Chapter 4: Buying a Car
The morning sun gently rose in the east, casting a vibrant glow.
Su Mo rubbed her eyes, sat up, feeling the warmth on her skin. She turned to look out the window and sighed; these kinds of days wouldn’t last much longer.
She quickly got up, washed, and tidied herself before going downstairs. As usual, her older brother had already prepared breakfast and left for work.
Su Mo took her breakfast from the insulated food container and ate it slowly in the living room. Afterward, she went upstairs, gathering all her valuable possessions that could be pawned and putting them into her spatial storage. She then took out a small box containing documents for several properties and storefronts, along with proof of her parents’ remaining real estate and investment funds.
Carefully gathering these items, Su Mo put them in a small backpack and left the house.
It had been a while since she had seen such a bustling city—tall buildings, heavy traffic, and crowds of people surging through the streets, a crisscrossing network of transportation arteries like veins and bones spreading across the landscape.
But who knew that one day, this prosperous city would be enveloped in decay, its former glory fading into a distant memory?
Su Mo crossed the intersection and went to an ATM. She took out a card from her backpack, recalled the password from memory, and pressed the buttons. She was surprised to see a balance of over twelve million.
It wasn’t surprising, really. Since she was young, she hadn’t been one to spend money carelessly. Her family had everything, and her brother always bought her whatever she wanted. No wonder she had accumulated so much.
Then, Su Mo walked around the city and went to A City’s largest pawnshop.
Behind the counter was a young man who looked quite young but very composed. Seeing her enter, he greeted her enthusiastically, “Miss, hello, what can I do for you?”
“I want to pawn something,” Su Mo replied concisely.
Luo Cheng looked puzzled. Seeing her young age and simple attire, and the fact that she hadn’t produced anything to pawn, he asked, “Miss, what do you want to pawn? Could you please show me?”
“My items require your boss’s personal appraisal,” Su Mo said calmly, her eyes unwavering.
Luo Cheng was taken aback. He looked at her again and cautiously asked, “Miss, could you tell me what you want to pawn?”
Su Mo frowned, glanced at him, and thought for a moment before saying, “An antique—a Western Zhou Dynasty jade sunbird.”
The moment she uttered those words, Luo Cheng nearly jumped out of his skin. His voice trembled with urgency, “Miss, please… please wait.”
He dashed away and quickly returned, followed by a middle-aged man whose eyes held a look of eagerness. Upon seeing Su Mo, he practically ran towards her.
Catching his breath, the middle-aged man immediately asked, “Miss, my employee told me you have a Western Zhou Dynasty jade piece. Could I see it?”
Su Mo looked at him questioningly. Seeing Luo Cheng standing behind him, she realized this man was likely the one in charge. She took a small box from her backpack and handed it to him.
Li Tian carefully received the box and opened it. Inside lay a beautifully carved, translucent yellow jade piece depicting a lifelike sunbird. Large characters were engraved underneath. The jade felt cool and smooth to the touch. After several comparisons, he confirmed it was a genuine Western Zhou Dynasty jade.
Li Tian held the jade, captivated. He looked up at Su Mo, whose expression remained impassive, and a gleam flashed in his eyes. “My friend, what price are you asking for this jade?”
Li Tian assumed such a young girl wouldn’t understand the jade’s value. But Su Mo’s next words left him speechless.
“Sixty million.”
Although she didn’t know much about jade, she remembered a friend whose family had purchased a Western Zhou Dynasty jade for fifty million. While she didn’t know what kind of jade it was, she believed this one was certainly worth more, so sixty million was the minimum.
Li Tian stammered, “My friend, isn’t that price a bit high?”
“Give it to me.”
Without further ado, Su Mo reached out to take the jade from his hand.
Instantly, Li Tian jumped up, “Deal, deal!”
Su Mo nodded with satisfaction. She then took out a large box from her backpack containing various gold, silver, and jewelry: “Pawn these as well.”
Li Tian didn’t object. He took the jade and left the rest to Luo Cheng.
After leaving the pawnshop, Su Mo’s card held an additional eighty million, bringing her total savings to almost one hundred million.
She then went to a real estate agency and sold her properties at a discounted price. Although discounted, the properties were well-located, including a prime villa, bringing in a total of one hundred and twenty million.
It was noon, and the weather was hot. Su Mo hailed a taxi and went to a 4S car dealership.
Because it was the off-peak time, the dealership was nearly empty. The employees, seeing her young age, didn’t rush to assist her.
Su Mo didn’t mind; she preferred the quiet and looked around the showroom, but didn’t find a car to her liking.
Just then, a young man, seemingly in his twenties, entered. Seeing Su Mo standing with a frown, he approached her with a warm smile.
The other employees rolled their eyes at him.
Unfazed, the young man approached Su Mo professionally, “Miss, hello, I’m an employee here. Is there anything I can help you with?”
Su Mo glanced at him and pointed to a Hummer, “Do you have anything with better performance and more collision resistance?”
The young man’s name was Li Jun, the lowest-performing employee at the dealership, hence the other employees’ reaction.
Li Jun hadn’t expected Su Mo to ask such a question. The Hummer’s style and price were not typically favored by women. However, he answered professionally, “Yes, we do, but the price…”
He paused, cautiously observing her.
“Price isn’t a problem, as long as I’m satisfied,” Su Mo cut him off.
Li Jun was surprised by her straightforward response. He wondered if he was dealing with a wealthy heiress.
“Miss, please follow me.”
Following Li Jun, Su Mo walked down a corridor to a separate garage, small enough to house only two vehicles, both covered in cloth.
Li Jun uncovered one; it was a completely black, military-style off-road vehicle. What caught Su Mo’s attention was the material: tungsten steel.
This was the world’s hardest metal.
Holding her breath, Su Mo’s eyes lit up. She circled the vehicle, noticing that it had bulletproof glass and explosion-proof features—perfect for an apocalypse.
Stopping, Su Mo said without turning, “How many of these do you have?”
“Ah?”
Li Jun was stunned, speechless.
Su Mo repeated, “How many of these vehicles do you have in your store?”
Li Jun recovered, though slightly confused, “This is our newest model. We have one here, but headquarters has twelve more.”
Su Mo nodded, deeming it sufficient for now, “I’ll take them all.”
“All… all of them?” Li Jun thought he was hallucinating.
“Yes, all of them.” Seeing his shocked expression, Su Mo repeated herself.
“Miss, each vehicle costs 12.8 million. Are you sure you want all thirteen?” Li Jun nervously asked.
Su Mo didn’t speak; she pulled out a card, “Swipe it.”
Li Jun’s face lit up with excitement, “Miss, just a moment.”
He rushed out.
Su Mo ignored him and circled the vehicle again. She then turned to the other covered vehicle, curious, and lifted the cloth.
Seeing the vehicle inside, Su Mo was surprised. The material was the same as the modified off-roader, but it was larger and completely sealed, with two small, high-set windows.
Su Mo immediately opened a door and was overjoyed by what she saw.
It was a motorhome!
Li Jun returned quickly with the card reader. Seeing Su Mo examining the other vehicle, he explained, “Miss, this is a limited edition; only one exists. It’s made of the same material as the other vehicle and is a demonstration model.”
“I’ll take this one too. Add it to the bill.” Su Mo nodded, a satisfied smile finally gracing her lips.
Li Jun wasn’t as shocked this time; he was only momentarily stunned before excitedly calculating, “Okay, the total is 1.864 billion. Due to the new model, there’s an 80% discount, plus other fees, making the total 150 million.”
Without a word, Su Mo swiped her card, wrote down her phone number, took the invoice, and left.
As she left, the employees saw Li Jun’s beaming face and regretted their lack of foresight. They could have earned millions in commission and bonuses. They were furious at their missed opportunity.