Chapter 61: Taken Away

At the same time, he shot the driver a look, signaling him to hurry up and report to the security team.

With a witness, he wasn’t afraid of Mu Chenze and the fat woman.

But the driver just said, “I need to count this money a few more times.”

Yao Dianxin stomped his foot anxiously. “Can’t you count the money later? Why now? Go quickly! Otherwise, I won’t use your truck again. Let’s see who else will pay you for transport!”

The driver unhurriedly counted the money again, gripping it tightly in his left hand and patting it on his right.

“Have they finished unloading?”

Yao Dianxin was confused. What did unloading have to do with reporting to the security team?

“Can’t you check for yourself?”

The driver stuffed the money into his pocket.

He walked up to Chu Xuan and politely asked, “Almost done unloading?”

Chu Xuan could tell the driver had no intention of actually testifying for Yao Dianxin. If he did, he would have gone to call the security team already.

“Almost. About three more minutes.”

“Alright. I’ll wait in the truck. When you’re done unloading, please help close the truck doors.”

“No problem.”

The driver returned to the driver’s seat.

By now, everyone could see the driver wasn’t on Boss Yao’s side.

Boss Yao started to panic and questioned the driver, “Didn’t you say you’d go to the security team and testify once the payment was settled? Are you trying to lose my business? If you go back on your word, don’t think you’ll earn a penny from me again!”

The driver chuckled. “Actually, after Mu Chenze finished delivering the goods and left, I overheard your phone call. Even though you used a dialect from another region, unfortunately for you, I understood every word! You planned to take the goods and run, not pay him for the goods, not pay the loaders, and not pay me for transport. I just hadn’t figured out how to expose you before Mu Chenze and his friend showed up. Now that I’ve got my transport fee, once the unloading’s done, I’m off to find more work! If Mu Chenze’s new driver wasn’t on his way, I’d even offer to haul his goods for him—save him the trouble of unloading!”

Hearing this, Chu Xuan suddenly remembered a detail from her previous life: the truck driver had died in an “accident”—falling and hitting his head in the bathroom—after being tricked by Boss Yao.

It was very likely Boss Yao had killed him to silence him.

Could it be that this time, she’d accidentally saved the driver’s life?

Yao Dianxin stubbornly retorted, “Do you have any proof? Any witnesses? If not, even if you report me to the security team, there’s nothing they can do! If you don’t want to work with me, fine! Now get your truck off my rented lot!”

“Thanks for the reminder! I’ll back the truck out twenty meters so the loaders don’t have to walk so far!”

With that, he started reversing the truck.

Soon, he was out of the area Yao Dianxin had rented.

Yao Dianxin was furious, cursing and stomping his feet. He’d failed to scam Mu Chenze out of his goods, the truck he’d booked in advance was gone, and there was still another shipment on the way. Now he’d have to find another truck and contact the seller again.

No matter what, he was determined to scam a whole truckload of seafood.

He turned and went back to the rented office to make a call.

Suddenly, Chu Xuan remembered something from her previous life and whispered to Mu Chenze.

Mu Chenze immediately went to find a public phone.

A short while later, the abalone was all unloaded and the driver drove off.

Ten minutes later, Mu Chenze returned after making his call and paid the loaders.

They were embarrassed to take the money. The burly man in charge said, “We really owe you two today. If not for you, Boss Yao would have stiffed us. Moving the goods was the least we could do—we can’t take your money!”

Mu Chenze insisted, “I’ll still need your help loading the goods later. Don’t worry, this isn’t coming out of my pocket—Boss Yao will be paying.”

The burly man was puzzled. “Why? With the way he is, there’s no way he’ll pay.”

“You’ll see. In half an hour, I’ll go ask him for the money.”

Half an hour later, Mu Chenze headed to Yao Dianxin’s temporary office.

Chu Xuan stayed behind to watch the goods.

Yao Dianxin had just hung up the phone when he saw Mu Chenze stroll in, looking relaxed. “Mu Chenze, you’ve got guts! You’d rather lose hundreds than sell me the goods on credit.”

Mu Chenze sat down on his desk. “It’s not about guts. It’s because someone else is covering my loss.”

“Who’d be dumb enough to do that?”

“Whoever caused my loss, of course.”

“In your dreams! I’m not giving you a cent!”

“Really? Then let’s talk about this—Yao Dianxin, you also go by the name Yao Dali, don’t you? The security team here might not find anything under Yao Dianxin, but I’m sure they’ll find something under Yao Dali. If I recall, that name was on a wanted list somewhere, wasn’t it?”

This was what Chu Xuan had just quietly told Mu Chenze.

Yao Dianxin immediately panicked, trembling as he stood up. “How… how did you know?”

Yao Dali was his former name. After getting in trouble, he changed his name, bought a fake ID, and started a new life.

If this got out, he’d be in jail for life.

Mu Chenze smiled mysteriously. “Just happened to find out. As long as you pay me the 900 yuan loss for this shipment, I’ll pretend I don’t know you. You go your way, I’ll go mine.”

A few minutes later, Mu Chenze returned to Chu Xuan and nodded—he’d gotten the compensation.

After being exposed, Yao Dianxin didn’t dare linger. He went back to his room, grabbed his already-packed bag, and prepared to leave.

But as soon as he stepped outside, he was stopped by the arriving security officers.

“Yao Dianxin, someone’s accused you of fraud. Come with us.”

Hearing the word “fraud,” Yao Dianxin relaxed. As long as it wasn’t that other thing, it meant Mu Chenze hadn’t reported him.

It was probably the driver who did.

Yao Dianxin pretended to be calm as he left with the security officers.

He didn’t notice that one of the officers discreetly signaled to Mu Chenze.

Another ten minutes passed, and Lin Yong’s truck arrived.

The burly men helped load the goods, still at fifty cents a barrel.

Since Boss Yao was covering the loss, Mu Chenze didn’t mind at all.

With so many hands, the job was done in no time.

After settling up with the workers, Mu Chenze got ready to leave.

But the leader stopped him. “Boss Mu, my name’s Song Qiangzhuang. We owe you and your friend a big favor. If you ever need help, just call us. We all live nearby—our place is right across from that crooked-neck tree.”

Mu Chenze passed that tree every time he delivered goods. “Alright!”

The more friends, the more options.

As for Yao Dianxin, everyone hoped he’d be locked up and never released.

The other workers briefly told Lin Yong what had happened.

Mu Chenze and Chu Xuan got in the truck.

As usual, Mu Chenze sat in the front passenger seat, Chu Xuan in the back.

Lin Yong started the engine and drove a while before speaking. “Chenze, Chu Xuan, you two are something else! So, are we heading back to the village or somewhere else? If we’re going back, I’ll call and cancel my other job.”

Mu Chenze glanced back at Chu Xuan, as if seeking her opinion.

Just heading back didn’t feel right.

“I want to rent a stall at the farmer’s market to sell thirty or forty barrels of abalone. The rest, Lin Yong can take back in the truck. I’m not leaving until we sell these—are you willing to help?”

Mu Chenze had already calculated the costs—abalone, transport, labor. As long as they sold for over 1,300 yuan, they wouldn’t lose money.

Chu Xuan smiled. “Of course I’m willing. But I have an even better idea. Want to hear it?”

“Of course! Tell me!”"