Chapter 26

Two days later, Summer Mu received a call from Meng late at night.

He said, "Summer Mu, I listened to your manager's report overnight and agreed to let you come back directly from H to pick lychees."

Summer Mu replied, "Okay."

"The manager will communicate with you about specific matters."

"Good."

After a moment of silence on the phone, both of them seemed to have nothing to say. Summer Mu sat on the bed, lifted her head, and looked out the window at the particularly dark sky, like an endless deep pool, which would only light up for several hours.

"You always surprise me. "Meng said.

Summer Mu suddenly laughed silently and said, "Mr. Meng, if there's nothing else, I'll hang up first."

"Wait a minute. "His voice was slightly hoarse in the late night," This matter is done, come back to me."

Summer Mu's heart trembled lightly, as if she had been pinched by someone. There was a sudden smile in her voice: 'Mr. Meng, I don't quite understand what you mean. When did I visit you again?'

However, Meng remained calm and composed, and even through the phone, Summer Mu could imagine his steady and experienced demeanor. He replied, "Summer Mu, little girl, if you were able to make this move today, I knew you wouldn't see that day's events as a dead end. Since you're not guilty of the past, I wouldn't be unable to tolerate you. With your low education and background, you worked at L for three years before climbing to your current position. Do you really want to give up like this? Do you think I'm really willing to send you to a place where you have no one to rely on? After coming back, you will continue to work in the marketing department, and I'll give you a promotion and salary increase for this credit. As for the matter between us, if you don't want to, I won't bring it up again. Is that okay?"

Summer Mu remained silent for a while before smiling and answering, "Mr. Meng, thank you for your magnanimity." Her tone was difficult to distinguish whether it was sincere or sarcastic, and Meng remained silent.

Then Summer Mu hung up the phone.

Although Meng's phone call made Summer Mu feel uneasy and she couldn't sleep well in the second half of the night. The next morning, she immediately went to find Robert to finalize the cooperation.

 The sun was shining brightly in the sky, and it's another sunny new day. Summer Mu was busy all morning and finally signed paper agreements with several plantations. Among them, Robert's family had the largest purchasing volume, with a total of five trucks. It had been agreed that they would send the goods to J city this evening.

Everything was ready, except for this last-minute step.

In the afternoon, Robert drove Summer Mu to the train station. Summer Mu was a backpack that was lightweight and free spirited. Perhaps nearing completion, her eyebrows and corners of the eyes appeared much lighter. Robert, however, looked at her these days. Her skin was obviously suntanned by the sun, and he told her with some heartache: "Monitor, be careful on the road. You haven't had time to buy food. Don't hesitate to pay for the boxed lunch on the car."

Summer Mu casually patted her backpack and said, "There's still bread inside."

Robert frowned and said, "Where can we do that? We'll have to sit for more than 20 hours. Listen to me, don't mistreat yourself." He laughed again and said, "Didn't you say that once this matter is done, you'll turn things around. In the future, you shouldn't be short of money, right?"

Summer Mu also smiled and bowed to him, saying, "I accept your good wishes."

People come and go around, crowded and chaotic. The broadcast began to play the message of her train ticket checking. Robert looked at her warmly and said, "Go ahead, my old class monitor. Have a pleasant journey."

Summer Mu didn't move, but lightly and solemnly held his hand and said, " Robert, you have always been a righteous and kind person, and I remember it in my heart. Thank you this time. You must keep an eye on the goods for me. Please, no mistakes can be made. I really... just look at this once."

Robert was very moved in his heart and nodded in response, "Don't worry, all lychees will be shipped by truck at 6 pm this afternoon. I guarantee with my reputation that there will be no problems."

The train had departed. Crossing the sea from the humid and hot H city, slowly entering the land. Mountains, rivers, and cities pass by like fleeting shadows. Summer Mu sat by the window and didn't feel hungry or have much appetite when it got dark. She would occasionally pick up her phone to check until 6:30 when she finally received a text message from Robert: "Done! Ten trucks have already driven onto the highway." Below was also a photo of a long row of trucks under the sunset, filled with lychees.

Summer Mu's whole heart relaxed, feeling like she had been basking in the sun all day and finally returned to a cool and stable place. Layers of joy rose within me, silently permeating my heart. She leaned against the car window and a smile appeared at the corner of her mouth. Not long after, she fell into a deep sleep due to extreme exhaustion.

That way, Robert finished this matter and felt relaxed all over. He stood in the clear and dark sky, looking at his endless plantation, and decided to go for a tour. These days, in order to help Summer Mu, it had also delayed his work a lot.

At around nine o'clock in the evening, as soon as he came out of the plantation, someone came to inform him: "Robert, Mr.Beck just came to see your father and said he wants to buy all of our production."

 Robert was puzzled and said, "In the next few days? But all of our goods have already been sent to J city."

The person's expression was also a bit strange: "He said he wants to buy it for double the price. Now the old man is entertaining him for tea. You should know, double the price is a big profit for us, but he's definitely losing money."

Robert was stunned for a moment, and his mind suddenly exploded with a buzzing sound. His name was Beck, with double the price, just at the checkpoint where Summer Mu had just left... He ran home and said, "We can't sell it to him."

While Robert was running wildly, his father Austin and Beck were sitting in the living room of their home, creating a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere.

Austin had been doing business all his life. A few years ago, he came to H city with a few brothers to grow lychees. The business was not very big, but it still had considerable wealth. He was a simple and shrewd middle-aged man. Although he had entrusted his business to his son for the past year or two, it did not mean that he was indifferent to everything.

Just like this young man who suddenly visited at this moment, dressed neatly and with extraordinary demeanor. Austin knew that this person must be seen by himself.

Beck always had a faint smile on his face, drinking the top-quality tea from the Austin's family as if chatting about daily life, calmly and clearly expressing his purpose. After listening, Austin pondered silently for a while and nodded, "Okay, if Mr. Beck can really pay double the price, what reason do I have to refuse? I am willing to resell this batch of lychees to you. However, the goods have already been sent out this afternoon and we need to retrieve them."

Beck smiled and replied, "No need to chase. My store is also in J city, just send it directly to my warehouse."

Austin glanced at him and nodded in response, "Okay."

The two of them picked up tea cups and lightly touched each other.

When Robert ran into the living room panting heavily, he saw this scene. He felt blood all over his body rushing towards his head and shouted, 'Dad! You can't deliver the goods to his warehouse!'

Beck put down his teacup and gave him a faint glance, seemingly completely indifferent. He stood up with a smile and said, "Mr. Austin, 50% of the payment will be transferred to your account soon. Once the contract is signed and the goods are delivered, I will pay another 50%. Goodbye."

Austin nodded and looked down at his son, "What are you saying? What can't be given away? You discounted the goods to that girl, thinking I didn't know? You're not allowed to interfere with this matter anymore."

Robert was both sad and angry, glaring fiercely at Beck. The latter still had a calm expression, with a faint smile at the corner of his mouth, and walked out.

 After the door was closed, several meters away, the sound of Austin and his son arguing inside could still be heard. But this had nothing to do with Beck anymore. He knew very well that Austin would definitely send that batch of lychees to his warehouse.

The moon was clear and bright, the soil was soft, and the humid and hot air hit us. At the entrance of Austin 's self built house, there was also a small lychee forest. Beck walked through it, and the environment was so quiet and fresh that his mind seemed to become particularly pure.

However, he thought of Summer Mu that night, the two of them were trapped in the warehouse, surrounded by darkness. He saw her holding her knees and sitting in the corner, looking slender and helpless.

Beck lowered his eyes. After tomorrow, she would probably cry. Because he hit the bottom of the valley and could no longer fight back.

Thinking of this, he didn't feel soft hearted or regretful. In his heart, there was only a peaceful emptiness.

Just then, there were hurried footsteps behind me. Beck was determined to avoid it, but it was already too late. Robert punched him hard, already hitting his face.

Beck stumbled a few steps before stabilizing himself. Robert had been doing physical labor a lot in recent years, and his strength was not small. Beck, on the other hand, was accustomed to living in luxury and being thin. This punch only made him bleed profusely, with blood stains all over his face and shirt in an instant. Beck covered his face with his hand and said coldly, "Are you crazy?"

Robert had a gentle and scholarly personality, and delivering this punch was already not easy for him. But he couldn't give up so easily. He stood in the shadowy lychee grove and glared at Beck angrily, "How could you do this to her? How could you stab her in the back like this? How could you bear it?"

Beck took out a tissue, wiped away the bloodstains with a indifferent expression, pressed his nose, and only revealed his cold eyes: "Heh... Didn't she come to H city behind my back to set a trap for me?"

Robert was momentarily speechless, but immediately said, "That's different! She's about to be ostracized by her leaders, she's here to protect herself."

Beck gave a cold smile and said, "Self preservation? You are wholeheartedly protecting her. Have you ever thought about how ruthless and efficient she would be if she took this step? Ah, a newborn calf is not afraid of tigers. She only relied on a few data curves to find the price difference and time difference, and is determined to sell lychee at a counter market price. If she succeeds, the effect of my plan for several months and the millions of funds invested will be discounted. Not only will a considerable number of customers return to L, but it will even damage Y's reputation. Don't customers think that L can sell for 5 dollars, why does Y still sell for 10 dollars? Isn't this making huge profits? What do I have? Is there a reason to let her go? Am I here to do charity."

Robert's face was green and white, and he couldn't answer. The forest became quiet, with only the sparse moonlight shining at the feet of the two people.

Robert suddenly felt a helpless sadness. He squatted down and slowly said, "Beck, she told me about you - she treated you as a friend."

After a moment of silence, Beck replied, "I know."

Robert looked up at him eagerly and said, "She won't forgive you for doing this."

However, under the misty night sky, he could only see Beck's dark, watery eyes. This man undoubtedly had a heart of stone, just as unshakable as his gaze. There was even an inexplicable smile on his face.

"No, she will remember me."

Summer Mu arrived in J city late the next night. The May night breeze was still a bit cold, but she didn't care at all. Her heart was like a flame, jumping and trembling. She might only find peace after this fire had truly burned out.

She didn't feel sleepy either. She should have gone home to sleep, but she didn't want to go. She took the night bus and went directly to the supermarket warehouse. In four or five hours, it would be daylight and the lychee should be delivered by then.

Someone was on duty at the supermarket and asked her to stay in the reception room. Her phone ran out of battery on the way and was only charged now. She held her knees and sat in a cold and old wooden chair, casually putting on a coat. She looked up at the still dim sky outside the window, where a street lamp stood coldly. This scenery inexplicably made her feel a little uneasy.

Later, she fell asleep in a daze.

 She had a dream. A man in a suit and leather shoes sat not far away, smiling at her. She couldn't see his face clearly, but she only felt familiar and warm. Then she lowered her head and also smiled.

This was a sweet dream.

When she woke up again, it was already dawn. Summer Mu rubbed her eyes and looked out at the peaceful sunlight outside the window. Suddenly, she realized that layers of cold sweat had already formed on her back.