Big Data Cultivation

Chapter 122: The Old Driver Takes Off

Zhang Wei had someone make silver dollars, and it took about a week before he could present a sample.

However, that time wasn’t wasted. When Feng Jun got the sample and compared it with his own silver dollars, it was clear that the workmanship was more refined, even superior. The silver dollars brought out from the mobile phone realm seemed somewhat crude and shoddy by comparison, almost like fakes.

The processing fee wasn’t high, after all, this was the era of mass industry; once the mold was finished, everything else was simple.

Now that Feng Jun had money, he didn’t hesitate to place an order for two tons and requested the mold be kept for potential future use.

Zhang Wei found this request somewhat baffling, “Isn’t this just a prop for a movie? What, are you planning to shoot a sequel?”

Feng Jun couldn’t really explain, so he simply chose not to, “Just tell me straight up, can you do it or not?”

It’s true what they say about people changingwhen they have money. Zhang Wei was a bit irked by Feng Jun’s tone, but… he’d earn a commission from brokering the deal.

With money as a motivator, he didn’t press further, “It’ll take three to four days for a ton… So for two tons, let’s say seven days. If you’re in a hurry, you can pay an expedited fee.”

As a humanities scholar, Feng Jun wasn’t very familiar with industrial processes, but the fact that it took a whole week to process two tons of silver into silver dollars screamed small workshop levels.

But, this was exactly what he wanted. The impressions on the stone ring in his possession were already very faint. Half a month’s charge wasn’t even reaching the limit, so he might as well focus on charging it up.

Thus, he secluded himself in the villa in the wilderness, staying there for a week.

But this time, he wasn’t solely focused on charging. In addition to that, he practiced the Tai Chi Breathing Technique and managed to master the fifth form. The Qi Force he could emit had become strong enough to shatter glass.

Besides that, he maintained contact with the outside world. Apart from Wang Haifeng and Sister Hong, he also chatted with people like Feng Jing and Ye Qingyi on WeChat from time to time.

On the morning of the eighth day, while Zhang Wei hadn’t contacted him, Xu Leigang called to say that the dedicated line had been installed. “Come take a look. If there’s anything that needs tweaking, we can still make improvements.”

It had to be admitted that Xu Leigang was quite adept at handling Peach Blossom Valley. When Feng Jun checked the dedicated line, he found it to be extremely well implemented, complete with a power distribution room prepared especially for him—all accomplished in just seven days.

According to the power company’s practices, the cost of the power distribution room was supposed to be borne by the property owner. When Feng Jun inquired about the cost, Xu Leigang casually waved it off, “No charge, you don’t need to worry about these things.”

Feng Jun wasn’t one for pettiness. Considering that the villa would likely be returned to Xu Leigang in three years, he didn’t bother to argue further, “I appreciate your effort… By the way, how are things going in Beijing?”

“I don’t know,” Xu Leigang shrugged indifferently, “I’ve managed to raise the money anyway, and my brother’s financial situation has improved somewhat. Still, I hear things aren’t going very smoothly… There are bound to be some minor setbacks, but I guess it’s generally moving in the right direction.”

He seemed disinterested in discussing further, “When are you moving in to celebrate your housewarming?”

“Come on, this is practically your house, isn’t it?” Feng Jun rolled his eyes helplessly, “A housewarming celebration… Are you trying to mock me?”

Xu Leigang chuckled, then his expression sobered, “By the way, I heard from Hai Feng that you’re quite knowledgeable about smartphone apps?”

“That guy is talking nonsense,” Feng Jun said with a smile, shaking his head, “I’m a humanities scholar, what do I know about apps?”

Xu Leigang didn’t believe that. According to Wang Haifeng, not only could this person alter smartphone data, but he could even sense if someone nearby on WeChat was a beauty.

So he pressed on, “Could you help me tap into someone’s phone calls? You name your conditions.”

“Really?” Feng Jun gave him a strange look, “Tapping into calls… Isn’t that something for the authorities to do? You’re not lacking ways to deal with them, are you?”

“Being able to deal with them doesn’t mean I can just tap calls,” Xu Leigang said, rolling his eyes helplessly, “You can’t just use those devices whenever you like. There’s a protocol for everything.”

“Well, then I can’t help you,” Feng Jun spread his hands, expressing his reluctance. He really didn’t want to get involved—let alone whether he had the ability or not, just considering that official agencies had to record their use, why would he invite trouble?

However, considering Xu Leigang was a respectable associate and recalling that he once sought to contact the armed police for assistance, Feng Jun felt he shouldn’t be too ungenerous.

He glanced at the other’s portly figure and his eyes lit up with an idea, “Speaking of which… why don’t you try losing some weight?”

“Don’t you think I want to?” Xu Leigang looked at him helplessly, “But I have an innate deficiency, I overcompensated with supplements as a child, and… dieting is just too exhausting. Even when I’m determined, I can never stick with it for more than a few days.”

Upon hearing this, Feng Jun’s eyes rolled thoughtfully, “Do you have no self-control when it comes to eating, or do you gain weight no matter what you eat?”

“Both,” Xu Leigang responded without hesitation, clearly having given the matter some thought.

Feng Jun frowned slightly at that; such conditions sounded quite troublesome.

Yet after a pause, Xu Leigang looked earnest as he continued, “Truthfully, my appetite isn’t much larger than the average person’s. It’s just that without eating, I get anxiety attacks, not that I’m craving. The crux of the problem is, even if I eat less, I still gain weight…”

” If I really want to lose weight, then high-intensity exercise is the only way. But I just can’t keep it up. I could manage for a dozen or so days, but several months? That’s where I draw the line.”

Feng Jun understood and nodded, “Does anyone else in your family struggle with weight?”

“They’re overweight too, but that’s just middle-aged spread. No one is as fat as I am,” Xu Leigang replied seriously, “I have an innate deficiency… My mom was forty-six when she gave birth to me, an older mother.”

Feng Jun nodded as he listened, “I have a type of medicine that might help you lose weight. Would you like to try it?”

“You? A weight loss drug?” Xu Leigang stared at him, mouth agape in shock, before breaking into loud laughter after a moment, “President Feng, you’re joking… I’m not a young girl, and as an experienced driver, you should pick your passengers carefully, haha.”

Feng Jun was a bit annoyed by the laughter and flicked his finger, sending a burst of finger-force out, snapping a twig as thick as a finger ten meters away.

Xu Leigang’s laughter stopped abruptly, as if something had suddenly caught his throat, followed by a fit of violent coughing.

After coughing for a while, he asked in shock, “President Feng, was that you just now… what you did?”

In truth, he had heard the whistle of the finger-force, but such a fantastical event occurring before his eyes was a bit hard to believe.

Feng Jun glanced at him impatiently, “If it wasn’t me, do you think it was you?”

“This, this… this is too much,” Xu Leigang said as he quickly ran over, his agility belying his size.

He bent down to pick up the twig, examining it closely, especially at the break, for a good two minutes.

Finally, he muttered, “The break isn’t smooth, it wasn’t cut by a sharp instrument…”

Then, he looked up at Feng Jun, asking incredulously, “Did you really do this?”

Feng Jun gave him an exasperated look, this time too lazy to even speak.

Seeing this, Xu Leigang rallied, “Do it again, I’ll point out a twig for you, and if you can knock it down, I’ll accept you’re the real deal!”

Feng Jun couldn’t help but laugh at that before waving his hand dismissively, “Forgetit, I’m not after your approval. Go do whatever you were going to do.”

I kindly offered to help adjust your body, but since you’re ungrateful and it’s not a loss for me, why should I insist on proving myself?

Xu Leigang, realizing what he had said, picked up the fallen twig again, squeezing it and finding that it still oozed sap where it had snapped, obviously freshly broken.

Immediately he put on a flattering smile, grinning like Maitreya Buddha, “Don’t be upset, President Feng, Boss Feng, Master Feng… Was I wrong, is that not enough?”

Feng Jun looked at him with an expressionless face, but his eyes conveyed a rich message: don’t be unreasonable.

“Alright, alright,” Xu Leigang stepped forward, grabbing Feng Jun’s right hand with his plump hands and shaking it vigorously, “Master Feng, I’ll take that weight loss medicine… to buy! Name your price.”

“It’s not a weight loss drug,” Feng Jun held up a finger and shook it slightly, correcting him seriously.

“It’s called the Body Tempering Pill, you know? It’s specifically for bodily regulation, can repair innate deficiencies in vital energy, and also helps stabilize your foundation. It’s perfect for your condition. Of course, you may choose not to believe… ”

“I believe, I believe,” Xu Leigang nodded incessantly, his cheeks quivering, “I absolutely believe!”

He had figured it out; President Feng was the one who helped him resolve his financial issues, there was no reason he’d cheat him—putting it more bluntly, besides this villa, he had nothing else of value to be coveted.

After hesitating for a moment, he asked cautiously, “Your elixir… does it have the effects of cleansing the marrow and transforming the sinews?”

There, he stopped even calling him ‘President,¹ switching to the more respectful ‘you.’

Feng Jun was amused and wrinkled his nose disdainfully. This idea of cleansing the marrow and transforming the sinews had indeed taken deep root in people’s minds.

After thinking for a while, he nodded slightly, “Body Tempering… well, you could say it’s part of cleansing the marrow and transforming the sinews, a bit like External Martial Arts…”

While speaking, he bent down, picked up a walnut-sized rock, and casually pinched it between his thumb and forefinger, crushing it into dozens of smaller pieces, speaking casually, “Just like that.”

“Ssss,” Xu Leigang sucked in a breath of cold air, bending down to pick up the pieces and gritting his teeth as he tried to crush them, to no avail, while his own fingers became painfully sore.

Then, he just stood there, shaking his head with a bitter smile after a while.

Next, his eyes rolled as he tentatively asked, “Do you think I… can afford it?”

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