Chapter 12 (1/2)
According to Rolin, the grains to be taken had better be active; that was, wheat instead of flour, paddy rice instead of rice.
These things could hardly be found in ordinary stores. Afraid that Rolin might change his mind, Huang Xuan asked Li Shenggang to rent two nearby warehouses. Afterward, he found secretary Lou again, dragged him to a meeting room and said: ”Brother Lou, I need tens of tons of grains.”
”Grains?” Lou Ping wondered about it, with the minutes in his hand. Looking for the right person to transfer his work to in his mind, he asked: ”Why do you need grains?”
”Please don't ask. I am asking a favor,” Huang Xuan said in a hurry. ”If it is not so much trouble, could you please help me with this?” Huang Xuan put his palms together to make a plea. Lou Ping was too embarra.s.sed to refuse, then said: ”Wait a moment. I need to hand over my work to my co-worker.”
”OK. I will wait here.” Huang Xuan sat on the sofa.
Actually, Lou Ping was unfamiliar with crops and didn't even know how many grades of flour there were; however, he had a specialty in channels. Half a day later, he called and said: ”Huang Xuan, your request was odd so, I have inquired of some of my friends about it. Are seed grains OK? They are expensive.”
”That's all right.” Huang Xuan was anxious and said immediately: ”I'd like 100 tons. Please make checks on them and ensure a quick delivery.”
”No problem. Three days at most.” Lou Ping was glad to hear Huang Xuan agree instantly so that he could take the next step. Feeling closer to the ”crown prince” of the Group, he said happily: ”I have approached two companies. It is ¥6800 per ton. Is it OK?”
Huang Xuan thought that three days was too long a time to wait. He rubbed his neck and said simply: ”I will offer ¥7,000 per ton as long as they deliver them to the warehouse before 12 o'clock tomorrow. What do you think?”
Lou Ping didn't respond. He was off the receiver and was discussing it with others. After a moment, he said: ”They will take it and start the delivery tonight.”
”Okay. I am looking forward to your good news.” Huang Xuan told him the warehouse's address and added: ”Brother Lou, please help me check strictly on the quality. Quality goes above quant.i.ty,”
Hearing Lou Ping keep saying yes on the phone, Huang Xuan finally hung up and started to pack.
He took off his fas.h.i.+onable clothes and put on some simple ones. Then he took off his watch and necklace too and put on the cloth shoes the butler had bought for him by his request. He stood in front of the mirror, in a gray s.h.i.+rt and cloth pants, looking old-fas.h.i.+oned. After some thought, he took out a sheet of aspirin and quick-acting capsules for colds from the medicine chest and sc.r.a.ped the characters off the packaging with a knife.
Huang Xuan kept tossing and turning all night. Early the next morning, he picked up the small bag he had packed and rushed to the pavilion. He found the teleportation spot and with a flash of white light, entered the base.
The white plank house was the same, but he was in a much different mood this time. With the bag in hand, he looked like a new visiting son-in-law. He looked here and there, then asked: ”Rolin, have the grains arrived yet? Are we set to go?”
”Yes, the grains have arrived,” Rolin replied. ”Do we set off now?”
”Of course.” Huang Xuan kept waving his hands in excitement. ”Let's go!”
With a slight tremor of the base, Huang Xuan already disappeared in the air. All that was left was the jingles of the metal b.u.t.tons and zippers Rolin had abandoned to save energy.
Huang Xuan was looking right and left in happiness while they were going through the colorful pa.s.sage, with no knowledge that his flyer was open. Then, in a blink of his eye, the pa.s.sage was gone, and a village appeared. Rolin said: ”Here is destination P154T1061937W4348.”
Huang Xuan felt his feet were weak as he stepped forward and looked around. The place looked like a mound; cooking smoke could be seen curl up in the distance, white clouds drifted in the sky and streams gurgled. The hill was covered with lush green trees that were common but were growing with natural beauty impossible to be seen in artificial gardens.
”Grains are stored temporarily in the pa.s.sage, but for no more than three days.” If the intended plane could be certain, Rolin could teleport the grains until when they were needed; however, given the present grade of the base, the planes to be reached would be random. Rolin had to teleport the grains once and for all and store them temporarily at the entrance of the pa.s.sage. This method was feasible nowadays, but back to the days when plane travels prevailed, it had been impossible to place anything at the entrance of the pa.s.sage.