VIP Chapter 107: The Village Belle Is Bullied

Everyone was left speechless by his words. Chen Tianfeng’s plan seemed highly unreliable, yet somehow, it was impossible to refute.

Hao Liuzhi still sounded skeptical. "This is a gamble. What if we can't collect the funds? We’ll have bought these vehicles for nothing! Even if we do collect the money, fixing the road won't take just a day or two. Won't we be wasting money maintaining the trucks in the meantime? More importantly, our arguing is useless. The boss’s final decision is what matters!"

Ye Xiaoxuan had remained silent, quietly listening to the discussion. Seeing everyone’s eyes fixed on him, he smiled slightly and looked at Tietou. "You are too straightforward."

He then looked at Ye Dajun. "You are too loyal." He pointed at Hao Liuzhi. "You are too full of misgivings. That is why none of you are suited for business. Only Tianfeng is."

A smug expression appeared on Chen Tianfeng's face. Ye Xiaoxuan continued, "Ruthless, cunning, greedy, and cold—these are the characteristics of our identity as street thugs, but they are also the fundamental elements of a successful businessman!"

This time, even Chen Tianfeng felt a bit embarrassed. He chuckled awkwardly and asked, "Boss, are you complimenting me or insulting me?"

Ye Xiaoxuan said seriously, "If I am speaking from a business perspective, it is a compliment! From now on, you have full authority over the business affairs of our Bad Boy Alliance. If you need money, just go to Jiaran."

Upon hearing this, Chen Tianfeng’s face flushed with excitement. He gripped the back of the seat, looked at Ye Xiaoxuan with teary eyes, and said, "Boss, thank you..."

Hao Liuzhi laughed and scolded, "Looking at that pathetic face of yours, I know exactly what you’re thinking! You are only allowed to borrow money from Jiaran, and nothing else! Don't forget, the boss isn't actually a member of the Ye family!"

Chen Tianfeng stiffened his neck and barked, "What kind of person do you take me for? Since Jiaran is the boss's childhood sweetheart, I wouldn't dare have any funny ideas even if I had ten heads!"

Ye Xiaoxuan frowned and looked at the others. "You all know?" Ye Dajun smiled. "Second Aunt came to my house yesterday and said so, and I told them too!"

Ye Xiaoxuan asked, blushing, "Jiaran knows too? What did she say?" Ye Dajun shook his head. "Nothing. She didn't even eat dinner; she just ran back to sleep."

Tietou glared at him and cursed, "That’s 'nothing'? That’s clearly being shy! That’s the most 'something' expression there is! You should have followed her to see how she reacted—whether she was crying or laughing! If she was crying, it means there’s no hope with the boss; if she was laughing, well... you guys know what that means!"

Everyone looked at him with astonishment. Ye Dajun patted his shoulder. "I couldn't tell, you're actually quite experienced, huh?"

Tietou made a dramatic hair-flipping gesture, tossed his bald head, and said with a lewd grin, "Of course. To the uninitiated, I am known as the Jade-Faced Little White Dragon of Linhu, the Invincible Little Pioneer of the Magic Spear, Tietou!"

"Ugh!" The entire carload of people gagged.

Having a dedicated vehicle made the trip fast. They laughed and chatted all the way, and before they knew it, they arrived at the township. After parking, the five of them walked off with their arms draped over each other’s shoulders to hit the market.

Markets are divided into major and minor ones; there are two major markets and four minor ones per month. Today was the last major market of the month. The entire street was a sea of people, bustling with activity.

In the past, when they came to the market, they mostly watched rather than bought. Otherwise, they would tease the young girls and wives selling vegetables, or swipe a couple of cucumbers or fruits to satisfy their cravings.

Things were different now. Ye Xiaoxuan could be considered a small-time financier; he might not have a fortune, but he had two or three thousand yuan in his pocket. Besides, since it was the countryside, there wasn't anything too expensive to buy; food and games didn't cost much.

Each of them held a skewer of candied hawthorns, strolling swaggeringly down the street. The market took place along a single street, which was also the main road of the township. It was long and wide, lined from end to end with all sorts of stalls. From clothing and shoes to fly powder and rat poison—they had everything, a truly complete variety.

Tietou bought several sets of protective gear for martial arts training; these items sold best at the Zhuangyuan Township market! Wrist guards, chest protectors, and groin guards, some even studded with barbs—he bought five or six sets for less than five hundred yuan.

They wandered over to the only department store in the township. Ye Xiaoxuan gestured to the group and said, "Let's go in and take a look. Tietou, pick out a television. I have an extra DVD player at home that I don't use; you can take it to the orchard for everyone to watch."

Tietou scratched his head. "What brand should I get?" Chen Ergou smiled lewdly. "I think the brand doesn't matter; the key is what kind of discs you play!"

Chen Tianfeng and Hao Liuzhi simultaneously gave him a thumbs up. "Classic!" Chen Ergou grinned and pointed at a nearby stall selling DVDs. "That owner is named Sun Dapao; he’s a buddy of mine. He has good stuff, let’s go take a look..."

Chen Tianfeng and Hao Liuzhi both wore knowing smiles. Ye Dajun kicked each of them and cursed, "Get lost, get lost! You guys are as sleazy as they come! See if they have any animated versions? That one from last time at Liuzhi’s house—the 'Hospital' or 'Ward' thing—was actually pretty good!"

Everyone else: "..."

After touring the department store, they selected a twenty-five-inch color television for less than eight hundred yuan. Nowadays, everyone had switched to ultra-thin LCD TVs, so these flat-screen models only had a market in rural areas, making them quite cheap.

Just as they were paying, Chen Tianfeng walked in with a dark expression and whispered to Ye Xiaoxuan, "Boss, look outside, by the entrance of Zhang’s Lamb Offal Soup shop!"

Ye Xiaoxuan frowned and followed him to the store entrance. Peering out, he saw a crowd gathered in front of the soup shop. A young man was blocking a girl, refusing to let her leave. The girl’s back looked familiar. When she shook off his arm and turned around, Ye Xiaoxuan’s brow furrowed even deeper—it was Yuan Caiyi!

The young man arguing with her was tall, with prominent, bulging temples. He looked no older than twenty-three or twenty-four, yet he was actually a high-level martial arts expert. It was a mystery how he had trained to such a level!

Judging by his fierce demeanor, he didn't seem like a good character. He wore sunglasses, had a long face with a pointed chin, and a tattoo shaped like an earthworm on his arm. His shirt buttons were undone—whether intentionally or not—revealing a sturdy chest adorned with a winding nine-headed snake tattoo.

Chen Ergou and Hao Liuzhi, acting as onlookers, saw Ye Xiaoxuan approach and huddled up to him, indignant. "Boss, the village beauty is being bullied. Are we going to do something?"

Ye Xiaoxuan frowned and said, "Let’s figure out what’s going on first. Who is this 'Nine-Headed Snake'?" Everyone shook their heads. Tietou, who had just arrived, added, "He shouldn't be from our township! A high-level martial artist, even stronger than Chen Tianlei—he wouldn't be unknown if he were local!"

They heard Yuan Caiyi yelling angrily at the man, "Huo Taiji, are you going to let go or not? You’ve followed me all the way from school just for an answer? I’ve told you a hundred times already—it’s impossible! I have absolutely no feelings for you!"