"I need to obtain all the legal qualifications and a corporate bank account of a high-end club within 48 hours."
Chapter 176 The Most Expensive Circle, The Simplest Meals
The typing on the keyboard on the other end of the phone stopped abruptly.
Harris's voice came through the car's Bluetooth, sounding slightly distorted and urgent.
"Mr. Su Wei, if you need to obtain the complete set of compliance documents within 48 hours, including the federal tax ID, state government filings, and expedited approval for the corporate bank account..."
Harris paused for a second, seemingly flipping through documents; the sound of pages turning could be clearly heard.
"This is expedited service. To bypass the regular queues at the Anchorage Tax Office, we need to use the privileged approval process through the internal channels, and pay for three senior tax advisors to work overtime overnight."
He quoted a price. "Fifty thousand US dollars. No bargaining."
Su Wei sat in the driver's seat, his right hand resting on the steering wheel, his index finger lightly tapping the edge of the leather wrapping.
The wind and snow were raging outside the car window, and the snowflakes were hitting the windshield with a soft rustling sound, as if urging him to make a decision.
Fifty thousand dollars.
Just minutes before, he was spending lavishly at that table, a symbol of power, discussing plans worth millions.
The lingering excitement gave him the illusion that money was nothing more than numbers on paper.
But the moment he heard the price, reason brought him back to his senses.
The IRS are indeed terrifying, but they won't teleport to Kodiak Island before sunrise tomorrow.
The checks he received tonight were lying quietly in the inside pocket of his suit, pressed against his chest, still warm from his body heat.
As long as he doesn't go crazy and rush into the bank to cash it out first thing tomorrow morning, and as long as this huge sum of money doesn't enter his personal account and trigger a financial alarm, the tax risk isn't too urgent for the time being.
As for the 300,000 membership fee, that was a deposit for Charles to buy out his privileges.
The old man at the top of the pyramid didn't care at all whether Su Wei could slam a receipt printed with the company letterhead on the table tomorrow.
What he wanted was that unique experience, not just a piece of paper.
Since there's no need to serve Charles the company license as breakfast first thing tomorrow morning, the so-called 48-hour emergency operation is just a false need that's only scaring ourselves.
" Harris."
Su Wei stopped tapping, and his tone returned to normal.
"What if it's the normal procedure?"
There was a brief silence on the other end of the phone.
As a top agent, Harris clearly noticed the change in Su Wei's tone.
The anxiety that followed receiving a large sum of money disappeared, replaced by calmness and restraint.
"If it's the standard procedure, that is, what we call the expedited channel, not the privileged channel."
Harris quickly adjusted his tone, slowing his speech and revealing a hint of regret.
"It will take approximately five to seven business days. We will submit the application tomorrow morning, and you can expect to receive the complete set of documents as early as next Wednesday. The fee is five thousand US dollars."
From 50,000 to 5,000.
Just by waiting a few more days, the price difference can reach as high as $45,000.
This amount of money is enough for him to buy a decent used all-terrain vehicle.
For the Su Wei at present, time is indeed money, but it is not so expensive as to cost hundreds of dollars per minute.
"A five thousand dollar proposal."
Su Wei made his decision without any hesitation.
I will fax you the information tomorrow morning.
"A wise choice."
Harris's voice brightened again; although he had lost a significant amount of money, he seemed more interested in this client.
"Although we lost 45,000 in revenue, I must say that clients who can maintain this level of rationality and save this money at 2 a. m. are usually very successful in the business world. It was a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Su Wei."
The call ended.
The carriage returned to silence, with only the soft hum of the heater running.
Su Wei casually tossed his phone back onto the passenger seat; the screen flashed briefly in the darkness before going off.
The tension I had been feeling finally eased completely.
He restarted the pickup truck and released the handbrake.
Boom
The deep roar of the engine echoed through the snowy night.
The black Raptor's massive off-road tires carved two deep ruts into the snow as it slowly made its turn.
The blinding LED headlights illuminated the quiet road leading out of the city.
It was nearly dawn when we returned to the Polar Territory.
The Raptor pickup truck's massive tires rolled over the newly paved gravel road at the entrance to the territory, producing a series of dull screechs.
Although the two-kilometer road surface is not yet fully compacted, the foundation is already solid enough thanks to the Alaska permafrost.
The car body no longer jolted violently as before, which gave Su Wei a sense of reassuring control.
He parked the car in the open space in front of the wooden house, without immediately turning off the engine.
The car headlights swept across the open space on the right.
What was once a wasteland of weeds and rocks now has the framework of a building standing there.
That was the prototype of the exhibition hall that he commissioned the town's construction team to build.
The robust cedar logs have undergone deep Preservation Treatment, giving them a rich, dark brown color.
They were held together by huge industrial rivets and complex mortise and tenon structures, remaining motionless even in the blizzard.
Although it's not yet topped out or has wall panels installed, the wind is howling through its frame.
But the sense of scale and imposing presence is already there.
Su Wei turned off the engine and removed the car key.
The roughly hand-polished bear head pendant dangled on my fingertip, making a soft clinking sound.
Pushing open the car door, the frigid air instantly enveloped my entire body.
He instinctively tightened the collar of his suit jacket, covered the pocket containing the huge check with his hand, strode across the snow, and pushed open the door of the cabin.
The temperature inside wasn't much higher than outside.
Because no one had added firewood for a long time, the fire in the fireplace had long since gone out, leaving only a pile of cold, lifeless ashes.
The air was filled with the cool scent of pine, mixed with a hint of dry dust.
"Eek..."
In the corner of the sofa, an inconspicuous white ball of fluff suddenly moved.
Cotton Candy heard that familiar footsteps.
It poked its head out from under the thick wool blanket, yawned sleepily, revealing its pink gums and a few sharp white teeth. Its ears twitched, as if to confirm whether it was dreaming.
Upon seeing Su Wei standing in the entryway, the little guy instantly woke up.
It jumped off the sofa, dragging its bushy tail, and ran quickly to the entryway.
It didn't pounce on him enthusiastically like a dog, but instead circled Su Wei's trouser leg twice, carefully sniffing the snow water and unfamiliar perfume on Su Wei's leather shoes with its wet, cool nose.
After confirming that everything was correct, it raised its head, squinted its bright blue eyes, and let out a penetrating, delicate cry.
That voice was full of grievance and dependence.
Su Wei bent down and gave Cotton Candy's fluffy head a good rub.
It feels great in the hand.
That soft, warm touch spread throughout my body from my palm, dispelling all my fatigue.
At that stressful banquet, I was exhausted from working for seven or eight hours straight.
Back home, the little fox's pure dependence is the most genuine thing.
Are you hungry?
Su Wei asked softly.
The Cotton Candy seemed to understand, and nuzzled his palm with its head.
Su Wei took off his suit jacket, which was covered in cold air and snowflakes, and hung it on the coat rack by the door.
The expensive dress now seemed somewhat cumbersome.
He walked to the fireplace, skillfully set up several dry birch logs, and stuffed in some tinder.
Light a long-stemmed match.