Chapter 4: Nobility and Profitable Industries

Young Master! This... this is too much! Gao Chuanliang could hardly believe that Young Master Sima truly adhered to the agreement made initially, distributing 40% of the profits to him. The 40% amounted to a staggering 4,224 silver dollars. Although Gao Chuanliang had calculated this number countless times over the past few days and had mentally recited it more times than he could count, when Sima asked him to count out 4,224 silver dollars from the silver box, Gao Chuanliang felt as if he were dreaming. In just a few days, he had earned what would have taken nearly ten years to accumulate in the past. Gao Chuanliang even felt a slight dryness in his throat.

"Are you sure it is 10,562 dollars?" Sima asked in a somewhat flat tone, but heaven knows Sima himself could even feel his voice trembling. "Young Master, this is the account book, and it is clearly recorded on it," Gao Chuanliang said. Although he found Sima's earlier behavior somewhat strange, Gao Chuanliang was still immersed in an uncontrollable excitement since selling the last watch and locking those several hundred silver dollars in the box.

That item, costing nearly 10,000 taels, is simply beyond the means of an ordinary person. Seeing the owner of the car enter the Gao family pawnshop, I initially thought of approaching him under the pretext of being somewhat acquainted with the Gao family to establish a closer rapport. However, I did not expect that at that moment, Ma Liu would come over and explain the situation, which immediately infuriated Sun Mingli, prompting him to slap Ma Liu hard. The thought that Ma Liu had unwittingly offended a powerful individual made Sun Mingli anxious; if that powerful person held a grudge against him, it would be all too easy for such a minor character to be eliminated. Fortunately, Ma Liu arrived; otherwise, Sun Mingli worried that if he had rashly approached and been introduced by Boss Gao, it would have been...

Thank you, thank you! You useless thing, hurry up and come in to apologize to Boss Gao." After expressing his gratitude, Sun Mingli shouted loudly to the outside. As he said, Ma Jiu almost rolled in, and upon entering, he immediately knelt on the ground, repeatedly banging his head and shouting, "Sir, please do not hold a grudge against a small person, spare my life," and similar phrases. He presented a large sum of money with both hands. Seeing Ma Liu's demeanor, Gao Chuanliang couldn't help but shake his head, wondering why he should bother with such a rogue. Ma Jiu indeed rolled in as Sun Mingli had described, and upon entering, he knelt down, banging his head and shouting, "Sir, please do not hold a grudge against a small person, spare my life," and similar phrases. He presented a large sum of money with both hands. Seeing Ma Liu's demeanor, Gao Chuanliang couldn't help but shake his head, wondering why he should bother with such a rogue. He pushed away the large sum of money that Ma Liu had brought and said, "Alright, alright, consider it a lesson! This money is paid by the young master. As long as you do not appear in front of the young master, a person of his status will not remember such trivial matters. Do not mention it again."

Young Master, this envelope contains exactly one hundred yuan. I... I took forty-two envelopes, which amounts to four thousand two hundred yuan. This should be sufficient, just those few extra yuan..." Gao Chuanliang swallowed hard to moisten his dry throat and said. Before he could finish his sentence, Gao Chuanliang wanted to slap himself hard; after living for more than half a lifetime, he had forgotten how to speak. Wasn't he just insulting the young master?

Once again at midnight 0:00, that light point appeared punctually at Warehouse No. 2, built in the 1980s. Sima tried to calm his breathing as he started the motorcycle; it had been a week since he last entered the year 1915. Sima only hoped that he could sell the watches as he imagined, even if dozens of them only fetched a few hundred dollars. The 750 motorcycle slowly drove into the light circle, creating splendid ripples. After feeling a tingling, burning sensation in his body, the desolate wilderness of 1915 reappeared before Sima's eyes, just as it always did. Sima hoped once again that he could sell the watches as he imagined, even if dozens of them only fetched a few hundred dollars. The 750 motorcycle slowly drove into the light circle, creating splendid ripples. After feeling a tingling, burning sensation in his body, the desolate wilderness of 1915 reappeared before Sima's eyes, just as it always did, with the chaotic weeds on the hills and the intoxicating blue sky. Breathing in the slightly sweet air infused with the scent of fresh grass, Sima felt an impulse to settle here, but it was merely a fleeting impulse.

"Hehe! I wouldn't dare! Thanks to you," Gao Chuanliang said with a beaming smile. Indeed, if it weren't for the little brother-in-law of Sun Mingli standing before him, he would probably never have had the chance to meet that young master in his lifetime. It is truly thanks to him. Upon hearing this, Sun Mingli couldn't help but feel a flush on his face; he certainly understood what this Boss Gao meant by "blessing." At that time, when the foreign vehicle entered Kongjiazhuang, Sun Mingli was working in a street restaurant. Having spent several years in a port city like Tianjin, he immediately recognized that it was a rare "automobile." Upon hearing this, Sun Mingli couldn't help but feel a flush on his face; he certainly understood what this Boss Gao meant by "blessing." At that time, when the foreign vehicle entered Kongjiazhuang, Sun Mingli was working in a street restaurant. Having spent several years in a port city like Tianjin, he immediately recognized that it was a rare "automobile."

268! It really is impossible to have more brothers, and I kindly ask Boss Gao for more assistance. Sun Mingli secretly felt pain over his few hundred dollars and stated the price he could accept. Although as a small station master his income was decent, 260 dollars was equivalent to three months' salary for him. "Alas! I hope Brother Sun can keep this confidential; I won't earn a single cent at this price, as the price given to me by the young master is exactly this amount"

Waiting always causes anxiety. For Sima, every minute feels like a torment, even though he knows that Boss Gao needs time to sell the forty-three watches he provided. However, the uncertainty of the future makes waiting a kind of suffering. Sima feels his patience slowly fading away with time, and his inner anxiety is growing. Perhaps it is due to an excessive desire for money; otherwise, he would not feel this anxious. Sima wishes to adopt a nonchalant attitude towards this matter. Yet, regardless of whether he takes deep breaths or exhales repeatedly towards the envelope, inhaling again, he cannot calm his heart.

"Boss Gao, this foreign watch is quite impressive! The style is new, and the craftsmanship is exquisite. It must be a gift from that Sima," Sun Mingli said, his eyes shining as he looked at the watch on the table. In Tianjin, a port city that is half concession and filled with foreigners, although he considered himself well-informed, he had truly never seen a foreign watch like this one. It must be a European model, worth at least over 200 silver dollars. That young master is indeed generous; he couldn't help but secretly admire the luck of this old man Gao.

There have been numerous accounts of bandits robbing wealthy families, especially beyond the borders. For the sake of this more than 10,000 silver dollars, it is estimated that dozens of horse bandit groups from outside will converge like wolves sensing blood. By then, it is not just the Gao family that will be in danger; the entire Kong family village may be subjected to a bloodbath. The box containing over 10,000 silver dollars has been placed under the bed by Gao Chuanliang, who, under the pretense of being ill, spends nearly every day in bed. Each day, he deliberately digs a small hole in the bed board to keep a watchful eye on the silver box.

"I hope Boss Gao can assist us. Please help us more," Sun Mingli said respectfully. "Director Sun need not worry; someone of Young Master Sima's status will not concern himself with such matters." Seeing Sun Mingli so deferential, Gao Chuanliang felt a sudden stiffness in his back; in the past, he had always been the one to show such deference to Director Sun. After ten years of ups and downs, it was finally his turn.

For someone like Ma Liu, Gao Chuanliang would rather suffer a loss than offend him; without this scoundrel, he probably would never have had the chance to meet the young master. That said, Ma Liu can be considered to have done a good deed.

"Young Master, you have finally arrived. I have been waiting for you these past two days," Gao Chuanliang said, unable to suppress his inner excitement as he hurriedly approached Sima, who was riding his motorcycle, the "Motuo." "Could something have happened?" Sima, still on the motorcycle and not dismounting, looked at the somewhat agitated Gao Chuanliang, his heart pounding with unease. He mentally prepared himself, thinking that if something went wrong, he would immediately flee, believing that if he accelerated, they would not be able to catch up. With such thoughts in mind, the motorcycle certainly could not be turned off. The corner of his eye began to survey the not-so-wide street of Kongjiazhuang, planning his escape route.

Hehe! Exactly! Gao Chuanliang, somewhat pleased, imitated the manner taught by the young master, opening the steel band of his watch and fastening it around his wrist. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Director Sun staring intently at his wrist. "I wonder if Boss Gao has inquired which foreign firm sells this kind of watch?" Sun Mingli recalled that in a few days it would be the birthday of the manager of the mining company, and if the price were right, it would be nice to buy one as a gift. "What’s this, Director Sun, are you interested?"

"Young Master, it is not convenient to talk here; let us go to the back hall," Gao Chuanliang said in a low voice after glancing around. "What..." An excited voice came from the back hall of the Gao family pawnshop. Seeing Gao Chuanliang's somewhat strange expression, Sima finally realized that he had lost his composure. He quickly adjusted his mindset and slowed his breathing to calm down. However, he understood his own situation; Sima felt that his heart was probably racing at over 160 beats per minute.

Upon hearing that Sun Mingli in front of him wanted to buy this watch, Gao Chuanliang became invigorated. Although he knew that such foreign goods were quite popular, he was still an outsider in this field. However, Sun Mingli was not just anyone; he had spent several years in a big city like Tianjin and had seen the world. If he was willing to make a purchase, it would certainly be for the best.

Hehe! Then I will take advantage of you a bit. Sima swallowed hard and jokingly said, "Twenty-four dollars is also two thousand GMB! That’s enough to buy dozens of watches." Gao Chuanliang, seeing that his words did not provoke any displeasure from Sima, finally felt relieved.

In a state of desperation, Sima had no choice but to reach out to a friend working in a hospital to obtain a bottle of tranquilizers, using the effects of the medication to calm himself down. After a full week, Sima felt utterly exhausted, both physically and mentally. The dark circles under his eyes, which had previously been subtle, were now very pronounced, and his eyes were bloodshot. Facing the mirror and the photographs, Sima found it hard to believe how much he had changed; even when he was dismissed from his job a year ago, he had never felt this way.

Gao Chuanliang calculated in his mind that such a silver pocket watch costs only 200 taels. Selling this watch for 260 taels should be quite good; the young master shouldn't blame him! With a profit margin of 40%, he would earn a full 100 taels just from this transaction! This! This! Just thinking about this number made Gao Chuanliang feel a bit breathless. In the blink of an eye, he had earned what he could only make in a month. This! This money comes too quickly. Just thinking about this number made Gao Chuanliang feel a bit breathless. In the blink of an eye, he had earned what he could only make in a month. This! This money comes too quickly.

"Boss Gao, today is quite a spectacle. I wonder when you became acquainted with such a distinguished personage." The stationmaster of Sunjiazhuang, who is also the brother-in-law of the rogue Sima encountered by Sun Mingli, said this to Gao Chuanliang, who was beaming with joy, after the peculiar object and its owner had left.

If it were not for the fact that the temporal anomaly point reappears punctually every day, and if Sima did not often twist and ache his palms, even doubting whether he was still dreaming, he would not wish to awaken from such a dream. The feeling of being revered during his time in the government agency, and the gazes of the crowd when he was laid off after the institutional reform, constantly replay in Sima's mind. For him, all of this now represents more of an opportunity for a turnaround. Sima even recalls the somewhat pitying look from his friend when he accepted the job as a night guard in the warehouse, introduced by that same friend.

Gao Chuanliang had not slept well for a full two days and three nights. Faced with the pressure of over ten thousand dollars in cash, he had entertained the thought of absconding with the funds more than once. However, whenever he considered the powerful family behind Young Master Sima, he dared not entertain such thoughts any longer. Moreover, he would earn more silver in the future, making it unnecessary to lose a watermelon to pick up a sesame seed. Nevertheless, Gao Chuanliang found himself increasingly restless, as conditions outside were not the same as those within.