A Beauty in the 80s Goes on a Blind Date with Her Child, Captivating the Military Compound - Chapter 87

The group of troublemakers left, looking quite satisfied. Sisi Shen watched their retreating figures but ultimately chose to keep her mouth shut.

As the saying goes, “Fortune leans upon disaster, and disaster lies hidden within fortune.” She didn’t know if their current moment of triumph would ultimately prove to be a blessing or a curse.

The antagonists had left, but many of the people who had pre-ordered her oil were now feeling hesitant.

“Is there really something wrong with this medicinal oil?”

“Even the manager of Rongchun Hall had his doubts. Surely there’s no smoke without fire?”

Hearing the whispers around her, Sisi Shen immediately picked up a bottle and unscrewed the cap.

“Quiet, everyone, please!” she called out. “Our Golden Phoenix Medicinal Oil is based on a century-old formula from a veteran practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine. Back in our village, people from all around have relied on this oil for generations to treat their injuries. If there were truly a problem, our reputation would have been ruined long ago. Rest assured, the ingredients are completely safe and harmless.”

Someone in the crowd shouted, “Empty words! How can you prove it?”

Sisi Shen smiled thinly. Without offering a long-winded explanation, she brought the bottle to her lips, tilted her head back, and took a drink.

The crowd watched in stunned silence as the oil in the bottle dropped by a third. They watched her throat move as she swallowed, and they couldn’t help but marvel—this woman was tough.

That medicinal oil was incredibly pungent; she had just downed it without a second thought.

The oil was indeed spicy on the throat, but since it contained no capsaicin or irritating chemicals, it wasn’t dangerous. The discomfort soon passed. Sisi didn’t even knit her brows as she proved the safety of her product right in front of everyone.

“You’ve all seen it. If this oil were poisonous, would I put it in my own mouth?” she asked. “Actually, this oil can be used both externally and internally. When someone suffers from heatstroke or a sore throat, they can hold a little in their mouth and swallow it slowly.”

By testing the medicine on herself, Sisi successfully dispelled everyone’s concerns.

“Alright then, I’ll buy it!”

“I want one too…”

A swarm of people rushed forward. Sisi directed them to form a line. “We’re only selling to those with pre-orders today! If you didn’t get one, don’t worry—just come here and register…”

She shot a look at Hua Cao, who nimbly pulled a small notebook from his pocket. He bit the cap off his pen with a flash of white teeth and greeted them in a muffled voice: “Come register with me…”

By the end of the morning, the crate of oil she had brought was completely sold out, and she had collected many new orders.

Hua Cao had Xiaojiang Dong instruct the crew to carry the remaining oil back to distribute to the workers who had pre-ordered. He then indicated that he had a private matter to discuss with Sisi.

Sisi Shen happily counted her money, her large, beautiful eyes sparkling. Today’s sales were excellent; her total revenue was 128 yuan.

“Brother Hua, this is yours…” Sisi said, handing over Hua Cao’s commission first.

Due to some structural adjustments, she had saved quite a bit on costs this time, leading to a higher profit margin.

Hua Cao looked at the 18 yuan in his hand and suddenly realized that this business was a gold mine. Last time, his cut was only 5 yuan; this time, it was 18. If they actually took that order for ten thousand bottles, wouldn’t they make a small fortune?

“Sister Sisi, this money… isn’t it a bit much?” Hua Cao asked, clutching the bills.

Sisi Shen waved her hand generously. “Brother Hua, don’t mention it. Just take it! Once my oil factory is up and running, our costs will be even lower, and our profits will be even higher.”

Hua Cao couldn’t help but give her a thumbs-up. This Sisi Shen was truly a natural at business. She was also straightforward and loyal.

“Alright then, I’ll… take it!” Hua Cao tucked the money into his pocket. This amount was nearly equivalent to half a month’s wages for a regular worker.

Sisi patted her bulging pocket. Excluding costs, she had earned 71 yuan this time! But this was just a small profit; once the factory was operational and everything was on the right track, that’s when the real wealth would start flowing in.

“By the way, Brother Hua, you said you had something to tell me. What is it?”

Prompted by her reminder, Hua Cao finally remembered. “Right. I remembered that a businessman from Hong Kong came by the other day. One of my workers accidentally bumped into him, so I used your medicinal oil on him. The next day, he came back specifically to ask about it.”

He continued, “However, that middleman for the Russian trade route showed up at the same time. When I heard about the Russian order being for ten thousand bottles, I didn’t dare promise anything to the Hong Kong merchant. He’s come back twice more to ask, but I’ve been stalling him. If you’re interested, I can arrange a meeting.”

So that was it. Sisi Shen thought for a moment; the man had practically visited her “thatched cottage” three times like a persistent scholar. His sincerity was evident. “Let’s meet then. Let’s set the location at the State-Run Restaurant.”

“Good!” Hua Cao said. He wasn’t in a hurry to leave and instead accompanied Sisi as she walked toward the ferry crossing.

“Um… I heard from Xiaojiang that you’ve already secured the site for your oil factory.”

“Yes, it’s all thanks to you…” Sisi thanked him repeatedly. She truly hadn’t expected that after a chance meeting, Hua Cao would help her time and time again.

Although the factory site was primarily secured by Chengfeng Gu and Yanzhou Feng, Hua Cao had sent Xiaojiang Dong to support her, and Sisi kept that kindness in her heart.

Hua Cao felt a bit embarrassed; in truth, he hadn’t helped that much. Thinking of Biao Cheng, the local bully of that area, he warned Sisi to be on her guard.

“Over the years, very few people have been able to snatch something out of Biao Cheng’s hands. You’re the first,” Hua Cao said. “My people are mostly at the docks, not on the other side of the river, and we’re even further from that alley. I’m worried he might try something against you…”

Just as he finished speaking, a deep, powerful voice boomed like muffled thunder in their ears.

“You don’t need to worry about that…”

Chengfeng Gu rushed over, his steps hurried. He had heard that Sisi Shen was being cornered at the docks, and his heart had nearly leaped out of his chest as he raced to find her.

Upon arriving, he saw Sisi walking beside the fashionably dressed Hua Cao. He had already investigated Hua Cao’s background—otherwise, he wouldn’t have allowed Sisi to continue the association—but now, he was beginning to have some regrets.

He could tell at a glance that the way Hua Cao looked at Sisi was not “pure.”

A dark, indescribable shadow flickered in Chengfeng Gu’s eyes. His lips were pressed into a tight, downward line as he possessively wrapped an arm around Sisi’s shoulder. “My wife’s affairs are no concern of others.”

Sisi Shen’s mind went blank. Why was he here? And what did he just call her?

Wife?

Hua Cao glared at Chengfeng Gu, but after just one look, he felt himself losing ground. The man before him was taller, more handsome, and had a far more powerful aura.

Most infuriating of all: he was Sisi Shen’s legitimate husband!

Hua Cao’s heart was filled with a mix of envy, jealousy, and resentment.

“And this is…?” Chengfeng Gu asked, knowing full well who he was.

Sisi Shen finally snapped out of it and introduced them. “Brother Hua, this is my husband, Chengfeng Gu.”

Hearing her use the word “husband” so naturally, Chengfeng’s brow twitched slightly, a look of secret satisfaction crossing his face.

“Chengfeng, this is Hua Cao. He saved me once on the ferry, and now he’s my business partner…”

His happiness lasted less than two seconds. Chengfeng’s fingers suddenly tightened, and his brows knit into a tight knot. She had an accident on the ferry? Why didn’t he know about this?

Realizing that Hua Cao had saved Sisi, his attitude toward the man softened slightly. He proactively reached out his hand.

“Mr. Cao, thank you.”

Hua Cao didn’t back down and reached out to shake it.

The moment their hands met, he felt a crushing force. It felt as though his hand bones were about to snap. He gasped in pain, his face turning bright red as he endured the squeeze. “It was… it was nothing.