Offloading the Goods

After resting at the inn for a day, Li Banfeng and Xiaopang hired a carriage and set out. Li Banfeng had thought Qin Xiaopang would take him somewhere truly out of the ordinary. In reality, the place Qin Xiaopang brought him to was Ligou. Standing on the street, Qin Xiaopang cautioned him, "Brother, that guy is far too crafty. Don't listen to him whine, and don't listen to him cry hardship. You need to have a price in mind, and you absolutely cannot sell below it!" Li Banfeng did have an expected price in mind. His bottom line was a thousand dollars a pill; below that price, he wouldn't sell. The logic was simple: if something worth ten thousand couldn't even fetch a thousand, Li Banfeng would rather eat the pills himself. In any case, he wasn't short on travel money. He still remembered the peddler's exhortation: a cultivator could never neglect their daily cultivation. If he ran into an unusual situation in the future where he couldn't go out, or couldn't return to the Portable Abode, having a snake-spot pill could make up for a day's cultivation. If the renowned sprinter Qiao Yuesheng had possessed enough snake-spot pills, he probably wouldn't have died such a miserable death. Having made up his mind, Li Banfeng asked Qin Xiaopang, "Aren't you coming with me?" Qin Xiaopang shook his head. "I'm in no rush to sell mine. Such good pills, I can't bear to let them go for cheap either. I was originally going to go with you to haggle, but last time I went there to buy weapons, I got a bit impatient and our talk soured our rapport a little. I won't get in your way this time. When you're done with business, I'll be waiting for you at the steamed bun shop at the corner of the street." After all the secrecy, the place Xiaopang had found turned out to be Feng's Grocery Store. Then again, without Xiaopang's tip, Li Banfeng never would have guessed a grocery store would buy medicinal pills. Stepping into the shop, Shopkeeper Feng greeted him with a smiling face. "Boss Li, you're back! How was your haul on this venture?" Li Banfeng smiled. "The haul wasn't bad. In fact, I came to you to offload some goods." Shopkeeper Feng was taken aback. "Boss Li, we don't buy snake-spot chrysanthemums here. I don't have the recipe to refine pills." "It's not chrysanthemums. Let's find somewhere to talk." Shopkeeper Feng invited Li Banfeng into the back room. First, Li Banfeng took out thirteen hundred dollars. "Five hundred for the scythe, eight hundred for the shovel. Debt settled first!" Shopkeeper Feng smiled and accepted the money. "Boss Li is generous! What goods might Boss Li wish to offload here?" Li Banfeng produced a snake-spot pill and handed it to Shopkeeper Feng. Shopkeeper Feng took the pill, put on his reading glasses, and examined it for a long while before nodding. "Fine quality. Better than what the medicine firms put out." Li Banfeng took a sip of tea and smiled. "Shopkeeper Feng knows his wares!" Shopkeeper Feng smiled as well, then returned the pill to Li Banfeng. Li Banfeng was startled. "What's this? You won't take it?" Shopkeeper Feng shook his head. "It's not that I won't take it, but I must explain my rules first. This isn't a medicine firm; it's a grocery store. While I can make the deal, it isn't my main line of business. In a medicine firm, this pill would be worth twelve thousand, but here with me, I can't offer that kind of price. I don't know how to refine pills, so buying and reselling, I have to earn a margin. On top of that, if the pills sit here, who knows when I'll find a buyer. So I have to press the price down, and I'm afraid it won't satisfy you." Li Banfeng nodded. Crying hardship and whining—Li Banfeng had been prepared for this all along. But no matter what the man said, if it was lower than a thousand, Li Banfeng definitely wouldn't sell. "Name your price." Shopkeeper Feng held up five fingers. Li Banfeng thought he meant five hundred, and his brow was just about to furrow when he heard Shopkeeper Feng say, "Fifty percent off. At most I can give half price: six thousand dollars a pill." Li Banfeng's heart settled. Six thousand dollars a pill—for him, that price was more than satisfactory. Satisfied as he was inside, Li Banfeng didn't let it show on his face. "Six thousand is a bit low, but it depends on how many you can take, Shopkeeper Feng." Shopkeeper Feng stroked his mustache. "That depends on how many Boss Li wants to offload." "Sixty-five pills. Can you take them?" Shopkeeper Feng nodded. "I can." "Shopkeeper Feng is a straightforward man. Deal!" With that, Li Banfeng brought out a bag and poured the pills out. Shopkeeper Feng counted the quantity and nodded. "Boss Li is straightforward as well. With an amount this large, any other shop would likely put it on credit, but here with me today, I'll pay in hard cash." With that, Shopkeeper Feng waved over the clerk. The grocery store had only one clerk, named Shengzi. Shopkeeper Feng whispered a few words to him, and Shengzi went behind the shelves, slipped through a small door, and shortly returned carrying a leather suitcase. Right in front of Li Banfeng, Boss Feng popped the suitcase open. Ten thousand per stack, packed with thirty-nine stacks of banknotes. Small though the shop was, this Shopkeeper Feng truly had deep pockets. "Three hundred and ninety thousand. Count it, please." Li Banfeng smiled. "As if I wouldn't trust Shopkeeper Feng?" Li Banfeng counted it three times, then packed up the leather suitcase. Having put away the pills, Shopkeeper Feng said with a smile, "Boss Li, thank you for your patronage. Our business is concluded, but we must make the rules clear. I didn't ask where you got the pills, and you cannot inquire about who I sell them to or for what price later on." "Rest assured, I won't break your rules." How could Li Banfeng have any interest in meddling with that? Once he took the money, he would head straight to the station, buy a ticket, and hurry back to Yuezhou. First, he would feel out the situation to see if the people from the Dark Star Bureau would let him off. If nothing major was brewing, he would rush to the hospital to check on He Jiaqing's condition. Li Banfeng picked up the money case and was about to leave when Shopkeeper Feng called out, "Boss Li, wait a moment. The item you wanted—I've kept it for you this whole time." With that, Shopkeeper Feng pulled away the cloth drape, and the gramophone appeared before Li Banfeng once again. An antique rosewood cabinet with three brass horns—one large and two small. The design alone made it impossible for Li Banfeng to pull his eyes away. "Boss Li, do you still want this gramophone?" Shopkeeper Feng watched Li Banfeng's expression, formulating his next pitch. "I do want it, but I'm traveling far. Carrying something like this wouldn't be very convenient." Li Banfeng forced his eyes away from the gramophone. Shopkeeper Feng seemed deeply surprised. "You don't need to take it with you on your travels; just leave it at home." Li Banfeng held the lidded teacup and took another sip. "Leaving it at home with no one to look after it—wouldn't that be ruining such a fine thing?" Hearing this, the clerk kept giving frantic looks to the shopkeeper. Shopkeeper Feng gave a soft sigh. "Boss Li is a straightforward man. Since you fancy this gramophone, I had planned to give you a discount and sell it to you for a hundred and eighty thousand." Li Banfeng took a deep breath. "Wait, give me more time." Shopkeeper Feng picked up a record, set it onto the turntable, added two cups of water, and lit the wick beneath the machine. *Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!* From the small brass horn on the right, steam puffed out rhythmically. The record began to spin, and a gentle crackle of surface noise gradually arose. "The butterfly flutters away, and the heart wanders too. Through the bleak, long night, who will come to wipe the tears flooding my cheeks..." That song again. *Wild Grass and Idle Flowers Meet the Spring*. Li Banfeng found himself struggling to resist. Shopkeeper Feng sighed softly. "Yesterday, a customer took a liking to this gramophone, but I said it had already been reserved by another customer and refused to sell it to him. Boss Li, if you wait any longer, I'm afraid I won't be able to hold onto it. I had truly hoped to wait for your return so we could enjoy another song together, but the next time you come, I fear you won't even be able to hear it anymore." Return? Would he ever return? Once back in Yuezhou, Li Banfeng planned to find any ordinary job and live in the Portable Abode from then on—no mortgage, no commuting stress, just living a happy little life. To Puluo Province, he probably would never return. With that thought, Li Banfeng abruptly rose to his feet, grabbed the money case, and walked out of the grocery store. The sorrowful melody lingered in the shop. The clerk stamped his foot and looked at Shopkeeper Feng. "Shopkeeper, I could tell he truly wanted to buy it! We set the price too high." Shopkeeper Feng sighed repeatedly. "I had no choice! If we sell it too cheap, this thing refuses to leave through the door!" The clerk's face was full of misery. "What do we do now? When will we ever be able to get rid of this thing!" Shopkeeper Feng was filled with helplessness, and sighs and lamentations echoed through the grocery store. The song finished playing, and the stylus reached the end of the groove. Shopkeeper Feng put out the flame and purged the steam. Just as he was about to close the gramophone's lid, he suddenly saw Li Banfeng walk back in. "One hundred and sixty thousand. Deal or no deal?" The clerk looked toward Shopkeeper Feng with eyes full of hope. Shopkeeper Feng deliberated for a moment, keeping his expression calm. "Sold!" A few beads of sweat seeped from his forehead. Shopkeeper Feng casually wiped them away, refusing to let any slip show in front of Li Banfeng. Li Banfeng immediately counted out a hundred and sixty thousand and slapped it onto the table. Shopkeeper Feng didn't even count it; he swept up the cash directly and instructed the clerk, "Shengzi, ready a cart and deliver the goods for Boss Li!" The clerk was just about to go prepare a cart when Li Banfeng called out, "Hold on!" The clerk froze in alarm, looking back at Shopkeeper Feng. Shopkeeper Feng remained composed. "Boss Li, the deal is struck. Haggling down further wouldn't be proper." Li Banfeng shook his head. "Not haggling. I want to buy a few other things." He wanted to buy a bed. Since he intended to live in the Portable Abode long-term, sleeping on the floor forever certainly wouldn't do. He had originally planned to buy a bed after returning to Yuezhou—shopping online was cheaper and offered far more styles. Yet considering the journey ahead, Li Banfeng decided to just get one right here at the grocery store. He didn't want to stay in the train car anymore; he didn't want to encounter another three-headed monster at Santoucha, nor did he want to resist unbearable temptations at Kudaikan. He could just stay inside the Portable Abode. As long as he hid the key properly, he could successfully steer clear of all dangers in the carriage. Once he bought a bed and stocked up on food and drink, even if the train broke down again, it wouldn't disrupt his happy life in the slightest. "Buy a bed..." Shopkeeper Feng was about to say they didn't have any, but right beside the shelves in the back room stood a four-poster wooden bed. "Four-poster" meant the bed had four support pillars with a canopy overhead and railings around the sides. The frame was 1.5 meters wide and 1.2 meters high, the whole structure resembling a cozy little house, offering an extraordinary sense of security when sleeping inside. Li Banfeng took a liking to it. "Shopkeeper Feng, name a price." Shopkeeper Feng didn't look at the bed; his eyes were glued to the gramophone. Whether it was an illusion or not, the gramophone seemed to stir ever so slightly. *Not good. This thing might not want to leave.* Shopkeeper Feng gritted his teeth. "Boss Li, I appreciate how straightforward you are, and you've given me plenty of business. This bed—I'm giving it to you for free!" He didn't want to waste another second. He couldn't afford the slightest delay. Li Banfeng waved his hands repeatedly. "How could I possibly accept that..." "Boss Li, if you don't take it, you look down on me!" "That's not how it works. For such a fine bed, how could I take it off your hands for nothing? Name a price, and let me check out some bedding." "Bedding is easy! Shengzi, bring out two sets of satin-faced bedding for Boss Li!" "No, wait, Shopkeeper Feng," Li Banfeng had no idea what was going on. "I came here to buy things, not take handouts. I was also planning to buy a couple of outfits..." "Shengzi, grab the measuring tape! Measure Boss Li's sizes!" Without giving Li Banfeng a chance to object, Shengzi stepped forward, measured him from top to bottom, and brought back a pure white suit. "Boss Li, I'm determined to make you my friend. The clothes are on the house as well!" "Wait, I don't usually wear white; it's too hard to keep clean..." "Bring out the black suit!" "Black gets dirty easily too..." "Bring out that beige plaid shirt!" "Forget it, I'm not buying clothes," Li Banfeng was utterly baffled by Shopkeeper Feng. "How about I just buy a couple of candles?" "Shengzi, get a bundle of candles, and throw in that Ingrid candelabra for Boss Li!" "Wait, you... I... I won't buy anything else. Let me just buy a couple of records instead." Shopkeeper Feng marched to the shelves, scooped up more than a dozen records in his arms, and dumped them onto the counter. "I'll also throw in two cans of fuel, a jug of machine oil, a kettle, two cups, a bucket, and a bundle of wicks! I've even got a tool set here—pliers, wrenches, all complete. If the gramophone acts up a little, you can fix it right up yourself!" "Wait, what are you..." Shopkeeper Feng grabbed a feather duster and shoved it into Li Banfeng's hands. "The gramophone can't stand dust, so make sure to clean it often! Boss Li, that's just the kind of honest, generous man I am! If you don't take these, I'll truly take offense!" Li Banfeng fell silent. There was simply nothing left to say. The clerk hired a carriage. First they hauled the bed up, then the gramophone, followed by the quilts, clothes, fuel, candles, bucket... every single item was loaded onto the carriage. Clutching the feather duster, Li Banfeng stood in a daze at the doorway. The clerk helped Li Banfeng aboard, and the shopkeeper called out, "Boss Li, safe travels! We hope for your continued patronage!" With that, Shengzi urged the driver onward, and the carriage rolled away. Watching the carriage vanish at the corner of the street, Shopkeeper Feng and the clerk stood motionless in the shop for a long time. "Shopkeeper!" Chunsheng's voice trembled slightly. "Shengzi!" Shopkeeper Feng's voice choked up as well. "Shopkeeper!" Chunsheng's eyes reddened. "Shengzi!" Shopkeeper Feng wiped away tears from the corners of his eyes. "Shopkeeper, did we really sell it?" Chunsheng still harbored some doubt in his heart. "Shengzi, go look in the back room. I feel like we sold it a bit too cheap. Go look carefully—did that thing come back again?" Shopkeeper Feng remained cautious. Chunsheng scurried into the back room, only to sprint back out in the blink of an eye. "It didn't come back! It's truly gone this time!" "Shengzi!" Shopkeeper Feng burst into tears. "Shopkeeper!" Tears streamed down Chunsheng's cheeks. "Shengzi!" "Shopkeeper!" The two of them slumped to the floor, bawling their eyes out. Dabbing at his tears, the clerk said, "Finally, we can do business in peace." Shopkeeper Feng scrambled to his feet and straightened his clothes. "To hell with doing business! Shut the shop down today! We're heading to Fenglailou, ordering a feast with the finest wine, calling over two girls to keep us company, and having ourselves a blast for a few days first!"