Chapter 181 - What To Do if You’re the Villain and the Heroine Likes You

On the main street, Meng Qingrou linked arms with Chuchu, and for a moment, Chuchu did not react. Taking advantage of her distraction, He Yunxiao stepped back a few paces and chuckled, "Rou'er, how does it feel?" "It's... it's fine," she replied. He Yunxiao called out from a distance, "Shall we take a few steps? Hold Chuchu's hand." Meng Qingrou attempted to walk forward while holding Chuchu's hand but found she couldn't move her. She then turned to comfort Chuchu, "Chuchu, don't be afraid. Rou'er is here." Chuchu replied, "I'm not afraid. It's you who's scared." Meng Qingrou clutched Chuchu's arm and pursed her lips, "Just a little, but, with you here, Rou'er isn't afraid." Chuchu sighed. This girl seemed completely defenseless. Every blow she took seemed to be completely absorbed, and there was no trace of aggression left. She couldn't do anything about her and had to say, "You just walk, Rou'er. I know the three rules. I will ensure your safety." Meng Qingrou nodded and then dragged Chuchu towards He Yunxiao again. Throughout the process, Chuchu was pulled along, expressionless. When Nanzhu finally reached him, He Yunxiao changed position and continued the exercise. He realized that Nanzhu, while fearful of strangers, seemed less so after being close to Chuchu. When Nanzhu walked, she only held Chuchu's arm and didn't hold her hand. She also maintained a certain distance from Chuchu, not leaning into her. Sometimes, Nanzhu would even reach out to protect Chuchu when strangers passed by, going against her usual behavior. He Yunxiao reckoned that Nanzhu had been overly reliant on him, which might not be conducive to her independence. Being with Chuchu presented a good opportunity for her growth. Furthermore, Chuchu was actually a year younger than Nanzhu, making her the one in need of protection, pushing Nanzhu to adapt faster to the world outside the palace. When Meng Qingrou once again brought Chuchu to He Yunxiao, he handed her two one-hundred-tael silver notes. "Rou'er, take these silver notes. Take Chuchu out to have some fun. Buy anything you like, don't worry about conserving money for me." Meng Qingrou took the silver notes and then split her only two, passing one to Chuchu. Chuchu didn't take it but instead looked at He Yunxiao, "Do you have something to do?" He Yunxiao replied, "Chuchu, stay and play with Rou'er. I have other things to attend to on this street. It's an urgent matter." Chuchu didn't agree directly and said, "If I call you, you must appear within two breaths." He Yunxiao joked, "No, if you're the one calling, I definitely won't come." Chuchu furrowed her brow, "He Yunxiao, do you want to die?" He Yunxiao teased, "You should think of me first before calling for me, right?" One was teasing, the other speaking without any particular intention. After being teased by the siblings, Chuchu didn't want to vent her frustration on the innocent girl beside her, so she forced herself to act cold and directed all her anger at He Yunxiao. "You should leave quickly, go far away, don't let me see you." He Yunxiao patted Nanzhu's head, then pinched Chuchu's hand, and finally warned Chuchu, "I'm leaving; I'll be around on this street. If you need me, just call." With He Yunxiao gone, he naturally went to discuss the business of the consumption coupons. However, he didn't dare to stray too far from Chuchu and Nanzhu. Basically, wherever Chuchu and Nanzhu went shopping, He Yunxiao found suitable nearby shops to negotiate with. When it came to finding cooperating shops, there were a few things that needed to be taken into account. The first was that they couldn't approach stores with poor or excessively good business. Stores with poor business would likely have inherent problems that couldn't be solved by the subsidies of the coupons. On the other hand, stores with excessively good business would be less likely to change their model or seek innovation. Only shops like Yao Hui Porcelain, which had a certain level of business but also faced their own problems and a need for change, were most likely to agree to cooperation. But He Yunxiao overestimated his own reputation. His reputation as the number one playboy in Yingjing was not just a rumor. Stepping into a shop called "Big Fat Fireworks," He Yunxiao politely said to the shop assistant, "I am He Yunxiao. I would like to meet the shop owner." Seeing He Yunxiao's dignified appearance and extraordinary attire, the shop assistant did not dare to be disrespectful and immediately ran to the rear of the shop to whisper to a middle-aged man with a round figure, who was likely the "Big Fat" of "Big Fat Fireworks." Inside the shop, various fireworks and firecrackers were displayed. He Yunxiao glanced at the assistant and the owner talking, then focused his attention back on the fireworks. This "Big Fat Fireworks" store seemed to meet his requirements. On the north-facing commercial street, there were several similar shops, and this store's business was average, making it suitable for the promotion of consumption coupons. If he provided a few ideas and added subsidies with the coupons, he could probably attract customers from elsewhere. After looking at the fireworks for a while, He Yunxiao then noticed the fat man slinking out the back door, while the shop assistant nervously approached and said, "Sir, the boss, um, is not here." "Not here?" He Yunxiao chuckled. Indeed, he was not here after having just sneaked out. What was this boss hiding from him? "No worries, I'll just have a casual look around," He Yunxiao pretended to browse, but in reality, he was gradually approaching the back door where the fat man had fled. The shop assistant nervously accompanied He Yunxiao as he wandered around. As he got closer, He Yunxiao concentrated and indeed heard breathing and a heartbeat from the back door. The breath was coarse, undoubtedly belonging to the fat boss. He Yunxiao picked up a firework from the shelf and asked, "What's this?" "This is the 'Old Mouse,' used on the ground. It burns and scurries around like a mouse." "Oh, do you have 'Fat Mouse'?" "Fat Mouse? I've never heard of that kind of firework." He Yunxiao sneered and swiftly walked to the back door, saying, "Let me show you the 'Fat Mouse.'" Then he forcefully opened the wooden door and a voice exclaimed, "Ouch! Who is it? How dare you!" He Yunxiao laughed, "Big Fat, why are you hiding from me?" Seeing that it was He Yunxiao, the "Big Fat" stopped scolding and quickly got up, obsequiously offering, "Oh, it's the renowned Mr. He, please forgive my absence. Let me serve some tea for you." He Yunxiao was here to discuss business, and besides this firework shop, there were several other shops to visit. He politely declined the offer of tea and said directly, "Big Fat, I have a business proposition. This..." Before he could finish, the "Big Fat" promptly laughed and sent someone to fetch five hundred taels of silver, setting it before him. "The small business is failing; I truly can't spare any more money." "I'm not here for money," He Yunxiao said. "Give me some time, and I can gather an additional five hundred taels." Now He Yunxiao finally understood, realizing that no matter what he said, this boss would just see him as the villainous character from a novel, taking advantage of men and bullying women. He Yunxiao: ... It seemed that he wasn't wrong; he truly was the antagonist. He Yunxiao was indeed low on funds. After giving Nanzhu two hundred taels, he had less than fifty taels on him. Struggling with fifty taels to make ten thousand was a hard task. Just renting a storefront for distributing the consumption coupons alone was far more than that amount. Renting the storefront, setting it up, printing the coupons... everything required money. "Forget it." Seeing that he couldn't reason with the "Big Fat," he decided not to pressure him further, getting up and heading towards the door. With a thin and indistinct silhouette, there was an inexplicable sense of desolation. As he reached the door, He Yunxiao suddenly turned around. "Thirty years in the east of the river, thirty years in the west of the river, don't underestimate the poor youth!" Big Fat:? Assistant 1:? Assistant 2:? Assistant 3:? Using a cliché from his previous life to lighten the mood, He Yunxiao felt much better. Waving his hand, he said, "That was a joke, don't take it to heart. We'll have plenty of opportunities for collaboration in the future, but by then, you'll have to come find me." Chapter 182: Don't Underestimate the Poor Youth Tl. Soothsayer.io