33: Chapter 33 Negotiation

Huang Yuemin's gang were severely beaten by the deceased's family and then taken away by the police for detention.

Zhao Jian believed they would be quiet for a few days.

Coincidentally, Su Wanyin called; she was returning to Xiong City in the afternoon and asked to meet for a meal.

After having refused her several times already, Zhao Jian finally agreed.

The location was the Old Stove Stewed Mixed Fish Restaurant.

It had a lot of local character.

The restaurant wasn't large, with a layout no different from an ordinary Shaxian Delicacy eatery.

There was no server when he walked in, only a few scattered tables of customers.

Su Wanyin was sitting at a table playing on her phone.

It seemed she had fallen on hard times; she used to always ask him to bars.

Today, she had actually chosen a small restaurant.

"What are you looking at so intently?" Zhao Jian sat down opposite her.

Hearing his voice, Su Wanyin slammed her phone face down on the table.

A sheepish smile appeared on her face.

Zhao Jian thought to himself: She must have been looking at something inappropriate for minors.

But he didn't call her out on it.

He just picked up the menu and asked, "Are your dietary restrictions still the same as before?"

She didn't eat spicy food, soybeans, or garlic.

"Yeah, you still remember?"

A young girl's bashfulness is more charming than anything else.

But she wasn't a young girl, so her bashful look failed to move Zhao Jian.

He ordered the food, informing the owner who came to serve them about the restrictions.

Then Zhao Jian asked, "Is asking me out just for a meal?"

Su Wanyin's expression darkened.

She thought to herself: What else would it be for?

But she didn't dare say it.

She had managed to get him out with great difficulty; even if she had to pretend there was something to discuss just to sit a bit longer, she would.

"I have something I can't decide on and wanted to hear your advice."

The food was served quickly.

The main dish was a pot of various small fish and shrimp stewed together.

Pre-prepared fish!

He picked up a piece and tasted it; the flavor was actually quite good.

Then he asked, "Go ahead, I'm listening."

Back in university, whenever Su Wanyin had an important matter she couldn't decide on, she would ask for his opinion.

Then, being naturally rebellious, she would do the exact opposite of Zhao Jian's suggestion.

"The treatment at the Xiong City branch is very good, and the leadership promised a raise in six months and a promotion in two years. I'm already at K7; the next step up is District Manager."

Zhao Jian didn't understand what that meant.

But he nodded as if he understood.

Anyway, he wasn't planning on giving good advice.

"Now a company in Magic City wants to headhunt me. The monthly salary is 30,000, which is nearly double what I make here. Plus, I'd start directly at K7 there, and if things go smoothly, I could be promoted to management by next year."

Su Wanyin tasted a few small river shrimp from the mixed fish stew.

She really enjoyed eating it.

While Zhao Jian was checking his phone to ask bean bun what 'K7' meant, her chopsticks were moving so fast they were practically smoking.

Zhao Jian put down his phone.

Based on this woman's past rebellious behavior, he would do the opposite of what he wanted her to do.

"My advice is, of course, to stay in Xiong City. Don't you know your own worth? In Magic City, there are plenty of people better than you; when would it ever be your turn to stand out?"

Perfect.

Zhao Jian was secretly waiting for her to make the decision to go to Magic City.

"Okay, then I'll listen to you," Su Wanyin said, nodding with a grin.

Oh no, she's not playing by the rules!

Just as Zhao Jian was eating in confusion,

The Vegetable Market welcomed another group of uninvited guests.

They didn't cause trouble, but a group of them were pointing and gesturing inside the market.

Occasionally, they would take photos to record things.

When Aunt Liu noticed them, she asked, "What are you all doing?"

"Ma'am, we're from Eighteen Lines Financial Investment Company. I'm the boss, Wang Peng."

"Go call your boss over. We want to acquire this Vegetable Market."

An acquisition was a big deal.

Aunt Liu didn't dare delay and quickly dialed Zhao Jian's number.

After hearing the news about the acquisition,

Zhao Jian immediately guessed that the boss behind Old Black Huang's group was losing patience.

But he hadn't expected Wang Peng to be involved in this.

Without delay, he quickly took a taxi to the Vegetable Market.

Coming here twice in one day—he didn't know if he could make money, but he certainly got to experience how busy a boss could be.

Wang Peng was accompanied by three people.

He only recognized one of them: a thin, dark Middle-aged Man from the Chengnan Wholesale Market who had once ordered the entire wholesale market not to sell cilantro to him at a low price.

The arrested Old Black Huang also came from South City.

"Zhao Jian, you've struck gold!" Wang Peng said with a smile, reaching out to pat Zhao Jian's shoulder.

You're the one who struck gold, your whole family struck gold!

Zhao Jian frowned.

He thought to himself: Nothing good ever comes out of your mouth.

Then he said expressionlessly, "So you're the one who wants to buy my market?"

Before Wang Peng could answer with a smile,

He immediately added, "Not for sale."

Wang Peng's words were stuck in his throat, making him feel stifled and uncomfortable.

The thin, dark Middle-aged Man rolled up his sleeves and stepped forward. "Our President Wang buying your dump is giving you face. Don't force us brothers to get physical!"

Zhao Jian didn't even look at him.

He just said nonchalantly, "Instead of acting tough, why don't you find out how many years your brother named Huang will be inside?"

"You!" The thin, dark Middle-aged Man backed down.

He knew that the subordinates who had come to cause trouble in the morning had been arrested and were facing jail time.

It would be very difficult to use underhanded tactics to cause trouble in the future.

Wang Peng had seen this, which was why he wanted to negotiate the acquisition while the market had only been stable for a short time.

It made it easier to drive the price down.

In his view, Zhao Jian must have bought the Vegetable Market with a loan.

He would be anxious to recoup his capital.

Now that the market's operations had been hit several times, the customer flow had decreased.

The vegetable vendors would surely be affected.

Zhao Jian, short on cash and unable to quickly recover his costs, would have no choice but to sell the market.

And he, Wang Peng, was the only person who could save Zhao Jian.

Because he was prepared to buy this place for the high price of 350,000!

Of course, he wasn't being kind; he had just received inside information that the land value of the Chengxi Vegetable Market was about to increase.

"Zhao Jian, I'm helping you." Wang Peng's gaze was arrogant.

He pointed to the roof of the Vegetable Market.

There were some cracks there.

"Look at how dilapidated this place is. In your hands, it won't last two years before it needs repairs and replacement. But do you have the money?"

"The money you used to buy the market was borrowed, right? Even without interest, 400,000 is enough to take you ten years to pay back!"

"If you don't sell, it will just rot in your hands and you'll lose everything!"

The more he spoke, the more reasonable he felt he was being.

In his excitement, he tried to pat Zhao Jian's shoulder again.

It was brushed away again.

But Wang Peng didn't mind. He continued to persuade him:

"But if you sell the market to me, I can give you 350,000!"

"That way, you only need to work hard for one year, at most two, to pay off your debts."

Worrying that Zhao Jian would refuse, he even gritted his teeth and promised:

"If you're worried about not finding a job, I can arrange for you to work at my company!"

Zhao Jian almost laughed from anger.

Buying his market, which was worth at least 600,000, for 350,000—and he was expected to be grateful?

Truly ridiculous.

"I won't sell the Vegetable Market. If your Chengnan Wholesale Market has any intention of selling, you can come find me instead."

Zhao Jian made a gesture to see them out.

Wang Peng and the people he brought with him were baffled.

"You want to buy the wholesale market? Zhao Jian, what are you pretending for? You're just a pauper; do you even have the money to buy it? You can act tough in front of ordinary folks because you borrowed money to buy a Vegetable Market, but you're acting tough in front of me, Wang Peng?"

"That's not your concern. As long as the price is right, I can naturally come up with the money."

Zhao Jian's calmness made Wang Peng even angrier.

He hated it most when people acted calm in front of him; it made him look like a monkey jumping up and down in comparison.

"Fine! Fine! You want to keep up the act? Then I'll tell you, the wholesale market belongs to my uncle. Since you want to buy it, I'll make the call—500,000!"

Hearing this, Zhao Jian's heart pounded wildly.

On the surface, he remained as calm as a breeze.

"Fine. The day after tomorrow in the afternoon, we'll set a place to complete the transaction."

Before Wang Peng turned to leave, Zhao Jian, worried he would go back on his word, added: "I hope you're a man of your word. Don't turn into a coward when the time comes."

The acquisition of the Chengnan Wholesale Market was halfway there!