Hong Kong Film: Short mules have no future, I am in charge of Hong Kong

Chapter 376 What's the real story behind this?

He drove all the way to Yau Ma Tei and stopped in front of a simple roast meat shop. The signboard hanging at the entrance was somewhat faded, suggesting that business hadn't been very good in recent years. Su Hanze pushed open the door and went inside. The aroma of cured meat wafted out, and the air was filled with the smell of cooking oil.

Boss Huang was busy in the kitchen at the back when he saw Su Hanze come in. He looked up and smiled, "Oh, Su Hanze, what brings you here today?"

"Let's talk about something." Su Hanze smiled and sat down, and the waiter immediately brought over a cup of hot tea.

"What do you want to talk about?" Boss Huang wiped his hands, sat down at the table, and a relaxed smile appeared on his face.

“I’m planning to grow tobacco on that piece of land in the suburbs, Mr. Huang. Are you interested in cooperating?” Su Hanze asked directly and to the point.

Upon hearing this, Boss Huang raised an eyebrow slightly: "Growing tobacco? Sang Ze, you're not joking, are you? This is no simple matter. The police in Macau are very strict. You could easily get into trouble if you're not careful."

"Don't worry, I already have a plan," Su Hanze said calmly. "And as you know, I don't just want to grow tobacco this time. I know you have some people under you who are familiar with the land industry, and they can come in handy."

After a moment of silence, a hint of hesitation flashed in Mr. Huang's eyes: "This is no small matter. If we really go ahead with it, there are many things to consider, it involves a wide range of areas, and the risks are considerable."

“High risks make it interesting,” Su Hanze smiled. “Besides, I think you, Mr. Huang, will definitely get a share of the profits from this deal. You handle the affairs of this land, and I'll take care of the sales channels and funding. You can rest assured, no problem.”

Boss Huang was silent for a moment, then looked up at Su Hanze: "Alright, since you put it that way, I won't stand on ceremony. What are you planning to do?"

"I plan to start with this piece of land, improve the soil, and hire people. Once the preliminary work is done, we'll find a suitable opportunity to gradually expand. At that time, I'll arrange for people to be in charge of purchasing and sales. You just need to take care of this piece of land for me, and leave the rest to me."

After a moment of contemplation, Boss Huang finally nodded: "Alright, it's settled then. But, Sang Ze, remember, once a business gets too big, it's not easy to end it."

"Don't worry." Su Hanze stood up and patted Boss Huang on the shoulder. "With you here, there definitely won't be any problems."

Mr. Huang smiled and said, "That's good."

As Su Hanze walked out of the roast meat shop, images of northern Myanmar flashed through his mind. He had decided that his next step was to go to northern Myanmar, a good place to grow tobacco, where he might be able to obtain the seeds he needed. The situation there was complex, and to break through his current predicament, he would have to rely on more resources.

"Ah Jiu." He dialed Ah Jiu's number. "Get ready, I'm going to northern Myanmar."

“Northern Myanmar?” Ajiu on the other end of the line was taken aback. “Sangze, what are you going there for? That place is not safe. People there have been getting into trouble lately.”

“I know,” Su Hanze said softly, “but we can’t get the seeds here. I need to go to northern Myanmar to find suitable tobacco seeds. Can you help me prepare and get my passport and travel permit?”

"Okay, I understand." A-Jiu's voice was somewhat low. "Are you in danger? Do you want me to go with Xia Xue?"

"No need." Su Hanze paused. "The most important thing this time is to keep a low profile and avoid attracting too much attention. Don't make me worry about what you're doing in Macau."

“Understood,” Ajiu replied. “Then I’ll prepare everything, you just need to come over.”

After hanging up, Su Hanze remained silent for a moment, gazing out the window into the distance. The air in Macau was somewhat oppressive, seemingly filled with pressure. But he knew that only by going further could he break free from these constraints and take control of his own destiny.

The next day, Su Hanze arrived at the airport early. Ajiu had already prepared everything, including passports and materials for fake identities. He planned to travel to northern Myanmar discreetly, trying not to arouse suspicion. The situation in northern Myanmar has always been volatile; to do business there, one needs not only courage but also wisdom to avoid becoming a target of certain forces.

As the plane slowly took off, Su Hanze leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes, but his mind was filled with the calculations of the past few days. He knew that in this world, business and power were interdependent. To control his own territory, he had to take a gamble.

Two hours later, the plane landed at a small airport in northern Myanmar. The environment was rudimentary, the air heavy and dusty, creating a sense of oppression. Su Hanze walked out of the terminal and saw Ajiu already waiting there.

“Sangze.” Ajiu walked over. “Everything is arranged. I’ve already contacted that Boss Li. He should be able to help us get the seeds.”

"Mr. Li?" Su Hanze frowned slightly. "Is that person reliable?"

“Reliable,” Ajiu said in a low voice. “He has some connections in northern Myanmar and a lot of resources. He shouldn’t make things difficult for us this time.”

“Okay.” Su Hanze nodded and started walking. “Take me to see him.”

Ajiu led Su Hanze out of the airport and into a pre-arranged car. The road was bumpy, and the car didn't travel fast. The scenery outside the window gradually changed; the hustle and bustle of the city faded away, replaced by a desolate countryside. The surrounding area consisted of vast hills and tangled forests, creating a sense of oppression.

The car drove for about an hour before finally stopping in front of a dilapidated courtyard. Inside were several simple houses, and the surrounding area resembled a private estate. The gate was ajar, and several bodyguards dressed in black stood at the entrance, their eyes alert and clearly not to be underestimated.

“Sangze, we’re here.” Ajiu looked around and lowered his voice. “Boss Li is very vigilant. It’s best not to reveal your identity. Follow me, and we’ll go straight in.”

"Okay." Su Hanze nodded and followed Ajiu inside.

The scene in the courtyard was completely different from everything outside. The atmosphere here was different; a silent tension permeated the air. Several people came out of the house, nodded slightly to Ajiu, and then their gazes swept over Su Hanze.

"Is this Mr. Li's place?" Su Hanze asked in a low voice.

“Yes.” Ajiu didn’t say anything more and walked straight to the house at the very end of the courtyard. The door opened, and a tall man stood in the doorway, wearing a black suit and with a serious expression.

“Mr. Li,” Ajiu greeted him in a low voice, “this is Mr. Su whom I mentioned.”

Mr. Li glanced at Su Hanze, a faint smile playing on his lips: "Mr. Su, welcome. I heard from Ajiu that you're looking for something special."

"Yes." Su Hanze didn't stand on ceremony and went straight to the point, "I'm here to buy some tobacco seeds. I hope Mr. Li can help me out."

Boss Li didn't rush to answer, but instead gestured for the two to come inside. He led Su Hanze and Ajiu into a dimly lit room, simply furnished, but with a unique atmosphere.

“Tobacco seeds.” Mr. Li pondered for a moment. “How much of this do you want? I can get it for you, but you have to understand that this kind of thing isn’t something you can just take anywhere.”

"As long as the quality is good, quantity won't be a problem," Su Hanze said calmly. "I just need to ensure that we can successfully cultivate them here."

Mr. Li seemed to be thinking for a moment before he spoke: "I can help you, but you have to agree to one condition." "What condition?" Su Hanze raised an eyebrow.

Mr. Li said in a deep voice, "This land is not simple; many people in northern Myanmar are eyeing it. If you want to do business here, besides growing tobacco, you'll also have to do some business with me."

"What kind of business?" Su Hanze's gaze sharpened.

“I have some connections that can help you avoid some trouble,” Mr. Li smiled slightly. “But this requires our cooperation to maximize the benefits.”

"Cooperation?" Su Hanze paused for a moment. "What conditions do you want?"

Mr. Li smiled slightly: "I've heard you have some connections in Macau and quite a few tricks up your sleeve. In that case, you must know that in northern Myanmar, you can do almost anything, but you can't let outside forces get involved. Are you willing to cooperate with me?"

Su Hanze stared into Mr. Li's eyes and made a judgment. This Mr. Li was clearly not as simple as he seemed, but cooperation could indeed bring him a lot of benefits.

“Okay,” Su Hanze said calmly. “I agree to the terms of cooperation. Get me the tobacco seeds, and we can discuss the rest later.”

A hint of satisfaction flashed in Mr. Li's eyes: "Good, you can get the seeds tomorrow. As for the subsequent cooperation, we can discuss it slowly."

"Tomorrow?" Su Hanze was somewhat surprised.

"Don't worry, I've already prepared the seeds, just waiting for you to come and get them." Boss Li smiled. "However, you must understand that in business, it's not a situation that only you can control."

“I know.” Su Hanze nodded. “However, Mr. Li, no matter what, I have only one bottom line: everything must be under my control.”

Mr. Li smiled slightly, said nothing more, and then stood up: "In that case, see you tomorrow."

The next morning, Su Hanze stood in the courtyard, the air thick with the smells of earth and faint tobacco. He lit a cigarette and squinted at the distant hills. His conversation with Boss Li the previous night had left him uneasy; the man's smile concealed too much calculation. Northern Myanmar was never a safe place; to gain a foothold, courage alone wasn't enough, one had to proceed cautiously step by step.

Ah Jiu came out of the house with a bottle of water in her hand and handed it to Su Hanze: "How did you sleep last night?"

"I didn't sleep." Su Hanze took the water, unscrewed the cap, and took a sip. "The mosquitoes here are even fiercer than those in Macau."

Ah Jiu chuckled and leaned against a wooden pillar beside him: "You'll get used to it. The mosquitoes in this godforsaken place in northern Myanmar are more venomous than anywhere else."

Su Hanze didn't reply, his gaze sweeping towards the outside of the courtyard. Several figures moved about in the distance, seemingly Li's men. He exhaled a puff of smoke and asked in a low voice, "That Li guy, how many times have you dealt with him?"

“Two or three times,” Ajiu said in a low voice. “He’s been here for years, he has a lot of men under him, and he’s got connections. The tobacco business is just what he does on the surface; he has other shady dealings behind the scenes.”

"Other shady dealings?" Su Hanze raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

Ajiu hesitated for a moment, then leaned closer: "It's hard to say for sure, but I heard he has close ties with some people on the border. You know, in this place, business is inseparable from everything else."

Su Hanze nodded and stubbed out his cigarette: "He talked about cooperation last night. What do you think he's up to?"

“It’s hard to guess.” Ajiu scratched his head. “But since he brought up cooperation, he must have his own plans. Sangze, you have to be careful.”

"Nonsense." Su Hanze sneered, "When have I ever been careless?"

Just then, a dilapidated pickup truck drove up from a distance, kicking up a cloud of dust. The truck stopped at the gate of the yard, and a tall, thin man jumped out, wearing a gray jacket and a smile on his face. He waved to Ah Jiu: "Good morning, Brother Jiu!"

Ajiu nodded to him: "Abiao, did you bring the things?"

"I brought it! I brought it!" A-Biao pulled a burlap sack out of the car and patted it. "Boss Li asked me to deliver this. He said it's for Mr. Su to check out the goods."

Su Hanze walked over, squatted down, and opened the sack. It was filled with small packets of seeds, each sealed tightly in a plastic bag. He picked up a packet, squeezed it, and looked up at A-Biao: "These are tobacco seeds?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" A-Biao smiled somewhat obsequiously. "Boss Li said that this batch of seeds is top-notch, and there will be absolutely no problem growing them."

"Excellent?" Su Hanze sneered. "Anyone can say that. Who knows what it will look like when it's grown?"

Ah Biao scratched his head and smiled ingratiatingly: "Mr. Su, don't worry, Mr. Li's goods have never had any problems. If you don't trust him, you can take some back and try planting them first."

Su Hanze didn't speak, but stood up and dusted off his hands: "Where is Boss Li?"

“He has some business in town and will be back this afternoon.” Abiao pointed into the distance. “He said he wants you to take a look at the goods first, and he will talk to you personally this afternoon.”

Su Hanze narrowed his eyes and didn't ask any further questions. He gave Ajiu a wink, and Ajiu understood, took the sack, and threw it into the car.

"Let's go." Su Hanze turned and walked into the courtyard. "Let's put the things away first, and then we'll see what this Boss Li is up to this afternoon."

Around noon, the courtyard was eerily quiet. Su Hanze sat under the eaves, a bowl of local rice noodles in front of him. The taste was a bit strange, and the spiciness made him wince. Ajiu sat beside him, eating with relish.

"Tell me, how can the rice noodles here be so awful?" Su Hanze put down his chopsticks and lit a cigarette.

Ah Jiu swallowed and grinned, "You're so picky about that? We're lucky if we can get a full meal here."

Su Hanze snorted and glanced out of the courtyard. Several people were moving about in the distance, seemingly Li's men. He asked in a low voice, "What do you think Li will talk to me about this afternoon?"

"It's hard to say." A-Jiu put down her bowl and wiped her mouth. "But since he brought up cooperation, it must be something important. Sang Ze, how do you plan to handle this?"

(End of this chapter)