Chapter 005, First Order

With a loud bang, the door was shut and locked. Wenxu took the jade pendant out from his shirt, and after feeling it, he tried to tug at it a couple of times, only to find that his neck had been marked with blood from the pulling. The strap showed no signs of breaking; it was quite sturdy, which finally put his mind at ease.

The cord paired with the jade pendant, characterized by a gentle and cautious nature, is so resilient that it could even be used for hanging; how could it possibly be broken by mere hand pulling

Zhao Defang casually reported to Wen Xu and then asked in return: "Why are you asking these questions?"

Now, there are hardly any customers at Zhao Defang's stall. It is not that there are no patrons, but rather that the ingredients for the stall have been completely used up. Both of them are office workers and cannot operate their stall like others that stay open until three or four in the morning. After midnight, the young couple will close their stall, so the amount of ingredients prepared is not too much, and by this time, they have run out.

"Are you talking about live sheep?" Upon hearing this, Zhao Defang couldn't help but feel a surge of energy, but it quickly faded again. It seemed he was somewhat muttering to himself, saying, "That could also be a sick sheep!"

After entering the space, Wenxu, who was holding a basin and standing by the pond, felt a bit dazed. The fish were swimming in the water, but how could he catch them with just a basin? The key issue at this moment was that all the stores were closed. Even the supermarkets that operated all night would not sell fishing nets.

In the harsh winter, Yan Dong immediately cheerfully reached into his warm little bag and pulled out the car keys: "OK, no problem"

Zhao Defang said: "We are also worried about you, afraid that you might be deceived by others. In today's world, sometimes relatives can be truly ruthless towards each other."

Wenxu watched as the two were about to start a quarrel, so he said: "I say, both of you, it is I who have experienced a breakup, why are you two so agitated"

Hiss

7 o'clock

Sun An'an said: "You can't say that about Guan Siya. It's not wrong for a young woman to want a house, to have a more stable life, and to find a more ambitious husband. After all, she can't be with you without even having a roof over her head to shield her from the wind and rain!"

Wenxu extended two fingers and poked at his own eyes: "Do I have eyes or not? Can't I tell the difference between sheep and cattle?"

"By the way, how much do you sell fish and lamb per pound here?" Wen Xu recalled that he was preparing to make money to buy a house, and since he was selling to anyone, he might as well sell a little cheaper to his brothers first, so they could earn some extra money and pay off their mortgages sooner. Moreover, their lives were really not easy.

"It can't be any later; if it gets any later, my dad and mom won't be able to handle it!" Zhao Defang said, "How about this? Let's not fuss over this matter anymore. I'll go to the morning market early to buy the sheep and fish."

Seeing Zhao Defang suddenly start to chatter like an old lady, Wen Xu quickly waved his hand and said: "Stop, stop! The way you say it makes it sound like I'm doing something illegal or criminal. What do you mean by the lamb? Of course, it's lamb!"

The gray sheep were not afraid of Wenxu; not only were they unafraid, but the lambs would occasionally come over and nudge Wenxu's leg with their little heads, which had not yet grown horns. They would wait for Wenxu to reach out, and some would suddenly jump and run away, while others would stretch out their warm little noses to sniff Wenxu's outstretched hand

Gently stroking the fleece of the lamb while surveying the entire flock, Wengyu quickly identified the lead sheep among them. It was easily recognizable by its appearance; the largest and strongest one was it! The lead sheep weighed approximately 150 to 160 pounds, and the others were arranged in descending order, with adult rams weighing at least around 130 to 140 pounds.

Yan Dong curled his lips and said, "Nonsense, it's just a difference in ideology. Guan Siya is nothing but a pretentious person"

"This is not guaranteed; with your eyesight, can you really tell lamb from mutton?" Zhao Defang scoffed, glancing at Wen Xu with a look of disbelief. As a small businessman, Zhao Defang had suffered losses before; when he first started purchasing goods, he thought he had found a bargain, only to be met with a scolding from his father when he brought them home.

Zhao Defang heard this and showed no sign of joy on his face; instead, he looked at Wenxu with a face full of worry: "I say, Da Xu, I am glad that you are thinking of me, but what I deal with is food. Others are thinking of making money unethically; as long as it doesn't kill anyone, they dare to sell anything. But I cannot. Even if the price is a few yuan cheaper per kilogram, I wouldn't dare sell such mutton even if it were given to me. I think you should not consider this matter either. Once it reaches the market from the production area, it is no longer at that price. This is not the grassland; what I have is already at wholesale price. You tell me what price you are getting it for; it’s only a few yuan per kilogram! You hear them say it’s mutton, but you don’t know what it’s really made of! You don’t know what unscrupulous people are capable of nowadays. We honest folks should not think of taking advantage of others. As the saying goes, "taking small advantages leads to great losses" ...

He has nothing to do, why rush back? Just wait until tomorrow morning to come back with you, Zhao Defang said

Seeing Wenxu nod, Zhao Defang reached out to touch the cigarette in Wenxu's hand, then threw it into the trash can: "Dongzi, take Daxu back"

Sun An'an said: "Then you should buy it, every time you open your mouth but take no action"

Although the expression on his face showed helplessness, he was very satisfied with Zhao Defang in his heart, feeling that he had not made a mistake in choosing this friend. Whether in life or in work, one must have a bottom line. Being friends with someone who has no bottom line is not something a person of intelligence should do! Nowadays, many people in the world do not even know that there is something called a bottom line, and many have long forgotten how to write the words for shame and integrity.

As soon as Wenxu dipped his foot into the pond, he gasped in surprise; the water in the pond was too cold, akin to plunging his foot into water that had been left outside overnight in the middle of winter. He felt a chill surge from the soles of his feet straight to his head, nearly causing him to turn around and jump back onto the shore.

I have a way to obtain lamb and fish here. A pound of lamb is about three to four yuan cheaper than your price, and fish is approximately two yuan. What do you think?" Wen Xu looked at Zhao Defang.

It is unclear whether the fish heard Wenxu's voice or if the fish's intelligence was as low as the water itself, but the fish was almost effortlessly scooped into the basin by Wenxu with just a gentle flick of its tail. Upon seeing the fish in the basin, Wenxu carefully dragged the basin to the shore and then suddenly splashed the basin onto the land, whereupon a large fish instantly leaped from the water onto the grass on the shore

Goodness!

Wenxu nodded and said: "It's going to be the end of my life! Seven o'clock!"

Having chosen the sheep, Weng Xu suddenly remembered that he had nothing at hand. It would be easy to find a rope to tie up the sheep since it was only for temporary use. However, the fish posed a bit of a problem. After scratching his head and thinking for a while, he suddenly recalled that a young couple had left behind a large red plastic basin, approximately one meter in diameter, on the balcony when they departed. It was originally meant for bathing their child, and they had discarded it here when they left. Thus, he exited the space and went to the balcony, where he found the red basin still there. He then dragged it into his room and brought it into the space.

Sun An'an looked at Zhao Defang, still pondering, and nudged her husband with her arm: "How about this, let Wenxu send over a live sheep and a fish. We can clearly see the fish, and for the sheep, we can ask Uncle Qian from the neighborhood; wasn't he previously at the slaughterhouse?"

Then tomorrow morning

After thinking for half a day, Wenshu could not come up with any good solution. He had no choice but to strip down, leaving only a pair of shorts, and prepared to enter the pond with a basin in hand, trying to see if he could scoop up some fish with it. Although Wenshu felt that this method was somewhat ridiculous, there were no handy tools available at the moment, and it was impossible to have a fishing tackle shop open at seven o'clock. Even if it opened at seven, he wouldn't be able to make it in time.

"Forget it, I will find a designated driver," Wen Xu quickly said, "How can I get back after sending Yan Dong over here?"

For the first time delivering a sheep to Zhao Defang, Wenxu thought it would be best to choose the smallest one, so he selected the ram that appeared to be the smallest.

The fish was brought ashore, and Wenqu used a basin to collect some pond water, placing the fish in the basin to keep it alive, waiting to deliver it to Zhao Defang's home in the morning

Sun An'an, who was originally listening from the side, walked over and said to Wen Xu: "Wen Xu, we are relying on this business for our livelihood, you must not..."

The differing philosophies! At this point, Wenqu had already finished his second cup and directly responded to the question posed by Yandong in a loud voice.

Zhao Defang wanted to say something else, but was interrupted by Sun An'an who pulled her back.

"When others drown their sorrows in alcohol after a breakup, you come here for a pleasant little drink?" Zhao Defang saw Wenxu drinking all night, still appearing unfazed. As she rolled up her apron and wiped her hands, she sat down, picked up a disposable chopstick from the table, and placed a peanut that had long since cooled into her mouth

When Weng Xu came ashore and took a look at the fish, he immediately began to scratch his head. In the water, the fish appeared to weigh around 7 or 8 jin, but who would have thought that once it was on land, it would weigh at least 20 to 30 jin? To lift it, one would have to use both hands to embrace it.

I heard that we have to get up at 4 o'clock. The weather is already deep autumn, almost winter, which is the best time for sleeping. Moreover, I have been busy here for several hours, and there is no time for a lazy sleep. If it becomes severe winter, I will immediately stop working. "Forget it, I will take you back, you can reimburse me for the taxi fare"

"Alright, let's not mention your third uncle and your uncle by marriage anymore. Let's talk about this matter; these are all fresh items. If you want them, I can bring them over for you to take a look. If after seeing them you don't want them, I will return them to the owner. Does that sound good, gentlemen?" Wen Xu said

Although Wenxu thought about selling vegetables and the like, he had not yet figured out the specifics of implementation. What he currently considered was simply setting up a stall. As for making a big move with thousands or even tens of thousands of pounds, Wenxu did not have such an idea. Such a volume of goods made Wenxu a bit worried, as it was too conspicuous

Wenxu immediately said, "I have to get up at 4 o'clock tomorrow morning! Then I will go to my childhood friend's place to get you live sheep and live fish."

"Come on, I'm scared of you now. Why do you think that is!" As soon as Wenqu heard this, he immediately raised both hands in a gesture of surrender

"Isn't it just a matter of buying a house? The city center of Daxu may not be feasible, but surely one can afford a house in the more remote suburbs," Yan Dongbian remarked.

Today, Wenxu received excellent treatment; Sun An'an prepared a lamb hot pot for him. Not only that, but she also arranged two side dishes to accompany the drinks: a plate of Kung Pao chicken and a plate of dry pot cauliflower, which Wenxu particularly enjoys. From time to time, she invited Zhao Defang and Yan Dong to join in for a drink or two.

Wenxu sat by the hot pot, sipping on some liquor and enjoying food for several hours. He had added alcohol to the burner underneath the pot several times, while the stingy Sun Anan had replenished the side dishes twice. Only then did Wenxu manage to drink four bottles of beer, and after several hours, he showed no signs of even a slight intoxication.

Why is that? Daxu's work is good, his income is also good, and he looks good too. Guan Siya has a problem!" Yan Dong, who was nearby, said with a hint of confusion.

Upon hearing Sun An'an's words, Zhao Defang nodded and then said to Wen Xu, "Da Xu, please do not take offense at what I am about to say. There are many fraudsters in the world today, and there are also many people without conscience or principles. I am not referring to you; I trust you, but I am concerned that you might be deceived. When I go to the wholesale market, I am always cautious, only purchasing from familiar vendors. Since everything is alive, please bring it over to my parents' place tomorrow. I will be waiting for you at the community entrance at 7:00 AM."

After trying to lift my foot, I entered the space and directly walked towards the flock of sheep. The sheep in the space were all of the same color, with gray fur. With a warm understanding, I recognized that these were all goats, both male and female, all possessing horns. However, the male goats had thicker and sturdier horns, which were shaped like inverted eight characters growing from their foreheads. The bases of the large horns were about four to five centimeters in diameter and fifteen centimeters long, and the horns were very smooth, making the tips appear quite sharp and fierce. Both male and female goats had horns, but the male goats' horns were thicker and sturdier, shaped like inverted eight characters growing from their foreheads. The bases of the large horns were about four to five centimeters in diameter and fifteen centimeters long, and the horns were very smooth, making the tips appear quite sharp and fierce.

"Tomorrow morning? Tomorrow morning is not possible, tomorrow afternoon works. I need to sleep in tomorrow morning." As soon as Wenxu heard about tomorrow morning, and so early at that, he immediately became displeased, saying, "I don't have to go to work, and I still can't sleep in!"

This is more or less like treating a dead horse as if it were alive

Upon hearing Yan Dong say this, Wen Xu agreed. If this guy were to live with him, he wouldn't have any time to play in the space. He had just acquired a treasure yesterday and hadn't had enough time to tinker with it. How could he allow Yan Dong to move into his home?

Sun An'an said: "Guan Siya has broken up with him, you go prepare some food for him"

Tomorrow morning

Wenxu almost burst into laughter upon hearing this: "A live sheep, without any illness or disaster. How about this, if you can find someone who understands clearly, I will bring the sheep over. You will earn a few more yuan per kilogram than buying from the market"

The warmth of a broken heart has nowhere good to go. I went out to the street to buy a few things, took some money for self-defense, and headed straight to Zhao Defang's stall in the countryside. Upon arrival, I saw an empty table, so I sat down with a slouch, got myself a bottle of beer, and started drinking silently by myself.

Enduring the cold, Wengxu gently reached under the belly of a fish with a basin, murmuring softly to himself, "Fish, don't run away, don't run away!"

Thus, Wenqu was sent back home by the harsh winter, and after being extorted of one hundred yuan by this fellow, he went upstairs and returned to his room

What kind of mentality do you two have? I have connections here to help you out, so why do you still doubt me? Let me put it this way: one of my childhood friends is currently in this business. They have sheep and fish, all exclusively for their company's clubhouse. I remembered you two when I heard him talk about this. Moreover, even if they provide it, it will be live; you will need to find someone to slaughter them. The fish is not a big deal, but the key issue is the sheep. You see, you make it sound like I have a dark heart and am trying to scheme against you. Let me tell you, you are just overthinking it!

"Work, work!" Zhao Defang also urged repeatedly, while signaling Yan Dong to serve the dishes to the guests, and at the same time urging his wife to hurry up and chop the vegetables

What happened?" Yan Dong, who was also helping out at the moment, couldn't help but ask in a low voice upon seeing Sun An'an's actions