Era: Rise from the Wilderness

However, given their status as "ancient coins" and the sheer quantity they possess, if taken to the city or a specialized antique market, they can fetch high prices if they encounter knowledgeable collectors, especially the few "Kangxi" and "Shunzhi" coins in good condition.

However, he currently has limited capital, and his main target is treasury bonds, so he cannot tie up too much capital.

"uncle,"

Li Yunjing spoke sincerely, "These copper coins of yours are old, but their condition is average, heavily rusted, and they'll be troublesome to clean."

"How about this pile?"

He pointed to the strings of coins in the old man's cloth bag, "I'll give you... fifteen yuan, is that alright?"

"Just consider it acquiring an old item; I'll keep it for myself to enjoy."

Fifteen yuan!

The old man's eyes visibly brightened.

This is more than he expected!

These scrap metal pieces were far less valuable to him than a treasury bond that could be exchanged for eighty yuan.

"Alright! Alright! Young man, you're kind!"

The old man nodded repeatedly, afraid that Li Yunjing would change his mind.

Li Yunjing readily counted out fifteen yuan, mostly in small bills, and handed it to the old man.

The old man gripped it tightly, his wrinkles smoothing out a bit, and thanked him repeatedly.

The transaction was complete, and the old man left satisfied with the money.

Li Yunjing carefully rewrapped the dirty bag of copper coins in oiled paper and put it in his canvas satchel, separating it from the treasury bonds.

Watching this scene unfold, Lü Ruoxi felt even more conflicted.

She watched as Li Yunjing quickly assessed the value of the copper coins and offered a price that satisfied the old man and seemed to be fair to him as well.

This is not just "collecting scrap," but more like... a transaction based on knowledge and insight that she can't quite put her finger on.

Li Yunjing seems to know far more than he shows.

After this minor incident, Li Yunjing continued to focus on acquiring treasury bonds.

In Xiatun, a place with astonishing purchasing power, the initial investment of three hundred yuan was quickly depleted.

By noon, he had very little cash left, but his canvas satchel was filled with a thick stack of light green treasury bonds, probably worth close to 500 yuan, while he had actually paid less than 350 yuan in cash.

The sun was high in the sky, its heat making one's scalp tingle.

The villagers who had been watching gradually dispersed and went home to eat and rest.

Only Li Yunjing, Lü Ruoxi, and the bicycle leaning against the old elm tree remained on the open space.

Li Yunjing wiped the sweat from his forehead; the back of his shirt was soaked and clung tightly to his body.

He walked to the shade of a tree, took out his military water bottle from the basket of his bicycle, and gulped down several mouthfuls of cool boiled water.

"Quite a harvest."

Lu Ruoxi looked at his bulging schoolbag and said softly.

The expression on her face had changed from initial shock and confusion to a bewildered calm.

"good."

Li Yunjing wiped his mouth, gazing at the dilapidated houses and quiet alleyways in the distance, his eyes deep. "This place... is a treasure trove. It's a pity we don't have enough capital."

He patted his schoolbag: "These coupons, if we take them to Fengtian, will be worth at least fifty yuan more, based on the current market rates."

"If that string of copper coins is cleaned up and we find the right person, it could potentially be worth dozens of times its original value."

He spoke calmly, as if stating a simple fact.

Lü Ruoxi remained silent.

The afternoon heat in Xiatun rose silently, and the earthen walls of the dilapidated houses in the distance gleamed a pale white in the sunlight.

The cicadas' hoarse cries seemed to tear the oppressive air apart.

She looked at Li Yunjing's shirt back, soaked with sweat, at the bulging canvas backpack he casually patted, and listened to him say in that nonchalant tone, "I could get fifty more dollars" or "I could even multiply it by several dozen times."

350 yuan can be transformed into at least 550 yuan in value, or even more, in one morning.

So this is how money can be made?

Like magic, how can it be conjured from those dusty "waste paper" and "scrap metal"?

She has never worried about money since she was a child. She has plenty of pocket money and generous New Year's money. For her, money is the pretty dresses in department stores, the tuition fees for extracurricular classes at the Children's Palace, and the admonitions her parents give her to "not mistreat herself".

It's never something you have to rack your brains, take risks, or wear an ill-fitting shirt and hawk your wares in a strange village to get it.

But right now, Li Yunjing was putting on a primitive show of "money making money" right in front of her in the most direct way.

Simple, brutal, yet possessing an indescribable magic.

That wasn't just a profit of two hundred yuan; it was a subversion of cognition, a powerful shock about "possibilities".

My heart started racing without me even realizing it.

A mixture of surprise, curiosity, and even a slightly ignited adventurous impulse quietly began to grow in her heart.

She recalled the solemnity with which Li Yunjing refused her three thousand yuan "loan" yesterday, and the flame in his eyes that she couldn't understand.

"Li Yunjing".

She suddenly spoke, her voice not loud, but carrying an unprecedented clarity and determination.

"Um?"

Li Yunjing was tightening the kettle lid when he heard this and turned to look at her.

Lu Ruoxi took a deep breath, as if trying to dispel the last trace of hesitation in her heart.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting shimmering spots of light on her fair face, but her eyes shone with an astonishing brightness.

"My three thousand yuan!"

She said, pronouncing each word very clearly, "It's not a loan to you."

"What?"

Li Yunjing was slightly taken aback, not understanding what she meant.

"Consider me a member."

Lu Ruoxi met his gaze. Although her heart was pounding, she stood up straight. "I'll do it with you."

"I'll put up three thousand in principal, and you... you contribute your skills and connections."

"If we make money, we'll split it 50/50."

After she finished speaking, she pursed her lips tightly, waiting for Li Yunjing's reaction.

His cheeks were slightly flushed with excitement and nervousness, but there was no sign of backing down in his eyes.

The air seemed to freeze for a moment.

Only the cicadas chirped tirelessly.

Li Yunjing looked at her, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

Surprise, scrutiny, and a hint of...admiration?

He didn't expect Lü Ruoxi to make such a decision.

Are you sure?

Li Yunjing's voice turned serious, and he didn't immediately agree. "This isn't child's play, Ruoxi."

"There's a chance of making a profit, and there's also a chance of losing money."

"and……"

He paused, then said, "The things I do aren't always... aboveboard. Like today, like yesterday."

He spoke cryptically, but his meaning was clear.

He was reminding her of the risks and testing her resolve.

Lü Ruoxi understood, of course.

She recalled the cold card game under the old locust tree yesterday, the bright red fingerprints, and the occasional coldness in Li Yunjing's eyes that made her heart tremble.

But she recalled even more his focused expression when examining the treasury bonds, his sincerity when trading with the old man, and the burning light in his eyes when he said, "This is a treasure trove."

"I'm sure."

Without hesitation, her voice became even more resolute: "I know there are risks."

"I never thought everything would go so smoothly."

"But I believe you can succeed."

She paused, then added, "Besides, money in a bank account is just a number. I think... I'll give it a try."

Give it a try.

These three words, spoken by a girl from a wealthy family with a bright future, carried an almost naive courage, yet were also resounding.