"Who's this?" Tang Shaojie's expression didn't change a bit.
"Boss Tang, I guess you already know who I am?" Chen Yao Dong asked, testing the waters.
Tang Shaojie chuckled, glanced at Old Zhang sitting opposite him, and instantly understood the purpose of his visit.
"If I'm not mistaken, you must be Old Zhang's friend?"
"Heh… Boss Tang, you really are sharp," Chen Yao Dong replied.
"And my young buddy? He's impulsive. Don't be too hard on him," Tang Shaojie said.
"Boss Tang, you're joking. A guest is always treated with respect. It's just that your young buddy has fixed the price too tightly, making communication difficult. That's why I had to trouble you personally."
Tang Shaojie laughed heartily. "He's from the countryside, always careful with money. Don't sweat it."
"That's true, but dragging this on isn't a solution. Boss Tang, I want to ask — how much are you really willing to pay?"
Tang Shaojie thought: How the hell would I know how much to pay? I don't even know what you guys are up to. And now he's asking me the price?
Though he knew nothing for certain, he had a rough idea and spoke carefully, leaving no leaks.
"This is our first cooperation. Just give me a base price. I won't bargain," Chen Yao Dong said.
Tang Shaojie's words made Chen Yao Dong feel a little embarrassed.
"Alright, Boss Tang, I won't drag this out. My initial bottom price is fifteen, but for you, I can go fourteen."
"Fine, fourteen it is. Coordinate the time and place with my young buddy. Once settled, I'll have someone deliver the money."
Just as Tang Shaojie was about to hang up, Chen Yao Dong stopped him.
"Boss Tang, may I ask one more thing? Cao Yang mentioned that you planned to release this batch in casinos. Is that true?"
"Of course not. How could I circulate counterfeit bills in my own casinos? That would ruin my reputation," Tang Shaojie replied.
"I see… then how do you plan to handle it?"
"Heh… that's my personal business," Tang Shaojie said.
"My bad for asking," Chen Yao Dong said politely.
"Actually, it wouldn't hurt to tell you. We have competitors constantly trying to interfere with me, and I plan to deal with them. Makes sense?"
Chen Yao Dong understood — Tang Shaojie intended to use the fake money in other casinos.
Still, it seemed risky; counterfeit bills were already widely recognized, and people were cautious. No one would fall for such a scheme easily.
"To be honest, having Cao Yang buy the counterfeit was just to test the waters. My real goal is to cooperate with you, scale things up."
Tang Shaojie sensed something was off and quickly changed the topic.
"I initially planned two small transactions before meeting you in person. Since you came to me first, we might as well talk now."
"What resources do you have?" Chen Yao Dong asked.
"You guys' counterfeiting tech is extremely advanced — probably world-leading. But printing RMB domestically is too risky; trouble is inevitable."
"I want to invite you to partner with me. You provide the tech and personnel, I provide the channels and facilities."
"Let's build a factory in Southeast Asia, printing dollars — global hard currency. Profits will be bigger and the operation safer than RMB."
Chen Yao Dong felt his heart leap — this matched perfectly with his current plans. He also wanted to produce dollars, but hadn't considered overseas markets. Partnering with Tang Shaojie could be a shortcut.
"Boss Tang, this proposal is excellent. We can sit down and work out the details."
"I invite you to Feng County to discuss thoroughly," Chen Yao Dong said.
Tang Shaojie laughed. "Before cooperation, I need to inspect your operation. But I'm tied up these two days — have Cao Yang handle it."
After hanging up, Tang Shaojie glanced at Old Zhang. "Your friend is cautious, wanting to verify my identity."
Old Zhang smiled and apologized repeatedly.
After leaving, he called Chen Yao Dong to confirm that the call was indeed with Tang Shaojie — not a trap set by the authorities.
Chen Yao Dong felt a huge sense of relief. Tang Shaojie, a notorious underground boss, buying counterfeit money made sense. His cautiousness was justified — he had to ensure that the Cao Yang before him was the real Cao Yang, not a police decoy.
This call not only eased his doubts but also opened up a new opportunity. If feasible, their village could become prosperous.
The two sets of calls were like "remote dialogues": Chen Yao Dong called Chen Hao, Cao Yang called Tang Shaojie, both phones on speaker on the table. Naturally, their conversations were overheard, every word clear.
"Hahaha… Cao Yang, your big brother is straightforward," Chen Hao laughed.
With the deal settled, Chen Hao's demeanor shifted, leaving no trace of the earlier tension.
Cao Yang nodded, deeply admiring Tang Shaojie. Despite knowing nothing, he gave no hint of doubt.
One casual remark about factory cooperation even allowed Cao Yang to legitimately inspect the counterfeit operation — something he'd been struggling to arrange. With just a few words, Tang Shaojie had provided the path he'd been searching for.
"Price settled. Now, how about delivery?"
"One hundred million is too much; we don't have enough hands to deliver. You'll need to pick it up yourself."
Cao Yang nodded. "Fine, where?"
"At our town. You bring the money, I bring the goods."
Both parties stood, heading to Xianfeng Town under Feng County.
Chen Hao arranged accommodations at the town's only hotel.
"Cao Yang, conditions in the village are rough. Stay here tonight."
"And the production factory?"
Chen Hao smiled. "We'll see after the deal. Plenty of time."
After Chen Hao left, Cao Yang and Xia Dongdong entered the room. Xia Dongdong immediately began searching.
"What are you looking for?"
"Any bugs or listening devices."
She checked thoroughly but found nothing. Since this was a spontaneous trip and the hotel room was randomly chosen, no one would have pre-installed devices. Still, caution never hurt.
Cao Yang went to the bathroom to call Boss Tang. Tang Shaojie told him the transaction was tomorrow — he couldn't actually pay, so Cao Yang asked for guidance.
Tang Shaojie said tonight was the only chance: find the counterfeit site and gather photographic evidence.
He had already informed White Shirt, who would report to the task force. The local unit would arrive soon.
While Cao Yang was calling, Xia Dongdong wasn't idle. She, too, was contacting backup.