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墨書 Inktalez
Ye Xiaohan suddenly stood up, tilting her chin defiantly. "Why would I have any issues? I'm perfectly fine," she declared. With a flick of her wrist, she tossed the book at Liu Yang. "This book is interesting; lend it to me again next time."
Without looking back, she walked away.
Liu Yang picked up the poor book, which had already been gripped tightly by Ye Xiaohan, leaving behind messy fingerprints and signs of wear.
He gently smoothed each page, feeling a pang of sympathy. This was a new purchase, one he hadn't even had the chance to read himself before Ye Xiaohan had already turned it into something half-worn.
However, Ye Xiaohan's anger indicated that she cared more than she let on about Liu Bei. That was a good sign; the more she cared, the greater the chance of her staying.
Now he could only hope his older brother would come to his senses and not dig his own grave. If he truly drove Ye Xiaohan away, it would be too late for regrets.
Ye Xiaohan was seething with frustration. Liu Bei, who usually seemed serious, was quite bold when it came to flirting with girls. Who was he trying to impress? They weren't even married yet!
Hmph, showing off their affection would only lead to disaster!
Not wanting to linger at home any longer, she decided to head to her shop. Men were unreliable; only the money she earned herself was real.
Just as she stepped outside, she ran into a familiar face.
"Isn't this Boss Ye? What a coincidence! We seem to run into each other everywhere," Liu Yuan said, fanning himself with a smile that didn't reach his cold eyes.
Not this lunatic again!
Ye Xiaohan felt annoyed at the sight of Liu Yuan. Ever since the incident with the raw materials last time, there had been no word from him. She found it strange; given Liu Yuan's petty nature, how could he possibly let it go? After being humiliated by Ye Xiaohan multiple times, he would surely seek revenge.
Indeed, it didn't take long for her to lose her composure.
"Young Master Liu, it's good to see you," Ye Xiaohan said, knowing that since Liu Yuan had come personally, even if she ignored him now, he would surely find ways to create trouble for her later.
As for Liu Yuan's chance encounter, Ye Xiaohan didn't believe a word of it. This street was right in front of her house, the most convenient path for her to take when going out, and it was also the one she frequented the most.
It was too suspicious to run into him right outside someone else's door.
Both of them were secretly plotting while maintaining a facade of cordiality, as if they were truly old friends casually exchanging pleasantries on the road.
While Ye Xiaohan was engaged in this mental duel, behind them, Liu Bei and Yang Juanjuan were making their way over.
"Hey, isn't that Boss Ye?" Yang Juanjuan had actually spotted Ye Xiaohan standing there early on and had also noticed Liu Yuan across from her.
Especially since the two seemed to be in a pleasant atmosphere, both wearing smiles and seemingly engrossed in conversation.
Such a good opportunity was not something Yang Juanjuan would let slip by; she would create chances to undermine and belittle Ye Xiaohan, hoping to establish a stark contrast in Liu Bei's mind that would overshadow Ye Xiaohan.
Today, she had asked Aunt Wen to send Liu Bei out with her for shopping, which turned out to be perfect timing.
Suppressing her excitement, Yang Juanjuan cleared her throat and pointed ahead with a feigned look of surprise. "Liu Bei, isn't Boss Ye supposed to be really busy rushing to the shop? She hardly stays at home for long and seems to be in a hurry. Why is she now leisurely chatting with a man on the street? Doesn't seem urgent at all!"
Previously, Liu Bei had used Yang Juanjuan to irritate Ye Xiaohan and felt some regret afterward. To him, this was a matter between him and Ye Xiaohan; there was no need to involve others.
This time, when Liu Wen asked him to accompany Yang Juanjuan for shopping, Liu Bei agreed out of a sense of guilt.
As soon as she stepped out, she unexpectedly ran into Ye Xiaohan, who was behaving intimately with a man. Liu Bei's already turbulent mood darkened even further.
Who is this person, and what is his relationship with Xiao Han? Why do they seem to know each other so well? Xiao Han has never smiled at him so gently!
Yang Juanjuan took a closer look and was genuinely surprised: "Isn't that the county magistrate's son, Liu Yuan? Boss Ye knows him, and it looks like they have quite a close relationship. I've heard that Liu Yuan has high standards and usually looks down on ordinary women. It seems Boss Ye really has some skills to win the favor of Liu Yuan."
It would be best if Ye Xiaohan were completely smitten by Liu Yuan and became a concubine for the Liu family, so she wouldn't compete with her for Liu Bei and the Liu family.
"They seem to be leaving. Should we go say hello?" Yang Juanjuan suggested as she noticed the two moving ahead. The more intimate Ye Xiaohan and Liu Yuan appeared, the worse Yang Juanjuan's image of herself in Liu Bei's eyes became, which meant she had a better chance to rise in status.
Liu Bei wore a cold expression as he watched Ye Xiaohan and Liu Yuan walk away. He turned his head away from them. "No need; they're not anyone we must know. It's fine not to meet them. Let's go; weren't you going to buy some needles and thread?"
Yang Juanjuan felt a bit regretful about not being able to continue tarnishing Ye Xiaohan's image, but seeing Liu Bei beside her made her happy again. It was fine that Ye Xiaohan was walking off with another man; this way, Liu Bei could be hers alone.
Don't think she's foolish; she could see that Liu Bei had suddenly become friendlier towards her lately because he was having a falling out with Ye Xiaohan, and they were in a cold war.
Now, she intended to take full advantage of this opportunity to ruin Ye Xiaohan's relationship with Liu Bei and shift his affections toward herself.
Yang Juanjuan rushed back to tell Liu Wen about this. Liu Wen had been worried that Liu Bei was too deeply infatuated with Ye Xiaohan; no matter how much she hinted or suggested, he just wouldn't consider taking another wife.
Now that Ye Xiaohan had come right into her hands, what good could come of it? Even if there was nothing between Ye Xiaohan and Liu Yuan, she would make something happen!
Regardless of the circumstances, Liu Wen did not want to see the Liu family dominated by that malicious woman, Ye Xiaohan. Before coming here, she had resolved to break them apart.
"Achoo!" Ye Xiaohan quickly pulled out a handkerchief to cover her mouth and nose. What on earth caused her to sneeze all of a sudden?
Liu Yuan smiled and said, "How could you possibly sneeze when everything is fine? Could it be that Boss Ye has offended too many people, and someone is secretly cursing you behind your back?"
Ye Xiaohan rolled up her handkerchief and put it away, a smile on her face as she replied, "That's just nonsense. If it were really that effective, wouldn't Liu Gongzi be sneezing nonstop? Right, Liu Gongzi? Hehe."
She was grateful for this internet-free era, allowing her to openly mock those she disliked.
Liu Yuan found himself unable to retort her teasing and instead felt slighted. Reflecting on how he had hardly ever won against Ye Xiaohan since they met, he felt a surge of indignation, and his expression darkened.
He turned to survey Ye Xiaohan's shop and praised her in a roundabout way, "Boss Ye truly has a talent for business. This shop is managed so well, and business is booming. All the merchants in this town admire you greatly."
"Thank you, thank you. It's all thanks to the support of the locals," Ye Xiaohan replied without missing a beat. Liu Yuan was determined to follow her into the shop, but she couldn't let her guard down; she sensed he had ulterior motives.
Feigning casualness, Liu Yuan asked, "I heard that Boss Ye's shop encountered some trouble before. I intended to offer my help, but it seems Boss Ye resolved it swiftly on your own. Truly impressive."
Wasn't that due to your interference? Now you want to play the good guy as if everyone else is foolish?
Ye Xiaohan attributed it to luck: "Indeed, during that time it felt like we were haunted by misfortune. Every night brought bad news. Fortunately, good triumphed over evil in the end, and we managed to get through that tough period. But let's not dwell on it; everything is running smoothly now. Thank you for your concern, Liu Gongzi."
Ye Xiaohan understood Liu Yuan's intentions: first, he was trying to assert dominance and warn her that he had plenty of power at his disposal. If she continued to be uncooperative, he could double down on the pressure. The previous crisis served as a warning.
Secondly, he seemed intent on investigating her current partnerships. Perhaps he felt embarrassed that someone dared to act against him under his watch or wanted to uncover details so he could exert pressure on her partners again.
Of course, Ye Xiaohan wasn't foolish enough to reveal her vulnerabilities. Most of the raw materials for her shop came from a partner store in the neighboring town. If Liu Yuan discovered this connection, he could easily sever it, jeopardizing her business once more.
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