Chapter 35: Rules

After patiently listening to Wu Bei’s difficulties, Boss Deng did not respond immediately. Instead, he seemed lost in thought, staring blankly at the tabletop as if wandering in a trance.

Wu Bei knew that pressing for favors too urgently was unwise, so he sipped on his “Wanglaoji” herbal tea intermittently.

As time ticked by, Boss Deng suddenly stood up, and Wu Bei instinctively rose as well.

“The tabletop is a bit uneven!” Boss Deng suddenly reached out to touch the surface of the mirror-like table, speaking somewhat mysteriously.

Wu Bei studied the seemingly absent-minded Boss Deng for a moment before catching on. Smiling warmly, he pulled out a thick stack of bills from his pocket. “If it’s uneven, just replace it. I have a fondness for these vintage pieces. I hope you’ll part with it kindly!”

The thirty thousand yuan in cash had been specially withdrawn from the bank by Wu Bei before arriving.

In today’s world of advanced digital payments, people increasingly measured value in numbers, but Wu Bei believed nothing could match the visual impact of cash in hand.

“Haha, little brother, you’re a man of understanding!” Boss Deng broke into a satisfied smile.

Before Wu Bei could say more, Deng pulled out his phone and dialed a number. “Old Meng, a brother here needs a batch of light trucks—condition as new as possible, and the price as low as possible.”

“Damn, you might as well have said give them to me for free!” came a gruff male voice from the other end.

“Hahaha, making money requires principles. I can’t treat friendship like cash!” Deng glanced at Wu Bei, his words seemingly directed at him.

The other party responded briskly, “Don’t give me that fancy talk. Twenty-five thousand each, as many as you want!”

Deng twirled his fingers and replied softly, “Right now, about thirty trucks are needed. When can they be ready?”

“Brother, it’s actually thirty-five,” Wu Bei quickly interjected.

Deng waved him off, signaling silence.

“Send me the address. They’ll be there by tomorrow morning at the latest!” the other man promised generously.

Deng smiled faintly. “You mentioned wanting to meet the new Captain Liu at the Vehicle Management Office recently, right? I’ve arranged it for noon today!”

The man on the other end suddenly became excited and shouted, “Oh my dear brother! Finally, your word has come! Before noon today, I’ll have the trucks delivered to the spot!”

“Talk later!” Deng hung up promptly, clearly not wanting Wu Bei to overhear too much of their private matters.

“Everything depends on the outcome!” Deng said, perhaps anticipating Wu Bei’s doubts, as he handed him a cigarette with a smile.

Though Wu Bei didn’t quite understand why Deng had deliberately understated the number of trucks by five, he bowed deeply in gratitude.

They were mere acquaintances, yet Deng had gone out of his way to help him so significantly. Even if things didn’t go perfectly, Wu Bei had no complaints.

Besides, good-condition used trucks usually cost at least thirty to forty thousand yuan, and most secondhand dealers couldn’t gather so many vehicles on short notice.

“Opening in three days, right? I happen to be entertaining some important friends that day,” Deng said, scratching his nose. Then he pulled out a thick envelope from the drawer and placed it atop the thirty thousand yuan, pushing both toward Wu Bei with a pout. “Here’s an early gift for your opening!”

Wu Bei was stunned, finally grasping what kind of game the man before him was playing.

“I’m in the scale business. If you want me to handle things, you have to pay—that’s the rule! Your new store is opening, and as a friend, this is a small gift. That’s social etiquette! You can’t break my rules, and I can’t ruin your social graces!” Deng explained, raising an eyebrow.

Only then did Wu Bei slowly realize Deng’s approach was much like when he had asked Qi Jinlong and Wang Shun to invest twenty thousand yuan each—both acts carried the same spirit.

“This table is yours. I’ll have someone deliver it shortly. It’s made of rosewood. Wishing you great success!” Deng tapped the table again with a knowing smile as Wu Bei’s expression brightened.

Wu Bei instantly understood: this shop existed to serve those who truly needed it.

“Brother, your kindness is overwhelming. If there’s ever anything I can help with, just say the word!” Wu Bei said sincerely, bowing once more.

“Heh, I’m not one for formalities!” Deng waved his hand.

As Wu Bei left, Deng spoke meaningfully, “Deng Can was my name before I went to prison; Deng Yi is what I changed it to after coming out. Call me whichever you like!”

Wu Bei paused for less than five seconds, then grinned warmly. “To me, you have only one name—Brother Deng!”

“Haha, the young are promising. I like you more and more. Come by often! Here, it’s not just business—it’s a place to make friends of all kinds.”

Deng Can’s face lit up with joy as he gave Wu Bei a hearty pat on the shoulder.

Leaving “Bai Yi Cliff,” Wu Bei pondered Deng Run’s profession as a scale maker. Perhaps he was an indispensable link between buyers and sellers.

With the crucial hardware secured, Wu Bei hesitated a moment, then dialed Su Qing’s number again...