The Peerless Beauty Stuck With Me

Chapter 1701 - 1700: Someone Outside the Door

"Yes, we're brothers, so I won't be polite about this crate of wine."Worried that Tang Rao might change his mind halfway, Shu Yi quickly tossed the beer straight into his Space Ring. If he delayed a moment longer, there was a chance the beer might be taken back. Acting early ensured safety—this was exactly what Shu Yi was thinking.

"You say the timing of shipping is a secret, but with so many people knowing, it's practically an open secret, maybe not a secret at all. Brother, while the peak isn't too busy these days, we should buy what we need to buy, and stockpile what we need to stockpile. If you find some good goods but aren't sure, you can ask me. Like I said before, I've always been lucky, and I'll let you share in that luck."

Shu Yi didn't seem as wealthy or as lucky as Tang Rao, nor did he have some kind of treasure to identify valuables. Tang Rao, seeing Shu Yi in such a pitiful state, held the mentality of helping whenever possible. He was willing to assist Shu Yi in evaluating goods he liked—not to earn much, but just to prevent losing too much when gambling on stone.

"Stop bragging about how lucky you are, winning every gamble. Don't I know you? Whenever you pick a stone, you hit the jackpot. Are you really going to say it has nothing to do with your Little Hedgehog?"

Shu Yi wasn't as sharp as Tang Rao, but he wasn't too dumb either. He believed that when Tang Rao casually walked into a shop, it was to try his luck. But once inside, every move he made was planned. When it came to selecting stones, Tang Rao seemed casual, but he actually listened to Little Hedgehog's advice beside each stone before deciding if they were worth the price.

Tang Rao's little secret was thoroughly seen through by Shu Yi, all because Tang Rao hadn't hidden Little Hedgehog's ability from Shu Yi at the halfway point. Otherwise, Shu Yi wouldn't have connected the dots.

"Alright, you're too clever. I don't even know how to follow up! Yes, I admit it! Finding valuable stones has everything to do with Little Hedgehog, but that little guy can't be shown around. So I have to pretend it's all my luck helping me. You're my good brother—you won't betray me, right?"

Tang Rao was sure that Shu Yi wouldn't betray him. His words were a reminder, partially meant as a joke.

"Of course, I won't say anything. Even if they hold a knife to my neck, I definitely won't spill. It's the promise of brotherhood; you should trust me."

Shu Yi raised both hands to his ears, just to convince Tang Rao. If he still doubted, Shu Yi would swear to the heavens until Tang Rao believed him.

The two drank and ate meat. Tang Rao talked about the North Island's specialties, while Shu Yi explained the relationships among the families on the East Island. Afterwards, they slept inside the house. But before sleeping, Tang Rao had set a restriction behind the house. If anyone approached, he'd know immediately.

...

"Goods are coming out!"

"Goods are about to come out on the mountain!"

Tang Rao and Shu Yi wandered the market for three days, scoring big each day. Whenever Shu Yi took a liking to a stone, Tang Rao would assess it for him before giving the nod to purchase. When Tang Rao picked a stone he liked, he didn't hesitate to pay. After three days, they returned laden with spoils, clearing out a good portion of the market's top offerings.

Upon hearing a commotion from the mountain top, Tang Rao and Shu Yi were startled awake.

There were many calling out, dressed in uniform, each carrying a gong, shouting as they walked, fearing someone might not know the mountain was releasing goods.

"Brother, did you hear any noise outside? It sounds like they're shouting about goods coming out?"

Tang Rao was in a deep sleep. Shu Yi had called out repeatedly but hadn't managed to wake him until Tang Rao heard the words 'goods coming out,' and lazily opened his eyes.

"Goods coming out?"

After days of sweeping up goods at the market, buying a lot, Tang Rao surprisingly seemed uninterested upon hearing the goods were coming out.

"Yes, the goods are out. If you're any later going out, the good stuff might be snatched away."

Shu Yi had long been raring to go, determined to not rest until he secured some good stones.

"Not going yet? If you're not going, I'll go!"

Despite Shu Yi being explicit, Tang Rao remained unmoved. Shu Yi pretended to leave, and only then did Tang Rao react a little.

"Someone's waiting for us outside. If you go out alone, it might be dangerous. Better let me clear the challenging ones outside first, so you don't end up getting beaten and caught in the mess."

Tang Rao knew who was outside, and understood their purpose.

Shu Yi was innocent. If they couldn't get to Tang Rao and ended up seizing Shu Yi for a beating, Shu Yi would suffer in vain.

"How do you know someone's outside? Are they here for you?"

Tang Rao had been with Shu Yi long enough that Shu Yi could easily read between the lines of Tang Rao's words.

"Yes, I don't deny it. Otherwise, I wouldn't bother giving you a heads-up."

Those outside had waited so long, yet Tang Rao could still nap peacefully inside the house, showing how carefree he was.

"Hey, you at least need to tell me who the people outside are. You set the restriction around the house, so I can't see what's happening outside."

Surprisingly, with other people's restrictions, Shu Yi could somehow see outside, but after Tang Rao set his, Shu Yi couldn't figure out what was happening outside.

"It's Hai Lai from the Hela family you mentioned, along with a gang. Didn't you say even your Shu family couldn't provoke people from the Hela family? Confronting Hai Lai head-on is dangerous for you; it's better for someone like me, without backing, to handle it."

Hai Lai? If it's really Hai Lai, as Tang Rao said, Shu Yi knew it would be unwise to act rashly.

"Go out, then. What are you waiting for? Hai Lai looking for you is one thing, but inspecting goods is another. It's not like you can ignore the goods because someone's waiting outside."

Despite his apprehension towards Hai Lai, Shu Yi was nonetheless reluctant to pass up a potentially profitable opportunity.

"Of course, I'll look at the goods. But let's deal with Hai Lai first. C'mon, he's been waiting outside long enough for us. Let's meet him and see what he's up to."

Removing the restrictions and the house, Tang Rao and Shu Yi stood on an open field, right before them stood Hai Lai.

"Dear friend, you've waited several hours here for us. Are you planning to protect the two of us, so we can have a good sleep and rest, or are you up to something good?"