Chapter 165 That is a different price

It was mid-afternoon.

Wen Mubai called out to Hu Qixin and Sun Wenming, and the three of them headed toward the black market together.

On the way, Sun Wenming and Hu Qixin finally had the chance to talk about the recent changes in the black market.

Just as winter was setting in last year, both Hu Qixin and Sun Wenming had rolled up their sleeves, gearing up to make a killing during the winter lull.

However, they had barely been at it for two days when a flood of strangers poured into the black market, and everyone coming and going was subjected to strict searches.

Sensing something was amiss, Sun Wenming and Hu Qixin laid low. Only later did they find out that a criminal had escaped from the Revolutionary Committee.

"Brother Bai, do you think the black market is going to be shut down for good?" Sun Wenming asked anxiously.

If a fugitive's case could lead people right to the black market, could it possibly survive?

The black market was, as the name implied, a market operating in the shadows. Now that the authorities knew about it, could it keep going?

If the black market closed down, how were they going to grow their secret stash of money?

After surviving the whole winter like this, Sun Wenming and Hu Qixin had both drooped like wilted vegetables, completely drained of spirit.

Now that Wen Mubai was back, the two of them instantly found their backbone.

"No," Wen Mubai said with certainty. "In a couple of days, once I'm settled, we'll go test the waters and see what's what."

Having frequently interacted with various officials and leaders in the past, he had a fair grasp of how they thought.

Even though the black market was officially prohibited, in an era of planned economy with severe material shortages, the existence of the black market was inevitable.

Close one down, and another would pop up.

Besides, many leaders' family members had also frequented the black market. Therefore, the leaders usually turned a blind eye to certain things; as long as people weren't too blatant about it, they could tolerate it.

Moreover, the incident last time wasn't necessarily a thorough investigation by the organization. That raid had primarily targeted Gouzi, and the black market got dragged into it purely because Gouzi had spent time there.

It had nothing to do with the black market itself.

The fact that the black market was still operating smoothly meant the matter had already blown over.

Seeing the two of them looking thoroughly dejected, he gave each of them a kick. "Acting like plague-stricken chickens, aren't you ashamed of yourselves? Haven't the two of you earned enough over the past two years?"

Sun Wenming didn't dare make a peep after being kicked, but Hu Qixin muttered, "Who ever thinks they have too much money?"

He currently had close to three hundred yuan saved up and was planning to buy a job in the city once he had enough, thereby becoming a city dweller in one fell swoop.

With so many brothers in his family, and parents who openly favored his eldest brother's household, the share of things he could hope to get, especially as the youngest son, was limited.

The reason he didn't put his heart into earning work points was simply because he was a bachelor; earning more would only benefit others.

Therefore, he wanted to live far away from his family. He would not shirk his duty to support them in their old age, but there was no way he was going to raise his older brother's children.

Hu Qixin hadn't hidden his thoughts from his good brothers Wen Mubai and Sun Wenming. Both of them knew the situation at his home inside and out, so they fully understood his perspective.

Seeing that Hu Qixin was already twenty-two and his family hadn't bothered to arrange a wife for him, one could easily tell where his family stood.

Wen Mubai turned to look at Sun Wenming. "What about you? Do you want to buy a job too?"

"I haven't thought about that," Sun Wenming said, scratching his head honestly. "I just want to earn a bit more money."

His family situation was different from Hu Qixin's. Everyone at home treated him very well; his older brother and sister-in-law took good care of him. Even back when he didn't work diligently, they never said a harsh word.

It was just that, "Wenfang, Wenli, and Wenxiu are all growing up. I can't let the whole burden fall entirely on my older brother and sister-in-law."

The Sun family had come here as refugees; the grandmother had passed away, and the grandfather was in poor health and unable to do heavy labor. Now, the heavy burden of the household rested entirely on Sun Mancang and his wife.

Even if the two of them worked themselves to the bone earning maximum work points, the family still struggled immensely. Ever since he started doing these small businesses with Brother Bai, the family's situation had improved significantly.

Therefore, he didn't want to lose this source of income.

Both of them looked at Wen Mubai with eager eyes. "Such a lack of ambition! You're grown men, can't you think of other ways?"

There were plenty of ways to make money.

Sun Wenming and Hu Qixin hung their heads, looking aggrieved.

Wen Mubai sighed with exasperation and shifted his gaze. "We're here."

They had arrived at the black market. Compared to when he last visited, it was indeed much more desolate.

The three of them walked around inside, bought some rice, white flour, pork, and eggs, and then came out.

Wen Mubai hadn't intended to stir up extra trouble on this trip, but as they were leaving the black market, he brushed shoulders with a bald, burly man, causing him to pause involuntarily.

"Huzi, you and Sunzi go on back first. I saw an acquaintance, I'm going to ask him about the situation." Wen Mubai handed the back basket to the two of them. "Find a place and wait for me for a bit."

"Alright, alright, alright!" The two of them couldn't have wished for anything more, nodding their heads frantically.

After watching the two of them leave, Wen Mubai headed in the direction the bald man had gone.

Sure enough, Gouzi was waiting for him inside that hidden door. "Wolf Cub, I've been waiting for you for a long time."

The hidden door had no windows. As the door swung open and the light poured in, Hou Xingyun squinted his eyes.

Wen Mubai reached behind him to close the door. "Why are you back?"

Weren't matters over here completely wrapped up? How could Gouzi come back?

"I was medically discharged." Hou Xingyun had nothing to hide. "I'm no longer a member of the Dragon Squad. From now on, I am just Hou Xingyun."

This injury had caused irreversible damage to his body, especially his leg. Although he hadn't been left crippled, he could no longer handle high-intensity missions.

"That's a good thing!" Wen Mubai was genuinely happy for him.

Members of the Dragon Squad were not allowed to quit unless they were disabled or killed in action. Even if they retired, they remained part of the organization and had to be ready at a moment's notice whenever needed.

Even so, once they stepped down, they wouldn't have to face dangerous operations anymore, gaining a relative degree of freedom.

Hou Xingyun felt the same way. "I don't have family, and when Elder Bai asked where I wanted to go, I figured I'd come find you."

He was an orphan with no family and nowhere to go. All his friends were in the Dragon Squad, and Wen Mubai was the only exception.

Wen Mubai was a younger brother he had watched grow up, practically family. So, after a brief hesitation, he came to rely on him.

"What are you looking for me for?" Wen Mubai asked unceremoniously. "I don't have any spare wealth for you to sponge off of!"

Despite saying that, he was inwardly pleased. He had very few family members, and Gouzi counted as one.

Hou Xingyun could see right through him and let out a hum. "Underestimating your old man, aren't you? See this? This black market is still mine. In the future, you'll still have to make a living under me, so show some respect!"

"Whose old man are you?" Wen Mubai cracked his knuckles, staring at him dangerously.

This Gouzi, if you don't beat him for three days, he'll climb up to tear down the roof tiles.

"My own old man." Hou Xingyun indicated that his body hadn't fully recovered yet, but that didn't mean he was afraid of this wolf cub.

"Seriously, Wolf Cub, come work with me. Do you really want to live off a woman for the rest of your life?" Hou Xingyun tempted him.

This black market was something he had taken over from someone else with the organization's backing.

The reason it used to thrive was because of the material support from the organization.

Now that this black market had been handed over to him, the organization wouldn't provide material support anymore, so he had to figure things out on his own.

"Are you jealous?" Wen Mubai wasn't tempted in the least. "My wife is willing to let me live off her."

He was going to be the man standing behind his wife; striving and struggling simply wasn't for him.

His material desires were very low. As long as he ate well, drank well, and took good care of his wife, that was all. As for everything else—he glanced sideways at Hou Xingyun—he could always sponge off him.

Anyway, he didn't care about saving face at all.

The only thing he cared about was his wife!

"Go find someone else, I'm not doing it." Wen Mubai refused with absolute finality.

After saying that, he prepared to leave. But just before taking a step, a thought crossed his mind. "Oh, right, you need to settle the previous medicine and life-saving money with me, don't you?"

"I'm not asking for much. Just don't charge me when I buy things from you from now on."

"We'll let today slide as a celebration for your departure from the organization, but from now on, I'm coming empty-handed."

Although Bai Qingfang had already paid the reward for the operation, Gouzi insisted on repaying the debt of saving his life, and there was nothing Wen Mubai could do about it.

And his wife's medicine—that was a completely different price!