"I may be just a junior clerk with a low rank and limited authority, but my job... gives me access to some... potentially valuable things."

Werner feigned a look of dawning comprehension. "You’re talking about your job at the Ministry of Foreign Trade? What exactly does it entail?"

"The Import-Export Quota Division," Schiller replied simply, then added, "I’m primarily responsible for daily necessities."

"Quotas for daily necessities?" Werner feigned confusion. "What does that cover, exactly?"

Schiller glanced around again and lowered his voice. "To put it bluntly, it’s statistics and approvals. Every month, I know in advance which product quotas will increase, which will decrease, what goods a particular state-owned store has applied for, and when they’re scheduled to arrive."

He paused. "My rank might not be high, but I have the authority to directly sign off on small-quota applications—anything under 50 kilograms."

A flicker of interest showed in Werner’s eyes, but his voice remained placid. "That information... it wouldn’t be very useful to an ordinary person, would it?"

Schiller gave a wry smile. "True, it’s useless to the average person. But..."

A shrewd glint flashed in his eyes. "Sometimes I think, I have this information and a certain degree of approval authority, but I lack a safe... channel to apply it. If someone had reliable channels, but lacked proof of a legitimate source... isn’t there some kind of..."

He let his words hang in the air, but the implication was obvious.

Werner maintained a calm facade and asked tentatively, "You’re saying you have access to certain resources, but..."

"Exactly!" Schiller nodded, then lowered his voice and continued, "For instance, I might know in advance that next month’s coffee quota will be cut by 30%, or that a particular store urgently needs to restock its alcohol supply. Under normal circumstances, this information offers me no personal benefit. But..."

He shot Werner a meaningful glance. "If friends were to casually mention trivial work matters during a chat, that would be perfectly normal, wouldn’t it?"

"Is knowing this information a few days ahead of time really that important?" Werner pretended not to understand.

Schiller grew a little agitated. "Of course it’s important! Fluctuations in commodity prices, shifts in supply and demand—those are often decided in the span of just a few days. Whoever has the information first seizes the advantage. I’ve worked at the Ministry of Foreign Trade for many years; I know this all too well."

Werner fell silent for a moment, seemingly lost in thought. "If... and I’m speaking hypothetically, if such a friendship existed, how exactly would they... help each other?"

A gleam of excitement flashed in Schiller’s eyes. "There are many ways. In the simplest case, I could tell you about quota changes in advance. A more complex approach..."

"For example, I process a lot of small-scale quotas every month. The problem is, when they go through the proper channels, I don’t see a single cent of benefit."

Werner was inwardly ecstatic but maintained a calm expression. "I see what you mean. You’re saying if someone could provide compliant goods, to substitute for the normal import channels..."

"That’s it exactly!" Schiller’s eyes lit up. "For example, say I approve a 50-kilogram quota for coffee. Normally, that batch would be imported from the Soviet Union or Cuba and then sent to a state-owned store. But if someone could provide coffee of the same quality for a cheaper price..."

"Then the price difference creates a margin to work with," Werner finished the thought.

"Right, right, right!" Schiller rubbed his hands together in excitement. "And the key is, this method is completely legal. I’m approving a legitimate quota, the goods coming in are up to standard, and there’s nothing on the books to raise suspicion."

"That’s an interesting idea," Werner said with a nod. "But what about the operational details? How would the books be handled?"

Schiller had obviously considered this. "It’s simple. I’ll find a few managers of state-owned stores that I’m on good terms with. They apply for the quota, I approve it, and you supply the goods. On paper, it looks like a normal import transaction, but in reality, it’s all going through your channels."

"And the risks?" Werner asked.

"What risks?" Schiller countered. "The quota is one I legally approved, the goods are ones you legally provided, and the store is conducting a legal sale. There’s nothing to find fault with anywhere in the chain."

Werner nodded. "It sounds... like the risk really is minimal. But besides the price margin, are there other forms of cooperation?"

"Of course," Schiller said, growing more excited. "If you needed to know the quality inspection standards for a certain product, or wanted to see what a standard import permit looks like, I could get my hands on them. Things like that should be very helpful for your... business... shouldn’t they?"

Werner feigned a thoughtful expression, then deliberately showed some hesitation. "This partnership sounds interesting. However, I suggest we first confirm each other’s good faith and capabilities."

Schiller said quickly, "How would you like to do that?"

Werner smiled faintly. "Let’s start with your daughter’s wedding present. If I can get you the Leica camera you want, that will prove my channels are reliable. In return, you can show me what kind of ’conveniences’ you can provide. That way, we can both confirm the other’s sincerity and capabilities."

Schiller nodded, satisfied. "Good! A very fair proposal. How much time will you need?"

"Three days." Werner rose to his feet. "We’ll meet again in three days to discuss the details."

Schiller stood up as well, extending his hand. "Then it’s settled, Comrade Betelich."

Werner shook the other man’s hand. "To a pleasant partnership, Comrade Schiller."

At that moment, the sound of footsteps came from outside the door.

"That’s my wife coming back," Schiller whispered.

The door opened, and a middle-aged woman of average height, dressed in a dark blue suit, walked in.

She seemed a little surprised to see Werner sitting in the living room.

"And who is this?" Madam Schiller asked.

"Oh, this is Comrade Betelich, a photography enthusiast," Schiller introduced him hastily. "We were just discussing cameras."

Madam Schiller studied Werner carefully, then said suddenly, "Betelich... That name sounds familiar. Aren’t you the one who helped people get ahold of some... special things before?"

Werner’s heart skipped a beat. "And what special things might that be, Madam?"

"You know, the hand cream from the United States, and the perfume from France." Madam Schiller’s eyes brightened. "I heard from the ladies at the Women’s Federation that there’s a well-connected young man named Betelich who gets the real deal!"

Schiller froze, stunned. He looked at Werner in disbelief. "So you’re that well-known?"

Werner gave a faint smile. "I wouldn’t say I’m well-known. I just help friends solve a few small problems."

Madam Schiller sat down in excitement. "Can you still get those things? Oh, and speaking of which, can you get a Western-style wedding dress? My daughter is getting married soon, and she’s always wanted one!"

Werner glanced at Schiller and chuckled. "A Western-style wedding dress? As it happens, I have channels for that sort of thing."

Schiller was utterly shocked this time. His gaze toward Werner was now filled with awe. "So... you really do have that much pull! No wonder you were so confident earlier!"

"Comrade Betelich," Madam Schiller said, grabbing Werner’s hand, "you simply must help my daughter get a wedding dress! We can discuss the price!"

"Not a problem," Werner agreed readily. He then looked at Schiller. "Since it’s for Comrade Schiller’s daughter, I will certainly do my best. I’ll handle the wedding dress and the camera at the same time."

Schiller shot to his feet, ecstatic. "Really? That’s wonderful!"

"However," Werner’s tone shifted, "I found that partnership idea Comrade Schiller mentioned earlier very interesting. If we were to establish a long-term cooperative relationship, these personal requests could be considered gifts between friends. No need to mention price at all."

Although Madam Schiller didn’t understand what they were discussing, she saw her husband’s excited expression and became happy as well.

Werner was filled with a sense of accomplishment as he left the Schiller family’s home.

The meeting had exceeded all his expectations.

An official from the Ministry of Foreign Trade with control over import quotas had proactively proposed a partnership. It was an absolute godsend.

More importantly, Madam Schiller’s words had confirmed his growing reputation within the circles of officials’ families. This laid the groundwork for him to approach higher-level clients in the future.

Walking through the streets at night, Werner began to map out a concrete plan of action.

The small-scale quotas Schiller could provide each month would, when added up, be enough for him to establish a stable, semi-legal supply channel.

With this channel, the scale of his business could expand severalfold.

The intelligence from the system about the camera opportunity was of much higher quality this time. Not only was the information clear, but it had also led to an even greater opportunity.

’The upgrade really made a difference.’

’Starting tonight, I’m moving up to a whole new level. Quota trading... the profits are much bigger than simple smuggling, and the risks are far lower.’

There were only a few months left before construction on the Berlin Wall began. This would be his golden period for accumulating wealth.