215: Chapter 13 Docunts Without Legal Effect 215: Chapter 13 Docunts Without Legal Effect Mr.
Tong dared to offer one thousand US dollars because naturally, he had his confidence.
The price did seem sowhat inflated, but you couldn’t say there was a problem with the quality of his rchandise.
The little girl brought back by Mr.
Tong appeared to have delicate features, soft and tender skin, and her almond-shaped eyes were brimming with spirit, indicating that she could potentially grow into a great beauty.
Before presenting her, she had been specially grood, her hair cut short in a way that gave her the trendy aura of a new era’s young woman.
Mr.
Tong was very skilled at packaging his rchandise.
Having pre-empted the client’s status, he didn’t dress her like a maid from a grand household but instead matched her with an off-white Western-style dress that made her look as refreshing and pristine as a porcelain doll.
There is a noticeable difference in temperant between those who have been educated and those who have not.
Even if it’s just the most basic primary education, being able to sit up straight in class, listen attentively, learn a couple of texts, and understand so principles, this kind of child is worlds apart from those who can’t even recognize the characters.
This child was certainly not ant to be a maid; with her age, complexion, figure, and temperant, reputable matchmakers would have been knocking on her door incessantly.
It wasn’t just n who found her irresistible; even Li Mumu took a liking to her.
And it is widely known that once won encounter sothing they like, they beco less sensitive to the price.
Forget about a thousand dollars; for a lady from a wealthy family, it wouldn’t be unusual to casually spend several thousand on clothes and handbags.
“What’s your na?”
“Jiang Yinyin.”
“How old are you?”
“Twelve.”
“Have you gone to school?”
“I’ve been to school for one year.”
“Only one year?”
Seeing the doubtful expression on Li Mumu’s face, Mr.
Tong hurriedly explained, “Miss Li has just returned from overseas and isn’t very familiar with the dostic situation.
Before the establishnt of the new governnt, daughters from ordinary families did not have the opportunity to attend school.
This child was among the first batch of students to go to school after the new governnt was established.”
And then she was abducted by you and sold?
The adage goes, every family has its own difficult chapters to read; this child could have stayed in school to study, but here she is being traded as a commodity.
There must be a story of untold hardships behind this.
In the presence of the seller, Li Mumu couldn’t very well inquire too deeply.
“Can you do needlework?”
“A little.”
“Can you cook?”
“A little.”
“Can you understand English?”
“I can…
understand a little bit.”
The little girl was indeed obedient and honest, responding to whatever she was asked.
Though she was sowhat nervous, she wasn’t overly timid.
But just as Mr.
Tong had said, she was like an untrained low-level account.
With a couple more years of instruction and learning the skills to serve others, she wouldn’t be obtainable for a re one thousand dollars.
Li Mumu had made inquiries about market prices on the streets just yesterday.
Back when the Emperor from the Forr Dynasty hadn’t yet abdicated, buying a maid capable of work for a large household would cost around eighty to a hundred Money.
Those with a bit more beauty and better overall conditions might sell for up to a hundred and fifty.
If it was a decent family’s daughter, with no pressing desire to sell her, an offer of two to three hundred would be the absolute max.
These were the standard maid prices.
Those with technical skills fetched a completely different price.
Forget about one thousand dollars; if those frivolous young nobles took a fancy to a famous brothel courtesan, they wouldn’t hesitate to splurge several thousand taels of silver.
Mr.
Tong used to be in the business of raising horses, but he doesn’t dare speak of that now, speaking out could lead to eating peanuts.
What he does now is the Sheep Trade, a human resource interdiary.
In English terms, it’s called HR.
Definitely can’t start the pricing at what it was back in the day, but the discount won’t be significant.
Li Mumu looked into Jiang Yinyin’s eyes and softly asked, “We sisters have just returned from overseas and are in need of soone to handle household affairs, a personal servant.
Would you like to work at our ho?”
Jiang Yinyin carefully stole a glance at Mr.
Tong beside her and nodded.
“Good, I think she will do.”
Li Mumu turned to Mr.
Tong and smiled, “Let’s talk about other maids later, I really like this child, let’s settle on her for now.
Sir, please give a fair price, a one-off paynt, and no more joking around.”
“I wouldn’t dare.”
Mr.
Tong quickly responded with a smile, “Since you’ve said so much, I won’t inflate the price for you, a flat rate of four hundred US dollars, and you take the child and the contract docunts all together.”
Four hundred US dollars, which roughly equates to about a thousand big coins.
“What kind of contract docunts?”
“I’m carrying them with , I’ll let you look them over.”
Mr.
Tong took a stack of printed docunts from his briefcase, and Li Mumu took them and glanced over.
The content was simple: it read that __ Shi was to be transferred to __ for free, confird by both parties and without objection, etc.
The paper itself held no legal weight, but in an era where the legal system was still inadequate, such written agreents with both parties’ signatures and seals could not be said to be completely without referential value should a dispute reach the courts.
Although the new governnt expressly forbade the trafficking of humans, firstly, the requirents and regulations were not strict enough, leaving loopholes to exploit.
Like within this contract docunt, it ntioned no involvent of money, rely a transfer.
Secondly, the public didn’t yet fully understand the new policy regulations, and many common people didn’t know what the new laws entailed, still believing in the old traditions.
When Qin Xiangdong first took office as the head of the Nantong District police, besides focusing on combatting cri, his first consideration was to educate the public about the law.
One simply can’t rush into eating hot tofu; the implentation of new laws would still require ti to settle in gradually.
The content within the docunt didn’t seem problematic, at least not at first glance.
Li Mumu called over a waiter from the café, “Bring a lighter.”
She took the lighter and, under the astonished gaze of Mr.
Tong, lit a corner of the docunt on fire.
The flas instantly blackened the paper, and Li Mumu brought it close to her face and sniffed it, not detecting the sll of sulfur.
But it wasn’t exactly pleasant either; there was a scent mixed in that she couldn’t describe.
The amulet hidden in her sleeve trembled slightly.
The smile on Mr.
Tong’s face seed a bit stiff.
She blew out a breath to extinguish the fla and tore the docunt in half right in front of him.
Li Mumu didn’t bother looking at Mr.
Tong’s expression as she pulled out a stack of Colorful Banknotes from her wallet.
“There’s no need for docunts; just leave the child here.
Here’s a thousand Colorful Banknotes, please count them.”
Mr.
Tong looked at the money that Li Mumu had pushed towards him; he had more to say initially, but ultimately he swallowed his words.
His smile reappeared, “Miss Li taking a liking to this child is her good fortune.”
Just as he was about to take the money, he realized Li Mumu’s hand hadn’t retracted yet, and as he looked up, he saw the aningful smile on the young girl’s face.
“Mr.
Tong, do you believe in karma?”
“Haha, of course, I do.
That’s why I’ve always insisted on doing good deeds.”
“That’s good then.”
Li Mumu let go of the banknotes and picked up the coffee in front of her.
Offering tea signifies sending off a guest, an unspoken subtext.
Mr.
Tong, of course, was not so clueless as to miss the hint; having already received the money, there was no need to further entangle himself with these two young ladies who inexplicably made him apprehensive.
Therefore, he promptly rose and took his leave.
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