The Fake Xue Qinghe

At the age of five, you arrived in Heaven Dou City.

Compared to Star Luo Imperial City, this place was slightly less developed, but the marketplace still looked quite luxurious.

"Wow! So this is Heaven Dou City!

You really had to see it for yourself to know just how grand and magnificent it was!"

Dongfang Xuan stood at the city gates, looking at the majestic structure before him and sighing in amazement.

"Hey! You there, little one, even if Heaven Dou City is spectacular, you can't just keep standing outside the city! Hurry up and go in!"

A soldier clad in heavy armor stepped forward, carefully crouched down, patted your head, and spoke gently.

"Got it, thank you, big brother soldier!"

Dongfang Xuan said with a beaming smile.

Because you had made a fortune back in the Star Luo Empire, the clothes you wore now were nearly on par with those of noble children. If you did not prefer keeping a low profile, you would definitely have been mistaken for a young noble.

The moment Dongfang Xuan entered Heaven Dou City, a young man with platinum-blond hair atop the city walls noticed him.

"That little fellow seems to have come from the Star Luo Empire."

Xue Qinghe said as he looked down at the masses below the city walls.

"Oh! Young Master, do you suspect that such a small child might be harmful to Heaven Dou?"

A white-haired nobleman with a goatee teased him with a hint of amusement.

"Uncle, you misunderstand. I simply found him rather unusual."

Xue Qinghe smiled faintly, his hands clasped behind his back.

Tch... Prince Xue Xing snorted disdainfully to himself, mentally flipping the table.

"Unusual? How can I not see anything unusual about a child who isn't even six yet?"

Prince Xue Xing asked with a puzzled expression.

"Haha! Perhaps it's just a feeling."

After saying that, Xue Qinghe waved in farewell. "Prince Xue Xing, then your nephew shall take his leave first."

Prince Xue Xing merely smiled faintly and nodded without saying anything else.

Only after Crown Prince Xue Qinghe had completely disappeared from view did he reveal a look of disgust.

Meanwhile, Xue Qinghe descended from the city gates and dismissed the guards protecting him, intending to meet this little fellow of yours.

At that moment, you were still discussing business in several small shops.

"Remember what I said. One-tenth of the profits must go toward taking in those without work or those struggling to make ends meet. Work together with them to make the shops bigger and stronger!"

Dongfang Xuan said confidently.

"Alright, young boss!" the owner of a tailor shop said excitedly, patting his chest to show there would be no problem.

Xue Qinghe, who had been watching the commotion here all along, grew increasingly suspicious of you.

After all, a gifted young child had come alone to Heaven Dou City from the Star Luo Empire. It was difficult not to let one's imagination run wild.

"Hehe! It seems this little fellow has secrets."

Wearing a bamboo hat, Xue Qinghe stood across from the shop, smiling faintly as he rested a hand beneath his chin.

After that, you continued as before, constantly searching the city for small stalls and establishing partnerships with them.

Xue Qinghe, who had been openly following behind you the whole time, found his lips unable to stop curving upward at your innocence.

Xue Qinghe first watched your confident stride, then turned back to look. On the streets of Heaven Dou City, the owners of every small vendor stall had gone out to invite unemployed helpers and poor commoners from the lowest ranks.

"How did this little fellow manage to accomplish so much?

He has only been here for such a short time, yet he has already built up this kind of scale. Not simple, not simple at all."

Xue Qinghe stared at the changes around Heaven Dou City's gates in shock.

But when he turned around, he found that you had not gone far. Instead, you were continuing to discuss partnerships from shop to shop.

"Isn't he tired? It's almost noon already."

Xue Qinghe's brows furrowed slightly as he muttered under his breath.

"Phew... I finally won over all these small vendors. Heaven Dou City may be huge, but there are fewer little shops like these than I expected. They're almost all clustered near the city gates."

Dongfang Xuan said, wiping the bead-sized drops of sweat from his forehead and letting out a breath.

By then, the sky was gradually darkening, and only then did you notice the time.

"Oh no! Things were going so smoothly that I forgot to eat!"

Dongfang Xuan immediately panicked.

Pfft!

Xue Qinghe, who had been following behind you all this time, nearly burst out laughing at your innocent and adorable appearance.

You did not notice this. Instead, you casually found a small restaurant, ordered a bowl of noodles with an extra chicken drumstick, and began eating heartily.

"Slurp, slurp, slurp!"

"Delicious! As expected of a snack shop—the flavor is so authentic no matter where you go."

Dongfang Xuan rapidly slurped up his noodles, sparing no praise.

"Hehe! You sure know how to talk, little one. Our shop has been around since the founding of the nation. Making authentic noodles is nothing to us~~"

A slightly plump middle-aged chef said proudly.

Just then, the bamboo-hat man Xue Qinghe was disguised as entered the shop as well.

"Boss, please give me a bowl of ramen too, with a chicken drumstick."

Xue Qinghe said in a relaxed tone.

At first, the chef was somewhat suspicious upon seeing the bamboo-hat man. But after hearing his casual, easygoing tone, he put his concerns aside. Still, the more he listened, the more the voice seemed like the crown prince's.

"Coming right up! Please have a seat first, customer!"

The chef did not think much of it and returned to the kitchen to make the noodles.

Xue Qinghe sat in the row to your right, his gaze occasionally falling on the way you ate your noodles.

Though clearly a wealthy little fellow, you ate as if you had not had a meal in ages.

"Haha! Little friend, you came from the Star Luo Empire, didn't you?"

Xue Qinghe asked teasingly.

"Yeah! These clothes are specialties from over there too!"

Dongfang Xuan did not hide it and continued eating the noodles in his bowl without a care.

Just as he was about to take a bite of the chicken drumstick, a stray dog suddenly ran in from outside, its eyes fixed viciously on the drumstick in your chopsticks.

"Hey! What are you looking at me for? Don't tell me you're planning to take it by force!"

Dongfang Xuan said imperiously, completely fearless.

"Woof woof!"

The stray dog barked viciously at you twice.

"Tsk tsk, a tiger fallen to the plains really does get bullied by dogs! Hey, don't come any closer!

I'll give you the chicken drumstick, alright? But can I take one bite first?"

Dongfang Xuan said timidly.

"Pfft, hahaha!"

Xue Qinghe was instantly amused by you.

"This..."

Dongfang Xuan looked speechlessly at the bamboo-hat man laughing his heart out, while the stray dog continued glaring at him viciously.

"Fine, fine! Why are you glaring at me? It's not like I said I wouldn't give it to you. (*￣m￣)"

Dongfang Xuan helplessly placed the chicken drumstick on the ground.

The next second, the stray dog snatched it up in its mouth and left the ramen shop.

You could only continue eating your ramen gloomily.

"Hehe! Sir, your noodles are ready."

The chef called out cheerfully.

"Alright, thank you."

Xue Qinghe replied politely, though every time he looked at you, the amusement in his eyes was impossible to suppress.

You noticed it too. Your pretty face reddened, and you hurriedly finished your noodles, paid, and left.

"This little fellow... How wonderful it would have been if he had been born earlier and come to my side. But it isn't too late now!"

Xue Qinghe watched your hurriedly retreating figure and prepared to leave as well, but before doing so, he still took a taste of the ramen.

"Mmm! It really is delicious!"

Xue Qinghe said, unconsciously licking his lips.

"Right? This is an old established shop of mine."

The chef bragged smugly.

"Huh? Where did he go? Sir, you haven't finished your noodles yet!"

The shop owner called out loudly.

"I'm full. The Gold Soul Coins are on the table, no need for change."

Xue Qinghe said with a hearty smile.