Chapter 21
Li Xiaoya shook her head.
"Why not?" Qin Sui asked calmly.
"I have nothing to trade you," Li Xiaoya said, pulling at her empty pockets.
Qin Sui found this child quite interesting.
She seemed much smarter than his sister at home, who still only knew how to throw tantrums and break things, deriving her sole pleasure from bullying others. At least Li Xiaoya appeared to have a normally functioning brain.
A glint flashed in Qin Sui's eyes as he deliberately said, "But you do. How about this: give me the gift you're saving for Sheng Yuxiao. That'll be enough."
Li Xiaoya's face once again took on that familiar guarded expression, and she shook her head even more firmly. "No way."
Qin Sui stood up. "Alright. You have the right to regret it later."
"I won't regret it," the little girl said in her childish voice.
Qin Sui adjusted his microphone. "Let's go. Time for school."
The little girl immediately looked at him as if he were an idiot. "It's Saturday. There's no school today."
Qin Sui: "..."
Li Xiaoya washed her face, brushed her teeth, fed the chickens and pigs, and then steamed some buns.
She didn't give the buns directly to Qin Sui, but first asked, "Will they feed you?"
"You mean the show's crew? No, they won't."
"If I don't give you food, you'll starve to death, right?"
"That's right."
"Fine then." Li Xiaoya deflated as she shared the buns with him, her face clearly unhappy about betraying Sheng Yuxiao.
Qin Sui particularly enjoyed seeing Li Xiaoya make such expressions.
It was quite interesting. More satisfying than completing a workbook. Those had become so simple they bored him.
At this moment, he suddenly remembered the mushrooms Li Xiaoya had picked, so he asked, "Were you planning to go to the city to sell mushrooms?"
"Not going to the city."
"Why not?"
The source of this is "Sheng Yuxiao is injured."
"Was Sheng Yuxiao originally going to accompany you?" Qin Sui paused. "Then I can replace him. It's no different."
Before Li Xiaoya could speak, Qin Sui picked her up directly and walked straight outside. He found the show's crew and expressed his intention directly: "I want to take Li Xiaoya to the city to sell mushrooms."
The crew was stunned for a moment, secretly marveling. They thought to themselves, both of these young masters are so good to Li Xiaoya!
They're so charitable, it's hard to see where they need any reforming!
Li Xiaoya tugged at Qin Sui's sleeve and said softly, "I don't want to go..."
To Li Xiaoya, Qin Sui was still more like a stranger.
Qin Sui ignored her and continued addressing the crew: "I'll trade my points for this. How about it?"
What could the crew say?
"Alright, you can go to the city."
Qin Sui asked again: "Which county town is Sheng Yuxiao recuperating in?"
The crew's breath caught: "You mean... you want to..."
Qin Sui said: "We'll stop by to visit him." As he spoke, he finally turned to meet Li Xiaoya's gaze and asked, "Don't you want to see Sheng Yuxiao?"
Li Xiaoya's eyes instantly lit up: "I do!"
Qin Sui was very satisfied with this result and said, "Then let's go."
"Wait, wait..." Li Xiaoya struggled to get down from Qin Sui, ran back into the house, and stuffed something into her pocket.
And so they got into the car.
Qin Sui fastened Li Xiaoya's seatbelt and closed the door.
Li Xiaoya suddenly widened her eyes: "The mushrooms! We forgot the mushrooms!"
A crew member couldn't help but laugh, turning back to help fetch the basket.
[Wow, Qin Sui is so bad. He's clearly aiming to infuriate Sheng Yuxiao, isn't he?]
[I took a look at the car logo. It's a Maybach. What kind of good person drives a two-million-yuan car to sell mushrooms?]
The show's crew also found the situation quite surreal. It was one thing for Young Master Qin to personally sell mushrooms, but they'd also have to prevent the two from fighting in the hospital room later.
As the car started, Li Qingqing received a call from home.
Qin Sui was protecting Li Xiaoya and refusing to leave?
Li Qingqing nearly ground her teeth to dust.
But she had no idea that what came next would be even more explosive.
The luxurious Maybach drove into the small county town, immediately drawing countless onlookers.
"There have been a lot of rich people coming here lately."
"Yeah, yeah, did you hear? Yesterday, a boss bought so many things at Sasha Mall!"
"Wow, what a tycoon."
The locals couldn't help but crane their necks.
At this moment, the car door opened.
Qin Sui stepped out first.
"He looks rich just by looking at him!"
"He looks like that celebrity."
The crowd's cheers grew louder, with some people raising their phones to take pictures.
At this point, Qin Sui paused and turned back to extend his hand to the person in the car.
"I can get out by myself," Li Xiaoya said obediently.
Qin Sui asked, "Do you know how to unbuckle the seatbelt?"
Li Xiaoya... didn't know how. She could only stare at Qin Sui.
Qin Sui bent down to unbuckle her seatbelt and took the opportunity to lift her out of the car.
Of course, Li Xiaoya couldn't say anything to refuse now.
"Wow, what a beautiful little girl. Are they siblings?"
"Why aren't they dressed in the same style?"
"What do you know about style? You don't understand."
Their discussions grew more and more heated until Qin Sui took out the basket from the trunk, set up a stand right there, and called out: "Mushrooms for sale."
The crowd was dumbfounded.
"What's going on?"
"Why sell mushrooms when you're driving a Maybach?"
A crew member held his head in his hands: "See? I told you we couldn't sell them like this. But Young Master Qin insisted, and it's hard to persuade him."
More and more people gathered around them, but no one was buying.
Li Xiaoya couldn't help but turn to look at Qin Sui.
For the first time, Qin Sui admitted: "My mistake. I'll think of something."
Li Xiaoya quietly sighed, looked around, and quickly chose her first customer.
She picked up some mushrooms and walked up to an old lady, raising her face with a pitiful expression: "Grandma, would you like to buy some mushrooms? They make a very tasty soup."
The old lady loved children and immediately asked kindly, "Why are you and your brother selling mushrooms, dear?"
Li Xiaoya wanted to say he wasn't her brother, but now wasn't the time to argue.
So she lowered her pretty eyes, looking even more pitiful, and said, "I accidentally broke something of my brother's. He's accompanying me to sell mushrooms to earn money so I can pay him back."
[And you still say Li Xiaoya isn't a little liar! She's clearly deceiving people now!]
[You call this deceiving? Are you okay?]
The old lady smiled: "Good, good. You're such a good child. I'll buy some to make soup for my grandson. If only he were as well-behaved as you. That little rascal doesn't even dare to admit when he breaks a vase."
And so, Li Xiaoya made her first sale.
[This family can't do without Li Xiaoya]
[Good grief, does she still have to sell mushrooms to support the family?]
Li Xiaoya truly had a remarkably pretty face.
If she were an orphan, many families would be fighting to adopt her.
After the old lady set the example, others looked at her pitiful appearance and couldn't resist, taking out money to buy mushrooms one after another.
"Auntie, one yuan is enough," Li Xiaoya said, extending her scarred hand with the selected mushrooms.
At this point, Qin Sui finally made himself useful. He crouched down beside her and said, "That's not how you sell them. One yuan is not enough."
"These are chanterelles. Thirty yuan per pound. I'll go next door to borrow a scale," Qin Sui displayed the composure of an "adult."
Li Xiaoya chose to listen to the "adult."
Seeing this, the other buyers didn't express any contempt for this "price increase."
On the contrary, they all couldn't help but smile, teasing Li Xiaoya: "You need to learn from your brother. Little one, you'll lose money doing business this way."
Qin Sui, with his handsome face and expensive attire, successfully borrowed a scale from someone nearby.
Then one of them picked and bagged the mushrooms while the other weighed and collected money.
The production team watched in amazement: "They work quite well together, don't they?"
However, most people were just there to watch the show. The more expensive mushrooms weren't selling as well.
Qin Sui insisted on not lowering the price.
Li Xiaoya hesitated for a moment, then turned to a man holding a leather bag on the outskirts of the crowd. "Uncle, would you like to look at this mushroom?"
The man was about to refuse.
Li Xiaoya quickly added, "But this mushroom is a bit too expensive... How about this one instead? It's cheaper, and it's very fragrant when stir-fried with just a little oil."
The man asked, "How much?"
Li Xiaoya nervously quoted the price Qin Sui had set: "It's a hundred yuan per pound."
The man, under the gaze of those around him, pursed his lips and said, "Alright, weigh some for me."
[Wow, when she mentioned it was expensive, the man actually bought it.]
[It's because he's the first one to buy the expensive goods. With so many people around, the envious and admiring glances from others must make him feel quite pleased.]
[It's a sales strategy. Who knew this little girl understood it?]
"Do you have any porcini or sheep's liver mushrooms?" At that moment, another man with a potbelly, wearing a leather jacket and looking like a small business owner, squeezed through the crowd. He waved his hand and said, "I'll take all the good quality ones. They'll make nice gifts."
Li Xiaoya's eyes lit up, and just like that, even the expensive mushrooms were sold out.
The small business owner didn't leave immediately after getting the mushrooms. His gaze swept over Qin Sui, seemingly casual but deliberate.
Qin Sui understood at a glance.
Most likely, the man had come for him.
Qin Sui handed the empty basket back to the production team and was about to take Li Xiaoya back to the car when, sure enough, the small business owner immediately followed, stammering, "A-are you Mr. Qin Haoming's son?"
Qin Sui hadn't expected someone to recognize him in such a small place.
He didn't respond directly, only asking, "Is there something I can help you with?"
The small business owner awkwardly rubbed his hands together. "I... I'd like to discuss a business opportunity with you."
Qin Sui looked at his attire. Clearly, it wasn't a big business. Yet he dared to approach him.
"We have some matters to attend to. Sorry," Qin Sui said coldly as he closed the window.
Li Xiaoya, however, gave the man an extra glance.
The man's eyes immediately lit up. He knew who to approach now!
The small business owner took half a step back, watching them drive away. He then immediately took out his phone to search online for information about the show they were filming.
Finally, he found out that the little girl was called Li Xiaoya.
Young Master Qin personally accompanying her to sell things: the child's importance was evident.
Next time, he'd approach her!
In the car, Li Xiaoya excitedly said, "Let's count the money!"
Qin Sui asked, "Do you know how to count?"
Li Xiaoya nodded repeatedly.
Qin Sui felt a bit disappointed. Otherwise, he could have had the child ask for his help in counting.
Li Xiaoya counted the money in one go, just as the car arrived at the entrance of the county hospital.
When she heard the staff say they had arrived, Li Xiaoya stuffed the money into a cloth bag and sprinted inside.
Li Xiaoya was clever. After getting out of the car, she asked where the show's staff members were and followed their directions.
She stood outside the door, carefully pushing it open.
"Brother, this is what I bought for you with uncle," Li Qingqing said softly, leaning on the edge of the bed.
Li Xiaoya froze for a moment.
So he had his own sister.
Sheng Yuxiao's gaze shifted, catching sight of her. For a moment, Sheng Yuxiao thought he was seeing things.
But his body reacted faster than his mind.
He jumped off the bed in an instant.
Li Qingqing was still asking, "Brother, what's wrong?"
Sheng Yuxiao rushed over in a few big strides and lifted Li Xiaoya up. "How did you get here?"
Li Xiaoya didn't know what to say, so she just pulled something out of her pocket and handed it to Sheng Yuxiao. "This is for you to eat."
Sheng Yuxiao looked down.
It was a piece of candy.
Sheng Yuxiao still remembered what she had said before: that candy was to be exchanged for little red flowers, which could then be sold for money, saving it up bit by bit.
But now, she had saved the candy for him!
The candy had melted a little from being kept in her pocket.
The quality wasn't very good either, with the wrapper sticking tightly to it.
The outside was printed with colorful, tacky logo patterns.
But Sheng Yuxiao put her down and grabbed the candy in his palm.
"I love it," Sheng Yuxiao said in a deep voice.
Sheng Jun, sitting not far away, was slightly taken aback.
No wonder... No wonder the little girl was so likable... She had really nailed his son's personality. ƒгeewebnovёl.com
Only Li Qingqing stood there, thunderstruck.
Li Xiaoya! How could Li Xiaoya be here?
But no one paid attention to Li Qingqing's thoughts.
Sheng Yuxiao happily rolled the candy between his fingers, asking with concern, "How did you get here? Did the production team bring you?"
The production team still had some decency, Sheng Yuxiao thought.
At that moment, a voice came from outside the door.
Qin Sui walked in and said, "I brought her here."
Sheng Yuxiao: "...How annoying."
He slammed the door shut behind him and picked up Li Xiaoya again, his face expressionless as he said, "Let's not play with that old schemer."