Chapter 779: Business Savvy in the Tea Shop

Wuzhou East City, in a quiet street amidst the bustle, the sign of the Elegant Tea Pavilion tea shop glowed a dark gold in the afternoon sunlight.

Dark gold!

Isn't that rather ironic?

The shop was decorated in an antiquated style, with various tea cakes and tea utensils displayed on the rosewood antique rack, and even the air was faintly permeated with sandalwood and tea fragrance.

There were few customers in the shop.

Two waitresses in cheongsams were attentively accompanying a middle-aged couple as they selected tea.

As Lin Dongfan pushed the door open, the wind chime jingled.

Fan Ye today changed his outfit—a dark blue polo shirt, slightly faded jeans, a bulging waist pouch at his waist, and his hair deliberately slicked with gel to look a bit oily.

He looked like a small business owner just starting out, trying to keep up appearances.

Yes, you didn't missee it—Fan Ye, who doesn't play by the rules, has today set aside the Mayor's authority, posing as the owner of a bath center, going undercover.

"Welcome."

A clerk stepped forward, with a standard smile: "Sir, what tea would you like?"

"I'm looking for the owner." Lin Dongfan spoke in Mandarin with a slight out-of-town accent: "Let's talk business."

The clerk sized him up a bit, then called into the back: "Sister Mei, someone's looking for you."

The back curtain was lifted, and a woman in her forties, slightly plump, walked out. This was the wife of Li Political Commissar of the Public Security Bureau—Wang Xiumei.

A woman who knows how to dress well.

She had permed fashionable curls, wore a custom-made genuine silk dress, and on her wrist wore a jade bracelet with excellent clarity.

Her makeup was exquisite, and her eyes also revealed a shrewdness.

"Who are you?"

Wang Xiumei gave Lin Dongfan a once‑over, her smile politely adequate, but that politeness carried an obvious assessment of status—she was gauging whether this person before her had any "value".

"My surname is Lin; I've just opened a bath center in West City called Azure Water and Cloudy Sky."

Lin Dongfan put on a businessman's smile, took out a business card from his waist pouch and handed it over: "I heard from friends that your tea is good, and I came by a few days ago to buy some."

Wang Xiumei took the business card, glanced at it, casually placed it on the counter, and her smile warmed: "Oh, Boss Lin. How is the tea treating you?"

"The tea is really good!"

Lin Dongfan gave a thumbs‑up.

He also showed a troubled, wry smile: "... Recently business hasn't been easy, funds are a bit tight. Look, the two cakes of Ancient Tree Pu'er I bought a few days ago, and that set of purple clay pots—could I return part of them? The price is negotiable, a discount would do."

Refund?

Wang Xiumei's smile instantly faded by a third.

She sized up Lin Dongfan again, this time looking at him like an idiot: "Boss Lin, our Elegant Tea Pavilion's rule is: once sold, no returns or exchanges—you don't get that?"

"I know, I know."

Lin Dongfan rubbed his hands, lowering his posture: "But this is a special situation… My bath center just opened; I have to grease the palms of the fire department, sanitation, and the police outpost—expenses are huge. Look, those two tea cakes are 36,000, the pot even more, 48,000… My small business can't bear that."

His statement was half‑true, half‑false, but by mentioning the "police outpost" he was deliberately dropping a hint.

Wang Xiumei indeed caught the subtext; she turned, walked to the tea table behind her, sat down, and began brewing tea slowly, her tone gaining a hint of deeper meaning:

"Boss Lin, business has its ups and downs—that's normal."

"But some money, when it ought to be spent, must be spent."

"You bought tea to give as gifts, to smooth relations and make your business work. Now, because you're temporarily short on cash, you want to return it—that's against the rules and shows you don't understand things."

She poured a cup of tea, pushed it toward Lin Dongfan: "Try this, this year's Golden Handsome Eyebrows."

Lin Dongfan lifted the cup, took a sip, with a bitter face: "Sister Mei, I really can't manage. How about… you give me a clear way forward?"

Wang Xiumei looked at Lin Dongfan's "dejected" appearance, a flicker of pride flashing in her eyes.

She crossed her legs.

Arrogantly she pointed at Lin Dongfan: "Boss Lin, I see you're a straightforward person, so I'll tell you straight. Doing business in Wuzhou, especially in your line of work, certain connections must be maintained. Police outpost, fire department, sanitation… the incense of every temple must be burned. The gifts you give out aren't free—they're buying peace and convenience."

She paused, her fingers lightly tapping the tea table:

"Just like those two tea cakes you bought, priced at 36,000—people in the know all know it's not worth that price. Yet why do so many still come to me to buy? Because you're not just buying tea; you're buying relationships, a doorway. If you return the tea today, you're not returning money—you're blocking your own path."

Lin Dongfan pretended to suddenly understand.

He also grew a bit anxious: "... … Then can my bath center stay open? A few days ago the fire department came for an inspection, pointed out several problems, and said they need rectification…"

"Fire department?" Wang Xiumei smiled, her smile tinged with a hint of arrogance: "Captain Zhang of the fire brigade is very close to my Old Li. This way, don't return the tea—I'll give you two more boxes of good tea. Tomorrow take it to the fire brigade and find Captain Zhang, just say you bought the tea from me. I'll guarantee those 'problems' of yours aren't problems at all."

That was already said quite blatantly.

Lin Dongfan snorted coldly inside, but put on a show of grateful tears: "Thanks so much, Sister Mei! But this tea money…"

"The tea money isn't urgent."

Wang Xiumei waved a hand, sizing him up: "I see you're also a smart person; from now on, whatever tea, cigarettes, alcohol, or gifts your bath center needs, just come get them from me. My shop's been open all these years—why is business good? Because the people who come are all savvy. Buying here buys peace of mind and connections."

Saying this, she rose and took down a exquisite wooden box from the top shelf of the antique rack.

Inside were several cakes of luxuriously packaged tea.

Wang Xiumei proudly gave Lin Dongfan a rundown: "Look at this—Old Ban Zhang Ancient Tree, sells for eight thousand on the market. Here I mark it at eighty thousand. Yet why do so many still come to buy? Because buying this cake gets you to know the right people and get things done. This is called a 'clear account'."

Lin Dongfan looked at that cake of tea, and his heart fully understood.

Damn, this isn't a tea shop at all!

This is clearly a white glove for money laundering and interest transfer.

Selling tea at high prices is actually indirect bribery; introducing connections is power rent‑seeking; the no‑return, no‑exchange policy is having these people over a barrel so they dare not speak up.

Fan Ye's mind was like a clear mirror, yet his face showed a hint of hesitation and struggle: "Sister Mei, you're right, but my finances…… I originally wanted to return the goods and get a refund, now I have to come up with eighty thousand instead……"

Seeing Lin Dongfan still pretending to be poor,

Wang Xiumei's face also put on a disappearing‑smile act.

She put the tea box down heavily.

Her voice also turned colder by three points: "Boss Lin, I really think you don't understand! In Wuzhou this area, some money that should be spent must be spent. The principle of not being willing to spend on children and not catching wolves—you don't get it?"

She walked up to Lin Dongfan, eyes carrying a warning:

"I won't beat around the bush with you. Your bathhouse is in the west city, that area falls under the West Suburb Precinct. The Political Commissar Li of the West Suburb Precinct is my husband. If you are sensible today, take the tea leaves, give gifts where gifts are due, grease palms where needed, then your business will go smoothly. If you are not sensible..."

She snorted coldly: "Don't mention fire safety and hygiene; believe it or not, tomorrow someone will report you for involvement in pornography and gambling, letting your bathhouse not be able to operate."

Naked threat.

Lin Dongfan, "scared", retreated half a step, his waist pouch almost fell to the ground: "Elder Sister Mei, don't be angry, I... I didn't mean that..."

"What do I care what you mean!"

Wang Xiumei waved her hand impatiently: "Returning the goods is impossible. Either you do as I say, and we'll keep in touch from now on; or you leave now, but you'll bear the consequences."

She sat down again, picked up her teacup, didn't even glance at Lin Dongfan.

Tone contemptuous:

"Bosses like you, small-time bosses, I've seen many."

"Having a little money, you want to do business, yet you're stingy and unwilling to grease palms. I tell you, in Wuzhou, people who don't understand the rules can't keep their business long."

"That's all I have to say; you weigh it yourself."

Lin Dongfan stood in place, his face alternating between green and white, after a while he tremblingly took out eighty thousand cash from his waist pouch, placed it on the counter like cutting flesh.

"Then... then Sister Mei, I'll first take a cake of tea, go try with Team Leader Zhang..."

Wang Xiumei glanced at the eighty thousand cash, snorted, said to the clerk: "Xiao Liu, wrap a cake of tea for Boss Lin. Ordinary is fine, the eight-thousand kind."

She turned her head.

Again, with a fake smile, she said to Lin Dongfan:

"Boss Lin, remember today's lesson. Doing business in Wuzhou, eyes must be bright, mind must be active. Don't narrow the big road just to save a little money."

"Understood, thank you, Sister Mei, for the guidance."

Lin Dongfan, "yes yes no no", received the tea, bowed thanks, backed out of the tea shop.

When the door closed.

He could still hear Wang Xiumei's disdainful mutter: "What the hell, daring to come to my place to return tea..."

Walking out of the alley, returning to the car parked at the roadside, Lin Dongfan's panic and humility vanished instantly.

He threw the tea cake labeled "eight thousand" into the back seat, took off his waist pouch, pulled out the hidden miniature recorder—red light still on, recording throughout.

The passenger seat's Lao Ba handed over a bottle of water: "Boss Fan, how was it?"

"Great harvest."

Lin Dongfan drank a sip of water, eyes icy: "Tea shop, Fire Safety Team Zhang, West Suburb Precinct Political Commissar Li... and that set of 'clear accounts'. The recording is clear enough."