Chapter 23: Why is My Girlfriend Such a Troublemaker, While She Seems So Perfect?
Lin Yibai was walking with a bit of a limp.
She really regretted it now. If she had known earlier, she wouldn’t have pulled out that sharp piece of her toenail.
And just thinking about how her foot had been held in the hands of her love rival made her furious again. “Why did he get rewarded? So annoying! I’m so mad!”
This foot, she didn’t even want it anymore.
Not only did her rival take advantage of her...
After Lin Yibai left, Xia Changyu finally stepped out from behind the pillar.
He was finding that girl more and more interesting. He walked over to the bench where she had been sitting.
Beside it was a metal trash can.
On top of the trash can, a pair of shoes had been placed.
It was the high heels Lin Yibai had tossed away. Maybe she couldn’t bring herself to throw them directly in the bin, so she just left them on top.
So what did this mean?
After looking at the shoes, Xia Changyu said with confidence, “She must be someone who doesn’t like to waste things. Even though she can’t wear them, she didn’t want to throw them away. Maybe she’s waiting for someone who’s meant to have them?”
Thinking about this made Xia Changyu feel hopeful. Was he... the person meant to have them?
The shoes weren’t fancy or expensive. Probably only cost a few dozen yuan, just regular cheap shoes.
Lin Yibai didn’t want them anymore. Did that mean Xia Changyu should take them?
……………………………………
In the afternoon, after the exhibition hall opened again, people started showing up.
Even though Lin Yibai’s toe still hurt badly, she kept her professional smile on.
“Hello, welcome to Exhibition Hall E. How can I help you?”
As soon as someone approached, she was back to her usual confident self. Even if her toe still hurt, she didn’t show it.
As a proper guy, a little pain is nothing!
Later, as Xia Changyu walked past Lin Yibai’s booth, he saw that finally, some foreigners had stopped to look.
Lin Yibai snorted. “Ugh, I can’t believe he actually got some customers.”
Looking closer—
Xia Changyu’s booth was now full of foreign-style ceramic crafts.
Just like Lin Yibai had suggested. There were ceramic figures of baby Jesus, angels, the Virgin Mary, and even Santa Claus.
“In the end, he still followed my advice. So that proves my ability is much stronger than my rival’s. If Xiaoxue finds out how smart I am, smarter than Xia Changyu...” Lin Yibai smiled proudly, happy that she had beaten her rival.
But Xia Changyu wasn’t having such an easy time. Gu Xiaoxue and her dormmates had come to “help” Xia Changyu.
But in reality, they were just sitting at the booth, enjoying the air conditioning and playing with their phones.
They even started giving unwanted opinions. Even though the booth finally had a sale...
Xia Changyu had just signed a small foreign trade deal with a foreign customer, the girls still had things to say.
“That Virgin Mary figure is so ugly!”
“And the baby Jesus and others too. That Santa Claus one is the weirdest. No sense of style at all... I think even the cheapest Chinese-style ceramics look better.”
“Yeah, I think Chinese-style stuff looks way nicer.”
“I just don’t get it. Why did Changyu replace most of the Chinese-style ceramics with these ugly foreign ones?”
“Xiaoxue, you should ask him!”
“I bet the Chinese ones would sell way better.”
“......”
"Pffft, hahaha~” Lin Yibai happened to walk by and puffed out her cheeks.
Her face turned slightly red, and she had that look of someone trying hard not to laugh. It was as if she was saying, ‘See that? That’s the strange creature known as Xiaoxue’s roommate!’
“I’ve held back for three whole years. Now what about you, my love rival?”
Watching her rival struggle had become a small source of joy for her. Xia Changyu also noticed the girl trying not to laugh.
He had never imagined there would be a girl with short hair and beautiful face trying to hold back laughter.
Somehow, it feels like she had hit him right in the same place again... and again.
But what was even more embarrassing and made him feel like he had thorns in his back was Gu Xiaoxue, along with her roommates.
Inside his head, Xia Changyu was shouting.
‘Do you all really think doing business is just a game? Do you think just because you like something, it will sell well?’
‘I don’t care what you think. I care about what the market thinks!’
‘Also, please shut up! Don’t make me lose face in front of her again, okay?’
Because clearly, Lin Yibai’s advice had worked very well.
After changing to crafts that foreigners liked, more people were visiting the booth. He had even made his first sale of the day.
Since Gu Xiaoxue was his girlfriend, Xia Changyu tried to keep a polite tone.
“In the end, I’m doing international trade, and most of my customers are foreigners. If I want to make money from them, I have to match what they like.”
But one of Xiaoxue’s roommates, Yang Yueping, immediately jumped in to argue.
“Wrong! The most important thing in life is having principles. Even though I haven’t started a business or done sales, I might understand it better than you.”
Xia Changyu: “?”
Yang Yueping smiled and continued, “It’s about being unique, okay? Only when you have your own special style can you stand out in a competitive market!”
Xia Changyu: “......”
So she does know the market is competitive?
And what’s this about “special style”? So you want to act superior to your customers and still expect them to buy your stuff? How many drinks did you have before saying that?
Xia Changyu wanted to argue back... But he just felt completely helpless.
He opened his mouth and said, “That’s not how it works...”
The girls kept talking, “We’re saying this for your own good, Xia Changyu.”
“Yeah! We even looked it up for you online just now. You know those Virgin Mary, baby Jesus, and Santa Claus ceramics? Do you even know when those sell best in foreign countries?”
Xia Changyu: “......”
Yang Yueping said excitedly, “It’s November and December! Around Christmas time!”
Xia Changyu: “......”
“And now look at what month it is, it’s only late April! If you’re still trying to sell that stuff now, of course it won’t work. You’re going to lose big time!”
“We’re only telling you this because you’re Xiaoxue’s boyfriend. It’s for your own good, so don’t be ungrateful.”
The girls’ constant talking almost made Xia Changyu’s head explode.
He looked over at his girlfriend, Gu Xiaoxue. He gave her a look, hoping she would understand and quickly take her friends away.
But at that moment, even Gu Xiaoxue was starting to waver from what her friends were saying. She quietly said, “Maybe you should think about what they said? I also think Yueping might have a point... Maybe you should stop before you lose too much.”
Aaaaaaahhh! Xia Changyu really felt like he was going crazy. It was the kind of frustration that made you want to scream but couldn’t.
Not only did he have to deal with Xiaoxue and her friends, but someone nearby was laughing secretly too.
Lin Yibai was covering her mouth and letting out a quiet, sneaky, “Ku ku ku~” kind of laugh.
Xia Changyu looked at his girlfriend Gu Xiaoxue, then looked at the girl who was secretly laughing...
And all he wanted to do was scream at the sky.
‘Why is Gu Xiaoxue my girlfriend... and not that girl who’s laughing?’