In reality, Su Jiaojiao chatted with Old Master Luo for a while.
Old Master Luo said to Su Jiaojiao, “Jiaojiao, I’ve already had someone notify the bank. Shen Jianguo won’t be able to access that money for the next three days.”
“Thank you, Grandpa Luo.” Su Jiaojiao expressed her gratitude sincerely. “With these three days, we can investigate whether that Master Zhou he mentioned is actually a Hong Kong spy. Besides preparing for going to the countryside, I’ll also use this time to prepare to ruin their reputation.”
Old Master Luo nodded in agreement. “Alright, you go ahead and do what you need to do. Grandpa Luo supports you. If you need any help from me, just ask. I don’t have a granddaughter – you are like my own granddaughter.”
“Grandpa Luo, I understand. Thank you.” Su Jiaojiao thanked him again. “If not for your help, I wouldn’t know how to stop Shen Jianguo from taking the Su Family’s money and fleeing to Hong Kong City.”
“You child, always being so polite with Grandpa Luo.”
Old Master Luo said with a smile, “I’ve already sent people to investigate Master Zhou. During these three days, Shen Jianguo will probably try his old tricks to keep you calm, but the more dangerous possibility is that they might stop trying to please you and directly kidnap you instead.”
“Once these three days pass and he gets the money, he’ll immediately sell you off to the countryside. Jiaojiao, it’s quite dangerous for you to return to the Shen residence now. Why don’t you stay at the Luo Family home for three days? I can guarantee your safety.”
Su Jiaojiao shook her head. “Grandpa Luo, I can protect myself. I still need to return to the Shen residence, though I’ll go back later.”
She needed to return to the Shen residence to find evidence that would ruin Shen Jianguo and Liu Dongmei’s reputation.
Grandpa Luo thought for a moment and said, “Since you have your plans, I respect your decision. However, for your safety, I’ll arrange for two people to protect you discreetly, and they’ll follow your arrangements.”
He remembered that she had asked him for two people. This would serve both purposes perfectly.
Su Jiaojiao didn’t refuse Old Master Luo’s kindness and nodded in agreement. “Alright!”
After parting with Old Master Luo, Su Jiaojiao went directly to the shopping mall, intending to buy a tape recorder.
In 1975, tape recorders had already become mature technology, with both domestically manufactured and imported models available.
The imported tape recorders were more expensive, ranging from 300 to 400 yuan, while domestic brands cost between 180 and 400 yuan.
Su Jiaojiao checked her pockets and realized that after exchanging for various coupons and buying clothes and shoes with the 500 yuan she got from Liu Dongmei yesterday, she didn’t have much money left.
Even buying a domestic brand tape recorder would be beyond her means.
Su Jiaojiao slapped her forehead. “I should have asked Liu Dongmei for more money today. Oh wait, I did receive many red envelopes today. Let me see how much money I got.”
Then, Su Jiaojiao found a secluded corner, poured out the red envelopes from her bag, and opened the first one. To her surprise, there were ten yuan inside.
Su Jiaojiao took out the money and said with a smile, “It seems the people Liu Dongmei invited were quite generous. Normally, two or three yuan would be considered good, but they actually gave ten yuan. With eight red envelopes, that’s eighty yuan, plus the money left from yesterday… hmm, nearly two hundred yuan. That should be enough to buy an ordinary tape recorder.”
Now that she had gathered enough money, Su Jiaojiao headed to the shopping mall.
Although this era required various ration coupons to purchase goods, fortunately, high-end luxury items like tape recorders didn’t require coupons.
As long as you could afford the price, you could buy one.
But these items were expensive and, unlike sewing machines which were daily necessities, they were merely spiritual luxuries that ordinary families truly couldn’t afford.
Su Jiaojiao arrived at the electrical appliance mall.
Besides tape recorders, the mall also had televisions, refrigerators, washing machines, and more.
Su Jiaojiao only wanted a tape recorder now. After browsing through the mall, she ultimately chose an ordinary model. After bargaining with the shop owner, she finally made the purchase for 190 yuan, with the owner throwing in some recent popular music tapes as a bonus.
Carrying the square-shaped tape recorder, Su Jiaojiao muttered to herself, “Only ten yuan left now. It seems I’ll have to go home and get more money from Liu Dongmei. I also need to prepare more ration coupons.”
From Old Master Luo, she learned that the bank had imposed a three-day cooling-off period for Shen Jianguo.
During this three-day period, she could change her mind whenever she wanted.
At the same time, as Old Master Luo had said, this also increased her dangerous situation.
Within these three days, to avoid complications, Shen Jianguo and Liu Dongmei might very well lock her in the house until the period passed. Once they got the money, they would immediately sell her off.
A sharp glint flashed in Su Jiaojiao’s beautiful eyes.
Hmph, she wasn’t afraid of the three of them now.
If Shen Jianguo and the others really tried anything, who would be tying up whom was still unknown?
She now possessed a spatial ability, and since drinking the Spirit Spring Water from the space, not only were her senses heightened, but her combat prowess had skyrocketed.
Thinking of this, a pleased expression appeared on Su Jiaojiao’s pretty face as she carried the tape recorder and briskly headed home.
At the Shen residence, after their anger subsided, Shen Jianguo and Liu Dongmei calmed down.
Liu Dongmei said, “Old Shen, it seems we can only wait three days. What should we tell Master Zhou? We previously told him we’d go see him today after getting the money, but we didn’t get it today. Who knows what he’ll think? What if he changes his mind and cancels our spots for Hong Kong City? What would we do then?”
Shen Jianguo thought for a moment and said, “Master Zhou values money above all. As long as I guarantee to pay him a higher commission, he’ll definitely agree to reserve spots for us.
We previously agreed to give him 10% commission. At worst, we can give him two more percentage points.
Besides, our scheduled departure for Hong Kong City is still ten days away. Even deducting these three days, we still have seven left.
We should prepare everything we need now. Seven days is more than enough for us.”
The so-called commission meant that for those who sought Master Zhou’s help to go to Hong Kong City, he would take 10% to 20% of whatever money they brought with them.
In other words, if Shen Jianguo brought three hundred thousand, the commission for Master Zhou would be thirty thousand, with all other expenses for food, clothing, and accommodation paid separately.
Liu Dongmei thought for a moment and said, “Well, that’s our only option. You should go see Master Zhou later. Wait, there’s one more thing we must do.”
Shen Jianguo asked puzzled, “What thing?”
A ruthless glint flashed in Liu Dongmei’s phoenix eyes as she said, “For these three days, no matter what, Su Jiaojiao must remain under our watch.”
Shen Jianguo immediately understood, “Alright.”
Liu Dongmei fumed again, “If I’d known there was this three-day cooling-off period, I never should have let Su Jiaojiao go with that wretched old man. What if he persuades her to change her mind and she goes to the bank to cancel the authorization? We’d suffer a huge loss.”
Shen Qingyu’s eyes shifted craftily as she suggested, “Mom, why don’t we just tie Jiaojiao up and lock her in a room? That way she can’t escape. After Dad withdraws the money, we can sell her off to the countryside.”