Chapter 217: Chapter 217: Blocked at the Door

What Feng Jun was shipping and where it was hidden, he didn’t say, and Wang Haifeng didn’t ask again.

Next, it was time for the master to check their cultivation.

Feng Jun was pleasantly surprised to find that Xu Leigang had actually begun to attempt the second diagram of the first form of cultivation, and although Wang Haifeng was still practicing the first diagram, his aura had grown much stronger and his skill in circulating it had improved day by day.

Such a rate of cultivation was quite fast, but since the two were adults, although finding their qi sensation was slower than younger people, once they got into the groove, because they could steady their hearts, their progress was usually not too bad.

For adults, the further one cultivated, the harder it got. It was normal for them to progress quickly at the beginning.

Feng Jun encouraged them with a few words, then added that if there was anything they didn’t understand, they should ask quickly because he might be busy again after a while.

His main task this time was to procure supplies, with military goods being of utmost importance. Now that the bulk of it had been secured, he planned to buy some diesel and other daily necessities and once again develop extensively on the mobile phone plane.

He had been back for quite a while this time, over a month, and in another month, it would be time for the New Year.

He hoped that by the New Year, he would be able to bring a cultivation technique back home with him.

It was then that Wang Haifeng found the time to mention that Sister Hong’s sister had come to make a payment and had asked about when he would return.

Upon hearing this, Feng Jun felt a complex emotion stirring in his heart. After cooling off during this period, his feelings towards Sister Hong had somewhat faded, and he felt that he had been somewhat obsessed before, failing to grasp the modern dating principle of “If you don’t take it seriously, then neither will I.”

As for the payment, he still planned to take it, but it wasn’t urgent. In fact, he was considering consigning some jade to Li Dafu to sell. As for how much it would sell for, he wasn’t too concerned, as it surely wouldn’t go below his purchase price, right?

Now that Sister Hong had taken the initiative to make the payment, although it wasn’t in person, it was clear that she was worried about his safety. Realizing this, Feng Jun couldn’t help but feel a bittersweet amusement.

I’m not even trying to flirt with you anymore, yet you act like this…

After pondering for a moment, Feng Jun decided to focus on what he had to do, “I’m going to take a shower and sleep for a bit, then I have some errands to run. Why don’t you arrange a meeting with Sister Hong? If she’s free tonight, let’s all sit down together.”

He was planning to buy a freezer to store some meat and also purchase some grains—the grains from that plane tasted remarkably good, naturally pollution-free but with very low yields, making them a bit expensive.

Feng Jun had made these plans, but as he was taking his nap, someone pounded on his room door, “Feng Jun, open the door!”

Being woken up from a dream like that would sour anyone’s mood, especially since he had been running around everywhere these past few days, leaving him quite exhausted.

He angrily opened the door, only to be slightly taken aback as he found Zhang Caixin standing before him.

After gathering his composure, he spoke displeasedly, “Cai Xin, do you even know I’ve just come back? I was dead asleep!”

Zhang Caixin looked him up and down and pointed at his forehead, “What happened here?”

“I bumped into something,” Feng Jun replied with a yawn, “Listen, why don’t you watch some TV for a bit and let me sleep another hour?”

“That’s what you think?” Zhang Caixin glared at him, expressing her dissatisfaction, “I knew you were back today, and I rushed over here in the middle of lunch. This is how you treat me?”

“Alright then,” Feng Jun yawned again, “Wait for me downstairs, I’ll be down in a moment.”

He went to close the door, but Zhang Caixin quickly stepped sideways, a long leg poking into the doorway, preventing the door from closing, and asked with displeasure, “What are you going to do?”

Feng Jun looked at her both amused and annoyed, “Of course, I’m going to change clothes… Or do you want to watch me change?”

He was wearing a thick cotton bathrobe loosely tied with a sash, revealing half of his chest and two segments of bare legs.

Zhang Caixin was still sizing him up unashamedly, her beautiful eyes roaming freely, “Go ahead and change, it’s no problem… I don’t mind.”

Feng Jun wasn’t the least bit embarrassed; he casually untied the sash and opened the robe.

Zhang Caixin’s eyes widened as she watched him intently without even the slightest hint of turning to run.

If he had been wearing nothing under the robe, she would have seen everything.

Fortunately, he was wearing a pair of briefs underneath—after all, it was just a nap, there was no need to strip completely, right?

As Feng Jun saw how she stared directly at him, he couldn’t help but inwardly sigh, the girls these days… really are bolder than ever.

While he inwardly sighed, his movements were swift; with a quick shrug, he slipped off his robe.

Zhang Caixin couldn’t bear to watch any longer. She pulled her long leg back from the doorframe and turned to walk downstairs, muttering disapprovingly, “Hmph, I thought you’d be well-built, but you’re just another scrawny guy, all show and no substance.”

“Hey hey,” Feng Jun responded, not pleased with the remark, “Do you even know what you’re saying with ‘all show and no substance’?”

Following this, the clicking of high heels on the stairs grew louder as Zhang Caixin didn’t bother to respond to his question.

Soon after, Feng Jun came downstairs in a set of loungewear, which was a very loose sports outfit. It was already the depths of winter, and the weather in Zhengyang had become quite cold, with nights hitting below zero. However, the villa remained quite warm.

Xu Leigang and Wang Haifeng were also in the living room. Lately, they mainly practiced their cultivation in the yard during the day, usually not getting involved in receiving guests. But having just had lunch, they were in the yard to digest their meal. Seeing Zhang Caixin arrive, they followed her inside to see what was happening.

Feng Jun descended the stairs, yawning as he poured tea and asked, “I hear Sister Hong is planning to make a payment. Has business been good lately?”

Zhang Caixin nodded earnestly in reply, “Business has always been decent; I’ve actually been wanting to make a partial payment for the goods.”

“Really?” Feng Jun asked nonchalantly, showing little interest in the answer, “Well, you should’ve paid earlier then. Why did you drag it out so long?”

Annoyed, Zhang Caixin glared at him, “You didn’t ask for it, did you? If you needed cash flow, you should’ve at least told my sister. Is it appropriate to keep us guessing with your fist clenched?”

“What’s inappropriate about it,” Feng Jun replied, both amused and annoyed, “Your sister took my goods on credit. After selling the items, she should’ve taken the initiative to bring over the money, right? And now I have to ask for it?”

“My dear President Feng, please get this straight, the market currently is a buyer’s market,” Zhang Caixin earnestly explained, “Cash is king. With money, there’s so much you can do… how can you not worry about your own money?”

“Haha,” Feng Jun laughed dismissively, guessing what Sister Hong meant; she probably wanted him to come to her, so she could continue to play hardball.

As for the payment, he believed that Sister Hong wouldn’t shortchange him. Some people you might not have met many times, but you feel they are trustworthy. Others, even if you’ve grown up together, still can’t give you that sense of security.

The saying “to remain new after many years, to treat each encounter like the first” is exactly about this.

Sister Hong was one of those people. She might have her flaws, but regardless, her demeanor, way of doing things, and problem-solving methods gave a strong, credible impression. She seemed straightforward in her affairs.

If it were someone else, delaying the payment of Feng Jun’s money for so long without settling accounts, surely Feng Jun would have confronted them demanding an explanation. But with Sister Hong, he felt no need whatsoever.

Actually, he suspected that Sister Hong was waiting for him to make the first move, so he deliberately avoided doing so—just to see if she’d actually withhold his money indefinitely.

Of course, this was just speculation, but as soon as he left for Yunnan Province, Sister Hong sent her sister to make the payment promptly, confirming his suspicions.

However, in front of Wang Haifeng and Xu Leigang, he couldn’t be petty over this matter and simply replied noncommittally, “Then how about this, the next time I need money, I’ll call you directly… is that okay?”

“That’s between you and my sister, why drag me into it?” Zhang Caixin blinked her large eyes twice, looking at him with interest, “She’s worrying over your business, and you can’t even be bothered to make a phone call?”

“Worrying over my business?” Feng Jun frowned slightly, lit a cigarette, and looked at her leisurely, “Are you sure you’re using that idiom correctly?”

I didn’t expect you not only look like a foreigner, but you also use idioms like one.

Zhang Caixin guessed what was on his mind and couldn’t help but snort disdainfully, her chin lifted slightly, “I am quite certain I used the idiom correctly. Do you know why there has been such a delay in payment?”

“Oh, that’s something I don’t know,” Feng Jun chuckled, “Why don’t you enlighten me?”

While he said this, deep down he was filled with contempt: Isn’t it just waiting to see me begging for mercy?

“She’s under a lot of pressure selling jade,” Zhang Caixin spoke frankly, “In the past, when there was a shortage of goods, it was purely a seller’s market. But now that there’s a surplus, and since you assure supply, some ask for deferred payments because these goods tie up a lot of capital…”

“It’s not impossible to do a straightforward cash-on-delivery, but if the intention is to stay in the market for the long haul, it’s unwise to be too headstrong. Even without selling any goods, it’s essential to maintain some level of relationship.”

Feng Jun intended to listen casually, but her reasoning seemed like a challenge to his intelligence.

So he couldn’t help but interject, “I don’t quite get what you’re saying. In my experience, there are many rich people in jewelry, and new forces are constantly entering this industry… If you don’t have the money, why get involved in jewelry?”

After years of steady development in Huaxia, one thing that’s in no short supply is rich people. You could mention numerous billionaires and not have heard of most of them, completely unaware of what they did before.

Zhang Caixin merely smiled coldly, “There are lots of rich people, and plenty of lucrative industries… Besides, with sufficient inventory, it makes it easy for someone to persuade on their behalf. Is favor a thing so easily refused?”

(Here ends the update for the fourth day, calling for monthly tickets.)