Ye Tiancheng had not experienced much business training, yet he was able to articulate such a speech, which was truly remarkable. This earned him a new level of respect from Su Dezheng, and simultaneously, a few more favorable impressions in his heart.
If his precious daughter were to be with such a shrewd man, then there would be no need to worry about her being wronged. Such a powerful man could not only manage his career well but also ensure his woman lived a happy life under his protection.
After speaking with Ye Tiancheng, the old fox of the Su family departed. Ye Tiancheng quickly sought connections to try and get the horticultural center operational again. If that proved impossible, he would devise other plans; it was certainly not yet time to give up completely.
Operations required capital, and Ye Tiancheng was reluctant to sell his saplings at this time, so he had to live frugly.
When it was time to sell the pears, Ye Tiancheng, as agreed with Su Muxian, was to personally deliver them. To stage a dramatic act, drawing on past experience, Ye Tiancheng found a donkey.
This time, Fatty's words were much like what he had said in his dream: "Ye Tiancheng, I feel your act is a bit over the top. More importantly, this donkey is extremely dirty and could very well affect the city's appearance! Be careful you and the donkey don't get arrested."
Ye Tiancheng had to commit fully to this act. If he remained presentable, the Su family would surely demand money. Ye Tiancheng owed penalty fees, so he had to present himself as a complete country bumpkin. Only by returning to his roots could he make others feel at ease. A person of high status would not harbor much suspicion towards someone of lower status. By lowering their guard, one could discuss matters properly; otherwise, there would always be underlying tensions, making negotiations difficult.
However, no matter how down on his luck Ye Tiancheng was, the money in his bank account was substantial. Even a wealthy man could not reveal such a fact. Fatty's words were usually the most outlandish, but this time, they proved surprisingly accurate. As soon as they entered the town, the donkey proved uncooperative, defecating right in the middle of the street. He was immediately reported, and within minutes, Ye Tiancheng, Fatty, and the donkey were all apprehended.
The donkey was gone for good, confiscated by the authorities. Fortunately, Ye Tiancheng and Fatty were released safely after paying a small sum. Ye Tiancheng, however, was still pondering how he rode the donkey without issue in his dream, yet was caught in reality. Had the game difficulty level been upgraded? It seemed he needed to be even more cautious.
Upon leaving the police station, Fatty expressed his displeasure. Previously, he would walk close to Ye Tiancheng, but now he maintained a considerable distance.
"What is it? You fatty, why are you being so distant? Are you afraid I'll pass on my bad luck to you? Don't worry, I'm not a jinx, nor do I possess the powerful ability to transmit misfortune!"
"I just can't understand why you insist on cooperating with the Su family. That family is notoriously cunning. Now that they've scammed you so badly, you still want to sell pears with them? It would be better to find another partner. I have a bad feeling about this, a really bad feeling."
Fatty's words held some truth, but Ye Tiancheng felt something was subtly amiss. This was not the time for division. Cooperating with anyone was the same; sell goods, get money, why fuss over who the partner was?
"So, you're harboring resentment towards me. Don't worry, Fatty. Although I've stumbled, I won't mistreat my subordinates. Once this task is done, I'll give you a big red envelope."
While it's true that one shouldn't try to buy people off with money, it was the simplest and most effective method. Ye Tiancheng detested trouble the most at this moment. Fortunately, Fatty was quite accommodating: "Brother Ye, although I have a slight difference of opinion with you, I've never doubted your decisions. Since following you, I've earned quite a lot. I will definitely continue to follow you steadfastly in the future."
Fatty wasn't just flattering him. Since following Ye Tiancheng, he had managed to build a house back home, and he had almost shed his excess weight. Although he still looked robust, his health had never been an issue since.
As the two were about to hail a taxi, Hou Mingzhu appeared, driving her flashy red car. Just like in his dream, her beautiful face emerged as the car window rolled down.
"Mingzhu, what a coincidence."
Hou Mingzhu had just received news that Ye Tiancheng had suffered a public humiliation, so she had rushed over to witness the spectacle.
"Although I was quite harsh with you before, Ye Tiancheng, I still remember our past connection and wanted to see how you're embarrassing yourself and playing the fool. I heard your donkey was confiscated."
So, Hou Mingzhu had come to rub salt in the wound. The young lady had also heard about the trouble at his horticultural center. Ye Tiancheng didn't suspect the old Su fox, but he began to entertain other thoughts about the suddenly appearing Hou Mingzhu.
"I've been really unlucky lately, perhaps I've been cursed. Many things I do aren't going smoothly. You can certainly enjoy the show, Miss Hou. I hope after you've had your fill of entertainment, you won't try to retaliate against me anymore."
Ye Tiancheng believed that a truly powerful person would not stoop to arguing with a mere woman. His casual remark was purely to amuse her, to tease her.
"Ye Tiancheng, you've truly changed a lot. You used to be so simple and foolish, but now you know how to lie and deceive. I only said a few words to you, and you deliberately said the opposite to disgust me. I really underestimated you."
Hou Mingzhu was exceptionally intelligent and very sensitive. Seeing that Ye Tiancheng wasn't yielding to her and that his words were merely sarcastic, it only made Hou Mingzhu angrier.
"We've reached this point in our conversation, and I've always admired you, Hou Mingzhu. I know women are meticulous with their thoughts, but please don't overthink things. You and I are not on the same level, and there's no need for you to pay me any mind."
Ye Tiancheng no longer had much attachment to Hou Mingzhu. This fickle and heartless woman, who had driven him to Dahe Village, had severed their last shred of affection back then. After three years of arduous labor, Ye Tiancheng realized that this woman's heart, when hardened, was even more unyielding than stone. It was already good that they weren't enemies; Ye Tiancheng had no expectation of any romantic entanglement with her.
"Fine, you won't even speak the truth to me now, Ye Tiancheng. Your pretense of being profound is truly annoying. Do you really think you can get rich? Getting rich riding a donkey? I heard the Su family has thoroughly swindled you. It's likely that even your current assets won't be enough to cover the losses."
Hou Mingzhu's words were sharp and to the point. While she spoke the truth, it was also quite stinging. Ye Tiancheng was momentarily speechless, but he quickly managed a somewhat forced smile.
"The mistake was mine, and I'm willing to bear it. As for whether I live or die, whether I have money or not, it has nothing to do with you, Miss Hou. If you're willing to help, help; if not, then forget it!"
"You!"
Hou Mingzhu was known for her sharp tongue; almost no one could gain an advantage over her in an argument. Yet, today, she was bested by Ye Tiancheng, her face turning red, her eyes practically bulging.
"Ye Tiancheng, I shouldn't have come to find you. You're like mud that can't be plastered onto a wall. You have considerable assets now, so why are you still carrying a basket of pears and embarrassing yourself? When you asked me to invest before, you were dressed respectably. How could you have fallen back so quickly? You're living worse and worse."
With a little tidying up, Ye Tiancheng could have been a popular young idol on television. That day, Hou Mingzhu had been somewhat impressed. But now, hearing that Ye Tiancheng was facing significant financial problems, and seeing him in such a shabby state, Hou Mingzhu, who only cared about appearances, could find no redeeming qualities in Ye Tiancheng and only wished to attack him verbally to upset him.
"I am mud that can't be plastered onto a wall, and I just came from the police station. Even my subordinate, this little fatty, thinks I'm extremely unlucky. Hou Mingzhu, I recently had my fortune told. The master said that from now on, no matter how much money is offered, I shouldn't visit him again, for fear of my bad luck spreading to him."
Hou Mingzhu was also somewhat superstitious, as families involved in business often paid attention to feng shui. Upon hearing Ye Tiancheng's words, she instantly showed a look of disdain and quickly rolled up her car window. Without another word, Hou Mingzhu had her driver take her flashy red car away, fearing Ye Tiancheng would say something more and pass on his bad luck to her. Hou Mingzhu could not endure a life of hardship.
After they left, Yan Dazhuang couldn't help but laugh: "Brother Ye, you've got some skills! You should have seen it just now, Miss Hou Mingzhu's beautiful face was contorted by your words."
"I said that intentionally. I need to make her stay away from me. This woman is a beautiful viper; she's no good for me to have around, unless she's bringing me money."
Ye Tiancheng's jest made Fatty laugh heartily. The two forgot all their recent unpleasantness and hurried on their way to deliver the goods to the Su family.
They hadn't walked for half an hour when Ye Tiancheng grew tired. He couldn't hail a taxi, so Ye Tiancheng had no choice but to call Su Muxian for help.
"Miss Su, could you send a car to pick us up? We're on the road and have no transportation at the moment."
Ye Tiancheng knew Su Muxian had some affection for him, which was why he had to resort to using his charm to avoid further hardship.
"That's not much of a problem. I'm busy right now, though. Why don't you beg me a little?"
Ye Tiancheng understood women's minds to some extent. Su Muxian saying this was merely her way of flirting with him, and Ye Tiancheng, being quite romantic, cooperated perfectly.
"Alright, my beautiful and kind Su Muxian, Miss Su, please hurry and come pick me up. I have the goods you want."
"I'll set off immediately."
Upon hearing Ye Tiancheng's words, Su Muxian was overjoyed, her heart blooming with happiness.
"Then I'll wait for you, my beautiful lady."
Seeing Ye Tiancheng handle the situation so smoothly, Fatty began to envy him again. As they could no longer walk, they sat down by the roadside. Little Fatty kept asking Ye Tiancheng for advice. He was still single, and now that his image had improved, he was considering finding a beautiful companion. After all, men were quite simple; all their efforts were either for beautiful women or for money, otherwise, life would feel very lonely.
After chatting for a while, a Mercedes-Benz stopped in front of them. At that moment, they were still squatting by the roadside, looking like migrant workers, a stark contrast to the luxurious car. Su Muxian, dressed in a princess-like gown, made her appearance. She had specifically changed her outfit to meet Ye Tiancheng.