, the two could no longer see Master Qin the Fifth; he had likely gone off to talk to the man from earlier.

As usual, Ming Dai asked for prices, helping Zhou Sinian tremble his way through every single stall.

While asking questions, she observed the layout of the place.

Whether it was the arrangement of the stalls or the positioning of the thugs, it was identical to the black market in Yudai County, possessing quite the flair of standardized operations seen in modern chain stores.

It seemed this was also an industry belonging to the Qin family.

Sticking to the principle of dealing with the familiar rather than the unknown, Ming Dai decided to test the waters with the master of this black market.

She whispered to Zhou Sinian for a while, then helped him walk toward the entrance.

As it happened, the skinny thug who worked as a doorman for Master Qin the Fifth was there, chatting with the people from this black market.

When Ming Dai helped Zhou Sinian over, she slipped a note into the doorman’s hand and then helped him walk straight away.

The thug was illiterate; he looked at the note in his hand back and forth, unable to make sense of it.

But the skinny guy was familiar with this trick!

He snatched the note and took a look—sure enough, it was the familiar cut-and-paste lettering!

Unable to spare time for explanations, he excitedly grabbed the note and ran into the black market.

A short while later, in a small shed at the mouth of the alley, Master Qin the Fifth looked at the old man and the young man opposite him with excitement, his face flushed red.

Beside him, Master Qin the Third, seeing his younger brother so worked up, felt confused and secretly pinched him.

Unfortunately, Master Qin the Fifth was so high on excitement that he couldn't feel a thing!

It was the familiar ritual of handing over a note, only this time, it was Zhou Sinian who passed it.

It’s here, it’s here!

Master Qin the Fifth shouted silently in his heart, respectfully receiving the note with both hands.

The familiar cut-and-paste lettering, and the shocking variety and quantity of supplies listed!

A noble person! Definitely a noble person!

Master Qin the Fifth gripped the note tightly, his eyes gleaming as he looked at the grandfather and grandson before him. "Old sir, the price is no problem. Give us two hours to scrape the money together. May I ask where it would be convenient for you to meet?"

Master Qin the Third: !!!!

How is the price "no problem"?!

What kind of goods are these?!!!

Fifth Brother, have you forgotten that this is my territory!!!

Master Qin the Third increased the strength of his pinch under the table, but unfortunately, the Fifth Master remained as steady as an old dog.

Ming Dai and Zhou Sinian had already decided on the transaction location: the vacant lot behind the municipal government building. Due to historical issues, that area had always been abandoned, containing only a small, dilapidated building that had already been stripped of anything of value.

If Master Qin the Fifth and his crew dared to play any tricks, Ming Dai wouldn't hesitate to call for help. Besides, it was easy for her and Zhou Sinian to find a place to hide in their space, but the same couldn't be said for the others.

Once this was said, the two men opposite fell silent.

Trading behind the municipal government building—how was that any different from a fly landing on a bald man's head?

Master Qin the Fifth carefully asked twice more, and upon receiving the same answer, he gritted his teeth!

If you aren't ruthless, your position isn't secure. Let’s gamble!

"Fine! We’ll see you then!"

Master Qin the Third: !!!!

How did it become "we'll see you then"!!

Fifth Brother, have you lost your mind!!!

Having gotten what she wanted, Ming Dai smiled contentedly and helped Zhou Sinian leave with small, trembling steps.

Master Qin the Fifth stood up to see them off, and seeing the same trembling steps as the old lady had, his hanging heart finally dropped into place.

They tremble so much alike!

They must be family!

I’ve encountered noble people again!

The Qin family’s rise is finally in sight!!

I must worship the ancestors when I get home! The ancestors have manifested their spirits!!!

Once the people had completely disappeared, Master Qin the Third grabbed Master Qin the Fifth by the collar and shook him violently.

"Fifth, have you lost your damn mind?! I didn't know anything, and you just agreed to everything!"

Master Qin the Fifth, his eyes bloodshot with excitement, handed over the note he was clutching and lowered his voice as he leaned in toward Master Qin the Third. "Third Brother, trust me, just do exactly as it says. These are noble people, the kind you only meet once in a lifetime. Also, my 'damn' is your 'damn'—don't curse yourself."

Master Qin the Third skeptically loosened his grip on his collar and took the note. One glance was enough to make him grip it tight.

"Fifth, I’m not seeing things, am I?!"

Master Qin the Fifth laughed so hard he nearly fainted. "Ga ga ga!! You’re not seeing things, Third Brother! Our Qin family is going to be rich! Ga ga ga!!!"

Master Qin the Third wasn't stupid, and he immediately connected this to the batch of goods from the end of the year and what his fifth brother had mentioned earlier.

"Let's go, let's go! Home! Worship the ancestors! We must worship the ancestors!! The ancestors have manifested!! My Qin family is going to be rich!! Ga ga ga!!!"

Master Qin the Fifth shoved him away. "To hell with going home! Hurry up and scrape the money together! We only have two hours!"

Master Qin the Third realized, "Oh, oh, oh, right, right! Let's go, let's go, home! Home!"

Master Qin the Fifth was speechless. "I just said we need to gather money, what are we going home for?"

Master Qin the Third glared at him. "In such a short time, where can we get so much money? We’re going home to take the ancestral tablets to go borrow money from Big Boss Hei. If we put the tablets up as collateral, he’ll definitely give it to us!"

Master Qin the Fifth also realized. "Oh, oh, oh, right, right! Let's go, let's go, home! Home!"

The Qin ancestors: Using me as a pawn, are you? You really are filial children!!!!

The two hurried and finally managed to scrape the money together within two hours.

Wearing oversized old men's cotton-padded jackets, the two crept behind the municipal government building and found the grandfather and grandson waiting in the dilapidated little building.

Before they could ask anything, Ming Dai waved her small hand and pointed inside.

The two went in excitedly and came out swaying as they supported each other.

Ga ga ga ga!

This time, we’re really going to be rich!!!

In the end, Ming Dai left carrying two old men's cotton-padded jackets.

Master Qin the Fifth and Master Qin the Third mobilized all their connections.

Master Qin the Third took wine and meat to bribe the night-patrolling police, handling every relationship to ensure there were no slip-ups.

Master Qin the Fifth led his thugs to carry the goods back manually under the cover of night.

Fortunately, they had their own ways, and they managed to get all the goods without any accidents.

It was this batch of goods that laid the foundation for the Qin family’s future development.

Years later, when Ming Dai saw in the capital that the heads of the Qin family's chain supermarkets were the two Qin brothers, she was somewhat surprised. She hadn't expected them to actually pull it off.

And in the Qin family, there remained a legendary myth about an old grandfather and an old grandmother!