This time, Luo Xi was extremely cautious, worried that Ma Dongdong might be deliberately trying to get revenge on her.
But she really was tired of going out to sell her books one by one every time. Aside from being unsafe, it also wasted far too much of her time.
If Ma Dongdong could really buy her yellow books wholesale, it would save her a lot of trouble. That was the only reason she was willing to take the risk and follow them.
They walked into a secluded alley, where Ma Dongdong and his companion stopped.
Seeing how wary Luo Xi was, Ma Dongdong couldn’t help laughing inwardly.
This woman was pretty timid. She definitely wasn’t the Brick Monster from last time.
“Your books… Are they the kind that look a little yellow at first glance, are actually only a little yellow, but by the time you finish reading them, they completely kill your interest?”
Luo Xi: “…”
That was actually a pretty accurate summary.
She smiled. “Whether they’re yellow or not depends on the person. If someone’s imagination in that area is strong enough, even a little bit of imagery can lead to infinite possibilities.”
Ma Dongdong: “…”
Was she saying he wasn’t capable enough?
“Can I inspect the goods? Don’t worry. As long as they’re good stuff, I’ll take all of them.”
Luo Xi was very curious.
“I want to ask you something. How did you get into this business?”
Could it be that he had been cheated himself and decided that other people shouldn’t have it any better?
Ma Dongdong’s expression became indescribably complicated.
“…That’s a long story.”
Luo Xi waved her hand.
“Then give me the short version.”
Ma Dongdong choked.
“It can’t be shortened. It all started when I met a Brick Monster who was a complete scammer…”
Luo Xi: “…”
She was the Brick Monster Scam Artist?
After listening to Ma Dongdong ramble on for quite some time, she finally understood what had happened.
Ma Dongdong had been beaten pretty badly that time, but after returning home, he still couldn’t resist the restlessness of youth and secretly looked through the books.
Just when he eagerly flipped to the page he thought would contain the good stuff, several lines of large characters hit him right in the face:
Have you not heard that yellow books are truly worth reading?
Do not sigh that your manhood has faded away!
Who could know how pitiful a three-second man can be?
Those words had instantly killed his mood.
He had been so furious that he cursed and gave Luo Xi countless unpleasant nicknames.
In the end, with the mindset that if he had suffered a loss, other people couldn’t be allowed to have things too easy either, he called his younger cousin over—the very boy who had come with him today.
Why had he brought his cousin?
For one thing, his cousin already operated in the black market and had plenty of experience.
For another, Ma Dongdong was worried about getting beaten again. He definitely wasn’t as formidable as the Brick Monster. If he ran into someone tough, at least he would have someone to back him up.
The two of them went to the black market, where Ma Dongdong immediately copied the Brick Monster’s sales tactics.
To his surprise, he easily sold one set.
And he sold it for the outrageous price of twelve yuan.
He was completely stunned.
He had quoted twelve yuan expecting the buyer to bargain, but the person had simply pulled out the money without saying a word.
As for the remaining set, he suddenly couldn’t bear to sell it.
Although the ending was somewhat disappointing, the beginning was still pretty good.
He hadn’t gotten to see the “good parts,” but those rounded shoulders, that deep cleavage that seemed to descend ten thousand li, those long, straight calves…
Everything was beautiful.
As long as you added a little imagination…
Seeing the lecherous expression on his face as he sank into his fantasies, Luo Xi couldn’t help interrupting him.
“And then? Did you sell the other set?”
Ma Dongdong snapped back to reality, his face turning slightly red.
“Hehe, I took it apart and sold it separately. I kept my favorite one—the big-wavy-hair book—for myself. I sold the other four for nine yuan.”
Only then had he realized how easy this business was.
So lately, he had been hanging around the black market, hoping to see the Brick Monster come and restock.
He never managed to find the Brick Monster.
Instead, he found the Big-Mole Monster.
Yes, Luo Xi’s disguise this time was a little different. Besides making her complexion one shade darker, she had made her eyes into narrow slits, tilted her mouth slightly to one side, and stuck a large mole on her left cheek.
“I’ve told you so much. Do you have any goods or not? Let me see them.” Ma Dongdong was getting impatient.
This time, Luo Xi was very straightforward and handed him one book.
She hadn’t expected that Ma Dongdong, who looked so unreliable, would actually turn out to be a sales genius.
He had managed to sell the books for an even higher price than she did.
It was honestly a little hard for her to accept.
Ma Dongdong excitedly took the book and opened it.
Sure enough, it had exactly the same style—exactly the same ability to get a man worked up and then immediately kill the mood.
He closed the yellow book and smiled ingratiatingly.
“How many do you have? Can you make the price a little cheaper?”
Luo Xi nodded.
“I only have three sets right now. Since we’re going to work together long-term, I’ll give you a ten-percent discount. Nine yuan per set.”
Ma Dongdong immediately switched into bargaining mode.
“Too expensive, too expensive. You know how much risk we take buying and selling in the black market.”
Luo Xi thought for a moment, then pretended to grit her teeth in pain.
“Eight yuan is the lowest I can go. Any lower and forget it. There isn’t much profit in these books to begin with.”
Seeing her pained expression, Ma Dongdong knew that was her bottom line.
He readily agreed.
“Fine, eight yuan it is. But I hope that next time you have goods, you’ll come directly to me.”
Luo Xi nodded.
“Where do you live?”
Naturally, Ma Dongdong wasn’t going to give her his real address. Instead, he gave her another one.
“No. 201, Liuyue Alley.”
It was the house two doors down from his own. His cousin’s family rented it specifically as a contact point for their “black-market business.”
Luo Xi nodded and took the books out of her basket.
“Do you have ration coupons? If you do, that would be even better.”
Ma Dongdong looked at his cousin, Ma Xixi.
Since Ma Xixi operated in the black market, he naturally had plenty of ration coupons.
In the end, Luo Xi only took seventeen yuan in cash and exchanged the rest for coupons.
They were all things she currently needed most: industrial coupons, coal coupons, cloth coupons, grain coupons, and meat coupons.
Seeing that Luo Xi was about to leave, Ma Dongdong hurriedly stopped her.
“My name is Tyrannosaurus, and he’s Overlord Tiger. What should we call you?”
Luo Xi answered without hesitation.
“My name is Mole Youth.”