Chapter Eighty-Six: A Grand Sale

"It seems like you're avoiding them?" Zhou Tingting was not only diligent but also very smart. Despite Zhang Ye's efforts to appear indifferent, she picked up on subtle clues that suggested otherwise.

"No, I'm not," Zhang Ye replied, resting his head and whistling. His eyes darted around, betraying a hint of unease.

"You came asking about Uncle Zheng as soon as you arrived, and now that he's here, you're deliberately staying away. Is there something going on?" Zhou Tingting stepped closer, her body leaning forward.

Only then did Zhang Ye notice in surprise that, although her face was a bit plain without makeup, her figure had already become quite striking. Her tall stature and full chest created graceful curves beneath her simple clothing.

As Zhou Tingting drew near, a delicate fragrance unique to young girls wafted over. Thinking of how, in a few years, she would have the face of a star and a stunning figure, Zhang Ye felt his heart stir.

At this age, passion runs hot and temptations are hard to resist. Zhang Ye struggled to keep his gaze from drifting to her neckline and forced himself to say, "Alright, I am asking about him, but for a special reason I can't tell you!"

"Fine, if you don't want to say, then don't. It's not like I care," Zhou Tingting's cheeks flushed bright red. She had caught Zhang Ye's subtle gaze perfectly.

Now that Zhou Tingting had figured it out, Zhang Ye no longer bothered to hide anything from her. He took the bugging equipment out of his bag, put the headphones in his ears, and started listening.

Perhaps because the device was tucked in Shen Kaixing's pocket, the sound wasn't entirely clear. Still, from their conversation, Zhang Ye managed to pick up a few things, especially about some schemes for swindling money.

It was then that Zhang Ye became certain: his uncle was truly involved. From the tone of their conversation, he could tell his uncle was actually the mastermind.

No amount of justification could explain away such madness. Zhang Ye felt both furious and deeply sorrowful for his aunt.

An hour later, Shen Kaixing left in a hurry, looking furtive and cautious. Zhang Ye couldn't help finding it amusing.

At noon, Zhang Ye expected to see Shen Kaixing during lunch, but he didn't show up. Clearly, his cautious nature made him avoid even greeting Liu Sansheng in Xiongchun Town to keep his cover.

His eldest uncle perhaps had personal matters and hadn't come by even at noon, but his aunt and cousins Liu Qianqian and Liu Xiaoyi did. While eating rabbit meat at lunch, their mouths were oily and gleaming. Though their lives outside were more comfortable, pure wild game like this was rare.

"Aunt, I saw Uncle today. He seemed to be with Uncle Zheng, whom we met last time!" Zhang Ye suddenly remarked during the meal.

He had no intention of telling them the truth directly; even if he did, his uncle and aunt wouldn't believe him. Instead, this half-hint, half-concealment would more likely make them wary.

In the afternoon, Zhang Ye simply took the bus and left. He had found what he needed here, learned about Shen Kaixing and Zheng Fan's plans, and all that remained was to wait.

The return bus was a different one, freeing Zhang Ye from the trouble of being treated like a panda and letting him arrive safely in Lihua County, then head home.

The next few days passed quietly and peacefully. Meanwhile, Zhang Ye's eldest uncle had gone alone to Hong Kong on a market survey.

This alone proved why Liu Boqing was able to build his business—his vision and decisive, meticulous nature, knowing to personally investigate the market, were rare at this time.

Sure enough, after a trip to Hong Kong, just like in his previous life, he chose potato chips—an extremely novel product in domestic markets. When he returned, he brought not only many finished potato chips but also a stack of manuals about them.

In Zhang Ye's memory, his uncle was swindled because he trusted Zheng Fan and handed him money to buy the machines. Zheng Fan took the money and vanished. That event stuck with Zhang Ye, and it happened on the twentieth, only ten days before school started.

While Liu Boqing was away on his survey, the family business at Zhang Ye's home flourished even more. The set of South Korean-imported clothes, as their reputation spread, sold like wildfire.

Especially at Sword Edge Internet Café, since nearly everyone—thanks to Liu Wentao and his friends—wore those clothes. Their unique, energetic look gave off a fashionable vibe, attracting curious young people to inquire about them. This drove more patrons at Sword Edge Internet Café to buy them as well.

When Zhang Ye walked into the café, he was almost startled. At every computer station, people wore clothes from his family's shop, playing games with gusto.

If not for the occasional person in different attire, Zhang Ye would have wondered if the place was occupied by a company with mandatory uniforms.

"Brother Ye, you probably don’t know yet, but your family’s clothes are really hot right now. If you’re not wearing a set like this on the street, you’d be embarrassed to show your face," Liu Guangxiang exaggerated, but it was proof of the clothing store’s booming business.

"Look at us standing here like living advertisements, driving so much business for your family. Shouldn’t you treat us?" Zhao Haidong sidled up, draping an arm over Zhang Ye’s shoulder with a mischievous grin.

"Treat you? Did I ever ask you to advertise for my family?" Zhang Ye looked surprised, sizing him up. "Besides, with your build, can you really call this advertising? Clothes don’t look good on you anymore." Perhaps because his pockets were fuller, Zhao Haidong had grown even wider.

If before he was merely a little chubby, now he was approaching heavyweight status.

"Haha, but seeing how hard you’ve all worked lately, I should treat you to a feast." Zhang Ye felt a bit guilty—he benefited the most from Sword Edge Internet Café, but he’d always been a hands-off boss. The real management was handled by his friends.

"No question, you must treat us!" Liu Wentao, having just solved a customer issue, jumped in to egg him on.

"Right, right, you can't skip this treat. Anyway, you’re rich now—if we don’t squeeze you, who will?" Wu Dongjun chimed in, grinning widely.

And so, they headed to a nearby restaurant for another feast. Two stayed behind to watch the shop, while the others drank and ate heartily. After their fill, they swapped places with the two on duty. Sword Edge Internet Café was open twenty-four hours; without someone on guard, no one could rest easy.