Chen Yao Dong quietly watched for half an hour. After the children left and his third uncle put down his brush, he finally spoke.
"Third Uncle."
His uncle, over seventy, had never married. Dressed plainly, his hair gray, and a long goatee hanging from his chin, he smiled warmly.
"What brings you here?"
"Wanted to have a drink with you."
"Heh… come inside."
A plate of peanuts and a white-cut chicken were set out — their drinking snacks.
They chatted casually for a while before his uncle shifted the topic.
"Still printing counterfeit bills?"
Chen Yao Dong nodded.
His uncle frowned. "You promised me you'd stop once the village loan was repaid."
Chen Yao Dong poured a glass of wine.
"I told them we'll stop tomorrow. After this batch is finished, the printing factory will close completely."
"Good," his uncle said, visibly relieved.
"Counterfeit bills harm others and ourselves. If the village hadn't been in difficulty, I wouldn't have helped you make the master plates."
Chen Yao Dong nodded inwardly: his uncle had painted for a lifetime without recognition; at least this gave him a stage.
"Third Uncle, don't be too optimistic," he cautioned.
"I said we'd stop production, but I doubt Chen Jun and Chen Chao will agree, and probably Chen Hao's group won't either."
"They dare not!" His uncle slammed down his cup. "If they dare act up, beat them!"
Chen Yao Dong laughed. "Third Uncle, they're grown men now, fathers. Don't treat them like little kids."
"Always talking about beating people. They're not scared!"
"Not just them. Even the factory workers won't agree to close. Once people taste easy money, they rarely return to honest labor."
"You started this!" His uncle scolded.
"Counterfeit bills must stop. I won't let the Chen family descendants end up in jail!"
"Can't control it," Chen Yao Dong sighed. "Even if I force a closure, they may continue secretly with the villagers. This will cause trouble eventually."
"So what now?"
"I have an idea to try."
"Spit it out, don't keep me waiting."
Chen Yao Dong smiled, taking out a US dollar and a Japanese yen.
"Third Uncle, printing RMB in China harms our own people and state. This path won't last."
"So I plan to try dollars, yen — hit the Americans and the Japanese. Can seek revenge and make money."
He knew his uncle hated Japan — his father (Chen Yao Dong's grandfather) had been killed by the Japanese.
"You're trying to trick me into making the master plates again?"
"Heh…" Chen Yao Dong smiled.
...
Meanwhile, Cao Yang and Xia Dongdong had spent two days in Feng County. Just as they were starting to lose patience, Chen Hao finally contacted them.
The meeting was at Nanfu Restaurant, mainly to negotiate price.
Chen Hao was furious. Cao Yang insisted on seven yuan per unit, refusing to budge despite all explanations about costs and risks.
If it weren't for the large quantity and Tang Shaojie's backing, Chen Hao would have lost his temper and smashed the table.
"Cao Yang, my final offer: eighteen yuan. Take it or leave it!"
Cao Yang seemed unbending.
"How about a compromise? You reduce by ten yuan ninety cents, I add one cent — seven yuan one, okay?"
"Damn it! Are you trying to mess with me?!" Chen Hao slammed the table in outrage.
Half a conversation and only one cent added!
"I'm telling you off! I might even hit you today!"
Chen Hao's rage drew a dozen people around, encircling Cao Yang and Xia Dongdong.
Xia Dongdong tried to draw her gun, but Cao Yang stopped her.
"Brother Hao, let's talk it out. Don't hit people so quickly," he feigned fear.
Seeing Cao Yang appear submissive, Chen Hao sneered inwardly. Fine, if he won't negotiate reasonably, he'll just give him a beating.
Just then, Chen Hao's phone rang. It was East Uncle (Chen Yao Dong).
"Hello?"
"How's it going? Settled the price?"
"No, that bastard is too much!" Chen Hao vented the situation, telling Chen Yao Dong that negotiations failed and that Cao Yang wouldn't leave easily.
"Hand the phone to him. I'll talk to him."
Chen Hao passed the phone to Cao Yang.
Cao Yang knew the "real boss" had arrived.
"Are you Cao Yang?"
"Yes, I'm Cao Yang. Who's this?"
"Heh… who I am isn't important. Just asking if you understand counterfeit prices?"
"No."
"So you're blindly bargaining?"
"Exactly because I don't know, I have to bargain. Don't want to get screwed."
Chen Yao Dong was amused.
"Cao Yang, what bottom price did your big brother give you?"
"My brother didn't give a discount," Cao Yang answered truthfully. Tang Shaojie only tasked him with protecting Xia Dongdong, not handling the counterfeit business.
Chen Yao Dong didn't buy it. He suspected Cao Yang wanted to pocket the difference by undercutting.
"Fine, return the phone to Chen Hao."
Chen Hao resumed speaking. "Call your big brother. Our boss doesn't want to negotiate with you — he deals directly with your brother."
"I'm in charge. Talk to me," Cao Yang insisted.
"I don't negotiate with you! Call him now!" Chen Hao barked.
A dozen people surrounded them, all glaring.
They had no guns. Cao Yang could fight his way out, but that might ruin the plan. If he called Tang Shaojie now without prior notice, any slip-up could be disastrous.
"Call now!" Chen Hao urged again.
Cao Yang reluctantly dialed Tang Shaojie. The man was in his office meeting clients, slightly familiar with the caller's intermediary.
Just as Tang Shaojie was about to dismiss his guests, the phone rang.
"Hello?" Tang Shaojie answered with a smile.
But the voice on the other end wasn't Cao Yang's.