Chapter 14: The First Bucket of Gold

Early the next morning.

Bai Yuanzhi woke up before dawn.

The hunger from last night had left a deep impression.

So she got up early to make breakfast.

In her eldest sister’s luggage, there was half a box of noodle cakes.

This type of noodle cake is a specialty of Guangdong.

Its nature is similar to dried noodles, but its appearance closely resembles instant noodles, except it hasn’t been fried.

When eating it, it must be thoroughly cooked.

However, Bai Yuanzhi didn’t have any extra seasonings.

She used one noodle cake to cook a pot of plain noodles, adding a bit of oil and salt to the clear broth.

Such plain noodles certainly weren’t very tasty, but they could at least soothe a hungry stomach.

She ate most of the noodle soup, leaving a small portion in the pot.

Then she shook Zhou Zhaodi awake, “I’m going out to work. I left some noodles in the pot for you. Have them for breakfast, and figure out your own lunch. Remember, you’re not allowed to touch anything in my room, got it?”

Zhou Zhaodi was sound asleep and mumbled, “Got it, got it, you’re so annoying,” before turning over and falling back asleep.

Bai Yuanzhi left the house.

She went to the hospital first.

Of course, it was still too early, and Dr. Huang wasn’t there.

Bai Yuanzhi had come this early on purpose.

As long as her eldest sister remained in the ICU, there was only one visiting opportunity per day.

Bai Yuanzhi had to use this opportunity to ensure Song Junshu couldn’t see her eldest sister.

Although Dr. Huang wasn’t there yet, Bai Yuanzhi first went to ask the ICU doctor on duty and Dr. Huang’s assistant about her eldest sister’s condition:

The current situation was improving.

—Although Zhou Sier still couldn’t move or speak, she had started showing stress responses.

For example, when a flashlight was shone into her eyes, her pupils would constrict;

When nurses called her name loudly, her breathing would become rapid;

When she was given injections, the muscles in her arm would momentarily tense up…

Bai Yuanzhi was overjoyed. She immediately went to see Zhou Sier and called her name loudly.

Soon, Zhou Sier’s heart monitor showed an accelerated heartbeat, and her oxygen mask quickly fogged up, proving that her breathing had become rapid.

Bai Yuanzhi was thrilled.

She spoke frankly to her eldest sister on the phone: “I’ve been in Hong Kong City for a few days now and have finally settled down. There are still some survival issues, but don’t worry, I’ll take good care of myself.”

“Fourth Sister came with me, so you don’t have to worry about her either. I’m looking after her!”

“Eldest Sister, I went to your dorm yesterday and brought back your luggage. Later, I’ll go to your school to help you apply for a leave of absence.”

Bai Yuanzhi wasn’t afraid of offending or exposing Zhou Xiangmei!

Bai Yuanzhi told the truth, “I don’t know if you could hear what I said to you a few days ago… Eldest Sister, I want to tell you that your mother has already been to the hospital and told the doctors she wants to give up on you.”

“Although I stopped her, Eldest Sister, you must wake up immediately. As long as you remain unconscious, you’re handing over control of your life to others.”

“Sister, Song Junshu already knows that I, Bai Yuanzhi, am your cousin, and I also know he’s your boyfriend…”

“Whether it’s your mother or your boyfriend, I don’t think either is reliable! The only reliable one is yourself! Big sis, you really need to pull yourself together…”

When Bai Yuanzhi mentioned “your mother wants to give up on you,” although Zhou Sier lay motionless in the hospital bed, the instruments beside her began flashing red lights…

When Bai Yuanzhi uttered the three words “Song Junshu” in one breath, the shrill beeping from the monitoring equipment could faintly be heard even by Bai Yuanzhi through the thick glass wall.

A nurse rushed over, pushed Zhou Sier away, and anxiously called for the doctor.

Bai Yuanzhi seized the moment and shouted into the intercom, “Big sis, don’t worry, I will definitely protect you and uncover the truth to clear your name… But all of this still requires you to wake up!”

Only when she could no longer see Zhou Sier did she return the intercom to the phone mounted on the glass wall.

Bai Yuanzhi left the hospital.

She went to Hong Kong University.

Yesterday, her big sister’s two roommates, one named Monica and the other Jenny, were already waiting for her at the agreed-upon place.

Accompanying them was a handsome, slender young man.

Bai Yuanzhi had seen this young man before.

When she first went to St. Maria Hospital, she had encountered Song Junshu and his team visiting Zhou Sier.

This young man was among them.

Monica introduced the young man to Bai Yuanzhi, “Miss Bai, his name is George, and he is also your sister’s classmate and good friend.”

Jenny added, “George heard you were coming today and specifically waited here for you.”

George looked eagerly at Bai Yuanzhi, “Miss Bai, my Chinese name is Qiao Yusheng. I’m not just your sister’s friend; she and I… are also part of the same team.”

“Team?” Bai Yuanzhi feigned ignorance, pretending not to know.

Qiao Yusheng explained, “Your sister and I are in the same department and major. I’m one year ahead of her, so I’m considered her senior. A year ago, a few of us seniors formed a research and development team to participate in this year’s Youth Science and Technology Competition. Your sister is the soul of our team; the project we’re entering the competition with is led by her.”

“We’ve been preparing for this competition for over a year. Who would have thought that just as we’re about to compete, your sister—”

Monica urged from the side, “Why don’t we talk while we walk? Miss Bai is here today to help Sier with her leave of absence procedures. I already arranged a time with Miss Liang yesterday. If we’re late, I’m afraid Miss Liang might leave the campus for other business.”

So, everyone chatted as they walked toward the Teaching Building.

Qiao Yusheng asked Bai Yuanzhi, “Miss Bai, I’d like to know how Sier is doing lately. What did the doctor say?”

Bai Yuanzhi exaggerated slightly, “Brother Qiao, my sister’s condition has started to improve. These past two days when I visited her, I called her name, and she showed some response!”

She had to exaggerate the news of Zhou Sier’s improvement. Only then would Zhou Xiangmei and the real culprit hiding behind the scenes dare not easily kill Zhou Sier.

Upon hearing this, Qiao Yusheng was both surprised and delighted, “Really? Did the doctor say when she might recover?”

Bai Yuanzhi sighed, “The doctor said she’s no longer in life-threatening danger, but recovery is a long-term process.”

Qiao Yusheng looked satisfied, “Thank heavens, as long as she’s safe!”

Monica was also delighted, “That’s wonderful! I said it from the start—Sier is such a good person, heaven is sure to bless her!”

Jenny clasped her hands together and bowed slightly toward the sky, “It truly must be Mazu’s divine intervention. Sier is blessed with good fortune.”

Bai Yuanzhi smiled gratefully, “Thank you, brother and sisters!”

Next, she followed Monica and Jenny to the Dean’s Office, presented Zhou Sier’s medical records, and helped complete the leave of absence procedures for Zhou Sier.

The school even refunded over a thousand yuan that had been recharged into Zhou Sier’s Campus Card but hadn’t been spent yet!

After finishing the tasks, Monica and Jenny told Bai Yuanzhi that if Zhou Sier had any further needs, Bai Yuanzhi could still come to them.

Bai Yuanzhi nodded in thanks.

After Monica and Jenny left, Bai Yuanzhi looked at Qiao Yusheng and said, “Brother Qiao, I have many things I’d like to ask you, all concerning my sister. Could you… find a quiet place where we can talk?”

Qiao Yusheng nodded.

He led Bai Yuanzhi out of the campus, boarded a Double-Decker Bus, paid the fare for both of them, then guided the way, taking Bai Yuanzhi up to the open-air second floor.

“This Sightseeing Bus runs on an infinite loop route, each lap taking about an hour—if there’s no traffic,” Qiao Yusheng explained.

Bai Yuanzhi glanced around.

Perhaps because it wasn’t peak commuting hours, there was no one else around.

She thought to herself that this was indeed a good way to have a private conversation.

Bai Yuanzhi looked at Qiao Yusheng again, silently thinking that this person was quite meticulous.

“Brother Qiao, I want to know the details of my sister’s fall,” Bai Yuanzhi said straightforwardly.

To Bai Yuanzhi’s surprise, as soon as she said this, Qiao Yusheng’s eyes reddened intensely.

He lowered his head, seemingly silent, but in fact, he was quietly sobbing.

After a moment, Qiao Yusheng lifted his head, his eyes rimmed red as he looked at Bai Yuanzhi and said, “Sorry, I might be a bit rude.”

His voice carried a hint of choked emotion, “Miss Bai, you are the first… family member to actively care about her! Why… didn’t you appear sooner?”

Bai Yuanzhi sighed, “I’m very sorry.”

Based on Qiao Yusheng’s words, Bai Yuanzhi roughly understood his position—Qiao Yusheng was likely Zhou Sier’s secret admirer.

Qiao Yusheng sniffled and continued, “You shouldn’t apologize to me. In fact, I should be the one apologizing—because I have no idea about the details or truth of Sier’s fall.”

Bai Yuanzhi was stunned.

Qiao Yusheng took a deep breath and recounted what he knew about Zhou Sier’s fall:

Zhou Sier was beautiful, confident, and intelligent.

Not to mention the several boys in the team who secretly admired her, the number of boys in the entire university who liked her was simply countless!

Two days before Zhou Sier’s fall, she had just accepted Song Junshu’s confession and became his girlfriend.

Song Junshu knelt on one knee in front of the entire team, asking her to accept his love and become his girlfriend.

Zhou Sier blushed and agreed.

Qiao Yusheng said, “The day Sier became Ah Jun’s girlfriend was still normal, and even during the daytime the next day, nothing seemed off. It wasn’t until around ten at night when we finished work that she left with Ah Jun. But I don’t know exactly where they went, and it wasn’t appropriate for me to ask.”

“The next day, Sier didn’t come. My other friends and I asked Ah Jun, and he said Sier wasn’t feeling well and needed to take a day off.”

At this point, Qiao Yusheng looked somewhat embarrassed. “I was worried something might have happened to Sier, so I first asked Luo Jiaojiao…”

Bai Yuanzhi immediately seized the opportunity to ask, “Who is Luo Jiaojiao?”

In this life, Bai Yuanzhi had learned from Zhou Xiangmei that Luo Jiaojiao was Zhou Sier’s closest friend.

But in her previous life, Bai Yuanzhi had no idea who Luo Jiaojiao was!

Qiao Yusheng explained, “Luo Jiaojiao is Sier’s best friend and one of her roommates. Their relationship is extremely close. I heard that before university, they worked and rented a place together, attended night school together, and even got into university together. However, Luo Jiaojiao isn’t in our physics department—she’s in the Chinese department.”

“Miss Bai, as I mentioned before, Ah Jun, your sister, and a few others formed a team. Although Luo Jiaojiao is in a different department, because of your sister, she joined our team and handled clerical work.”

“Luo Jiaojiao was one of only two women in our team,” Qiao Yusheng clarified.

Bai Yuanzhi suddenly understood.

Qiao Yusheng picked up where he left off. “…On the day your sister didn’t attend class, I asked Luo Jiaojiao. She said your sister really wasn’t feeling well and was resting in the dorm.”

As he spoke, Qiao Yusheng smiled bitterly. “After all, your sister was someone else’s girlfriend. It wasn’t appropriate for me to be overly concerned, so I didn’t ask further.”

“But who would have thought that later, I heard your sister had fallen from a building.”

“After the incident, I went to ask Monica and Jenny, and they told me—”

Hearing this, Bai Yuanzhi tensed and stared intently at Qiao Yusheng.

Qiao Yusheng also took a deep breath and said quietly, “…They said your sister hadn’t returned to the dorm the night before. Since your sister and Luo Jiaojiao were close, they asked Luo Jiaojiao why Zhou Sier hadn’t come back.”

Bai Yuanzhi quickly asked, “What did they say?”

Qiao Yusheng spoke word by word. “At first, they said Luo Jiaojiao told them, ‘Zhou Sier and Song Junshu went to a hotel to spend time together…'”

Bai Yuanzhi was stunned for a moment. “Which hotel did they go to? Bilanting?”

Qiao Yusheng sighed.

Bai Yuanzhi felt something was off.

Since Qiao Yusheng used the phrase “at first,” it implied there must have been a change later.

“Did something change later?” Bai Yuanzhi asked.

She found it hard to believe.

Because Monica and Jenny seemed genuinely kind.

Qiao Yusheng shook his head. “It wasn’t Monica and Jenny who changed—it was Luo Jiaojiao.”

He explained in detail. “After Sier fell, the police came to investigate. Monica and Jenny told the same truth, but when the police followed up and asked Luo Jiaojiao for confirmation, she changed her story!”

“Luo Jiaojiao said she had never told Monica and Jenny anything like ‘Zhou Sier and Song Junshu went to a hotel room.’ But under Monica and Jenny’s direct confrontation, Luo Jiaojiao backtracked.”

“She said—”

“She didn’t know where Zhou Sier and Song Junshu had gone. She just assumed that, as a couple, they had probably gone to a hotel like other couples do. So when I asked her, and when Monica and Jenny asked her, she just said it offhandedly…”

Bai Yuanzhi narrowed her eyes.

She asked Qiao Yusheng again, “Brother Qiao, on the day my sister disappeared, did you ask Song Junshu where he and my sister went the night before?”

Qiao Yusheng looked embarrassed. “I didn’t ask that day. After Sier’s accident, I did ask him, but he said he didn’t know either—he said he had just walked Sier back to her dormitory the night before. Before saying goodnight, Sier told him she wasn’t feeling well.”

Bai Yuanzhi thought for a moment, then asked, “Brother Qiao, is Song Junshu currently handling my sister’s medical expenses with Bilanting?”

Qiao Yusheng nodded. “That’s what I’ve heard.”

Bai Yuanzhi fell into deep thought.

It was clear that Song Junshu was likely the person who knew the most about the truth behind Zhou Sier’s fall.

“Then, the police must have questioned your team about my sister’s fall, right?” Bai Yuanzhi asked.

Seeing Qiao Yusheng nod again, Bai Yuanzhi continued, “What was Song Junshu’s response?”

Qiao Yusheng told her, “It was basically the same as what he told me earlier—he said that night he walked Sier to the entrance of the women’s dormitory, watched her go upstairs with his own eyes, and then left. The next day, when Sier didn’t show up, he thought it was because she hadn’t been feeling well the day before.”

After a pause, Qiao Yusheng admitted frankly, “To be honest, I’ve always suspected Song Junshu and Luo Jiaojiao. Because one is Sier’s boyfriend, and the other is her best friend—they should be the closest people to her. If even they don’t know the truth about Sier’s fall, then—”

Bai Yuanzhi nodded in understanding.

Yes,

in the incident of Zhou Sier’s fall,

although Bai Yuanzhi didn’t know what Luo Jiaojiao’s role was,

it must be connected to Song Junshu!

However, since even the police hadn’t arrested Song Junshu, it proved that his current statement was logically consistent.

Bai Yuanzhi couldn’t act rashly.

Qiao Yusheng suddenly asked, “Miss Bai, what do you plan to do next?”

Bai Yuanzhi sighed. “Brother Qiao, you should understand my predicament. I’ve just arrived from the mainland, and the most important thing for me right now is to survive.”

Qiao Yusheng thought for a moment. “If—”

Bai Yuanzhi interrupted him. “Brother Qiao, I’m very grateful that you’ve told me so much useful information about my sister. But for now, I have a healthy body and two hands—I’ll first find a way to support myself.”

Qiao Yusheng was taken aback, and his gaze toward Bai Yuanzhi held a bit more admiration. “Then, Miss Bai, please take good care of yourself. If you need anything, you can always come to me.”

Bai Yuanzhi said, “Brother Qiao, I hope we can stay in touch at all times. Also, if there’s any news about my sister, please… be sure to inform me as soon as possible.”

At that moment, the two exchanged contact information.

After Bai Yuanzhi and Qiao Yusheng agreed on a time to visit Zhou Sier at the hospital the day after tomorrow,

Qiao Yusheng got off the bus,

while Bai Yuanzhi continued riding the Double-Decker Bus to the next stop.

Bai Yuanzhi hurried to the shopping mall Sister Wen had mentioned.

She found Sister Wen and said she wanted to try part-time sales promotion.

With Sister Wen’s help, Bai Yuanzhi paid a one-hundred-yuan deposit and received a set of “equipment”: an apron and headscarf printed with the name of the sauce manufacturer “Xia Mei,” a temporary work badge, and a temporary sales guidelines sheet.

Then she began her shift.

Today, the mall was promoting kitchen sauces.

A set of Seafood XO Sauce, Dried Shrimp and Scallop Sauce, Satay Sauce, Garlic Sauce, and Sweet Chili Sauce, each bottle 500ML.

Bai Yuanzhi glanced at the price: each sauce sold individually for ten yuan per bottle, while a full set cost thirty-seven yuan.

Of course, the temporary sales guidelines also clearly stated, “If customers bargain, a maximum discount of 10% can be offered.”

Ten yuan for a bottle of sauce???

Tsk tsk, her base wage for the day’s part-time work was only ten yuan.

Sister Wen seemed to understand Bai Yuanzhi’s thoughts and quietly comforted her, “You’re new here, and you arrived late today… the easier sales jobs have already been taken. If you don’t believe me, look over there.”

As she spoke, Sister Wen gestured with her chin toward a spot not far away.

Bai Yuanzhi looked and saw that another corner indeed had a small stall selling seasonings, with a promotional sign next to it reading: “Champion Seasoning, ten dollars for three bottles, makes everything delicious…”

In front of that promotional stand stood a female salesperson in her thirties, wearing an apron with the word “Champion” printed on it, looking at Bai Yuanzhi with a smug expression.

Sister Wen comforted Bai Yuanzhi again, “Even if you don’t make any sales, it’s fine. At least you’ll have the ten-dollar base wage for the day. Also… the manufacturer provided some noodles, vegetables, and eggs. Later, when you set up the stove, if any customers come, you can cook something for them to sample to attract business. If no one buys anything in the end, you can keep all those noodles, vegetables, and eggs for yourself… that’ll save you a meal.”

Bai Yuanzhi nodded repeatedly.

Just as Sister Wen had said, soon someone from the warehouse pushed a small cart over, delivering a small gas canister, a gas stove, a small pot, a basket filled with ingredients, twenty or thirty boxes of sauces, promotional signs, and everything else.

In her previous life, Bai Yuanzhi had experience working as a temporary salesperson in malls.

However, the setup varied slightly from mall to mall.

So Bai Yuanzhi asked the warehouse worker, “Will you help stack the goods? The promotional sign is blank—will you write on it, or should I?”

The worker was a middle-aged man in his forties, who replied with a troubled expression, “Miss, I can help you stack the goods, but you’ll have to write on the sign yourself. I can’t read! If I could read, I wouldn’t be doing manual labor!”

Bai Yuanzhi smiled, quickly scanning the assortment of goods scattered on the ground. She said to the warehouse uncle, “How about this: I won’t need you to stack the goods, but I’m missing a few things. I’ll write them down for you—take the list to the warehouse supervisor and help me get the missing items.”

The uncle looked displeased. “Everything’s here!”

Ignoring him, Bai Yuanzhi took a pen and paper and quickly wrote something down, then handed the note to him.

“What exactly are you missing?” the uncle grumbled. “I told you I brought everything…”

Bai Yuanzhi explained, “I didn’t say you brought too little, but I need these things. Take this to the warehouse supervisor. If he’s willing to give them to me, fine. If not, forget it.”

The uncle’s expression softened slightly. “So I didn’t forget anything.”

Bai Yuanzhi smiled. “Not only did you not forget anything, but you also get to do less work!”

As she spoke, she pointed to the items scattered all over the floor. “See, I’ll stack these things myself.”

The uncle also laughed. “That works! I’m off now, miss. I’ll definitely help you pass this note to our supervisor.”

Watching the uncle’s retreating figure, Bai Yuanzhi pursed her lips and smiled.

Sister Wen, standing nearby, asked Bai Yuanzhi, “What did you ask the warehouse for?”

Bai Yuanzhi played coy. “It’s a secret.”

Sister Wen also worked as a salesperson in this mall. Today, she was selling bacon and crispy sausages.

She was considered a veteran employee here and had access to excellent resources—both bacon and crispy sausages were well-established major brands that firmly held market share. Even if she didn’t set up a stall for promotions, she would still generate sales.

Bai Yuanzhi said, “If I succeed later, Sister Wen, you can join me in this venture.”

Sister Wen grew even more curious. “Old Zhang is a seasoned veteran in the warehouse. You’re new here… How dare you order him around? What if he doesn’t help you submit that note? What if he ignores you or doesn’t even tell you anything? What will you do then?”

Bai Yuanzhi smiled and waved the note in her hand. “He’ll come.”

“So sure?” Sister Wen muttered, then took a closer look at the note and exclaimed, “A delivery receipt?”

She suddenly understood. “You didn’t give him the signed delivery receipt!”

That was why Old Zhang would definitely come back.

Because he at least needed to retrieve this delivery receipt.

Bai Yuanzhi pursed her lips into a smile and said nothing, bending down to start moving the goods.

The so-called “stacking goods” referred to the sauces delivered by the manufacturer, which were all packed bottle by bottle into cardboard boxes.

Each box contained twenty-four bottles and was quite heavy.

Old Zhang had delivered thirty boxes, meaning the sauce manufacturer’s sales target for today in this mall was thirty boxes, or seven hundred and twenty bottles.

Bai Yuanzhi was young and had good stamina.

She quickly stacked all thirty boxes of sauce.

At the same time, she had already calculated the numbers in her head.

Each bottle was priced at ten yuan. Seven hundred and twenty bottles would total seven thousand two hundred yuan.

A three percent commission would be two hundred and sixteen yuan!

Just then, Old Zhang returned, fuming with anger.

He handed back the note Bai Yuanzhi had given him earlier. “Our supervisor said no!”

Then he stretched out his hand toward Bai Yuanzhi. “Hurry up and give me the delivery receipt!”

Bai Yuanzhi glanced at the note she had handwritten, where someone had heavily scribbled the words “not allowed” in large characters. She smiled, unfazed, and handed the already signed delivery receipt to Old Zhang.

Old Zhang stormed off angrily.

Sister Wen leaned over to look at the note in Bai Yuanzhi’s hand and murmured, “May I ask if there are any unsold kitchen-related items in the warehouse? Could I have some to try selling?”

Then Sister Wen also saw the words “not allowed” added by the warehouse supervisor and sighed bitterly. “If there really are unsold items in the warehouse, they’re either returned to the manufacturer or…”

At this point, Sister Wen gave Bai Yuanzhi a knowing look. “…they’ve already ended up in their pockets. How could they possibly give them to you to try selling!”

Bai Yuanzhi smiled. “At least I tried!”

Sister Wen shook her head, giving Bai Yuanzhi a look that said, “You really are a clueless newcomer.”

With Sister Wen’s help, Bai Yuanzhi quickly set up her stall.

On the blank advertising board, Bai Yuanzhi had already written her slogans:

【Ten dollars per sauce bottle, buy four get one free】

【Husbands eat it, earn double the money, strong and mighty】

【Wives eat it, beautiful as flowers, graceful figure】

【Babies eat it, healthy and clever】

Sister Wen stared at Bai Yuanzhi’s “buy four get one free” slogan, her eyes widening like cowbells. “…Didn’t you say four bottles for thirty-seven?”

Bai Yuanzhi just smiled without saying a word.

After the stall was set up—

Customers soon gathered around.

However, everyone was no fool; they were purely curious to see what a ten-dollar bottle of sauce actually looked like.

Bai Yuanzhi opened one bottle of each of the five sauces and placed them on the small counter. She then tore open a pack of toothpicks, dipped them into the sauces, and distributed them to the customers for tasting.

The customers chimed in:

“Hmm, this sauce tastes pretty good…”

“Good my foot! I couldn’t even taste what flavor it is!”

“It does taste decent when sampled like this, but who knows how it’ll taste when cooked or mixed with food.”

“The XO sauce is amazing! But if both XO sauce and Satay Sauce are ten dollars, then buying XO sauce is definitely more cost-effective!”

“But Satay Sauce is delicious too!”

At that moment—

The salesperson wearing the “Champion” apron not far away shouted loudly, “Come take a look, everyone! Champion Seasoning, ten dollars for three bottles—makes everything flavorful!”

The customers’ attention was instantly drawn away.

“Wow, it’s ten dollars for one bottle here, but ten dollars for three bottles over there! Is that even possible?”

“Exactly! What’s the difference between one sauce and another? Here, it’s ten dollars for just one bottle, but over there, ten dollars gets you a whole set. Why don’t we go check it out…”

“Yeah, yeah! I’m actually running low on oyster sauce at home. I’ll go take a look!”

“We’re not ‘suckers’ (translation: easy targets, people who are easily deceived). Why spend so much money on a bottle of sauce?”

“Honestly, I think ten dollars for three bottles of sauce is still expensive. After all, the rent for shops in this mall is high. At a grocery store outside, a bottle of soy sauce costs less than a dollar…”

“Let’s go, let’s go check it out first!”

…

And just like that, the customers gathered around Bai Yuanzhi’s stall vanished in an instant.

Sister Wen, standing nearby, gave Bai Yuanzhi a reassuring look.

Bai Yuanzhi responded with a big smile, “Sister Wen, could you help me watch the stall for a bit?”

Sister Wen was taken aback.

Bai Yuanzhi explained, “I want to take a stroll around the mall, not too far… just around our kitchen department. You can see me, and if any customers come, just call out to me.”

As she spoke, Bai Yuanzhi gestured to the area.

To be honest, Sister Wen wasn’t too pleased.

She felt sorry for Bai Yuanzhi’s poor family background and had only agreed to help her find a job out of sympathy.

But Bai Yuanzhi’s behavior was nothing like that of a diligent newcomer.

She seemed more like a seasoned slacker trying to sneak off for a stroll during work hours to take advantage!

But Bai Yuanzhi had already left the stall.

Sister Wen felt quite unhappy and glared irritably at Bai Yuanzhi’s retreating figure.

To Sister Wen’s surprise, however,

Bai Yuanzhi’s “stroll” had a clear purpose. She seemed to only browse the tableware section and the grocery section. After circling the counters, she returned in just over ten minutes.

Sister Wen breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that Bai Yuanzhi wasn’t entirely clueless.

Then—

She suddenly heard Bai Yuanzhi’s voice: “Sister Wen, could you do me a favor and talk to the salesperson at the ceramic tableware counter about collaborating with us?”

Sister Wen was stunned. “What?”

To be honest, she hadn’t cared when a competitor had stolen Bai Yuanzhi’s business earlier.

She had already tasted the series of sauces she was promoting, and the flavor was quite good.

It was clear that the Xia Mei brand targeted high-income households.

Since ordinary customers found it expensive, she wouldn’t waste effort promoting it to them.

Since Xia Mei aimed at high-income families, it was essential to create a sense of high-end atmosphere.

Relying on the small stoves, pots, and toothpicks provided by the mall for promotions,

it was impossible to highlight Xia Mei’s premium feel.

Instead, it would only make Xia Mei a control group for the neighboring “Champion Seasoning,”

resulting in dismal sales.

Therefore, how to create a sense of luxury for “Xia Mei” was key to whether Bai Yuanzhi could earn her commission today.

Yes, the guaranteed wage of ten yuan a day was not what Bai Yuanzhi was after.

After wandering around the tableware and grocery sections, she came up with an idea.

She explained it to Sister Wen like this:

“Sister Wen, I just checked, and the tableware section also has promotional recommendations. Some high-end tableware isn’t getting any attention. The grocery section also has promotions for two or three types of udon noodles and whole egg noodles. So, could a few of our stalls collaborate?”

“For example, I could bring over some high-end tableware from ‘Jingrong Ceramics,’ get some samples from ‘Jiuzhou Japanese Udon Noodles’ and ‘Pengmei Whole Egg Bamboo Pole Noodles,’ and add your ‘Pure European Bacon and Crispy Sausages’ and my ‘Xia Mei Sauces’…”

“This way, I can prepare a plate of food that looks both luxurious and delicious!”

“Then I’ll target the right customers and promote everything comprehensively. Whether customers are interested in the ceramic tableware, the udon noodles, the Bamboo Pole Noodles, your bacon, or my sauces… everything can be sold!”

“But if I help you sell your products, you’ll need to offer customers the appropriate discounts, and you’ll have to give me one percent of your personal commission.”

“The same goes the other way around. If your stall helps me sell my sauces, I’ll also give you one percent of my personal commission!”

“What do you think, Sister Wen?”

Sister Wen was stunned!

She had been working in mall promotions for four or five years, and this was the first time she’d heard of promotions being done this way.

After a moment’s thought, it didn’t seem impossible.

For the manufacturers, of course, broader sales were better.

For the promoters, the more products sold, the higher the commission. What did it matter to share a little with others?

Bai Yuanzhi added, “Sister Wen, you can first see how I do it. If it works, we can collaborate like this in the future… but I might need your help to contact the others.”

After a pause, Bai Yuanzhi continued, “But it’s best if all the products in our group are high-end.”

Sister Wen understood perfectly.

—Truly wealthy people wouldn’t be interested in things affordable to ordinary consumers.

So, they absolutely couldn’t mix in cheap or budget items, as that would lower the overall standard.

Seeing the hesitation and conflict on Sister Wen’s face, Bai Yuanzhi quickly added fuel to the fire. “Sister Wen, to be honest… my goal today is to sell all thirty boxes of sauces! Besides that, I also want to earn commissions from your sales. Conservatively estimating, I hope to earn a total of four hundred yuan in commissions today!”

Hearing this, Sister Wen gasped, steeled herself, and said, “Then I’ll give it a try… you watch my stall for me.”

Bai Yuanzhi smiled and nodded.

Next, it was Sister Wen’s turn to search around and hold private talks with people.

About half an hour later, Sister Wen finally reached agreements with the promoters responsible for “Jingrong Ceramic Tableware,” “Kyushu Japanese Udon Noodles,” and “Pengmei Whole Egg Bamboo Pole Noodles.”

Everyone moved the products they were responsible for promoting over to Bai Yuanzhi’s spot.

They also told Bai Yuanzhi the retail prices, discounts, commissions, and so on.

Bai Yuanzhi nodded and began her work.

First, she did some pre-processing. She washed the tableware clean and soaked the udon noodles and Bamboo Pole Noodles separately in clean water.

Next, she turned on the small stove and started boiling water.

Finally, she waited for customers to appear.

But an hour passed, and Bai Yuanzhi still hadn’t encountered her target customer.

By now, two hours of her eight-hour part-time promotion shift had already passed…

A quarter of her time was gone.

Sister Wen, standing nearby, was anxious but could only comfort Bai Yuanzhi, “This is normal. Today isn’t a weekend or a holiday—it’s a workday. There really aren’t many people out shopping…”

As soon as she finished speaking—

Bai Yuanzhi enthusiastically stood up and, smiling toward the direction where the target had appeared, said, “Good morning, madam!”

Sister Wen was taken aback, only then realizing that Bai Yuanzhi had already quickly walked toward a wealthy lady.

The lady was around forty years old, with exquisite makeup and a slightly plump figure. She wore a silk satin dress and high heels, exuding an elegant and luxurious aura. By her side were two Filipina domestic helpers—one carrying the lady’s high-end custom bag, the other holding large and small shopping bags.

Bai Yuanzhi smiled and said, “Madam, please allow me to recommend our Xia Mei sauce to you… Its biggest feature is that it’s expensive!”

The wealthy lady was stunned.

Sister Wen was also stunned, then couldn’t help but secretly laugh.

—This Ah Zhi really… knew how to grab a wealthy lady’s attention! She actually told the lady right to her face that the sauce she was selling was expensive?

This was bound to attract the lady’s attention!

Sure enough, the wealthy lady glanced at the advertisement board next to Bai Yuanzhi’s stall and saw the price of the sauce…

Bai Yuanzhi continued, “The second feature of our Xia Mei sauce is that it’s an all-purpose cooking seasoning that can save even the most disastrous cooking failures!”

Watching Bai Yuanzhi say the most absurd jokes with the most serious expression,

the wealthy lady couldn’t help but chuckle.

Bai Yuanzhi added, “For example, sometimes when the helper sister (another term for Filipina domestic helper) is on leave, but you and your husband want to stay home alone together without going out to eat, you can just cook a little udon or Bamboo Pole Noodles and drizzle a bit of our Xia Mei sauce over it…”

“Wow! The flavor of the noodles will be even better than something from a five-star hotel!”

“I guarantee that from then on, whenever your husband has free time, he’ll only want to come home and eat noodles with you, never wanting to eat out again!”

The wealthy lady found Bai Yuanzhi very amusing, so she stood in front of the stall, listening to Bai Yuanzhi talk while flipping through the sauce bottles.

Bai Yuanzhi kept talking and also kept her hands busy, even quickly cooking a portion of udon noodles.

She scooped up the cooked udon noodles, placed them on an exquisite plate, drizzled some XO seafood sauce over them, gave it a stir, then took a slice of golden fried bacon and two crispy sausages from Sister Wen’s nearby stall to arrange around the edge of the plate.

Only then did she smile and present it to the wealthy lady, saying, “Madam, would you be so kind as to give it a try?”

With that, Bai Yuanzhi handed over the plate of udon noodles with both hands.

The noblewoman looked down at the udon noodles on the plate.

The plate was in a European style, with a shallow base and a wide, flat rim. The udon noodles, tossed in XO sauce, had been stirred by Bai Yuanzhi with chopsticks to align in the same direction, piled high and topped with a small ladle of rich, dark XO sauce.

The bacon and crispy sausages on the side were rolled and arranged beautifully along the rim of the plate, making for a pleasing sight.

Bai Yuanzhi smiled and said, “Madam, please don’t laugh at me, but I’ve never been to a five-star hotel… I said that earlier just to attract customers. I don’t actually know if udon noodles paired with our Xia Mei XO sauce are truly better than those served in five-star hotels.”

The noblewoman chuckled, took the plate and fork, and after trying a bite of the udon noodles, her eyes lit up. “Not bad!”

Bai Yuanzhi laughed, “Wow, so rounding up, it’s like I’ve already tasted five-star hotel udon noodles! Madam, why not try the bacon and crispy sausage skewers too?”

The noblewoman remarked, “I’ve had plenty of European-style bacon—the quality is always consistent—but your brand… Xia Mei sauce is the first time I’ve seen it.”

“Yes, yes, we’re a new brand!” Bai Yuanzhi asked with a smile, “Would Madam like to stock up on some at home?”

The noblewoman replied generously, “Sure!”

Bai Yuanzhi said, “How about a set? A set includes five different flavors of sauce. Individually, they’re ten dollars each, but a set of five is forty dollars.”

“If Madam has a large family, you might consider buying a few more sets. Not only are there discounts, but there are also deals on udon noodles, Bamboo Pole Noodles, bacon, and tableware.”

The noblewoman became interested. “Have several manufacturers teamed up?”

Bai Yuanzhi smiled, “It’s a bundled discount—combined, it’s a discount on top of a discount.”

The noblewoman grew even more intrigued. “Tell me more.”

Bai Yuanzhi brought over a chair, invited the noblewoman to sit, and then detailed the discounts she had previously discussed with Sister Wen and other salespeople.

In fact, these high-end products share a common trait: they’re priced high, but bulk purchases come with significant discounts.

For example, the Xia Mei sauce and Jingrong ceramic tableware that Bai Yuanzhi sells are the most expensive items.

Xia Mei sauce costs ten dollars per bottle, but a set of five bottles is only thirty-seven dollars. Buying three or more sets reduces the price to thirty-five dollars per set, and buying ten or more sets brings it down to thirty dollars per set.

Jingrong ceramic tableware is sold in sets. Typically, a European-style four-person set is called a “16-piece” or “24-piece,” meaning the set includes sixteen or twenty-four items.

The 24-piece set is usually more elaborate, including four cups, four saucers for the cups, four condiment dishes, four deep plates, four bowls, one large soup tureen, a lid for the tureen, a large soup ladle, and a ladle stand.

For the 16-piece set, individual items are priced at over ten dollars each, with the full set costing over a hundred dollars!

The 24-piece set reaches a price of two hundred dollars…

But the discounts are substantial.

Buying two or more sets qualifies for a 20% discount.

But!!!

Bai Yuanzhi ruthlessly offered the noblewoman a “special deal”:

“Madam, if you purchase ten sets of our Xia Mei sauce at once, I’ll help you apply for a discount on the ceramic tableware…”

The noblewoman hesitated. “Ten sets of sauce?”

Bai Yuanzhi smiled and said, “We also offer exquisite gift boxes, which you could give to your good friends…”

As she spoke, Bai Yuanzhi quickly tapped away on the calculator, helping the wealthy lady figure out the most suitable package:

“If you pay three hundred Hong Kong dollars, you can get five sets of Xia Mei sauce, a sixteen-piece ceramic dinnerware set, one box of udon noodles, one box of bamboo pole noodles, two bags of bacon, and two bags of crispy sausages. Does that sound suitable to you, ma’am?”

“But if you pay five hundred Hong Kong dollars, you can get ten sets of Xia Mei sauce, a twenty-four-piece ceramic dinnerware set, two boxes of udon noodles, two boxes of bamboo pole noodles, four bags of bacon, and four bags of crispy sausages. The discount might be even bigger this way. It may seem like a lot, but if you share it among a few relatives and friends, you might even find yourself running short…”

“Of course, you could also just buy one set of our Xia Mei sauce to try first. I can still help you get the best deal,” Bai Yuanzhi said sincerely.

The wealthy lady sat in her chair, pondered for a moment, and finally said, “Then give me the five-hundred-dollar package. I can’t be bothered to calculate anymore.”

Bai Yuanzhi replied, “Don’t worry, ma’am, this is absolutely the best deal! In the future, no matter how your friends shop, they won’t get a cheaper or better deal than what you’re getting now!”

The wealthy lady burst into laughter, amused by her words. “I’ll take your kind words! If I manage to save face in front of my girlfriends, I’ll bring them all here to buy from you!”

Bai Yuanzhi was delighted. “Then I’ll thank you in advance, ma’am. The Dragon Boat Festival is coming up soon, and you could give these seasonings as gifts to your friends—it’s both respectable and affordable. Oh, by the way, starting tomorrow, I’ll be on the evening shift, so I’ll be at the mall after four in the afternoon. If it’s too much trouble for you, you could send your helper to find me. Just mention your name, and I’ll still give you the best deal.”

The wealthy lady nodded with a smile, took out five hundred Hong Kong dollars, and handed it to Bai Yuanzhi.

Bai Yuanzhi accepted the money, wrote out her own receipt, and then gave Sister Wen a meaningful look, handing over both her receipt and the money from the wealthy lady.

Sister Wen, who had been overjoyed for a while, understood immediately. She hurriedly wrote out her own receipt and then ran off to find the promoters for the ceramic dinnerware, udon noodles, and bamboo pole noodles to get their receipts.

Meanwhile, Bai Yuanzhi chatted with the wealthy lady for a while.

It turned out that the wealthy lady’s maiden name was Lin, and her husband’s surname was Xu. She introduced herself as “Xu Lin Huilan.”

Following the custom in Hong Kong City, Bai Yuanzhi addressed her as Mrs. Xu.

Of course, Bai Yuanzhi didn’t hide her own background either. She mentioned that she had just arrived from the mainland and had a seriously ill cousin lying in the ICU.

Mrs. Xu asked curiously, “Doesn’t your cousin’s mother take care of her?”

Bai Yuanzhi replied honestly, “My aunt has remarried, and her new husband’s family… also has two daughters to raise.”

Mrs. Xu sighed. “Wow, you really are loyal and righteous—after all, you and your cousin are just relatives, yet you’re willing to cover her medical expenses… It must be tough for you.”

Bai Yuanzhi smiled. “My cousin is a strong and self-respecting girl. She doesn’t need me to cover her treatment costs. But she has always been very good to me, and now that she’s in trouble, I want to do what little I can. Both my cousin and I are still young. As long as she recovers, we still have long lives ahead of us! As for money, there’s always time to earn it.”

Mrs. Xu nodded approvingly, “Yes, yes, yes! People should be a bit more optimistic.”

Soon after, Sister Wen paid the fees for Mrs. Xu.

Several other sales promoters also brought over ceramic tableware, udon noodles, bamboo pole noodles, and the like, and even helped Mrs. Xu’s Filipina domestic helper carry the items to the luxury car parked in the mall’s underground garage.

Mrs. Xu felt she had spent enough time shopping for the day and decided to call it a day. With a smile, she bid farewell to Bai Yuanzhi and left.

The sales promoters immediately crowded around.

The sister promoting Jingrong ceramic tableware exclaimed, “Wow, I really didn’t expect this! I’ve been standing here in the mall for three days and only managed to make one sale, and it was Ah Zhi who helped me sell it!”

The sister promoting Jiuzhou Japanese udon noodles also exclaimed, “I’ve been selling them one pack at a time, but Ah Zhi helped me sell two whole boxes in one go!”

The sister promoting Pengmei whole egg bamboo pole noodles was overjoyed, “Ah Zhi, have you worked as a sales promoter before? How are you so good at this?”

Bai Yuanzhi smiled without answering.

In her previous life, hadn’t she done far more than just being a sales promoter to earn money?

She had worked as a service manager at Michelin-starred restaurants and high-end women’s clubs;

She had even been a luxury brand sales associate.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that her level of service awareness far surpassed that of all the service personnel currently hired by ordinary businesses in Hong Kong City.

But this wasn’t what she wanted.

Bai Yuanzhi hoped that in this life, she could become an elite in the financial industry.

Everything she was experiencing now was merely a stepping stone.

She had to quickly earn her first pot of gold,

She had to enroll in night school as soon as possible, get into university, and study the finance major she loved!

Perhaps because rebirth itself was a stroke of luck.

For example, her eldest sister didn’t die on April 20th as she had in her previous life but was slowly recovering;

And for example, today had been truly fortunate for Bai Yuanzhi.

Later, Bai Yuanzhi sold another twenty or thirty sets of sauces.

Although she didn’t achieve the five hundred yuan commission she had boldly claimed earlier, by the time her shift ended at four in the afternoon, Bai Yuanzhi received her ten yuan base salary and ninety-two yuan in sauce commissions!

Additionally, because she had helped Sister Wen and other colleagues sell quite a few items, she also received commissions from the other sales promoters.

A total of one hundred and twenty-six yuan!

To be honest, in today’s Hong Kong City, earning one hundred and twenty-six yuan in a single day was truly impressive.

But Bai Yuanzhi wasn’t satisfied.

She thought to herself that she needed to step up her money-making efforts.

However, Bai Yuanzhi was genuinely hungry.

Although during lunch, the udon noodle sister and the bamboo pole noodle sister had brought ingredients to her, cooked them, and mixed them with sauce, and everyone had eaten their fill,

Her seventeen-year-old body now… was clearly still growing.

By four in the afternoon, she was already so hungry her stomach felt like it was touching her back.

Clutching her cash, Bai Yuanzhi walked out of the mall, wanting to treat herself to something good.

At the street corner, she spotted a stall with a sign that read, “Fresh Shrimp and Crab Roe Wonton Noodles, Ten Dollars a Bowl.”

Bai Yuanzhi licked her lips.

She wanted to eat it.

This was something she had always loved, but where was the stall owner?

Bai Yuanzhi turned and headed to Aunt Jiang’s roast meat shop, ordering a deluxe roast goose set meal.

Today, Bai Yuanzhi was here as a customer, and Aunt Jiang was delighted.

Aunt Jiang sliced a plump roast goose leg and laid it flat over a tightly packed bed of white rice. Beside it were a dozen or so boiled choy sum, topped with a halved braised egg, and then drenched everything—the rice, roast goose, and vegetables—with a generous ladle of roast goose sauce.

Finally, she squeezed a bit of plum sauce from a large sauce bottle and piled it on top of the roast goose meat, then smilingly brought it over to Bai Yuanzhi.

“Ah Zhi, have you found a job?” Aunt Jiang asked.

“Wow, so generous! Thank you, Aunt Jiang!” Bai Yuanzhi thanked Aunt Jiang before replying, “I really owe you a lot, Aunt Jiang. You introduced Fourth Uncle to me, and Fourth Uncle helped me find an affordable apartment. I also got to know several very kind neighbors. One of the neighbor sisters recommended me to work as a sauce promoter at the mall, and the wages are paid daily, so today I can enjoy a luxurious roast goose rice!”

As she spoke, Bai Yuanzhi first scooped a mouthful of rice soaked in the roast goose sauce.

The rich, savory, and slightly fatty roast goose juice, soaking the sweet and tender white rice, was utterly soul-satisfying with just one bite!

Bai Yuanzhi took a deep breath, held the rice in her mouth, and showed an expression of pure delight. “It’s so delicious! Aunt Jiang, your cooking is truly amazing!”

Aunt Jiang couldn’t help but chuckle. “You, Ah Zhi, are such a clever little imp!”

“Having a job is what matters! I told you from the start, no matter what you did back on the mainland, once you come to Hong Kong City, as long as you’re willing to work, you can earn money!”

“By the way, where’s your younger sister? I mean, your cousin Zhaodi?”

Bai Yuanzhi shook her head while eating. “She was still asleep when I left for work.”

Aunt Jiang sighed. “Ah, why are you Ah Si’s cousin? It feels like you’re more like her real sister! Ah Si is also very hardworking, never stopping for a minute all day long…”

“Aunt Jiang, tell me more about my older sister…”