NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4:
Chapter 4: Xu Yourou Is Unemployed:
When the group of young troublemakers saw someone enter the shop, they quickly fled, leaving behind a chaotic mess.
Fruits were scattered everywhere, shelves overturned, and the stall looked completely destroyed. Xu Yourou, overwhelmed by the devastation, burst into tears.
[The host successfully orchestrated a scheme, hiring individuals to vandalize Xu Yourou’s fruit shop, earning 20 villain halo points!]
A small smile tugged at the corners of Wang Zhenxing’s lips.
The system message confirmed what he already knew—he was behind the entire incident. The men who had smashed the shop were hired by him, as were the affectionate couple who had flaunted their love in front of Xu Yourou just days before.
For nearly a year, Xu Yourou had poured her heart and soul into running this fruit shop. Seeing it in such disarray filled her with sorrow and helplessness.
Looking at the mess, Wang Zhenxing expressed his condolences, feigning concern. He asked her for details about what had happened.
“These people were clearly here to cause trouble. Have you offended anyone recently?” he inquired gently.
“No, I haven’t,” Xu Yourou replied firmly.
“Then it must be an old grudge,” Wang Zhenxing speculated, subtly shifting the blame to someone else.
“That could be it,” Xu Yourou said with a nod, her thoughts drifting to her past.
She quickly concluded that this must have been retaliation for her son Qin Yi’s conflict with the wealthy second-generation heir. Those memories resurfaced, filling her with despair.
What could she do against someone with endless resources who could send troublemakers day after day?
“It’s better to cut your losses and close the shop,” Wang Zhenxing advised sincerely.
“But this shop is my livelihood. If I close it, I’ll have no income. I still have rent, utilities, and daily expenses to cover,” Xu Yourou said, her voice laced with worry.
“This shop barely earns a few thousand yuan a month. If you’re willing, I can support you financially until you find a better option,” he offered.
“You’ve already helped me so much. I’d feel terrible taking more from you,” Xu Yourou said, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
“If you feel that way, consider it a loan,” he said reassuringly.
“You… Why are you so kind to me?” she asked softly, her eyes glistening as she looked at him.
“What do you think?” he replied, meeting her gaze with a calm smile.
“I… I don’t know,” she stammered, her heart racing.
“Back in university, you were my senior, and later, we were business partners for some time. It’s only natural for me to help you when you’re in need,” he said smoothly, withholding his true intentions.
In matters of relationships, especially those between men and women, he knew from experience that whoever confessed first often ended up in a weaker position. While he didn’t plan to develop deep emotional ties with Xu Yourou, he wanted to ensure she remained dependent on him.
“So, that’s why?” Xu Yourou murmured, her tone tinged with disappointment.
“What else could it be?” he asked, his smile unchanging.
Her expression grew complex as she lowered her gaze, her thoughts muddled.
Afterward, he helped her clean up the shop. It took over half an hour to restore some semblance of order.
“Your shirt is torn under the arm,” Xu Yourou said, noticing a tear in his clothing as they finished.
“Oh, it’s no big deal. I’ll just toss it and get another one,” he said nonchalantly.
“This shirt is such good quality; it must’ve cost thousands or tens of thousands. It’s a shame to throw it away. Let me mend it for you,” Xu Yourou offered.
“Alright,” he agreed easily, already having anticipated her reaction.
He called his driver, who quickly delivered a new shirt and then returned to the Bentley parked outside, ensuring not to disturb his boss further.
As Wang Zhenxing took off his torn shirt, his perfectly sculpted physique came into view. His muscles were well-defined, almost like a work of art. Xu Yourou’s eyes widened as she took in the sight, her face quickly flushing red.
This was the first time she had seen him without a shirt, and although she had always guessed that he had a great physique, seeing it in person exceeded her expectations.
Despite her best efforts to control her emotions, she couldn’t help but glance a few more times, her heart fluttering.
[Xu Yourou’s favorability towards the host increased by 2. Current total favorability: 59 (heartbeat).]
Feigning ignorance of her reaction, Wang Zhenxing deliberately took his time putting on the new shirt, giving her ample opportunity to admire him. This, of course, had been his plan all along.
Handing her the torn shirt, he said, “Here you go.”
“No trouble at all. I’ll wash it after sewing it and return it to you,” she said, her voice slightly hoarse as she took the shirt.
…
That night.
After having dinner alone at home, Xu Yourou brought out her sewing kit and mended the torn shirt. It took her about ten minutes to complete the task. Holding it up to inspect her work, she found that the repair was almost invisible.
She was about to wash the shirt when she noticed a faint scent lingering on it. It was the scent of sweat from earlier in the day when Wang Zhenxing had been helping her clean up the shop.
Normally, such a smell would be unpleasant, but to her, it wasn’t repulsive at all. Instead, it stirred something deep within her—a strange sense of intimacy.
Without realizing it, she brought the shirt closer to her nose, taking another whiff. It felt as though she was somehow closer to him, and it brought a fleeting sense of comfort to her loneliness.
“What… What am I doing?” she muttered, her cheeks burning with shame as she quickly put the shirt down.
However, she didn’t feel the urge to wash it immediately. There was no rush; she could return it in a few days.
As the night deepened, Xu Yourou went to her bedroom to rest. Like the previous night, she found herself tossing and turning, unable to sleep.
Just as she was finally drifting off, loud noises from the apartment upstairs jolted her awake. Listening closely, she realized it was the sound of a couple arguing—a fight that was growing increasingly heated.
The woman’s cries were especially pitiful, and it was clear she was on the losing end. This wasn’t the first time Xu Yourou had heard them fighting, but the noise had never been this bad before.
Despite blocking her ears, she could still hear them clearly. For someone like Xu Yourou, who had been single for years, hearing such commotion late at night was a cruel reminder of her solitude.
Unable to bear it any longer, she got up and retrieved the unwashed shirt from the living room.
“Zhenxing…” she whispered softly.
From the dark bedroom, faint murmurs could be heard…