Chapter 29: Black water actually is petroleum!

Ning Jinli was stunned for a moment.

What's going on?

I've been busy with my own affairs these past days; when did I provoke Ning Yao?

"I was about to ask you what you mean!"

Ning Jinli said while walking to the warehouse, "Don't come looking for trouble over nothing!"

On the phone, Ning Yao said irritably, "Stop pretending not to understand! My parents and I have been released, but He Kai is still locked up, and they won't let anyone visit him!"

Ning Jinli's steps halted.

Oh, I remember now—it's about the Canglan Jade Disc incident a few days ago.

He Kai and Ning Hai's whole family were arrested and taken to the bureau for interrogation.

She had been so busy that she'd already forgotten about it.

This matter is serious; those responsible will surely be interrogated for a long time, so it's no surprise that Ning Yao and her mother were released, but… Ning Hai is a direct accomplice in the robbery of the Canglan Jade Disc.

How could he also be released?

Before Ning Jinli could ask, Ning Yao burst out angrily, "I don't even know what exactly happened; my parents won't tell me, and all I know is that He Kai snatched something from your factory."

Ning Jinli snorted.

She silently thought, "That's called 'a little something'?"

Saying it out loud would scare you to death!

"Ning Jinli, although I don't know what they stole, it's definitely because you called the police that he got arrested," Ning Yao continued, "Are you crazy? You got me and my parents locked up for days! What does that have to do with our family?"

Ning Jinli, head aching from the shouting, rubbed her temples and said, "So you called just to yell at me? You'd be better off spending that time asking your dad what they actually did."

Ning Yao shouted, "I won't hold you responsible for dragging my family into this—I order you to go to the bureau right now and sign a letter of pardon so He Kai can be released!"

Ning Jinli only found it funny.

My cousin really has been spoiled since childhood; even when asking for forgiveness, she uses that tone.

Besides, it's robbery of a national treasure—can that even be pardoned?

Ning Jinli guessed that the authorities wouldn't leak the situation before the detailed interrogation results came out, so she also couldn't tell Ning Yao the truth.

She said directly, "If you made a mistake, you should bear the consequences; stop yelling at me over nothing—I'll hang up if there's no real business, I'm busy."

"Wait, wait, wait!" Ning Yao's tone softened considerably, "Older sister… name your price—how much money do you need to pardon He Kai?"

Ning Jinli helplessly replied, "This isn't about money."

"I'll give you one million!"

"No, I dare not take your money; last time you gave me a factory, it almost ruined me."

"Two million!"

"……"

"Alright, five million—is that enough?"

"……"

"Ning Jinli, don't be so greedy!"

"……"

Ning Jinli actually wanted to hear how high her cousin would raise the price.

Of course, no matter how much more, she could never agree to it.

First, the case is so serious that pardon is out of the question; second, Ning Jinli is hardly short of money now.

Ning Jinli had already reached the warehouse door, saying nothing, while listening to her cousin repeatedly raise the offer, her tone shifting from anger to pleading.

"Older sister, I beg you; if really impossible… I'll discuss with my dad and pay off that seventy-million loan for your factory."

It seems Ning Yao truly cares for He Kai.

She's even offered such terms.

Ning Jinli said while opening the warehouse door, "Hey, sorry, I can't help."

She then hung up.

On the other end, Ning Yao's face twisted with anger; she smashed her phone to pieces and yelled, "Ning Jinli! I'm not done with you!"

Crash—

The large warehouse door of the daily goods area slowly opened.

A gust of dusty smell hit her face.

Ning Jinli covered her nose and went inside, looking around, found a small forklift for moving cargo, and gave it a try.

It still had power; it could run.

With this to get around, she could quickly check what had been piled up in the warehouse.

Soon, mountains of labor-protection clothing, shoes, and gloves came into view.

"Hey? Good stuff!"

Ning Jinli's eyes lit up, "This is perfect to give to the folks over there to wear—it's breathable and protects them from injury while they work; let me see how much there is!"

She drove the small forklift around in a loop and roughly estimated there should be thirty to forty thousand sets.

Over there, the populace numbers over sixty thousand, and about that many are the labor force.

It's suitable, sufficient—let's send them all over!

Besides those, she later saw a large pile of stainless‑steel cookware—pots, bowls, ladles, basins, big tubs, and the like.

Hmm… they could also use those to cook food.

"Huh? There are also gas canisters?"

Ning Jinli spotted many brand‑new gas canisters in the distance; these are also the empty cylinders produced at the factory.

As for this thing, she couldn't think of any use for it for the time being.

So she didn't go over to look at it.

In the afternoon, she called in a moving team and moved all the protective clothing and stainless‑steel utensils to the large warehouse in the food area.

There was no way; the light curtain of the spacetime portal only covered this place.

Only after moving it here could she use thought transmission.

"Hey hey hey, anyone there?"

She picked up the walkie‑talkie in the small warehouse and asked.

Soon, the walkie‑talkie crackled with the excited yet humble voice of a cave guard: "Fairy, we're here."

"Alright, pay attention—I'm about to send things over."

"Yes, ma'am!"

As for clothes, shoes, and pots, pans, bowls, and buckets, there's no need to explain—people already know how to use them.

Without further ado, Ning Jinli quickly transmitted them over.

After finishing this batch of work, it was already late.

She hurriedly brought a sample suspected to be petroleum and drove to a mineral research company in the city.

She delivered the sample before they left work, then rushed nonstop to Xinghan Central Hospital.

Two days ago, Aunt Su underwent a kidney transplant.

The surgery was very successful; she could be discharged after a short hospital stay.

No matter how busy Ning Jinli was these two days, she would make time to visit.

She guessed that before Aunt Su's discharge, the property deed for that villa would come through.

It would be perfect to bring it to the villa when Aunt Su is discharged, giving her a big surprise!

On the other side.

In Lin Xian Village, the villagers were already lining up to receive the supplies Ning Jinli had sent.

Those who received the clothing were so moved they burst into tears, clutching and stroking them over and over.

It was the first time they had ever seen such clothes and shoes.

The style was novel, the quality astonishing—far superior to the homespun linen garments and straw sandals they made themselves, by a factor of thousands!

Moreover, many people couldn't even afford coarse linen clothes, often going about half‑naked and barefoot.

Now they actually have such immortal clothing!

After receiving clothes and shoes, people continued to line up for the stainless‑steel cookware.

The gleaming pots, pans, bowls, buckets, and half‑person‑high rice‑cooking cauldrons once again refreshed their understanding.

Before, they could only use pottery and wooden utensils; those with slightly better conditions could use porcelain and bronze cookware.

Now these items are large, beautiful, and sturdy—any one could be called a supreme treasure; who would have thought the Jinli Fairy would send so much that every household gets a share!

After everyone had received their items, they went to the outside of the Immortal Cave, weeping and kowtowing in gratitude.

As for Xiao Qidi, he specially selected a group of handy villagers to watch instructional videos on his phone together with him.

The videos had subtitles.

But they couldn't understand them.

On one hand, the villagers are illiterate; on the other, even if Xiao Qidi could read, he doesn't recognize modern Chinese characters.

But it's fine—the videos feature real‑person demonstrations and explanations.

Some of the spoken words may be unclear, but following the person's steps to learn poses no major problem.

Everyone was busy, and the whole Lin Xian Village was filled with a vigorous, energetic atmosphere.

The sky had grown dark.

In the hospital, Ning Jinli was keeping Su Yi company in the ward, eating together.

In the two days before last night's surgery, Su Yi spent most of the time in a dazed state, but today she is finally fully awake.

"Xiao Li…" Su Yi said worriedly, "I've just had surgery and am in a private ward… sigh, why are you giving me such a nice nutritional meal? How much will it cost?"

Ning Jinli laughed, "Don't worry about the money—I've got plenty now."

Su Yi's face was full of worry: "You just graduated—where are you making money to spend like this? Did you take out a loan? No, no… I need to get discharged right away!"

The more she thought, the more anguished she felt, wishing she had just fainted on the roadside and died then.

That way, she wouldn't burden Ning Jinli.

"Oh dear, Aunt Su! Look at this!" Ning Jinli whipped out her phone and quickly opened her bank account.

All the talk in the world is useless compared to simply showing someone the account balance.

Su Yi has been so good to her—depending on each other for ten years, enduring hardship to raise her to adulthood; she wants to repay the kindness but can't, and there's no need to hide anything.

Just then, a phone call came in.

It was from the mineral research company she had contacted before coming to the hospital.

"Already got the results?" Ning Jinli answered the call.

"Yes, Miss Ning," the staff member said, "the sample you sent has been tested and confirmed to be petroleum!"

Ning Jinli felt as if a surge of hot blood shot straight to her heavenly spirit cover; she jumped up with joy, startling Su Yi.

The staff member seemed equally excited, voice trembling slightly: "May I ask, Miss Ning, where did you obtain the sample?"

Ning Jinli instantly tensed and asked cautiously, "Is there a problem?"

The other party said, "This petroleum is of the highest quality; domestically, no oil field can produce it, and it's extremely difficult to import… so…"

"Top‑quality petroleum?"

Ning Jinli felt a bit dizzy.

Heaven!

I originally just wanted to blast out the groundwater for Lin Xian Village, but... I ended up discovering a prime oil field by the way?

From now on, we must definitely develop and utilize it properly!

"So... what?" Ning Jinli continued to ask.