Celine saw that Hogan agreed so quickly, so she didn't hesitate anymore.
Right away, he took out a stack of colorful packaging papers from his wide sleeves.
"Miss Celine, please take a look," Hogan pointed at those colorful paper wrappers. His tone was serious. "The food we need is mostly like this."
He paused, then added with a tone that sounded impressed and amazed, "Of course, if we could get that kind of bottled water, the more the better."
"This kind of water doesn't need to be dug from the ground or cleaned. You just open the lid and drink it. When marching on the road, it feels like a gift from the heavens. It saves the trouble of digging wells or looking for clean water. It's really convenient."
Celine leaned closer to look.
Printed on those packaging papers were things she knew very well from her world.
Tomato beef noodles from a famous brand, bone soup noodles from another brand, French bread, a few kinds of common soda crackers.
There were also some small plastic packs from rice balls and mugwort rice cakes.
Even some candy wrappers with fruit and nut pictures, and a broken package from some roasted cashews.
There were many kinds, but when she looked closely, most of the flavors were mild or salty.
Celine immediately understood.
Food in the Qin Dynasty didn't have many seasonings. Their taste must have been natural and light.
Hogan and his soldiers probably couldn't handle the strong flavors from modern seasonings.
"I understand." Celine nodded and started planning in her mind.
Basic instant noodles, crackers, and bread must be prepared. Water was even more important.
But thinking about their taste and real needs, maybe she should add more.
"Besides these,"
Celine looked up at Hogan and spoke with more confidence.
"I can also prepare some food that is easier to store and has a plain taste, like steamed buns, dried noodles that can last a long time, and flatbread that is chewy and keeps you full. What do you think?"
"Steamed buns? Dried noodles? Flatbread?"
Hogan was surprised. He clearly didn't know what those things were. But when he heard Celine say "easy to store," "plain taste," and "chewy and filling," he could tell they were good.
"Very good. I'll let you handle everything, Miss Celine." he said right away.
"It's just…"
Celine's tone changed, showing a bit of apology.
"The amount you need is quite large, and the types are many. I need some time to prepare."
"Also, to keep everything fresh, I can't get all of it at once. It has to be delivered in parts. The earliest… will take about three days to get the first batch ready."
Three days?
Hogan felt a little surprised.
He thought he was just exchanging a small amount of food, but it would take three days to prepare the first batch.
Does this mean… Celine plans to provide much more than he expected?
The two boxes of "small things" he brought were carefully chosen, but… are they enough?
A faint doubt passed through his calm eyes. After a moment of thought, Hogan honestly said:
"Three days… that's not urgent. But, I wonder if what I brought…"
He pointed to the two wooden boxes full of antiques.
"Is it enough to trade?"
Celine laughed suddenly, her bright eyes shining with a clever light.
"It's enough, more than enough!"
She waved her hand, smiling with her eyes curved.
"Don't worry, I really like these things. If possible, next time… it's best to bring similar items for exchange."
Seeing her genuine smile, Hogan finally relaxed and nodded seriously:
"Celine is straightforward! If that's the case, I will bring things that suit you better next time."
The deal was done, and Hogan soon disappeared from the space.
Celine's smile slowly faded, her sharp eyes fixed on the two boxes of priceless antiques.
What Hogan called "small and delicate toys" from his time were the most basic food and water in her time.
These jade discs, pottery figures, and bronze items… any one of them could instantly make her rich beyond what others could dream of in many lifetimes!
This trade was like sudden fortune for her!