Chapter 27: The Most Delectable Age

"Lu Fan, are you saying you have your eye on that factory?"

Bai Lu, having received no reply, asked again with uncertainty.

"Yes. I haven't truly figured out how to go about it yet, but the idea is there."

Bai Lu fell into deep thought. A moment later, she picked up the toy pistol from the table and gave it a couple of shakes.

"Should we use this to rob them?"

Lu Fan was stunned for a second, then burst into laughter.

*My dear, you really are adorably silly right now! I wish I could record this expression to show your past self.*

It seemed the events of last night had left a profound impact on Bai Lu's values; the most powerful solution she could conceive of was to threaten others with this fake gun.

Lu Fan couldn't help himself and reached out to pat her head. He stood over six feet tall, while Bai Lu was barely five-foot-three. As she sat on a low wooden stool, his hand rested easily atop her head. Feeling his large hand descend, she instinctively tucked her chin, making it easier for him to touch her. Lu Fan didn't press down; he merely brushed her hair tips before pulling his hand away.

"Sure. Later, we'll take the gun, walk into the factory, point it at the boss, and tell him to sign the place over to us."

Hearing him laugh, Bai Lu realized she had asked a foolish question. Her face flushed slightly. "I'm just joking with you. That factory has been running for five or six years; they wouldn't just hand it over. Besides, we don't have enough money to buy it. It probably costs hundreds of thousands."

"Hmm, it would probably take several of you to buy it."

"You're teasing me again."

The two were in no rush to head to the garment factory. After chatting for a while, Lu Fan felt his strength returning, so he went into the courtyard to continue his martial arts practice. He was working on the Black Dragon Eighteen Hands—a sequence of eighteen combination moves. When performed at speed, the entire set took less than twenty seconds.

If Lu Dawei were standing there, his jaw would surely drop.

Lu Fan’s movements were now like flowing water, without a hint of resistance. The transitions were seamless, and every move embodied the essence of grappling. It was a far cry from the demonstration he had given at the police station dormitory a few days prior. That time, he had been merely fluid, like a fledgling bird taking its first flight. Now, he displayed the true, lethal sharpness of the technique. Any expert watching would have felt a chill down their spine.

Bai Lu, not being an expert, watched for a while before heading back inside to retrieve the wooden box where they kept their money. She slid the lid open and began counting the bills one by one, silently tallying the numbers in her head. Yesterday, they had made 9,844.2 in total. Then, she subtracted the 30 for the doll, 40 for the two diamond hairpins, 102 for the three outfits, 3 for the two servings of stinky tofu, and 6 for the six skewers of red-willow lamb.

That left 9,663.2 yuan.

There was an extra thirty yuan or so—likely the loose change Lu Fan had from yesterday. Oh, and she had spent 5 yuan on the toy gun. Calculating it all, they had spent 186 yesterday. That was quite a splurge!

Finally, she set aside 2,000 yuan as capital for purchasing new stock. Even though Lu Fan said it wasn't necessary, she felt that this money belonged to both of them.

After practicing for over ten minutes, Lu Fan had exhausted his strength again. He was drenched in sweat, his clothes soaked through. Bai Lu quickly brought over a cup of cool boiled water. He downed it in one breath and exclaimed, "That hits the spot!"

Bai Lu took the empty porcelain bowl and handed him the towel that had been resting on her shoulder.

Lu Fan said, "That's the only towel in your house. Don't let me get it dirty. I'll just take a shower later."

"It's fine, just use it. You shouldn't shower while you're still sweating anyway. I'll boil some water for you later; don't use cold water." She took the towel and began to gently wipe the sweat from his face and neck.

"Alright!" Lu Fan enjoyed her tenderness and asked, "Why are you counting the money again? Didn't we count it last night?"

"I was afraid I miscalculated, so I counted again. I like counting money."

"Good. One day, we won't even put our earnings in the bank. We'll keep it all at home just so you can count it for fun."

Hearing him say "we," Bai Lu felt a rush of sweetness, her heart fluttering like a trapped fawn. "Take your shirt off; I'll wipe you down again."

By late morning, they finally set out for the garment factory. Lu Fan had changed into a more formal outfit—a white shirt and dress trousers—though he kept his athletic sneakers on. Bai Lu wore the new white chiffon dress she had bought the night before. She was naturally stunning, but her previous, drab clothing had obscured most of her charm. Now, despite the dress being an inexpensive market find, it suited her age and revealed a whole new allure.

Her brows were like distant mountains, her eyes like ripples in an autumn pool. Her skin was like snow, her lips like polished crimson pearls. When she stood still, she was like a flower reflected in water; when she moved, she was like a willow swaying in the wind.

Lu Fan admitted he had misjudged her that morning. She wasn't green at all. She was at the most radiant age of her life.

The young girl seemed slightly unaccustomed to wearing such a flattering outfit and walked with a bit of hesitation.

Lu Fan suddenly stopped and turned back with a smile. "Bai Lu, you are at your most beautiful right now. Be confident. Walk with your head high and your shoulders back."

Bai Lu lifted her chin and straightened her posture, but then quickly glanced around. Feeling a sudden sense of shyness, she lowered her head again. Her chest wasn't particularly large, but the cinched waist of the dress created a striking silhouette that made her feel self-conscious about her proportions.

Lu Fan said, "You don't realize it, but you're exactly the way others envy. Listen to me—just walk the way you always do."

"If you want this negotiation to fail, then by all means, keep shrinking away. If you aren't confident, Boss Ding will start doubting me too, thinking I don't have the capability I claim."

"Oh!" Bai Lu finally straightened up.

"Take a few steps and let me see. Just walk normally."

"Okay, but don't laugh at me."

"Why would I laugh at you?" Even as he said it, a smile remained on his face.

Bai Lu took a few steps in front of him, then asked shyly, "I just feel like when I wear this dress, my waist keeps swaying."

"That's just your imagination. You used to wear baggy clothes, but this dress accentuates your waist, which is why you feel that way."

"But..."

"No 'buts.' I think it looks great. Didn't your classmates wear white dresses at school? Aren't they all the same? It's just because this is your first time wearing one, so you're not used to it. As long as you don't dwell on it, everyone else will think it's perfectly normal."

"Is it really like that?"

"I majored in psychology in college, so I understand these things well. Let me give you an example. When a teacher picks students to recite a text in class and you haven't memorized it, don't you feel like the teacher's eyes are always on you?"

Bai Lu nodded and let out a long, heavy breath.

"I get what you mean. I won't think about it!"

"Good, that's it. You lead the way, and I'll see if you can really do it!"