A Beauty in the 80s Goes on a Blind Date with Her Child, Captivating the Military Compound - Chapter 72

“There’s no need to discuss it. Let’s follow the rules!”

Shen Sisi wasn’t about to give Old Man Zhang a chance to be slippery. She crossed her arms, looking completely fearless. “Since Boss Cheng has also taken a liking to your mill, why don’t we compete fairly according to the conditions you set? How about it?”

As she spoke, she provocatively arched an eyebrow and stared straight at Cheng Biao.

Cheng Biao had been drifting through the “underworld” for years, and this was the first time someone hadn’t been intimidated by him—let alone a delicate little woman who dared to challenge him openly. He was instantly incensed, his competitive streak ignited.

“Fine! I’m a grown man; do you think I’m afraid of losing to a woman?”

“That remains to be seen…” Sisi said. “Just now, I passed the elder’s first test. Now I’m heading for the second. If you want to compete with me, you’d better put some effort into it.”

She made a polite “after you” gesture to Old Man Zhang and signaled Dong Xiaojiang to push the cart into the pressing room in the back.

As soon as she entered, she was hit by a thick, heavy scent of oil. The tools inside were covered in a dense layer of grime. The pressing rammer lay on the ground—a large, square block of stone with a frayed, useless rope dangling above it. It looked incredibly heavy.

Shen Sisi stood still for a few moments, looking for the best angle to strike.

Just then, Cheng Biao and his men crowded in. Looking at the massive stone, he said to Old Man Zhang, “Old Zhang, if I lift this stone, will you transfer the mill to me as well?”

Old Man Zhang hesitated, neither agreeing nor refusing, simply taking a long drag from his water pipe. “Lift it first, then we’ll talk. But let’s get one thing straight: no one can help you lift it.”

Cheng Biao spat into his palms, shoved past Sisi’s shoulder, and walked up to the rammer.

“Little girl, watch closely…” He bellowed boastfully, dropped into a wide horse stance, and held his breath to gather his strength. His hands, like two large pincers, gripped the stone tightly.

“One, two, three… LIFT!”

He let out a great roar, looking like he could pull mountains from the earth. Because he was exerting so much force, the veins on his face popped out like gnarled tree roots.

Seeing the stone twitch slightly, Sisi involuntarily clenched her fists, her eyes glued to the scene. Dong Xiaojiang, on the other hand, was acting like a Taoist priest performing a ritual, muttering under his breath: “Can’t lift it, can’t lift it… let it crush you, you turtle’s grandson…”

Just as everyone thought Cheng Biao was about to succeed, a crisp crack of bone echoed through the room. Cheng Biao collapsed onto his backside, his lower back giving out.

“Ow! It hurts… someone help me up!”

His two lackeys scrambled to lift him. His face had turned pale with pain and his lips were purple; his pride was utterly crushed.

Dong Xiaojiang laughed his head off. “Uncle, you’re nearly fifty with old bones and old legs. Why try to act tough? Aren’t you embarrassed?”

“You…” Cheng Biao groaned in agony, lacking even the strength to swear as he broke into a cold sweat. “If you’ve got the guts, you lift it…”

“I’ll do it, just watch!” Dong Xiaojiang was about to step forward when Sisi stopped him.

She turned to Old Man Zhang. “You only said no one could help me lift it. You didn’t say I couldn’t use tools, right?”

Old Man Zhang nodded slowly. “That is correct.”

Shen Sisi whispered an “alright” and pushed the small cart forward a few steps until it reached the largest gap between the stone and the floor. She aligned the iron plates at the front of the cart with the crevice and kicked it in.

Once she was sure the plates were deep under the stone, Sisi took a deep breath and gripped the handles tightly.

Seeing this, Cheng Biao ignored his pain to scoff, “Heh, playing fancy tricks now? Even I threw my back out; don’t even dream about it…”

“That rickety wooden cart? Careful it doesn’t fall apart…”

As soon as he finished speaking, the room filled with the sound of groaning, compressed wood. Shen Sisi jumped with all her weight, using gravity to pull the handles down—and the stone actually pried upward!

The scene played out right before their eyes. Everyone was stunned, looking as if they had seen a ghost.

Sisi didn’t let up. She gathered her resolve and jumped again, using every bit of strength she possessed. The wooden cart was stretched to its limit, the handles slightly bending under the pressure.

If the wood couldn’t handle the force, the cart would shatter the moment she landed, and she would fall hard and humiliatingly. But despite the doubts of the onlookers, she wasn’t worried at all. She believed in Gu Chengfeng’s craftsmanship—she believed this cart would hold!

Sure enough, as she landed, the cart creaked several times, the frame deforming under the immense pressure, but it held. Everyone held their breath as they watched her succeed. Almost simultaneously, the rammer slid perfectly into the “belly” of the cart.

Good heavens!

Everyone present was speechless. Cheng Biao’s eyes looked like they were about to pop out of his head.

Shen Sisi was exhausted, her palms red from the pressure. Her heart hammered against her ribs, and she was drenched in sweat. “See? I did it!”

Old Man Zhang never imagined this little girl could use a wooden cart to lift the rammer. It was a true eye-opener. He looked at the cart and immediately saw the logic behind it. Leverage. The girl didn’t have enough strength, so she used her brain.

She was indeed very clever. It seemed his mill had found its proper master today. Old Man Zhang laughed heartily, repeating “Good” several times.

“Little girl, you have a kind heart and a strategic mind. I can rest easy leaving this mill to you…”

Just as the words left his mouth, Cheng Biao roared to interrupt him. “Old Zhang, you’d better think carefully! Don’t throw away money. I can offer fifteen hundred!”

Fifteen hundred! This was far beyond Old Man Zhang’s expectations.

Seeing the light in the old man’s eyes, Sisi’s heart sank. After all that effort, was she going to lose to money? She had to admit, she wasn’t as wealthy as Cheng Biao. Even if she sold herself, she couldn’t scrape together fifteen hundred yuan.

Would this elder really be seduced by money? She looked nervously at him, cold sweat drenching her back.

“Elder, you have to keep your word. Business depends on integrity…” Sisi reminded him.

Old Man Zhang shook his water pipe and pondered for a long while. “Don’t worry. I, Old Zhang, keep my word. Since you met my requirements, I won’t consider anyone else. As long as you bring fifteen hundred yuan, I’ll transfer the mill to you.”

“Fifteen hundred?!” Sisi’s eyes widened. “Not only are you breaking your word, you’re hiking the price on the spot?”

Old Man Zhang shot Sisi a meaningful look and pulled her aside, lowering his voice. “Girl, help me out. I can’t afford to offend Boss Cheng…”

“Our price hasn’t changed; it’s the same as we discussed yesterday. In fact, I’ll even give you a discount—I’ll only take eight hundred from you. But you have to do me a favor.”

“What favor?”

“Hand me fifteen hundred in front of Boss Cheng so he gives up completely. Once this ‘plague god’ is gone, I’ll return the extra money to you and we’ll sign the contract.” He pressed his palms together, pleading with his eyes.

Shen Sisi wanted to cry. Where am I supposed to conjure fifteen hundred yuan from?

She was as anxious as an ant on a hot griddle, not knowing what to do, when a tall, thin figure in a military overcoat appeared silently behind her.

“Sister-in-law, you certainly made me look for you…”