âYeah, Benjamin is a good guy, very honest,â Emmeline said.
âYouâre not developing a crush on him, are you?â Abel furrowed his brow.
âWhat are you talking about?â Emmeline retorted. âYouâre not allowed to stop me from praising someone else!â
âFrom the way youâre talking, it sounds like you want to see him.â
âDonât twist my words!â Emmeline clenched her fist.
Seeing her genuinely annoyed expression, Abel chuckled and hugged her tightly. âIâm just teasing you!
I just think someone with Benjaminâs character will have it tough in todayâs society.â
âBeing principled and having guidelines in life is better than being a fair-weather friend who goes wherever the wind blows,â Emmeline said with conviction.
Abel laughed. âWhere does a kid like you get these theories?â Then he asked, âWhy did you take the day off today?â about the morningâs events, Emmeline felt a bit embarrassed and reluctantly described her encounterâ with Abel.
âHow am I going to face them in the future? Itâs so awkward,â she said.
Abel chuckled. âGive it a few days, and theyâll forget all about it. Theyâre all seasoned folks with thick skin.
Hearing him say that, Emmeline giggled and felt her mood lighten.
She hugged Abelâs neck, looking playful. âHow about I go on a business trip with you? Arenât you going to Aberdeen?â
Abelâs business trip destination was the Commodity Wholesale Market in Sandwell, Aberdeen.
With Emmeline and a driver, they embarked on a seventeen-hour journey loaded with goods in an extended pickup truck.
They arrived in Sandwell in the evening.
The Sandwell Commodity Wholesale Market, which took shape in the 80s and saw significant growth in the 90s, was a hub for national commodities. Items such as clothing, leather, small household appliances, and electronic goods circulated here and were distributed throughout the country.
The first thing Abel did was buy Emmeline a Motorola flip phone. The compact model felt like a smooth piece of gem in her hand.
As Abel inserted the SIM card into the phone, he laid down three rules.
First, she couldnât turn off the phone casually; if she had to, she had to send a message in advance.
Second, she couldnât ignore calls; if she couldnât answer, she must reply with a text message.
Third, she had to call him every afternoon before getting off work and report her safety. The essential element of this provision was âevery day.â
The driver, Luca Elsher, burst into laughter, and Emmeline turned agitated. âThese rules are like those of a tyrant! The first two are bearable, but the third one, who can adhere to that? Forget it. You can keep the phone!â
Abel raised the phone, looking down at Emmelineâs flushed, agitated face. âAre you sure?â
âIâm sure!â
âOkay, fine. Sandwell is pretty big. If you get lost, I wonât be able to find you, you know!â
Emmeline fell silent at once.
At that, Abel grabbed her hand and shoved the phone into her hand.
âBut the third ruleâ¦â she muttered reluctantly.
âIâll do it!â Abel said. âIâll call you around 5:30 p.m. every day. You just have to answer.â
âEvery day?â Emmeline gave him a sidelong glance.
âEvery day!â
âAlright, deal!â Emmeline clenched the phone, thinking. Letâs see how long you can keep this up!
In the Sandwell Wholesale Market, the first person Abel wanted to find was Paul Murphy.
Paul, a native of Calcheth, was said to be an expert in divination.
In his forties, of medium to his appearance. At first glance, he looked pretty much like a local. sight, and somewhat lean, he had a goatee that added a touch of sophistication âYour factoryâs pressure cookers are fine. I take the whole order, but the electric kettles wonât work.
They donât have an edge,â Paul said calmly and confidently.
Abel asked, âHow do you mean?â
âPressure cookers rely on safety features, and your products have no issues regarding materials and workmanship. The price is also reasonable, which is a product advantage. However, the electric kettles are somewhat heavy and clumsy, contradicting their lightweight and quick attributes.â
At that, Paul picked up an electric kettle from another manufacturer. âLook at this one, Itâs elegant and aesthetically pleasing, and it heats up quickly. If a housewife had to choose between these two kettles.
which one do you think sheâd pick?â
Abel replied, âIn terms of heating speed and appearance, she would choose this one.â
âBut in terms of durability, she would choose ours, right?â Emmeline chimed in.
Paul smiled. âWith quick heating and convenience, thatâs enough to close the deal. From a business perspective, how does the market keep cycling if a kettle lasts for eight or ten years?â