Chapter 15: Pushing the Slutty Female and Dishonorable Male Into the Limelight
When Luo Qing Luan left the residence this time, compared to last time, besides dressing as a man, she also put on some makeup to cover up her skin color. She disguised herself as a slight built man with a dark face.
She going to make a business transaction that should not be exposed. She certainly could not be discovered.
Arriving at the vicinity where that person was selling the booklet last time, Luo Qing Luan looked left and right. As expected, she discovered a store called the ‘Hundred Taste Study’. It’s quite possible that person was an assistant for this store.
Entering the store, the boss indeed greeted them very politely. “Customer, what book would you like to buy? Our store has the most comprehensive selection. We have every kind of books.”
“You really have every kind of books?” Luo Qing Luan lowered her voice.
“Of course!”
The owner immediately pat his chest as a guarantee. “By all means tell me what kind of book you’d like to buy. I’ll quickly fetch it for you.”
Noticing that there’s no one in the shop, Luo Qing Luan walked closer to him and spoke in a hushed voice. “Do you have that kind of……umm, you know that kind of book? Boss, you understand~~! The price is not a problem, as long as you have it.”
He blanked out at first, but the owner quickly reacted and suddenly changed his expression, then smiled ambiguously. “So you actually like that kind of book. That’s easy, just wait a moment. I’ll find a few for you to look at.”
Very quickly, he felt for a couple of books under the sales counter and handed them over to Luo Qing Luan with a smile. “Customer, please take a look. Is this the type of book you’re looking for?”
Casually taking it, Luo Qing Luan knit her brows then said. “Sigh, not quite right, Boss. Aren’t these too boring? Don’t you have better ones? I already said that money is not a problem. Don’t hide them, don’t keep them from me!”
“How is this book not good? These two are actually the newest ones. Other stores don’t even have them, yet, and you even complain that they’re not good?” The owner was somewhat unhappy.
“Say, Boss, is it because you haven’t seen even better ones! Surprisingly, you are actually able to sell trash like these two books?” As Luo Qing Luan spoke, she took out the one she prepared earlier and handed it to him, then pat his shoulder while continuing, “Look at this yourself. The ones I want are of this quality. Do you have any?”
The owner accepted the book with a face full of skepticism, before reading a few pages. His expression then changed as his whole body trembled from excitement. “Customer, your book……simply is of the highest quality. Where did you buy it, will you tell me?”
“This is something my cousin brought back from Vietnam. After reading it, I wanted to find some more similar ones. I originally thought that your store would carry some…..can’t do anything about it since we’re not talking about the same thing!”
Luo Qing Luan sported an exaggerated expression of kindred spirits feeling regretful that they couldn’t do business. The kind of expression where the heart itches unbearably, yet could not help but make the decision.
“Forget it, forget it. Not here then I’ll go look in another store……”
Luo Qing Luan assumed an appearance of wanting to leave. As expected, the owner called her to stop. “Visitor, wait a moment, do you want to make some money?”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m very interested in this little book of yours. Is it possible for you to sell it to me? I’ll pay ten taels of silver, how about it?” The owner spoke with a mischievous chuckle. Afraid that Luo Qing Luan would truly leave, he rushed outside to block her exit.
Luo Qing Yue smiled. How could she not understand the owner’s intention. “Boss, you’re taking me for a fool. Only ten taels and you want to buy my highest quality book?”
The owner’s face turned red as he reasoned. “Ten taels is already a high price. The most expensive book in my store is only five taels of silver! I just happened to have a younger brother who also likes to read this kind of book, that’s why I thought……”
“Boss, don’t try to hoodwink me. Don’t tell me that it’s not because this book came all the way from Vietnam and there’s none in our state of Western Chu. That’s why you wanted to buy it and put it into print, selling a huge batch and eating up all of the profits yourself? This is the real reason why you want to buy my book, have I guessed correctly?”
“Uh……heh heh, since you already know, then I won’t hide it from you. How about I give you fifty taels?” Luo Qing Luan smiled levelly, then raised the booklet in her hand. “I can sell it to you, but I want five hundred taels!”
“What, five hundred taels?” The owner opened his eyes wide in surprise. “Impossible!”
“Five hundred taels is already considered giving it to you cheap. Boss, come, let me help you calculate.”
After Luo Qing Luan clearly and logically explained to him everything about how to market the book, and when she explained how each book can sell for five taels, the owner had no choice but to concede.
As someone who had been in business for so many years, how could he not know the facts of the matter? An ordinary title was already two taels each book. This book from Vietnam is of the highest quality. To sell it for five taels is indeed not expensive.
Moreover, as for the kinds of customers who buys this kind of book, who among them wasn’t the son of a rich family, or scholars who lacked neither clothes, nor food? Was it possible that they couldn’t spare an insignificant five taels?
Just when the owner intended to close the deal, Luo Qing Luan opened her mouth again. “Besides this book in my hand, I also have an illustrated version at home. Now reading that is what I’d call exciting. I guarantee that you’ll feel like you’re there!”
“What?”
The owner was so excited that his voice cracked. “There’s also an illustrated version? That’s terrific! Come, let us have a proper chat about the price……”
After Luo Qing Luan left ‘Hundred Taste Study’, her footstep became increasingly light and quick.
[Heh heh……soon, no more than several days, Luo Qing Shuang and Nangong Chen will fire up the entire state of Western Chu.]