Auction 0066

  "Speak up, what conditions?" I asked with a sincere expression, suppressing the anger in my heart.

  It's true that when asking others for help, there are always conditions attached.

  Is this how the world is? It seems I need to learn more and get prepared for the future.

  Hei Shu looked at me and said, leaning against my back: "I don't know what happened between you two, but I know you need my help. As soon as Xiao Jiu Ye speaks up, how dare I not listen? So tell me..."

  When I heard this, my heart started to panic and my throat tightened. He obviously wanted to get me to talk, just like the Zhou family did, but the problem was that I had no idea what happened at that time.

  "What's inside the golden coffin?"

  As expected, fortunately, I was mentally prepared and didn't swear out loud.

  "I don't know, this question, so many people ask me, my answer is the same, the golden coffin was not opened by me, it was opened by Ye's family's Yan... " As I said this, my face suddenly changed color, and it seemed like I remembered something in my mind, and I screamed out loud.

  "Wait a minute, it seems like there's something like that. Let me think for a moment." I furrowed my brow tightly and tried hard to recall the situation at that time.

  When we rushed in, where did those people who went in before go? Why can't I see anyone?

  What was taken away from them in the golden coffin?

  When Master Yan opened the coffin, he gently pushed it open with a knife, which doesn't make sense.

  From my own point of view, a normal coffin, how can an ordinary person possibly push it open with a knife?

  Unless someone had tampered with the coffin, Master Yan would not have been able to open the coffin lid so easily.

  The things inside have long been gone, how can we see them from behind?

  Is it Qi Xie who took that thing away?

  My imagination is limited to this extent, and I couldn't think of anyone else who could have such great abilities.

  "I know!" I exclaimed with joy, even Hei Shu beside me seemed exceptionally excited.

  "Do you know? Yan Ye used a knife to open the golden coffin, think about it, how could an ordinary coffin be pushed open with just a knife?" That's why we've always overlooked the existence of this reason.

  Someone opened the coffin before us, so when we went there was nothing left, not even the white gas that suddenly burst out of the coffin, which might have been put in by that person.

  But who is that person?

  "You're saying that the coffin has been tampered with." Hei Shu's face looked exceptionally ugly, and even his gaze at me had changed, with a hint of gloominess and anger.

  No one knows what's inside the golden coffin except for the person who got here before us.

  "In two days, I'll let people take a look at your body, and it's best if you can recover naturally." Hei Shu threw down these words and hastily left.

  He looked like he had something urgent, and hurried away, I didn't even try to stop him.

  The next morning, I immediately called on Little Skinny Monkey to set out, but he said: "No hurry, we'll start tonight."

  I'm a bit puzzled and said: "A day's plan is made in the morning, doing business can't start early, waiting until afternoon? The yellow flower dishes are all cold."

  The thin monkey was extremely calm and said: "But doing this underworld business is different, it's better to take action at night."

  Isn't it like Ghost Festival, starting at midnight?

  "You're so used to doing this kind of thing, aren't you?" I teased him, and his face turned as dark as the pages of a book, suddenly turning black, and he gave me a cold face.

  I thought it was just a joke, usually we two often do this, you kick me a few feet, I kick him a few feet, often mutually who didn't tear each other down.

  I was stunned, a smile frozen on my face, and for a moment, I didn't know what to feel.

  There's an inexplicable feeling in my heart. Although I often bully Xiao Shou Huan on the surface, to be honest, I consider him a friend. We usually just bicker and joke around, no one takes it seriously. If he really needs help with something, I'll definitely stand up for him.

  It's like in a grave, everyone helps each other out, I've long considered him as a brother.

  Now, coming out is quite different from before.

  I don't know anyone in Beijing and have no one to rely on. This time I came, just want to sell that jade pendant, use the money from the jade pendant to make a living.

  Old Mr. Zhou recommended Xiao Shou Hou to me, so there must be his reason.

  But now, everyone's like that, I'm also a face-saving person, this time, my heart has cooled down, what's the point of selling this crappy jade pendant?

  My temper flared up, and I immediately stood up, coldly saying to him: "I was wrong, I apologize. This time, let's just pretend I never came, no need for you to take any damn risk."

  I turned back to the house, packed my things, and didn't sell the jade pendant anymore. I went back to find another way out. Damn it, even if I stood on the street with a horn and shouted, I wouldn't be afraid that no one would want me.

  Damn it, he's gone crazy with wealth, always wanting to squeeze into the rich crowd. From now on, I won't have this daydream anymore. Money is really too vulgar.

  Just as I was thinking about it, I suddenly caught a glimpse of someone's shadow flashing by the door. I took a look and my anger grew even more intense: "No need to hurry me away, I'll leave right now."

  The thin monkey's face changed several times, and when I walked to the door with my bag, he said in a low voice: "It was my fault just now. You can think that I farted just now, don't mind me."

  Fart?

  "You said: 'Your fart is really smelly and can knock people down.'"

  The little monkey was taken aback by my words, looking somewhat conflicted, as if he had made up his mind, and finally let out a sigh and said, "Our family doesn't do any legitimate business."

  I think to myself: How many people are doing business in a regular way, either evading taxes or exploiting their employees.

  The thin monkey seemed to have seen through my thoughts and continued: "Things are too complicated here, I've been living in this environment since I was a kid, and I'm already used to it. Originally, there was nothing wrong with it, but something happened when I was in sixth grade of elementary school. I beat up that kid so badly that he ended up in the hospital several times. From then on, I started to feel a sense of disgust towards this kind of life..."

  So you went to Changsha to study?

  The thin monkey nodded and said slowly: "I haven't been home for eight whole years... but now, no matter how much I hate this profession, I have to keep doing it."

  I originally wanted to ask why, but as soon as I thought about this topic, Xiao Shou Hou became sensitive like a woman, and I vaguely guessed that Xiao Shou Hou's so-called business was probably not aboveboard, and it was likely some shady and illegal dealings. In the end, I couldn't help but wonder what he did for a living - was he a drug dealer? A member of an organized crime syndicate?

  My limited imagination, apart from these, I really can't think of any other improper business. At this moment, I finally understand why Xiao Shou Hou would get angry. That sentence of mine that seemed harmless probably touched his sore spot.

  Sending people to hospital several times since primary school? It seems that Little Skinny Monkey had a strong hatred for this industry back then.

  So I changed the subject: "Although I used to despise those who deduct workers' wages, all 360 professions are outstanding. I believe you will do very well. And I won't discriminate against you, don't worry, I still consider you a brother. Now that you have money and power, you must take care of me more in the future."

  The thin monkey choked again, rolled his eyes and cursed: "Can't you be less common?"

  Now that we've both calmed down, business still needs to be done. Once everything is out in the open, there's nothing more to it.

  Then we went to the restaurant for a seafood dinner, where Xiao Shou Hou told me about the place we were going to tonight. It's a leisure club located in Xicheng District, Beijing. On the surface, it's just a leisure club, but in reality, it's a big den of thieves. If you're not in the trade, you wouldn't know.

  Inside, various businesses are conducted, including the sale of antiques, jade and gold. The jade pendant in my hand can be considered both a piece of jewelry and an antique. However, Little Skinny Monkey said that if we call it an antique, we can raise the price. I asked him why, and he replied: "You don't understand this, most people who participate in these transactions are wealthy men, and they care more about face than anything else. Buying a jade pendant with antique value is much more impressive than buying a piece of jewelry."

  I thought it over carefully, and indeed that's how it is.

  According to Xiao Shou Hou, this place almost has normal transactions every day, but no matter what kind of transaction, as long as the sign is hung up, the first thing to do is to pay the entrance fee. The entrance fee varies according to the value of the item, ranging from 50,000 to 1 million, so ordinary people can't even get in.

  Just tonight, there happens to be an antique trading session, starting at midnight and before 6 pm tomorrow afternoon, goods can be pawned. This has become a habit, on this day, those rich people who want to play with antiques will almost all show up.

  I muttered under my breath and said: "Then isn't the boss of this club pretty awesome?"