Chapter 588 Heading to the Black Market
The lime on the wall was peeling off, revealing the mottled interior. The dim light was swaying overhead, barely illuminating this cramped space.
He walked straight to the bedside, where there lay a somewhat worn package. The cloth was so frayed that the edges were frayed, and a few patches could be vaguely seen.
Wang Jianguo squatted down and carefully untied the rope on the package. His movements were gentle and slow, as if he was opening a treasure box containing a major secret.
As the rope loosened, the items in the package appeared one by one: a few pieces of bleached clothes, neatly folded, with the corners slightly curled.
There was also a small package wrapped in oil paper, which contained some dry food, which now gave off a slightly stale smell.
Then there was a somewhat worn notebook with yellowed paper, which was filled with densely written travel plans and trivial records.
Wang Jianguo's eyes swept over these objects one by one, his eyes focused and determined, and finally fell on a piece of old clothing.
The dress was dark in color, the collar and cuffs were worn, and there were a few subtle stains on the corners, showing that it had been worn for many years.
He reached out and picked up the old clothes, shook it gently, and some dust flew in the dim light.
Wang Jianguo folded it carefully and stuffed it into a cloth bag that he had prepared long ago, thinking to himself as he stuffed it:
"Use this as a treasure and go to the black market to test the waters. But make sure you don't get caught."
It was as if he was engaged in a thrilling spy war, with every movement and every thought full of meaning.
Everything was ready. Wang Jianguo stood up, looked around the room again to make sure nothing was left behind, then took a deep breath and walked steadily towards the door.
He opened the door, stepped out, and gently closed the door, then slowly walked down the creaking wooden stairs. With every step he took, the stairs made a slight protest, echoing in the silent corridor.
When we came downstairs, the lobby of the guesthouse was still dim, with only a few rays of light coming in through the cracks in the door, barely outlining the outline of the lobby.
Wang Jianguo found a corner and stood there, quietly waiting for Zhao Dakuo. As time passed, he kept looking towards the lobby entrance, feeling anxious and uneasy about entering the black market.
Occasionally, a few residents would pass by him, and he would subconsciously straighten his back and pretend nothing had happened.
After a while, Zhao Dakuo finally appeared at the door. He was wearing a slightly worn cotton jacket and his hair was a little messy, as if he had just come out of a busy schedule.
Zhao Dakuo spotted Wang Jianguo in the corner at a glance, raised his hand to greet him, and walked over quickly.
The two looked at each other without much words, nodded in tacit understanding, and turned around together, facing the unknown risks, and strode towards the black market.
Along the way, the hustle and bustle of the street and the cries of hawkers gradually faded away, and their figures gradually blended into the twilight, as if they were caught in a mysterious and dangerous vortex, with an uncertain future but no choice but to move forward bravely.
As the lights come on, the night sky quietly spreads over the city like a huge piece of black silk.
Wang Jianguo and Zhao Dakuo walked side by side on the slightly dim street. The cobblestone road under their feet was dilapidated and bumpy, and they could feel slight bumps with every step.
The street lights emit a dim glow, like the eyes of a tired old man, weakly illuminating the way ahead.
Occasionally, a few gusts of cold wind whistled past, rustling the branches on the roadside and ruffling the corners of the two people's clothes.
Zhao Dakuo was a little absent-minded along the way, and his eyes would occasionally drift towards the bag that Wang Jianguo was carrying tightly.
The bundle was made of a piece of grey coarse cloth. The texture of the cloth had become blurred due to long-term friction. The colors of several patches were different shades, which made it particularly eye-catching in the dim light.
It felt like there was a kitten scratching inside him, and curiosity was growing wildly in his heart like weeds.
In his opinion, something that Wang Jianguo treasured so much must be a rare and priceless item. It might cause quite a stir in the black market, making this adventure a very fruitful one for them.
Finally, Zhao Dakuo could no longer suppress his inner desire. He paused for a moment and approached Wang Jianguo with a flattering smile on his face. His eyes were fixed on the bundle, and he said softly:
"Brother, what treasures are in your bag? We are all going to sell goods on the black market together, you can't keep it hidden. Let me take a look, just one look, so I can have a better idea."
As he spoke, his hand had already unconsciously reached out, trying to uncover a corner of the bundle.
Wang Jianguo noticed Zhao Dakuo's action and his heart skipped a beat, and alarm bells immediately rang.
He subconsciously pulled the bag closer to his arms and took a step back in panic, with a barely perceptible hint of guilt in his eyes.
At this moment, beads of sweat had already appeared on his forehead. Although the night covered him and others could hardly notice, he himself could feel that his back was already soaked with sweat.
Wang Jianguo quickly pretended to be calm and forced a smile on his face, but the smile seemed particularly forced under the dim light, and his voice trembled slightly:
"Brother Zhao, there are so many people on this road, please don't move!"
As he spoke, he quickly glanced around and saw a few passers-by walking hurriedly not far away. There were also a few shop assistants whispering in front of the shops on the street, glancing at them from time to time.
Wang Jianguo's heart was in his throat, and he thought to himself:
If the "treasure" in the bundle - an old piece of clothing - was seen by Zhao Dakuo, this carefully planned scheme would be exposed.
Not only would he not be able to buy medicine to save Yang Xiaohua's father's life, he might even get into trouble and be driven out of the black market as a swindler.
Thinking of this, he quickly moved closer to Zhao Dakuo and lowered his voice, with a hint of urgency and pleading in his tone:
"Brother Zhao, we really can't look at it right now. What if someone sees us and has bad intentions? It's dark here, and if something really happens, we'll both be in trouble. Don't look at it, don't look at it."
After saying this, he held the bundle even tighter with his hands, as if the bundle contained his life and property.
Zhao Dakuo was a little confused by Wang Jianguo's series of reactions. His hand stopped awkwardly in mid-air and the smile on his face froze.
He looked at Wang Jianguo's nervous look. Although he was still full of suspicion, he also realized that this was not a good time to check the bag. He withdrew his hand angrily, curled his lips and said:
"Okay, brother, I'm just asking casually, don't be so nervous. Once we get into the black market and find a safe place, you have to let me take a good look at you."