Chapter 131: No Middlemen, No Markups

As expected, the man before her was indeed the infamous Qian Duo Duo . Aside from his signature drooping mustache, he also kept a pair of well-worn walnut shells in hand, skillfully rolling them between his fingers.

Jing Shu could tell from his adept movements and nimble fingers that he must have handled many valuable objects. She couldn’t help but wonder if Qian Duo Duo had a habit of rubbing anything he laid eyes on.

Qian Duo Duo finally turned his attention to Jing Shu and smiled in satisfaction. At least she was clean, he thought. After all, his family wouldn’t touch food prepared by anyone with a foul smell on them.

“Thank you for your hard work,” Qian Duo Duo said with a warm smile. “You must be Miss Jing. I’ve heard that your ice cream is quite good. I specifically asked Minister Niu to invite you here, but my son has allergies to certain additives, so we’ll need to check the ingredients first.”

Jing Shu nodded in understanding. It was common knowledge that the wealthier people were, the more cautious they became, fearing poison, harmful additives, or ingredients that might compromise their health. It was only prudent for Qian Duo Duo to be careful.

“Don’t worry, Miss Jing. Whether we can use your ice cream or not, I will ensure you’re well compensated,” he added, exuding the aura of someone accustomed to wealth.

Jing Shu handed over the beautifully packaged ice cream from her cooler to the lab technician, who promptly took it for testing.

“Please wait for a moment,” Qian Duo Duo said, his mustache shifting from a 60-degree angle of a friendly smile to an aggressive, downward glare. With a simple hand gesture, his four bodyguards subdued the three trembling men before him. The men pleaded for mercy, but Qian Duo Duo remained unfazed.

Still rolling his walnut shells, Qian Duo Duo pointed at the cowering men. “Do you take me for a fool? You think you can sell me junk just because I have money? One of you used an additive ten times the legal limit. Another sold me something six months expired, and this last one—adding opium to my food?”

His voice turned icy. “Do you think you can pull one over on me? Opium is not something just anyone can get their hands on...”

Jing Shu squinted. It seemed Qian Duo Duo had been burned before, which explained his extreme caution.

Niu Yuniu whispered to Jing Shu, “This research institute is funded by Qian Duo Duo . It’s mainly used to test the ingredients of everything he consumes.”

“Impressive,” Jing Shu muttered. "Money attracts trouble," she thought, realizing just how many people must have envied and targeted Qian Duo Duo . She felt relieved that someone like him was drawing all the attention, keeping her out of the spotlight.

Soon after, Qian Duo Duo ’s patience ran out. He shot a glance at his bodyguards, and the three men were quickly dragged away, their cries for mercy fading as they disappeared. Perhaps, since there were outsiders present, Qian Duo Duo didn’t resort to harsher punishments.

“Please forgive the unpleasant scene,” Qian Duo Duo said with an awkward but polite smile. “I heard your ice cream is made with fresh milk, free of artificial additives. Surely it’s not filled with harmful ingredients, right?”

Jing Shu smiled at the perfect setup. "What an excellent opportunity to play up the benefits of my ice cream," she thought.

“I’ve only added things that are beneficial to the body,” Jing Shu said with a hint of mystery in her voice. Earlier, she had been worried about how to market the health benefits of her ice cream. But now, with Qian Duo Duo ’s own team of testers, it felt like a gift-wrapped opportunity to boost her product’s value.

Qian Duo Duo , however, remained skeptical. “Oh, I look forward to it then,” he said, though his tone was less than enthusiastic.

Moments later, the lab technician returned. “There are no artificial additives, and it’s made entirely of natural ingredients. Furthermore, it retains all of its nutritional value, unlike other ice creams. Each 100 grams provides calcium, protein, minerals, and phospholipids equivalent to consuming one egg and 200 grams of milk. The phospholipids, in particular, promote brain health and could be beneficial for your son’s recovery. Naturally absorbed nutrients like these are much more effective than injections.”

Qian Duo Duo ’s walnut shells clattered to the ground. He stood up, his face filled with disbelief. “Say that again?”

The technician repeated the results, and Qian Duo Duo began pacing back and forth, excitement evident in his movements. “Wonderful! My son refuses to eat eggs or drink milk, but this... this is perfect! How’s the taste?”

“It’s fantastic,” the technician replied.

Qian Duo Duo immediately grabbed Niu Yuniu’s hand, shaking it in gratitude before turning to Jing Shu, his face beaming with excitement. “You’ve added nothing but beneficial ingredients. I don’t care what it costs, I want your ice cream. Let’s all have a taste!”

The technician served portions to himself, Qian Duo Duo , the two bodyguards, Niu Yuniu, and Jing Shu, all using paper cups.

The moment Qian Duo Duo took a bite, his eyes lit up. In the oppressive heat, the coolness of the ice cream spread through his body like a wave of pure relief. He couldn’t help but give Jing Shu a thumbs up. “This is real ice cream! Everything else I’ve had was trash compared to this!”

Everyone else shared the same sentiment, their faces showing satisfaction as they felt refreshed by the cool dessert.

“I’ll take this jar. Name your price,” Qian Duo Duo said confidently.

Despite his exuberant demeanor, Qian Duo Duo was testing her. Was she the type to gouge for a one-time sale, or would she strike a deal that could open the door for future transactions?

“I’d like to trade for diesel,” Jing Shu replied smoothly. “Mr. Qian, you can decide how much diesel this jar is worth. If the deal is fair, I’d be happy to continue doing business.”

Qian Duo Duo picked up his walnut shells and pondered. “Water is scarce, and your ice cream is made from rare resources like pure milk and eggs. Plus, the skill and care in preserving its nutritional value make it quite valuable.”

He continued, “However, you should know that extracting one ton of crude oil only yields about 480 liters of diesel and 310 liters of gasoline. Labor costs have also skyrocketed. So, given the rarity of your product and the current market conditions, I’d say your one-liter jar is worth 100 liters of diesel. But I’d like to offer three times that, for 300 liters of diesel. How does that sound?”

Jing Shu felt her lips curve upward. A one-liter jar of ice cream for 300 liters of diesel? She was eating ice cream worth tons of fuel every day without realizing it. Qian Duo Duo ’s offer was generous, considering the ever-tightening supply of oil.

“Deal,” Jing Shu replied with a satisfied smile.

Both parties were pleased with the outcome. Qian Duo Duo wasn’t short on fuel—he valued Jing Shu’s attitude just as much.

In total, they agreed on 5 liters of ice cream for 1.5 tons of diesel. Compared to trading a pig for one ton of diesel and 5 tons of water, the ice cream was far more cost-effective.

Jing Shu recalled a popular saying: "No middlemen, no markups. That’s why it’s cheaper."

In the end, Jing Shu never saw Qian Duo Duo ’s legendary villa on the western hills or met his supposedly foolish son. But Minister Niu did share plenty of insider information.

Update Delayed Until 10 PM

Due to being stuck in traffic over the weekend, the update will be delayed until around 10 PM. Love you all! (??3(???c)