The two exchanged a look. What Fatty Qi said actually made sense, and six hundred grand wasn't something to scoff at.
"Fine. But we want cash."
"No problem lah. I'll let my client take a look first. When it's time, you bring the goods, I bring the money—we make the deal clean."
"Leave a number. I'll text you the place later."
Lei Yu dropped a phone number and a few sample chips, then walked off with Cao Yang.
After they left, Fatty Qi said goodbye to the skinny man and drove off as well.
He arrived at a certain company, met the boss in his office, and handed over the chip samples.
The moment the boss saw them, his eyes lit up.
"Old Qi, where did you get these?"
Fatty Qi smirked. "Boss Li, don't worry about that. Just tell me how much you're willing to pay."
"How many do you have?"
"Not much, not much. Only six thousand pieces."
"What's your price?"
"One thousand each. Six million for the batch."
Boss Li chuckled and shook his head.
"What? Too expensive? These things can't be produced in China yet, and foreign countries are restricting exports. This is top-tier contraband. I came to you first because we're close, you know?"
"Old Qi, it's not about the price. The problem is the source—this is dangerous stuff."
"Boss Li, when did contraband ever have a clean origin? Everything goes through Hong Kong first before being smuggled back into the mainland!"
"That's exactly the issue. A few days ago, the Shenzhen Coast Guard caught two smugglers—water ghosts. They were carrying these exact chips. One more escaped. I'm guessing the batch in your hands came from that guy."
"So what? Dirty goods are dirty goods. Why care who originally lost them?"
Boss Li lit a cigarette, smiling faintly. "Old Qi… you still don't get it. Those smugglers were from the Yi He Society. And right now, Yi He is hunting down the one who escaped. Anyone tied to this batch is in danger."
"You know what the Yi He Society is like. Crossing them means only one thing—death. No one can block that blade."
Hearing the name Yi He Society, Fatty Qi's expression darkened.
He didn't want to offend Yi He—but neither did he want to lose millions of easy profit.
"Boss Li… what do you think I should do?"
"Yi He is powerful, sure, but as long as we handle things quietly, they might never find out."
He paused, then offered, "Sell the batch to me for two million. I'll use the extra few million to smooth things over and buy us some protection."
"Two million? Are you joking? At least five million!"
Boss Li shook his head. "Two million. You earn plenty already."
He didn't know how much Fatty Qi paid for the goods, but he was sure it wasn't much. Smugglers weren't exactly business geniuses—flash some cash and they'd sell anything.
"No sincerity at all," Fatty Qi muttered, standing up to leave.
Boss Li didn't stop him.
At the door, Qi turned back. Boss Li was still smiling.
"Boss Li… you're not going to report me to Yi He, right?"
"Hahaha… Old Qi, we've known each other for years. Just because this deal didn't happen doesn't mean I'd sell you out. I'm not that kind of person."
Qi nodded and walked out.
Ten seconds later, he pushed the door open again, sticking his big head inside.
"Old Qi, anything else?" Boss Li was calmly brewing tea.
Fatty Qi grinned. "Just making sure you don't snitch the second I walk out."
"No lah, no lah… I've got nothing to do with Yi He."
...
Fatty Qi fell into deep thought. He didn't expect Boss Li to reject the deal, and even less expected this batch to be tied to the Yi He Society.
He knew full well what kind of monster Yi He was—far beyond any local gang. Crossing them meant certain death.
But losing millions? That felt even worse.
If Boss Li wouldn't buy, someone else would.
Now he had two choices:One—contact Yi He's Dongguan branch and offer them the information to earn a favor.Two—continue the deal but change the method. No need to pay those two amateurs sixty thousand. Just get rid of them.
It wasn't that he didn't want to pay. He feared that once he did, Yi He would find the two, and they'd definitely expose him.
Thinking this through, he dialed a number. Before long, a van arrived, and five or six tattooed men stepped out.
...
Cao Yang and Lei Yu knew nothing about this. They were in a pretty good mood.
Cao Yang went back to get the chips, telling Lei Yu to wait.
But Lei Yu was afraid he'd run off with the goods—after all, this was tens of thousands—so she insisted on going with him.
They returned to the convenience shop. With the goods in hand, they had no idea what to do except wait for Fatty Qi.
But the message never came.
Lei Yu waited in the shop. Li Yan kept shooting her dagger-like looks, tossing sarcastic remarks at her every few minutes.
Lei Yu couldn't stand Li Yan either. If not for Cao Yang, the two women would've already fought.
"I'm going home," Lei Yu finally snapped, telling Cao Yang she was leaving.
"You can go! But you're not taking the goods!" Li Yan said sharply, pointing at the package of chips.
"This is my brother's! What does it have to do with you?"
"Don't make me laugh! Your 'brother' promised to split half with my brother. Now you want to take everything? Dream on!"
"Once it's sold, he'll get his share. Naturally."
Lei Yu said this and turned to leave.
Li Yan pulled her back, refusing to let her take the goods.
The two women started pulling and shoving, just about ready to explode. Cao Yang rushed between them.
"Stop! We're all on the same side!"
Li Yan grabbed Cao Yang's ear. "Idiot! Use your brain! This stuff is worth a fortune! She walks away with it and your half is gone!"
Cao Yang glanced at Lei Yu. "Sister Yu isn't that kind of person."
Li Yan nearly fainted from fury. How could this fool trust a stranger over money worth tens of thousands?
"If she wants to leave, fine. But the goods stay. You get your cut first, then she can talk."
"I'm taking it," Lei Yu shot back coldly.
She had no idea why this woman was so hostile. It was their first meeting, yet she was being targeted nonstop.
Just when the argument was about to explode, Fatty Qi finally called.
He gave Lei Yu the transaction location and urged them to arrive quickly—claiming he had to go to Hong Kong tomorrow and was "very busy."
Cao Yang exhaled in relief, said a few calming words to Li Yan, and took a taxi toward the destination.