Chapter 324: Shocking! This Isn

He tossed and turned all night, and Lin Yueqiang barely managed to close his eyes.

At the first hint of dawn, he got up and paced back and forth in the small courtyard. He clutched the heavy brass keychain, the cold metal repeatedly reminding him that this wasn't a dream. A home, in Beijing—Lin Yueqiang finally had a place that truly belonged to him. The feeling was steadier than having ten thousand yuan in his pocket, as if his whole being had taken root in this vast city.

When Lu Qingshan and Lin Yue'e arrived, they saw Lin Yueqiang holding a copy of "Fundamentals of Accounting", his brows knit and muttering to himself, wrestling with the book.

"Let's go, stop reading; knowledge never ends," Lu Qingshan's voice came, "I'll first take you to see something real."

Lin Yueqiang snapped out of his reverie, hurriedly placed the book back in the room, and followed briskly. "Brother-in-law, where are we going?"

"Your second sister is in charge here; I'll take you to see her stall," Lu Qingshan said lightly, as if they were just heading to a street market.

"A stall?" Lin Yueqiang was startled, thinking his second sister already managed affairs in the big trade, so why would she have her own stall? Could it be a side business?

The car didn't head for the grand Xinghan Hotel; instead it turned onto an even more bustling street—Jianguomen Outer Avenue. When the gilded characters "Xinghan National Specialty Market" rose before his eyes like a golden hill, Lin Yueqiang froze completely, his breath halting in an instant.

The scene before him completely upended his understanding of the word "market."

What kind of market is this? It's clearly a city forged of steel and glass!

A massive glass dome arched overhead like a sky canopy, beneath it an endless sea of people. The cacophony of vendors' calls in various dialects and the din of haggling merged into a scorching wave of heat that slammed into him, making his head spin and nearly suffocating him. The air was a mash of regional specialties—the dry aroma of mushrooms, the salty scent of cured meat, the briny freshness of seafood, and a wild blend of spices—assaulting his sense of smell.

Rows of meticulously arranged booths displayed everything from Xinjiang raisins and Hami melons to Yunnan's Tu tea, Pu'er tea, and ham; from Inner Mongolia's milk tofu and Dried Meat to Guangdong's cured meats and seafood… a dazzling array, all-inclusive. He even saw a booth dedicated to ham, its rows of glistening cloud ham shining with oil, the aroma irresistible, far larger than the special New Year item he once prized at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative—more than three times its size!

Lin Yueqiang felt his throat as if scraped by sandpaper—dry and gritty—and his calves went weak. He had worked at the town's Supply and Marketing Cooperative for years, thinking he'd seen the world. Yet those few shelves compared to the grand scene before him were like a tiny rural puddle against an endless ocean, no, not even a puddle—at best a small dip left by a cow's hoof!

He even saw several groups of blond, blue‑eyed foreigners, led by translators and guides in uniform, camera in hand, their faces full of wonder as they weaved among the booths taking photos, their professional demeanor clearly indicating they were on a procurement scouting mission.

"Is… is this also ours?" Lin Yueqiang's voice trembled, almost a breathy question; he turned to Lu Qingshan, his eyes filled with disbelief and a hint of pleading, as if hoping for a denial so his worldview wouldn't completely collapse.

Lu Qingshan didn't nod, only gave a faint smile, his expression as calm as if mentioning a trivial matter. He pointed at the massive dome overhead and a towering office building in the distance, and said evenly, "To be precise, everything from the ground beneath your feet to all the structures you see belongs to us. This market is just a part of it, a chance for your second sister to practice her skills."

The words struck his mind like a bolt of thunder! He blacked out, his body swayed, and he almost fell flat on the ground.

Lin Yue'e was equally stunned; although she knew her husband's business was huge, hearing such a casually dominant proclamation made her clutch Lu Qingshan's arm tighter, rest her head on his shoulder, her eyes flashing with pride and admiration, wondering how many more shocking abilities her husband still concealed.

Lu Qingshan led them toward the management office area. He walked ahead, saying nothing, yet the crowd automatically split a path. Several patrolling security guards and booth owners who saw him stopped instantly, bowed from a distance and respectfully called out "Lu Dong," their eyes full of awe. A tea‑seller from Fujian, eager, lifted a small packet of the finest Da Hong Pao to offer, but Lu Qingshan's gentle yet firm gaze halted him, forcing the seller to bow from afar and watch them leave.

This silent authority was more persuasive than any words.

Cutting through the bustling crowd, they found Lu Fang in the market's management office area.

Lu Fang stood with hands on his hips, issuing orders to a few workers, his voice loud and crisp. "Second sister." Lu Qingshan called out.

"Hey, Qing Shan, you've arrived." When Lu Fang saw them, his stern expression instantly turned to a smile; his gaze swept over Lin Yueqiang, nodded, and said, "This must be Yueqiang, right? He looks like a spirited young man."

"S‑second sister, hello." Lin Yueqiang, still reeling from the shock, stammered.

"Alright, no need to stand, come in and talk." Lu Fang led them into the office, casually pouring water for everyone.

"This time you're heading northeast, you'll return to the Capital City first; we stayed a few days, and Lu Qingjun secured a lot of good stuff for the market." Lu Qingshan got straight to the point, "Ginseng, deer antler, forest frog oil—top‑grade items—go straight to the pharma factories and hotels. The remaining mountain delicacies are abundant; you'll need to arrange a prime spot for them."

Lu Fang slapped his thigh, "You finally made it! I was worried! Spring's here, southern goods sell fast, but northern mountain goods are scarce. Items, Lu Qingjun, show me the order."

Lu Qingjun took the cargo list from his bag and handed it over.

Lu Fang took it, scanning while calculating, "Hazelnuts, pine nuts, black fungus, monkey head mushrooms… wow, the variety's complete. How's the quality of this batch?"

"Top‑grade." Lu Qingshan replied concisely.

"Then the price needs differentiation." Lu Fang immediately shifted into gear, "Alright, I'll free up the best spot at the East District entrance for a dedicated exhibition area for this batch. We'll call it 'Guandong Mountain Zhen,' what do you think?"

"Sounds good." Lu Qingshan nodded, "Details, you handle the arrangement."