40: Chapter 40 Finding a bargain in a package

"Zhao Jian, we need that piece of land in the south of the city."

"Which piece?"

Zhao Jian was instinctively unwilling.

But it wasn't easy to object directly, so he could only play dumb for now.

Wang Jiajia wouldn't let him pretend.

She pointed it out: "Your wholesale market."

"Which wholesale market?"

"Are you playing 'Ma Dongmei' with me?! The Chengnan Fruit and Vegetable Wholesale Market!"

Wang Jiajia shouted at the top of her lungs.

Realizing her attitude was wrong, she immediately apologized in a soft voice: "Sorry, I was too loud just now. But we really need that land to serve as a hangar for agricultural drones."

The wholesale market was chosen because it could save on construction costs.

The land was already leveled and the buildings were ready. It could be put into use with just a little modification.

Once they confirmed that the 'Tech + Agriculture' model worked and was well-managed...

...they would then add more investment.

This was a good thing for the farmers.

"What's the compensation plan?"

If the money offered was enough, Zhao Jian wasn't necessarily opposed to the idea.

"Our initial compensation plan is 200,000 yuan in compensation funds."

Wang Jiajia stopped after saying that one sentence.

Zhao Jian was still waiting for the rest when he noticed her searching gaze.

"Nothing else?"

"Nothing."

He wasn't running a charity.

Earning a bit less could be considered a contribution to Xiong City, but making him lose money? No way.

Seeing that Zhao Jian was unwilling...

...Wang Jiajia took the initiative to state the second version of the plan:

"We have another plan. That is, compensating you with an equivalent area of land, also in the south of the city."

Listening to these two unreliable plans, Zhao Jian directly stated his own thoughts:

"Let me tell you my proposal, also in two versions."

"First, I want 500,000 yuan in compensation, plus an equivalent area of land in the south of the city."

"The second version is to give me 200,000 yuan in compensation, plus that empty lot around the Chengxi Vegetable Market."

"I choose the second one, let's sign the contract."

Without even thinking, Wang Jiajia pulled a contract from her bag and filled in the numbers by hand.

She quickly drafted the contract, signed it, and stamped it.

"You... you agreed just like that?"

Looking at the contents of the contract handed over, the words "Replacement of equivalent area around Chengxi Vegetable Market" were printed on the land exchange section.

It was an eyesore!

This woman's original compensation plan was exactly the second option he had proposed.

And the estimated compensation money was definitely no less than 200,000!

He had asked for too little!

Although the land in the west was valuable and Zhao Jian could be said to have made a huge profit...

...he did not feel the joy of victory.

The feeling of being seen through was very unpleasant.

Fortunately, Wang Jiajia told him before leaving that there was special support for building a new fruit and vegetable wholesale market, and he could receive some rewards after starting construction.

This made him feel a lot better.

He notified the operating company that the wholesale market would soon be moved to the Chengxi Vegetable Market.

Then Zhao Jian opened Yin Fu to scroll through short videos.

He didn't know when, but he fell asleep.

When he opened his eyes again, it was already five in the morning.

[Todays Intel (Red): A truckload of abandoned overseas packages will be sold at the Second-hand Flea Market today.

Among them, a package from Wilson in New York contains a box of cheap soap.

However, hidden inside the soap are two pure gold bracelets, with a total weight of about 240 grams.]

Gold again!

But for a box of soap weighing half a jin, has really no one ever suspected it?

He changed into a cheap tracksuit and headed out.

On the way, he saw a Beef Zhaobing shop; the shop wasn't large.

There were already five customers sitting inside.

Zhao Jian found an empty table and sat down.

"Boss, one order of Beef Zhaobing, extra beef and extra soup, no flatbread."

The owner hadn't been influenced by short-video bloggers yet.

Hearing Zhao Jian's way of eating, he was stunned:

"No flatbread, just beef? Can you get full like that?"

"It's fine, if I'm not full, I'll go eat somewhere else."

"You wait, I'll definitely make sure you're stuffed!"

The owner rushed to the kitchen to slice beef for him.

When it was served, it was a large bowl of beef with a small amount of soup.

The Shop Owner said proudly: "Eat up, free refills on the soup. In my shop, there's no such thing as not being full and having to eat somewhere else!"

The soup was delicious.

But there was so much beef that Zhao Jian didn't have a chance to get a refill at all.

After paying, he took a taxi to the Second-hand Market.

This place was a street similar to Antique Street.

Sellers had both shops and stalls.

The types of items sold in the shops were relatively high-end, mostly appliances and furniture.

Zhao Jian had been here before.

He ignored the shops on both sides.

It was unlikely that someone selling abandoned express packages would rent a shop.

A stall was much more likely.

He focused his search along the roadside.

He found it quickly.

It was a medium-sized truck, and the cargo bed was full of express boxes.

A young man was currently throwing them down.

A dirty cloth was spread on the ground.

The express boxes rolled onto the cloth, making various sounds.

Several people were already squatting in front of the stall, picking through them.

Zhao Jian hurriedly walked over as well.

He was a bit anxious.

In case that box containing the gold bracelets was snatched up by someone else...

...he would lose out on earning over 200,000 yuan!

Earning less was equivalent to a loss!

There were many packages; Zhao Jian only carefully observed boxes weighing more than half a jin.

When he found the weight felt about right, he checked the shipping label for the word for 'soap'.

Even if it didn't have it, he would give it a shake.

This method of inspection wasted time.

It also attracted attention.

The young stall owner unloaded all the boxes onto the stall and asked Zhao Jian with a smile:

"Buddy, what are you looking for? I'll help you look."

Most people just wanted to make a profit.

They didn't really care what was in the box.

They also picked, but never this seriously.

"I'm short on a set of toiletries—shampoo, soap, toothpaste, body wash."

Zhao Jian pretended to casually state his needs.

"Sure, I'll keep an eye out for you."

After saying that, he also started rummaging.

Just as Zhao Jian was worrying if his target had already been bought, a young woman shook a box in her hand and then tossed it to Zhao Jian:

"You're looking for soap, right? This is it."

Zhao Jian said thanks, took it, and also listened for the sound.

He couldn't hear anything.

"Smell it, it has a soap scent," the woman said, pointing to her nose.

He leaned in and took a sniff; there indeed was.

And the weight also met his requirements.

Zhao Jian looked at the shipping label.

Recipient: Wilson

Address: New York

That's right, this is the one!

"Boss, I'll take this one." Zhao Jian transferred 20 yuan to the stall owner.

After paying, he didn't rush to open it.

Instead, he walked a long way away before taking out the two large bars of soap inside.

The soaps were hollow.

Finding a place with no one around, he smashed them into pieces.

A gold bracelet fell out from each one.

Zhao Jian picked them up and wiped them clean, his eyes widening.

A fortune!