Bai Yanggui noticed Bo Nan looking at him and immediately retracted his gaze, trying his absolute best to look “exotic and noble.”
Presentation was everything. He had to keep it together; normal people didn’t like creeps!
Bo Nan watched him with a half-smile, satisfied to see a faint crimson hue slowly crawling up the tips of Bai Yanggui’s ears.
Bai Yanggui tried to ignore the gaze fixed on him. He stiffened his face and gripped his fountain pen, preparing to sign the payment vouchers. Suddenly, he heard a click. He instinctively looked over and saw Bo Nan lowering his phone. Bo Nan gave him a meaningful look before turning to follow the person beside him.
How can he just take photos of people!
Fine, whatever. If he wants to take them, let him. It’s not like there’s anything he can’t see.
Forget being dressed to the nines; even if he were wearing nothing at all, if Bo Nan wanted to take a photo, it… wasn’t entirely out of the question. However, the conditions for that kind of photo were quite high. He wasn’t just giving those away.
At the very least, they’d have to get married first, right?
Bo Nan had no idea that Bai Yanggui’s mind had already jumped ahead to post-marital bedroom photography. He made a mental note of the stones he liked and followed Boss Wu to look at his personal stock. As the saying goes, comparison is the thief of joy; not every batch of goods contains a hidden masterpiece. Bo Nan picked two stones that would yield a small profit and called it a day.
To his surprise, as soon as he stepped out of the warehouse, he saw Bai Yanggui standing not far away. He wasn’t accompanied by his usual entourage; he stood alone in a corner looking somewhat pitiful. The moment he spotted Bo Nan, his eyebrows shot up in delight. To describe it accurately, it was like a Husky tethered to a curb seeing its owner; his tail was seconds away from spinning like a helicopter rotor and lifting him off the ground.
…Damn. That’s a bit much.
Bo Nan felt like lighting a cigarette and patting the shoulder of the previous life’s Bai Yanggui to say “I’m sorry.”
When a guy delivers himself on a silver platter like this, you really can’t blame me.
Bo Nan thought solemnly: I treat you like a brother, but you want to get with me. Don’t blame your brother for being a bit “dishonorable.”
Perhaps realizing he was being too obvious, Bai Yanggui immediately lowered his head and pretended to examine a nearby street stall. He didn’t realize how jarring a man in a bespoke suit looked hovering over a pile of roadside junk. His shoulders were drawn in, and his spine was ramrod straight, as if he were trying to hide while standing in plain sight.
Bo Nan smiled and walked up beside him. “Bai Yanggui, are you waiting for someone?”
“…Just looking around.” Being hit by Bo Nan’s visual charms at such close range again was a critical hit for Bai Yanggui. After a brief stunned silence, his ears began to burn. “I saw you earlier. You’re here to buy raw stones too?”
Bai Yanggui regretted the words the moment they left his mouth. What kind of moron opening is that! If Bo Nan were just visiting a relative or just looking, wouldn’t that sound like a snide comment on his financial situation? He quickly added, “No… I mean…”
Bo Nan interrupted with a chuckle. “It’s a coincidence.”
Bai Yanggui breathed a sigh of relief. “Right… well, since we’ve run into each other, I know a great restaurant. I happen to have a reservation. Want to go together?”
“Sure.” Bo Nan agreed instantly. He looked at the sky. “It’s still early. Want to walk around a bit more?”
It was only a little past three in the afternoon. He was a bit hungry, but dinner felt premature. Bai Yanggui followed Bo Nan’s gaze and felt like slapping himself. Had he learned nothing about social interaction over the years?!
“It is a bit early. It works out, I needed to buy a few more things anyway,” Bai Yanggui said, feeling a bit sheepish.
“Let’s go then.” Bo Nan curled his lips and led Bai Yanggui through the market. When it came to the antique market, a hundred Bai Yangguis couldn’t match Bo Nan’s expertise. They stopped and started along the way, eventually halting in front of a street stall.
One was in a high-end suit, the other in a hoodie and jeans. They were an eyesore to the vendors, who immediately saw them as “fools with more money than sense.”
Bo Nan pointed to a pair of walnuts. “Boss, how much for these Panlong Lionhead walnuts?”
The vendor, who had been excited to see “prey,” immediately deflated. This kid knew the specific variety on sight? Most hobbyists just called them “Lionheads.”
“This pair? Fixed price, two thousand.”
Bai Yanggui instinctively reached for his wallet, but Bo Nan said flatly, “One hundred.”
“One hundred each? Kid, don’t make me laugh! I can’t even source them for that!” The vendor was miserable. This guy opened with a price that was basically cost plus a tiny profit—a total pro. He tried to push back just in case: “Look at the texture! The patina! Even if I used a machine to polish them, the electricity would cost more than a hundred!”
Bo Nan shook his head. “One hundred for the pair, not each. I’ll start by wishing you a successful opening today. May everything go smoothly and may your wealth flow in from all sides.”
The vendor’s rebuttal—One hundred for the pair? Why don’t you just fly to the moon! got stuck in his throat. How did this kid know he hadn’t made his first sale of the day yet?
Merchants are superstitious. They care about the “First Sale Luck.” If the first transaction of the day is smooth and pleasant, the rest of the day will follow suit. Besides, you don’t hit a smiling face; Bo Nan had offered such a flowery blessing that even if the deal failed, he couldn’t get angry.
One hundred for the pair is fine… they were part of a bulk lot I bought from Old Yan next door anyway. Cost me about ten bucks.
The vendor clutched his chest and gritted his teeth. “Fine! For the sake of a lucky opening! Take them for a hundred!”
Bo Nan pulled a crisp hundred-yuan bill from his wallet. “I wish you a prosperous day.”
Bai Yanggui watched from the side, utterly dumbfounded. Since when could you haggle a two-thousand-yuan item down to a hundred? He wasn’t completely out of touch with the world—he knew you could bargain—but he thought knocking five hundred off was a big win. He never expected Bo Nan to cut it to five percent.
“Here, play with these.” Bo Nan took the walnuts and handed them to Bai Yanggui. He had noticed Bai Yanggui’s attention drifting all day, but his eyes had lingered on these.
Bo Nan remembered Bai Yanggui mentioning his grandfather loved playing with walnuts. This pair wasn’t the absolute peak of quality, but they were rare enough—and more importantly, they were old. They had been handled by many owners, gathering a decent Qi field that would actually be good for an elderly man’s health.
“For me?” Bai Yanggui took the bag, only then processing it. “Thanks. My grandpa really likes these… let me pay you back?”
He wasn’t short on a hundred yuan. Taking a gift bought with what he still assumed was Bo Nan’s hard-earned “service money” made him feel incredibly guilty.
“No need,” Bo Nan replied. “Just treat me to dinner.”
“Mhm, okay!” Bai Yanggui accidentally let out an enthusiastic double “mhm” and breathed a sigh of relief when Bo Nan didn’t seem to notice.
They walked a bit further. The weather was perfect—neither hot nor cold, with a gentle breeze. Suddenly, Bo Nan caught the scent of osmanthus sugar. He looked toward the aroma and saw a stall selling roasted chestnuts.
Bai Yanggui noticed too. He said “Wait here” and sprinted off before Bo Nan could respond. He gestured to the vendor and returned a moment later clutching a large bag of chestnuts.
I didn’t know what flavor you liked, so I got a bit of everything.” The chestnuts were scorching hot in his arms, making his face flush. “There are sugar-roasted, steamed, and baked. Which do you want to try first?”
Bo Nan pulled a bag from his arms. “Any is fine.”
“Oh.” Bai Yanggui’s eyes dropped, whether in happiness or disappointment.
The bag Bo Nan picked contained steamed chestnuts. The shells were already separated from the meat; with a light peel, a whole chestnut kernel emerged. He ate one. Steamed chestnuts weren’t as overtly sweet as the sugar-roasted ones, but they were much more moist and tender, possessing a natural sweetness that he found delightful.
He stopped walking, and Bai Yanggui stopped with him. Bo Nan reached into Bai Yanggui’s arms. The rustle of the paper bags and the sensation of the chestnuts being shifted translated clearly into Bai Yanggui’s heightened senses. Even though he knew Bo Nan was just looking for a chestnut and any physical contact was accidental, he felt a traitorous thrill.
Bo Nan picked a chestnut from each bag and tasted them. After a while, he said, “The steamed ones are the best. You try?”
“Mhm…” Bai Yanggui answered in a voice as quiet as a mosquito. He reached out to take one, but Bo Nan caught his hand instead.
Bo Nan patiently guided his hand into the correct paper bag, even fishing out two chestnuts and pressing them into his palm. With a playful look, he said, “These are the steamed ones.”
Bai Yanggui’s cheeks exploded in red. His mind was racing.
He’s flirting with me!!!
How is he so good at this!
To be fair, Bai Yanggui didn’t mind if Bo Nan had been a “canary” or worked in the industry before. He didn’t care about the past; he just wanted to be the only one in the future.
The opportunity was practically hitting him in the face. If he didn’t take it, was he even human?
Bai Yanggui immediately went for the “A” (aggression): “Bo Nan, do you want to go for a drink tonight?”
“Wasn’t it dinner?”
Bai Yanggui steeled his nerves, trying not to look intimidated. He put on his best “experienced player” face. “We can drink at dinner too.”
Dinner must have red wine, steak, and roses. I’ll hire a violinist to saw away in the corner!
And… which five-star hotel should I book? I wonder if Bo Nan likes floor-to-ceiling windows?
Unfortunately, while his ideals were full, reality was cruel. Just as they reached the parking lot to get their cars, both Bo Nan and Bai Yanggui received a text simultaneously: The Qian family funeral is tomorrow. Come back now to discuss.
They looked at each other, both seeing the same disappointment in the other’s eyes.
“I…” Bai Yanggui said, “Sorry, something came up. Rain check?”
“What a coincidence, I have something too.” Bo Nan smiled. “Rain check it is. You better not break your word.”
“Definitely.” Bai Yanggui nodded. He remembered something and pulled a slip of paper from his pocket, stuffing it into Bo Nan’s hand. “I was going to give this to you during dinner… it’s a gift. I took your gift today, so you should accept this one… right?”
Bo Nan nodded and accepted it. Bai Yanggui then got in his car and drove off.
Bo Nan found his own car. Only after getting in did he look closely at what he was holding. He smoothed out the slip it was a delivery receipt for “Old Cheng’s Raw Jadeite.” He laughed softly and pulled another slip from his pocket, placing them both in his wallet.
The second slip was the one he had intended to give Bai Yanggui. He wanted to help the guy gain some merit now that he had just taken over the company.
It seemed it wouldn’t be needed for now.