Chapter 182 - What To Do if You’re the Villain and the Heroine Likes You

In terms of reputation, He Yunxiao had to admit that he had neglected this aspect. The reputation of a villain affects not only the first impression of the female lead, but also permeates every aspect of life. For example, when it comes to collaboration, other shop owners have plenty to discuss, but not with him. As soon as the name "He Yunxiao" was mentioned, people would avoid him like the plague. Those who couldn't escape would treat him like a black cat, hoping to drive away bad luck. Following Nanzhu and Chuchu around the north-facing commercial street, He visited every suitable store, but in the end, including the previously arranged Yaohui New Porcelain, only five stores were willing to collaborate. The flow of these five stores couldn't support the circulation of the voucher funds, and they couldn't even reach the exchange amount of ten thousand taels, let alone raise another ten thousand to ransom Sister Jiang. The start was not smooth. There was a lot of bad news, but there was one piece of good news. He managed to secure a prominent storefront that was urgently up for rent during the business negotiations. The shop was located in a prominent position in the center of the north-facing commercial street, with a rent of two thousand taels per month. Renting such a store would cost twenty-four thousand taels a year. Although He only had fifty taels in his pocket, he didn't hesitate when he secured the shop. In the business of "reputation", one must "package" oneself, just like driving a luxury car when going out for business. As for where the money would come from, He had it figured out. It was impossible to borrow from his wives. Not for the sake of not wanting to rely on them, but mainly because he couldn't afford to lose them. As for getting money from home, it was out of the question. After issuing an IOU for Chuchu's clothes, it had become difficult to get money from the mansion. In Daqi, the wealthiest figures were not the officials and nobles in Yin Jing, but the wealthy landlords from Jiangnan, especially the Li family. Li Qingmeng was the daughter of the Li family in Jiangnan and the only female lead he had no intention of pursuing. Since she wasn't a wife, there was no psychological pressure to borrow money from her. Moreover, he wasn't afraid she wouldn't lend him money. Her handkerchief was still locked under his bed. Could he casually hand it over to her? ... As dusk approached, the warm sun slanted, and the carriage of the Wu Qinghou Mansion was on its way to the Willow Court. Two female leads sat on one side, while He sat on the other. Thanks to the Soul-Eating Pill, even after running around the commercial street, He didn't feel tired at all. Chuchu, with her cultivation, naturally showed no signs of fatigue. Among the three in the carriage, only Meng Qingrou was a normal person. She and Chuchu had been running around the commercial street all afternoon and were already exhausted. Now, sitting in the carriage, she propped her cheek on her hand, nodding off. The carriage was no longer empty but filled with all kinds of delicious and interesting things. As for the relationship between Chuchu and Nanzhu, He felt they probably got along well. At least, they were no longer sitting apart but leaning against each other. Seeing Nanzhu holding a tassel in her hand and refusing to let go, even when she was very sleepy, He curiously asked, "Qingrou, what is this tassel for?" Meng Qingrou drowsily mumbled, "Hmm… Uh…" He couldn't expect much from Nanzhu in this state, so he shifted his gaze to Chuchu. Chuchu casually said, "It's for her sister." Sister? Meng Qingqian? Tassel? Sachet. This tassel was probably meant to decorate the sachet for Meng Qingqian. He clicked his tongue. Nanzhu was really kind to her sister, I haven't even started yet. Observing the current situation, with Chuchu and Nanzhu sitting next to each other, He suddenly felt that, compared to Meng Qingqian, Nanzhu seemed more like a sister to Chuchu. They had similar figures and were both youthful-looking. As He was thinking, he reached out and nudged the extremely sleepy Nanzhu towards Chuchu. Once her head leaned on Chuchu's shoulder, she couldn't lift it. A beautiful girl leaning on another beautiful girl to sleep, truly pleasant to the eyes. Although Chuchu didn't ask the person involved, she turned to He and coldly asked, "He Yunxiao, move her away from me." He wanted to admire the beauty of the two girls for a little longer, so he said, "Chuchu, she's sleeping. You let her rest for a while." "Are you trying to disadvantage me? If you don't move her, I'll do it myself." Helpless, He stood up and gently pushed Nanzhu, saying, "Qingrou, wake up." Half asleep and half awake, Meng Qingrou murmured, "Let Nanzhu sleep a little longer..." Chuchu frowned and said, "What 'Nanzhu'?" He quickly intervened, "It's my cousin's nickname." Meng Qingrou, caught between sleep and wakefulness once again, squirmed towards Chuchu, skillfully tracing her hand along Chuchu's arm to her wrist, then slipping through Chuchu's fingers to hold her hand from below. It was a scene that satisfied He. What could be more beautiful than two lovely girls leaning on each other and holding hands? Chuchu didn't question the person involved but instead turned to He and asked, "Are you doing this on purpose?" He:? "No, Chuchu, let me explain…" ... First, He took Chuchu home and then made a slight detour back to the He Mansion's second residence to change Nanzhu into palace attire. Then, he took Nanzhu back to the palace. After returning to the Lixuan Palace, He had dinner, took the antidote, and left the palace again. As he boarded the carriage, he said, "First, I'll go back to the Hou Mansion to get something, then head to Chengxi Jinxianyuan." Mader Kuixin said, "Alright, young master, it's late at night, and you're running around everywhere. You must be going to visit another young lady at the Jinxianyuan."... The eleventh and twelfth hours of the night, nine o'clock in the evening. As usual, Meng Qingqian sat in Changhe Palace, looking at documents. Jian Ling stood behind her, holding a sword, without saying a word. After a while, a woman in martial attire hurried in from outside. She immediately knelt in front of Meng Qingqian and said, "Your Highness, someone has come to the Jinxianyuan to find Miss Li." As soon as Meng Qingqian heard this, she wished the sweet candy in her mouth was the person looking for Miss Li. "Let him in. Tell him, this palace... No. Miss Li will be there in a moment. Please ask Master He to wait! A moment!" Chapter 183 Seeing the Antidote Lady Again Tl. Soothsayer.io