Magical Girl Fan Bingbing

Jiang Ran's expression changed when she saw Leng Qiaoqiao's last message.

He quickly pressed for an answer, which left him both amused and exasperated.

"Teacher Jiang, I'm almost at the point where I can't even afford a decent meal anymore." Leng Qiaoqiao sent an angry kitten emoji. "Then we'll just have to rely on our own abilities. I've already discussed this with you, and I've contacted all my old clients. They're very discreet, so don't worry."

……

Jiang Ran stared at the screen and pondered for a long time.

"Now that we've found a stable partner, don't act without my permission from now on."

Now that things have come to this, all we can do is pray.

With stricter controls in place, there shouldn't be any major problems.

But Jiang Ran couldn't explain these reasons to Leng Qiaoqiao, since he couldn't very well tell her how he obtained the internal meeting minutes of the Public Security Bureau.

After giving Leng Qiaoqiao a few more instructions and agreeing on the time and place to meet the next day, Jiang Ran went back to her room to sleep.

……

The next morning, Jiang Ran drove her daughter to school.

After watching Jiang Li run into the school gate with her schoolbag on her back, Jiang Ran turned around and drove towards the south of the city.

As before, he changed into clothes that made him indistinguishable in a shopping mall restroom, pulled his hood down, and wore a mask to cover his face. Then he walked to a bench on a nearby street.

Leng Qiaoqiao was already sitting there, also wrapped up tightly, with a bag of unfinished bread spread on her lap.

"Where's the stuff?" Jiang Ran sat down next to her.

"I brought everything." Leng Qiaoqiao patted her backpack.

Jiang Ran's warning last night clearly made her uneasy. Although Jiang Ran didn't tell her the reason, she could still tell something from the tone of those messages.

After receiving the warning, Leng Qiaoqiao deleted all the contact information and chat history of those old customers that night, and also cleared the conversations on the anonymous software.

The reason she has been able to walk on thin ice in this industry is precisely because of this caution.

Jiang Ran explained the client's general situation to Leng Qiaoqiao: they were from a research institute, had a formal background, had a large demand, and were capable of long-term cooperation.

After listening, Leng Qiaoqiao's amber eyes darted around behind her sunglasses, but she didn't ask any further questions.

The two got up and walked along the street for a few minutes until they arrived at the agreed-upon coffee shop.

Muzha Immortal Drink.

The storefront isn't large, but the decor is quite artsy. There are two fake green plants at the entrance, and several handwritten posters recommending drinks are pasted on the glass door. It looks like the kind of trendy cafes that are most common near university campuses.

The two went up to the second floor.

Sure enough, a middle-aged man in a suit and tie was sitting in the corner. His hair was neatly combed. On the table was a latte with latte art and an old smartphone issued by his work unit. He exuded the air of a mid-level cadre in the system.

He seems to have absolutely no intention of keeping a low profile.

Jiang Ran and Leng Qiaoqiao walked over and confirmed each other's identities.

As soon as the two sat down, Commissioner Lin couldn't help but look them over, a subtle smile appearing on his lips.

"You didn't need to make such a fuss, did you?" He pointed to Jiang Ran and Leng Qiaoqiao's tightly wrapped-up outfits. "With hoodies and masks on, you look like you're some kind of gangster chefs. This is a normal business meeting, not a rendezvous."

Jiang Ran didn't reply, but took out a sample and pushed it in front of Commissioner Lin.

His expression changed instantly.

He reached out and picked up the crystal, held it up to his eyes, and examined it carefully against the light streaming in from the window, his pupils shrinking smaller and smaller.

"This is different from what you said yesterday," Commissioner Lin said, her voice slightly tense.

"What's different?"

"Of course the purity is different."

Commissioner Lin's lips twitched. He had worked at the research institute for so many years and knew exactly what the market conditions for raw materials were like.

I thought I was worldly-wise, but today I was misrepresented.

Commissioner Lin then understood why these two people were wrapped up so tightly in broad daylight.

The people behind these two are definitely not simple; it's not an exaggeration to be careful.

Thinking of this, Commissioner Lin's expression quickly changed from shock to flattery.

"How much stock do you two have on hand?"

Jiang Ran opened the backpack at her feet, revealing five dark glass bottles neatly arranged inside, each containing crystals of the same quality.

Commissioner Lin glanced at them and immediately decided, "Take them all."

Leng Qiaoqiao spoke up at the opportune moment, using her masculine, low-pitched voice to disguise herself: "Cash on delivery."

As soon as she finished speaking, Commissioner Lin stared at her with the look of someone looking at an idiot.

That look made Leng Qiaoqiao's words catch in her throat.

"What era are we living in? Why are you still using such shady methods?" Commissioner Lin leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers lightly on the table. "Even if I give you cash and the transaction is discreet, you still have to spend the money after you get it, right? How will you explain the source of such a large sum of money? If you're not careful, the police and the tax bureau will come running."

He shook his head, his tone carrying the composure of someone who had been through it all.

"We live in a cashless society now, so we need to keep up with the times."

Leng Qiaoqiao turned to look at Jiang Ran, who nodded slightly, indicating that she should listen first.

Seeing that the two were no longer insisting, Commissioner Lin picked up his latte, took a sip, and began to impart his experience in a tone as if he were teaching a junior.

"The process is very simple. First, you register a company. Any type will do—trading company, consulting company, technology company, you can choose whatever you like."

"Then, I'll pull some strings internally and get the research institute to sign a formal commercial procurement contract with your company. The contract will state that it's for the purchase of experimental consumables or technical service fees, so it's completely compliant in terms of terms."

"Finally, the research institute made the payment to your company under the guise of purchasing research materials. It was a business-to-business transfer with a contract, invoice, and approval. The whole process was legal and compliant, and even the tax bureau couldn't find anything wrong with it."

"You're receiving company revenue, so you can spend it however you want. Whether it's large purchases or investments, there's always a legitimate explanation for the source of funds. As long as nothing goes wrong on your end, this process can continue to operate, and everyone can make money."

As he finished speaking, a slight smile played on his lips, and he added, "Of course, I'll also take a small cut for my trouble."

After listening to Commissioner Lin's face-to-face instruction, Jiang Ran and Leng Qiaoqiao exchanged a glance.

The same thought arose in both of their minds.

Otherwise, how could they become specialists? Their methods and ways of making money are far more sophisticated than what ordinary people can think of.

As for Commissioner Lin's concern about being caught embezzling by his unit, there's even less reason to worry about that.

Because Jiang Ran and Leng Qiaoqiao's business was just a small handicraft workshop, there was no company involved, and therefore no possibility of theft.

The city's public security bureau probably never dreamed that they would conduct business openly and legitimately in this way.

After the transaction method is determined, the next step is to negotiate the price.

Leng Qiaoqiao gave a price, Lin, the commissioner, countered, and Jiang Ran occasionally chimed in. The three of them went back and forth for several rounds before finally settling on a number that was acceptable to both sides.

Eight hundred thousand per bottle.

If the budget is any higher, Commissioner Lin won't make any money, and the research institute's budget isn't unlimited. If it's any lower, it wouldn't be fair to the risks that Jiang Ran and Leng Qiaoqiao have taken.

The cooperation was agreed upon, and both parties were happy.

On the spot, Commissioner Lin transferred 800,000 yuan via mobile phone, saying that he would take one sample bottle back to show his superiors first, and the remaining four bottles would be paid through the formal process after the company was registered and the contract was signed.

Jiang Ran and Leng Qiaoqiao naturally had no objections.

From this day forward, they have transformed from rats in the sewers into respectable businessmen.

The three chatted about the details for a few more minutes in the coffee shop before Lin, the specialist, left. Before leaving, he reminded Jiang Ran to register the company as soon as possible, as he also needed to communicate with his superiors in advance.

Jiang Ran and Leng Qiaoqiao sat in the coffee shop for a while longer, and only got up to leave after Commissioner Lin had walked away.

Stepping out of the coffee shop, Leng Qiaoqiao took off her sunglasses, her amber eyes squinting slightly in the sunlight, and the smile on her lips was impossible to suppress.

"Teacher Jiang, it costs 800,000 yuan a bottle!"

There was a hint of unreality in her tone, as if she was afraid that if she spoke too loudly, the money would fly away. She had been in the underworld for so long, doing small businesses, and had never seen such a big scene before.

"Um."

"Five bottles is four million!"

"Um."

"Are we about to strike it rich?"

Jiang Ran glanced at her and said, "Let's register the company first. I have to work and take care of my daughter, so I don't have time. You'll have to deliver the goods to the research institute later."

"Okay!"

Leng Qiaoqiao put on sunglasses and skipped ahead, her steps as light as if she were walking on clouds.