Guide To Lying Flat And Getting Rich As A Kept Alpha - Chapter 15

15

As soon as Luo Hetu stepped through the door, she saw Cheng Youqing.

Her nose seemed more sensitive than her eyes. The faint, sunlit-cotton scent wafted gently toward her, and Luo Hetu took a deep breath, her mood suddenly lifting beyond reason.

So, she greeted everyone with a smile: “Hello, we meet again.”

Cheng Youqing paused for a rare moment before saying, “Are you the supplier for this store?”

“I’m a partner, but I can connect you with the supplier.”

Cheng Youqing nodded. “My surname is Cheng.”

Luo Hetu, of course, already knew that.

“Our company’s VCDs haven’t been released yet. Where did Miss Luo get so many discs, and who is your supplier? I’d very much like to meet them.”

Luo Hetu let out an “oh” and said, “I know what Miss Cheng is worried about. Here’s the thing: my friend isn’t exactly a supplier. She just happens to have channels to produce various media products, but she doesn’t do business. If I hadn’t been desperate to start this business and begged her, she wouldn’t have supplied me. Although the Cheng Corporation is the first to produce VCDs, the machines need discs to maximize profits. Many disc manufacturers are rushing to produce them now—it’s not exactly a secret.”

“I’m aware of the major disc manufacturers, but your store has an unusually wide variety and is remarkably well-prepared. You’re the only one like this.”

“Maybe because the list of titles I provided is more comprehensive.”

Cheng Youqing gave her a cool look. “What I need to know is why you opened this video store and prepared such a large stock of discs before the Cheng Corporation even began promoting VCD players.”

Luo Hetu pointed at Li Baitian. “She’s a movie enthusiast, and the list of titles mainly came from her. As for opening the store early, VCD player technology, like VCRs, originated overseas. Anyone who’s read foreign news would know it’s only a matter of time before it’s introduced domestically. The cost of these things isn’t that high, and discs are much cheaper than videotapes, making them easy to promote. I guessed that big companies were already preparing to launch players. Plus, Li Baitian used to run a video rental shop, but it wasn’t profitable, and she didn’t want to continue. I thought it was a shame, so I found a supplier and opened this store. As for where the supplier gets their stock, she has some overseas connections. But let’s be honest, it’s all pirated anyway. As long as there’s a target, it doesn’t even need to be an original copy—she can produce large quantities of pirated discs easily. It’s not that difficult.”

Her explanation was logical, and Li Baitian, listening in, didn’t find anything amiss.

Cheng Youqing studied her. “You can read English?”

Though Luo Hetu wrote books, she had previously only set up a stall in the South City Market, mingling with a bunch of thugs. She didn’t seem like someone who could read English.

Cheng Youqing’s expression was already cold, and when she raised this question, a trace of the arrogance of someone in power showed through.

Since customers kept coming to buy discs, Li Baitian was too busy to pay attention to their conversation and had gone to help with checkouts.

Luo Hetu leaned casually against the counter, twirling her prayer beads in one hand, looking at Cheng Youqing. “Miss Cheng doesn’t believe me? Want to test me?”

Cheng Youqing’s gaze lingered on her features, her throat subtly tightening.

She had already caught the scent of Luo Hetu’s pheromones. She was usually good at enduring them, but days of overworking had made it harder to resist.

“I’m a businesswoman. I need precision. Either prove you can read English, or introduce me to your friend so I can meet them.”

A customer approached with a stack of over a dozen discs, struggling to carry them. To make way, Luo Hetu stepped half a pace closer to Cheng Youqing, who was suddenly enveloped in an even stronger wave of her pheromone scent.

To be fair, Luo Hetu’s pheromones were faint, and Cheng Youqing doubted most people could distinctly detect them.

But she could.

It had nothing to do with reason—perhaps because they had once been too close.

Cheng Youqing took a deep breath and stepped back half a pace, eyeing Luo Hetu warily.

Her aloofness, arrogance, and coldness had grown more pronounced from the start of their conversation. Luo Hetu’s ever-present smile faded, her prayer beads paused mid-twirl, and her expression turned idle and cold.

“If Miss Cheng feels like it, go ahead and test me.”

“Little Aunt?”

A saccharine voice interrupted. Chun Yuyan entered the store, arm in arm with Zhang Sheng, her eyes wide as she looked at Cheng Youqing with enthusiasm. “Little Aunt! I didn’t expect to see you here—what a coincidence! I heard this store has a great selection of discs. Are you here too? Is this shop owned by the Cheng Corporation? If so, I’ll definitely have Zhang Sheng’s people come support your business.”

Zhang Sheng, ever the gentleman, nodded politely at Cheng Youqing. “I’ll arrange it right away.”

Dressed in a sharp suit, he looked far more refined than he had a few months ago. As expected of a protagonist, he always found a way to rise.

Cheng Youqing didn’t confirm or deny, but her tone softened as she explained to Chun Yuyan, “It’s not a Cheng Corporation business.”

Chun Yuyan stuck out her tongue. “My mistake, then. Never mind.”

When she noticed Luo Hetu, her expression turned unreadable. “Luo Hetu, you’re here to look at discs too? You don’t even have the money to buy a VCD player.”

She stopped mid-sentence, as if remembering that Luo Hetu was no longer the broke, brick-hauling nobody she used to be, but a small-time boss whose books were selling well.

Luo Hetu suddenly felt bored. She wanted nothing to do with the story’s main characters, and even looking at Cheng Youqing, who was so polite and gentle with Chun Yuyan, lost its appeal. Her pheromones might smell nice, but what did it matter? Twirling her prayer beads, she said lazily, “Too many people in the store, and the pheromones are overwhelming. My nose is sensitive—I can’t stand it. I’m leaving.”

Cheng Youqing had finally found time to catch her, and who knew when she’d get another chance? Even though she could tell Luo Hetu was unhappy, she still called out, “Wait.”

Luo Hetu ignored her and kept walking.

Zhang Sheng suddenly stepped in front of her. “Miss Cheng is calling you. You may not know who she is, but walking off like that is just rude.”

Luo Hetu glanced at where his sleeve had brushed hers, stepping aside with a look of distaste. “What does my business with her have to do with you? Who do you think you are?”

Zhang Sheng hadn’t been spoken to like that in a long time. His face darkened with anger, his expression turning menacing.

Chun Yuyan, seeing her beloved being insulted, said indignantly, “I overheard you two arguing earlier. It sounded like Little Aunt was going to test you. Why are you leaving before the test? Are you trying to avoid her? Luo Hetu, you barely went to school—don’t try to fool people. Little Aunt isn’t someone you can trick. Just admit your mistake. She might take pity on you since you’re poor and let you off lightly. Don’t get yourself thrown in jail by the Cheng Corporation just to save face.”

The word “jail” made Luo Hetu’s face darken further, reminded of how the original Luo Hetu had been ruined by this pair.

She really didn’t want to deal with this family of lunatics—either paranoid or obsessed with thinking she was after their money. Initially, she’d thought Cheng Youqing was beautiful, refined, polite, and had pleasant pheromones. But now, it was clear she was indeed Chun Yuyan’s “Little Aunt.” Like family, like behavior.

Luo Hetu called out to Li Baitian, “I’m leaving,” and walked out without looking back.

Li Baitian, busy with checkouts, only managed a quick acknowledgment.

Cheng Youqing watched her walk right past, frowning slightly. After a moment’s pause, she followed her out the door.