Diao Si withdrew his foot, a glimmer of light flashing in his eyes. He leaned down, stared at Shu Yan for a moment, then rubbed his fingers together. "Ten million, or no deal."
"Fine. Within three days, I'll come to you with ten million."
Diao Si made an OK gesture.
Shu Yan went down to the first floor, calculating how much money she could earn from completing the remaining tasks, when a young man in a suit and shirt walked toward her.
"Yan Yan." He quickened his pace slightly, a hint of pleasant surprise in his voice. "Where did you go? Did you see the job posting I sent you?"
This was Zhou Chu's most capable assistant, Wei Min, who had always been on good terms with her.
His parents had passed away early, and she was an orphan too, so they had acknowledged each other as siblings and looked out for one another.
He had a sharp business mind—not only was he a capable assistant, but he was also Zhou Chu's strategist. Without him, Zhou Chu's IQ would drop by half.
Shu Yan thought of this and felt a stir of inspiration. She smiled and said, "I don't want to work for someone else anymore. I'm planning to start my own company."
Wei Min was slightly surprised. "Still in the clothing business?"
"Mm." Shu Yan smiled. Seeing that the first floor was crowded, she leaned in close and whispered, "Brother, if I offered you a higher salary, would you consider coming over?"
Wei Min was taken aback, and by the time he snapped back to reality, she had already stepped away. "No rush, Brother. Think it over for now—I'll be heading off today."
She waved and walked out through the glass doors of the company.
Shu Yan returned home. She still had a few tens of thousands left over from buying the apartment last time, so she treated herself to a nice order of crayfish, devoured them all by herself, washed up, and went to bed.
The next day, Shu Yan got up in the morning and had breakfast. Since she had no job anyway—a bona fide unemployed drifter—she summoned the System and went into the Plotline to play around.
"Hong Ying, is he still crawling?" Princess Ning Ruyue was asking another maid of the Ning household.
"Yes," Hong Ying wanted to laugh but didn't dare. "He's been crawling for a full day and night… The horse even woke up several times, but was knocked out again by the Prince—no, by Young Master He…"
"More and more people are gathering to watch, and someone's even set up a stall selling melon seeds and peanuts up front."
Ning Ruyue's expression was less than pleasant. She turned to look at Shu Yan. "Isn't he just trying to roast me over an open fire like this?"
Did he hate her that much? To the point of throwing away all dignity, just to force her back to the manor?
"Milady, Milady," another servant came rushing in urgently. "Something terrible has happened—Young Master He has crawled all the way to the front gate… and he's ordering you to open the door, or else he'll come in himself to drag you out!"
"Something terrible has happened—Young Master He's men have surrounded the Ning residence!" Another person came to report. "He's kneeling outside the gate weeping in public, saying he knows he was wrong and begging you to give him one more chance…"
Shu Yan looked up and saw that Ning Ruyue's face had turned completely green.
Wasn't this just moral blackmail?
Damn. Did he think he looked all romantic and devoted?
"Something terrible has happened!" Yet another person came running in a panic. "Young Master He says that since you haven't responded for so long, he has reason to suspect you've been taken hostage. If you don't come out to see him within two quarters of an hour, he's going to break down the gate and come in to rescue you!"
Ning Ruyue couldn't catch her breath and nearly fainted on the spot.
Her father held military command and had been stationed at the frontier with her mother for years, not yet returned to the capital. Right now, she was the only one living in the Ning residence. If He Gu really got in, wouldn't she be nothing but a fish on his chopping block?
And after all, she and he were husband and wife—even if she took this to the authorities, they wouldn't intervene!
How had she never noticed before how utterly shameless he was?!
"What do I do, Lü Yin? Save me, I don't want to go back, I don't want to go back…"
"Alright, alright, Miss, don't panic." Shu Yan steadied the tottering Ning Ruyue and pulled up the Plotline.
[He Gu knelt outside the Ning residence, having crawled all day with a haggard face, weeping heart-wrenchingly: "Yue'er, your husband knows he was wrong. Your husband truly misses you. Please, forgive me one more time…"]
The onlookers, seeing him cry so pitifully, couldn't help but begin to feel for him.
"A man kneels to heaven, earth, and parents—yet Young Master He kneels to a woman! This shows how devoted he is! I think whatever happened before, Young Master He must have had his reasons."
"Say what you will, but with Young Master He this heartbroken, and his wife not even coming out to see him—she's truly cold-hearted."
"It takes two to clap. When a couple ends up like this, isn't the wife partly to blame? I say she's no good either!"
"Exactly. No matter what, every couple has their spats—can't she just endure it?"
He Gu watched the crowd's reaction, smug inside. After crying for a full two quarters of an hour, he ordered his servants to break down the door.
[Thud, thud, thud, thud—]
[He Gu watched the mansion gate loosen bit by bit, his heart swelling with triumph. Hahaha, Ning Ruyue—did she think she could escape his grasp? Once he brought her back and got the Tiger Tally, he'd have her killed!]
Shu Yan clenched her fists and turned the inner thoughts into spoken words.
He Gu watched the mansion gate loosen bit by bit, his words growing more triumphant: "Hahaha, Ning Ruyue, did you think you could escape my grasp? Once I bring you back and get the Tiger Tally, I'll have you killed!"
The crowd, who had been moved by what they thought was a beautiful love story: "?"
"What? Did he just say he'd have his wife killed?"
The crowd fell silent.
He Gu's face flushed red, so furious he nearly stamped his feet. Suddenly he burst into wailing again, gesturing for his servants to keep breaking down the door.
Ning Ruyue was now his only lifeline. Today, no matter what, he had to bring her back—even if it meant earning a tarnished reputation, he would not hesitate!
[At that moment, the mansion door opened a crack. He Gu was overjoyed, leading two hundred hidden guards inside to seize the Princess.]
Shu Yan changed "Princess" to "The Emperor."
He Gu led the hidden guards into the Ning residence, then suddenly stopped in his tracks. Under the crowd's bewildered gaze, he made a turn and trudged toward the imperial palace, weary and terrified.
The onlookers: "?"
The two hundred hidden guards: "?"
……
"Sunrise over the capital, flowers fill the streets; the Regent Prince crawls on the ground. Unafraid of mud upon his hands, he swears to crawl to his in-laws' door."
"Hahahaha," The Emperor laughed so hard in the palace he doubled over. "Which bastard wrote this poem? Reward her!"
"Terrible news!" A eunuch came running in suddenly. "The deposed Regent Prince… is leading troops to attack the palace!"
"What?! That traitor!" The Emperor flew into a rage. "Mobilize the Five Army Camps! The Three Thousand Camp! The Divine Engine Camp! The Imperial Guard! The Embroidered Uniform Guard! The Five City Military Command!"
"…Wait, how many troops does He Gu have?"
"Two… two hundred." The eunuch scratched his head.
The Emperor: "?"