Zhang Wei had someone make silver dollars, and it took about a week before he could present a sample.
However, that time wasnât wasted. When Feng Jun got the sample and compared it with his own silver dollars, it was clear that the workmanship was more refined, even superior. The silver dollars brought out from the mobile phone realm seemed somewhat crude and shoddy by comparison, almost like fakes.
The processing fee wasnât high, after all, this was the era of mass industry; once the mold was finished, everything else was simple.
Now that Feng Jun had money, he didnât hesitate to place an order for two tons and requested the mold be kept for potential future use.
Zhang Wei found this request somewhat baffling, âIsnât this just a prop for a movie? What, are you planning to shoot a sequel?â
Feng Jun couldnât really explain, so he simply chose not to, âJust tell me straight up, can you do it or not?â
Itâs true what they say about people changingwhen they have money. Zhang Wei was a bit irked by Feng Junâs tone, but⦠heâd earn a commission from brokering the deal.
With money as a motivator, he didnât press further, âItâll take three to four days for a ton⦠So for two tons, letâs say seven days. If youâre in a hurry, you can pay an expedited fee.â
As a humanities scholar, Feng Jun wasnât very familiar with industrial processes, but the fact that it took a whole week to process two tons of silver into silver dollars screamed small workshop levels.
But, this was exactly what he wanted. The impressions on the stone ring in his possession were already very faint. Half a monthâs charge wasnât even reaching the limit, so he might as well focus on charging it up.
Thus, he secluded himself in the villa in the wilderness, staying there for a week.
But this time, he wasnât solely focused on charging. In addition to that, he practiced the Tai Chi Breathing Technique and managed to master the fifth form. The Qi Force he could emit had become strong enough to shatter glass.
Besides that, he maintained contact with the outside world. Apart from Wang Haifeng and Sister Hong, he also chatted with people like Feng Jing and Ye Qingyi on WeChat from time to time.
On the morning of the eighth day, while Zhang Wei hadnât contacted him, Xu Leigang called to say that the dedicated line had been installed. âCome take a look. If thereâs anything that needs tweaking, we can still make improvements.â
It had to be admitted that Xu Leigang was quite adept at handling Peach Blossom Valley. When Feng Jun checked the dedicated line, he found it to be extremely well implemented, complete with a power distribution room prepared especially for himâall accomplished in just seven days.
According to the power companyâs practices, the cost of the power distribution room was supposed to be borne by the property owner. When Feng Jun inquired about the cost, Xu Leigang casually waved it off, âNo charge, you donât need to worry about these things.â
Feng Jun wasnât one for pettiness. Considering that the villa would likely be returned to Xu Leigang in three years, he didnât bother to argue further, âI appreciate your effort⦠By the way, how are things going in Beijing?â
âI donât know,â Xu Leigang shrugged indifferently, âIâve managed to raise the money anyway, and my brotherâs financial situation has improved somewhat. Still, I hear things arenât going very smoothly⦠There are bound to be some minor setbacks, but I guess itâs generally moving in the right direction.â
He seemed disinterested in discussing further, âWhen are you moving in to celebrate your housewarming?â
âCome on, this is practically your house, isnât it?â Feng Jun rolled his eyes helplessly, âA housewarming celebration⦠Are you trying to mock me?â
Xu Leigang chuckled, then his expression sobered, âBy the way, I heard from Hai Feng that youâre quite knowledgeable about smartphone apps?â
âThat guy is talking nonsense,â Feng Jun said with a smile, shaking his head, âIâm a humanities scholar, what do I know about apps?â
Xu Leigang didnât believe that. According to Wang Haifeng, not only could this person alter smartphone data, but he could even sense if someone nearby on WeChat was a beauty.
So he pressed on, âCould you help me tap into someoneâs phone calls? You name your conditions.â
âReally?â Feng Jun gave him a strange look, âTapping into calls⦠Isnât that something for the authorities to do? Youâre not lacking ways to deal with them, are you?â
âBeing able to deal with them doesnât mean I can just tap calls,â Xu Leigang said, rolling his eyes helplessly, âYou canât just use those devices whenever you like. Thereâs a protocol for everything.â
âWell, then I canât help you,â Feng Jun spread his hands, expressing his reluctance. He really didnât want to get involvedâlet alone whether he had the ability or not, just considering that official agencies had to record their use, why would he invite trouble?
However, considering Xu Leigang was a respectable associate and recalling that he once sought to contact the armed police for assistance, Feng Jun felt he shouldnât be too ungenerous.
He glanced at the otherâs portly figure and his eyes lit up with an idea, âSpeaking of which⦠why donât you try losing some weight?â
âDonât you think I want to?â Xu Leigang looked at him helplessly, âBut I have an innate deficiency, I overcompensated with supplements as a child, and⦠dieting is just too exhausting. Even when Iâm determined, I can never stick with it for more than a few days.â
Upon hearing this, Feng Junâs eyes rolled thoughtfully, âDo you have no self-control when it comes to eating, or do you gain weight no matter what you eat?â
âBoth,â Xu Leigang responded without hesitation, clearly having given the matter some thought.
Feng Jun frowned slightly at that; such conditions sounded quite troublesome.
Yet after a pause, Xu Leigang looked earnest as he continued, âTruthfully, my appetite isnât much larger than the average personâs. Itâs just that without eating, I get anxiety attacks, not that Iâm craving. The crux of the problem is, even if I eat less, I still gain weightâ¦â
â If I really want to lose weight, then high-intensity exercise is the only way. But I just canât keep it up. I could manage for a dozen or so days, but several months? Thatâs where I draw the line.â
Feng Jun understood and nodded, âDoes anyone else in your family struggle with weight?â
âTheyâre overweight too, but thatâs just middle-aged spread. No one is as fat as I am,â Xu Leigang replied seriously, âI have an innate deficiency⦠My mom was forty-six when she gave birth to me, an older mother.â
Feng Jun nodded as he listened, âI have a type of medicine that might help you lose weight. Would you like to try it?â
âYou? A weight loss drug?â Xu Leigang stared at him, mouth agape in shock, before breaking into loud laughter after a moment, âPresident Feng, youâre joking⦠Iâm not a young girl, and as an experienced driver, you should pick your passengers carefully, haha.â
Feng Jun was a bit annoyed by the laughter and flicked his finger, sending a burst of finger-force out, snapping a twig as thick as a finger ten meters away.
Xu Leigangâs laughter stopped abruptly, as if something had suddenly caught his throat, followed by a fit of violent coughing.
After coughing for a while, he asked in shock, âPresident Feng, was that you just now⦠what you did?â
In truth, he had heard the whistle of the finger-force, but such a fantastical event occurring before his eyes was a bit hard to believe.
Feng Jun glanced at him impatiently, âIf it wasnât me, do you think it was you?â
âThis, this⦠this is too much,â Xu Leigang said as he quickly ran over, his agility belying his size.
He bent down to pick up the twig, examining it closely, especially at the break, for a good two minutes.
Finally, he muttered, âThe break isnât smooth, it wasnât cut by a sharp instrumentâ¦â
Then, he looked up at Feng Jun, asking incredulously, âDid you really do this?â
Feng Jun gave him an exasperated look, this time too lazy to even speak.
Seeing this, Xu Leigang rallied, âDo it again, Iâll point out a twig for you, and if you can knock it down, Iâll accept youâre the real deal!â
Feng Jun couldnât help but laugh at that before waving his hand dismissively, âForgetit, Iâm not after your approval. Go do whatever you were going to do.â
I kindly offered to help adjust your body, but since youâre ungrateful and itâs not a loss for me, why should I insist on proving myself?
Xu Leigang, realizing what he had said, picked up the fallen twig again, squeezing it and finding that it still oozed sap where it had snapped, obviously freshly broken.
Immediately he put on a flattering smile, grinning like Maitreya Buddha, âDonât be upset, President Feng, Boss Feng, Master Feng⦠Was I wrong, is that not enough?â
Feng Jun looked at him with an expressionless face, but his eyes conveyed a rich message: donât be unreasonable.
âAlright, alright,â Xu Leigang stepped forward, grabbing Feng Junâs right hand with his plump hands and shaking it vigorously, âMaster Feng, Iâll take that weight loss medicine⦠to buy! Name your price.â
âItâs not a weight loss drug,â Feng Jun held up a finger and shook it slightly, correcting him seriously.
âItâs called the Body Tempering Pill, you know? Itâs specifically for bodily regulation, can repair innate deficiencies in vital energy, and also helps stabilize your foundation. Itâs perfect for your condition. Of course, you may choose not to believe⦠â
âI believe, I believe,â Xu Leigang nodded incessantly, his cheeks quivering, âI absolutely believe!â
He had figured it out; President Feng was the one who helped him resolve his financial issues, there was no reason heâd cheat himâputting it more bluntly, besides this villa, he had nothing else of value to be coveted.
After hesitating for a moment, he asked cautiously, âYour elixir⦠does it have the effects of cleansing the marrow and transforming the sinews?â
There, he stopped even calling him âPresident,1 switching to the more respectful âyou.â
Feng Jun was amused and wrinkled his nose disdainfully. This idea of cleansing the marrow and transforming the sinews had indeed taken deep root in peopleâs minds.
After thinking for a while, he nodded slightly, âBody Tempering⦠well, you could say itâs part of cleansing the marrow and transforming the sinews, a bit like External Martial Artsâ¦â
While speaking, he bent down, picked up a walnut-sized rock, and casually pinched it between his thumb and forefinger, crushing it into dozens of smaller pieces, speaking casually, âJust like that.â
âSsss,â Xu Leigang sucked in a breath of cold air, bending down to pick up the pieces and gritting his teeth as he tried to crush them, to no avail, while his own fingers became painfully sore.
Then, he just stood there, shaking his head with a bitter smile after a while.
Next, his eyes rolled as he tentatively asked, âDo you think I⦠can afford it?â
(Updated, callingfor monthly votes.)n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om