48

Péngyǒu hadn't prepared for this part (how could he?), but he really liked the man and improvises.

— My mother works in a car shop, and they have a phrase to talk about some of them: "Sale price". So... Could you pay eight hundred for each? Would it be a good selling price?

— Yes, miss, it would be," he says, without hesitation. "But are you sure?"

One of the larger stores might have been able to...

— Have. If you can pay eight hundred for each, we have a deal.

The man laughs and stretches out his hand.

— So, Miss Helena Sánchez. Péngyǒu Mùzhīběn, we have an agreement. "They shake hands. "I'll fill out the receipt and pay.

— Um... I'm sure you're trustworthy, Xuan NanZhi, but I wouldn't feel comfortable with a check.

Considering I might be in Toronto or Washington tomorrow, who could blame her for thinking like that? He winks.

- In which, moreover, I have my own phrase: "Cash does not speak". And what Uncle Sammy doesn't know about our business won't do any harm.