Chapter 19: A Pleasant Collaboration

Page (1/3)

In the main hall of Qingfu Pavilion, diners sat in small groups, occasionally casting curious glances at the towering figures of Giant Stone and Arno seated quietly in the corner. Ever since Xu Gaoxiang and Master Lin from Hexingju entered the private room, the two imposing foreign guards had remained motionless, expressionless as statues.

“They’re really intimidating!”

“Have you noticed? It’s been at least fifteen minutes and not a single blink!”

“Hey, do you know which country these foreigners are from?”

Not only the diners but even Lin Jiadu was filled with curiosity. In these turbulent times, it wasn’t unusual for wealthy families to travel with a few bodyguards, but having two formidable foreign guards as protectors was truly rare.

Xu Gaoxiang smiled modestly. “Haha, Master Lin, you flatter me. Life isn’t easy for overseas Chinese either! And besides, those foreigners are usually bullies who fear strength.”

“That’s why I hired these two—to make communication with the foreigners smoother!”

Soon, the dishes were served, and Lin Jiadu took the opportunity during the toast to inquire about Xu Gaoxiang’s background.

“My dear brother, this is Fenjiu from our Xing Village! I raise a glass to you!”

Though Xu Gaoxiang had never been to Southeast Asia, he had read plenty of travel guides about Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, and spoke of the local customs and scenery with great enthusiasm.

After a while of chatting, they finally reached the main topic. “Master Lin, this friend of mine is someone I trust. Take a look—this is our white sugar.”

With that, Xu Gaoxiang pulled from the pocket of his coat hanging on the rack a block wrapped in oiled paper, the size of a brick, and laid it neatly in front of Lin Jiadu.

“This is... such high quality! Premium white granulated sugar!” Lin Jiadu’s eyes sparkled as he carefully picked up a cube and popped it into his mouth.

“Ah! So sweet!” His face flushed as he savored the rich sweetness.

Since the Republic era, white sugar prices had skyrocketed. When the Japanese invaders arrived, they swept all the sugar across the region, making it nearly impossible to find. Only Hexingju, thanks to its connections with Officer Yan and the Central Army, had some supply, albeit low-quality.

He hadn’t tasted such high-grade sugar in a long time. “Ah, brother, please forgive my excitement!”

Page (2/3)

Lin Jiadu’s smile grew warmer. This was a godsend; Hexingju would seize this opportunity no matter what. “Brother, how much do you have? We can discuss the price!”

Xu Gaoxiang paused briefly. As a junior trader, his monthly quota was only one hundred tons, which had to cover future weapon trades with Li Yunlong and unexpected circumstances.

Too much stock could be problematic. “One ton,” he said, holding up a finger.

Lin Jiadu’s face flushed with excitement; he knew a ton was over 1,600 jin in their measure. “Brother, you must not exaggerate!”

Xu Gaoxiang smiled faintly. “And that’s every month! I wonder if Master Lin can...”

Lin Jiadu stood up and eagerly grasped Xu Gaoxiang’s hand. “We can handle it; Hexingju can handle it!”

He was already itching to return to the main store to arrange funds. As long as the price wasn’t exorbitant, it was never a loss, especially given their government connections.

“Then let’s have a fruitful cooperation!” Xu Gaoxiang agreed, shaking his hand.

However, his expression suddenly turned serious. “There is one condition: no sales to the Japanese!”

Lin Jiadu immediately pounded his chest in assurance. “Selling to the Japanese? I, Lin Jiadu, would be the first to refuse!”

Xu Gaoxiang nodded. “I trust you, Master Lin. I myself want to contribute to fighting the Japanese. So, for this ton of sugar, a fixed price—2,000 silver dollars!”

Lin Jiadu did not hesitate. “Brother, you are truly generous!”

They continued exchanging toasts and laughter until well satisfied.

Lin Jiadu warmly grasped Xu Gaoxiang’s arm. “Brother, since you are new here, you must not yet have a place to stay. Come, I have a courtyard nearby where you can rest comfortably.”

Xu Gaoxiang accepted the invitation without hesitation. “Thank you for your kindness, Master Lin. I appreciate it.”

With lodging arranged, Xu Gaoxiang, Giant Stone, and Arno followed Lin Jiadu to a residence with three courtyards.

After settling Xu Gaoxiang in, Lin Jiadu summoned the steward and gave strict instructions. “This is an honored guest. Make sure to attend to him diligently and fulfill all his requests.”

The steward nodded. “Understood, Master. We will make our guest feel at home.”

Page (3/3)

Lin Jiadu then hurried back to the main store to consult with the other two owners about how to allocate the ton of sugar.

Moreover, since Xu Gaoxiang could so readily produce a ton of white sugar, he likely had more stock. They needed to carefully consider the terms of cooperation.

Once settled, Xu Gaoxiang sat in the grand chair, lost in thought. “I wonder how Old Li is doing? Did Pillar survive?”

Now with some time on his hands, he turned to Giant Stone and Arno, curiosity piqued. “What capabilities do you have?”

Arno spoke first. “We are F956 model guardian robots, powered by two high-energy compressed batteries, with an operational lifespan of 120 years.”

“We possess energy shield generators, basic medical assistance programs and reserves, three types of non-lethal weapons, one plasma weapon, and an advanced enemy detection system with a two-kilometer radius. All information and targets within range are continuously monitored.”

Xu Gaoxiang’s mouth dropped open as he absorbed the futuristic functions. “Wow, truly a high-level guardian robot, equipped with everything!”

With Giant Stone and Arno around, dying would be nearly impossible. Their basic medical programs alone covered nearly all known diseases.

If they weren’t restricted to guarding Xu Gaoxiang, these two could easily cut through all the Japanese soldiers.

“Wait...” Suddenly, Xu Gaoxiang’s eyes lit up with a bold idea.

He hurriedly asked Arno, “Can your detection ignore terrain and building obstructions? Do you mark all threatening targets and individuals within range?”

When Arno confirmed, Xu Gaoxiang jumped up excitedly. “With information monitoring combined with detection marking, if I just stroll through the city—”

This would render the Japanese defenses and intelligence effectively useless against Xu Gaoxiang. If he passed on some free intelligence to Li Yunlong, there was no way Old Li could resist.

Moreover, having advance knowledge would prevent greater casualties.

Taking out his communicator, Xu Gaoxiang pondered. If nothing changed, Li Yunlong would soon serve as director of the uniform factory for a few months, during which he would be unavailable.

Better to stay low-profile for now to avoid unexpected incidents that would drain trading points. If he couldn’t hold out until Li Yunlong’s return, it would be disastrous!