C8 This Is Really a Mafia!

Bao Guo wasn't just throwing his weight around; he was certain that these two women were blatantly committing crimes. Amidst the national outcry against organized crime, they had the audacity to cause a stir. Worse yet, they were caught on his cameras. Letting them off the hook wasn't an option if he wanted to maintain any credibility in the future.

Taking out these two "hens" sent a necessary message to any other troublemakers out there. So, in front of everyone, Bao Guo made the call to the police.

The village chief and the secretary had only intended to intimidate the women, not expecting Bao Guo to actually involve the authorities. They were momentarily dumbfounded, but there was no way they'd side against their own. They quickly stepped in to keep the women from leaving, who were crying and causing a commotion, but ultimately failed to escape.

When the police arrived and took Bao Guo and the women back to the station for questioning, the situation escalated.

"What's this? They're actually part of the underworld? That seems extreme. Sure, those women were feisty, but to classify them as gangsters?" Bao Guo mused after wrapping up his statement. In conversation with the case officer, he learned that the women were in deep trouble.

The officer chuckled, "That old madam, the middle-aged one, she's a seasoned offender. This time it's not just about harboring prostitution; she's implicated in a serious case of forcing a minor into the trade. She's looking at seven or eight years behind bars, at least."

"And what about that young woman with the ghostly face? What's her story?"

"Oh, she was directly involved in assaulting and threatening the minor, forcing her to see clients and taking a cut for herself. She's even more vicious than the old madam. I'd say she's facing a good eight to ten years. By the way, is that dental product you're selling really as good as they say? My wife has been struggling with tetracycline teeth, and it's been a constant pain for her. Could she give it a try?"

Bao Guo was initially hesitant to peddle his wares in front of a public servant, given that his product wasn't exactly above board and could withstand scrutiny. But the officer had been decent to him, even offering cigarettes, so outright refusal felt awkward. He decided to let the officer's wife try the product for free. After all, there's no harm in just trying it out.

"Here's the deal: bring your sister over to my place tomorrow morning, and I won't charge you a dime. Honestly, I'm not sure if this tetracycline toothpaste is as effective as they say, but one thing's for sure—it's harmless to people."

The officer responded with a chuckle, "No way, we can't just not pay. That would be like accepting a bribe, and we can't have that. We'll pay whatever the cost. If it doesn't work, no big deal. We'll give it a shot. How about we swing by before seven tomorrow morning?"

"Sounds good, I'll be waiting for you."

...

"Little Bao, let me introduce you to these gentlemen who've traveled all the way from Yang City. They're with a major toothpaste brand in North China."

Back in the village, Bao Guo was ushered into the village committee to meet the two strangers who had arrived earlier.

"We represent the North China region for Yang City's Aimeijia Personal Care Products Co., Ltd. I'm Jin Shaocheng, the regional manager, and this is Jin Shaozhong, the area director. Here are our business cards. We've come to you with a bit of an imposition, having heard about your miraculous dental rinse that supposedly removes years, even decades, of tartar, leaving teeth sparkling white. Is there any truth to this?"

The two well-dressed middle-aged men were polite, but Bao Guo had a hunch that their intentions were not entirely benign.

As the old saying goes, you don't slap a smiling face. Bao Guo offered a smoke and replied with a grin, "Well, the old party secretary and others know my granddad was a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner. I inherited this old place and, with time on my hands, I pored over his leftover books and tinkered around until I came up with this concoction. It seems to work pretty well, but I'm thinking of calling it quits. As you saw today, it's even attracted the attention of the underworld. I'm content just minding the store and drawing a steady paycheck each month. No need for any more of these shenanigans."

"No, no, no, Mr. Bao, you simply can't think like that. You're young—why not seize the prime of your life to strive for more? You know, the years before turning thirty are the golden years for a man to embark on entrepreneurship. Please, keep our business card and give it some thought. We're genuinely interested in discussing a partnership with you, and we have two proposals to consider."

Bao Guo quickly cut him off, knowing that if he let him continue, he'd be cornered with no escape. "No, no, no, I'm done for real. Thank you. After I finish the dental work for that police officer's family tomorrow, I'm flushing the rest down the toilet. I'm out of this business, no kidding."

"How about this? You give us the formula, and I'll personally ensure you get 50,000 yuan for it. That's a fortune, considering you only make a hundred yuan each time, and there's not much profit after expenses. This 50,000 yuan would be all yours, especially since you're not planning to continue anyway. What do you say?"

Bao Guo couldn't help but sneer inwardly. He had set a trap, and they had walked right into it. There was no way he'd give up making the teeth cleaning water. He had even considered partnering with a major toothpaste company. But these two, thinking they could get the formula for a mere 50,000 yuan? Ridiculous.

"Sorry, I can't remember the formula. I only made one batch for fun, and now it's gone. Anyway, I need to head back; my shop can't run itself. I'm off."

Clearly, Bao Guo was done with the conversation. The other middle-aged man stood up quickly, calling out, "Mr. Bao, please wait. We're here with genuine intentions. If you're open to collaboration, we could set up a factory right in your village, prioritizing local employment, and you could even work there yourself."

Bao Guo's internal sneer deepened. He turned with a questioning smile, "And how exactly would this partnership work?"

Seeing an opening, the middle-aged man straightened his gold-rimmed glasses and stepped closer. "You hand over the formula to our technical team, we sign a confidentiality agreement, and you become our honorary technical consultant. How does that sound?"

How does that sound? As if I'm some kind of fool, Bao Guo thought, his smile turning icy. But he maintained his composure and asked, "Then, may I ask, how much does this honorary technical consultant position pay per month?"

"Uh, I think there's been a bit of a misunderstanding. An honorary consultant doesn't receive a salary, you know. You'd also be expected to maintain confidentiality, which is a significant responsibility. If you're interested in employment, you could sign a labor contract with the HR Department later on. We can determine which position suits you best and go from there."

It seemed these two were intent on a classic bait-and-switch, looking to snag the formula without paying a dime. One had the gall to offer 50,000 yuan for the formula, while the other was even bolder, aiming to lock him into building a factory and then coercing him into a confidentiality agreement before taking the formula and not paying him anything. To top it off, they expected him to keep their secret. Unbelievable.

"It sounds enticing, but unfortunately, I don't have any secret formulas. I just whipped it up on my own. You guys enjoy your discussion—I'm heading out. Goodbye."

With a dismissive wave, Bao Guo left with a cold laugh, not wanting to waste another word on such repulsive characters.

"Ah, Chief Liu, that Bao Guo really doesn't understand how things work. We're here to invest; we're businessmen. Why is he acting this way?"

"Exactly, and we might just have to take this up with the city authorities. Your position could be in jeopardy, considering our factory's investment is in the hundreds of millions."

Seeing that Bao Guo was unswayable, the two men turned their pressure tactics on the old secretary and the village chief. The old secretary, however, remained silent, puffing on his cigarette.

The village chief, a countryman with a few years of experience in the Magic City, recognized their polite words for the pressure they were truly applying. Displeased, he hardened his expression and snorted, "Report me? Fine by me. We don't welcome you in our village. Leave now. Go ahead and report me to the Municipal Committee. My position wasn't granted by them; it was elected by the villagers. You two, with your unclear identities, have the audacity to threaten me? Off you go. We don't welcome you here, and if you come back, you might not leave on your own two legs."

"How can you treat us this way?"

"Let's get going. Just don't come crying with regrets later, hmph."

As the pair drove off in their old black Honda Accord, the old village secretary huffed, "Those two young bucks are up to something. They shelled out fifty thousand for Bao Guo's formula. I bet Bao Guo could make that money back in just a few days. They've really played their cards right."

"Not just that, the other one's even more cutthroat, trying to swindle Little Bao with nothing but hot air and bounced checks. Lucky for us, the kid's got a sharp mind and didn't get hoodwinked. If he had, I'd have stepped in right then and there. No, we can't let this slide; we need to call a village assembly. I've got a hunch these two won't just back down quietly."

"Yeah, that's a good idea."

Unaware of the events that unfolded after his departure, Bao Guo closed his door, stretched out on his bed, and was instantly transported to that other world.