Chapter 489 - 388: Contract

Chapter 489: Chapter 388: Contract

Jun Xinghe returned to the reception room, his face devoid of expression.

Morse was smoking a cigar, his gaze admiring the Bronze Tripod inside the glass case.

"Is it real?"

Hearing the voice, Morse asked without turning around.

"What do you think?"

Jun Xinghe smiled.

Morse’s portly figure turned around. He took a deep drag from his cigar. "When I win, how about you give this to me? I plan to take it back for my father’s collection."

"No."

Jun Xinghe shook his head, refusing. "This Bronze Tripod is from my father’s collection. However, I can offer you a piece of Hongwu-era Cyan Glaze Porcelain instead."

"Hongwu Cyan Glaze Porcelain?"

"Yes."

Morse took a puff of his cigar. "To be honest, I prefer bronzeware. Don’t you have any other bronze pieces?"

"No, this is the only one."

"Ah, what a pity. The Cyan Glaze Porcelain will do, but you’ll have to give me two pieces."

"No problem,"

Jun Xinghe didn’t care.

He had plenty of Cyan Glaze Porcelain.

He had even established a private team dedicated to acquiring antiques from remote areas.

A little effort here, a little effort there, and they always managed to turn up something good.

Jun Xinghe kept all these items in a secret room at his home.

He figured that if the company ever went bankrupt, these assets could provide some support.

Jun Xinghe returned to the previous topic. "I’ve discussed it with my son-in-law. We can have the competition, but we will decide the time and place."

Fu Yuan lifted his eyelids, a cold, excited smirk appearing on his face.

SLAP!

Morse clapped his hands happily. "Excellent! I agree. But it has to be soon. I don’t want to wait too long."

"Yes, very soon. In about three days."

Morse clucked his tongue. "Wonderful. Three days. That’s very soon. I’m very satisfied."

"By the way, I’d like to propose another condition."

"What is it?" Jun Xinghe grew wary.

"Regarding the seasonings, what if we each use our own?"

Morse knew that most seasonings in the Hua Country were of poor quality. He had professional channels to source high-quality ones.

This was another advantage he was trying to secure to ensure his victory.

Jun Xinghe thought for a moment, then said, "The condition is acceptable, but you’ll have to add another year to my channel access."

?

The corner of Morse’s mouth twitched.

’You really know how to drive a hard bargain.’

’Shameless old bastard.’

Fu Yuan shook his head. "Mr. Mo, that’s not necessary. I can win with my eyes closed, just by using my nose."

"It’s fine, let’s add it. I agree, Mr. Jun,"

Morse said with a smile.

’Even if I promised a hundred years, it would be useless if you can’t win.’

"By the way, where will the competition be held?"

"At my son-in-law’s shop. I’ll notify you of the specific time."

"Alright, then I won’t disturb you any further, Mr. Jun." Morse revealed a cryptic smile. ’This idiot actually thinks he can win? Trying to negotiate terms with me? Ridiculous.’

"Wait, I have a gift for you."

"What is it?"

Jun Xinghe said to Secretary Wang, "Bring the red wooden box from the refrigerator in my office."

"Understood." Secretary Wang dashed out.

Morse watched Jun Xinghe, wondering what kind of trick he was trying to pull.

Soon, Secretary Wang returned, carrying a cold wooden box.

Inside were five buns.

It was the late-night snack Jun Xinghe had been saving.

He had planned on savoring them slowly to satisfy his cravings.

"What’s this?"

Morse’s eyes lit up.

The box before him was reddish-black, inlaid with golden chrysanthemums around the edges.

It was clearly a high-quality item.

"Are you giving me this box?"

Morse asked eagerly.

As someone who had lived in Europe for many years, he loved the history of the Hua Country and its handcrafted works of art, which were the product of several thousand years of tradition.

Jun Xinghe was taken aback. He said, "If you like the box, I can give it to you. But the buns inside are the real treasure."

"Buns? Are they Jade Buns?"

Morse immediately took the box and opened it for a look.

He was instantly speechless.

’Five cold soup dumplings? Are you kidding me?’

Jun Xinghe noticed his displeasure and explained smugly, "Don’t just admire the box. The real treasures are these buns!"

He was telling the truth. There were plenty of rich people in Jing City who craved his son-in-law’s buns. People would fight to buy them, not just for ten thousand, but even for a hundred thousand apiece.

"Oh, okay."

In his mind, Morse just thought Jun Xinghe had become a fool from staying in the country for too long and hadn’t seen the world.

’Making such a fuss over a few plain buns?’

"Right, I forgot something." Morse glanced at Fu Yuan.

Fu Yuan took several copies of a contract from his bag.

"Mr. Jun, this is the contract for the competition. Would you like to look it over?"

"Mm."

"There are three copies of the contract. One for you, one for me, and the third will be entrusted to an authoritative body for safekeeping." Morse took the contract and handed it to Jun Xinghe.

Jun Xinghe accepted the contract.

He began to read it carefully.

The contract’s contents were concise and not complicated.

It laid out the rules for the competition.

To ensure fairness, the contestants would draw lots. Whoever drew the red marker would get to choose which Sichuan dish to make, and the other would have to make the same dish.

The completed Sichuan dishes would be submitted without names for Jun Xinghe and Morse to judge.

It was a best-two-out-of-three competition.

In addition, the contract also stipulated that,

if Jun Xinghe lost,

he would have to purchase a 120-mu plot of land near Shanghai for Morse to build a factory.

Jun Xinghe made a rough calculation.

Based on prices in the outlying suburbs, a 120-mu plot of land would cost around 500 million Huaxia currency.

As for the competition, the rules seemed fair enough.

"No problems?"

"I trust Mr. Mo." Jun Xinghe smiled.

"Then let’s both sign and leave our thumbprints."

There was an ink pad in the reception room.

The two men signed and pressed their thumbprints.

Morse said with a grin, "Well then, if there’s nothing else, I’ll be waiting for your news, Mr. Jun?"

"Fine. One question. You said you would invite a judge. Who is it?"

Morse thought for a moment and said, "How about we invite Elder Mr. Zhu Getting?"

"Zhu Getting?"

For a moment, Jun Xinghe was puzzled. ’Who was that again?’

He couldn’t immediately recall the name.

Secretary Wang immediately explained, "President Jun, have you forgotten? This Zhu Getting is a retired elder from Jing City. His hobby is eating, he has a mercurial temperament, and his sense of taste is exceptionally sharp."

Jun Xinghe immediately remembered who he was.

He had heard his father mention him. By all accounts, he was a member of the younger generation; by the time he had risen to prominence, Zhu Getting had already retired.

Morse said with a smile, "Speaking of which, my father and Elder Zhu are old friends. I have great admiration for Elder Zhu’s past."

Even abroad, Zhu Getting still held considerable sway.

Jun Xinghe nodded, his brow furrowed.

Reading his expression, Morse said, "Elder Zhu Getting is an upright man. He is an elder I also admire, and this old gentleman will not be swayed by personal gain. Please rest assured."

He truly wouldn’t do such a thing.

He disdained it.

It was enough to win fair and square. Only those with no confidence would resort to underhanded tactics.

He was very confident in Fu Yuan.

Jun Xinghe thought for a moment and nodded. "I trust your character, Mr. Mo, and I also trust Elder Mr. Zhu."

He was a cautious man and didn’t usually trust others easily.

...